Fort Worth Weekly // January 13-19, 2021

January 13-19, 2021 FREE fwweekly.com

FEATURE Will Betsy Price’s legacy be defined by development or a sense that more needed to be done?

BY EDWARD BROWN

NEWS Why the police union’s joining Parler is offensive.

BY ANTHONY MARIANI

BOOKS Road Kill, Vol. 5 is a rollicking good time full of horror-ble Texas grit.

BY ANNA L. DAVIS

HEARSAY A musician supporting a president shouldn’t be such a big deal — but it is.

BY ANTHONY MARIANI

An ancient law may prevent them from helping the needy now.

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December 6, 2020--March 14, 2021 The exhibition is organized by the Museo Egizio, Turin, and StArt, in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum.

It is supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District, and the Consulate General of Italy in Houston.

Promotional support provided by

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INSIDE

STAFF Anthony Mariani, Editor Lee Newquist, Publisher Bob Niehoff, General Manager

Bye-Bye, Betsy

Ryan Burger, Art Director Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Though the mayor performed admirably, she has some detractors.

Edward Brown, Staff Writer Taylor Provost, Proofreader Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director

By Edward Brown

Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

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

Funky Fridges?

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An old law may be preventing this nonprofit from feeding the hungry.

By Steven Monacelli and Edward Brown

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Cover image bySteven Monacelli

There’s a new jazz fusion act on the scene.

By Edward Brown

Books N&D Eats & Drinks Music

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Hearsay . . . . . 16

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BLOTCH The Fort b Worth Weekly Blog

l t c h THE BEST MOVIE DIALOGUE OF 2020

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By Anna L. Davis

Olemano Arrives

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With Road Kill, Vol. 5, these authors prove that the Lone Star State is rife with terror.

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Texan Horror

Feature Metro

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More than any mayor in recent history, Price’s tenure defined and shaped Fort Worth life.

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peaking at City Hall and surrounded by family, Mayor Betsy Price reflected on her nearly 10 years in office.

“Serving as mayor has been one of the greatest joys of my life, next to having my children and grandchildren,” she said last week. “Today, I announce that I will not seek a sixth term. It’s a hard decision, but it is the right thing at this time. Coming to that conclusion did not come lightly. I’ve been in conversation with my children, grandchildren, husband, and minister for some time now. There’s no perfect answer as to the time when you should step aside, but you should step aside when you have the feeling that you are ready. Just as I was called to do this job, I feel called to step aside.”

As Price touted her achievements, the health and well-being of Fort Worthians was a recurring theme. The six-year partnership with Blue Zones measurably improving the health of Fort Worthians was one such example she gave.

“I’m very proud of that,” she said.

Amid largely positive comments on the Facebook Live stream came a rebuke.

“How are we one of the healthiest communities when we have an area with the lowest life expectancy in Texas?” one woman commented, referring to Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code. The average lifespan in the largely Black community is 66.7 years — far below Texas’ average lifespan of 78.5 years. The study by UT Southwestern Medical Center found a direct and consistent link between poverty and a shorter expected lifespan.

If success were measured by population growth and development in Fort Worth’s urban core, Price could count herself as one of the most successful mayors in recent decades. As she noted in her speech, Fort Worth has surpassed 900,000 residents — a roughly 20% increase since she took office in 2011. Price’s tenure saw the opening of Sundance Square Plaza (the 55,000-square-foot palazzo located downtown), the revitalization of the Near Southside, and the launch of Crockett Row in the West 7th Street corridor, and

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many other locales that now define urban life in Fort Worth.

Former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Joe Straus recently tweeted that “Mayor Betsy Price has led Fort Worth through a very consequential decade of growth and advancement. [She was] never afraid to speak her mind and always put her community first. Always leading with grace and grit, she is among the best public servants in our state.”

Price’s folksy charm and go-to greeting of “Howdy, y’all!” have become synonymous with the City Where the West Begins. Having a five-term white city leader has also been a reminder of where Fort Worth’s political power continues to lie. Unlike most other large cities, Fort Worth has never had a Black mayor.

“I’m glad Betsy Price is not running again,” said Pamela Young, lead criminal justice organizer with the social justice grassroots group United Fort Worth. Price “did not represent me or people who look like me,” said Young, who is Black. “She didn’t have to look like me to represent me, but she chose to govern in such a way that she completely disregarded and further marginalized this city’s most marginalized people — during some of our most vulnerable times.”

While Fort Worth can now boast a demonstrably healthier citizenry and a broad and robust tax base, for social justice-minded (or simply non-white) residents, the names Jacqueline Craig — the Black woman who was bullied then arrested by a white police officer in 2016 — and Atatiana Jefferson — the 28-yearold Black woman who was shot and killed by a white police officer as she played video games in her mother’s house — raise difficult questions about how far Fort Worth has come in 10 years.

The coming weeks will determine who inherits Price’s trove of campaign contributors. Price, a Republican, had $464,700 on hand and spent $169,000 when she defeated Democrat Deborah Peoples in the 2019 mayoral election.

Peoples had $10,800 on hand and spent $62,600 in the race. Races for mayor in Fort Worth are officially nonpartisan, but political affiliation dictates which groups receive campaign contributions.

Two city councilmembers, one state representative, and the Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair have expressed interest in filling Price’s vacated post.

“I would be honored to serve as our next mayor, and I am prepared to do so,”

Cour tesy of Instagram

Reflecting on Betsy

Sporting a face mask that read “Fort Worth” and with over a dozen #yallwearamask hashtags superimposed on the post, Price said, “We’re kicking off the second week of the National Wrangler Finals Rodeo in Fort Worth this week. A reminder that masks are required at all times.

Let’s stay safe and have some fun.”

said District 9 councilmember Ann Zadeh.

“In these coming days, it’s crucial that I speak openly and clearly with our citizens from every part of the city about our future, our opportunities, and our challenges. As much as I love Fort Worth, I recognize that the city sometimes bears down on its citizens instead of lifting them up, but I absolutely believe [that] together, we can build a strong, exciting, and equitable future for all of us.”

Brian Byrd, councilmember for District 3, recently announced his intention to run for mayor. State Rep. Ramon Romero, a Democrat whose district represents much of Fort Worth, told NBC 5 that he is “definitely thinking” about running for mayor. Local Democratic

Party Chair Peoples would be the most progressive candidate of the four, based on her public statements and commitment to police reforms. Candidates have until Feb. 12 to file for the May 1 election.

Born Barbara Elizabeth Cornelius in 1949, Price is the youngest of four siblings.

Growing up in Arlington Heights, she attended South Hi Mount Elementary School, Stripling Junior High School, and Arlington Heights High School, where she graduated in 1968.

The Fort Worth native then earned a degree in biology from the University

attendee or guest at public events, especially when those events involved bicycling.

While the day-to-day management of Fort Worth falls on City Manager David Cooke, Price used her influence as the ninth city council vote and (arguably more importantly) her considerable clout as the face of Cowtown to set the agenda on a wide range of initiatives.

