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INSIDE TARLETON'S RODEO DYNASTY / THE RISE OF OMAKASE / TOP TEACHERS + SCHOOL GUIDE

The City's Magazine

50 years since the double homicide that led to the salacious, scandalous, sensational trials of Cullen Davis

(AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT)

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FEATURES AUGUST 2026 VOLUME 29 ISSUE 8

Cowboy College

Tarleton State has one of the winningest college rodeo programs in the country, and the cowboy and cowgirl student athletes know exactly what’s expected of them: win buckles. By Kenzie Johnson

40 The Trials of T. Cullen Davis

48 Top Teachers

By Brian Kendall and John Henry

By Brandi Addison

Visiting the residence of one of the most infamous figures in Fort Worth history turned out exactly how one would have guessed: full of surprises.

Behold the 10 educators deemed most patient, inspiring, and dang good at their jobs when it comes to shaping the young minds of Fort Worth.

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

DEPARTMENTS AUGUST 2026 VOLUME 29 ISSUE 8

18 THE FORT 12 City Dweller

A pair of entrepreneurs are anticipating the next move of a centuries-old Chinese game that’s having a stateside moment.

16 Calendar

A literal circus is coming to town this month — among many other things.

18 Fort Worthian

Matthew McNeal: the mustachioed Fort Worth musician who just can’t settle on one genre.

20 State Lines

Fort Davis, Texas: pop. 879.

24 Cowhand Culture

The city’s culture was never quite the same after Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” stepped into Cowtown.

28 The Reverie

The Boyce-Sneed Feud remains one of Texas’ most notorious cattle family rivalries, even more than a century later (and not the gameshow kind).

CHOWTOWN 83 Dining

The exclusive omakase experience arrives in Fort Worth, where the only thing you’ll know about dinner is that you won’t know what’s for dinner.

ETC. 88 Dream Home

90 Snaps 96 Close

+ 56 Private School and University Guide

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

EDITOR’S LETTER

I Know My Way Around

owner/publisher hal a. brown president mike waldum

hen I had first heard Fort Worth Magazine executive editor Brian Kendall mention a Tarleton Rodeo feature, it was about 30 seconds into our first conversation — or, more accurately, my first interview. It was approaching the tail end of this past November, and I was planning to graduate from Tarleton State University mid-December. Since I was walking the stage a semester early, I liked the idea of pursuing a full-time editorial internship in the spring at a magazine. I eagerly applied for one at Fort Worth Magazine. A few weeks later, Brian and I arranged a phone call to casually discuss what type of opportunity I was looking for. I doubt I had made it more than a few words through my self-introduction before mentioning that I was a barrel racer on Tarleton’s Rodeo team. I was a bit proud, of course. Tarleton, as you’ll learn starting on Page 30, has one of the most successful college rodeo programs in the nation, backed by some of the best cowboys and cowgirls, coaches, and resources in the sport. But Brian already knew this, explaining that they had been wanting to feature the team for quite some time. “Oh, I know my way around there,” I said, explaining that after 3 1/2 years on the team, I could vouch for the program’s legitimacy. While I hadn’t competed as consistently my final year in school due to internships and freelance opportunities tied to my approaching career, wearing the purple Tarleton vest — the one college rodeo athletes don when competing — felt like wearing a shining badge of honor. But perhaps nothing could compare to the privilege of being the one to bring the program to life within this magazine’s glossy pages. After all, I had lived it, though not lived it in the same way as the athletes featured in this issue — the ones who live and breathe college rodeo to the point that falling short on a nationally renowned team is equivalent to dashed dreams. It was early in the process of this feature, while attending Tarleton’s regional finals rodeo, that I realized my dreams were always intact whether I performed well or not at a weekend college rodeo. But this wasn’t the case for many of these cowboys and cowgirls. And perhaps telling their stories was always what I was meant to do.

Kenzie Johnson ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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EDITORIAL executive editor brian kendall fort worth inc. editor john henry associate editor kenzie johnson contributing writers brandi addison. malcolm mayhew, michael h. price, shilo urban copy editor sharon casseday

ON THE COVER: According to our research, Cullen Davis, one of the nation’s most infamous criminal defendants, hasn’t been interviewed since 2016. We were fortunate to chat with the oil heir as the beginning of his dramatic saga turns 50 in August.

NEXT MONTH

Mayor Mattie Parker Fort Worth Takes the Stage How the Texas Rattlers Embrace Analytics

ART creative director craig sylva senior art director spray gleaves contributing ad designer jonathon won contributing photographers asia eidson, olaf growald, richard rodriguez, thanin viriyaki ADVERTISING advertising account supervisors gina burns-wigginton x150 marion c. knight x135 account executive tammy denapoli x141 territory manager, fort worth inc. rita hale x133 account executive patrick mccune x158 senior production manager michelle mcghee x116 MARKETING director of digital robby kyser marketing manager corinn crippin events and promotions consultant victoria albrecht CORPORATE chief financial officer charles newton operations manager kaitlyn lisenby founding publisher mark hulme CONTACT US main line 817.560.6111 subscriptions customerservice@fwtexas.com

CORRECTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas.com. DIGITAL EDITION: The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.

Fort Worth Magazine (ISSN 1536-8939) is published monthly by Panther City Media Group, LP, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, TX 76116. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fort Worth, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to Panther City Media Group, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, TX 76116. Volume 29, Number 8, August 2026. Basic Subscription price: $29.95 per year. Single copy price: $4.99

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MORE TO THE STORIES

EMAILS WORTH OPENING

Newsletters with all the wheat and none of the chaff

THE EVER-EXPANDING ELVIS — STORY, THAT IS

The Roundup: Stay in the know as our editors wrangle the week’s best stories about the people, places, and ideas shaping Fort Worth. Delivered Thursdays

FWTX.com/culture/elvisff

When it came to recapping Elvis Presley’s string of noteworthy visits to Fort Worth, three pages weren’t nearly enough for writer Michael H. Price. While you can read a condensed version of the story beginning on Page 24, Price’s original epic — which clocked in at over 3,800 words — is currently live on FWTX.com. If you enjoy a long read, we promise you’ll learn a thing or two about the King and his effect on Cowtown culture.

Chowtown: From barbecue to burgers and beyond, our weekly dining digest serves up fresh and original stories for Fort Worth foodies. Delivered Fridays Visit FWTX.com/newsletters or scan the QR code below to sign up for Fort Worth’s best local newsletters.

FOR THE GRAM

Where the city looks as good as it reads

CAPTURING THE CUP

FWTX.com/culture/world-cup-photos

With our neighbor Arlington playing host to a record nine games during the 2026 World Cup — and Cowtown receiving visitors from across the globe — we asked our readers to submit photos from the historic occasion. The payoff? A chance to get featured in print. You can flip to Pages 14 and 96 to see some of our favorite shots, or you can scroll through all reader-submitted images at FWTX.com. Thank you to all who participated! COULD YOU BEAT AN FFA QUIZ BOWLER?

The Cultural District’s Bowie House honored our nation’s 250th birthday with one doggone crazy offer: a $250 hot dog featuring a pureed blend of premium Wagyu beef topped off with Osetra Reserve Caviar. Comin’ Up: On Aug. 15, the Bill Pickett Championship Rodeo makes its way to the Cowtown Coliseum for the fourth time this year. This marks the series’ penultimate event before the Bill Pickett National Finals in Washington, D.C. Keep your eyes peeled for exclusive bull riding and bronc busting content on Instagram. Follow our Instagram @FWTXmag.

HOSTING AN EVENT? Whether you’re putting on a concert, comedy show, or pop-up market, if it’s a public affair, publishing your event on FWTX.com is a great way to get the word out and draw a crowd. And it’s dang easy to do. Visit FWTX.com/events to submit your event.

