September 9-15, 2026
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Kicking and Spiking Football hogs all the attention, but TCU women’s soccer and volleyball are holding down the national rankings. B Y
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METROPOLIS By not disclosing assets/ liabilities properly, AG Ken Paxton may have broken the law. BY PROPUBLICA AND THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
EATS & DRINKS The Near Southside beefs up with Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks. BY KENA SOSA
STUFF Hallelujah. Are you ready for some Cowboys footbaaaall?! BY PAT R I C K H I G G I N S
MUSIC New tunes from Michael Lee, LABELS, and Cory Cross. BY STEVE STEWARD
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5 Metro // News Investigation: Republican U.S. Senate nominee and current state AG Ken Paxton may have violated federal ethics law via asset/liability disclosures. By The Texas Tribune and ProPublica
STUFF
13 Sports Preview // Cowboys: Will the offseason changes be enough for the team to compete with the NFC’s best? By Patrick Higgins 19 Sports Recap // Buck U: Nationally ranked TCU women’s soccer and volleyball keep winning. By Buck D. Elliott
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10 Night & Day // Bye, Bye Birdie(s): Along with helping migratory birds (and seeing images of them), there’s a lot of fun activities now thru October. By Elaine Wilder 13 Living Local // Live at Bosque Ranch: Join Texas’ “Official Cowboy Poet” for a recitation. By Shannon Houchin
E AT S & D R I N K S
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15 Food Review // Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks: Savory sandwiches from the City of Brotherly Love liven up the Near Southside. Story and Photos by Kena Sosa
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21 TV Series Review // Lanterns: The new HBO show is a dismal disappointment. By Cole Williams
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Cover photo courtesy TCU Athletics
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23 HearSay // Notes & News: Michael Lee, LABELS, and Cory Cross share new music. By Steve Steward
STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Anthony Mariani Art Director: Ryan Burger Special Projects Manager: Jennifer Bovee Calendar Editor: Elaine Wilder Film Editor: Kristian Lin Music Editors: Patrick Higgins, Steve Steward Proofreader: Emmy Smith Editorial Board: Anthony Mariani, Emmy Smith, Steve Steward, Elaine Wilder Contributors: E.R. Bills, Jennifer Bovee, Jason Brimmer, Todd Camp, Amber Chadwick, Jess Delarosa, Buck D. Elliott, Danny Gallagher, Ozzie Garza, Juan R. Govea, Mark Henricks, Patrick Higgins, Laurie James, Patrice Jones, Kristian Lin, Cody Neatherly, Rush Olson, Jeff Prince, Emmy Smith, Kena Sosa, Steve Steward, Jennifer Zooki Sturges, Teri Webster, Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue, Elaine Wilder, Cole Williams
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METROPOLIS The Republican U.S. Senate nominee and current state AG may have violated federal ethics law via asset/ liability disclosures. B Y Z A C H D E S P A R T , K A Y L A G U O , A N D A L E X A N D R A G L O R I O S O
“It’s kind of mind-boggling to think about having four homes at one resort property and imagining those are for personal use,” said Cynthia Brown, a senior lawyer at the government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
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Federal rules do not require candidates to report as assets personal homes or properties from which they don’t earn money, even if the properties are worth millions. At a time when voters feel anxious about their own personal finances and dislike the idea of politicians getting rich in office, it would be wise for Paxton to be more transparent about his wealth, said Texas ethics and campaign finance lawyer Andrew Cates. “If it were me trying to get people’s vote, I would err on the side of transparency rather than not.” Paxton declined to be interviewed and did not answer detailed questions about how he filled out the disclosure forms. Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for his campaign, said Paxton “has had a long and successful career outside of public service, including running his own small business as a lawyer. Stirring up partisan allegations is nothing more than a bad attempt to manufacture controversy where none exists.” Before being elected to the state Legislature in 2002, Paxton worked at a law firm in the Dallas area and was a corporate attorney for JCPenney. His state financial disclosure for 2001 listed assets totaling no more than $170,000, an analysis by ProPublica and the Tribune found. By 2015, his household net worth had grown to $5.4 million, according to financial records lawmakers subpoenaed in 2023 after impeaching Paxton on charges that he took bribes in exchange for helping an Austin real estate investor. The records, few of which were admitted into evidence during the 10-day Senate trial
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
If Paxton wins, an incomplete picture of his finances could prevent watchdogs from evaluating his conflicts of interest as a senator, Holman and others said. The apparent omissions are part of a pattern for Paxton. Over three terms as attorney general, he has withheld financial information that could explain how he became a multimillionaire and had the resources to purchase more than a dozen properties in five states. He began including many of these on his state disclosures only after the Texas Ethics Commission closed a loophole in 2024 that Paxton had cited to leave them off. Most were acquired while Paxton earned an annual government salary of $153,750. In the new federal disclosure, filed in August after Paxton received a three-month extension, he reported a net worth between $1 million and $27 million. That is a significantly higher range than the negative $1.9 million to $11.1 million net worth he reported a year ago, before he had secured the Republican nomination but after he had declared his candidacy for federal office. The spike was driven not by Paxton’s acquisition of more assets but because the reported value on several of his properties soared. Paxton’s report omitted listing as assets seven properties worth about $5.2 million collectively, including the Utah condos for which he did not disclose mortgages. He coowns all his known real estate holdings with his estranged wife, State Sen. Angela Paxton, property records show. The eight he reported are held by their blind trust, which is managed by a family friend.
