Fort Worth Weekly // May 19-25, 2021 by Fort Worth Weekly

May 19-25, 2021 FREE fwweekly.com

On their new EP, the garage-pop vehicle for singer-songwriter Amanda Hand conjures up some big emotions. B Y

FEATURE Inspired by lies, the Texas GOP is determined to make voting more difficult than ever. BY MICHAEL BARAJAS AND LISE OLSEN

NEWS Dark money influences national politics as well as local. BY S TAT I C

EATS & DRINKS In the heart of the West 7th corridor, Trinity College shines as a brilliant gastropub. BY EDWARD BROWN

C H L O E

W A L D E N

STUFF They might not be good, but your 2021 Texas Rangers sure are fun to watch. BY BO JACKSBORO

Vo lum e 17

Number 7

May 19-25, 2021

INSIDE Dark Money

Fort Worth is the only major Texas city that does not require lobbyists to register.

Poll Watching “Patriots”

Bob Niehoff, General Manager Ryan Burger, Art Director Jim Erickson, Circulation Director Edward Brown, Staff Writer Taylor Provost, Proofreader Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

This new gastropub in West 7th does Irishy right.

Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive

Julie Strehl, Account Executive Tony Diaz, Account Executive Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

Time for Big Heaven

The Texas lege is ensuring that conservatives can intimidate voters at the polls. By Michael Barajas and Lise Olsen

Lee Newquist, Publisher

Trinity College Wins By Edward Brown

Anthony Mariani, Editor

Amanda Hand’s garagepop project has a new EP and newfound sense of togetherness.

4 Edward Brown

By Static

STAFF

By Chloe Walden

DISTRIBUTION Fort Worth Weekly is available free of charge in the Metroplex, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies of Fort Worth Weekly may be purchased for $1.00 each, payable at the Fort Worth Weekly office in advance. Fort Worth Weekly may be distributed only by Fort Worth Weekly’s authorized independent contractors or Fort Worth Weekly’s authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Fort Worth Weekly, take more than one copy of any Fort Worth Weekly issue. If you’re interested in being a distribution point for Fort Worth Weekly, please contact Will Turner at 817-321-9788.

Cover photo by Amanda C Hand, art/design by Tony Ferraro

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Street address: 300 Bailey, Ste 205, Fort Worth TX 76107 For general information: 817-321-9700 For classifieds: 817-321-9725

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thru Sun, tattoo lovers from around the world will convene in Dallas around Elm Street Tattoos (2811 Elm St, 214-6531392), including Heart in Hand Gallery (2614 Elm St, Ste 120, 469-776-5667) and Trees (2709 Elm St, 214-741-1122), to view art displays, shop from vendors, and schedule time with guest tattoo artists for your new ink. Greg Christian, Tim Beck, Tony Medellin, and many more stars are scheduled to attend. Tickets are $20 at AXS.com.

See all the photo-fun from Fort Worth Foto Fest by following/posting with #FWFotoFest.

throughout the zoo is sponsored by Fort Worth Camera with lenses provided by Tamron. Use #FWFotoFest. Tickets are $15 on Eventbrite.

Friday

Elm Street Tattoo Festival is back. From 2pm to closing time today

At 9:15pm, see an Encore Drive-In Nights screening of a Bon Jovi concert film Saturday with a pre-show by Dean Lewis at Coyote Drive-In (223 NE 4th St, Fort Worth, 817-717-7767). The cost is $89 per car at EncoreNights.com/BonJovi. (This covers up to six people, which boils down to around $15 per person.) Actual touring concerts are still a ways off, so attending this event might be a lovely substitute in the meantime.

From 1:30pm to 4pm, join the folks at Backwoods Outdoor Equipment Sunday Store (441 Carroll St, Fort Worth, 817-332-2423) for Sip & Shop, the final event of the Welcome Back to Backwoods grand opening weekend celebration. Bloody Marys will be available for purchase while complimentary

From 7pm to 9pm on the second and fourth Monday of every month, Monday play Drag Queen Bingo with hostess Lady Monroe at Liberty Lounge (515 S Jennings Av, Fort Worth, LibertyLoungeFW.com). Along with drink specials, there are fun prizes.

Every Tuesday thru Jun 29, Maven’s Moon (1111 Roberts Cut Off Rd, River Tuesday Oaks, 817-367-9235) hosts an Absolutely Excellent Fun Tarot with Stevo from 5 to 7pm. Stevo — tarot card expert and purportedly funny guy — does in-depth readings and gives spiritual guidance in a fun atmosphere. Readings are $35-50. Call to book an appointment.

From 6pm to 9pm, Tia’s on the Bluff Mexican Wednesday Restaurant & Cantina (1901 E Bluff St, Fort Worth, 817-349-0964) has free beginners dance classes taught by favorite local instructors Josue and Abelin and Lui and Grace. Dance styles covered include bachata, salsa, and zouk.

By Jennifer Bovee

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From 2pm to 4pm — but arrive a half-hour prior — join other wildlife Thursday photog hobbyists at the front gates of the Fort Worth Zoo (1989 Colonial Pkwy, 817-759-7555) for Fort Worth Foto Fest at the Zoo. This onehour seminar and hands-on photoshoot

Cour tesy Chandra Brooks

NIGHT&DAY

beverages will be provided on-site by MightySwell.com and WildAcreBrewing. com, plus live music from Sully Rose.

YEARS MAY 24-30 COLONIAL FORT WORTH

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FANS GET TICKETS

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Third Thursday Art Walk At 6-9pm Thu, roam the streets of South Main Village on Fort Worth’s Near Southside for this month’s installment of Third Thursday Art Walk. Beyond the art, there will be cooking demos to watch, desserts and drinks to enjoy, and live music to hear. In terms of art, at Bryan Avenue and Main Street, you can see works by Jeff Church at Funky Picnic (401 Bryan Av, Ste 117, 817-708-2739), Amber Bailey at Locust Cider (710 S Main St, Ste 100, 817-378-4483), and various artists at Tilt Vision Art Gallery (205 E Broadway Av, 817-703-8141). Plus, attend the re-grand

opening celebration at Winton and Waits (411 S Main St, Ste 117, 817-233-9133). Then over on St. Louis Avenue, see works by Tami Ruiz at Leaves Book & Tea Shop (120 St Louis Av, Ste 101, 682233-4832), Gwen Meharg at Crittenden the Studio (120 St. Louis Av, Ste 113, 917-514-9715), Siamese Hips, Texicana, and Christopher Knowles at Tulips (112 St. Louis Av, 817-367-9798), and various artists at Cufflink Art (120 St Louis Av, Ste 149, 817-489-5059).

By Jennifer Bovee

US Department of the Treasury, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for: Amendment of Permit 17994 This application would authorize modification of the Western Currency Facility located at 9000 Blue Mound Road, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76131. Additional information concerning this application is contained in the public notice section of this newspaper.

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TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES:

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

C o u r t e s y Ts c h a n e r S e f a s

Third Thursday Art Walk is afoot in South Main Village.

