Fort Worth Weekly // February 28 - March 5, 2024

THE DOCK BOOKSHOP

Since 2008, the owners of this Eastside oasis have weathered economic adversity, a pandemic, book bans, and racism.

BY LAURIE JAMES

METROPOLIS

Strikers at Molson Coors are ready to hold the line as long as it takes.

BY ERIN RATIGAN

EATS & DRINKS

You don’t have to venture far to put a bad day behind you.

BY CHRISTINA BERGER

SCREEN

The second Dune has all the action and depth missing from the first.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

MUSIC

The Stockyards welcomes the second annual Fort Worth Music Festival this week.

BY PATRICK HIGGINS

Black History Month

The conservative argument against Black history is racist. Don’t be fooled. Learning about the past is the best way to not repeat it, and for the average Black American, discovering the horrors of slavery won’t make her feel like a victim. It will empower her to take hold of her future and say, “Never again.” Banning books is just a different kind of slavery. It’s all up to us. If Black Americans and their allies know the

The Dock Rocks

This humble Eastside bookstore does more than peddle bound stories.

By Laurie James

Glass Warfare

Molson Coors workers join the labor movement sweeping the nation.

By Erin Ratigan

Festing Time

6

truth, if they know recorded history, then maybe they won’t fall for the Anti-Black Power Structure’s systemic, heavily mediatized b.s.

Fighting this asymmetrical war is The Dock Bookshop’s mission, and by merely existing and selling the kinds of titles that Anti-Black, Anti-Woman, Anti-LGBTQ America wants to hide, the 16-year-old Eastside institution offers some hope to sane North Texans. You can read more about The Dock on pg. 4, and

when you’re done with that nice piece, our month-long celebration of Black History Month continues with a review of the new Bob Marley biopic on pg. 13.

During Jamaica’s civil war, the reggae superstar didn’t choose sides. He let his music do the talking, and what his music said was, “Equality, Justice, and Peace,” three things that the frightened Anti-Black Power Structure in the United States today continually tries to destroy.

Anthony Mariani

Anthony

Lee Newquist, Publisher

Bob Niehoff, General Manager

Ryan Burger, Art Director

Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Emmy Smith, Proofreader

Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director

Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive

Julie Strehl, Account Executive

Tony Diaz, Account Executive

Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator

Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

Christina Berger,

The second Fort Worth Music Festival fires up the Stockyards this week.

By Patrick Higgins

4 20

Laurie

DuneIt Right

The sci-fi sequel worms its way into your psyche.

By Kristian Lin

fwweekly.com

Cover

The Dock Bookshop

Since 2008, the owners of this Eastside oasis have weathered economic adversity, a pandemic, book bans, and racism.

BY LAURIE JAMES

One of the largest Black-owned bookstores in the entire Southwest, The Dock Bookshop has been celebrating Black History Month every business day for 16 years. Since opening in an unassuming space in a Meadowbrook strip mall on the East Side in 2008, sisters Donna and Donya Craddock have created a hub for Black culture, life, and literature throughout North Texas. Although the last decade and a half haven’t been without challenges, the siblings have succeeded. Their latest victory? Prime Time himself, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, has chosen The Dock as the location of one of his few North Texas stops during his current book tour.

Older sibling Donna says The Dock is a labor of love. “It’s not something you get into for a lucrative business. We fill a particular niche. We lift up African-American voices, and so a lot of literature is in that lane, but we embrace all voices.”

On the day I caught up with the Craddocks, they were beginning to wind down programming for Black History Month while getting ready for Women’s History Month or, as they call it, Women’s Herstory Month. As part of the bookstore’s

mission, it’s a great space for events other than book signings, including community meetings and performance art. Every Tuesday, Dock Open Mic Nights showcase poetry, spoken word, music, and comedy, allowing “local artists to share their gifts,” Donna said.

Many national figures have visited, most recently Actor/politician Hill Harper, who was at the bookstore to promote his book The Conversation, about how men and women can build loving, trusting relationships. The Dock’s March lineup features Beto O’Rourke and his tome We’ve Got to Try on March 10, and March 16 is when Prime Time stops by, reading from, signing copies of, and selling his title Elevate and Dominate

Sanders is “a dynamic personality and a great motivator,” Donya said.

When asked how a small retailer in a quiet suburban neighborhood pulled a heavy hitter like Neon Deion, who could easily command a staggering appearance fee, Donya said that many small bookstores across the country are the beneficiaries of celebrities pushing local. “People are becoming intentional about supporting local businesses.”

To RSVP with a purchase of Elevate and Dominate, visit TheDockBookshop.com.

Along with the open-mic and evening with Sanders, other upcoming engaging nights at The Dock will start with what Donna calls “HerStories: A Celebration of Women’s Herstory Month and International Women’s Day.” The Craddocks are also planning a Sister Sunday event –– more information will be available soon on the bookstore’s website.

Only about 20% of all businesses nationwide are owned by women, and of the approximately 300 independently owned bookstores across the country, less than 5% are owned by Black people. While The Dock has earned national accolades, nothing has been easy for this two-woman operation. Being unique has helped. The tragic murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Aubery around the time of the pandemic galvanized the general population, many of whom probably did not know there was a Black-owned bookstore in their midst.

“The murder of George Floyd on TV — the public was just traumatized,” Donna said. “It caused some people to want to learn more and engage more and stop the violence against Black people.”

She added that white people came in to show support, to help, and to better understand what was happening and how they could effect positive change.

Another push came from celebrities recommending shopping local, like Martha Stewart.

The famous homemaker’s team, Donna said, “came out and said if you really want to understand and want to connect, start with locally owned Black bookstores in your community.”

The Dock appeared on one of Stewart’s lists of “good things” in 2020.

continued on page 5

Since opening The Dock Bookshop in 2008, sisters Donya Craddock (left) and Donna Craddock have seen lots of cultural shifts up close.

Laurie James

During the pandemic, people of all colors and creeds visited The Dock for critical information.

Laurie James

The Craddocks made news when they opened The Dock Bookshop nearly 16 years ago.

The Dock Bookshop via Facebook

Feature continued from page 4

The post-COVID, post-Donald Trump years have been marked by a rise in censorship that feels unprecedented, and The Dock has both seen and felt the weight of this over the last two years. Donna said that while the American Booksellers Association celebrates Banned Books Month in October, she and her sister have become aware of a larger issue that isn’t confined to a single month.

“People don’t want to deal with the history,” she said. “We have customers coming in asking about banned books, and we point to the whole store and say, ‘Pretty much all of them.’ ”

The creep of nationalistic, conservative-led anti-anti-racism into public schools has actually changed some textbooks. Donya calls this a “manipulation of language,” adding that “it’s a mass rewording of culture and watering down of history.”