In stark contrast to Mayor Moncrief ’s blocking of inquiries by the Weekly, Price ensured that city leadership was transparent and responsive to media requests from the city’s alt-weekly newspaper. Longtime Weekly owner Lee Newquist said Price was always pleasant to him even when the Weekly’s coverage of her policies wasn’t favorable.

“Unlike previous mayors or political leaders, she told me personally that she respects the media and would always keep an open dialogue with us,” Newquist said.

“She was even one of the first people on the Weekly’s popular Toast & Jam show, where she sang ‘Celebrate.’ In 2014, my mother was about to celebrate her 80th birthday and had a choice of traveling to any city in the U.S. for her party with all her kids and grandkids in attendance. She chose Fort Worth, and 42 people came for that weekend to celebrate her birthday and enjoy all things Fort Worth. Prior to that weekend, I called Betsy to let her know that Fort Worth was chosen for this party and that she should feel great about that. A few

Cour tesy of Blue Zones

Through videos, ads, and signage, Price became the face of a program that pushed Fort Worthians to make healthy eating choices and walk more, among other tenets of the Blue Zones philosophy.

days later, Betsy sent me a letter to give to my mother welcoming her to Fort Worth and thanking her for choosing our city for her 80th. I think my mother framed that letter and still has it hanging in her house.

Strong leadership with some personality and a friendly touch, that’s Betsy.”

In 2014, the Blue Zones Project began several health initiatives in Fort Worth.

Blue Zones, which encourages healthy living choices, is sponsored nationally by a for-profit company and locally by Texas Health Resources, and its biggest cheerleader early on was Price. Through videos, ads, and signage, Price became the face of a program that pushed Fort Worthians to make healthy eating choices and walk more often, among other tenets of the Blue Zones philosophy.

The effort demonstrably paid off as Fort Worth dropped in the Gallup index over the subsequent several years. A Blue Zones spokesperson said at a recent American Public Health Association meeting that Fort Worth has seen a 31% decrease in tobacco use since 2014, although part of that trend may be due to the city’s 2017 indoor smoking ban.

Price launched Read Fort Worth in partnership with the Fort Worth school district in 2016 with the aim of ensuring that all third-graders can read at grade level by 2025. The multifaceted initiative works through a strategic framework to connect “partners” with schools, track progress, outreach to parents, and ensure consistent teacher quality throughout the district’s classrooms.

Civil unrest and demands for police reforms would define the second half of

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of Texas at Arlington in 1972. Her early career involved running her own car title and licensing company as part of her father’s car business. Price served on numerous boards and commissions before running for and being elected as Tarrant County Tax Assessor in 2000.

After serving four terms, Democrat Mike Moncrief announced he would not seek reelection. Price entered the nonpartisan race against Democrat Jim Lane. In the final runoff tally, Price earned nearly 56% of the vote and her first term as mayor.

At the July 2010 swearing-in ceremony, Price said, “I’ll be out on the streets in every neighborhood meeting with teachers and parents, visiting CEOs and small-business owners, and staying in touch with pastors and civic leaders.”

Price, who campaigned on enforcing a tight city budget, faced a projected $45 million budget shortfall and the prospect of negotiating a new contract with police during her first year in office. Through strategic cuts, Price balanced the city budget that first year and each year since.

Soon after starting office, Price established Steer Fort Worth to address low voter turnout rates in Fort Worth.

The nonpartisan nonprofit for young professionals fosters future civic leaders through volunteer-based community projects and monthly social events.

Staying true to her pledge to be an “on the streets” mayor, Price became a regular

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Price’s tenure in office even as her annual State of the City speeches held fast to narratives of economic development and fiscal responsibility.

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In late 2016, Jacqueline Craig called Fort Worth police to report a neighbor who had assaulted Craig’s young son. The neighbor, Itamar Vardi, was cited one month later for assault by offensive contact, a Class C misdemeanor. Although Craig’s son was the victim of a crime, officer William Martin chose to attack Craig verbally when he arrived on the scene.

“If you keep yelling at me, you’re gonna piss me off, and I’m gonna take you to jail,” the officer threatened before wrestling Craig to the ground and also arresting her two teenage daughters.

The heavy-handed arrest, caught on Facebook Live, stirred local protests and national condemnation. Martin was suspended for 10 days, and charges against Craig and her daughters were later dropped. Typically humdrum city council meetings became boisterous affairs, and many of the verbal attacks were aimed directly at Price.

In response to public uproar over Craig’s arrest, city councilmembers and Price formed the Race and Culture Task Force to “listen, learn, build, and bridge in order to create an inclusive Fort Worth for all residents.” The task force, formed in mid-2017, consisted of 25 co-chairs and members who worked for nearly one and a half years to examine racial and economic inequities within Fort Worth.

“One of the things that kept coming back to us [in comments] was that the city wasn’t trying hard enough” to improve race relations and economic opportunities for minorities, said Bob Ray Sanders, task force co-chairman and civil rights advocate, at the time. “Many of the people who talked to us felt that city leaders don’t care about these issues. They feel that no matter what we recommended, the city will do nothing about it.”

The task force’s interim report found that the complaints by Fort Worth’s minority communities were due to “systemic, structural, and institutional racism” in Fort Worth and not simply personal animosity on the part of Fort Worth residents.

“Some of your recommendations are a bit eye-opening but not totally surprising,” Price said in late 2018 as she and city councilmembers adopted 22 recommendations by the task force.

“They’re the kind of eye-opening where it’s good for us to see and to take a hard look at where we are.”

Fort Worth leadership may be backpedaling on one critical task force recommendation: the formation of an independent redistricting commission.

The citizen-driven groups reduce the risk

weapons by Fort Worth police, the city, under Price’s leadership, largely avoided the violent clashes between protesters and police that characterized marches in large urban centers across the country that summer, although local protesters were united in their belief that Price represented police unions and special interests.

Although Price never publicly espoused the types of racist rhetoric and fringe conspiracy theories that have defined the Trump presidency, her frequent visits to Washington, D.C., to attend presidential events and her unwillingness to denounce the president’s repeated false statements (particularly those that targeted minority groups and Democrats) framed how many in Fort Worth viewed Price.

In December, many locals decried the lack of enforcement of Texas’ mask mandate as thousands of fans for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) descended on Cowtown. The 10-day-long event had spent the previous 15 years in Las Vegas, but COVID-19-related restrictions in Nevada prevented large ticketed events due to the largely uncontrolled pandemic.

Price and other area mayors warmly welcomed the visitors who frequented Fort Worth’s downtown and North Side when they weren’t watching the competition at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

“These tourists are blatantly superspreading in a Mexican neighborhood with little regard for the employees and families that make tourism happen,” said one Northside resident who asked to remain anonymous. “My family of Northsiders has already lost several family members to COVID because of tourists’ total disregard for the neighborhood’s health.”

Price made one Instagram post that encouraged visitors to wear a mask. Fort Worth police refused to enforce the state mandate.

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combat the spread of COVID-19. Strict stay-at-home orders were placed the day before.