METROPOLIS

Following the Dark Money

Fort Worth is the largest Texas city that does not require outside lobbyists to publicly register, so what are our two mayoral candidates going to do about it? S T A T I C

“This campaign is about focusing on issues that will take [Fort Worth] into the next 10, 20, 30 years,” said Deborah Peoples, one of two candidates for Fort Worth mayor. “We want to put this city back in the hands of the people who love it.” Speaking to around two dozen volunteers at Chisholm Trail Park in South Fort Worth on Saturday, Peoples answered questions from canvassers before they set out to block walk. One volunteer asked Peoples how to respond to residents who have concerns

Static Once I became editor of this very fine publication about five years ago, I started receiving the previous editor’s emails or maybe just emails from different political organizations that had obtained my work address one way or another. (Et tu, Pornhub?) I skipped nearly all of them. This was during the end of the Obamas’ reign, when I thought for sure Hillary was going to assume the throne and continue on with her predecessor’s noble work. I also thought I was going to cut back on the secret shots of tequila during my waking hours. Based on my ramblings in print and the political situation circa 20162020, we all know how that turned out. Now I read all of them, these wild and unruly emails, and they are all as untethered to reality as you can imagine. According to this feed of falsehoods, liberals are trying to turn the country into a socialist hellscape, an unforsaken, godless, postapocalyptic terrain where same-

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“Canceled” or Held Accountable?

C o u r t e s y o f Fa c e b o o k

B Y

At a recent Facebook Live debate, Mattie Parker (left) and Deborah Peoples both publicly stated that it is time for lobbyists in Fort Worth to publicly register their political activities.

sex couples can do the same normal, everyday things that other, hetero couples can and where women are paid the same amount as men for doing the same work and where people who hurt others based on gender, race, or sexual orientation are actually held accountable for their words and/or actions. Like I said, godless. “Is America canceled?” That’s how one recent email from this outfit called Prager U started. Because that’s what right-wingers are calling being held accountable: “canceled.” I’m sure you’ve heard it. Even Dear Leader is saying it in his *chuckles* blog posts. (That guy got booted from flippin’ Twitter for lying faster than the fact checkers could check facts. Now he’s Blogspottin’ it up. Too soon won’t be soon enough for that clown to go away.) I admit, there are aspects of “cancel culture” that don’t make sense. All of us should be forgiven for minor transgressions if we are contrite. We’re all fallible. No one is perfect. Still, there’s a lot about the movement that we should be able to agree on. You can only wonder why it’s taken us this long to get around to it. Statues of racists? Take ’em down. “But back then everybody was racist!”

is no excuse. Take ’em down and replace them with any one of the thousands of abolitionists and Union soldiers who helped pave the way to freedom for millions of Black slaves, upon whose scarred backs our entire early economy was erected. Schools named after racists? Rename ’em. Again, lots of local-to-you abolitionists and bluecoats worthy of the distinction. The Confeddie flag? Burn that trash. You have to remember that all of these gray vestiges of the Civil War were erected around the same time (circa the turn of the 20th century) by powerful white people and Klansmen as a way to remind their new Black neighbors of their lowly place. We are not beholden to these relics. Most of us don’t want these relics. Take ’em down and put ’em in the museums. Or, better yet, put ’em in the museums’ basements. “Cancel culture,” contrary to what Prayer? Pater? Pringle? U and their ilk say, is not about unpopular viewpoints. Enjoying pineapple on pizza is an unpopular viewpoint. Preferring flip-flops with jeans is an unpopular/hilarious/ sad viewpoint. Actively trying to under-

mine democracy is not just an unpopular viewpoint. It’s an offensive stance. And you should be held accountable. Gina Carano, no work for you! Kirstie Alley, no work for you! Isaiah Washington, no work for you! Good riddance. Some say I’m biased. They’re right. I am. I’m biased against a political party devoted to destroying the very fundaments of our democratic project and to ushering in an authoritarian regime, and I’m going to use my tequila-addled noggin to convince the authoritarianistas that they’re wrong and are only hurting themselves. If this sounds like I’m canceling you, snowflake, it’s because I probably am, which is funny-odd, not funnyhaha, because in reality the only thing genuinely being canceled these days is the average Black or brown voter (pg. 8). — Anthony Mariani This editorial reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily the Fort Worth Weekly. The Weekly welcomes all manner of political submissions. They will be edited for clarity and factuality. Please email Editor Anthony Mariani at anthony@fwweekly.com.

HEALTHCARE APPRECIATION

Happy Hour

Thursday, June 10, 5-7pm

with

Nathan Waller

Special Guest MC

Kenn Scott

Magnolia Motor Lounge 3005 Morton St., Fort Worth, TX 76107 www.mmlbar.com

POWER OF COMMUNITY Nakia Cole is building community one family at a time. You could say that Nakia Cole’s love for her community is in her blood. “We were raised in a community where we looked after one another,” she says. Her family would check on the elderly in her South Fort Worth neighborhood to pick up their grocery list and shop for them.

As part of her Purpose, Cole recently started the non-profit N2C Youth and Community Services, advocating for youth primarily in the 76104 Zip code. The goal is to expose them to STEM activities, with a focus on photography and technology. “In the 11-block area between Terrell and Vickery streets, there’s literally nothing for the kids to do. There’s no community center.” There’s also no supermarket,” Cole says. “The only thing we have are convenience stores, which are full of things kids don’t need.” Eating with a Blue Zones Plant Slant in a food desert is understandably difficult. “I try to eat healthy,” she says. “We have to eat from the earth.” Cole works with local businesses, like Mrs. Renfro’s Salsa, to get kids thinking about how to improve their neighborhood –– which also keeps them out of trouble and develops their leadership skills. “I’m trying to teach them how to serve, and become part of their neighborhood,” she says. Like her mother and grandmother taught her, Cole is building community, one young adult and family at a time.

Find a More POWERful You at LiveLongFortWorth.com

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Currently, Cole is a coordinator for the Fort Worth ISD’s Family Action Center in the Historic Stop Six neighborhood where she develops grassroots activities to address the needs of the area. The Center provides a wrap-around approach to students and community members who may need services as varied as assistance with applying for Medicaid or SNAP, who may be unemployed, or need physical or mental health care. “I start by asking the families how they are,” she says. The Center partners with Workforce Training Program and offers pathways to some skill certifications that, as she says, “pay over minimum wage.”

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Cole’s career path since graduating from Abilene Christian University has clearly delineated her Purpose, one of the Blue Zones Power 9 principles. “I always wanted to help people do better,” she says. Cole taught middle school chemistry in Fort Worth for three years and says her success with her students was tied to her understanding that students need instruction on how to behave in an unfamiliar situation. “Kids are looking for structure,” she says.