that resulted in his acquittal, document how Paxton built a diverse portfolio that included investments in a cellphone tower, an HVAC company, a cement supplier, and a police body camera manufacturer. He netted $2.2 million when Motorola acquired the body camera firm in 2019, according to his income tax return from that year. Shortly after, he went on a real estate buying spree, snapping up six properties in Oklahoma, Florida, Utah, and Hawaii. His impeachment defense team said Paxton made a prudent shift toward real estate at a time of rock-bottom interest rates. Questions about Paxton’s integrity have dogged him in the race for U.S. Senate. His opponent, Democratic State Rep. James Talarico, entered September with a narrow polling lead — uncharted territory in a state where Republicans have not lost a statewide race in 32 years. A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll released last week found that just a third of respondents viewed Paxton as “honest and trustworthy.” The same day the statewide poll was published, a super PAC supporting Talarico hit the airwaves with an ad that labeled the attorney general as “the most corrupt politician in Texas.” The commercial included a reference to Paxton’s recently disclosed net worth. Talarico’s net worth, according to his most recent personal financial disclosure, was between $67,000 and $305,000. The range changed little from the previous year. Like Paxton, Talarico did not include his single personal residence among his reported assets. James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project, said the questions surrounding Paxton’s latest financial disclosures reinforce a longstanding narrative that the attorney general is secretive about his finances and may have leveraged his public position for personal gain. “It’s his choice how much he explains or doesn’t explain,” Henson said, “but I think that comes with a potential cost, and we’re seeing that in public opinion.” Paxton’s pivot to real estate appears to be a way to supplement his salary as attorney general. The newsrooms found recent rental listings for six of the properties he disclosed but for which he said he derived no income: two homes in Ocala, Florida; a home and a condo in Austin; a home in College Station; and a vacation lodge in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. A tenant confirmed to the newsrooms that she’s living at one of the Florida houses. At the Austin condo complex, a next-door neighbor said Paxton’s unit has a renter, and the five-bedroom, three-story Oklahoma lodge Paxton owns is listed online as a shortterm rental for up to $1,200 a night, with fall bookings filling up fast.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears to have violated federal ethics law in significant ways when filing recent disclosures of his assets and liabilities, creating confusion about his net worth and holdings, as found by a review by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. Among them: Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, reported owning seven homes but said he earned no income from any, yet all but one was listed for rent during the reporting periods, and some current residents and neighbors at those addresses confirmed that the properties were rented, the news organizations found. Receiving income and not reporting it is a violation of federal disclosure law, three ethics experts said. Additionally, Paxton did not disclose mortgages for three condos at a Utah golf resort that federal law requires him to list as liabilities if they are not personal residences. He also valued his stake in a vacant plot of Johnson County land at up to $50,000 on last year’s filing, but his business partner told the newsrooms that Paxton’s share for years has been worth about $1 million. Federal financial disclosure law requires property to be listed at fair market value. The apparent errors and omissions the newsrooms found obscure the extent of Paxton’s income streams, assets, and debt, making it difficult for voters to make sense of his finances as they mull whether to support him in November’s election, the ethics experts said. “It reflects either pure sloppiness on Paxton’s part or a deliberate effort to conceal some of his investments and property holdings,” said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for the nonpartisan good-government group Public Citizen.
Photo collage by ProPublica
Crooked Ken?
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Come break the rules and say “yes!” to new art experiences at the Carter’s Second Thursdays! Every Second Thursday is different than the last. You’ll never think of museums in the same way again.
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Learn about the making of the exhibition The Statue of Liberty from Bartholdi to Warhol and discover how the artistic depiction of the Statue of Liberty has evolved over the last 150 years.
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persuaded the City Council in Burleson to rezone the land, which had been restricted to agriculture, to permit retail and housing. Paxton’s move to significantly revalue his assets without explaining why is “very strange,” said Margaret Dylus-Yukins, senior counsel for ethics at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, which advocates for strong disclosure rules. Dylus-Yukins, who worked for six years analyzing executive branch officials’ financial disclosures for the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, said the agency would ask filers to explain major changes in writing. “ When you have public officials that appear to be fudging the numbers on their disclosure forms, and the Senate Ethics Committee is letting that slide, then you’re not only eroding trust in the committee but the candidate
himself,” Dylus-Yukins said, referring to the significant differences between the filings. The ethics committee did not respond to requests for comment. Candidates or senators who willingly falsify financial disclosures can be fined up to $50,000 or prosecuted for making a false statement to the government, a felony. The committee rarely investigates senators and has not formally sanctioned a member in 19 years. Candidates do not have to file any more federal financial disclosures before the November election. l A version of this story by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. Misty Harris of ProPublica contributed reporting.
fwweekly.com SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026 FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
On his disclosure forms, which require real estate income to be reported, Paxton for each property selected the option “None (or less than $201).” Federal law requires candidates not currently in Congress to report all loans exceeding $10,000, except those for personal residences. Paxton did not report three mortgages totaling $1.3 million for condos at the Black Desert Resort in southwest Utah, renowned for its world-class golf course. He purchased the properties in February. The reporting period for the most recent disclosure ran through mid-May. Reporters found the mortgage documents in local land records. Each contains an addendum to the mortgage which is used for rental properties, said New Jersey real estate lawyer Daniel M. Shlufman. That addendum removes a requirement that the unit be owner-occupied and allows the lender to collect rent directly from tenants if Paxton were to default on the loan. Paxton purchased another condo at the resort in 2025, which he disclosed on his most recent report as an asset and a liability. The land records show he obtained a $640,000 mortgage for it. The resort advertises a program in which it leases units purchased by investors, but it declined to say if Paxton’s properties were enrolled in it. “It’s kind of mind-boggling to think about having four homes at one resort property and imagining those are for personal use,” said Cynthia Brown, a senior lawyer at the government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The most significant changes between Paxton’s 2025 and 2026 reports were the valuations of the Oklahoma lodge and a plot of land outside of Fort Worth, whose value he said had increased by millions of dollars. He appears to have switched from reporting the properties’ assessed values, which are set by the local county, to the loftier estimates of what they would fetch on the open market. Paxton’s initial use of the lowball values appears to defy federal rules aimed at bringing candidates’ disclosed property values in line with what they’re actually worth. While the Senate Ethics Committee instructs filers that they can use a recent tax assessment to set the worth of certain property, they must adjust it to market value if it is assessed below that. In these cases, valuations must be disclosed as a specific dollar figure rather than a range. On both his annual reports as a Senate candidate, Paxton listed ranges for the value of each property he disclosed. Last year, Paxton reported the Oklahoma lodge, just north of the Texas border, as worth between $100,001 and $250,000. The local county assesses the property at $176,000. Its estimated market value, meanwhile, is more than $1.5 million, according to real estate websites. This year, Paxton’s disclosure valued the property at between $1 million and $5 million. Likewise, Paxton valued a 42-acre plot of undeveloped land in Johnson County at between $15,001 and $50,000 last year. The county assesses the property as farmland worth $20,008 but estimates its market value is $2.9
million. This year, Paxton’s disclosure said the property was worth between $1 million and $5 million. Paxton bought the property in 2006 with a group of investors, including Rob Orr, with whom he served in the Texas House of Representatives. Orr, who manages the investment, said in an interview that Paxton’s 20% stake is worth about $1 million. “It would have been around a million for quite a while, probably the last four or five years,” Orr said. “It has increased in value because of zoning and because of time.” The group bought the plot to hold onto, Orr said, until creeping growth from the Dallas-Fort Worth area made it attractive for redevelopment. He said the group is negotiating a sale to a developer. Last year, Orr
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Live Music Craft Mead Food Shopping SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 WAXAHACHIE, TX
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fun, festive, car-free way on La Línea Rosa! Our
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
Experience authentic Fort Worth culture the
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newest line lets you dance effortlessly between Downtown, the Near Southside, Hemphill and at RIDETRINITYMETRO.org/ROSA.