“We’re going to flatten this curve, and it will get us back to work faster,” Price said. “It isn’t lost on us that these are incredibly hard times, but if you’re sick in the hospitals, we will really be in trouble.

By closing for a short amount of time, we believe we can stop that.”

By April 3 (the date many expected the restrictions to be lifted), Fort Worth was seeing increasing COVD-19 infection rates. By mid-April, Tarrant County tallied 29 fatalities due to the disease. Price reminded Fort Worth residents to abide by the shelter-in-place order and to follow safety protocols like social distancing and wearing face masks.

One month later, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, left a Minneapolis convenience store before being approached by four police officers. A store clerk had called 911 and told police that Floyd had bought cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. During the subsequent arrest, one officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck as three officers looked on. Floyd died on the scene. Five days later, Price issued a public statement over Floyd’s murder and the resulting civil unrest.

“As mayor, I remain committed to continuing the work we have started to root out racism, inequities, and disparities at a systemic and policy level,” Price said.

“Just as importantly, I am committed to continuing the work within myself — to examine my own heart and to grow in my own understanding.”

Weeks of nonviolent protests against police brutality and systemic racism followed. Price joined a June 3 protest and even chanted “George Floyd” alongside hundreds of protesters. Aside from the May 31 use of tear gas and other nonlethal

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During a 2018 work session between President Donald Trump and mayors from across the country (including Betsy Price), Trump attacked the mayors who boycotted the meeting. “The mayors who choose to boycott this event have put the needs of criminal illegal immigrants over law-abiding Americans,” Trump told the crowd.

In response to the violent mob that recently breached the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to fulfill Trump’s desire to overturn the landslide victory of President-elect Joe Biden, Price tweeted, “I am horrified by what is happening in our nation’s capital. It is devastating that our country has become this fractured. Violence is never the answer.

It is my hope and prayer that cooler heads will prevail and we will have a peaceful transition of power.”

Following the violent death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died protecting the building and its occupants from pro-Trump insurrectionists, and the scope of the failed assault on democracy, Price’s words amount to “weak platitudes,” said Max Krochmal.

The author and TCU professor said that “for nearly a decade, Betsy Price has served as a primary obstacle to Fort Worth’s transition into a modern, major American city. Presented with the opportunity of unprecedented population growth — much of it driven by recent immigrants to the U.S. — Price has consistently chosen to defend outdated, undemocratic political processes as well as public policies that benefit old, moneyed interests, rather than embracing diversity and change.”

The efforts to establish Blue Zones and cycling trails, he said, contrast with public policy decisions that “prioritized the needs of private developers and, at times, rewarded outright cronyism. There were multiple moments in Price’s long administration when she could have used her office to substantively advance human rights and democracy, but each time she responded to the city’s very real challenges with duplicitous PR campaigns and blueribbon committees that sidestepped the underlying issues.”

Price said in an email that it was hard to pinpoint a single legacy that she is most proud of.

“We accomplished so much together over the last 10 years,” she said. “I am incredibly proud of the work we did to ensure our city is in a sound fiscal position, leading with fiscal responsibility, lowering the city’s tax rate 12 cents in four years, and solving the pension crisis. I am also proud of the initiatives we have launched aimed at community engagement and well-being, including FitWorth [a local movement that encourages healthy choices], Blue Zones, Steer Fort Worth, and Read Fort Worth. We have also made strides in building a stronger, more unified Fort Worth through difficult conversations and the recommendations of the Race and Culture Task Force. I hope to see this progress continue.”

The mayor went on to say that she wishes for Fort Worthians to continue the hard work that is already underway.

“We’ve made progress around transportation and mobility. We are building a community that is diverse and inclusive — a Fort Worth that is welcoming to all.” l

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Cour tesy of the White House

of gerrymandering and self-interested land grabs on the part of city councilmembers.

Austin employs a 14-member redistricting commission that is in the process of redrawing the city’s 10 districts for the upcoming November 2022 municipal elections.

Assistant Fort Worth City Manager Fernando Costa said in an email that city councilmembers “declined to appoint a charter review task force” and opted to form an independent redistricting commission.

Allowing city councilmembers to retain control over redistricting “promotes accountability and democracy because citizens elect their councilmembers to make these kinds of decisions and can hold their elected officials accountable for making such decisions responsibly,” he said.

Just days after the formation of the Race and Culture Task Force, Price and city councilmembers were faced with an emotional vote on a controversial senate bill, SB 4, the so-called “show me your papers bill” that the Texas Legislature passed in 2017. Leadership at every major Texas city decried the bill as racist. One young college graduate and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient told me around that time that the bill made her terrified to drive (“Texas Power Plays,” Oct. 2017).

During a heated August 2017 city council meeting, Price listened to dozens of locals plead for the mayor and city council to join a lawsuit against SB 4. Fort Worth was the largest Texas city not to sign on to the effort. Price repeatedly told the packed City Hall meeting that Fort Worth was a compassionate city as she voted, along with four city councilmembers, to not join the litigation. SB 4 remains the law of the land in Texas.

United Fort Worth leadership and several groups that advocate for the Latinx community subsequently pledged to oust Price in upcoming elections.

In late 2019, Atatiana Jefferson was killed by a white police officer, Aaron Dean. Her death drew national outrage and raised questions about policing practices in Fort Worth. Jefferson was playing a video game with her nephew, Zion Carr, when she was shot through a window by Dean, who was subsequently fired and remains free on bail while he awaits trial for murder. Jefferson was the sixth Black person shot and killed by Fort Worth police that year. During a recent phone interview, Jefferson’s sister, Amber Carr, said Price has never spoken at length to the Jefferson/Carr family. In October, family and friends of Jefferson held a car parade and candlelight vigil that marked the one-year anniversary of Jefferson’s death. Not one Fort Worth elected official attended.

In late March, flanked by county head Judge Glen Whitley, Price and Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams called on their respective constituents to stay at home to

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Feeding Funkytown

METROPOLIS

Fort Worth’s food solidarity fridges aim to feed and empower underserved communities.

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Static Police Union Parler In college one time, I drank for about 10 hours straight before crashing at my girlfriend’s apartment. My performance that night was Mandingo-esque compared to the little-dick-energy coup attempt on Wednesday. Guess “Go big or go home” doesn’t apply to followers of the all-talk/ no-action “president.”

We all know part of the reason so many thumbtacks were able to breach the Capitol is that they were aided by the equally limp Capitol Police. The relationship between white supremacists and cops is deep. To deny it is to lack self-awareness and live in Lalaland. It’s deeper than my buddy Jeff’s pockets when the tab comes around.

In 2017, according to the nonpartisan law and policy institute The Bren-

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The fate of a community fridge program is in jeopardy due to a 64-year-old law and city zoning codes.

“The City of Fort Worth is looking to place restrictions on us that would make the fridge [essentially] inaccessible to the folks who need it,” said the Funkytown Fridge team in a recent Instagram post.

The 1956 law is intended to protect children from becoming locked inside refrigerators, and city codes limit where the large storage boxes can be placed.

Code Compliance does not “want to shut it down,” said Kendra Richardson, founder of Funkytown Fridges.