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Speaking at a recent Facebook Live debate that was sponsored by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Peoples brought up dark money lobbying. “I’m unveiling a plan to end dark money lobbying in Fort Worth,” she said. “We can’t lower taxes and do some of these things without knowing who is influencing the money at City Hall. Mattie, I hope you would agree.” That’s an easy change, Parker replied. “Texas Ethics Commission” handles the registration of state lobbyists, Parker said. “Just do the same thing in Fort Worth.” Parker’s response is far from a ringing endorsement of Peoples’ commitment to ending dark money lobbying in Fort Worth, but both candidates are now on the record in support of requiring special interest groups to disclose their local lobbying efforts. Dark money lobbying is tied to a broader national push to eliminate the influence of undisclosed special interest in local, state, and federal elections. Nearly 40 Senate Democrats recently sent an open letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig that demanded greater transparency in how some nonprofits use disclosure loopholes when making political donations. “This policy weakens federal tax laws, campaign finance laws, and longstanding efforts to prevent foreign interference in U.S. elections,” the lawmakers said. Dark money campaign contributions topped $1 billion in 2020, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, and Democrats were the recipient of more than $500 million of those unregistered donations. Biden’s 2020 White House bid benefited from $145 million in dark money donations, according to The Washington Post. Through his campaign website, Biden pledged to propose legislation that would require all candidates for federal office to disclose contributors. “No more hiding behind ‘dark money’ groups to spread lies,” Biden’s website reads. For as long as the Weekly has been following local politics (25 years for anyone who’s counting), important City Hall decisions have largely been made behind closed doors before ceremonial votes are cast at city council meeting or private executive sessions. Dark money lobbying is part of the “Fort Worth Way” of doing things. The influence of big money on local politics won’t disappear anytime soon, but the lack of public disclosure of outside lobbying groups has become arguably the most glaring example of unethical city dealings in Fort Worth. The issue of dark money lobbying might finally be addressed in about 100 days — perhaps depending on who is elected mayor. l

Featuring:

about city accountability and transparency. “Our plan is to stop dark money lobbying within my first 100 days in office,” Peoples responded, echoing her public commitment to ending the ability of lobbying groups to avoid public scrutiny by not registering. A cursory look at the websites of Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio shows that Fort Worth is the largest Texas city that does not have a system in place to register outside lobbying groups. A city spokesperson confirmed that the City of Fort Worth does not require outside lobbyists to register with the city. Put simply, local taxpayers and media outlets have no way of knowing how much influence outside money is having on city dealings. Elected officials are required to disclose campaign contributions, but lobbying can encompass a wide range of legal but ethically precarious gifts, such as a comped dinner or free tickets to an event. Even when significant contributions aren’t flowing from special interests to city officials, the often unfettered access to city officials that lobbyists enjoy undermines the democratic process by allowing private companies to influence how public funds and resources are directed. Lobbying groups spent around $3.5 billion to influence local, state, and federal elected officials across the country in 2020, according to the market and consumer data group Statista. In 2009, Dallas City Council passed an ordinance that required lobbyists to pay a registration fee and to abide by quarterly disclosure statements. Lobbying groups in Dallas are prohibited from making campaign contributions to city councilmembers within certain periods of time before zoning cases are heard and contract bids are reviewed. If Fort Worth had the type of lobbying disclosure requirements that Dallas has, we may not have a city councilmember, and recent mayoral candidate, whose campaign contributions are tied to tens of millions in city contracts (“City Contracts Worth Tens of Millions Tied to Brian Byrd Campaign Contributions,”April 20). Fort Worth leaders appear to be in no rush to increase transparency over lobbyist dealings. It was just last month that one city official committed to improving public accessibility to the list of lobbying groups that have been and are currently hired by the city (“City Official Promises Better Transparency with Lobbyist Dealings,” April 26). Transparency over lobbyist dealings matters, especially now, because one of two candidates for mayor, Mattie Parker, has close family ties to Longbow Associates, an Austin-based government lobbying firm. Parker’s husband, David Parker, is a director at the firm. In an email, Parker told us that Longbow Partners will have “no arrangements with the City of Fort Worth” if she is elected in the runoff on Saturday, June 5, to lead Fort Worth.

Doug Chayka

The nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice: “Extensive research reveals that fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators. The same is true for mail ballots, which are secure and essential to holding a safe election amid the coronavirus pandemic.”

Texas Republicans are pushing changes to election laws that, among other things, would let partisan poll watchers record voters at ballot boxes.

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“Election Integrity” or Voter Intimidation?

B Y M I C H A E L B A R A J A S A N D L I S E O L S E N

uring a March webinar, Bill Ely pulled up a map of Harris County while presenting the local Republican Party’s ambitious plan for the 2022 midterms: Building an “army” of 10,000 conservative election monitors. Ely, a local Tea Party leader who heads the committee within

the Harris County GOP dedicated to ballot security, pointed to the northwest Houston suburb where he lives, where “almost seven out of 10 homes are Republican.” Ely stressed to other party leaders on the call the importance of recruiting more election monitors from neighborhoods like his, then he dragged the cursor down to the heart of the city. Pointing to majority Black and brown neighborhoods, Ely said the party needs people with “the confidence and courage to come down in here in these areas where we really need poll workers, because this is where the fraud is occurring.” Later in the hour-long presentation, discussing the need to monitor busy urban polling places, Ely arrived at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, a Third Ward hub for civil rights activists that once hosted Martin Luther King Jr. and is home to one of the county’s oldest and most active voting precincts. Garnet Coleman, a Texas House member and Black Democrat who lives around the corner from the church, called the plan the latest example of a

long-term strategy by Tea Party activists to target minority voters. Coleman said that he’s seen partisan poll watchers at precincts in his district, crowding and challenging voters at their booths, delaying or disrupting the pace of casting ballots, and sometimes even carrying guns. “It’s been done before, and it is disruptive because you have people standing over voters as they try to exercise their right to vote,” Coleman said. The Harris County GOP’s plan to recruit thousands of people for a new “Election Integrity Brigade” was first publicly unveiled in an excerpt of the webinar published this month by the progressive group Common Cause Texas. We separately obtained an unredacted copy of the training video that Republicans posted on Dropbox on March 10. The plan dovetails with the growing conservative fixation on voter fraud, which extensive research has repeatedly shown to be incredibly rare. “Politicians at all levels of government have repeatedly, and falsely, claimed the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections were

marred by large numbers of people voting illegally,” said the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute. “However, extensive research reveals that fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators. The same is true for mail ballots, which are secure and essential to holding a safe election amid the coronavirus pandemic.” While Donald Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election drove his right-wing base to mob violence this year, Harris County Republicans have long been focused on “election integrity.” Over the past decade, as the region has gone from swing territory to solidly blue, local conservatives have pushed for voter roll purges and tighter monitoring of elections.

Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel defended the party’s new election monitoring plan for the 2022 midterms,

their purge attempt wrongly targeted tens of thousands of naturalized citizens and agreed to drop it. Texas Republicans propose similar voting changes nearly every session, yet this year their efforts are part of a larger conservative movement in Georgia and dozens of other states to police the vote. That movement — rooted in the lie of rampant, election-stealing voter fraud — escalated in tandem with former president Trump’s utterly baseless accusations of widespread illegal voting. More than 60 of the former president’s lawsuits were dismissed, even in cases where the federal judge was a Trump appointee. The lone

instance when the former president found success in court didn’t even deal with alleged voter fraud but rather the amount of time Pennsylvania voters had to fix errors on their mail-in ballots, according to PolitiFact. That’s still not thwarting the GOP’s mission. Texas Republicans, from Gov. Greg Abbott to Attorney General Ken Paxton, have fueled that cause for years, investigating and resolving a small number of minor voter fraud cases in the state. Last year, that involved Harris County residents accused of giving false addresses on voter registration forms. After Trump’s defeat, Paxton tried to overturn the election

results in four battleground states. Then, on Jan. 6, Paxton addressed protestors in Washington, D.C. “What we have in President Trump is a fighter,” Paxton said, shortly before rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, resulting in five deaths. “We will not quit fighting.”

