Texan of the year announced, Cowboys improbable run may be too little too late : Weekend roundup

Plus, Texas A&M defeat No. 13 North Carolina  [Morning roundup]( 1/03/2020 Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines of the weekend so far. 🌞 Weather: We'll have sunny skies and a high of 59F. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( Melinda Gates is our 2020 Texan of the Year. (Michael Hogue/Illustration) OPINION [The Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year 2020: Melinda Gates]( Melinda Gates believes that empowering women changes the social dynamic. As the co-leader of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she has championed women’s rights. Since its establishment in 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has also provided more than $54 billion in grants to help protect people from infectious disease, to build gender equality, to improve farm yields, to train teachers, to create effective curricula, to, well, the list becomes too long to list. The benefits of her work can be measured in lives saved, opportunities created and diseases weakened. For the vast life-changing and world-changing philanthropy she has funded, championed and overseen in partnership with her husband, [Melinda Gates is our 2020 Texan of the Year](.  Also: In praise of [big philanthropy]( — the causes and approaches the Gates foundation takes are worthy of support.   Also: Investment in economic [empowerment of women]( goes far.   And: Their work made Texas better — see a list of [Texan of the Year finalists](.  ADVERTISEMENT SPORTS [The Cowboys have overcome a lot, but an improbable run may be too little too late]( All eyes are focused on Sunday’s matchup with New York and what it could mean for the Cowboys’ fortunes. None are looking back at the gruesome injury that altered the course of the season. Dak Prescott suffered his compound fracture and dislocated ankle in the team’s first meeting with the Giants. No one felt compelled to view it again as [Dallas prepared to end the regular season against the same team](. "It definitely didn’t get watched, didn’t get played,’' receiver Michael Gallup said. "Nobody wants to see that. "Nobody wants to remember it.’'  Aggie result: Here are 5 takeaways from No. 5 Texas A&M’s [41-27 win over No. 13 North Carolina](.   Tim Cowlishaw: The timing may have been odd, but [Tom Herman's firing]( indicates his level of failure at Texas.  (Stewart F. House / Special Contributor) PHOTO OF THE WEEKEND [Denton Guyer grabs thrilling win as area playoff teams get closer to state football titles]( Denton Guyer wide receiver Jace Wilson (5) caught a touchdown pass over Prosper cornerback Kaleb Miles (13) during the second half in the Class 6A Division II, Region I final at McKinney ISD Stadium on Saturday. [Guyer's triple-overtime 30-24 win]( was one of a number of exciting area playoff games. [Find all the results here.]( ADVERTISEMENT AROUND THE SITE - Business: DFW Airport wants to cut emissions to zero by 2030, but can it do it? [And what does that mean?]( - Politics: [Ted Cruz will object]( when Congress certifies Joe Biden’s electoral win, joining 10 other senators demanding a 10-day delay. - Public health: [Dallas County shatters its 1-day record]( by adding 2,842 new coronavirus cases Saturday. FINALLY... [Dallas principal’s extraordinary life, not her death, deserves notice]( Columnist Sharon Grigsby writes: Best to get out of the way if you were standing between Dr. Olga Korobovskaya and her big dreams. The founding principal of the first DISD elementary in Downtown Dallas, which opened just a few months ago, never saw a barrier between herself and her next goal. [Russian-born Dr. Olga had a dauntingly brilliant mind]( and a fierce drive to succeed. She was larger than life — and not just because, even at 5-10, she always wore heels. In the cruelest of twists, her commitment to kindness contributed to her murder. ADVERTISEMENT  👋 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 [the newsroom.]( STAY CONNECTED WITH US [Unsubscribe]( | [Free newsletters]( | [Dallasnews.com]( | [Subscriber login]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact us]( Copyright 2020 - [The Dallas Morning News, 1954 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201, United States](