Donna adds that a robust collection of reading material of all kinds is “more about representation for everyone — it’s not about you necessarily, whether you like what the book says or not.”

“That’s why we need the independent booksellers,” Donya added.

When I asked the women to pick their favorite titles right now, they both laughed. The Dock is a dream for any bookworm, with rows and rows of well-organized, seemingly endless selections for almost every reading taste. How could anyone choose? Donya said she’s more interested in Black dystopian

fiction, while Donna favors historical fiction and their extensive children’s section.

Another reason this woman-owned bookstore is crucial (not just during Women’s History Month) is that historically, women writers’ voices have not been heard, whether they’re Black, white, brown,

red, yellow, alive, or dead. Even in the notso-distant past, female authors used their initials or male-sounding pseudonyms to publish under, but from Donna Craddock’s perspective, that hasn’t been the case for a while.

“Women authors are on a roll,” she said. “I’m excited about where we’ve come from.”

During March, The Dock has added an appearance by Michelle Stimpson, whose latest book, Sister Greens, is about more than cooking.

“It’s a new day and a new age for Black authors,” Donna said, “even if they’re on the banned books list.”

After a busy February and March, the Craddocks are looking forward to celebrating the bookstore’s 16th birthday in May. They’re also recruiting sponsors to launch the third annual Trinity River Book Festival in September. The event kicks off with a Run to Read in Trinity Park.

Donya, newly returned from a conference for Reading the West, a program of The Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, is also relishing the opportunity to feature local and regional authors. She said The Dock “caters to the local rodeo scene with Western literature,” which has its own section near the front of the store.

“It’s about putting Texas on the forefront,” she said. “It takes us being in this space to tell the East Coast and West Coast not to leave us out. It’s about carving out our place in the literary world.” l

The Craddocks are leading the literacy parade with the Trinity River Book Festival.

The Dock Bookshop via Facebook

Located in an Eastside strip mall, The Dock Bookshop is a hub for Black culture and life.

The Dock Bookshop via Facebook

Dock co-owner Donna Craddock loves that kids of all colors, shapes, and abilities can find a book about someone like them at her store.

As Dock co-owner Donya Craddock’s favorite genre, Black dystopian fiction has a place at her bookstore.

Next month, it’s Prime Time at The Dock Bookshop.

Laurie James

Laurie James

The Dock Bookshop via Facebook

Suds on Strike

The larger labor movement is brewing at Molson Coors in South Fort Worth.

ERIN RATIGAN

As a mechanic at Molson Coors, John knows his job is dangerous. For the past nine years, the 38-year-old Kentucky native has worked in utilities for the brewing giant in South Fort Worth, supplying steam, ammonia, and glycol for beer production and collecting and distributing CO2 for brewing and canning. In his department, workers are hazmat trained, and they undergo physicals, testing, and retraining every year. The hazards of his job are on his mind every day.

METROPOLIS

“If I screw up when I’m turning a valve, if it breaks off, I could die, and a whole bunch of other people could die,” he said.

When he first joined the company, John, who is requesting anonymity, said people were in awe when he told them where he worked. He said Molson Coors was considered a great employer in those days but that things have changed since then. Now, he said, his department is understaffed, leaving him on shift longer to compensate.

“I’ve worked every Saturday for the last six months because there’s just not enough people,” he said.

Every day, he would wake up at 5 a.m., arrive at the Molson Coors plant by 6, and take some time to chat with the midnight-shift workers before clocking in. That routine changed February 17, when his branch of the National Brotherhood of Teamsters union –– Local 997 –– picked up signs and took to the streets in a strike. Now, on behalf of all 420 union members at Molson Coors, John and his fellow strikers are demanding better wages and benefits and an end to alleged unfair labor practices (ULP).

The strike comes in tandem with 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch facilities

transit engineers in New Jersey, home-care nurses in Oregon, and transportation Teamsters in Illinois are also fighting for better conditions and pay. The Cornell Labor Action Tracker, which logs labor strikes and protests, says that since last February 459 strikes have taken place in the United States. Eighteen of them have been in Texas.

Local 997 Teamsters make, package, and warehouse beverages and beers, including Coors Light, Miller High Life, Yuengling, Pabst, and Topo Chico.

Energy the first week of the march was high, with strikers carrying signs reading, “It’s our time” (a play on the Miller company slogan) and “Honk for beer.”

That same week, the Teamsters issued a statement accusing Molson Coors of allegedly unfair bargaining. They also announced that they had filed multiple ULP charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the brewing giant.

across the United States approaching their own deadline.

There have been dozens of similar strikes across the country. Flight attendants,

“Molson Coors presented insulting and regressive contract proposals, including offering less than a $1 per hour wage increase for the majority of Teamsters members,” the

continued on page 8

Happy Hour in the Kimbell Café

EVERY FRIDAY, 5–7 pm

Live music | Beer | Wine | Food

Admission to the permanent collection is always free.

Teamsters 997 strikers outside the Molson Coors facility in South Fort Worth are sorry about the traffic but not about their rights.

Tevita Uhatafe

LEARN MORE

ON VIEW THROUGH JUNE 9

ALWAYS FREE

Metro continued from page 6

union said. “Local 997 is seeking pay raises that reflect the impact of inflation over the term of the expired contract and the elimination of two-tiered health care and retirement benefits.”

For John, the first day of the strike felt really good but also odd.

“It’s just a little strange to be on the outside looking in,” he said. “So many years, you’re on the inside of the gate looking out.”

Also among the picketers was Rick Miedema, Local 997’s secretary-treasurer.

“We had roughly 200 people out on the picket [on Day 1] … and [they were] very amped up,” he said.

Miedema said Molson Coors employees endure immense challenges, with some workers clocking in for 12- to 16-hour workdays –– sometimes seven days a week. “A lot of employees, they’re out there more than they’re with their family.”

Miedema said that since the factory is not air-conditioned, they also have to contend with intense heat in summer. “This last summer was probably the most brutal summer that we’ve had.”

Line mechanic Jeff Pruitt, who has worked at Molson Coors for almost eight years, feels the heat is incredibly intense.

“In the summertime, it gets really rough in there,” he said. “It’s extremely hot, and it wouldn’t be so bad if the air wasn’t so stagnant. There’s no ventilation in there.”

He said heatstroke is not unheard of at the facility.

“We got quite a few people that go down from it being overheated and have to go to the hospital,” he said.

In October, data from the National Labor Relations Board showed ULP charge filings increased by 10% from the previous year –– the highest number of cases filed since 2016, the board said.