Texas House member Briscoe Cain, a Houston-area Republican who was part of the legal team attempting to overturn Pennsylvania’s election results last year, was appointed chair of the House elections committee this year. He oversaw the 17-

Strolling Sundance SUNDANCE SQUARE LAUNCHES A LOCAL ART EXHIBIT SHOWCASING FORT WORTH ARTISTS.

MAY 7TH THROUGH MAY 28TH

LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF 3RD STREET AND HOUSTON “STROLLING SUNDANCE” IS A UNIQUE STOREFRONT WINDOW ART EXHIBIT VIEWABLE FROM THE SIDEWALKS OF SUNDANCE SQUARE.

Artist credit: Jill Johnson “Las Palomas” 2020, photography

All artwork is part of “THE NEW NORMAL: An Artist’s Response to COVID-19” / Fort Worth Sundance Square artist support program “Strolling Sundance” is a storefront window art exhibit showcasing the works of Fort Worth artists who collectively won $100,000 in grants awarded as part of “The NEW NORMAL: An Artist’s Response to COVID-19” funding initiative. “The New Normal” was launched in 2020 with funding by Fine Line Group (the family offices of Sasha and Ed Bass), the Alice Walton Foundation, the Donny Wiley Memorial Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation,

and Kit and Charlie Moncrief. Artistic works in sculpture, painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, and video are among the 50+ winning pieces which will be featured in the exhibit. “Throughout history, artists have responded to major catastrophes and provided the world with visual interpretations of a reality that captures and preserves the human experience at the time,” commented Sasha Bass, one of initiative’s co-founders.

www.newnormalfw.com

“The Sundance Stroll is a public invitation for all ages to visit downtown and enjoy the creativity of our extremely talented local artist community “ said Bill Boecker, President of Sundance Square Management. Additionally, our shops and restaurants are open for business and are following recommended face mask and social distancing protocols.” Parking for the exhibit is free during the month of May as part of Sundance’s current complimentary

day-time short term parking in Garage #3 (345 West 3rd Street); and free weeknight and weekend parking is provided by the Downtown TIF District in select garages (including Sundance Garage #3).

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Artist credit: Tschaner Schefas “Clinging to a cloud ain’t as easy as it seems” 2020, recycled paper mixed media

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Artist credit: Jay Wilkinson “PPEthan” 2020, acrylic on canvas

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This unique art exhibition will showcase works by the winners of Sundance’s “The New Normal” initiative that was launched in April 2020 to support local artists during the pandemic.

PARTNERS

saying the goal is to ensure “every legal vote is counted.” The push to recruit more conservative election monitors in Harris County coincides with proposals from Republican lawmakers that could further embolden partisan poll watchers statewide. “Election integrity” bills moving through the Texas Legislature this session aim to expand the footprint of poll watchers, giving them the power to film and photograph inside polling places — even while voters cast ballots — and threatening criminal prosecution for election workers who get in the way. The bills would also give such groups more power to challenge voters, push for prosecutions of suspected voter fraud, and purge voter rolls. New protections for poll watchers are among the many changes embedded in a pair of omnibus “election integrity” bills that top Texas Republicans have deemed a priority this session. Senate Bill 7, which passed the Senate this month, and House Bill 6, which passed out of a House committee, double down on what are already some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. People assisting voters with disabilities or limited English proficiency would be required to fill out a form documenting their relationship and reason for assistance and could even be filmed in the polling place if election watchers believe that the assistance is unlawful, new requirements that Dennis Borel, executive director of the Coalition for Texans with Disabilities, called an invasion of privacy. The proposals would also block efforts to expand voting access that drew legal challenges from Texas Republicans during the pandemic, particularly in Harris County, such as 24-hour polling places and drive-through voting. One provision criminalizes local officials who proactively send out mail-in ballot applications to voters, even when records show they qualify under Texas’ narrow eligibility for voting by mail. One of the bills, SB 7, would require some naturalized citizens to prove their right to vote, an apparent repeat of Republicans’ attempted purge of the voter rolls in 2019. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Harris County Republican who backs the voting bills, has argued for systemized purges similar to those previously conducted in Harris County and elsewhere in Texas that were struck down by federal courts over the past decade. That includes eliminating voters who use post office boxes to register, since “no one lives in a 2-by-3-inch P.O. Box,” though by his own count this could disenfranchise at least 4,880 Harris County voters. He has also pushed for requiring challenges of voters who indicated in driver’s license applications or jury forms that they were not yet citizens — despite the botched 2019 purge that Texas election officials attempted using the same public records. As part of testimony in a federal civil rights lawsuit, state officials admitted

Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP

Voters waited in a line that wrapped around the parking lot at Lark Library during early voting for the general election on Oct. 13, 2020, in McAllen, Texas.

Bennett is part of a crew of North Texas Tea Party sympathizers who began focusing on voting laws after claiming

forged applications for mail-in ballots doomed their preferred candidates in a 2015 Tarrant County water district

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hour committee hearing earlier this month on HB 6, which he authored. The hearing illustrated how conservative activists in the state coordinate with Republican officials to drum up allegations used to justify tougher voting laws. During testimony, Alan Vera, chair of the Harris County GOP’s “Ballot Security Task Force,” warned of “dead voters” because people had reported deceased relatives receiving applications for absentee ballots after officials tried to expand mail-in voting last election. Vera, also a co-founder of a conservative group called True the Vote (formerly King Street Patriots), has been nationally active for a decade in recruiting election monitors and advocating for voter roll purges. A selfdescribed ex-U.S. Army Ranger, Vera said in a 2012 speech that he had the goal of recruiting a million poll watchers, calling on “patriots” and fellow veterans to rise up to defend their system against what he called “domestic enemies.” True the Vote members, who were involved in recent voter challenges in Georgia, also participated in purges of socalled dead voters in Texas, like the 2012 purge that targeted about 300,000 Texas voters with common names, including Sylvia Garcia, a long-time Houston politician who in 2018 was elected one of Texas’ first Latina members of Congress. The movement to change Texas election laws isn’t isolated to conservatives in Harris County. During the hearing on HB 6, Monty Bennett, a Dallas hotel magnate and moneyman for hard right conservatives in Texas, told lawmakers that voter fraud had tainted several recent elections in Tarrant County.

Referring to Houston’s majority Black and brown neighborhoods, the county GOP said they need people with “the confidence and courage to come down in here in these areas where we really need poll workers, because this is where the fraud is occurring.”

election. In the hearing, Bennett claimed his group’s investigation into Tarrant County elections uncovered thousands of fraudulent votes over several years and implicated top local Democrats. However, years after their probe, on the eve of the 2018 midterms, Paxton unveiled charges against just four low-level campaign workers accused of forging signatures or “providing false information” on mailin ballot applications for 28 people. One of them also faces a single second-degree felony count of illegal voting for allegedly marking one elderly man’s ballot without his permission. “The kingpins got away,” Bennett told lawmakers. Voting rights groups have condemned changes to election law that Texas Republicans are pushing at the Legislature this year as a naked attempt to suppress the vote and say new restrictions would disproportionately burden vulnerable voters, as well as people of color in an increasingly Black and brown state. The Texas Civil Rights Project says its voting hotline received 267 reports of voter intimidation during the 2020 general election, including reports of poll watchers

Cour tesy of truethevote.org

In 2012, True the Vote had the goal of recruiting a million poll watchers, calling on “patriots” and fellow veterans to rise up to defend their system against what the group called “domestic enemies.”

