EASY AS A BEAUTIFUL YARD IS
When it’s time to water your lawn, think 1, 2…zero. Once a week if it needs a little water. Twice a week if it’s dry and hot. Zero if it’s been raining. Make sure your sprinklers aren’t leaking or pointing the wrong way. And try drip irrigation for flowers and shrubs. Visit Water is Awesome.com for more tips.
METRO
Lege Guide
Texas lawmakers have launched a 30-day special session for consumable THC, flood dangers, new congressional districts, abortion pills, and other conservative priorities.
BY MARÍA MÉNDEZ, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
Texas lawmakers have returned to the Capitol for a second attempt at regulating THC, the psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plants of hemp and marijuana. This comes after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a planned ban on most
hemp products, which contain THC at lower levels than marijuana, as well as more than two dozen other bills that lawmakers had approved.
Abbott has also called on lawmakers to tackle emergency preparedness in the wake of catastrophic flooding in Central Texas, as well as redrawing the state’s congressional districts and passing conservative priorities such as banning abortion pills.
During their regular legislative session in the spring, state lawmakers passed a bill that would have banned consumable hemp products like vapes, gummies, and drinks that provide a similar high as smoking marijuana. The broad ban would have taken effect in September, if not for Abbott’s veto. He then ordered a special legislative session for lawmakers to regulate the hemp industry and address other bills he vetoed.
The other vetoed bills on Abbott’s agenda range from changes to the criminal justice system to water rights management, but many eyes will be on how lawmakers address a loophole in previous state laws legalizing hemp that allowed the sale of THC products — which spawned an entire new industry across Texas.
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who has claimed that THC is driving young people to suicide and altering people’s brains, championed the ban and even threatened to make lawmakers work overtime by preventing other important legislation from advancing if they didn’t approve a ban.
Experts say there are some health concerns, including that THC can be addictive, but they say it doesn’t usually cause widespread psychosis or brain damage.
The hemp industry and its advocates warned the ban could shutter the hemp industry and
Look Again
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hinder access to the non-psychoactive CBD and CBG and to medical marijuana for patients in need of pain relief.
Lawmakers did expand the state’s limited medical marijuana program, but medical marijuana dispensaries still hope lawmakers will heavily regulate the hemp industry by putting in place age restrictions and banning synthetic delta-8 THC, which makes up the bulk of consumable hemp products.
A special session lasts up to 30 days, and state lawmakers can work only on the governor’s agenda items.
After facing pressure from Donald Trump’s political team, Abbott has asked lawmakers to redraw some of Texas’ 38 U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
He also directed lawmakers to focus on these areas following the deadly Hill Country floods over the July 4 weekend:
• Flood warning systems
• Emergency communications
• Natural disaster preparation
• Relief funding for the impacted areas
Abbott also included several high-profile and controversial conservative priorities that didn’t pass during the 140-day regular session, including:
• Banning cities and counties from hiring lobbyists to advocate for them at the Capitol
• Requiring people to use bathrooms that align with the sex they were assigned at birth
• Cracking down on the manufacturing and distribution of abortion pills
During the session, which ran from January through early June, state lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have established a statewide plan to improve Texas’ disaster response. House Bill 13 called for the plan to include “the use of outdoor warning sirens,” like those used in tornado-prone Texas counties, and develop new emergency alert systems.
State Rep. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he would propose legislation to ensure people are alerted with sirens along watersheds instead of notifications on their phones that could be silenced or missed.
How Texans can follow the session
• The Texas Legislature Online: Through the Legislature’s website, you can find bills that have been filed and track their progress. You can easily create a personal list of bills to follow and set up email alerts for updates on legislation. You can also receive email alerts when notices of upcoming committee hearings are posted and can use the website to find links to broadcasts of floor debates or committee meetings in the House and Senate, as well as other resources, such as a glossary of legislative terms.
• The Bill Status Hotline: During the legislative session, you can call 877-824-7038 in Texas to get up-to-the-minute information about a bill’s status, the legislative process, help getting a copy of the bill, and contact information for a lawmaker’s office, according to the Legislative Reference Library. But hotline staff cannot interpret a bill or transfer your call to a lawmaker’s office.
continued on page 7
• The Texas Tribune: You can also keep up with the latest on the Legislature through the Tribune’s coverage.
How can I participate in the legislative process?
• Contact your lawmakers: Texans can share their concerns and personal stories with their elected representatives, which can be the most effective form of advocacy, said Kathy Green, the director of state and federal strategy for AARP Texas who has more than 30 years of experience working in and around state government.
“If you’ve got stories about those actual things that affect your daily life, talk to your leg-
the state’s legislative guide. House committees or subcommittees must also typically post notice for a public hearing held during a special session at least 24 hours before, unless the rule is suspended by a vote of the members on the House floor.
It is more impactful to succinctly speak about your experience than it is to read written testimony or just cite facts, said Luke Metzger, executive director of the advocacy group Environment Texas. But you can also submit written testimony or have someone else testify on your behalf.