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

FWTX.com/culture/texas-ffa-convention-quiz-bowl

The magazine’s new associate editor, Kenzie Johnson, attended this year’s Texas FFA Convention on July 8 and sat in on a Quiz Bowl — the high school agricultural organization’s “Jeopardy!”-style competition. The gathering marked the final FFA event hosted at the Fort Worth Convention Center as we know it — the center’s famous flying saucer is scheduled for demolition in early 2027. You can read Johnson’s full recap and see how you would fare in an FFA Quiz Bowl at FWTX.com. A LAUGHING SHANE

FWTX.com/culture/shane-mcanally-comedy

With an unprecedented 50 chart-topping songs to his name and coming off New York Times Magazine naming him one of “The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters,” Mineral Wells native Shane McAnally has taken quite the left turn by trying his hand at stand-up comedy. The country songwriter performed two shows at Tannahill’s Music Hall & Lounge on July 23 and 24. Before his shows, we caught up with McAnally over the phone, and you can read the full Q&A at FWTX.com.

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AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

THE FORT PEOPLE TO KNOW THINGS TO DO PLACES TO GO

FORT WORTHIAN

Fort Worth singersongwriter Matthew McNeal’s years of hard work paid off with the inaugural Jambaloo Music Prize for his acclaimed album HIGHLONESOME.

WHAT WE’RE WRITING ABOUT THIS MONTH:

On Page 12: Two Fort Worth entrepreneurs are bringing competitive rankings to America’s Mahjong boom. On Page 16: What would teetotaler Susan B. Anthony think about Lil Wayne coming to Dickies Arena? On Page 20: Escape the Texas heat in Fort Davis. On Page 24: Elvis Presley’s electrifying Fort Worth performances sparked a cultural revolution in Cowtown. Uh-huh-huh! On Page 28: Long before Racehorse Haynes, Fort Worth had a legendary courtroom champion.

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

THE FORT

by John Henry

CITY DWELLER

Got Mahj?

Hopping on the increasingly popular Mahjong train, two Fort Worth entrepreneurs have created a leaderboard platform to track player rankings of the centuries-old game.

visit to the neighborhood tavern this spring awakened my curiosity. Two ladies, sipping adult beverages, sat at a patio table, studying a board game I didn’t recognize as they pondered their next move. What, pray tell, had I walked in on? Mahjong, that’s what. I try to stay out of the loop where I can — it’s safer there. However, in this safe place, one will miss things, like, for example, this tile-based game that originated in China in the 19th century and is enjoying an American cultural moment. And two Fort Worth entrepreneurs — and serious Mahjong aficionados — are taking steps to grow the American Mahjong community further. The American Mahjong Ranking (AMR) Authority, founded by Bethany Factor and Amanda Wolsey, co-owners

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of Fort Worth’s The Mahj Clubhouse, is the organization behind the first official worldwide ranking system for American Mahjong. Through a mobile app for iOS, the platform provides a standardized framework for ranked play, connecting players, clubs, leagues, instructors, and facilities within a unified competitive system. Factor and Wolsey are trying to do for American Mahjong what organizations such as the USTA have done for tennis or the DUPR system has done for pickleball: create a common language for competition that encourages participation, improves matchmaking, and helps the game grow. “You want to play with the people that you’re most competitive with and that aren’t going to just kill you and then aren’t going to slow you down,”

Factor says. “Everyone wants to play with their level, and it just brings out the competitiveness. You want to learn and have a new strategy to kind of move up the ranking.” If you’re a golfer, tennis player, or pickleballer, you understand the concept. One wants to play with people who are on their competitive level. I’d love to play with Scottie Scheffler just to say I did, but I’d have no reasonable expectation of keeping up with him. Scheffler, likewise, doesn’t want to walk 18 with a rank amateur — emphasis on “rank” — like me. I wouldn’t push him to play better. That’s the design of the rankings. You can see who you match up with best. “In our facility we saw the frustration of a seasoned player sitting down with a table of new players or, kind of the reverse, the anxiety that was produced from someone sitting down as a new player with a table of advanced players,” Wolsey says. “And we just thought that there needed to be a fair and consistent way to rank players to alleviate some of that frustration for the game.” American Mahjong has experienced a resurgence in recent years, fueled as much by organized competition as by its growing appeal as a social activity. The game has attracted younger players through social media and boutique brands, gained momentum during the pandemic, and expanded through beginner classes, leagues, and online learning tools. In DFW, Mahjong groups have multiplied at country clubs, community centers, libraries, coffee shops, and private homes, reflecting the game’s evolution into a recurring social pastime with an increasingly diverse player base. “The game itself excites all your senses,” Wolsey says. “You play with beautiful sets and beautiful materials, and then the way that the tiles feel, the way that they sound while you’re mixing them up, just the whole experience is very tactile. And then the game itself is community-building. There’s a whole community that revolves around this game, and you have to play with people in person.”

The AMR Authority app serves as the backbone of the ranking system. After an in-person game, one player enters the results into the app, where they must be verified by two other players at the table. The verified scores are then processed through an Elo-style algorithm — similar to rating systems used in tennis and pickleball — to generate real-time player rankings and leaderboards. The app also allows users to track performance, discover clubs and tournaments, and connect with instructors and other players. With the new rankings, Factor and Wolsey believe they are building the lasting framework Mahjong needs “to evolve into a modern competitive powerhouse while staying true to its roots.” Founded in New York City in 1937, the National Mah Jongg League standardized the rules of American Mahjong and publishes the official annual card of winning hands used by most players, clubs, and tournaments today. Its biggest responsibility is publishing the official annual National Mah Jongg League card, commonly known simply as “the card.” Each year, the league releases a new card containing the legal winning hands for that season. Players purchase the card annually because it changes from year to year, requiring players to adapt their strategies. Today, the NMJL has hundreds of thousands of members, and its annual card is considered the authoritative standard for American Mahjong. Factor says the company’s goal is to establish AMR Authority as the trusted, go-to platform for American Mahjong rankings while expanding its business through tournament management software, advertising, and other revenue streams. “We’re building the framework for competitive Mahjong,” Wosley says. “Whether you want to play in tournaments and own the title for truly being the best in American Mahjong, or if you want the bragging rights within your group, regardless of how that looks in your own life, we are building the framework for it.”

Mr. Stewart Goes to Cowtown

The upcoming James Stewart biopic, “Jimmy,” will have its world premiere on opening night at the Lone Star Film Festival in November, which would make Mr. Bailey proud. By Brian Kendall

ne has to wonder how the man who made George Bailey one of cinema’s most endearing characters has gone this long without becoming the subject of a biopic. We can only speculate that finding an actor to capture Jimmy Stewart’s distinct slow drawl and unpolished swagger was the major sticking point. Well, it appears the powers that be have finally found their Jimmy Stewart in New Zealander KJ Apa for the upcoming biopic “Jimmy,” which will make its world premiere at Fort Worth’s Lone Star Film Festival this November. According to a press release, the film follows Stewart’s service as a bomber pilot during World War II and how the experience shaped his role as Bailey in the 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life” — “the iconic role that saved him,” as written on the upcoming movie’s official website. Directed and produced by Aaron Burns and his production company, Burns & Co. Entertainment, the film will receive its wide release Nov. 6, two days after kicking off the 20th edition of the Lone Star Film Festival Nov. 4. Fort Worth’s Papaian Studio is set to host the world premiere, whose founder, Hien Papaian, also serves as one of the film’s executive producers. The studio is also leading the biopic’s veteran charity campaign, teaming with Commerce Casino to donate $1 million to purchase tickets so active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and their families can view the film for free. “Great storytelling matters. The right message matters even more,” Papaian said in the press release. “Fort Worth has a special meaning to the Stewart

family, and with Burns & Co. Entertainment, we hope to honor Jimmy’s legacy, celebrate his service, and remember his life of resilience, kindness, and achievement in film and as part of the American story.” Having been a frequent visitor to and ambassador of Fort Worth — even appearing in a 1977 advertising campaign that first coined the nickname “The Unexpected City,” a moniker Visit Fort Worth is now revisiting — Stewart is firmly in the category of adopted Fort Worthian. Like his frequent co-star John Wayne, he had a sincere affinity for this town, which makes the site of the premiere even more apropos. “There’s something fitting about premiering ‘Jimmy’ here, in a town Stewart genuinely loved,” said Chad Matthews, executive director of Lone Star Film Festival, in a press release. “Jimmy Stewart would certainly have relished a festival premiere in a city he held such affection for.”