Miedema has noticed the strike trend and said he understands why unions are so active. “The fire is in the labor movement right now. … People are tired of working for less and less benefits. People want their fair share of the profits that the organizations make.”

In a public statement earlier this month, Molson Coors announced that in 2023, they achieved their highest reported top- and bottom-line figures in company history. The yearly salary of Molson Coors President and CEO Gavin Hattersley is just over $1 million, based on data by the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations). In 2022, he earned over $9 million in total compensation (which includes stock values and other compensation on top of the annual salary). Molson Coors disclosed that Hattersley’s pay was 115 times the median employee’s pay for that year, the labor policy group said.

Molson Coors did not respond to a request for comment.

Before the strike, John said he could feel the tension when he would walk into work. Contract negotiations between the union and Molson Coors weren’t going well,

and he felt like people were “walking on eggshells” and being short with one another. The energy was also different from previous contract negotiations –– this time, he said, he could tell it wouldn’t just be talk but action. A strike was on the horizon.

“This is my third contract, and, I don’t know, this one felt different,” he said. “It felt like, ‘We’re gonna do it.’ ”

Pruitt, a member of Local 997’s contract negotiations committee, said talks started poorly, with Molson Coors’ HR director allegedly presenting an ultimatum: Either the workers finish negotiating by the time the old contract expired, or Molson Coors would no longer pay committee members for their time.

“It’s been very difficult,” Pruitt said. “As soon as we got into the economics, they came after our health insurance.”

He said Molson Coors wanted to move union members onto a catastrophic health plan — “catastrophic” is a type of Affordable Care Act plan with low monthly premiums but high deductibles. He said it took weeks for the union to fight off that change. Then federal mediation got involved. Still, Pruitt said, nothing improved.

Molson Coors did not “even want to work with mediation in place,” he said. “They just presented us with their best and final offer, and that was the best that they could do.”

When the union voted to strike, John said it was like the pressure was finally released. The idea was both scary and exciting but mostly scary.

“You’ve got car payments and mortgage payments, and you don’t know how long this is gonna go, and you don’t know if you’re gonna be replaced,” John said.

With bills to pay and a family to support, he said his financial obligations were the first thing he thought about when he woke up and the last thing he thought about when he went to bed. Then, on February 8, the National Brotherhood of Teamsters announced they would increase strike benefits for Local 997 members to $1,000 a week. John said that coverage has made a meaningful difference for him and his fellow strikers.

“If it wasn’t for that … probably most people wouldn’t be able to make it,” he said.

Pruitt said he’s proud of his co-workers for striking. To him, this isn’t just about brewery workers but all workers. “We are not out there for just ourselves. … We’re also out there for everybody to take a stand, if you’re having problems in your workplace, to stand together and take action.”

Miedema said Local 997 members will “hold the line as long as they need to” to reach a contract agreement.

John’s message to Molson Coors is simple –– take care of the workers who take care of the business.

For everyone else, he has a different sentiment.

“Sorry about the traffic on 35,” he said. “We really don’t want to screw anybody’s day up. … We’re trying to give ourselves a better life for our families and better lives for young kids who are starting out working. That’s what we’re fighting for.” l

5’7”

5’6”

SCREEN

Double Dune

The science fiction saga goes dark and takes shape.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

When I reviewed the first Dune movie two and a half years ago, I reported that it left me cold, but I allowed for the possibility that the sequel might make the first film look better in retrospect. Now that I’ve seen Dune: Part Two, I’m glad that I left that door open for myself. Not that I’m entirely happy with Part Two, but it does that job, and it’s a better movie on its own.

One of my problems with the first Dune was that the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) didn’t really start until the end of that film. It picks up in earnest here, as he and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are war refugees living off the charity of the oppressed Fremen of the planet Arrakis. Half the planet thinks Paul is a messiah foretold by a prophecy who will liberate the planet, while the other half thinks the prophecy is a load of crap. He tries to downplay his status, well aware that being a chosen one will subject him to danger from his followers even more than his enemies. On the other hand, his mother cynically whips up religious sentiment among the people to protect Paul and his unborn sibling with whom she’s pregnant. Paul looks to gain the attention of the emperor (Christopher Walken), unaware that the emperor is the one behind the Harkonnens’ massacre of Paul’s father and clan.

Most of the supporting characters — Paul’s love interest Chani (Zendaya), the Fremen leader (Javier Bardem), and the Harkonnens’ hothead lieutenant (Dave Bautista) — come off as more rounded figures here, so it’s worrying that Chalamet seems swallowed up by the epic scale for so much of the film. He is holding back, but then, five hours over two films is a long time to hold back. Only in the latter stages does he finally cut loose, embracing his messiah-ness and going full cult leader to rally the Fremen against their rulers. It is more than a bit disturbing, especially when he proposes marriage to the emperor’s daughter (Florence Pugh, playing a subtle political operator who nevertheless can still be outsmarted) in front of Chani, a scene made more awkward by the way Paul steamrolls over her feelings.

Director/co-writer Denis Villeneuve still has some trouble toggling between the plotlines with Paul fighting alongside the Fremen, the Harkonnens fruitlessly trying

to wipe out the resistance, and the emperor trying to hold onto power. Fortunately, Villeneuve still has an eye for striking visuals, such as Chani running for shelter while the Harkonnen airship that she shot down crashes behind her in flames. A black-andwhite interval replete with black fireworks introduces us to the Harkonnens’ psychopathic heir apparent (Austin Butler) as he slaughters some fighters in a gladiator ring. (A shaven-headed Butler makes a properly hair-raising adversary — he likes stabbing his chambermaids to death just to test the sharpness of his swords, and regrettably, he can win a fair fight, too.) Villeneuve does not disappoint with the movie’s two big set pieces, a ritual when Paul rides a massive sandworm and proves his manhood to the Fremen and the climactic battle when the Fremen deliver a smackdown to the Harkonnens and to the high priestess (Charlotte Rampling), who all have it coming.

The tragic element of the story doesn’t quite hit home here, but I daresay that will

receive more treatment in a subsequent film. The better part of Dune: Part Two is the complexity of what it says about religion, as the Fremen’s belief in their messiah propels them to ultimate victory but leads them in a direction that only disgusts Chani. Lady Jessica’s order has been corrupted by its ties to the emperor, but Lady Jessica has her own self-interested reasons for breaking away and installing herself as a new reverend mother. These are subjects that other blockbuster franchises have studiously avoided, or botched, in the case of those Star Wars films. The focus on the power and the limits of faith distinguishes the Dune films from the herd. l

Dune: Part Two

Starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, based on Frank Herbert’s novel. Rated PG-13.