STUFF
Cowboys Season Preview
This offseason has given fans plenty to be optimistic about, but is it enough to compete with the NFC’s best? B Y
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note: “the Cowboys”) particularly, the last nine months have seen a mountain of coal shoveled into the firebox of the Silver-and-Blue hype train. I’ve done my part in helping to stoke the engines. Taking inventory, there’s plenty of reasons to do so. Last season, Dallas finished with the second-best offense in the league, topped only by the Los Angeles Rams (more on them later). Despite the lunacy of what the Joe Milton stans think — they, so easily lured by the fool’s gold of preseason play and actually calling for a player whom 31 other teams passed on in waivers a week ago to supplant a veteran signal-caller who just earned his fourth Pro Bowl — Dak Prescott is still playing at an elite level. He’ll enter his 11th season armed again with the best wide receiver duo in the NFC (the league?), CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and supported by a surprisingly beastly ground game rejuvenated by run guru and second-year offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. There’s no reason to think No. 4 and co. won’t pick up right where they left off in January. The biggest reason for hope, however, is in what’s happened on the opposite side of the ball. Hell, you literally can’t get any worse than the
32nd-ranked defense. The front office has completely overhauled the historically bad squad from a year ago. After decades of consistently getting shredded in the run game, the Joneses finally spent some resources on a few big ol’ boys to clog up the middle of the line to shore up the D’s most glaring weakness. This should help keep opposing offenses honest and perhaps even in ample third-and-long situations. That would go a long way in supporting a potentially mediocre post-Micah Parsons pass rush. While there likely isn’t a double-digit sack machine currently in the lineup, there’s young talent in Donovan Ezeiruaku and rookie Malachi Lawrence to mix with some trade-acquired veteran leadership in Rashan Gary and future first-balloter Vonn Miller on the edge. Combined with legit pressure from the middle, it could be enough. Linebacker is certainly still a question mark, but rookie heat-seeking missile Jaishawn Barham and former 49er Dee Winters should be considered upgrades over the likes of Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn from last year by even the most pessimistic Cowboys fans’ standards. In the secondary, the exodus of Treyvon Diggs is addition by subtraction,
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Glory, glory, hallelujah! We made it. Despite temps still flirting with triple digits, the first real harbinger of fall is upon us. Football season is underway! College football is already one week in, and by the time many of you read this, the NFL will already have played a game (or two). America’s most dominant sports league continues inching toward its ultimate objective of having a game every night as Week 1 officially kicks off with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the defending champs, the Seattle Seahawks, and the scandal-mired Mike Vrable-led Patriots on … Wednesday? That just doesn’t feel right. For the Dallas Cowboys, it’s as it is for all teams. A new season is a fresh start, full of hope and optimism. As of this moment, the possibilities remain infinite. The best teams and the worst alike are all 0-0. For fans of America’s Team (editor’s
Dallas’ new look defense, led by dominant defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (center), will be the biggest key to their 2026 season success.
and PFF graded his replacement, free agent Cobie Durant, in the top third of starting corners last year. Like what the additions of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams have done for the defensive tackle position, free agent addition Jalen Thompson and first-round rookie Caleb Downs should do for the safety spots. That is: turn a weakness into a strength. Both players display the range, diagnostic smarts, and athleticism necessary to be the last to beat. Perhaps the biggest upgrade is in the man scheming the defensive plays. First-time DC Christian Parker is the antithesis of the route the Cowboys have routinely taken for the defensive coaching staff for several decades. He’s young, innovative, and intends to help a defensive personnel in development by using novel disguises, deception, and reads at the line to keep opposing offenses guessing. It’s a complete 180 from the failed show-them-exactly-what-we’re-doing-anddare-them-to-beat-us approach of Parker’s several gray-haired predecessors. With these improvements, Vegas currently has Dallas’ win total at 9.5 and the 11th best odds of making the playoffs. That’s not exactly pre-assigning them the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy, but it’s a world away from the low 20s ranking they finished 2025 with. My best guess is that Dallas finishes the regular season just hitting the over with a record of 10-8. Whether that’s enough to reclaim the NFC East crown from the Eagles, or simply enough to earn them a Wildcard berth, I fully expect the Cowboys to make the playoffs for the first time in three years. It’s what happens when they get there that is the problem. The rich get richer as the LA Rams have added the scariest defensive line in football to their league-best offense. Not only did they land perennial DPOTY candidate defensive end Myles Garrett via trade but somehow managed to lure former perineal DPOTY candidate defensive tackle Aaron Donald out of retirement. Then of course, there’s still the defending champion Seahawks and Dallas’ hated rivals in the 49ers, Eagles, and Packers, none of whom have seemed to take too far a step back. But, hey, right now we’re all still at even records and the possibilities are still infinite. The Cowboys open the season Sunday night in a headlining primetime game against the lowly New York Giants in the Meadowlands. l
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026 FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY 9
Happy Hour in the Kimbell Café
kimbellart.org
EVERY FRIDAY | 5–7 pm | Live music | Beer | Wine | Food
Support for the Kimbell is provided in part by Arts Fort Worth and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Admission to the permanent collection is always free. View the full schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs at kimbellart.org.
