A French Bulldog, The Texas Rangers and Weed: The Most Positive Observer News Stories of 2023

Although gloom and doom often seem to be a newspaper’s chief vibes most of the time, we like to think that we can let a little sunlight onto our pages from time to time as well. It’s important for us to point out political corruption, human rights violations, questionable decisions and much more. We get it. That’s what we do.

But we also place an emphasis on going where a story leads us and, thankfully, that sometimes means we get to end things on a happy note. North Texas is packed with millions of untold stories, and perhaps we’re being naive here, but we think that a bunch of those unknown tales feature good people doing good things. We hope we can dig more of them up for our readers. Here are some of the more positive Observer news stories from 2023.

Dimple Jackson Street Will Honor a South Dallas 'Neighborhood Matriarch'

There has been some controversy surrounding various proposed street and park name changes in recent months, but not this one. Dimple Jackson was a beloved neighborhood leader for the more than 50 years she lived on the street that now bears her name.

Internet Sleuths Accused Him of Stealing a Dog. He Actually Saved Her.

As fractured as our society is, we can all agree that dogs are awesome and that we most likely do not deserve their unconditional love. Last spring, a number of locally focused Reddit pages and Facebook groups were buzzing with pictures, theories and exclamations regarding the case of a lost, adorable French bulldog named Mabel. There was some not-so-positive drama, but our reporter Simone Carter got to the bottom of it for you.

'Aggravating Persistence' Helps Exoneration of Dallas Man After 25 Years

In 1998, Martin Santillan was sentenced to life for a murder police said he committed in Deep Ellum. In 2023, he walked away a free man after being exonerated. Although the time spent in prison for a crime he didn’t commit is not positive, of course, the fact that Santillan is out of prison with a clear name is a Hollywood-style happy ending.

Texas Legislative Session Saw Tiny Victories for Cannabis Reform

When it comes to weed in Texas, even tiny moral victories are worth celebrating for a large portion of our readership.

Messi Mania Came to North Texas and Lived Up to the Hype with a Dramatic Victory

The greatest soccer player of all time came to North Texas in August for the biggest North Texas match in nearly 30 years. Lionel Messi showed us all that he is still capable of exceeding the world’s already unreasonable expectations for greatness.

'We're Trying to Change the Culture': Dallas Police Department Addresses Officer Mental Health

The challenges and tragedies that police officers must face on the job have long been minimized as “just part of the gig.” But now the Dallas Police Department is looking to change that mentality by placing a greater emphasis on the mental health and well-being of its force.

Soul Stirring: This Outdoor Church in Fair Park Gives the Homeless Some Peace (and Food)

Every Sunday a unique sort of church service takes place in a Fair Park parking lot. Led by a man once more in love with drugs than the God he now preaches about, this mission is about caring for those who desperately need to know that there are people out there who will care for them.

Not a Dream: The Wildest Numbers Behind the Texas Rangers Historic World Series Win

Did you hear? The Texas-freaking-Rangers won the World-freaking-Series for the first-freaking-time.

The YMCA is Staying Downtown, But Some Members Aren't Celebrating Just Yet

After a heated dispute that lasted nearly all of 2023, longtime members of the downtown Dallas YMCA were able to stop the search for a new gym when it was announced that the planned sale and closure of the building would not move ahead and the structure would be taken off the market. The announcement came less than two weeks before the gym was set to close after many decades in that space.