Texas' largest nursing home provider files bankruptcy, Wilonsky on Hillcrest teen accused of murder: Your Thursday morning roundup

December 06, 2018 By Nataly Keomoungkhoun and Carla Solórzano Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. 🌧️ Weather: Cloudy with a 50% chance of showers developing late in the day. High of 54. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here](. The Lake Arthur Place nursing home, operated by Dallas-based Senior Care Centers, didn't reopen after Harvey struck in August 2017. Earlier this year, the state reopened its investigation into why the facility refused to evacuate during the storm. (Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer) Business Texas' largest nursing home operator files for bankruptcy, sparking concerns about patients, jobs Texas' largest nursing home provider, Senior Care Centers, [has filed for bankruptcy in a serious setback for the Dallas-based company]( that drew fire last year for not evacuating patients before Hurricane Harvey struck. Senior Care Centers, which operates about 100 facilities in Texas, filed for reorganization in U.S. bankruptcy court for the Northern District of Texas on Tuesday, reporting more than $100 million in debt. It's at least the second troubled nursing care giant in the Dallas area to file for bankruptcy since late last year. In a news release, Senior Care Centers said high rents and "burdensome'' debts dragged it down. The company pledged that patient care will not suffer due to its financial woes, and that it will "continue providing comprehensive care and support to its nearly 10,000 patients and residents.'' Cruising: Galveston is [partnering with Royal Caribbean]( on a new $85 million cruise ship terminal. Giving alumnae: She earned her degree as a TWU commuter student and single mom — then [repaid the school with a $10M gift.]( Commentary Why did parents find out from TV news that our kids went to a Dallas high school with a boy accused of rape and murder? From city columnist Robert Wilonsky: For the second time in less than a year — in seven months! — Hillcrest has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. First, in May, [there was the 25-year-old basketball player pretending to be a 17-year-old]( while [dating a 14-year-old.]( [Now this](. DISD handled it the right way after basketball player Sidney Bouvier Gilstrap-Portley's arrest last spring on suspicion of tampering with government records. Officials explained how it happened, how he had portrayed himself as a homeless Hurricane Harvey evacuee whose school records had been lost, how the district was federally obligated to accept him no matter the explanation But until a letter was posted to the school's website Wednesday afternoon after many calls from many concerned parents, [DISD officials hadn't said anything about the arrest of an accused killer](. Super volunteer: Meet the Bobcats football coach [who doubles as a father figure to 130 kids]( in northeast Dallas. And: Obed Manuel writes about why [he'd love to see a Mexican Superman on the big screen](. crime Here’s how Dallas police found a 15-year-old arrested in connection with serial rapes, slaying of 23-year-old woman Police arrested a 15-year-old suspected serial rapist and killer last week [after detectives tracked a slain woman's laptop to his home in Far North Dallas](, court records show. Authorities announced the arrest last week, saying the teen was linked to five sexual assaults — in Dallas and Louisiana — and the deadly attack of 23-year-old Maria Ezquerro in her apartment near the Galleria. Police at the time declined to discuss many details in the cases. But search warrant affidavits revealed how law enforcement officials ultimately found the teen using GPS technology. The details of some of those records were first reported by WFAA-TV (Channel 8) In each of the Dallas rapes, the attacker knocked on the victim's door and asked for work or money, police said. He sexually assaulted the women after forcing his way into their homes. He usually carried a weapon. Also: A man was [shot and robbed near SMU's campus]( early Wednesday morning, police said. Meanwhile: A Houston-area family is pleading that [the thief who stole their infants' ashes return them](. And: [Texas is seeking the death penalty against a U.S. Border Patrol agent]( who confessed to killing four sex workers, a district attorney said. EDITORS' PICKS - Politics: A Texas Republican who helped write the state party's platform [declared himself a white nationalist on social media](. - Weather quiz: What's the difference between [snow, sleet and freezing rain?]( - Mark Lamster: [The new park for the Trinity is revealed](, and with it a new beginning for Dallas. - Sorry to rain on your parade: The city of Duncanville [has canceled its holiday parade, citing heavy rain in the forecast]( for Friday. - Michalene Busico, restaurant critic: [We're having a special dinner at Oak Cliff's Macellaio]( — and you're invited. - S'nope: [Parts of North Texas could see snow Saturday](, but Dallas may just get cold rain. David Berumen, 5, of Mesquite and Andy Bragdon, 8, of Irving ride 'Zoom' at Penny Whistle Park in 1993. (DMN File Photo) Finally... What happened to this East Dallas amusement park? Curious Texas investigates When John Thomas read that Carrollton’s Sandy Lake amusement park had closed, he said he began to feel nostalgic about all of the places he and his siblings would visit when they were young. He said he also joked with his brother about how Dallas was closing all of their “childhood memories.” Reading about Sandy Lake is what made him wonder about Penny Whistle Park. He was quite young when he visited the East Dallas amusement park, so he doesn’t have too many memories, but he’s often wondered why it closed. “If I ask people who aren’t from around here, they don’t know what I’m talking about,” he said. “We also went on Northwest to see if we could remember where it was, but we couldn’t remember.” That’s why Thomas asked Curious Texas: [Where exactly was Penny Whistle Park located? And when did it shut down?]( 👋 That's all for this morning! 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? Send your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to [newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com](mailto:newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com?subject=). STAY CONNECTED WITH US  [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Reddit](  [OTHER NEWSLETTERS]( [SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS]( [Unsubscribe](  |  [Manage Preferences](  |  [Privacy Policy](  |  [Contact](  |  [Advertise]( You received this message because you signed up for this Dallas Morning News newsletter or it was forwarded to you. Copyright 2018 - [The Dallas Morning News]( | [1954 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75201](#)