Pensionante del Saraceni, Still Life with Melon, Watermelon,and Other Fruits (detail), c. 1610–20, oil on canvas. Kimbell Art Museum
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
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READY TO SIP
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TIME TO WINE DOWN
Take Trinity Metro TEXRail to GrapeFest September 17–20! Get to the wine without all the traffic – and when you can’t sip any more, enjoy a relaxing driving-free ride home. Save 50% on your round-trip ride at RIDETRINITYMETRO.org/GRAPEFEST.
Cour tesy City of For t Wor th
CALENDAR
Night & Day: Bye, Bye Birdie(s) B Y
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Reduce unnecessary light at night to help the migratory birds passing through.
W I L D E R
With Labor Day behind us, we are now in the midst of the fall migration season for migratory birds, so the annual Lights Out initiative has begun. Along with helping our feathered friends as best we can, you can also see artistic representations of them at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, like Scott and Stuart Gentling’s “Black-Crowned Night Heron,” which is in the Of Birds and Texas collection. the end of November, NOW Thru with the critical period being
Museum of American Art (3501 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-738-1933) proclaims, “Our collection is for the birds!” Maggie Adler, a Carter curator, says the museum is home to thousands of birds.
Dedicated in 2008, the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial in Grapevine honors the 33 flight crewmembers and more than 200 passengers who died on Sep 11, 2001.
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Trinity Park Duck Pond (2200 Trinity Park Dr, Fort Worth) is this year’s location for the Sat Trinity River Book Festival, brought to you by The Dock Bookshop. From 9am to 3pm, the park becomes a vibrant literary village for all ages and backgrounds, celebrating National Literacy Month. Along with the Run-to-Read 5K and 1-mile fun run, activities include book signings, cultural showcases, food trucks, a kids’ zone, and live music. Featured authors will be in attendance representing various genres, including children’s, young adult, romance, mystery, poetry, memoir, self-help, cooking, faith, sci-fi, history, and others. There is no cost to attend. For more information, visit TrinityRiverBookFest.com.
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If this is it, please let me know. Yes, Huey, this is it, and this is us letting you know. Anyhoo, Sun today is the last day to submit your ballot for the Readers’ Choice portion of our Best Of 2026 awards. For a full rundown of the categories, the rules, and how business owners can #PromoteTheVote, go to Bit.ly/FWW_BestOf2026.
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Courtesy Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Tue-Sun
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on our country, the Fri City of Grapevine is hosting a remembrance ceremony at 7:30am at its 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial (1000 Texan Trl). Dedicated in 2008, the memorial honors the 33 flight crewmembers and more than 200 passengers who died on 9/11. Artist/sculptor Dean Thompson worked with a team of volunteers for more than three years to complete it. Immediately after the ceremony, uniformed first responders from the Grapevine Fire Department, Police Department, and multiple other agencies will walk a 1.3-mile route from the memorial down Wall Street through historic downtown. Known as MARCH 455, this procession honors the 455 firefighters, law enforcement officers, K9s, EMS personnel, and flight crew members lost on Sep 11, 2001. You can also livestream today’s events at Facebook.com/CityofGrapevine.
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
their words, not mine (surEVERY Inprisingly), the Amon Carter
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thru now thru the end of October, Oct/Nov millions of birds will travel through Texas as they make their way south for the winter and will be using the night sky for navigation. Artificial light from buildings and homes can interfere with that journey, drawing birds off course and increasing the risk of collisions with windows and buildings. But you, dear human, can help. Daily from 11pm to 6am, turn off or dim outdoor lights, close blinds or curtains to reduce light shining through windows, and limit landscape lighting that illuminates trees, gardens, and other areas where birds may rest. You can also use timers or motion sensors so outdoor lights turn on only when needed. You don’t have to live or work downtown to participate. Reducing unnecessary light at night wherever you are will help. Learn more about Lights Out at Audubon.org and monitor local migration activity at Birdcast.org.
“Well, not live ones because that would be really messy, but thousands of images of birds.” Besides the Gentling brothers’ work, one of the Carter’s largest bird collections is by John James Audubon. Considered one of the most important American ornithologists in history, Audubon made it his mission in 1826 to chronicle all the birds of North America, resulting in a monumental publication. The Birds of America was not merely a scientific pursuit but an artistic accomplishment of great ambition. Read more in the blogs at CarterMuseum. org and visit the museum 10am-5pm any Tue-Sat or noon-5pm any Sun.
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SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
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LIVING LOCAL
equine training center, music event venue, and a primary filming location for shows like Yellowstone and 1883. As a featured experience at the event, TCU Press is hosting “The Western Word,” an immersive Western reading lounge where guests browse books on Texas, Fort Worth, and the American West, meet the authors behind them, and take home a story of their own from noon to 6pm. Steagall will take the floor at 4pm for a featured cowboy tradition of reciting work from memory, including poetry and prose drawn from a lifetime spent honoring the American West. His recitation will be among the day’s highlights. For more than five decades, Red Steagall has been one of the most beloved voices of
Texas’ Official Cowboy Poet Live at Bosque Ranch B Y
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the American West. A songwriter, recording artist, poet, broadcaster, and working rancher, he was named the Official Cowboy Poet of Texas by the state legislature in 1991 and later served as Texas Poet Laureate. In 2003, he was inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners — the museum’s highest honor, whose ranks include Will Rogers and Charles Goodnight. A fourth-generation Texan who ranches in Parker County, Steagall founded the acclaimed Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering in the Fort Worth Stockyards and has shared the cowboy code with audiences around the world through his music, his poetry, and his long-running broadcasts.
