Happy 4/20 y’all,

It’s time to get high off the headlines. 😎 Before we get to an interesting story about one school district’s use of AI and my review of a North Richland Hills salt spa, let’s talk about the controversy surrounding the Dallas Wings press conference last week.

Last Thursday, the Dallas Wings held a press conference to introduce their latest pick from the WNBA draft, Azzi Fudd. Fudd is the second UConn Husky to be acquired by the team in two years, as they drafted 2025 NCAA star Paige Bueckers last year. But the reunion of former teammates isn’t the only headline here; it’s that the two were dating last year—and still may be.

During the press conference, a reporter asked if they were still dating and how that dynamic would be handled as teammates. Before Fudd could even answer, a Wings publicist interrupted and asked the reporter not to ask questions about players’ personal lives. (Here’s Fudd and Bueckers together in NYC last year. Photo by The Hapa Blonde/GC Images)

Since then, the two’s relationship has surpassed the news value of the draft, or Fudd’s record-breaking starting salary, or the team’s strategy with their news star, but should it be that way?

Right after Monday’s draft, I saw a Chron headline on social media that said: “The Dallas Wings two best players are about to have a big gay summer.” 😮 Bold, right?!

Romantic relationships are admittedly fascinating, especially for the rich and/or famous. I, too, am interested in how any couple would navigate playing on the same team, especially when the relationship was developed prior to the job. But I couldn’t help but ask myself if we’d be asking this question so directly if this were two men, or even if it would be asked to a man working with his wife.

Is a romantic story of a woman more valuable than her skill or the fact that she just made sports history? I’ve really only seen this level of attention directed at a man when Travis Kelce began dating Taylor Swift, and those were two very famous people before they ever got together. 

So tell me what you think. Was the reporter’s question valid? Should we be asking young athletes these types of questions at all? Or is this level of invasion part of growing fame? Write in and give me your take.

Plano ISD announced that it was planning to use AI name announcements at graduation ceremonies this spring. (Emmanuel Offei/Unsplash)

By Sam Cohen

The debate over artificial intelligence and how to use it ethically and sustainably has ramped up in recent years. Though the idea of using “computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind” has been around for centuries, it wasn’t until the recent introduction of platforms like ChatGPT that we’ve collectively had to figure out when to use AI and when something should just be done by humans.

For Plano ISD students, this debate became even more personal when the district emailed parents to say that it plans to use an artificial intelligence program to announce students’ names at upcoming high school graduations.

The email stated, in part, “Names matter, and we want your big moment to feel personal and accurate.” With this idea in mind, Plano ISD chose the NameCheck pronunciation tool to read each individual graduate’s name at ceremonies held throughout the district this spring.

The hope is to make things more seamless and leave less room for error, as students will record the correct pronunciation of their names for the AI platform in advance. In theory, it sounds like a good idea. Some students beg to differ, though.

Salti’s larger salt room accommodates five people, while a smaller room fits two. (Joi Louviere/ Courier DFW)

Do you remember the salt lamp trend a few years ago? It felt like every remotely health-conscious person was adding a sea salt lamp to their living room and bedroom. It wasn’t just because the lamps provided cozy lighting, but also because they wanted the air-cleansing benefits of Himalayan salt. Unfortunately, a small lamp isn’t powerful enough to do anything for all the hipsters. Salt therapy, also known as halotherapy, is a technique folks are using to really tackle a wider range of health issues by sitting in a room filled with salt particles.

I’d heard that salt therapy can help in recovery from respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, Covid-19, and everyday asthma and allergy flares. It also helps treat irritating skin conditions like eczema, as well as reduce stress and promote better sleep. Since I’m a sleep-deprived asthmatic with skin and environmental allergies, I thought it was time to give this a try. 

Where I went

I headed to North Richland Hills to Salti Salt Spa, a nurse practitioner-run med spa that made the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s favorites list last year. Booking in advance online is encouraged, but I risked it on a weekday afternoon and arrived unannounced. There are three different rooms: a large room that accommodates five people, a smaller one for two people, and a kids’ playroom. Due to a previous booking of the smaller room, I ended up in the large one, a starlit room with leather loungers and soft blankets surrounded in a sea of pink salt. Salt particles are blown into the air from a machine on the side of the room. Soothing music played, and I had 40 minutes to sleep, think, or really do whatever.

In the salt room

Instantly, I felt a slight tingle in my nostrils, and my sinuses began to open. Luckily, I had brought tissues with me because I started to drain. I was too hyped up on a coffee from earlier to sleep, but I cozied up with a blanket and opened my laptop to work. (Hey, these newsletters have to get done no matter what!) When my time was up, the friendly front desk woman, Sarah, cracked open the door and rang a small bell softly. She told me that sometimes people are sleeping so hard she has to go all the way in and shake them awake. I emerged feeling relaxed and refreshed, but the real test was over the next 24 hours.

24 hours later

I can report that I slept deeply, which is a rare occasion lately. My skin feels softer and more moisturized, and I feel like I’m finally moving past a weeklong allergy flare. Like with any therapy, consistency renders better, more far-reaching results, but I’m glad I experienced a difference after only one visit. The session was $40, and Salti has packages that make it even cheaper, including memberships that offer unlimited access. Also, Salti isn’t the only salt room in DFW; there are more than you’d think. The next time you’re under the weather or have major stress keeping you up at night, would you consider trying salt therapy?

Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Reply to this email.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere with reporting by Sam Cohen. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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