It can take time for legislation to come up for discussion in a committee hearing, especially if a hearing is scheduled for after a chamber meets for floor debate, so it helps to be prepared to be at the Capitol for a while.
“Planning is critical, and typically plan to spend the day and stay overnight if necessary,” Zaffirini said.
It can also help to communicate with staff if you need to leave by a certain time, she said.
EASY-TO-
GET-TO EATS
Take a bite out of tra c and parking hassles on the new, FREE Trinity Metro Blue Line! Just find the blue buses circling Downtown Fort Worth every 7 minutes, 7am–7pm, 7 days a week. Then hop on for easy trips to breakfast, lunch, happy hour and more! Plan your trip today at RIDETRINITYMETRO.org/BLUELINE.
Twice the Weeks, Twice the Fun
BY ANTHONY MARIANI AND JENNIFER BOVEE
With next week’s Night & Day themed out with animal-oriented happenings as part of our third annual Creature Comforts edition, we’re alerting you — and in some cases reminding you — about events going on now thru the month’s end. Enjoy the rest of your July!
From 6pm to 9pm, TX Whiskey Ranch (2601 Whiskey Ranch Rd, Fort Worth, 817-840-9140) is celebrating summertime with
an indoor screening of 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation. Accompanied by their children (Dana Barron, Anthony Michael Hall), dad Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and mom Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) are driving from Illinois to a California amusement park. As Clark increasingly fixates on a beautiful woman driving a sports car, the Griswolds deal with car problems and the death of a family member. They reach Los Angeles, but when Clark worries that the trip is being derailed again, he acts impulsively to get his family to the park. Tickets are $10 at TXWhiskey.com and include your first cocktail. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted, including kids and babies, so get a sitter and make it a date night. Oh, and you’ll need to bring your own chair.
Texas artist Jon Flaming, known for his modern interpretations of cowboys and cowgirls, has curated this year’s Texas Juried Exhibition at Artspace111 (111 Hampton St, Fort Worth, 817-692-3228). The Love Texas Art Foundation supports the awards with a total of over $15,000 awarded to the best works as selected by juror Flaming, and the $10,000 Edmund Craig Memorial Award will include the opportunity to exhibit at the gallery in a separate solo or group exhibition sometime before the year’s end. The opening reception and awards ceremony are 6pm8pm today. Regular gallery hours are 11am-5pm Tuesdays thru Fridays and 11am-2pm Saturdays. The show will be up thru Sat, Aug 23.
At the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St, Fort Worth, 817-738-9215), there’s still time to catch their stellar twin exhibitions. Up now thru Sep 7, The Whale gathers more than 40 paintings, several drawings, and a video from Alex Da Corte’s vast, multilayered, pop culture-loving oeuvre, while Feeling Color, featuring the brilliant handiwork of two pioneering Afro-Caribbean titans, Aubrey Williams and Frank Bowling, will be up thru today.
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Running today thru Sun, Aug 3, at Bass Performance Hall (525 Commerce St, Fort Worth, 817212-4280), the Tony-winning musical comedy Shucked will tell the tale of an unlikely hero, an unscrupulous con artist, and a battle for the heart and soil of a small town. Maizy and Beau are getting hitched when the corn that protects their small community starts to die. The town needs answers. But who will dare to venture beyond the borders of Cob County? Tickets start at $50 at BassHall.com.
At Amphibian Stage (120 S Main St, Fort Worth, 817-9233012) today thru Sun, Aug 17, it’s Thanksgiving, 1973. Two immigrants meet cute and go through the highs and lows of budding romance in Lloyd Suh’s comedy The Heart Sellers, one of the Top 10-produced plays in the country in 2024. With the theater’s pay-what-you-want program, this could be a very affordable outing. See the ticket options at AmphibianStage.com.
Tonight marks the opening night of Fort Worth Library’s Amped-Up Music Tour, in which local artists play gigs at various library branches. Pop-rockers The Jaybirds will perform at Summerglen Library (4205 Basswood Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-392-5970) with openers Caravan. Learn more at fwpl.info/ AUMTJaybirds.
Pop-rockers The Jaybirds will perform at Summerglen Library on the last day of the month.
Don’t worry, TX Whiskey doesn’t have a kiss cam.
WEEKLY LISTINGS CLASSIFIEDS
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19)
Life is giving you a big wink and saying, “It’s playtime!” You can start this fresh phase by making a list of all the experiences that bring you fun, recreation, and entertainment. I hope you emphasize these pursuits in the coming weeks.
TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20)
You are capable of seeing vast truths, but only if you pause, quiet the ambient noise, and look during the dark. This approach should embolden you to use your intelligence in new ways. Stillness and silence will be conducive to your deep explorations. Night will be your ally.
GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20)
Are you wild enough to relinquish naïve fears and hopes so you can see the raw truths blooming right in front of you? Maybe you weren’t mature or bold or crafty enough to accomplish these heroic feats before, but you are now.