Steagall’s books will be available for purchase and signing in the lounge, alongside the full TCU Press lineup of Western and Texas authors. After the book lounge closes, live music will take over the main hall, featuring Tanner Usrey at 6:30pm, followed by Shane Smith & The Saints at 8pm. For ticket information, visit BosqueRanchLive.com. Founded in 1947, TCU Press publishes books on the history, culture, literature, and people of Texas and the American West. Based in Fort Worth at Texas Christian University, the press is dedicated to preserving the past and publishing the future. For more promotional information, visit TCUPress.tcu.edu.
H O U C H I N
Red Steagall, the “Official Cowboy Poet of Texas,” is giving a special recitation at TCU Press’s “The Western Word” at Bosque Ranch Live. The legendary singer, songwriter, and poet will be a featured guest in the TCU Press lounge at Taylor Sheridan’s Western celebration this Sat, Sep 12. Bosque Ranch Live is the Western music and culture event held at local filmmaker Taylor Sheridan’s 600-acre ranch in the Silverado on the Brazos gated community just west of Fort Worth at Bosque Ranch Headquarters (100 Arena Run, Weatherford), which also serves as an elite
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Cour tesy TCU Press
FREE ADMISSION
September 25–27
MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH 3200 Darnell Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107
themodern.org
Pictured: Rashid Johnson, Antoine’s Organ, 2016/2026. Collection of the Artist. © Rashid Johnson. Installation view, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
A Poem for Deep Thinkers
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
Rashid Johnson
Closing Weekend Celebration
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Free Event for Neurodivergent Adults
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
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Meet up at the Museum: Historic Moments
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Thursday, September 17 5:30–7:30 p.m. | Free Let’s make (and learn about) history! Explore U.S. history, geography, and symbolism in the Carter’s collection and special exhibitions during this sensory-friendly event for neurodivergent adults. While the needs of neurodivergent adults are the focus of this drop-in event, it is also fun for family and friends of all abilities.
Don’t miss out!
EATS & drinks
Fly, Eagle, Fly
Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks brings brotherly love and obnoxiously tasty flavors Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks’ brick-andmortar location brings a punch of hearty to the Near Southside. flavor to the Near Southside. Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks, 1229 8th Av, Fort Worth. 484-218-0862. 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 10am-10pm Fri-Sat. S T O R Y A N D K E N A S O S A
P H O T O S
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Philadelphia native Davonte Fung recently opened his first Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks brick-and-mortar location after major demand
at his trailer proved that this savory hoagie is not limited to the East Coast. Fung decided to share a taste of the City of Brotherly Love after sales outshined expectations at his food truck in fewer than two years in business. It took us a minute to locate Vonte’s on 8th Avenue on the Near Southside, but once we
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Vonte’s Favorite overflows with messy savoriness.
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Eats & Drinks
Even though we opted for the 8-inch varieties, our order was massive.
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pulled in, my young son and I were jazzed by the beefy aroma. I have never been to the cradle of U.S. democracy, so getting an authentic experience was what I most wanted. Show me what I have been missing out on my whole life! Then I spotted the dreaded QR code to pay for parking in the empty Saturday afternoon lot. I figured there would be validation and headed inside, but a Vonte’s worker mentioned that the parking lot had been bought and codes placed for charging by surprise. The validation system also had not been activated yet. I would not be deterred and moved my car to nearby CVS like a true rebel and hoped for the best. Never understood why these companies charge for lots that local businesses use and deter customers. At $7.49 just to park for an hour, it does add up, and I can only hope customers find a way. With a simple, streamlined menu, cheesesteak options come in my favorite number: three. Choices include Vonte’s Favorite, Broad Street Philly, or the Build-Your-Own Cheesesteak with fries or eggrolls if you have a Texas-sized appetite. Vonte’s Favorite is the best-known and must be good if Vonte himself chose it, so I chose it, too. An 8- or 12-inch Amoroso bun comes with mouthwatering seasoned ribeye, fried onions, banana peppers, and a blend of American cheese and Cheez Whiz, with mayo and
The walls of Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks are covered in Philadelphia memorabilia for an authentic experience.
ketchup. It was certainly hearty and flavorful. The Broad Street is similar but with mushrooms and hot peppers, minus banana peppers. The Build-Your-Own is completely up to you. My son went with just delectable beef, fried onions, and American cheese. He said he just wanted to taste real Philly beef. If fries are too standard, Vonte’s has cheesesteak eggrolls, stuffed with prime ribeye, cheese, onions, and banana peppers with dipping sauce.
The sandwiches came rolled up and piping hot. Once you unwrap them, be ready. They are as messy as they are delicious. It took me a minute to figure out where to grab my Favorite because no matter which end you choose, the result is tasty fingers and ample napkins. The fries were hot, crisp, and freshly made, nicely complementing the sandwiches. Even though we opted for the 8-inch varieties, our order was massive. I did my best to fulfill the cravings that my eyes had dared to
select but did end up taking part of my Favorite home. And I wasn’t the only one. My teenage son’s appetite was no match either, but we were happy knowing the car would smell like Philly cheesesteak when we got home. There are far worse smells a car could have when transporting top-tier leftovers. Vonte’s has an ample patio when the day is nice and a cool indoor seating area, complete with large-screen TVs showcasing Philly sports, surrounding fun-tastic memorabilia and posters. There is a lot to take in visually in addition to the rich aroma of the curated beef. We chose indoors because of the heat. I did not want the sun to compete with the freshness of the food. Although there was plenty of seating when we arrived, it was packed when we left, proving that good taste can be common sense. For those who want to just grab and go, the food truck will keep on trucking on Bledsoe Street near West 7th Street, but for a bigger Philly experience, Vonte’s on 8th is the place. l
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BUCK U
Football hogs all the attention, but TCU women’s soccer and volleyball are holding down the national rankings. B Y
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Outside hitter Becca Kelley recorded a season-high 20 kills in the Frogs’ upset of 8th-ranked SMU last week, then added another 18 in TCU’s victory over 14th-ranked Purdue on Sunday.