A version of this story originally appeared in the Texas Observer.

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recruitment video” had been “blatantly mischaracterized” in what they called a “shameful effort to bully and intimidate Republicans.” l

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and brown communities in Houston.” In an email, Harris County Republican party officials insisted their hour-long “grassroots election worker

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

who crowded voters trying to cast their ballots. Nina Perales, vice president of litigation at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, fears the changes would encourage “vigilantism” among poll watchers while subjecting voters with limited English proficiency to further scrutiny. “Many people will be deterred from voting if they think that somebody’s going to follow them around at a polling place and watch them vote,” Perales said. During his webinar on poll monitoring in Harris County, Ely highlighted how a much smaller group of poll watchers had already reported a dozen instances of alleged fraud during the November 2020 election and submitted affidavits to Paxton’s office, yet Paxton, Ely said, “is slow-walking these cases.” Obtaining video proof of alleged misconduct, possible if state law changes, could help volunteers prevail in what are otherwise “he-said, she-said” cases, Ely told party members. In a press release describing the webinar, Common Cause executive director Anthony Gutierrez characterized the party’s emphasis on alleged voter fraud in minority neighborhoods as a racist “dog whistle” and “the exact same dangerous rhetoric that led to the insurrection at the Capitol, but this time the target is Black

STUFF

The home team’s climb to mediocrity has been oh-so entertaining.

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY 14

B O

J A C K S B O R O

As I write, your Texas Rangers have dropped five games in a row. While that’s obviously crushing to all of the points I spent the weekend conjuring in my sleep-deprived half-brain, this team has finally given fans a reason to watch. I’m not suggesting that losing is the greatest teacher, that there are such things as moral victories, or any of the usual hard-worn sports platitudes. I’m just saying this: It ain’t all bad. With two young children and a bourgeoning alcohol problem, I can’t always carve out time to catch a game these days. A couple of weeks ago, I was watching as the Rangers were down 5 to 1 going into the fifth inning against Seattle. Even though I was certain the locals wouldn’t be able to muster enough spark to catch up in that one, I powered through on principle. And bourbon. “And who knows,” I thought. “It wasn’t that long ago the dudes came back to best the Twins in extra innings.” Given the team’s recent history of ineptitude, I wasn’t seriously holding out hope that these limp-batted 4-A also-rans could repeat that feat. I only told myself that because I’m a baseball fan and we’re all married to decades-old cliches like, “There’s no clock in baseball” and “It ain’t over ’til Neftali Feliz gives up a hard fly to the wall that Nelson Cruz couldn’t snag because he obviously just had his nails done.” Then it happened. Two dongs — long and majestic — off the bat of Joey Gallo, and the Rangers were doing that weird sports-orgy hop/pat/water spray thing that

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B Y

Bo Jacksboro

The Rangers Aren’t Good, But at least They’re Fun

A low bar and a full drink make your Texas Rangers’ 2021 campaign go down easy.

teams do now when they win. I started recording games after that, and I’ve been staying kind of sober enough to watch them after my kids go to bed. All of the games have been *checks notes* watchable. This team isn’t close to brilliant, but compared to the endless waterfalls of excrement the boys from Arlington have trotted out in recent years, it’s nice to see games that the good guys might actually win. Even when they don’t. Of course, I pitched this story on the day the team finished its crawl back to .500 last week. Then they promptly dropped two in a row in San Fran. Both of those games were total snoozers, because watching National League baseball is like being hung by the genitals and spun. But it’s sO pUrE. Nothing gets the juices going like watching pitchers donned in polyester jackets dropping a hot-ass bunt or watching three strikes glide by. And oH My gOd the StraTegy. I mean, how do they remember what to do when there’s a double switch? Are you telling me that two players are just switched? Like, doubly? How can they even do that? Do they employ wizards? The whole Rangers season has felt like watching an old drinking buddy who is way too old to be living at his parents’ house finally start making good decisions with his life. “Wow! You started a bank account? So cool, man.” Before that trip to the Bay, the Rangers had outscored opponents 38-17 after the fifth inning in May. At the time, the team was 7-3 in the month and had been behind

at some point in each of their wins. I’m not dismissing the fact that the team promptly crapped the bed after that stretch. I just didn’t think that stretch would ever be possible with this core of players. So how is this rise to mediocrity happening? Let’s start with the surprisingly good pitching. When Kyle Gibson was signed to a three-year deal last year, very little in his track record suggested he would be anything other than a back-ofthe-rotation innings eater. This season — the best of his career so far — he’s been a legit ace. Opposing batters are whiffing nearly 31% of the time. That’s way up from a season ago, when it was 23.3% and way up from the MLB average of 24.4%. He’s getting players to chase 3.3% more of the time than last year. If you overlook that stink bomb of an opening-day performance, he’s been the best pitcher in the bigs, logging a 1.34 ERA over 47 innings, 40 Ks, and 12 walks (as of this writing). Batters are hitting just .181 against him and popping up the ball at a 26.1% clip. That’s elite. Ian Kennedy, who has been up and down as a journeyman starter over most of his career, has been an All Star-level closer in a league that has devalued the position. Kennedy represents the final boss of a late-inning gauntlet that includes high-level performances from a list of noname former fringe prospects like Jon King, Joely Rodriguez, and whatever a Josh Sborz is. Starter Dane Dunning, who the team netted in the Lance Lynn trade,

has been as advertised — a solid middleof-the-rotation pitcher who can keep you in games. The bats on this team are still iffy, despite outfielder Adolis Garcia doing his best Willie Mays impression. Along with Gibson, Garcia has been the story of the season. He leads the team in home runs, RBIs, OPS, and #swag — not bad for a non-roster invitee whom the front office salvaged from the Cardinals’ scrap heap a few years ago. The resurgent Nate Lowe, whom the team acquired via trade in the offseason to end its procession of warm bodies occupying first base, has been a nice story. He’s the hittin’est non-Garcia on the team. Nick Solak, who is finally seeing full-time run at second base now that fighting house elf Rougned Odor has been sent packing, has more than held his own. Isiah KinerFalefa has gone from back-up catching project to one of the league’s better fieldhit combos at shortstop. “Free” Willy Calhoun is also proving worthy of at bats, though he can’t seem to stay on the field for more than 12 games straight. This is all happening at a time the Rangers’ minor league system is on fire. It’s early in the season, but the combined farm started the year 22-7. The Athletic’s Jamey Newberg recently penned an explainer on who is doing what down in the minors and why they’re so good. Join me in enjoying this glimpse into what it’s like to have a major league team in your town. Keep your expectations low and your drink full, and you might just

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Down Home Mexican Cooking in The Heart of East Fort Worth

Irish Delights

A spacious patio, wellexecuted British Isles fare, and creative cocktails define this West 7th pub. Trinity College Irish Pub, 910 Currie St, FW. 682-224-3525. 10am-2am Sun-Sat, 3pm-2am Mon-Thu, 11am-2am Fri. All major credit cards accepted. B Y

E D W A R D

B R O W N

Two sausage-encased hard-boiled eggs had been immaculately plated and served on a bed of yellowish gravy.

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The fish and chips caused my guest and me to do a double-take.

FIRST BLUE ZONES APPROVED THAI RESTAURANTS IN FW!