“Because of the law, they say they have to do their jobs,” A spokesperson for the city said in an email that the “basic issue is that [Funkytown Fridges], a very well-intended project, is currently in violation of a State of Texas

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Steven Monacelli

B Y S T E V E N M O N A C E L L L I E D W A R D B R O W N

Richardson: “The whole point is to break down capitalism and give people their power back by letting them know there is a way to find your power to spark a revolution.”

nan Center, the FBI “reported that white supremacists posed a ‘persistent threat of lethal violence’ that has produced more fatalities than any other category of domestic terrorists since 2000. Alarmingly, internal FBI policy documents have also warned agents assigned to domestic terrorism cases that the white supremacist and anti-government militia groups they investigate often have ‘active links’ to law enforcement officials.”

Not long after Wednesday’s flaccid coup d’eTad the Fort Worth Police Officers’ Association joined Parler, a social media platform preferred by white supremacists and conspiracy theorists before servers stopped carrying it because, y’know, it was full of white supremacists and conspiracy theorists. In a city with a stark lack of trust between police and citizens of color, the union must realize that the move could have been seen as an act of aggression. Maybe that was the point, especially as every other major platform has begun cracking down on hate speech, con-

spiracies, and the kind of misinformation favored by the White House. Maybe the point was to say to Fort Worth’s minority communities, “In yo face!”

FWPOA president Manny Ramirez has said his group joined the platform as a way to secure their proper handle. In a tweet from @FWPOA on Jan. 9, the union seemed awfully glad, downright giddy to have Parler’d.

“Connect with us on @Parler_App!,” the FWPOA tweeted with a photo of the Fort Worth Police & Firefighters Memorial. “Have a safe weekend! #parler” Not the kind of (cheery) language a group would use merely to secure a handle.

Not all Fort Worth cops are racists.

By far. Most of them, I’d argue, respect diversity. The problem is that that’s not enough. Fort Worth cops and the union that represents them need to take a step beyond what’s expected of them. Joining an unregulated platform peopled solely by conspiracy theorists, domestic terrorists,

and other Republican politicians is a big middle finger to progress.

The police union needs to realize that the connection between the current occupant of the White House and white supremacy can’t be ignored. He has taken a hardline stance against immigration, he supports voter suppression, and he’s turning the clock back on progress made against housing discrimination and police misconduct. With so much mistrust from the Black community, the Fort Worth police union must go above and beyond what is acceptable in other, less polarized cities to ensure that every Fort Worthian, no matter their color, is worthy of respect.

Direct comments to FWPOA president @MannyRamirez_TX or vice president @AnthonyWhiteTX. — Anthony Mariani The Weekly welcomes submissions from all political persuasions. Please email Editor Anthony Mariani at anthony@fwweekly.com.

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first community fridge at 3144 Bryan Ave. on the South Side, which is stocked through community donations. The program has now grown to three refrigerators in total across Fort Worth.

“These fridges do so much more than feed undernourished communities and deserts,” said Courtney Duran, a volunteer with Funkytown Fridges. “They’re feeding souls showing Fort Worth that we care.”

An estimated 280,000 Fort Worthians live in a food desert (defined by living one mile or more from a full-service grocery store), according to the Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB), and nearly 14% of Tarrant County residents are food insecure, meaning they lack reliable access to food or resources to buy food, according to Feeding America, a nonprofit that works to address hunger in the United States.

A 2019 article by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that food insecurity leads to “adverse social, physical, and psychological outcomes.” Using data from the United States Department of Agriculture, the NIH found that, between 2001 and 2016, Black and Latinx households were at least twice as likely to experience food insecurity than non-Hispanic white households.

“There is growing recognition in the health sciences, particularly public health, that discrimination and structural racism are key contributors to inequity in health behaviors and outcomes,” the article concluded.

Richardson believes community fridges are “a good way to prevent injustices and wasted food. This fridge gives people in those neighborhoods free access to healthy foods. We have communities that experience high rates of diabetes, infant mortality, and other problems. We want to ease their burdens.”

The idea is to make the fridges selfsustaining, and to that end, Richardson asked potential donors to contribute fresh produce, which continues to be in short supply, by dropping off the foodstuffs directly or leaving food items in one of several Funkytown Fridges boxes. Gifted (212 Carroll St.) and Indigo Yoga Studio (5111 Pershing Ave.) currently have donation boxes. Richardson hopes that every underserved community will eventually keep and maintain community fridges.

“It’s a new concept,” she said. “We are telling these communities that we see them.

Many of [the volunteers behind the project] are from these neighborhoods. The whole point is to break down capitalism and give people their power back by letting them know there is a way to find your power to spark a revolution. This is just the gateway.

Hopefully, we can raise the consciousness of other people. We are building more community and more love.” l

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Health and Safety Code law as well as a zoning issue in Fort Worth.”

The cited local code governs “accessory uses” on nonresidential lots. The city spokesperson did not comment on how the zoning code impacts the location of the three Funkytown Fridges, which are located on private property with the approval of the property owners. The spokesperson also cited a state law that restricts where refrigerators can be placed.

When asked whether the state law applies to the Funkytown Fridges refrigerators — none of which feature a latch that can close to make it unopenable from the inside — the representative did not comment.

The Funkytown Fridges have not been shut down, and, as of the date of this reporting, no citations have been issued by the city. Richardson believes that the sort of changes discussed by Code Compliance officials would defeat the purpose of the fridge.

“They told us one of our options was to move the fridge, which limits access,” she said. “They also said to put a lock on the fridge, which would make it inaccessible. They also said to only have it open when we know people are there and lock it when volunteers leave, but we’ve had them out there for so long and people are so used to them, that’s not going to work.”

While taking photographs of one refrigerator in Fort Worth, one Weekly reporter witnessed two families use it — something that may not be possible if the refrigerators had been locked or moved inside the building.

“We’re still in negotiations to figure out what our next steps would be,” Richardson said.

Richardson’s personal experience led to her forming such a program that can provide to impoverished families in areas lacking access to healthy foods. She grew up in the Stop Six neighborhood and remembers the struggles of finding sources of healthy food.

“There are a lot of Black and brown neighborhoods that suffer from food apartheid,” she said, referring to public policy decisions that shape where and how nutritious food is sold in Fort Worth. “There hasn’t been a grocery store in Stop Six since I was a kid.”

In mid-2020, she saw an Instagram post about community fridges in New Orleans and Houston. The concept started this past February in New York City and has spread across the United States. Community fridges, also known as “friendly fridges” or “community solidarity fridges” offer free food to area residents — no questions asked.

Through a refrigerator donation, Richardson was able to place Fort Worth’s

9

Road Kill: Texas Horror

by Texas Writers, Vol. 5 Edited and compiled by E.R. Bills HellBound Books Publishing $14.99 265 pps.

BOOKS

Road Killing It

This new Texas horror collection is full of frights both paranormal and way too close to home.