since the program’s first regular-season conference title in 2020, Bell and company have repeated their conference tyranny three more times. Last year’s playoff run was historic for the TCU women, reaching the College Cup (NCAA soccer’s Final Four) for the first time, losing a hardfought 1-0 matchup to Bell’s former team before the Seminoles went on to beat the Stanford Cardinal to win the national championship. The Frogs are approaching their conference season, gearing up to face Oklahoma State in Stillwater next Thursday. Their 3-2-1 record reflects two wins over ranked opponents: Georgia and Wisconsin, in addition to a dominant 3-0 victory over Texas A&M. Their two losses were by a goal each against Alabama and Texas, though they won’t see either of them again until possibly tournament season in November. Midfielder Emma Yolinsky (#18), a Prosper
How to save water. Check those sprinklers. Make sure there aren’t any leaks. And make sure you’re watering the grass, not spraying the street or sidewalk. I’ve spent a lot of years here in the a few changes and you can save a lot of water.
Water is Awesome.com
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
yard and I’ve seen it all. Take it from me, make
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
The Gnome Knows...
native, is leading the offensive charge in 2026 with three goals scored — two at Alabama. Second in offensive production early on is fifth-year Frog veteran Grace Coppinger (#23), a defensive mainstay with the most minutes played on the entire team last season at more than 2,100. (That’s more than 35 hours of Division I soccer in one season.) Coppinger scored during both the Bulldog and Aggie wins from her defender position and should continue to be an anchor on the field in her fifth year in Bell’s system. Even though sports polls are a scam by media conglomerates and hack journalists like myself, it’s nice to see our school included in them. TCU soccer is currently ranked 19th after starting the season completely left off the list. How a team that finishes fourth in the country is completely left out of the Top 25 the next season is beyond me, because Bell continues to reload talent and be dangerous for
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I’m as guilty as any of being swept under by the fall fervor of college football, but that’s not and shouldn’t be everyone’s be-all/end-all of collegiate sports during False Fall. TCU volleyball and women’s soccer are two of Fort Worth’s and the country’s premier programs that don’t often receive the recognition they deserve until late in their regular seasons or during tournament time. Frog soccer’s trajectory since coach Eric Bell was hired in late 2011 can only be described as steadily and consistently excellent. There are no overnight flukes or magic bullets, simply improvement every season. Bell was the recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at soccer powerhouse Florida State before being lured to Texas. His emphasis on the defensive scheme combined with a personality to attract overachieving athletes has built the Purple and White into a team bound for the NCAA tournament year after year. Ever
Cour tesy TCU Athletics
Kicking and Spiking
anyone to play, whether it be regular or post-season. TCU volleyball has earned similar admiration on campus for being a program that faced relative obscurity during their building phase in the late 1990s against larger and more well-established programs throughout the nation. Coach Jason Williams has been a huge part of the invigoration of the Horned Frogs’ volleyball program — not to be confused with beach volleyball, which is also a consistent top-tier contender — since becoming coach in late 2021 after leaving his associate head coach role at Baylor. TCU has reached at least the second round of their tournament every year since Williams arrived. Last year, the squad cracked a Top-10 ranking for the first time and are off to a strong start this season as well. The purple volleyballers are hot off an upset of 8th-ranked SMU last Wednesday, before dropping their match against 6th-ranked Louisville (pronounced “Lewel-vul,” I’m told) on Friday. The Horned Frogs bounced back at 14th-ranked Purdue with a three-sets-tonone victory on Sunday. Williams’ squad travels to the South Florida Invitational in Tampa this week for matches against South Florida, Michigan, and Dayton on consecutive days. So far, the only squads that have bested the Frogs have Top-6 rankings: Louisville and Texas, lending veracity to the Frogs’ 18th ranking and making a case for it to potentially rise through the pre-conference season. With success comes excitement. TCU volleyball has grown their in-person attendance year over year, smashing previous program records. Arizona State is the consensus pick via polls to win the Big 12 with a dozen first-place votes, but the Frogs are close behind with three firstplace nods and are firmly seated as second, so the expectations both on campus and throughout the conference are at an all-time high. Frog Football plays only two non-Saturdays this year: a Friday in early November at Arizona and a Thursday in late November against Texas Tech. Otherwise, you should be clearing your calendars to include as many home stints for Frog volleyball (who play on Fridays and Sundays) and soccer (who play a combination of Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays). If you’re a real Frog superfan, you should be showing up for these nationally ranked programs that have done nothing but improve since their current coaches arrived. l
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SCREEN
Blackest Night
The new Lanterns show is a dismal disappointment. B Y
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hotshot into a bigger douchebag than notorious Lantern douchebag Guy Gardner, last seen played with gusto by Nathan Fillion in Superman and making a future appearance here. But at least Jordan is kinda fun, with Chandler’s big swinging dick energy. Pierre’s Stewart meanwhile is more reserved and buttoned up but just comes across as a bore by comparison. Even when we learn some of his traumatic background, it feels both outlandishly unrealistic and like it’s trying too hard to be dramatic while still failing to make him interesting. Then there’s the whole “grounded” take, which usually just means gritty and unpleasant. So, we get scene after scene of Jordan and Stewart bitching and mistrusting each other as well as failing to build trust with Rushville Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) and rubbing up against local militia leader Macon (Garret Dillahunt). It’s a show whose characters have conflicting motives and aren’t always honest with each other, which can be entertaining, but for something apparently interested in showing outlandish characters in a down-to-earth way, it fails to imbue them with anything resembling a relatable level of humanity. None of these characters feel like they would mean an ounce of the Green Lantern oath and make the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia look heroic by comparison. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was a cheap or badly made show, but it’s got a big name with Chandler in it, the cinematography is solid, and when it decides to actually let the Green Lanterns do stuff like fly or make constructs with their rings, it looks good. And it’s also not like the show’s afraid or ashamed of comic book stuff. Big baddie Sinestro appears in Episode 2, played with charming menace by Banshee’s Ulrich Thomsen. We also get references to characters like Mogo and Chip, and the Lanterns’ bosses, the Guardians of the Universe, even make an appearance. But again, in trying to remain grounded, a lot of those references are just lip service, and the aliens that do show up appear in imagination-free and budget-friendly human form. None of this is helped by the crew behind the show. We’ve got Damon Lindelof, the main writer behind Lost, infamous for setups that rarely pay off, and comic writer Tom King, controversially known for his sideways takes on beloved characters. While something like Andor proves you can do a gritty, grounded take on a sci-fi property and do it well, Lanterns shows how badly that can go awry. Even the promise of a cameo by Fillion isn’t enough to bring me back. It’s a miserable show full of miserable characters being miserable to one another and saying “fuck” a lot like that’s the same thing as depth or maturity. I feel like this show hates me, and I fucking hate it right back. l
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Aaron Pierre (left) and Kyle Chandler dourly stride through HBO’s Lanterns.