Edward Brown

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My first nighttime venture to the West 7th corridor in several months found the area to be bustling at pre-pandemic levels. Several new restaurants and bars have popped up over the past year, including centrally located Trinity College Irish Pub, whose single large indoor space has a

three-sided wraparound bar where during my visit heady pints of Guinness and shots of Jameson were liberally doled out to youngish patrons. There are several TVs mounted near the bar, but the overall vibe, established by the dark wood walls and Irish-themed regalia, is of a cozy pub. The indoor area was on the loudish side, so my friend and I opted for a table on the outdoor gravel patio. Trinity College Irish Pub’s menu boasts a wide selection of appetizers, pub specials, salads, soups, sammies, burgers, entrees, and even two vegan options (shepherd’s pie and a veggie burger). The Scotch eggs came out first. Two sausage-encased hard-boiled eggs had been immaculately plated and served on a bed of yellowish gravy. The meaty casing was firm with a texture more similar to ham than breakfast sausage. Parsley and sage livened up the pork, and the panko crust made each bite pleasantly crispy. The egg, with its soft, semi-boiled, golden yolk, had a texture similar to a poached egg. The gravy was its own sensory explosion of creamy, buttery goodness with a subtle

Edward Brown

EATS & drinks

Trinity College Irish Pub Scotch Egg ................................................ $10 Chips and dip............................................. $8 Duck wings ................................................ $14 Dublin Double ............................................ $17 Fish and chips ........................................... $15 Irish Mule................................................... $9 Get Smashed ............................................. $9

brown mustard flavor that elevated the overall dish to near perfection. Chicken wing lovers won’t tire of Trinity’s flavor options, which include pale ale mild, IPA medium, Guinness barbecue, and fiery inferno. I sprung for the duck wings: six large drumsticks tossed in a citrusy and slightly spicy glaze. A generous sprinkle of sesame seeds and diced scallions enhanced both the flavor and appearance. The outer skin was cooked to crispy perfection, and the meat was rich and flavorful. The fish and chips caused my guest and me to do a double-take. The popular English dish, which typically consists of several smallish fried fillets, was a gargantuan cut of cod that was about the size of a deflated football. The golden-fried beer batter wasn’t overly thick or brittle and held the flaky but firm cod together nicely. The entree came with a small bowl of coleslaw and enough tartar sauce to lather the seafood from end to end. The Dublin Double, one of seven burgers offered, was a savory belt-buster. The towering sandwich held two juicy Angus beef patties, several thick cuts of smokey bacon, melted cheddar cheese, an

“Best Thai Food” – FW Weekly Critics Choice 2015, 2017 & 2019 4630 SW Loop 820 | Fort Worth• 817-731-0455 order online for pickup Thaiselectrestaurant.com

over-easy egg, and veggies. A mildly sweet sauce was a pleasant addition to the greasy burger, which could easily be split to feed two people. Trinity College Irish Pub offers dozens of familiar and rare Irish whiskeys, bourbons, and Scotches. The Get Smashed (Jameson whiskey, watermelon puree, muddled blueberries, and lemon juice) was pleasant enough but didn’t have any singular defining flavor profile. My favorite cocktail was the Irish Mule, also made with Jameson but with a delightful peach puree that gave the overall impression that I was drinking a boozed-up sweet peach tea. My only disappointment that evening was finding that the pub couldn’t validate my parking since the restaurant isn’t officially part of the Crocket Row at West 7th development. Our waitress advised that we buy a beverage at nearby Crocket Row Food Hall, which we did, so our parking could be validated. The service was on point that evening, and I could see why the place was packed after being open only a few months. l

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Restaurant - Carniceria - Panaderia 3806 E Rosedale St | 817-531-1220

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NEA R S OUTHS IDE

Daytime music is booked to coordinate with the BBQ hours. At noon Sun, catch Remy Reilly and stick around for the Rock N Roll Rummage Sale.

FO RT WO RT H, T E X AS “The neighborhood’s best choice for pizza, wings, a fantastic beer selection and family style service”

NOW OPEN!

While some bars and music venues bought into the TABC’s mid-pandemic licensing scheme allowing the businesses to be open if they served food, others have been serving incredible food all along. So with live shows back on the bill, here are some places to catch dinner and a show this weekend.

Connected to

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1.) Known for hosting the best in tribute acts and a great poker night, Fat Daddy’s Sports & Spirits (781 W Debbie Ln, Mansfield, 817-453-0188) has competitive food and drink prices. Thru Sunday, try the new chicken-fried steak sliders served with housemade potato chips and FD’s “boom boom sauce.” For Thirsty Thursday this week, Rockaholics is doing a free show featuring all your favorite rock hits, $2 wells and domestic drafts, and $3 margaritas from 2pm to 7pm.

COME ON IN!

2.) At 7pm Wed, Lava Cantina (5805 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, 214-6186893) hosts a free show by La Grange: The Tribute to ZZ Top. Arrive early and grab dinner from LC’s from-scratch food menu and try the hand-crafted cocktails and margaritas.

Fort Worth | 612 University A Full-Service Seafood Restaurant

Cooked to Order & Served on Fresh-Baked Buns!

Service With a Smile at Two Locations: ARLINGTON 6201 Matlock Rd, Ste 123, 817-422-9081 RIVER OAKS 5181 River Oaks Blvd, 817-404-3244

Cour tesy Facebook

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3.) Located at the corner of Foch and W 5th streets, Lola’s Trailer Park (2735 W 5th St, Fort Worth, 817-759-9100) is a pet-/ family-friendly spot that hosts live music on a nightly basis. It’s also the home base for Dayne’s Craft BBQ. Keep an eye on Lola’s Facebook event page, and you’ll often see the phrase “during Dayne’s.” Yes.

You had me at “pork wings.”

4.) Drunk musicians notwithstanding, you won’t hear live music at Ol’ South Pancake House (1509 S University Dr, Fort Worth, 817-336-0311). However, Ol’ South is the after-hours go-to for everyone you know. The Fort Worth location is back open 24/7, and Burleson is soon to follow. Come sober up. Have some pancakes. 5.) Christian Baird is no stranger to great music and gourmet food. As the owner of the Green Room in Dallas and a musician himself, he was excited to open up Oscar’s Bar & Grill (1581 SW Wilshire Blvd, Ste 101, Burleson, 817-447-7232) as a muchneeded music venue/restaurant. Then the pandemic hit. Oscar’s is now back open with a full music schedule through June and a full gourmet food menu. One featured item is the pork wings: seasoned bone-in pork shanks tossed in your choice of buffalo, BBQ, honey-mustard, or honeysriracha sauce and served on a bed of fries. When his original local band Lowside isn’t on the bill, Baird hosts tributes. On Saturday, Crued & Tattood, a popular Motley Crue tribute, will take the stage. 6.) With a slogan like “Where Soul Food Meets Barbecue,” you already know that local Southern-cooking restaurant Poppin’ Fresh (7709 Camp Bowie West, Fort Worth, 682-707-4936) knows a thing or two about comfort food and old-school hospitality. What you may not know is that the joint is hopping most nights. From gospel groups to R&B acts and karaoke night, the customers are always in for a good time. The latest offering on the food menu is a new catfish platter. For food pictures and dancing-customer videos, find PF on Facebook.