An empire hangs in the balance of Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler’s single combat in Dune 2

Photo by Niko Tavernise

SCREEN

Catch a Fire

The musical biography One Love oversimplifies the life of reggae legend Bob Marley.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

Biographical films have grown wiser to the trap of presenting their subjects as saints who succeed because they’re touched by the divine. Even some Christian movies — not all but definitely some — have received the word that reckoning with their real-life subjects as flawed human beings is a better way of conveying their message, not to mention making for better entertainment. These days, a movie about a real person must at least pay lip service to that person’s imperfections. Unfortunately, lip service is about all that Bob Marley: One Love gives us, when it could have offered us so much more.

The film concentrates on a three-year span of Marley’s life, starting in 1976, when Bob (Kingsley Ben-Adir) is already rich and famous and planning on a concert in Jamaica that will unify a country on the brink of civil war. Some gunmen who aren’t prioritizing unity descend on his estate outside Kingston and shoot him, his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch), and his manager Don Taylor (Anthony Welsh).

Ben-Adir is a British actor who portrayed Malcolm X in One Night in Miami and one of the Kens in Barbie, which gives you an idea of his range. This is the first film

that truly showcases him, and he seizes the opportunity. It’s a relatively simple matter to imitate Marley’s Jamaican accent and his rapturous dance moves onstage when he was in the music’s spell. Ben-Adir does more than that, especially in a scene when he’s creating “Exodus,” and you can see him listening to the sounds his backing musicians are making while singing a vocal line to fit what they’re doing. He also contributes a rare bit of humor, when he and his friends are arrested in London for walking while Black, and he tells the bobbies, “All the ganja is mine.”

I should note that Ben-Adir does not do the singing. Marley’s songs here have been re-recorded by his son, Stephen Marley, though Lynch is actually singing Rita Marley’s backing vocals.

Sitting in an auditorium with Marley’s hit songs coming through the speakers for 104 minutes can’t be a bad thing, and the film does conjure a truly remarkable scene late when Bob returns to his Jamaica home,

fingers the bullet holes in the wall, and is surprised to see the man who shot him (Micheal Ward) standing in his living room again, this time begging for forgiveness. In a flashback, young Rita (Nia Ashi) introduces teenage Bob to Rastafarianism, and the movie goes over the barest-bones precepts for the audience members who think it’s all just dreadlocks and marijuana, so there’s that.

Rita does bitterly allude to the children Bob has had with other women, and we do see Bob savagely assault Don over his supposed skimming of the fees from Bob’s planned Africa tour, but these feel weirdly out of the flow of the movie, stuck in there for form’s sake or maybe left over from a much longer film that has been cut down. Bob Marley was hardly the only messenger of peace and love who struggled to put that into practice in his life, but some of Rita Marley’s memoirs make for chilling reading. Director/co-writer Reinaldo Marcus Green (who’s turning into a biopic guy with Joe Bell and King Richard) doesn’t grapple

with the contradictions of the man whose music was so powerfully positive and who could be a terror to be around.

Marley’s family is intimately involved with the production of this film. That does hamstring the storytelling, but it doesn’t explain why the movie gives us so little sense of Marley’s place in the evolution of reggae from ska and rocksteady or how he managed his career to attain stardom or how his religious beliefs interfered with the treatment of the cancer that took his life. We’re left with Marley as some messianic figure who briefly alights on this earth. It’s credible as long as the music is playing or Ben-Adir is delivering Marley’s words about engendering peace. Too bad the rest of the film couldn’t achieve the same power. l

Bob Marley: One Love

Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch.

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. Written by Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin, and Reinaldo Marcus Green. Rated PG-13.

Kingsley Ben-Adir portrays a reggae giant in thrall to his music in Bob Marley: One Love

Courtesy Paramount Pictures

EATS & drinks

Devil Gotcha

After a day to forget, there’s nothing like a few cocktails to lift one’s spirits.

BY CHRISTINA BERGER

Some moments are so intense that every detail is seared into your memory. Others happen so quickly and unexpectedly that everything’s a blur. Before last Wednesday, the only blurry moments I’d ever experienced had been frightening car accidents — and a few booze-filled escapades in my terrible 20s.

That is, until I was unceremoniously escorted from my office building by police one sunny afternoon.

About an hour later — after sitting dumbstruck in my car, oscillating between sobbing and raging as I attempted to recount any of what had transpired mere minutes prior — I came to be perched on a barstool at Birdie’s Social Club in the West 7th corridor.

I’ve celebrated most work-related events at Birdie’s: a farewell happy hour or two for a couple colleagues, a mini reunion with another group of work-weary folks, and now a parting of my own. This time, two of my closest confidants (“the survivors,” as one coined our trio) joined me as I gulped down a Backyard Mule and lamented the “elimination” of my position. Maybe I had hoped Birdie’s pastel, cheery colors would somehow lift my spirits … while I lifted more and more spirits to my lips.

The social media team for Birdie’s took advantage of the windy yet temperate day by standing atop tables to snap aerial shots of food and drinks. In perfect timing, just as I polished off my saccharine blackberry-enhanced twist on a Moscow Mule, a young woman from Birdie’s entourage approached and offered us a free margarita. “It hasn’t been touched at all. We only used it for photos if anyone wants it.”

Some cherubim or seraphim had smiled upon (read: pitied) me. Or perhaps one of the Birdie’s staff had overheard my friend’s improv comedy special detailing all the continued on page 17

Thompson’s berry-infused gin sour was robust and subtly sweet and, with each sip, melted away the author’s worries.

Christina Berger

Birdie’s Social Club

Backyard Mule $13

Margarita

$5

Eats & Drinks

continued from page 15

hypothetical ways I could exact strange and hilarious revenge on my former employer. Either way, I nabbed a complimentary, refreshing frozen marg and a show, so the crappy hour tipped a tinge more toward “happy.”

A survivor no longer, I continued to lick my wounds at Thompson’s Bookstore later that night. I’d become just another casualty of my department, which has been hemorrhaging talented people in the ballpark of one a month since I started there about a year ago. Funnily enough, even the ebullient bartender at the speakeasy beneath Thompson’s could relate, having not so long ago lost his luster under the same leadership (or lack thereof). Somehow that was consoling, and the whirlwind of an afternoon seemed less a disappointment and more a relief.

“Oh, shit! You got diet fired!” the tapster exclaimed after he’d coaxed the truth out of me with his sympathetic eyes and comforting “Wanna talk about it?” And who’s to say whether or not he would have offered a free shot had I not opened up to this complete stranger and, as it turns out, fellow fallen comrade? The ounce of well-balanced lemon, lavender, honey, and vodka went down smooth as we toasted our shared trauma with a four-letter word.

