The YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas has received a $100,000 gift from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, YWCA officials announced this week. The gift will support the YWCA women's health program, which provides free mammograms, diagnostic tests, case management and transportation services to thousands of uninsured and underinsured women in the Dallas area each year. The Mary Kay Ash gift comes on the heels of a study by the American Cancer Society that confirmed earlier research showing that uninsured women were less likely to get recommended screening tests, such as mammograms, and that uninsured women were less than half as likely as women with private insurance to reach the five-year survival mark for breast cancer. The YWCA women's health program is available in English and Spanish to qualifying women by appointment. Call 214-826-9922.

From staff reports

A new online service by the city of Dallas will allow residents to quickly access information on local homeowner, neighborhood and crime watch associations. The interactive site, called the Community Associations Mapping Project, allows residents to type in their home addresses and obtain information such as meeting times and locations for local groups. City officials say they hope the availability of the map will encourage residents to become more involved in their neighborhoods. It can be accessed through www.dallascity hall.com by clicking on "Find a Map" in the left column.

From staff reports

Two masked men brandishing pistols walked into the Denton Bingo Hall just after closing Tuesday night and executed a businesslike robbery that garnered them the night's proceeds and two women's purses. "I don't want to compliment them, but they knew what they were doing," customer Judy Good said. "Thank goodness nobody got hurt." Only two employees and two customers were in the building in the 2200 block of North Carroll Boulevard when the two men walked in about 10:25 p.m. They gathered all four people into the game room and made them lie facedown on the floor. They demanded the money from an employee's cash apron and took the two customers' handbags. The men took an undisclosed amount of cash from a moneybag in the office and left. Several Denton charities operate the bingo game and share the proceeds.

Donna Fielder,

Denton Record-Chronicle

A panel of judges from the 2nd Court of Appeals rejected an attempt Wednesday to get Wendy Davis removed from the November ballot for state Senate District 10. Matt Latham, Ms. Davis' campaign manager, and Rob Gibson, a spokesman for the plaintiffs, said the judges ruled that the three members of a Fort Worth firefighters association didn't have standing to demand that Democratic Party leaders remove her from the ballot. Mr. Gibson said no decision has been made yet about whether to appeal. The firefighters say that Ms. Davis was still a Fort Worth City Council member when she filed to run against incumbent GOP Sen. Kim Brimer. State law requires that a local officeholder resign before filing for the state Legislature. Ms. Davis' replacement, Joel Burns, was sworn in at a private ceremony before the filing deadline for the legislative seat and then sworn in again at a council meeting after the deadline. Fort Worth city attorney David Yett previously declined to take sides in the debate about when Mr. Burns officially became a council member. This is the second time courts have ruled against the firefighters, who belong to an association that endorsed Mr. Brimer. The Texas Supreme Court ruled previously that they must file with the appeals court first. Both rulings were rejected on procedural grounds and didn't address the question of whether Ms. Davis could remain on the ballot.

Jeff Mosier

Burglars did major damage to the Swift-T at 2033 Military Drive shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday when they used chains and a stolen white van to rip off the front doors of the store and drag an ATM machine into the parking lot. With the help of a Dallas police helicopter, Mesquite officers responding to an alarm at the store arrested Steven Chapman, 21, and Paul Calhoun, 23. Police are looking for three other men who witnesses said were seen fleeing the location. Mr. Chapman and Mr. Calhoun were charged with burglary of a building and criminal mischief over $1,500, both felonies punishable by six months to two years in state jail and a $10,000 fine; and evading arrest, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $2,000 fine. The culprits were not able to get any cash out of the ATM. Anyone with information can call 972-216-6759.

Richard Abshire

Police were investigating the death of a 42-year-old woman who was struck while walking across an interstate on-ramp. Velda Cavazos of Richardson was crossing the ramp in the 2700 block of Interstate 30 near Gus Thomasson Road about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday when she was hit by a 2004 Chevrolet vehicle, Mesquite police said. While Ms. Cavazos was on the ground, she was struck a second time by an unidentified black truck, police said. No arrests had been made.

Jana Wallis

Ski Plano, an annual winter-themed fundraising gala, is expected to pull in an avalanche of money for schools and gifts for guests Saturday at Southfork Ranch in Parker. The event will include dinner and music, as well as a live auction, silent auction and raffle with prizes donated by area businesses. Up for grabs will be tickets, hotel and airfare to a Chicago Cubs game, dinner for 10 from a Central Market executive chef and half-carat diamond earrings from Neiman Marcus. About 800 people, including school board members, business leaders, educators and parents, are expected at the fundraiser. The Plano ISD Education Foundation collects proceeds for various school needs. Tickets are $100 apiece. Contact Cami Alexander at 972-248-8252 or cami.alexander @sbcglobal.net.

Staci Hupp