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
Cour tesy HBO
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
DC Comics’ Green Lantern superheroes are defined by the power of imagination. A sort of corps of space cops, they possess power rings that can be used to summon just about anything their wielder can dream of, from something as small as a screwdriver to as big as a giant robot. So, the idea of grounding them in a story set in rural Nebraska — think: Green Lantern meets True Detective — is a novel concept, but being novel doesn’t mean good, because Lanterns is a miserable, cynical slog of a watch. After the first Green Lantern of Earth, fighter pilot Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), makes his debut in 1996, we pick up in 2016 with John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), recently chosen to be Jordan’s backup in case something happens. The problem is, Jordan is a cocky asshole, and Stewart is a no-nonsense ex-Marine. The two end up investigating a mass shooting in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, which Jordan thinks is more than it seems, believing aliens may be involved. He’s soon proven right, and the two must learn to trust each other while digging deeper into what could be a major threat. Now, the idea of taking an outlandish character like a Green Lantern and grounding them in a gritty, TV-MA reality is unique, but it’s a bit like having a Lamborghini and driving it exclusively through school zones: Sure, you can do it, but why would you want to? Plus, this is supposedly the same world as the recent Superman and Supergirl movies, which were fun, brightly colored films, and Lanterns feels decidedly in the mold of the depressing and cynical Snyderverse. So, we get what really acts as a deconstruction of the character of Hal Jordan, turning him from a cocky but lovable
Lanterns Starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonanld. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. Airing Sundays on HBO and streaming on HBO Max. Rated TV-MA.
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RIDGLEA THEATER FRI 9/18 CITY OF SOUND ROCKY HORROR SAT 10/17 PICTURE SHOW FRI 11/14 SCALIA/GINSBURG AND SAT 11/15 AN OPERA BY DERRICK WANG
RIDGLEA ROOM
FOUR DAY WEEKEND SAT 10/3 FOUR DAY WEEKEND SAT 10/10 FOUR DAY WEEKEND SAT 9/26
RIDGLEA LOUNGE FRI 9/11
FRI 9/18
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SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
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FRI 9/25
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LAST REQUIEM, THE OOIDS, LARRY LADALE & CALEB RAINS BAND OF AUTUMN, C A S C A D E , EYEBLEED AND MORE THE CALEB RAINS BAND, THURBER MINGUS A N D M O R E !
MUSIC HearSay
Notes and News
S T E V E
S T E W A R D
Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine’s “Drowning”
Blues singer/guitarist (and former contestant on NBC’s The Voice) Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine are releasing a new single, “Drowning,” on Fri, Oct 30, via Dallas’ funkand-soul-centric indie label Skylark Soul Co.
LABELS’ Live to Revive
In July, local psyche-punk quartet LABELS announced they were releasing their new four-song EP Live to Revive on Austin-based not-for-profit indie label Spaceflight Records, who will provide promotional support to the EP’s digital release on Thu, Oct 29. The band is also self-releasing physical copies of the EP in both CD and a 10-inch vinyl formats that same day at a Halloween-themed show at the Double-Wide in Dallas. In the meantime, they’re dropping the EP’s first single, “Void,” on Sat, Sep 12. My first impression of “Void”: It kind of reminds me of High on Fire! But scuzzier
and meaner, like a HOF song played by lysergic demons made out of old razors and rebar.
Cory Cross’ “18 Wheels”
Honkytonk hero Cory Cross has a new album out in February, and he’ll be releasing a single every month between now and then, culminating with a video for the album’s title track, “Supernatural.” The first of these is “18 Wheels,” rolling out to streaming platforms on Fri, Sep 18. A couple days before that, Cross will give “18 Wheels” a test drive to the crowd at the legendary Austin dancehall Broken Spoke on Wed, Sep 16. l
fwweekly.com SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
LABELS’ new EP will be out by the end of next month.