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Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers, Vol. 5 is an immersive, haunting collection of short stories that are as thought-provoking as they are frightening. The worldbuilding in each of these stories will pull readers in, holding their attention until the last word. Every piece carries a strong sense of place, many of them masterfully steeped in Lone Star detail, grounding the reader in hometown familiarity before unleashing the inevitable Texas-sized chaos.

But let’s back up a bit so I can set the stage. I read Road Kill, Vol. 5 over a cold, rainy week in October, with my teenagers going in and out of the house almost as frequently as the weather changes here in Texas.

Snuggled safely into a fuzzy blanket with a steaming mug of hazelnut coffee, I took notes about each story as I made my way through the eclectic collection. (As a coffee lover, I would be remiss if I didn’t immediately mention Mario E. Martinez’s “The First Cup,” a tense read about a father and son hunting trip. I won’t give away the ending, but I might never think of coffee in the same way again.)

Compiled and edited by Weekly contributor E.R. Bills, Road Kill, Vol. 5 touches on almost every aspect of the horror genre. Some stories — like the quirky and unexpected opener “+ 30 Seconds” by Madison Estes — make exhilarating haste in their delivery of the horrifying element. Other titles — such as the compelling “Dark Hill Run” by Kasey Lansdale and Joe R. Lansdale and “The Hermit” by Zach Friday — take their time, using exquisite character development and setting to increase tension.

It should come as no surprise that a good number

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of the stories feature paranormal activity in some form or fashion. For example, “The Exorcist Camera” by M.E. Splawn offers a distressing spiritual window into a demonic infection affecting all who view the video of a past exorcism in the church’s archives. Splawn’s use of Catholic detail lends credibility to the narrative, making the spiritual warfare of demonic influence all the more terrifying.

“Abuela’s Legacy” by Armando Sangre takes place after the death of the main character’s grandmother, who has yet to move on into the afterlife. “Last Summer”

by W.H. Gilbert explores the terror of a seemingly innocuous bible camp, a coming-of-age tale that beautifully captures the awkwardness of youth and the dread of public shame. Tom Bont’s “The Man with the Suitcase” is written in letter format as the protagonist

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seeks spiritual help from his priest about the irregular occurrences he encounters during a stagecoach route, with a terrific twist ending that will leave readers stunned. And Bret McCormick’s “Eleanor’s Jar” draws on occult rituals and dark family secrets as told from the point of view of a man whose young son finds an old séance artifact in their cellar.

Sometimes, though, the greatest horrors are those that emerge from the human condition — the atrocious things that people can do to each other. In many cases, these are the stories where we as readers are afraid to sympathize with the villain — who is sometimes one and the same with the protagonist — because of what we might find in the dark recesses of our own hearts.

William Jensen’s “Diamondback Break” is told from a killer’s perspective, really getting down into the nitty gritty of what it’s like to murder another human being.

In “Rugby Players Eat Their Dead,” Dane Fayle and E.R. Bills deliver a grotesque tale of past secrets from a road trip gone wrong coming back to haunt a group of friends. And John Kojak’s enjoyably repulsive “Serial Killers Anonymous” is perhaps the most on-the-nose title of the volume, taking readers into the company of those who enjoy serial killer trivia.

Those who appreciate the great outdoors will revel in Corey Lamb’s “The Lake,” a well-written, gripping tale of a fishing trip gone awry, testing the characters’ bounds of sanity, and the dialogue-driven “Phantom Limb” by Tytus Berry takes a philosophical, even theological look at what gives a being a soul.

Readers will also find chilling satisfaction in two bonus horror tales from classic storytellers O. Henry (“The Furnished Room”) and Robert E. Howard (“The Fearsome Touch of Death”).

From disquieting gothic imagery to modern slasher lore and everything in between, horror fans will not be disappointed. This volume has it all. l Anna L. Davis is the author of the cyberpunk, sci-fi thriller Open Source (2015).

This event is free and open to the public.

Complimentary refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is requested.

Then on Sat, Jan 16 at 8pm, there is a virtual and limited-seating live event at The Warehouse with an R&B performance

by The David Whiteman Band.

KULTURE Remembering MLK Jr:

On Sun, Jan 17, the party continues with An Evening of Jazz featuring Bobby Faulk, Dewayne Washington with Faces the Band & Family, and headliner Donyale Renee, BMA-Houston Female Entertainer of the Year award-winner. Tickets for both nights of music are available on Eventbrite.

Five Days of Events in Fort Worth

Through January 17 Open until 8 pm on Free Fridays

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Visit the Modern’s information desk or call 817.738.9215.

The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN is the site of MLK Jr.’s assassination and is now home to the National Civil Rights Museum.

MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH 3200 Darnell Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107 www.themodern.org

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“We are honored and thrilled to present this MLK, Jr. celebration,” says NMWHM Co-Founder Jim Austin. “It’s important in these times to commemorate, reflect and pay homage to the tremendous legacy of Dr. King and his tireless efforts in working towards a more unified nation and the advancement of people of color. We also want to celebrate those who walked with him and held the mantle of equality after Dr. King.”

On Sat, Jan 16 at 10am, there is an MLK Day of Service at The Ranch (3534 E Berry St). Families are encouraged to come out and enjoy socially distanced outdoor games and activities, including horseshoe toss, horseback riding, and races.

Join us at the Modern Shop, in-person or online, for a unique selection of gifts for everyone on your list. shop.themodern.org

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On Fri, Jan 15 at 7pm, Civil Rights Activists and Pioneers will be honored in a recognition awards program at The Warehouse (1125 E. Berry St) with guest speaker Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney. Honorees include Andrew Young, C.T. Vivian, John Lewis, and Xernona Clayton.

SHOP MODERN

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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration week concludes on Mon, Jan 18 at 3pm The National Multicultural Western with A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Marin Luther Heritage Museum (NMWHM) will honor King, Jr. featuring an airing of his historic Civil Rights Activists as part of a five-day “I Have a Dream Speech” video observation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. presentation.

Holiday. Events include a virtual panel discussion, awards ceremony, day of Don’t miss this incredible tribute to a true service, and concert.

American Hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $35 The celebration starts on Thu, Jan 14, on Eventbrite. For more information, visit with a panel discussion on The www.cowboysofcolor.org or call 817Importance of Creating an African 922-9999.

American Museum in Fort Worth moderated by Fort Worth Asst. City Manager Fernando Costa at noon via This event is sponsored by KXAS NBC-5, Zoom. Login details will be provided upon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Jim Austin Online, Tim and Karen Anfin, and event registration.

Visit Fort Worth.

11

Beyond Meat + Austin EastCiders Popup at OSO Climbing Gym (1330 Conant St, Dallas, 844-676-4967) and do some sampling from 5pm to 8pm. Beyond Meat will have its food truck on-site serving burgers, and AustinEastCiders will sling its signature ciders. This event is free to attend, and you must be 21+ to drink.

Cour tesy iStock

NIGHT&DAY

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Let’s dance!