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

THE FORT

CITY DWELLER

Fútbol Fever Hits Fort Worth

Fan images from the 2026 World Cup, where Arlington hosted nine matches and Fort Worth embraced the beautiful game.

Photo by Eva Bonilla

Photo by Ward Sullivan

Photo by Richard Rodriguez

Photo by Liz Nauwelaers

Photo by Jeannie Gonzalez Jaffe

Photo by Lindsey Dixon

Photo by Eric Vickers

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Photo by Beatriz Rodriguez

Photo by Cassie Ortiz

Around Cowtown in 8 Seconds A smattering of things you might’ve missed

1. Adios and Au Revoir, World Cup: After hosting nine matches — including what we contend was the de facto World Cup Final between Spain and France — AT&T Stadium saw a total attendance of 631,843 fans who generated an estimated $160 million in economic impact for the city. 2. Nausea-Prone Take Heed: The recently opened rollercoaster Tormenta: Rampage Run at Arlington’s Six Flags Over Texas shatters six world records, including tallest dive coaster (at 309 feet), fastest dive coaster (at 87 miles per hour), and longest diver coaster (at 4,199 feet). 3. Guiding Principals: As the 2026-27 school year approaches — and the state government’s shakeup of Fort Worth ISD continues — the school district names new principals at 40% of its campuses. With 48 positions filled at press time, 25 have been external hires. 4. First Exposure: The Kimbell Art Museum is celebrating the bicentennial of photography’s invention by partnering with France’s national library in Paris to host its first-ever photography exhibition, which will include 150 archived photographs from the medium’s first century. 5. Artificial Flashdance: According to social media posts — and a spokesperson for the FBI —a law enforcement raid occurred at Fort Worth adult entertainment business Flash Dancer Cabaret with no further details provided. But the business says the raid never happened, and the photos were AI-generated. 6. Frisco in Fort Worth: The Wedgwood Village business center recently transformed into a set for the Taylor Sheridan-produced “Frisco King,” which stars Hollywood icon Samuel L. Jackson in the title role. Businesses maintained access to their properties, but the four-day shoot caused several street closures nearby. 7. A Hole New Tenant: A premier property in the West 7th district snags a new resident with The Dirdie Birdie, a full-service bar and restaurant that features a 12-hole miniature golf course. This marks the Austin-based concept’s first foray outside of the capital city. 8. Passion Pursuers: According to a Squarespace-conducted study, Fort Worth ranks among the best cities in the nation for pursuing passion projects — i.e., creative side hustles, freelance work, and personal interests. With lack of state income tax playing a role, nine other Texas cities cracked the top 20.

CALENDAR

August 7

Marco Antonio Solís This influential Latin musician has embarked on another stateside tour in his decades-spanning career, billed the “Tour Gratitud 2026.” Fluency in Spanish is certainly not required, but an appreciation for its romantic ballads and Solís’ vibratoheavy vocals is a must. Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com

12-30

‘The Cottage’ The closest thing to “Desperate Housewives,” set in 1923 England, “The Cottage” is centered on the relationships, secrets, and intentionally absurd, fastpaced dialogue every modern farce should have. Stage West Theatre stagewest.org

‘Suffs’

There are few names hotter in country music right now than Ella Langley, who took home a whopping seven trophies at this year’s ACM Awards. And she’s bringing her ACM Single of the Year, “You Look Like You Love Me,” to Dickies Arena on “The Dandelion Tour.” Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com

For one night only, Casa Mañana is hosting a concert-style tribute to Elton John. On the heels of a successful run at the neighboring Reid Cabaret Theatre, live bands and vocalists bring his music to life in this highly anticipated production. Casa Mañana Theatre casamanana.org

Ella Langley

15-Jan. 3

The Statue of Liberty from Bartholdi to Warhol The Carter is unveiling a new exhibition running through early January in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. The gallery features work from more than 70 artists, centered on the Statue of Liberty through prints, photographs, and drawings. Amon Carter Museum of American Art cartermuseum.org

Aug. 4-9

Coincidentally, the creator of this Broadway musical about the American women’s suffrage movement made Tony Awards history as the first woman to win both Best Book and Best Score in the same season. And a trip to Bass Hall this month tells you why. Bass Performance Hall basshall.com

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The Music of Elton John

Stars of the Symphony The Fort Worth Symphony’s “Stars of the Symphony” concert returns to Bass Hall, once again showcasing the extraordinary individual talents of symphony musicians as they step beyond the orchestra to perform as soloists and featured artists in an evening of timeless classical music. Bass Performance Hall basshall.com

21-23

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents The Greatest Show On Earth In case you haven’t heard, a circus is rolling into town this month. Titled “The Greatest Show On Earth,” this familyfriendly spectacle puts you front and center of impressive airborne feats, featuring human acrobats, aerial performers, and BMX stunt riders. Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com

Lil Wayne Lil Wayne is heading to Fort Worth — though don’t expect him in a cowboy hat. You can, however, expect the rap veteran to supply concertgoers with many of his Grammy-winning hits, alongside a guest appearance from 2 Chainz on his North American tour. Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com

28-29

Charley Crockett Texas-born singer-songwriter Charley Crockett has got a firm grasp on the folky blues and honky-tonk tunes we often admire around these parts — which he’ll have in tow as he takes the stage at Billy Bob’s Texas for two consecutive evenings. Billy Bob’s Texas billybobstexas.com

photos provided by Stage West Theatre // Bass Performance Hall - Joan Marcus // Amon Carter Museum of American Art // Dickies Arena

THE FORT

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THE FORT FORT WORTHIAN

Matthew McNeal

Musician

By Brian Kendall Photo by Asia Eidson

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1. The light of my life, my wife Emily. 2. I was doing some production work for Ryan Bingham’s camp. I got to sit in and play some songs with them alongside the great Vincent Neil Emerson. 3. With my mom after singing the national anthem for the American Rodeo. 4. The backyard, one of my favorite places on earth. 5. Tintype photo shortly after our set performing at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion. 6. Emily recently graduated with her master’s degree, and I couldn’t be prouder. 7. Dickies Arena with some of my best friends celebrating Leon Bridges’ biggest Fort Worth show.