7.) During the pandemic, The Post at River East (2925 Race St, Fort Worth, 817945-8890) gave us Cocktails to Go (and, by extension, a reason to live). Now they are giving us great food, booze, and music on an ongoing basis. Every Tuesday thru the end of June, enjoy Texas Booze Tuesdays featuring live music by Adrian Hulet and $2 off Texas beer and spirits.

W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 817-9262116) is a great place to grab a burger and a $5 margarita — don’t forget the $2 flavor add-ons — but did you know they have a stage? At 8pm every Saturday, head to Shaw’s East Patio Stage for Live Music Saturdays. This Saturday, it’s Josh Irwin followed by Warmin Up on May 29 and Joseph Neville on Jun 5.

8.) The patio at Shaw’s Bar & Grill (1051

By Jennifer Bovee

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Limited Seating Inside & On Our Patios.

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To Go Orders & Curbside Available. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

MUSIC On their new EP, the garage-pop vehicle for singer-songwriter Amanda Hand conjures up some big emotions. B Y

C H L O E

W A L D E N

The charts of today’s era are dominated by formulaic pop. So much so that as an adolescent, I developed a strong distaste for

Photo by Amanda Hand

Big Heaven

Hand: “We just learned how to be a band.”

and the center of my creative world. The record features some remarkably talented friends [and] longtime collaborators, and I believe it’s my most personal album yet.” The video for “Motorbike” was directed by another famous R&B singersongwriter, Anderson .Paak. “The inception of [‘Motorbike’] started with this Afrobeat-type instrumental that my homeboy Nate Mercerau made,” Bridges said in the statement. “Prior to the session, I was in Puerto Rico for my 30th with some of my

HearSay

Leon Bridges is back, though I’m not quite sure he ever really went away. Doesn’t he hang out at the Boiled Owl? Anyway, no matter where he’s hanging out these days, we will still shamelessly claim him as a local product and will tout his achievements as if we created them ourselves because living vicariously through young, attractive, talented people is so much better than toiling away in old, unattractive, untalented reality. Can I get an “amen”? Fine. But I know more than a few hosannas will be sent heavenward by more than half the planet now that Bridges has announced his third studio recording. Produced by Ricky Reed and Nate Mercereau at Gold Diggers Studio in East Hollywood over the course of two “long” years, Bridges says in a statement, GoldDiggers Sound is the young man’s “most sensual and confident album to date, and I cannot wait to unleash it.” The 11-track collection, which includes last year’s collaboration with Terrace Martin, “Sweeter,” and the justdropped “Motorbike,” will come out July 23 on Columbia Records. “With immense joy, greater purpose, and sometimes doubt, I labored over these 11 songs,” Bridges goes on to say, “but the record truly came together when I immersed myself in everything GoldDiggers, making it my home, my escape,

best friends, and the energy of that trip totally inspired this song. ‘Motorbike’ is about living in the moment and escaping with someone. It’s the personification of that unspoken chemistry you have with that person.” Gold-Diggers Sound follows Bridges’ Texas Sun EP with Khruangbin last year, his sophomore LP Good Thing from 2018, and his 2015 debut, Coming Home. — Anthony Mariani Contact HearSay at anthony@fwweekly.com.

Justin Hardiman

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New Leon Bridges Coming

the entire genre, immediately misprizing nearly anything that could be categorized as “pop.” It wasn’t until I was older and developed a more discerning palate that I could even stomach pop music. I delved into subgenres: pop-rock, power-pop, pop-punk, eventually finding myself no longer at odds with pop music as a whole. Discovering ’80s post-punk and synth-pop was a formative experience for me. For this reason, I was immediately drawn to Big Heaven. Their music was everything I loved about bands like Joy Division and Simple Minds, but it was right here in my backyard. I met with Big Heaven chieftess Amanda Hand at a little restaurant just off Lake Worth. She arrived sporting a wide smile, with three middle school-age kids in tow. She wrangled her little herd of cats to their own table, and then she and I sat down to discuss Big Heaven’s newest offering over a plate of soggy nachos. The two-song EP Last Words to My Lover is composed of an original by Big

Bridges: “The record features some remarkably talented friends [and] longtime collaborators, and I believe it’s my most personal album yet.”

there and taste it and just keep changing it that it was one people wanted to hear her distinctive interpretation of. until we got it.” “It’s not like I’m not a Taylor Swift “Last Words” has a catchy, featherlight feeling to it, something like what you might fan,” Hand said. “I’m just here, and she’s get if you crossed the Bangles with Echo … over here, but it took people in my life and the Bunnymen. It is up-tempo with telling me that I should cover it.” The Big Heaven influence completely an unbeatable, triumphant synth sound. transforms the song, with It’s a lyrically incendiary the intro specifically love song threaded with a sounding similar to a Prince bouncy melody that keeps Big Heaven 8pm Sat via Facebook Live. ballad. The core intent and it playful. Free. emotion of the original “Last Words” has a remains, but the cover lot in common stylistically is fully immersed in Big with the rest of Big Heaven’s Heaven’s unique flavor. This is a skill that body of work. Big Heaven encapsulates the best is imperative to the success of any cover parts of ’80s New Wave and synth-rock and artist — putting your own spin on a piece of music without changing it so much that marries them with ’60s pop simplicity. The cover on the EP, “Lover,” was not the original feeling of the song is lost. It’s one Hand had originally considered doing, a delicate equilibrium and Amanda Hand but she found through her solo career excels at it.

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L AT E N I G H T G R U B

Without the ability to play live music during lockdown, the folks in Big Heaven have focused on keeping their skills sharp and drawing closer together. “We spent the whole summer practicing — every week for two and a half hours,” Hand said. “We got tighter, and we got closer as a group. We just learned how to be a band.” All this extra time to practice their catalog and hone their skills has left Big Heaven anxious to get back to performing live, something they hope to return to very soon. Big Heaven is also finally beginning to write songs again, something Hand is very excited about. She also hinted to me that they are working on a handful of other covers by contemporary artists that they are very excited about and hope to debut live very soon. l

DID WE MENTION

24/7?

BOTH LOCATIONS OPEN DAILY! Fort Worth: 1509 S University 817-336-0311 (24hrs) Burleson: 225 E Renfro 817-989-9090 (6a-10p)

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

Heaven, “Last Words,” and a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Lover.” Last Words to My Lover was engineered by Peter Wierenga (Pete and the Crying Teeth). Hand said working with him was an absolute delight. He had pitched some ideas to guitarist Brock Miller and was very enthusiastic about working with Big Heaven. “I just let him make decisions,” Hand said of Wierenga, “I just totally trust him. And he did a great job.” Parts of Last Words to My Lover were recorded at the studio at Wierenga’s home, and parts were recorded in the homes of Hand and other band members: Sam Dobbin (drums), Peter Marsh (bass and vocals), and Miller. The finished product is a result of tireless trial and error and fine tuning. “It was sort of like cooking,” recalled Hand. “We would throw everything in

CLASSIFIEDS

The Bearded Lady Several positions are available. Apply in person at 300 S Main St, Fort Worth TX 76104 or call 817-349-9832. Buffalo Bros Now hiring Chefs, Line Cooks, Servers, and FOH Managers at both Fort Worth locations. For these positions and others, submit your resume online at BuffaloBrosTexas.com/Jobs. Crocket Hall Apply in person at 3000 Crockett St, Fort Worth TX 76107 (817-885-7331) or email your resume to Feedback@ CrockettHall.com. El Chingon If interested in working as a Cook, Bartender or Bar Back, Busser, Hostess, Management, Runner, Security, or Server, apply in person at 2800 Bledsoe St #100 or apply online at ElChingonFW.com/Careers. J’s Casa Burger Now hiring at Arlington and River Oaks locations. Apply in person at 6201 Matlock Rd Ste 123 or at 5181 River Oaks Blvd.