CANCERIAN (Jun 21-Jul 22)
Allow your emotional intelligence to guide you. You have the precise blend of aptitudes necessary to coax beauty to grow from vulnerability.
LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22)
Soon, you will be encouraged to explore frontier territory that offers unexpected help. Next, you will demonstrate your understanding that freedom is never permanent but must constantly be reinvented.
Aries, it’s play time!
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22)
The coming weeks will be prime time for you to honor and celebrate that prayer, Virgo. As you bless, you will be blessed. Let the art you make remake you. Let the magic you give become the magic you are.
LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22)
Your craving for beauty will not just coexist with but synergize an affinity for messy fertility. This is a time for sacred synthesis. Don’t dilute. Integrate.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21)
Slough off layers of illusion, outmoded fantasies, and self-images soaked in others’ longings. As you let go, do so not in bitterness but in a joyous quest for freedom.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21)
I’m hoping that the Season of a Thousand Feelings hasn’t confused you. I’m praying that you have maintained a measure of composure and aplomb while navigating through the richest emotional flow you’ve experienced in many moons. You will look back at this bustling interlude as a gift that will take a while to harvest completely.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Your natural inclination is to be practical, take action, and get things done. But for now, your main superpower will be listening to everything. Let your attention be so complete that the world softens and speaks to you about what you really need to know.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20- Feb 18)
In my astrological opinion, you are ready to graduate from the University of Senseless Suffering. It’s time to get your diploma and treat yourself to a vacation. I’m not saying you will never again experience pain, of course. But, you are forever finished with at least one of your arduous lessons
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20)
Eternal change is your destiny. I invite you to ruminate eagerly on this truth, Pisces. Hopefully, it will help you let go of any hyper-perfectionist urges you might have. It will inspire you to see that the plan you made a while ago may need revision—not because you were wrong, but because you have grown.
EXPANDED HOROSCOPES
For unabridged versions of the horoscopes above by Rob Brezsny, go to FreeWillAstrology.com.
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CELEBRATION
Located at 908 Pennsylvania Av (817-335-3222), Celebration Community Church has services on Sundays at 10am. Want to check out a nonjudgmental, inclusive church at home before attending in person? All services can also be viewed on YouTube! (@ CelebrationCommunityChurch130)
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EMPLOYMENT
American Airlines, Inc. has openings in Ft. Worth, TX for: Analyst/Sr. Analyst, Revenue Strategy & Analysis (Ref. 2211): Resp for act’g as the internal biz consult focused on synthesiz’g large data sets to understand market lvl trends & strats, diag, & resolve perform issues, & deliver insights to translate into mean’gful market-lvl actions; Bach degree in Biz, Finance, Biz Analytics, or rltd fld + 3 yrs of exp as Analyst, Associate, or any occup in which the req exp was gained & demos exp. Loc: Ft. Worth, TX To learn more or to apply send inquiries &/or resume to Gene Womack via email: Gene.Womack@aa.com. Please include Ref #2211 in subject line. #LI-DNI
EMPLOYMENT
Company: XpressDocs Partners Ltd. Worksite address: 1301 NE Loop 820. City: Fort Worth. State: TX. County: Tarrant. Postal Code: 76131. Job Title: Data Scientist. Occupational Title: Data Scientist. Occupation Code: 152051.00, Data Scientist. Job Description: Analyze cmplx datasets, define prod backlogs, wrk w/ cross-functional teams on data enhancements, cndct adv. Stat modeling, dvlp NLP pipelines, execute SQL queries, utilize tools/ techn such as: Java, C, C#, Python, SQL, Tableau, AWS, NLP libraries, & Agile methodologies. Req: a U.S. Master’s deg or equiv. in CS/IT/IS, Mgmt Info Sys, or rltd field, plus 1 year of exp. Mail resumes to XpressDocs Partners Ltd., 1301 NE Loop 820, Fort Worth TX 76131
EMPLOYMENT
Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc., a Southland Company, seeks Project Engineer II in Grapevine, TX (this is an in-office position) responsible for coordinating & managing various aspects of planning & execution of water & wastewater treatment plants, pipeline & pump stations construction prjcts. Apply online at southlandholdings.com.
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Dorrance Publishing, trusted by authors since 1920, is accepting submissions. Book manuscripts are currently being reviewed. Comprehensive services include consultation, production, promotion and distribution. Call 1-866-2560940 or go to DorranceInfo.com/ftworth for your free author`s guide and become a published author. (MB)
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LIZ BUYS HOUSES
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POTTER’S HOUSE
Join the Potter’s House of Fort Worth (1270 Woodhaven Blvd, 817-446-1999) for Sunday Service at 8am and Wednesday Bible Study at 7pm. For more info, visit us online at www.TPHFW.org.
PREPARED for OUTAGES?
be ready with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 817-752-957 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (MB).
RIP OZZY (1948-2025)
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.