n June 6, Matthew McNeal walked onto a stage in front of a packed crowd — something to which the local singer-songwriter has no doubt become accustomed. But unlike the previous times he stood in the spotlight, McNeal carried no guitar and wasn’t set to croon into a microphone. Instead, the mustachioed Fort Worthian, clad in a cowboy hat and botanical-patterned zip-up, strutted onto the dais of the Longhorn Ballroom and collected a $20,000 check and trophy, which includes a future studio recording session with Grammy winner Tre Nagella — one of the industry’s most sought-after producers. All these goodies — quite the haul for a local musician — were McNeal’s reward for winning the first-ever Jambaloo Music Prize, which honors the best album released by a DFW artist in the past year. Jambaloo, part of the Mullen and Mullen Music Project founded by Dallas law firm Mullen and Mullen, is an eight-day, free-admission music festival that showcases area artists across 15 metroplex venues. This year marked the festival’s second, but it’s the first year of the music prize. McNeal’s winning album, 2025’s HIGHLONESOME, is the singer’s fifth full-length effort and an absolute feast for Americana-loving ears. In other words, in the opinion of this writer, it sounds like a breakthrough. And the voting public, who ultimately decided the competition’s winner, clearly agrees. “It’s not only the music prize or the money or the studio time that’s amazing,” McNeal says of the honor. “It’s also the platform that it gives you — you can be a hometown hero or an indie darling to a degree in your community. It’s stuff like larger publications taking notice and being, like, ‘Oh, shit, this [music] is cool.’” And here we are. If you’re a local music fan, chances are McNeal has crossed your radar; he’s one of the most ubiquitous and hardest working musicians in town. And it’s not just gigs at local venues like Tulips, The Post, and Magnolia Motor Lounge that will have you say-

ing, “I think I’ve seen that guy.” When it comes to community involvement, describing McNeal as active is an understatement. “I’ve always made a point to see what’s going on at the local level with music venues,” McNeal says. “But a creative community is more than just venues. It’s venues, it’s print shops, it’s art galleries, it’s coffee shops — all these creative spaces. I think they all kind of go hand in hand when cultivating a community. I try to be an advocate for Fort Worth. But also, I don’t know, I like cool shit to happen in the community.” McNeal grew up in Terrell, a town of 17,000 just east of Dallas, where he picked up music early and started playing in bands in high school. But, despite his east metroplex roots, as he puts it, he got to Fort Worth as quickly as he could. “I saw Fort Worth as the next frontier,” McNeal says. “I was like, ‘I think this is a creative hub.’” McNeal did go to college, attending free of charge thanks to grants and scholarships, and received a degree in marketing rather than music because he “wanted to figure out how to exist in this world.” But antsy to kick off his career in music, he graduated early and started touring relentlessly, booking 150 shows per year, coast to coast. This was the status quo until COVID hit, when McNeal settled into a new and rewarding chapter in his home base. “I was relatively new to Fort Worth and definitely a part of the scene, but I did things in a reverse order,” McNeal says. “A lot of bands will play locally and then go out and tour. I was like, ‘Well, I want to go out and learn and grow and cut my teeth and then bring all of that back home.’” McNeal still tours, though he spends more time in Fort Worth these days — he’s been married to his wife, Emily, since 2019 — and says he’s content with the life he’s carved out here. And come hell or high water, he’ll keep doing what he’s always done. “We’ve put out five studio records — there’s going to be 50 of them. There’s no stopping regardless of where it goes.”

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

T H E F O R T S TAT E L I N E S

by Shilo Urban

Fort Davis, Texas Population: 879

s the rest of Texas swelters, broils, and boils, Fort Davis is blessedly cool. Summer days in this way-out Western town are 10 to 20 degrees cooler than in Fort Worth, and nights get genuinely chilly, into the 50s and low 60s. Fort Davis’ secret is its 5,000-foot elevation, which makes it an almost-mile-high city — and highlights the panoramic mountain views that pull in travelers from near and far.

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This Far West region of Texas — the Trans-Pecos — is unique in the state, an arid desert landscape as remote as it is rugged. Squint your eyes and you could almost believe that you’re in New Mexico or Arizona, with the dramatic drives, low-slung adobe buildings, and high mountain scenery. Fort Davis is surrounded by the rugged volcanic peaks and cinematic rock formations of the Davis

Mountains, and the stars in these inky dark skies shine brighter than almost anywhere else. Nowhere is that truer than at McDonald Observatory, situated 19 miles from Fort Davis and 6,800 feet above sea level. Home to the world’s third-largest telescope, along with many others, this mountaintop enclave is one of the planet’s most advanced astronomical research facilities. It’s also hugely focused on public education, and travelers will find a welcome reception. By day, you can take a guided shuttle bus tour of the giant telescopes, sign up for solar viewing programs, and explore exhibits on exploding stars and supermassive black holes. But the real fun begins after dark at the observatory’s famous star parties. Tour the cosmos from the outdoor amphitheater as an astronomer points out constellations and planets with a laser, then look through telescopes at the moon, colorful nebulae, and distant galaxies in the Milky Way — which means you’re literally looking millions of light-years back in time. The Milky Way must also have captured the attention of the soldiers once stationed at Fort Davis, an active military base between 1854 and 1891. Now protected as Fort Davis National Historic Site, it’s The Indian Lodge near Fort Davis

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T H E F O R T S TAT E L I N E S

one of the best-preserved frontier forts in America. With restored barracks, authentic artifacts, and living history events, it provides a fantastic feel for daily life on the frontier. Cavalry men, including the famed Buffalo Soldiers, patrolled trade routes and protected travelers — and simply tried to survive in the unforgiving landscape. The sense of isolation they encountered is still palpable at the fort, a lonely outpost ensconced in the mountains. Walk the parade grounds, peek inside the officers’ quarters, and imagine what it was like being a soldier when the frontier was still wild and the nearest signs of civilization were 200 miles away. Today, civilization is right around the corner in the artsy, outdoorsy town of Fort Davis, an underrated West Texas gem where you might need to pack a sweater — even in August.

McDonald Observatory

View of the ruins of one of the officers’ quarters on Officers’ Row

Fort Davis National Historic Site stone ruins

Antique military quartermaster-style, cast-iron freestanding end beds lined the long wall of the enlisted men’s barracks

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Jeff Davis County Courthouse

Explore Fort Davis Savor: Located at the revamped Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park, Black Bear is the only restaurant operated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. But its true claim to fame is its buffet breakfast, a hearty start to a day on the trails. For lunch, the new Buffalo Bentley’s (in a converted green school bus) has hefty burgers on hot grilled buns. Pull up a picnic table and savor the mountain views. Another newcomer, Rock N Raul’s Smokehouse, revives the legacy of legendary local pitmaster Raul Dominguez (the new owner’s great-uncle) using Raul’s original concrete pit and recipes. Homemade bread, salsa verde, and shredded potato cakes pair well with the succulent smoked brisket. Come dinnertime, the back patio at Blue Mountain Bar & Grill serves up sophisticated eats, smart cocktails, and the best wine game in town. Shop: Most shops stretch along State Street, a quaint and pleasant stroll. Start on the northern end at Davis Mountain Rock Shop to pick up fossils, sparkly minerals, and gemladen geodes (they’ll cut yours open in the back). Find pecans in fun flavors (like orange twang and key lime) at Davis Mountains Nut Company, then fill the rest of your picnic basket at Stone Village Market — a smallbut-mighty natural foods store with a scratch-kitchen deli. Stock up on artisanal charcuterie, West Texas craft beers, and nitrogen-infused Big Bend Roasters Coffee. Continue walking south to browse offbeat handicrafts at BeaTea.K and rusty crosses at The Rusty Cross. Drop into Limpia Creek Hats for a custom cowboy number, then finish your stroll among the retro Western kitsch and Fort Davis souvenirs at Javelinas and Hollyhocks. Enjoy: Hiking trails in Davis Mountains State Park travel through lush vegetation and lava rock wonders to far-reaching vistas of valleys and peaks. You can see some of the splendor by driving the 74-mile Davis Mountains Scenic Loop that begins and ends in Fort Davis. Building-size boulders, craggy cliffs, and fragrant grasslands bring the wow factor all along the way, so pack a picnic and plan on plenty of stops. Back in town, wet your whistle and watch the

sunset from the patio at Sky Island Tap Room, a casual beer garden with outdoor games. Or hit up The Rendezvous, which just opened last year as a music venue and pizza parlor with pickleball and cornhole. Snooze: Reopened in 2025 after a $3.5 million renovation, Indian Lodge is a starkly beautiful pueblo-style getaway with white adobe walls, a turquoise swimming pool, and hacienda vibes. It was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, who also handcrafted the pine log ceilings and cedar furniture. And since it’s inside Davis Mountains State Park, you’ll wake up to piñon-scented scenery and trails outside your door. Back in town, Hotel Limpia is also a real-deal historic hotel built in 1912 from local rock. It has a pool and a fireplace lounge, but most guests come for the shaded verandas, rocking chair-lined porches, and quiet garden courtyard. If you want frontier ambiance, book the rustic, wood-paneled Harvard Hotel or head out to Prude Ranch for trail rides and chuckwagon meals.