Given the small-world connection, I left it to my cohort behind the bar to whip me up

something unique. When I said I preferred drinks made with gin, his eyes sparkled deviously. The next thing I knew, a gorgeous coupe glass topped with a thick layer of egg foam and a skewered blackberry appeared before me. (How did he know I have a thing for blackberries?!) The berry-infused gin sour was robust and subtly sweet, and, with

each sip, I felt my shoulders slowly release from my earlobes. Good hootch will do that to ya.

My companion’s Smokey and the Bandit looked even more beautiful. Served in a coupe rimmed with barbecue salt, the blend of mezcal, orange and chile liqueurs, lemon juice, and bitters was smoky and salty with an added kick. It’s a mix of class and grit — James Bond meets Dirty Harry — distilled and shaken (not stirred).

At some point around 10pm, the midweek church crowd descended, flooding the recently renovated blind tiger. This hidden hangout, previously called the Rx, once featured vintage anatomical paraphernalia throughout. While modernized in a way that still harks back to the Prohibition era, the space lacks some of its original personality and charm though probably more closely resembles a classic speakeasy without the added brand confusion.

An older, rotund man with cartoonish facial features and a brusque manner, who almost immediately identified himself as the church group’s pastor, loomed over my pal and me and peppered us with leading questions as he bumped me with his belly. When he sussed out that we’re members of a church choir not of his particular denomination, he blurted, “The devil will find you!” and, teetering a bit, spilled some of his drink

on me before returning to his rowdy flock. I wish I had retorted, “Too late.” After all, I hear idle hands are the devil’s workshop — and, now that I’m “funemployed,” it’s only a matter of time. If (when?) Lucifer finds me, I hope it’s over a craft cocktail. As he drags me into the depths of hell, let it be a perp-walk to remember. l

Thompson’s Smokey and the Bandit is James Bond class meets Dirty Harry grit, distilled and shaken (not stirred).

Rosa Summers

Thompson’s Bookstore Smokey and the Bandit $14

Gin sour ...................................................... $12

The well-balanced lemon, lavender, honey, and vodka went down smooth as the crew toasted its shared trauma at Thompson’s Bookstore downtown.

Rosa Summers

NIGHT & DAY

29

Thursday

Tonight is the final show at The Post at River East (2925 Race St, Fort Worth, 817-945-8890). Prog-rockers The Grae will headline in celebration of the release of their latest single, “Cautionary Tale,” with Arenda Light opening. Doors are at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $15 at TixR.com.

1

Friday

For this year’s annual Pops Concert, Christ Chapel Bible Church (3701 Birchman Av, Fort Worth, 817-731-4329) invites you to enjoy Songs from the Sea, in which the church orchestra takes you on a “musical voyage with renditions of family-favorite songs from the silver screen” at 7pm. There is no cost to attend.

2

Saturday

British conductor Dame Jane Glover, a baroque specialist, was just appointed the latest Principal Guest Conductor for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She has conducted orchestras worldwide and is known for adding creative elements to the works of Mozart, Handel, and Britten. While her appointment doesn’t begin until August 2025, she is with

us this week to conduct Carlos Simon’s AMEN!, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 at 7:30pm Fri-Sat and 2pm Sun at Bass

Performance Hall (525 Commerce St, Fort Worth, 817-212-4280). Tickets start at $26 at FWSymphony.org.

3

Sunday

Are you ready to go back … to the future?! At 5pm, McFly’s Pub (6104 LTJG Barnett Rd, Fort Worth, 817-744-8272) hosts a meet-and-greet with Claudia Wells, who played Jennifer Parker in the 1985 hit sci-fi/comedy Back to the Future. As this is around dinnertime, the bar will serve gumbo and bread pudding. There is no cost to attend.

4

Monday

Twenty-one life-size sculptures by the late Seward Johnson will be displayed at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden (3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-463-4160) Friday thru Sun, Sep 1. Johnson’s bronze statues are castings of real people doing everyday things. The pieces are strategically placed throughout the park to blend into the surrounding landscape. Viewing of this exhibit is included with a $12 general admission ticket at FWBG.org. Also, several of Johnson’s works can be seen outside Lincoln Square’s shopping area (1500 N Collins St, Arlington, 682-999-3314). Start near the TGI Fridays building at N Collins St and Copeland Rd. That’s where “Creating” sits.

5

Tuesday

Fort Worth Public Library hosts a free concert at its East Regional Branch (6301 Bridge St, 817-3925550) at 7pm, featuring South Korean pianist Seokyoung Hong, who won the Bernice Gressman Meyerson first prize at the 2023 Cliburn Juniors. He hopes that you find “happiness, relief, and even nostalgia” while you listen to him play. For more information about Hong and his fellow junior competitors, visit Cliburn.org/2023-Junior-Competition.

6

Wednesday

Dame Jane Glover isn’t the only one making a debut in Fort Worth. Today, we publish the Weekly Woman, our inaugural women’s issue, in stands starting at 11am. If interested in featuring your business in this (very) special edition, please email Marketing@FWWeekly.com as soon as possible.

By Jennifer Bovee

Say farewell to The Post and hello to the new single from The Grae Thursday.

Courtesy The Grae

Seward Johnson’s pieces are up in Arlington and in Fort Worth thru September.

Courtesy City of Arlington

Back to the Future actress Claudia Wells will be at McFly’s Pub Sunday for a meet-andgreet.

Courtesy Claudia Wells

CrossTown Sounds

Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend. At least, that’s how the song goes. With how the calendar falls this month, we get five of them. Below are some top choices for maximizing your “me time” musically in March.

First Weekend

Charles Milton Gaby plays Grease Monkey Burger Shop (200 N Mesquite St, Ste 103, Arlington, 817-665-5454) 8pm11pm Fri. There is no cover charge, which gives you extra spending money for beer and tasty burgers.

Squeezebox Bandits are hosting a singlerelease party for the new track “City Lights” at Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, Fort Worth, 817-367-9798) Fri. Doors are at 8pm. Guest opener ALG Band plays at 8:30pm. Squeezebox is doing two sets, at 9:15pm and 10:30pm. Tickets start at $12 at TulipsFTW. com.

The Matthew Show has a full band set with Little Jack Melody & His Young Turks and Tipps & Obermiller at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_FTW) 9pm Sat. Admission is $10.

Second Weekend

Hazard County will play College Night at Billy Bob’s Texas (2520 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth, 817-624-7117) 7pm Thu, Mar 7. Entry is free with a physical college ID.

Black Tie Dynasty has a show with Phantomelo and Secrecies at Rubber Gloves (411 E Sycamore St, Denton, 940-594-2207) 7pm Fri, Mar 8. Admission is $15.