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Hosted by DFW Rave Fam, the weekly rave formerly known as the Red Thursday Goose House Party has a new name and a new location. Come to The Move every Thu at 9pm at Cassidy’s Nightclub (2540 Meachum Blvd, 817-6259911). With drink specials that include $5-6 specialty cocktails, $4.50 imports and wells, and $3.25 domestics, you may want to take advantage of the fact that Cassidy’s is the dance club inside the Radisson. Rent a room.

Tattoo reality show Ink Masters is hosting the third annual Arlington Friday Tattoo Expo from 5pm today thru 10pm Sun at Globe Life Field (734 Stadium Dr, 817-533-1972), the new home of the Texas Rangers. This event features more than 160 award-winning tattoo artists doing live tattooing all weekend, plus vendors, food, and more.

While I am still unsure of the ticket price,

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I did see a post offering $5 off for those who arrive before 5pm today.

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Ready for your first Crawfish boil of 2021?

Landmark Bar & Kitchen Saturday (3008 Bledsoe St, 817984-1166) is spreading the mud-bug fun throughout the first quarter with its Tails & Taters Crawfish/Seafood Boil from noon to 10pm — or when the food runs out — every Sat thru Mar 27. The crawfish is $10 per pound, and the sides include andouille sausage ($2.50 per link), corn on the cob (50 cents each), and potatoes (50 cents each).

Plus, add a blast of flavor with Cajun, lemon pepper, or spicy kinds of butter.

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As its first fundraising event of 2021, the Tarrant County Democratic Party is Sunday selling Inauguration Party Packs that include a bowl of gumbo and French bread, Biden bumper stickers, and lapel stickers and yard signs starting at $25.

Order ahead at Mobilize.us/texasdemocrats/ event/366983/ and then pick up your pack from 11am to 3pm at 3130 Plumbwood St, FW. Call 817-335-8683.

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From 11am to 11pm, enjoy a culinary showdown between Chef Wayne Monday and his son Chef Kyle at the Father vs. Son Seafood Cookoff at Jamaica Gates Caribbean Cuisine (1020 W Arkansas Ln, Arlington, 817-795-2600).

This all-day event features music with a reggae vibe from DJ Jim Brown and DJ Skoom Boom. The seafood selections are conch, crabs/crab legs, kingfish, lobster, octopus, and red snapper. The side dishes available are green plantain, festival rice and peas, and roasted breadfruit. The $25-per-person cost includes a plate of your choice.

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If giving up meat but not beer is on your list for the New Year, head to the

Inauguration Day is here.

I need not say more, but Wednesday I will. At noon, tune in to almost any channel on your TV and witness the swearing in of President-elect Joe Biden as the 46th POTUS on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Both he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will take their Oaths of Office. Instead of a traditional parade, Biden and Harris will arrive with a presidential escort made up of all military branches. Due to the pandemic and last week’s events in Washington, plus the fact that this event will be widely televised, livestreamed, and recorded for posterity, it is advisable not to attend in person. Short answer: People, please stay home.

8

Days a Week

Since 1962, Ol’ South Pancake House (1509 S University Dr, 817-336-0311) has been the standard go-to for down-home American food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Historically open 24/7, Ol’ South has been a mecca for pre-pandemic, postshow music lovers looking for late-night grub. Now that the southern location of Ol’ South is open for business, Burleson folk can enjoy the same dining experiences that cause Fort Worthians to wax nostalgic.

Due to COVID-19, both locations have abbreviated hours. Ol’ South is open 6am10pm Sun-Wed and 24 hours Thu-Sat.

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POWER OF PURPOSE Shay Garcia has Found Her Purpose and Passion in Teaching Shay Garcia didn’t start out to be a high school health teacher.

“I majored in elementary education,” she said. “Then I found out during student teaching that I do like little kids but was a little overwhelmed by teaching at an elementary school.” Garcia, who was recently named the Blue Zones Project Teacher Chair for Health & Physical Education in FWISD, is now in her seventh year of teaching high school health and coaching volleyball, and she’s definitely found her Purpose and her passion. Purpose is one of the Blue Zones Power 9® principles, nine healthy lifestyle habits for longevity.

Garcia calls the mandatory health class “Life class.” “Everything we talk about they’ve gone through or will go through,” she said. The curriculum includes emotional and mental health; violence and injury prevention; drug prevention; abstinence, personal, and sexual health; HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention; and nutrition and physical activity. Occasionally kids have questions they feel they can’t ask their parents. When she runs out of answers, Garcia calls on the school nurse and intervention specialists who can take students a step further with referrals.

Garcia also sponsors the school’s Gay Straight Alliance, encouraging her students to find their Right Tribe – another Power 9 principle that encourages connections and supportive commitment, which is crucial for teenagers. “Creating safe and supportive environments is the goal of health class,” she said.

She encourages her students to Move Naturally, another Power 9 principle which focuses on adding extra movement to your day, and she hopes to encourage exercise as a lifelong health habit. When asked what concerns her most for students, Garcia doesn’t hesitate. “Mental and emotional health is always the hardest unit,” she said. She sees that social media is causing anxiety and self-confidence/ self-esteem issues in her students.

“It’s frustrating when I say, ‘I teach health’ and people think that’s a class that’s easy or overlooked,” Garcia said. One of her jobs is creating big picture thinking for students. “What happens if you don’t eat well or choose not to exercise – what does that look like for you?” she asks. Garcia believes that health teachers have an immediate, positive, and potentially long-lasting impact on kids’ lives. “I wish people knew how important it is to take health during high school,” she said. “It’s where a lot of the crucial conversations about life choices happen.”

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Uncorking the Near Southside’s Vino Potential Three wine bars are under new ownership, including Grand Cru. B Y

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For the past several years, craft beer breweries have given the Near Southside area a hoppin’ vibe, but the district may be increasingly defined by vino-themed events in 2021. Rancho Loma Vineyards, the chic tasting room on South Main Street, recently opened and features awardwinning wines that showcase the terroirs and varietals of Texas.

Edward Brown

EATS & drinks

Toni said. “She picks vineyards that are not necessarily the best known, but they are very good wines. People who are in the know love them. She isn’t afraid to bring in new wines. We have many wines that you don’t find in the area.”

Jeff said customers frequently compliment the wine selection as one of the best in North Texas.

“We have a lot of California and Old World wines,” he said. “We want to teach people about wine. The reason we fell in love with this place was the opportunity to learn about wine.

Someone might say, ‘I like a California Cab.’ The staff will expand on it. ‘What do you like about it?’ You might like this South African Jeff and Toni Guinn took over ownership of Grand Cru Wine Bar on West Magnolia Avenue in region and not know it. Once you know that, June. The married couple were longtime patrons of the Near Southside establishment and it takes you to the next step.” personal friends of previous owner Karen Chu, who will stay on as the bar’s wine buyer.

Grand Cru’s active wine club and Kent & Co. Wines, formerly owned by website (GrandCruMagnolia.com). When general pandemic-induced boredom in siblings Will Churchill and Corrie Watson, is Gov. Greg Abbott shut down Texas bars shortly the area helped buoy to-go retail sales as now under the ownership of Marty and Marilyn after business ownership was transferred, the in-person visits slowed, the couple said. In Englander, and there are rumors of a possible couple used the two months to spruce up the the coming months, the owners will tweak renaming of the popular West Magnolia space. Warmer, brown tones replaced the dark the current small-plates menu, Jeff said.