How to Get There: It’s a long way to Fort Davis, but the directions are easy: There’s only one turn. Head west from Fort Worth on Interstate 20 for almost 400 miles. When you reach Pecos, turn south onto TX-17 and continue for 73 miles to Fort Davis. Prepare for a good day’s drive: seven hours, not counting any stops.

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T H E F O R T C O W H A N D C U LT U R E : T H E L A R G E R - T H A N - L I F E C H A R A C T E R S O F O U R C I T Y

by Michael H. Price

When the King Came to Cowtown

Mirroring his effect on the rest of the Western world after Elvis Presley’s string of Fort Worth shows in the mid-1950s, the city’s culture was never quite the same.

ass hysteria gripped the crowd,” wrote ace journalist Elston Brooks in April of 1956. Brooks wrote of the fourth engagement in Fort Worth since 1955 for Elvis Presley. Presley’s earlier appearances in Cowtown had met with journalistic indifference. Presley had traveled at first within a camouflaging context of down-home

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

countrified music. In January, Brooks’ Star-Telegram column had dismissed Presley as a “bop-country music exponent.” The phrase was typical of the dumbfounded bluffs of journalists who struggled to put a handle on the style. Such terms as bop and rock ’n’ roll would cross over gradually from the Black sector. Presley’s handlers would

attempt to define him as a folk-music artist. On the other hand, Presley saw himself billed as “the Hillbilly Cat,” a hint of R&B with a country twang. Elston Brooks (1930-1991) would remain a favorite with the Star-Telegram’s readers. I inherited Brooks’ services when I became the Telegram’s features editor in 1984. His Presley coverage of 1956 had impressed me as more than fannish blathering. I asked him in 1985 how he had chosen that straightforward journalistic approach in response to a gathering craze. “Took a cue from Patsy Dinan, there at your old paper,” Brooks answered, citing that writer’s unintentionally provocative Presley coverage in 1955 for my hometown newspaper, the Daily News & Globe-Times of Amarillo. Presley’s early touring circuit included a logical route between Amarillo and Fort Worth. Dinan, as the News & Globe’s entertainment editor, had beaten the Star-Telegram into print with a level-headed, documentary-like appraisal of Elvis Presley. Early Texas Coverage Dinan’s Oct. 9, 1955, article announced a show at Amarillo Municipal Auditorium by “the 20-year-old ‘King of Western Bop.’ Presley has gained fame through his combination of folk music spiced with a rock ’n’ roll beat... [and] the ‘cool cat’ type of dress rather than Western apparel...” Dinan (later bylined as Patsy Masterman, 1927-2017) wound up as a political reporter on my 1970s News & Globe staff when I became city editor at Amarillo. I triggered a memory, once, when I mentioned her coverage of Elvis Presley. “Oh, that sweet, innocent boy!” Patsy said. “Good-hearted as you please…, although one of his answers to a question of mine turned out to be more candid and natural than his management would have preferred.” She was talking about a quotation that served accidentally to reinforce a reactionary belief that Presley represented some threat. On April 13, 1956, at Amarillo, Dinan asked Presley if he

photos courtesy of Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection at the University of Texas at Arlington

Elvis Presley, 21, performing at Fort Worth’s Northside Coliseum in April 1956.

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planned to marry. The singer replied with an old-time country-folks saying: “Why buy a cow when you can get milk through the fence?” said Presley. Added Patsy Dinan Masterman in 1977: “I should never have allowed that quip to slip into my article… A lot of pusillanimous jerks took it, like, ‘Here comes Elvis! Lock up your daughters!’”

A bit more from Patsy’s 1956 article: “A sleepy-eyed ex-truck driver undulated sensually against a stage microphone — and thousands of teenagers rocked, rolled, shrieked, and squealed... The soprano wails of delight rose the minute he appeared. “… The air-raid siren scream of the crowd heightened as Presley’s bumps and grinds grew more frantic...

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

After the Show: “I Think Someone’s after Me” Patsy Dinan’s coverage moved offstage: “A near-riot mushroomed at the stage door.” The article continued: “He finally appeared… The girls gave out a scream… Presley even signed some of the girls’ hands — another thrill. The stage-door throng had already trampled the hoods of a couple of Cadillacs... Then they started to trample each other... “Presley wandered around backstage — restless. He limps, he explained, because he ‘kicked a table in the middle of the night, while I was asleep.’” Patsy Dinan asked at this point: “You walk in your sleep, Elvis?” Presley’s reply: “‘Yeah, man, I go to sleep thinking about something — and, man, I wake up swinging,’ he said, flailing his fists. ‘You know, I think someone’s after me.’” It develops that someone was in fact after Elvis Presley and already had captured him: His keeper, Col. Tom Parker (a bogus rank, coupled with a pseudonym), would prove to be more a parasitic attachment than a manager. The Star-Telegram Follows Through, in Due Time A week later, on April 20, 1956, Elston Brooks weighed in with a front-page Star-Telegram report: “A throng of teen-aged girls sobbed and snarled at police who kept them away from the parking lot. ‘Elvis, we love you!’ they screamed as the star sat in his Cadillac waiting for the guitars to be loaded. As police led the Presley car away, a mother with four teenage girls in her car gunned after the vehicle. “Presley … will make $500,000 this year, his agent said. He has two records in the Top 10, has just signed a movie contract, and soon will get $20,000 for 14 days in a Las Vegas nightspot. “The attraction that has given him the boost apparently is hip movement that he has incorporated into his rock ’n’ roll singing. It provoked the feeling in the majority of the 7,000 fans at Presley’s two shows Friday night.”