Canadian folk/blues singer-songwriter Matt Anderson is touring in support of his latest album, The Big Bottle of Joy. Along with folk artist Old Man Luedecke, Anderson plays the Rose Chapel at Southside Preservation Hall (1519 Lipscomb St, Fort Worth, 817-926-2800) 8pm Fri, Mar 8. Tickets are $25 at TixR.com.

In celebration of what would have been Townes Van Zandt’s 80th birthday this month, Southside Preservation Hall (1519 Lipscomb St, Fort Worth, 817-926-2800) is the host venue for the annual Home Townes Festival, featuring two days of events. Townes’ former manager and music documentarian will speak as part of An Evening with John Lomax III at 8pm Sat, Mar 9, and local singer-songwriters will perform their favorite Townes songs 2pm-6pm Sun, Mar 10. Tickets are $25 on Prekindle.com.

The Cidada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_FTW) is celebrating its first anniversary with an all-day party 2pm2am Sat, Mar 9, with drink specials, food vendors, pop-up tattoos, and live music by Arenda Light, J/O/E, and The Me-Thinks. There is no cost to attend.

Suzy and Woodrow from Suzy & The Sissies are playing as an acoustic duo at Second Rodeo in Mule Alley in the Stockyards (122 E Exchange Av, Ste 340, Fort Worth, 877517-7548) noon-3pm Sun, Mar 10. No cover.

Third Weekend

The Toadies are playing with FIT at Lava Cantina (5805 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, 214-618-6893) 8pm Fri, Mar 15. Tickets start at $20 on Eventbrite.com. Coincidentally, this is the weekend they reunited back in 2006. Our friends at the Dallas Observer had a hand in that by inviting the band to play the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade. There. Now that’s a thing you know.

RIDGLEA THEATER

SAT 3/30 PALE PRO WRESTLING

SUN 3/31 REVIVAL TODAY CHURCH EASTER SERVICE

SAT 4/6 FIGHTING WORDS BOXING, MMA & MUAY THAI

SAT 4/27 CARVIN JONES SPECIAL 35TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

RIDGLEA ROOM

SAT 3/9 CLASS ACT COMEDY TOUR

FRI 4/12 MR. TIMBERLAKE

RIDGLEA LOUNGE

Poo Live Crew will be at Rahr & Sons Brewing (701 Galveston Av, Fort Worth, 817-810-9266) 5pm-10pm Sat, Mar 16, in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and the 20th anniversary of both the band and the brewery. There will be live music and a DJ all evening, with The Poo taking the stage at 8pm. Admission is $25 at the door and includes three beers and a souvenir pint glass.

The Go-Go Rillas will play on the main seminar stage at the Texas Pinball Festival at Embassy Suites by Hilton (7600 John Q Hammons Dr, Frisco, 972-712-7200) 11pmmidnight Sat, Mar 16. The performance is free to those attending the festival (ThuSun, Mar 15-17). Weekend passes are $90 at TexasPinball.com.

The third annual Southside Spillover festival hits Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, Fort Worth, 817-367-9798) the third weekend of March. The Plum Boys, Generational Wealth, Phantomelo, Smut, Bendigo Fletcher, Olive Vox, Oh He Dead?, Kassa Overall, Bathe Alone, Gruff Rhys, Eliza McLamb, TAGABOW, Winona Fighter, and Trauma Ray will play noon1am Sat, Mar 16. Then from noon to 10pm on Sun, Mar 17, Honey Saxon, The Nancys, Bermuda Search Party, Wishy, High, Said the People, Subsonic Eye, Dale Hollow, Moon Walker, Jack Van Cleaf, Ethan Tasch, Coach Party, Provoker, Glixen, and Glare will play. Single-day passes are $19, and two-day passes are $35 at SeeTickets.us.

The Dick Beldings are playing a free show at The Rusty Nickel Icehouse (2836 Stanley Av, Fort Worth, 817-528-1682) 5pm-9pm Sun, Mar 17. (With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Sunday this year, look for plenty more lucky events to appear in our calendar columns in the coming weeks!)

continued on page 22

FRI 3/1 JUD FRISBY, DAVENPORT, CAMERON BROSIUS & MORE!

THUR 3/7 THE DARLING SUNS W/ HUNTER COX & WRONGBIRD

Start your March with Charles Milton Gaby at Grease Monkey Friday.

Courtesy Charles Milton Gaby

The Home Townes Festival honoring the late Townes Van Zandt is Sat-Sun, Mar 9-10, at Southside Preservation Hall.

Courtesy Fat Possum Records

MUSIC

South By Stockyards

The regional music world will converge in the historic district for the second annual Fort Worth Music Festival this week.

BY PATRICK HIGGINS

There was a time, probably 20 years ago, when South by Southwest was a legitimately incredible way for fans to see dozens of young, up-and-coming artists sharing stages with just as many notable established acts, as well as, on the other side, a great means by which new bands could get their music in front of thousands of new fans and industry kingmakers. Sadly, the success with what once made the famed Austin festival and conference so great has led over time to an ever-expanding financial behemoth whose original, more magnanimous mission has been swallowed by commerce.

That original SXSW vision has been the blueprint for the Fort Worth Music Festival, which kicks off its second year Wednesday.

“We wanted to create a music festival that truly was about the music,” said festival co-founder and international chef Tim Love (Tannehill’s Music Hall, Atico, Gemelle, Love Shack). “And the people behind the music, the people that make the music happen. We feel like there is a hole for that kind of thing.”

Running through Saturday, four days of performances by more than 80 Texas artists both big and small will complement industry panels with artists, songwriters, agents, and management groups.

With the bigger festivals, Love said, “the focus on the up-and-coming artist has fallen by the wayside. As good as the Texas music scene is, and as good as the growing Fort Worth scene is, we felt we needed to produce something that kind of took it back to the roots.”

Spread over eight stages scattered throughout the Stockyards (Billy Bob’s Texas, The White Elephant Saloon, and Tannehill’s Music Hall, to name a few),

developing local artists like Abraham Alexander, Grady Spencer & The Work, Summer Dean, Matt Tedder, and Keegan McInroe will share stages with crowd-demanding national acts like Jack Ingram, Band of Heathens, Ben Kweller, and William Clark Green.

Though music isn’t necessarily the first thing associated with celebrity chef and restaurateur Love, he has been involved in the music business for decades as a venue proprietor, a fan, and a collaborator via his vast experience with the Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival, which pairs live music with culinary gatherings.

“I’ve always been a fan of live music,” Love said. “For me, there’s no better music than live music.”

Love founded FWMF with veteran singer-songwriter Larry Joe Taylor in partnership with promotions giant Live Nation. Taylor, as well as having his own long-standing music career, has more than three decades of experience staging music festivals. His legendary LJT Fest will enter its 35th year in Stephenville this April.