Avenue wine bar. The 7-year-old, two-story gray paint, Toni said, to give the space the feel The owners also plan to streamline the bar WineHaus was recently purchased by of an Old World winery. Andrew Marshall food offerings while increasing the quality Robyn Davis and Dan Larrimore, and plans recently painted a large mural of a European of every item to better match the wine selections. To provide expanded outdoor are in the works to expand the bar’s outdoor wine cellar on the back wall. patio for weekly jazz nights.

The Guinns kept staffers Alfred seating options, the owners are going to Jeff and Toni Guinn took over Davila (wine associate) and Bobby take advantage of a new Near Southside ownership of Grand Cru Wine Bar on Williams (assistant manager), and during program that allows tables to be placed on West Magnolia in June. The married the toughest months of the recession partially enclosed curbside parking spots.

Jeff said he welcomes couple were longtime patrons of the Near Guinn hired a handful of Grand Cru Wine Bar “competition” in Fort Southside establishment and personal waiters at an appliance repair 1257 W Magnolia Av, Worth’s growing wine bar friends of previous owner Karen Chu, who business that he owns.

FW. 817-923-1717. options.

With Chu overseeing will stay on as the bar’s wine buyer.

“We’ve visited” numerous local When Chu “tossed” the idea of selling wine purchases and Davila and Williams Grand Cru, Jeff said that he and his wife handling much of the day-to-day work, wine bars, he said. “I’m a believer that thought it’d be a fun purchase. “We loved the Guinns aim to retain the qualities that more wine drinkers will benefit all of us. We feel that Grand Cru lends a more have kept regulars coming back. that bar and didn’t want it to go away.”

The previous owner “cultivated quite homey, relaxed addition to those options.

The biggest changes brought by the Guinns include a new logo and revamped a following by having unique choices,” Customers feel comfortable here.” l

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Olemano Arrives

The jazz fusion quartet that ended 2020 on a high note may be looking at their breakout year.

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“Want to do that three-four one?” guitarist Austin Kroll asked his bandmates before launching into a funky riff.

Drummer Miro Hernandez, seated nearby, entered cautiously with sparse drumwork, as if waiting to see what the vibe from the other musicians would be. After sitting back for a few minutes, flutist Juan Ospina, who had offered his Southside home for the rehearsal, blew some fluttering tremolos as bassist Clayton Coblentz grounded the growing soundscape in a deep Latin-funk groove.

Olemano, the jazz fusion quartet that pulls heavily from Colombian rhythms, is the musical brainchild of Ospina. The Colombian multi-instrumentalist moved to Fort Worth 10 years ago to study at the TCU School of Music. His prior studies

That Bloody Crossroads

Jeff Zagers should have seen it coming.

Bragging on social media that you’re part of a protest fueled by lies and that ends in death is bound to result in some sort of clapback. The Georgian musician and avowed Trumper should not have been surprised when Brooklyn label Wharf Cat Records promptly dropped him and washed their catalog of two of his albums.

You can bet the right-wing commentariat sees this move as yet another example of political correctness and cancel culture gone crazy.

In any other era, they might be right.

In any other era, the leader of the free world isn’t a misogynistic, racist, violent, criminal idiot.

Zagers will be just fine. Not only will he be picked up by another, assuredly less progressive label, but he will become a sort of martyr to the martyr class, a.k.a.

Trumpers, a.k.a. The World’s Biggest Snowflakes. There was a time back in the ’90s when I stumbled onto a Nazi punk

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show. On my way out, I wanted to reach into my ears and remove the words and riffs note by note from my brain. Nothing is redeeming about white supremacy, and don’t believe for a second that that’s not what we’re talking about when talking about the guy loitering in the White House.

Donald Trump and white supremacy are closely aligned. No matter how many times he may denounce it, he still says racist things as the president, which matters. The presidential voice matters, so when he refers to African nations as “shithole” countries or when he calls Mexican immigrants “rapists” or when during a presidential debate he issues a call to arms to a white supremacy group, he is essentially shaping his party’s policy, and his policy — immigration hardlining, suppressing votes, neglecting housing discrimination and police misconduct — has been equally racist. While not all Trumpers are racist, all racists are Trumpers. In the words of Stone Cold, “And that’s the bottom line.” Do with that info what you will.

Locally, I’ve come across a few on my newsfeeds, a few MAGA rockers, and, as I

Cour tesy of Greg Gutbezahl

MUSIC

in his homeland taught him the tenets of formal classical training and the complex rhythms of Colombia’s indigenous peoples, Ospina said.

With classical “flute, no one invites you to” play gigs, he added. “No one was dancing to the music we were doing.”

Ospina found creative outlets for his instrument performing for Ronnie Heart’s band, which is known for highenergy performances of original pop, funk, neo-disco, and Latin songs that feature extended flute solos. Through that connection, Ospina met Kroll and Hernandez.

“I loved the idea of what Ronnie was doing,” Ospina recalled.

Hernandez, Kroll, and Ospina first performed Ospina’s songs at a house party/ art show in 2018. The addition of Coblentz solidified the quartet, and the band performed at now-shuttered La Zona on the Near Southside throughout 2019.

That year was a learning experience, Ospina said. The band members were working toward a sweet spot between polished arrangements and untethered improvisation.

“We do a lot of rearrangements, which I think is healthy,” Kroll said. “I don’t think there will ever be a perfect version of our songs. I think it allows a lot of room for creativity and improvisation.”

Adding another level of complexity are prerecorded tracks that add strings, synth, and percussion effects to Olemano’s songs, but even those elements are subject to spontaneous changes.

“When we are live, sometimes I just turn off the computer because we are so connected,” Ospina said, referring to periods of extended solos that are a

Juan Ospina (second from right): “I had the opportunity to travel with other bands. I want to bring Olemano that experience.”

hallmark of Olemano’s performances.

Ospina and his bandmates started 2020 with high expectations — both for their increasingly complex performances and the number of gigs they expected to churn out after working through material at La Zona gigs.

“As musicians, we all predict that there will be roadblocks, but I don’t think anyone predicted not being able to work at all,” Kroll said.

Olemano was one of six musicians/ groups awarded a $5,000 Sounds of Resilience grant from Fine Line Group, an investment fund owned by Sasha and Ed Bass. The quartet was slated to perform at the 2020 Festi Jazz Popayán, an international jazz festival where TK, in December. In lieu of an in-person live performance, the quartet recorded a video at Niles City Sound (Leon Bridges, Band do with my family and close friends who have drunk the Kool-Aid, I just avoid them as best I can. Someone brought up an interesting point the other day online as my friends/“friends” piled on Blaine Crews, a popular rock drummer who’s gone full MAGA. Is it truly bullying when the person being allegedly bullied supports the biggest bully of them all? Or is it standing up for what’s right and fighting to change hearts and minds? I think the answer’s obvious.