After interviewing Presley, Brooks wrote: “Presley, who doesn’t smoke or drink but says he does like to ride a motorcycle ..., has three Cadillacs. He drove one of them to the coliseum Friday night from the Westbrook Hotel, where he was staying. “‘It ran out of gas on North Main, and I had to walk for some,’ he laughed. ‘Almost missed the show.’” The Long Road Back A lesser Presley appearance in Fort Worth caught Presley passing through by train in January of 1958, en route to a Hollywood assignment for a film called “King Creole.” He soon would begin a career-interrupting hitch with the Army. A brief article in the Star-Telegram quoted Presley as finding military duty as “not all that bad. I’m just thankful they didn’t take me last year when I was getting established. I’m not asking for any special favors.” Presley’s return from uniformed duty would find his artistry in need of rejuvenation. During 1968-1972, Presley had restored his ferocity as a performer, though with more elaborate orchestrations and flashier costuming. A June 19, 1972, review by entertainment columnist Jack Douglas, of the Fort Worth Press, captured an essence of Presley’s return to Cowtown: “Elvis Presley, the one and only Mr. Wonderful to his enormous army of worshippers …, packed a record 14,122 persons into the Tarrant County Convention Center Arena last night. “And judging from audience reaction, you better believe it — whatever this sexy Memphis boy ever had, he’s still got it, only more so with maturity. “The singer recalled his last performance in Fort Worth in 1956 — and in memory of it, he sang a song he did that night 16 years ago. It was ‘Hound Dog.’ However, Elvis skipped the pelvic gyrations that were his trademark earlier in his career. He apologized for that. He’s older now: ‘Wouldn’t want to strip my gears.’ “An interview with Elvis? No way, said Presley’s longtime manager, Col. Tom Parker. As a recluse, Presley

could give hideaway lessons to Howard Hughes. “Presley’s communication with his audience ... is fantastic,” the Press notice closed. Many of the ladies actually reached out their arms for him... Turning on the ladies the mostest was Elvis’ tender rendition of ‘For the Good Times.’ Smashing was his finale of ‘Dixie’ and ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’” Final Complications A final Amarillo show in 1974 found Presley in command of his artistry while in the spotlight, defying girth and gravity and indulging his preferences for the blues, including Chuck Willis’ “Feel So Bad,” and for such soul-ballad rave-ups as Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.” I had lodged a formal request to interview the artist, given my News & Globe credentials, but at the appointed hour I received the bum’s rush from two of his burlier mobster-type handlers, guys wearing size-60 jackets and size-5 hats. I wrote about that frustrating nonencounter in the next morning’s editions. The article prompted a surprising telephone call from Presley, his ownself, who suggested that he and I might meet that afternoon on condition that our conversation go unpublished: “Can’t give Col. Parker any more reasons to get all bent outta shape with me,” Presley said. The unofficial visit took place in an ordinary suite at Amarillo’s Villa Inn motor lodge, where the entourage was housed. Presley said cryptically, “I sent my bodyguards off on a wild-goose chase.” Presley appeared deflated, but he proved candid in likening himself to being “caught in a trap.” Little was discussed beyond that weary state of mind, and we parted ways with a handshake and an off-the-record agreement. So it remains, barring this slight disclosure. Not much to talk about when one feels imprisoned and alone. The death three years later of Elvis Presley caught the planet off-

According to Elston Brooks of the Star-Telegram, following the show, “A throng of teen-aged girls sobbed and snarled at police who kept them away from the parking lot. ‘Elvis, we love you!’ they screamed as the star sat in his Cadillac waiting for the guitars to be loaded.”

guard, even though his decline had been self-evident since the middle 1970s. My morning-paper staff at the since-conjoined Amarillo Globe-News papers braced itself to look back upon Presley’s deeper history with the city, and Patsy Dinan Masterman — still on newsroom duty — prepared to revisit her unintentionally controversial primary-source coverage of the singer’s ascent. The copy desk reserved a hunk of the next day’s front page, Aug. 17, 1977, for the occasion. An obstacle arose from an upstart novice manager. This individual had been installed from out-of-state by the paper’s newer corporate ownership, no longer local and therefore ill-attuned, like some colonial missionary cult imposing upon the native culture. The imported chief argued, “Why should we devote banner headlines to a has-been?” The pushback from the staff was emphatic. I replied, “All due respect, there, boss, but Elvis Presley is too big a presence for an inside-page obitu-

ary. You may not have been here long enough to remember, but Mr. Presley owes much of his career to this city, and it is our duty to send him off in high style, has-been or not.” “Need I remind you that I am the executive editor, here?” he huffed. “And need I remind you that I have prior claim on this city?” I said. “I mean, as a native and as a tenured local-news editor? I have the interests of the city, and of our staff, to honor. If you want to embarrass the profession, then just go right on ahead and bury Elvis Presley on an inside page. “Anyhow, I’ll ask you to remember that I am not here in an advisory capacity.” No telling which did the trick, whether my argument or the intimations of a staff rebellion. At any rate, the death of Elvis Presley dominated the front page in Amarillo, and everywhere else. Mission accomplished.

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

THE FORT

by John Henry

T H E R E V E R I E : M U S I N G S , C O M M E N TA RY, A N D I N S I G H T S

Fort Worth Had a ‘Racehorse’ in the Stable

his month marks the 50th anniversary of the murders at the Cullen Davis mansion, one of the most sensational crimes in Fort Worth history. The drama played out in an Amarillo courtroom, with Davis ultimately being acquitted. Decades before, it was a Shakespearean tragedy from Amarillo that played out in Fort Worth. The Boyce-Sneed Feud remains one of the strangest and most sensational murder sagas in Texas history — a combustible mix of hubris, jealousy, greed, hypocrisy, delusion, and vengeance that culminated on a Fort Worth stage in 1912. The notorious Cullen Davis affair was relatively small-time compared with the feud involving three Texas Panhandle families who, by way of circumstance, found themselves in Fort Worth for its climactic act. John Beal Sneed, Al Boyce Jr., and Lena Snyder all grew up in and around Georgetown, where their families helped found Southwestern University. Beal graduated there before earning his law degree at the University of Texas. The families later followed the cattle and land business to the Panhandle. Beal and Lena married, while Al Boyce Jr. lived nearby in Amarillo. You don’t have to be well-read in prime-time soaps to know where this is headed. Lena and Al began a passionate affair while Beal was frequently away on business. Author Bill Neal chronicles the tragedy in Vengeance Is Mine, an outstanding account of the case. Bent on punishing his wife, Beal had Lena committed to Arlington Heights Sanitarium in Fort Worth through a

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dubious, nonjudicial process, claiming she was “morally insane.” After Lena and Al fled together to Winnipeg, Canada, Beal returned her to the sanitarium. At the same time, Al’s father, Al Boyce Sr. was in Fort Worth lobbying prosecutors to drop charges Beal had urged against his son, including theft of Lena’s jewelry and even a federal “white slavery” allegation. The two men crossed paths at the Metropolitan Hotel, located near today’s JFK Tribute at Main Street. What happened next was heavily disputed. What is undisputed is that Beal shot Captain Boyce five times in the hotel lobby, killing him. The shooting launched two sensational murder trials in Tarrant County. Beal’s first Fort Worth trial ended in a mistrial, with suspicions that jurors had been bribed. Before the retrial, Beal hunted down and killed Al Boyce Jr. in Amarillo in September 1912. He was ultimately acquitted in Fort Worth for killing Boyce and later acquitted in Vernon for killing Al Jr. Perhaps the strangest footnote of all: Despite everything, Beal and Lena remained married until their deaths decades later. Beal never denied either killing. His greatest asset was his attorney, William P. “Bill” McLean II, one of the most formidable criminal defense lawyers Texas has ever produced. He was Beal’s Racehorse Haynes. During the two-year legal saga, McLean went 4-0: one mistrial, two acquittals for Beal, and an acquittal for Beal’s alleged accomplice. McLean was the son of William P.

