Disaster declaration signed as Eastland County fires continue, serial rapist sentenced to life in prison: Your Friday evening roundup

Also, Mark Cuban and Mavs accuse ex-GM Donnie Nelson of $100 million extortion plot in response to lawsuit  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Morning roundup](  Sponsored by: Content and story selection are solely editorial's decision.   [NEWS]( | [BUSINESS]( | [SPORTS]( | [HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS]( | [ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT]( | [FOOD]( |[STATE OF THE CITY]( | [THINGS TO DO]( | [OPINION]( | [GAMES AND PUZZLES]( 03/18/2022 By Carla Solórzano Good evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here](. Abilene firefighters connect a refill hose to the Brush 1 fire truck Thursday, March 17, 2022. Crews worked into the night fighting the grass fire west of Abilene that threatened a mobile home park and other structures. (Ronald W. Erdrich/Associated Press) NEWS [Gov. Greg Abbott signs disaster declaration as massive Eastland County fires continue to burn]( At least 50 homes have been destroyed and a sheriff’s deputy was killed in a blaze spanning thousands of acres that continued to burn in north-central Texas on Friday. Around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, about 13,000 acres were burning across Brown and Eastland counties, about 140 miles west of Dallas, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. By about 11 a.m. Friday, flames consumed over 45,000 acres. At a news conference Friday evening, [Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for 11 counties]( and said more could be added as the situation develops. [Test your knowledge of this week’s top headlines and you’ll be entered for the chance to win $100.]( [Question 1 of 5]( [How many flights has Southwest recently canceled from March through May?]( - [5,000]( - [13,000]( - [20,000]( - [14,500]( [Start the quiz by choosing your answer.]( ADVERTISEMENT [TOP NEWS]( [Mark Cuban, Mavs accuse ex-GM Donnie Nelson of $100 million extortion plot in response to lawsuit]( [Serial rapist who killed Plano, Fort Worth women is sentenced to life in prison]( [Here’s how more North Texas students can attend a nearby UT System school tuition free]( [Masks will be required on DART trains, buses until April 18 at least]( [Here’s how gender-affirming medical care can impact a transgender adolescent’s fertility]( ADVERTISEMENT POLITICS [Texas ban on straight-ticket voting stands after ruling from federal appeals court]( [Abortion rights groups sue, saying ‘extremists’ are using the courts to target them]( [Biden taps Candace Valenzuela, Beth Van Duyne’s 2020 congressional rival, to join administration]( [More politics stories]( | [Politics newsletter]( BUSINESS [American Airlines will bring back main cabin alcohol sales in April]( [Here’s how D-FW’s ultra-tight home inventory stacks up with other metros]( [Brides come from faraway places to get fairy tale gowns from Esé Azénabor]( [More business stories]( | [Business newsletter]( ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT [Hulu gives first look at series on Wylie ax killer Candy Montgomery, sets release date]( [A Lancaster singer broke out on Fox’s ‘I Can See Your Voice.’ Then what happened?]( [Lizzo’s new Amazon show puts Allen designer in the spotlight]( [More Arts & Entertainment stories]( | [Arts & Entertainment newsletter]( 👋 That's all for this afternoon! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and [check out our other newsletters here](. Do you have feedback? Submit your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to[the newsroom.]( Looking for more? The Dallas Morning News has even more newsletters to keep you informed and inspired. [View the complete list](. ADVERTISEMENT [Free Newsletters]( | [Account Login]( | [Help Center]( | [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( The Dallas Morning News, 1954 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201, United States © Copyright 2021