I’m sure lots of MAGA rockers here and all over Texas and beyond are enjoying “anonymously” trolling FWWeekly.com and our social media accounts, and I hope they’re as satisfied and gratified with our non-responses as we are when we (don’t) make them. When your beliefs do not include justice and equality for minorities, then you are not entitled to any beliefs.

You might as well be an axe murderer.

I do not think Josh Weathers is an axe murderer. Probably the biggest local name to support Trump — or who once supported him; haven’t talked to him since Jan. 6 — the blue-eyed soulman should have known that playing the inauguration in 2017 was

X, Band Y) that was streamed to audiences in Colombia.

“In the recording, it felt like everything came together,” Hernandez said. “It represents what we’ve been doing.”

Olemano is primed to perform at festivals across the country once the pandemic subsides, Ospina said. The flutist recently moved to California to head a music education program called El Sistema that uses publicly funded youth orchestras to effect social change.

Hernandez and Kroll are weighing whether to make the move to the West Coast, too.

“I love music festivals,” Ospina said.

“I know it will take a while for festivals to come back. Before, I had the opportunity to travel with other bands. I want to bring Olemano that experience.” l going to put him sideways with pretty much every other scenester in town and all other decent folk with functioning hearts and minds. All we can say on the plus side is that Weathers played for Trump before the latter had begun his full-frontal assault on democracy, decency, and the truth.

The story we published about Weathers’ inauguration performance went viral and remains our most shared and commentedon story to date. I know I speak on behalf of everyone at the Weekly when I say I would trade every single mention in every single national newspaper for a Hillary presidency.

Weathers has, uh, weathered the drama just fine. He put out a new album not too long ago. We wrote about it. It’s good. Not nearly as many shares, though.

I won’t be buying any Josh Weathers music anytime soon. As much as I like him personally, I don’t want to support him financially if supporting him with money means enabling him to soundtrack a wannabe dictatorship. Sorry.

Oh, and I listened to a few Jeff Zager songs. They’re shit. — Anthony Mariani Contact HearSay at anthony@fwweekly.com.

SAT 2/27/2021

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BEST OF 2020

Notice of Draft Federal Operating Permit and Acid Rain Permit Draft Permit No.: O51 Application and Draft Permit. ExGen Handley Power, LLC, 6604 E Rosedale St, Fort Worth, TX 76112-7027, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a renewal and revision of Federal Operating Permit and Acid Rain Permit (herein referred to as Permit) No. O51, Application No. 30883, to authorize operation of the Handley Steam Electric Station, a Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation facility. The area addressed by the application is located at 6604 E Rosedale St in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76112-7027.

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 the application. You can find an electronic map of the facility at: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/hb610/index.html?lat=32.727222&lng=-97.22&zoom=13&type=r.

This application was received by the TCEQ on July 15, 2020.

The purpose of a federal operating permit is to improve overall compliance with the rules governing air pollution control by clearly listing all applicable requirements, as defined in Title 30 Texas Administrative Code § 122.10 (30 TAC § 122.10). The draft permit, if approved, will codify the conditions under which the area must operate.

The permit will not authorize new construction. The executive director has completed the technical review of the application and has made a preliminary decision to prepare a draft permit for public comment and review.

The executive director recommends issuance of this draft permit. The permit application, statement of basis, and draft permit will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ Central Office, 12100 Park 35 Circle, Building E, First Floor, Austin, Texas 78753; the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Office, 2309 Gravel Dr, Fort Worth, Texas 76118-6951; and the Fort Worth Public Library- East Regional Library, 6301 Bridge St, Fort Worth, Texas 76112-0823, beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The draft permit and statement of basis are available at the TCEQ Website: www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/tvnotice At the TCEQ central and regional offices, relevant supporting materials for the draft permit, as well as the New Source Review permits which have been incorporated by reference, may be reviewed and copied. Any person with difficulties obtaining these materials due to travel constraints may contact the TCEQ central office file room at (512) 239-2900.

Public Comment/Notice and Comment Hearing. Any person may submit written comments on the draft permit. Comments relating to the accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of the permit conditions may result in changes to the draft permit.

A person who may be affected by the emission of air pollutants from the permitted area may request a notice and comment hearing. The purpose of the notice and comment hearing is to provide an additional opportunity to submit comments on the draft permit. The permit may be changed based on comments pertaining to whether the permit provides for compliance with 30 TAC Chapter 122 (examples may include that the permit does not contain all applicable requirements or the public notice procedures were not satisfied). The TCEQ may grant a notice and comment hearing on the application if a written hearing request is received within 30 days after publication of the newspaper notice. The hearing request must include the basis for the request, including a description of how the person may be affected by the emission of air pollutants from the application area. The request should also specify the conditions of the draft permit that are inappropriate or specify how the preliminary decision to issue or deny the permit is inappropriate. All reasonably ascertainable issues must be raised and all reasonably available arguments must be submitted by the end of the public comment period. If a notice and comment hearing is granted, all individuals that submitted written comments or a hearing request will receive written notice of the hearing. This notice will identify the date, time, and location for the hearing.

Written public comments and/or requests for a notice and comment hearing should be submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087, or electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/ and be received within 30 days after the date of newspaper publication of this notice. 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.

A notice of proposed final action that includes a response to comments and identification of any changes to the draft permit will be mailed to everyone who submitted public comments, a hearing request, or requested to be on the mailing list for this application. This mailing will also provide instructions for public petitions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request that the EPA object to the issuance of the proposed permit. After receiving a petition, the EPA may only object to the issuance of a permit which is not in compliance with the applicable requirements or the requirements of 30 TAC Chapter 122.

Mailing List. In addition to submitting public comments, a person may ask to be placed on a mailing list for this application by sending a request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address above. Those on the mailing list will receive copies of future public notices (if any) mailed by the Chief Clerk for this application.

Information. For additional information about this permit application or the permitting process, please contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Public Education Program, MC-108, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087 or toll free at 1-800-687-4040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-6874040.

Further information may also be obtained for ExGen Handley Power, LLC by calling Mr. Perry M. Galloway at (817) 446-2539.

Notice Issuance Date: January 8, 2021

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Don’t Forget To Feed Me Pet Food Bank, Inc. 5825 E Rosedale, Fort Worth 817-334-0727 Facebook.com/DF2FM We are experiencing a rapid increase in demand for pet food from both regular distribution partners and newly created needs identified at local animal shelters and rescue organizations. Please consider a pet food or monetary donation.

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W&O Cleaners 2824 S Hulen St, Fort Worth 817-923-5898 www.WOCleaners.com W&O Cleaners is now open normal business hours M-F 7am-7pm and Saturday 9am-4pm. We utilize methods that kill viruses and bacteria including dry cleaning, laundry service, eco-friendly wet cleaning, household items & rug cleaning. In an effort to help keep you and your family safe, we offer curbside service as well as free pick up and delivery in many areas.

To participate, email Stacey@fwweekly.com See more listings online at www.fwweekly.com

fwweekly.com

TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

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EMPLOYMENT

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