McLean, the Fort Worth statesman for whom the city’s middle school is named. Bill McLean became synonymous with the Southwest’s biggest murder cases. By the time of his death in 1941, he had successfully defended 75 murder defendants during a 35-year career. His courtroom tactics were legendary — and often shocking. A telling example came during the Sneed trial when he aggressively cross-examined Annie Boyce, Captain Boyce’s widow. She testified that Lena was never insane, only nervous. McLean responded by portraying Al Boyce Jr. as someone who had disgraced his family by stealing another man’s wife, asking whether such a man belonged in an asylum or penitentiary. The questioning infuriated Al’s brother, who leaped toward McLean in court during the proceedings. McLean never argued that Beal was innocent. Instead, he appealed to what he called an unwritten natural law — that a man whose home had been destroyed was justified in killing those responsible. His closing argument left little doubt about that strategy. “Every time there is a home broken up, there ought to be a killing of all who assisted in it,” he told jurors. “When that’s done, homes won’t be broken up.” He warned jurors that if Beal were imprisoned, his children and property would fall into “the despoiler’s hands.” Finally, he invoked the image of Beal’s daughters praying in their white gowns before ending with a plea: “Gentlemen, let your verdict be, ‘We, the jury, declare that the homes of the country must and shall be protected.’” The argument resonated with three juries steeped in the Victorian values of the era. Winning is still everything in many courtrooms today, but the memorable closing lines of modern trials are Little League fastballs compared with what McLean was firing up there.

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F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

COWBOY COLLEGE

Tarleton State University’s nationally renowned rodeo program is where good cowboys become great ones. By Kenzie Johnson Photos by Olaf Growald

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IT’S

so crowded and loud in the arena that I have to crane my head and squint before responding to the photographer’s question. “Are there any Tarleton kids in this event I need to get shots of?” he asks. It’s a mid-April evening, and it seems all of Stephenville has funneled into the Doty Rodeo Complex for the event — an annual college rodeo hosted by Tarleton State University that marks the end of the regular rodeo season and determines which cowboys and cowgirls advance to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in a few months. I look over at Olaf, our photographer, who’s balancing his pricey lens on the back of a bucking shoot among a herd of rough stock riders in heavy chaps. “Yeah,” I say, peering around the arena. “There are several Tarleton girls you want to get in goat tying. I’ll point them out to you.” Spotting them isn’t difficult. Tarleton is the only school sporting purple vests, the backs embroidered with a large T centered inside the outline of Texas. I’d already made a list of the athletes expected to qualify for the CNFR and couldn’t help but notice the Tarleton goat tyer sitting first overall, Faith Lundberg, isn’t competing tonight. She’s instead shuffling among her fellow teammates who advanced to the final round, tending to their pre-run needs they’re fortunate enough to have. She had fumbled her run in an earlier go, costing herself a spot on the final night of Tarleton’s home rodeo despite one heck of a freshman season — such is the unforgiving nature of the sport. Though happy to cheer on her purple-vested peers who had fared well, Lundberg is anything but satisfied, even if having already won the region and securing a CNFR qualification. She wants to win, and she knows just the place to find redemption.

just shy of 80 miles southwest of Fort Worth. And while he drives one of the many dirt-specked duallies around town, his — wrapped from hood to hitch in Tarleton Rodeo’s purple logo — is arguably the most recognizable. After all, this is no ordinary desk job to which he’s commuting. “Did you always see yourself taking all this on, back when you yourself were once a student?” I ask Eakin. The head coach of Tarleton’s rodeo team — one of the winningest college rodeo programs in the country — is quiet for a moment before replying, “When I left here, I was in love with this place, even before we had all this. Coming back here was always something I strived for.” By “all this,” Eakin is referring to several things. Since the program’s inception in 1965, Tarleton Rodeo has captured 42 national championships at the CNFR, the national championship event held each June in Casper, Wyoming. And during Eakin’s 18 years as head coach, the program has claimed nearly half of them, including back-to-back overall team championships in 2024 and 2025. The title is awarded based on the combined points earned by the program’s men’s and women’s athletes. Most college rodeo programs are fortunate to field over 50 athletes on the team, let alone claim a dozen national titles. But Tarleton Rodeo’s biggest challenges involve making room on the wall for more championship plaques and having to turn away athletes each year when at risk of exceeding their team member cap. Procuring administration support is another hurdle for many rodeo programs. But at Tarleton, the university president flies himself and his family to the CNFR each year — typically the only president to do so. In football terms — a language more familiar to the average Texan — Tarleton Rodeo is equivalent to the Alabama Crimson Tide football program under Nick Saban, filled with the best coaches, recruits, and resources.

“We treat this as a true D1 sport,” Eakin says. “And it’s like no other in the entire nation.”

THE BUCKLE FACTORY Mark Eakin’s commute looks much like that of any other Stephenville resident — the city rests

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“We treat this as a true D1 sport,” Eakin says. “And it’s like no other in the entire nation.” Within the $1.8 million facility that is Tarleton Rodeo, Eakin’s office is in the back corner of the training center. His workspace could rival that of any corporate executive, but instead of skyline views and floor-to-ceiling glass, his office is lined with rustic wood, championship accolades, and borders a 37,000-squarefoot indoor arena. The facility sits on about 40 acres at the edge of town and boasts a massive outdoor arena, weight room, conference spaces for film study, pastures and stalls where many students lodge their horses, and a horse-therapy saltwater spa. Tarleton Rodeo also has its own strength and conditioning trainer in the gym and a dedicated team doctor in town for athletes to help mend any muscles and ligaments. This is not normal for a college rodeo program — and neither was the acquisition of the complex. Prior to becoming Tarleton’s stomping grounds, the land was owned by internationally famous horse trainer Clinton Anderson. At the time, the rodeo team was operating out of a covered arena attached to the college’s agriculture farm. But university president Dr. James Hurley wanted a separate space for the esteemed school sport and called Eakin when he caught wind the facility was being auctioned in two days. “He asked me, ‘Can this be made into a rodeo facility?’” says Eakin, who was at a college rodeo in Alpine. “I had no doubt it could. We just didn’t have the time to get the buy approved through the school system.” Local philanthropists Brad and Nancy Allen swooped in and purchased the complex, giving Tarleton a year to raise the funds and transform it into what they needed. By 2021, the facility was in the rodeo team’s hands thanks in large part to a $1 million donation from former Tarleton rodeo coach Bob Doty and his wife, Darla. A presidential push like that, Eakin tells me, is a big reason student athletes keep flooding through the facility’s doors. Another selling point is Tarleton’s location, an attractive spot for cowboys seeking a college education. Situated a

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couple hours’ drive from the Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, the city of Stephenville makes it easy for rough stock riders to catch a flight to a professional rodeo between college responsibilities — a large portion of Tarleton athletes are well on their way to qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas. Stephenville is already home to roughly 50 NFR qualifiers. With endless opportunities to compete locally against some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the world, and a great academic institution to boot, there are few places young bronc busters and cowpunchers would rather hang their hats than Stephenville. In fact, many college rodeo students acquire a degree just to college rodeo — the stock too good, facility too premier, and national championships too tempting to pass up before hitting the pro circuit full time. But continuing to add to this ever-growing string of titles isn’t as seamless as it may appear for a championship program, nor is defending what’s already been won.