FO R T WO R T H W E E K LY
If your coping mechanisms are as deleterious as the stress they’re supposed to mitigate — what is a bender or a habit but a high-interest loan of serotonin — and you find that both are piling over your head faster than you can even think about them, Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine have a new single out that might strengthen your resolve to take a big breath and push on through. “Drowning” is the lead single from the new album that the blues singer/guitarist (and former contestant on NBC’s The Voice) and his band are releasing on Fri, Oct 30, via Dallas’ retrolicious, funk-and-soul-centric indie label Skylark Soul Co. “Drowning” finds Lee and the lower end of his earthy, soulful register digging deep inside the space between snare hits as he grapples with having to be his own savior: “Why can’t I see / Nobody’s gonna rescue me? / Well, I’m drinking holy water / Drowning the devil in me.” Though “Drowning” deals with some heavy thoughts, its up-tempo groove and horn section make the song bouncy and buoyant. It still doesn’t feel light. Instead, as the backing vocals and horns echo the chorus’ rhetoric, the breezy pace gives Lee’s lament some urgency, like there’s no time like yesterday to get over your debauchery and bullshit. Recorded at Niles City Sound in Fort Worth with bassist Daniel Balis (Bastards of Soul, Calhoun, Sorta), keyboardists Jordache Grant (Abraham Alexander) and Chad Stockslager ( Joshua Ray Walker), drummer Matt Trimble (Bastards of Soul), and pedal steel player Will Van Horn (Khruangbin), the album casts Lee’s blues and Motown influences in the multi-hued sheen of psychedelic soul, and its arrangements and hooks show off an artist allowing himself the vulnerability that comes with being in love. Lee has been married for a little while now, and the peaks and valleys of marriage were on his mind when writing the new album’s material. “It should be easy, being in a relationship,” Lee said. “At least that’s what the matriarchs of my family always told me. I’ve never had that until now. From the lyrics to the musical choices on this album, there is an overall sense of ease that I’d say stems from the love I have with my wife.” Prior to the album drop, Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine will be slinging the new tunes on Thu, Sep 17, at Visit Fort Worth’s Cowtown GitDown event in Nashville as part of this year’s AMERICANAFEST.
A r t b y Ta y l o r C o m m a n d e r a n d A n n i e M o r t
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Cour tesy the ar tist
Michael Lee, LABELS, and Cory Cross share new music.
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BULLETIN BOARD
ADVERTISE HERE! Email Stacey@fwweekly.com today. Are You Road-Trip Ready? CALL COWTOWN ROVER!
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BEST-OF VOTING ENDS SOON! Complete a ballot for the Readers’ Choice portion of Best Of 2026 now thru Sun, Sep 13 at FWWeekly.com. CONSUMER CELLULAR
We offer the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-888-671-2579. (MB)
ELEMENT COCKTAIL LOUNGE Best Monday Happy Hour In Town!
We have Champagne, Silver Star Texas Mules, and vodka strawberry limeade on draft, along with over 20 varieties of beer.We offer specials every day and live music on the weekends. Sunday Funday kicks off with Mimosa Flights all day, starting at $12. Late Night Cocktail Hour is Mon-Thur 9pm-12am. Join us at 200 N Mesquite St in Arlington #105, Arlington!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLINTASTIC! 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.
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Immediate Jail Release 24 Hour Service. City, County, State and Federal Bonds. Located Minutes from Courts. 6004 Airport Freeway.
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LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection, will help you eliminate gutter cleaning forever. Schedule a FREE estimate today. (MB)
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2026
Call 1-877-689-1687
PICKLE LOVERS REJOICE
The World’s Largest Pickle Party 2026 is coming November 7th to Globe Life Field and Texas Live. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi will headline The Big Dill®️ and be crowned its Pickle Queen. Get ready for a dillicious celebration like no other with plenty of family-friendly activities.
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Visit BigDill.com for event details!
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SAND VOLLEYBALL ‘TIL OCT!
Thursdays for the rest of the summer (now thru Thu, Oct 1), Lake Worth Boating & Ski Club (4001 Marina Dr, Fort Worth, 817-237-4731) has open-play sand volleyball every Thursday evening from 5pm to 10pm. It’s familyfriendly, all ages are welcome, and frosty beverages are available to purchase for those 21 and up. (MB)
SEGA TOWING
Exceptional towing services since 1999. SegaTowing.com // 817-822-1662
TRINITY RIVER BOOK FEST
Trinity Park Duck Pond (2200 Trinity Park Dr, Fort Worth) is this year’s location for the Trinity River Book Festival, brought to you by The Dock Bookshop. From 9am to 3pm, the park becomes a vibrant literary village for all ages and backgrounds, celebrating National Literacy Month. Along with the Run-to-Read 5K and 1-mile fun run, activities include book signings, cultural showcases, food trucks, a kids’ zone, and live music. Featured authors will be in attendance representing various genres, including children’s, young adult, romance, mystery, poetry, memoir, self-help, cooking, faith, sci-fi, history, and others. There is no cost to attend. For more information, visit TrinityRiverBookFest.com.
VETERAN CAR DONATIONS: Increase Your Tax Deductions!
Donate your car, truck, boat, RV and more to support our veterans! Schedule a FAST, FREE vehicle pickup and receive a top tax deduction. Call 1-844-450-1590 today!
WEIRD MOM PROM
Fort Worth Weird Mom’s Club, a Facebook group turned real-life nonprofit, is hosting its Seventh Annual Weird Mom Prom hosted by Liam from the Haltom City Rainbow House. Find that old quinceañera dress, tuxedo, or Halloween costume from the back of your closet and give it life once again tonight at the Ridglea Theater (6025 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-738-9500) from 6pm to 10pm. This event is open to the public and, as the organizers put it, definitely for weirder, kinder souls. Light bites and sweets will be available throughout the evening. Clever Girl Creations, Charcuterie, & Cocktails will be creating charcuterie grazing tables, and Barbour’s Bake Shoppe is bringing the sweet treats. The venue will also have a full bar with drinks available for purchase, plus there will be drag performances by Moan Jett, Nova Gina, Vander Graph, and Vivienne Vermuth. Tickets are $39.19 at FWWMC.org, but you can use promo code “DragMeToProm” at checkout for $10 off. (MB)
WINE by OMAHA STEAKS!
Receive 12 world class wines (and bonus gifts) for ONLY $79.99 (plus s/h) and save $160! That’s 12 new wine selections plus a FREE $25 Omaha Steaks E-reward card every three months. Cancel anytime. 100% guarantee! Call 1-855-275-7565 and mention code AGJF002 or visit GetOSWine.com/sip275. (MB)