With his team, Taylor culled through more than 250 submissions for this year’s FWMF to select the 25 or so local artists to make the final bill.

“It’s a bit like being underwater for a full 10 minutes,” he joked about the daunting task. “I’m happy with who we’ve got, but I just know I still missed a bunch of good ones in that 250.”

Though well-experienced in coordinating musical elements, FWMF’s industry conferences have been a new wrinkle for Taylor. “My life is working with young guys and girls coming up, and a lot of the times, I don’t have the answers they need. There’s a lot of information for young songwriters, developing songwriters, and established songwriters, too [at FWMF]. It’s an avenue for [artists], especially in the Metroplex and across Texas, to have a venue to play in front of people and also to get in front of agents and record labels and management

companies, too.”

Love is also excited about the possibilities that might come out of the panels.

“South-by used to be a lot about that,” he said. “If you wanted to be a manager, you went to South-by. If you wanted to be an agent, you went to South-by. If you wanted to be a new band and be discovered, you went to South-by. They all mingled together. We wanted to provide an environment for these young artists — and the seasoned artists, frankly — to marry themselves together, so that the young artists can meet the people that run the music world and vice-versa: The people who run the music world can meet young artists that they might not have been exposed to.”

Due to the co-founders’ existing relationships, the festival leans heavily into country and Americana. Still, Love and Taylor have made some efforts to expand the sounds coming from the festival’s stages with this year’s roster.

“The lineup is very evident of the direction we’re going,” Love said. “Last year, most of [the artists] tended to be Texas or Red Dirt country, but this year, we’ve added other genres, anything that fits the vibe. That vibe can be any kind of music but sort of has this indie feel to it.”

The organizers hope that, as well as a boon to artists, the festival provides a lift to local venues whose struggles have been well-documented of late.

“The live music scene is not back to what it was in 2019, but it’s getting there,” Taylor said. “One of the cool things about this is that if we can give these small clubs a shot in the arm from this festival, maybe they don’t close, and it helps get them over the hump for the next year or so.”

As well as a financial injection, the co-founders hope it reignites a general appreciation of live music and a motivation for fans to get out and take more of it in.

“We’ve got to encourage people to come out to shows,” Love said. “That’s part of what this festival is about. It’s to encourage people to come out to shows and to understand how great it is, just how great it feels to be around other people you don’t even know enjoying music.” l

Fort Worth Music Festival Wed-Sat at multiple venues, the Stockyards. $19-690. FortWorthMusicFestival.com.

“For me, there’s no better music than live music,” said Tim Love (right) with fellow festival organizer Larry Joe Taylor.

Courtesy FortWorthMusicFestival.com

Suzy & Woodrow play Second Rodeo Sun, Mar 10.

Crosstown Sounds

continued from page 19

Fourth Weekend

The Matthew Show will perform as a trio at Bankhead Brewpub (611 University Dr, Fort Worth, 817-439-9223) 7pm Fri, Mar 22. There is no cost to attend.

Neutral Ground Brewing (2929 Race St, Fort Worth, 682-499-6033) is celebrating its third anniversary with a Cheers to Three Years Party featuring some new beer releases, a shrimp boil by The Wild Cajun, and live music by J/O/E noon-10pm Sat, Mar 23. There is no cost to attend.

Fifth Weekend

The Dick Beldings are playing a free party on the CBD Backyard Stage at Texas Live! (1650 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, 817852-6688) for Rangers opening day (Thu,

Mar 28). Then, the band heads to Magnolia Motor Lounge (3803 Southwest Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-3344) 9pm-midnight Sat, Mar 30. Admission is $10.

The Michele Taylor Band plays Dirty Water Saloon (9716 Palo Pinto Rd, Fort Worth, 682-702-2044) Sat, Mar 30. No cover.

Art House (3529 W Fuller Av, Fort Worth) offers a big show with comedy and visual art to go along with the music 5pm-11pm Sat, Mar 30. Denver Williams & The Gas Money will headline, preceded by Big Heaven at 9pm and the Sean Russell Band at 8pm. Openers include singer-songwriters Jakob Robertson, Claire Hinkle, and Kinsley August and comedians Brian Breckinridge, Tim Davies, Danny McGough, and Marc Plata. There is no cover, but tips at the door for the performers will be appreciated.

By Jennifer Bovee

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UNCLAIMED FREIGHT

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EMPLOYMENT NOTICES

Companies Offering

Travel Accommodations: According to the New York Times, the following companies have said they would cover travel expenses for employees who need abortions: Airbnb, DoorDash, JP Morgan Chase, Levi Strauss & Co, Netflix, Patagonia, Reddit, Starbucks, Tesla, and Yelp. Additionally, NowThis has listed the following companies also offering the same assistance to employees: Amazon, Apple, BuzzFeed, Citigroup, Comcast, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lyft, Mastercard, Meta, Microsoft, Paramount, Sony, Tesla, Walt Disney Co, Vox Media, and Zillow. (JMB, FWW)

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MIND / BODY / SPIRIT

Gateway Church Church time is the BEST time! Join us for online church each weekend. Online services start at 4 pm on Saturdays and are available to watch any time after at https://gway.ch/GatewayPeople.

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We offer lessons on voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, viola, drums, recording, and music for littles!

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PUBLIC NOTICES

TDLR Complaints

Any Texans who may be concerned that an unlicensed massage business may be in operation near them, or believe nail salon employees may be human trafficking victims, may now report those concerns directly to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) by emailing ReportHT@TDLR.Texas.gov.

SUBMISSIONS

We’d Like To Hear From You!

Do you have thoughts and feelings, or questions, comments or concerns about something you read in the Weekly? Please email Question@fwweekly.com. Do you have an upcoming event? For potential coverage in Night & Day, Big Ticket, Ate Day8 A Week, or CrosstownSounds, email the details to Marketing@fwweekly.com

Courtesy

Suzy Morgan

J/O/E will perform at both The Cicada’s and Neutral Ground Brewing’s anniversary parties