MON Bingo Night

7PM9PM

TUE

7PM9PM

Trivia Night

Disc Golf Putt Night 6PM10PM Luther & Parish Live Music Residency

fri

FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY

sat

with Danny Rowlett and Playtown

Standard Transmission $5 Cover 15th Annual

7PM10PM 7PM10PM 5PM-

Danielle LeBlanc 12AM Memorial Benefit Concert

Rock ‘n’ Roll Rummage Sale

12PM6PM

Remy Reilly

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Ol' South Now hiring all positions! Apply in person, day or night, at 1509 S University Drive, FWTX (817-3360311, OlSouthPancakeHouse.com). Paco's Mexican Paco's Mexican Cuisine, a locally owned, authentic Mexican restaurant and bar in Near Southside, is now hiring. Apply in person at 1508 W Magnolia Ave, FWTX (817-759-9110) or email your resume to PacosCuisine@att.net. Shaw's Patio Bar & Grill Apply in person at 1051 W Magnolia Ave, FWTX (817-926-2116) or email your resume to ShawsBurgers@yahoo. com. Yucatan Taco Stand Seeking bartenders, servers, food runners, and hosts. FB message us (@ YucatanMagnolia) or apply in person at 909 W Magnolia, FWTX. To participate, email Jennifer@fwweekly. com

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employment & public notices

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN AIR PERMIT AIR QUALITY PERMIT NUMBER 17994

APPLICATION US Department of the Treasury, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for: Amendment of Permit 17994 This application would authorize modification of the Western Currency Facility located at 9000 Blue Mound Road, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76131. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility's general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ assets/public/hb610/index.html?lat=32.899444&lng=-97.345555&zoom=13&type=r. The facility will emit the following contaminants: carbon monoxide, hazardous air pollutants, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, particulate matter including particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less and sulfur dioxide. This application was submitted to the TCEQ on April 27, 2021. The application will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth regional office, and the John Ed Keeter Public Library, 355 West McLeroy Boulevard, Saginaw, Tarrant County, Texas beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review in the Dallas/Fort Worth regional office of the TCEQ. The executive director has determined the application is administratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application.

OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING You may request a contested case hearing. A contested case hearing is a legal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court. A contested case hearing will only be granted based on disputed issues of fact that are relevant and material to the Commission’s decision. Further, the Commission will only grant a hearing on those issues submitted during the public comment period and not withdrawn. The deadline to submit a request for a contested case hearing is 30 days after newspaper notice is published. If a request is timely filed, the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing will be extended to 30 days after the mailing of the response to comments. A person who may be affected by emissions of air contaminants from the facility is entitled to request a hearing. If requesting a contested case hearing, you must submit the following: (1) your name (or for a group or association, an official representative), mailing address, and daytime phone number; (2) applicant’s name and permit number; (3) the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing”; (4) a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the application and air emissions from the facility in a way not common to the general public; (5) the location and distance of your property relative to the facility; (6) a description of how you use the property which may be impacted by the facility; and (7) a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period. If the request is made by a group or an association, one or more members who have standing to request a hearing must be identified by name and physical address. The interests the group or association seeks to protect must also be identified. You may also submit your proposed adjustments to the application/permit which would satisfy your concerns. If a hearing request is timely filed, following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for contested case hearing to the Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting. The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material air quality concerns submitted during the comment period. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction to address in this proceeding. MAILING LIST In addition to submitting public comments, you may ask to be placed on a mailing list to receive future public notices for this specific application by sending a written request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the Public Education Program toll free at 1-800-687-4040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040. Further information may also be obtained from US Department of the Treasury, 9000 Blue Mound Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76131-3304 or by calling Ms. Virginia Baldwin, P.E., US Department of the Treasury, at (817) 847-3715. Notice Issuance Date: May 5, 2021

• Clean and prepare surface areas prior to sandblasting. • Complete pre-start equipment check. • Carry out abrasive sandblasting in accordance with policies and procedures. • Maintain sandblasting tools and equipment. • Accurately maintain required records and documentation for each project. • Responsibly manage consumable supplies and raw materials. • Follow ALL corporate safety requirements and standards, including but not limited to the use of respiratory equipment, protective clothing, protective lenses/goggles, steel toed boots, etc. • Maintain a safe and clean assigned workstation. • Safely operate forklift.

SHIPPING/RECEIVING

Position Summary: Verifies and keeps records on incoming and outgoing shipments and prepares items for shipment by performing the following duties. • Determines method of shipment to ensure competitive rates and on–time secure delivery of product • Schedules & coordinates daily shipments with freightliners • Prioritizes and sorts work orders to ensure efficient loading and unloading of product • Compares identifying information of incoming & outgoing shipments to verify information against invoices, orders, or other records to ensure accuracy of shipment • Prepares and maintains records of all shipments and transactions including billing of shipments. Enters and maintains data in Prelude • Conducts daily cycle counts • Receives incoming shipments and places in inventory. Unpacks and examines incoming shipments, rejects damaged items, records shortages, and corresponds with shipper to rectify damages and shortages. • Operates forklift to move, convey, or hoist product from shipping and receiving platform to storage or delivery freight. • Maintains inventory of shipping materials and supplies • Assists with basic office operations; prints and affixes shipping labels

WELDER

Position Summary: Fit and weld natural gas delivery products built from raw materials according to blue print specifications in accordance with API 1104 certification standards and procedures. • Receive project raw materials and match to corresponding blue prints/drawings • Fit and weld project in accordance to blue print/drawing specification and API 1104 standards • Responsible to maintain production schedule to ensure minimum ‘reworks’ so that product is delivered to the client on time • Accurately maintain required records and documentation for each project as outlined by • Fabrication Foreman and/or Manager • Maintain a clean and safe work area • Report any maintenance requirements needed for equipment in your work area timely so that production schedule is not affected • Follow ALL corporate safety requirements and standards including but not limited to welder safety equipment, protective clothing, protective lenses/goggles, steel toed boots, etc. Safely operate a forklift

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities For more information on these positions or to apply go to: isco-pipe.com

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After technical review of the application is complete, the executive director may prepare a draft permit and will issue a preliminary decision on the application. Notice of Application and Preliminary Decision for an Air Quality Permit will then be published and mailed to those who made comments, submitted hearing requests or are on the mailing list for this application. That notice will contain the final deadline for submitting public comments.

SANDBLASTER/PAINTER ASSISTANT

Position Summary: Be proficient in surface cleaning, preparation and Sandblasting in order to accomplish assigned tasks, producing work of a high standard in accordance with Company’s policies and procedures.

M AY 1 9 - 2 5 , 2 0 2 1

The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or ask questions about the application. A public meeting about the application will be held if the executive director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application, if requested by an interested person, or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing.

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PUBLIC COMMENT/PUBLIC MEETING You may submit public comments, or request a public meeting or a contested case hearing to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The TCEQ will consider all public comments in developing a final decision on the application. After the deadline for public comments, the executive director will prepare a response to all public comments.

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