Woody Wood

EMPLOYMENT

American Airlines, Inc. has openings in Ft. Worth, TX for: Manager, Commercial & Revenue Management Planning (Ref. 1791): Apply knwl of market insights to perform quantitative & qualitative analysis of a competitive situation, dvlp recs, & prepare written & oral presentations to sr. mgmt; Technical Lead, IT Applications (Ref. 2067): Participate in all phases of the s/w dvlpmnt lifecycle & is resp for the app design, dvlpmnt & maintenance of a strategic biz layer supporting AA.com, Mobile, AA Kiosks & other key & crit systems; Sr. Engineer, IT Quality Assurance (Ref. 1955): Design, write, & maintain auto test scripts for multi crew planning apps using deep knwl of the biz needs; Principal Data Architect, IT (Ref. 18): Resp for leveraging cutting edge tech to solve biz probs at AA; Manager, Revenue Management (Ref. 467): Resp for driving rev performance across the AA network by analyzing the competitive landscape, identifying new rev opportunities, & utilizing Rev Mgmt tools & tactics; Manager, Corporate Development (Ref. 1577): Manage internal relations w/ various commercial, ops, accounting & legal divisions to proactively provide consistent financial perspective & decision support, often working as an internal consultant; Sr. Engineer, IT Access Management (Ref. 2282): Resp for identifying, eval’g, & implementing biz needs for Directory Services requests by performing PingDirectory & OUD integrations, admin, maintenance, & auto as well as providing ongoing support to enterprise customers; Team Lead, IT Applications (Ref. 2357): Resp for partnering closely w/ the Customer Exp Service Recovery & IRROPs – Org & dvlpmnt team to provide leadership, technical, & functional reqs & solutions to support biz op. To learn more or to apply send inquiries &/or resume to Gene Womack via email: Gene.Womack@aa.com. Please include Ref # in subject line.

EMPLOYMENT

American Airlines, Inc. has openings in Ft. Worth, TX for: Sr. Analyst, Digital Product Owner (Ref. 2271): Resp for collaborat’g w/ internal partners from CEID, IT, UX & Analytics to understand cx behavior & create great cx exps. Revenue Management Performance Analyst (Ref. 1543): Resp for act’g as the internal biz consultant focused on synthesiz’g large data sets to understand market level trends & strategies, diagnose, & resolve performance issues, & deliver insights to translate into mean’gful market-level actions. Sr. Developer, IT Applications (Ref. 1957): Resp for develop’g & modify’g complex, deadline-intensive &/or mission-critical apps us’g advanced programm’g tools. Analyst/Sr. Analyst, RM Pricing and Yield Management (Ref. 2207): Resp for maximiz’g passenger revenue across American Airlines’ robust commercial airline network. Technical Lead, IT Applications (Ref. 655): Resp for participat’g in all phases of the sw dev lifecycle & for the app design. Developer, IT Applications (Ref. 2276): Resp for build’g Restful web services that use Json to support American Airlines IOS, mobile & Service Recovery apps. Sr. Analyst, Operations Analysis & Reporting (Ref. 2023): Resp for proactively analyz’g all aspects of operational performance, cover’g a wide variety of both strategic & operational analyses. To learn more or to apply send inquiries &/or resume to Gene Womack via email: Gene.Womack@aa.com. Please include Ref # in subject line.

NOW HIRING MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN CORSICANA, TX

At ISCO, we put high value on appreciation and respect, and provide you with an opportunity to really make a difference. ISCO is a family owned and operated company born and raised in Louisville, KY that is focused on our team members’ growth. We have three engineering positions available at our Corsicana location.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION ENGINEER MECHATRONICS ENGINEER

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• Optimization of current manufacturing processes and implementation of new manufacturing processes utilizing automated equipment.

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MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

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• New product R & D.

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• Understand, execute and display behaviors in the Health and Safety Program

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DIRTY WATER SALOON

The Fort’s newest watering hole is a must try! Dirty Water is a friendly bar in a rustic saloon with great music. See the Double R Band on 3/2, Incognito on 3/8, Brother & The Hayes on 3/11, Lonestar Parish on 3/15, Up The Street Band on 3/23, and the Michelle Taylor Band on 3/30.

More info at DirtyWaterFW.com.

EMPLOYMENT

Johnson Brothers Corporation, a Southland Company, in Grapevine, Texas, seeks Project Engineer – Facilities to be responsible for preconstruction engring & prjct mgmt. Must be willing & able to travel up to 25%. Apply online at southlandholdings.com.

EMPLOYMENT

Mouser Electronics, Inc seeks BI Developer II in Mansfield, TX. Engage with end-users to identify opportunities where data can enable them to make data-driven decisions. Telecommuting permitted up to 2 days per week. Applicants apply at https://www. jobpostingtoday.com/ Ref # 41506.

EMPLOYMENT

Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc., a Southland Company, headquartered in Grapevine, TX, seeks Project Manager to work on projects at unanticipated locations throughout U.S., leading & overseeing all aspects of construction prjcts from initiation to completion. Relocation required. Apply online at southlandholdings.com.

EMPLOYMENT- General

Ingram Micro Texas L.P. seeks Professionals, Engineering in Fort Worth, TX (and various and unanticipated locations throughout the U.S.). Responsible for developing & maintaining supply chain and logistics processes for a variety of warehousing & distribution center operations. Conduct special projects to achieve improved methods, optimize process flow to facilitate efficient put-away, order fulfillment, shipping, & space utilization. Plan, coordinate & assist with execution of redesign & redevelopment of optimal distribution center practices. Telecommuting/work from home is permissible. Position requires up to 10% of domestic travel. $70,512/yr. CONTACT: Search by title and apply online at https://www.ingrammicro.com/ en-us/careers/work-for-us

FIRST WEDNESDAY RESIDENCY

Join Tipps & Obermiller at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, FWTX) on Wednesday, March 6 for First Wednesday Residency with Guthrie Kennard and Rick Babb. More info on IG (@The_Cicada_FTW).

FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET

For Those Who Qualify

Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay. Free shipping & handling. Call Maxsip Telecom today! 1-844-600-1065. (MB)

The Gas Pipe, The GAS PIPE, THE GAS PIPE, your Peace Love & Smoke Headquarters since 4/20/1970! SCORE a FREE GIFT on YOUR Birthday, FREE Scale Tuning and Lighter Refills on GAS PIPE goods, FREE Layaway, and all the safe, helpful service you expect from a 51 Years Young Joint. Plus, SCORE A FREE CBD

HOLIDAZE GIFT With-A-Buy thru 12/31! Be Safe, Party Clean, Keep On Truckin’. More at thegaspipe.net

HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER

THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique Spanish-Mediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com

I BUY OLDER CARS

DEAN 817-614-0614

NEED A FRIEND?

Ronnie D. Long Bail Bonds

Immediate Jail Release 24 Hour Service. City, County, State and Federal Bonds. Located Minutes from Courts. 6004 Airport Freeway. 817-834-9894

RonnieDLongBailBonds.com

SAFE STEP: THE #1 WALK-IN TUB

North America’s #1 Wal-In Tub is Safe Step. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Financing available. Call today: 1-855-868-0192. (MB)

THE WEEKLY WOMAN!

To participate in our inaugural women’s issue on March 6, please email Marketing@FWWeekly.com today.