SLIM ODDS I had heard bareback rider Skinny Parsons was a chatterbox — something he proved when launching into an enthusiastic response after my first question had barely reached his ears. This gregarious nature, along with his second-place finish at last year’s CNFR, made him an easy pick from among Tarleton’s nearly 140 rodeo team members to interview. After his unhurried drawl and lopsided grin, Parsons can best be described as, well, skinny. After all, the nickname dished out to him not long after he first arrived at Tarleton had to stem from somewhere. “They gave me that name the first week I was at school,” Parsons says. “There’s this guy off of this trailer parktype TV show named Kenny, and he kind of talks funny. The guys started calling

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me Skinny Kenny, and that lasted about two days before they just stuck with Skinny.” Parsons, whose first name is Montgomery, was encouraged to put the moniker on his permit card when he registered with the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). And when he

did — though his wife and most of his family still refuse to call him by anything other than what’s scrawled on his birth certificate — the nod to his pencil-thin form became what he most responds to. “So,” I hedge, “if you meet a stranger at a rodeo, you’re going to stick your hand out and say, ‘Hey, I’m Skinny Parsons’?” “Yes, ma’am. Every time,” he replies. And perhaps even more unbelievable is that it’s no punch to the ego — not when you’re a bronc rider, at least. And definitely not when Parsons could have instead been ribbed for not being a very

good one at all. Back when his frame was even slimmer and would likely go up like a kite’s sail on a windy day in a billowing button-up shirt, Parsons grew up doing the hardscrabble work of a rancher. His great-grandfather — also given an anatomical nickname, “Shorty” — founded the pro rodeo in his hometown of Springdale, but Parsons had been on fewer than a hundred broncs when he first got to Tarleton. According to Parsons, the powers that be shouldn’t have even allowed him through the pearly, gilded gates. Having been homeschooled, college was hardly a blip on the cowboy’s radar next to continuing day work on the farm. But when a few possibilities for college rodeo surfaced despite his limited experience, Parsons found himself at Tarleton Rodeo’s arena, preparing to clamber aboard the broncs Eakin had loaded into the chute. Though not exactly labeled an official tryout, not just anyone can waltz into such a prestigious rodeo program without some proof of defiance against writhing rough stock. But Parsons was promptly bucked off both broncs long before any eight-second window passed. “It should have never happened,” Parsons says to being later handed a spot on the team. “And I have no idea why it did.” Seeking an answer, I ask Eakin, to which he laughs and replies, “He did get bucked off them both ... But he just wanted an opportunity, and you can see if they have plenty of talent there — whether they ride good right then or not. And he had it.” “And that’s how we coach,” Eakin continues. “We get to know them and show them that we care for them. Then we can challenge them. That’s how you build national champs.” And whether he wanted to or not, Parsons stuck out on the team like the sore thumb he’d sometimes jam in his saddle riggings on a rank ride — in the best way,

if a sore thumb could be described as such. “Every night we ate supper together, we rodeoed together, we all practiced together, and we held each other up to the highest standards,” Parsons says of his teammates. “We were truly helping each other to win, and it was like something I’ve never been a part of before.” Parson’s success in the arena was a steady incline. And it’s one that culminated during his junior year in 2025, when Tarleton was returning to the CNFR to defend its men’s team national championship. Across the 12 regions in collegiate rodeo, where junior colleges and four-year universities are grouped into territories to compete in the season’s standard 10 rodeos, Tarleton is based in the Lone Star Region, encompassing Central and North-Central Texas. The NIRA sends only the top three finishers in each event from each region to the CNFR at the season’s end, which includes bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping, and goat tying. When Parsons finished fourth in saddle bronc riding in 2025, his chips were pretty well cashed in for the year. That is until the kid in the spot above him had to withdraw. The week before the CNFR, Parsons received a call from Eakin instructing him to strap up and get his tail to Casper. Parsons, a CNFR rookie, was rattled down to his boots from the second he arrived. Just before the cowboy’s first ride, Eakin looked at Parsons, who was shaking like a leaf while in the chute, and said, “Kid, you need to calm down.” The objective of saddle bronc riding is to stay mounted on a stripped-down saddle on the back of a bronc for eight seconds. The rider who moves most fluidly with the horse, timing his spurring to its leaps and bounds, earns the best score. Parsons tells me a potato sack could have notched a higher score given the reeling state he was in. But when the bronc broke from the chute and stumbled, Parsons was granted a re-ride. “I wouldn’t have done a thing that week if I didn’t get that re-ride,” he says. “From

then on, none of us had a thought of getting bucked off or not winning. We knew we were fixing to take this thing back to Stephenville.” When he says “we,” I ask whether he’s talking about his runner-up finish in the finals or Tarleton’s second-straight men’s team national championship they clinched that year. “Oh, the team title, for sure,” he clarifies without hesitation. “It’s kind of like drugs. We did it once, and we want to go back and do it again — and it’s just eaten us up all year.”

just the thing that had these qualifying girls scrambling out of their slumbers. Associate coach Brittany Stewart watches Lundberg, Rylee Grace Abel, and Kaylie Garza — three girls who’ve grappled their way to the top of the standings for a CNFR qualification in goat tying — run drills, where a goat is leashed to a stake. The girls, with piggin string peeking from the corners of their upturned lips, run to the nanny (a female goat), straddling the tether as they move in with outstretched arms. Once they reach the goat, they lift, roll, and place it on its side before scooping up its legs. With a swift movement, they secure three of its limbs with the string. Goat tying, based on the ranch skill of catching and containing livestock to medicate or tag them, is one of the fastest college rodeo events. In competition, goat tyers are on horseback, running down the middle of the arena at around 40 mph. Less than halfway to the goat, they begin dismounting, stepping off the horse to make the tie — all within 5.5 to 8.0 seconds, depending on the arena’s size. This practice, however, finds the girls running on foot as Stewart steadily observes the CNFR-bound trio. She primarily oversees the women’s events, and as a Tarleton Rodeo alum and CNFR qualifier, Stewart watched plenty of talented girls come through the program, chasing the women’s team championship that hasn’t been touched since 2005. But this group, she tells me, is among the best she’s had — a gritty mix of pushers and peacemakers. When I ask Stewart specifically about Lundberg, she replies, “She is one of those immediate leaders of a team, very focused and determined. And everybody pays attention when she’s around.” Using the word immediate is no exag-

“Every night we ate supper together, we rodeoed together, we all practiced together, and we held each other up to the highest standards,” Parsons says of his teammates. “We were truly helping each other to win, and it was like something I’ve never been a part of before.”

EARNING THEIR SPURS At 5:15 a.m. sharp, Faith Lundberg’s alarm goes off. The cowgirl bounds out of bed, rummages through her wardrobe for a pair of dirt-stained jeans, and tucks the strands of her light-brown hair beneath a frayed ballcap. She then grabs her worn tennis shoes by the door, just as she’s done nearly every morning all school year. This routine, as worn-in as the rodeo shirts hanging in her closet, is by no means new because of the approaching championship rodeo. Practice begins at 6 a.m. in Tarleton Rodeo’s gym with strength and conditioning coach Tyler Frank. Lundberg, along with a dozen other team members brave enough to face muscle fatigue and side stitches, moves through a series of squats, deadlifts, and agility drills. If this was a school day, Lundberg would then rush off to her morning classes, a light sheen of sweat still coating her flushed face, before returning several hours later for event practice, where she’d hone her goat tying. But school is out for the summer, and the regular rodeo season doesn’t start back up until September. The CNFR, however, is in less than a month — and it’s

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geration. As a freshman, Lundberg has achieved her first CNFR qualification, a rare feat for a college rodeo athlete. “It was a nonnegotiable that I would qualify,” Lundberg says. “And I don’t mean to sound unhumble, but I just had that fire lit in me. I would have been more surprised if I didn’t make it.” Lundberg, a Canada native, does not originate from a rodeo family steeped in a legacy of champions. In fact, at the first rodeo in which she ever competed, she didn’t know a cowboy hat was a required part of the dress code. Wearing a ball cap instead, the rodeo secretary pulled Lundberg aside and explained that if she wanted to compete, she needed to find a straw or felt brim. The one thing Lundberg did have, though, was fast hands, and by the time she was in high school, Stewart had already heard of the once hatless cowgirl. Now, as the only freshman on this year’s women’s CNFR team, Lundberg waits her turn to tie among her teammates, watching Kaylie Garza flank and bind a goat in a blistering fast time. Garza, Lundberg explains, is one of her closest friends and toughest competitors. Nearly all season, the two were back-and-forth, leapfrogging over each other in the standings. Rylee Grace Abel was also right behind them, nipping at their boot heels. “These girls, they keep you on your toes,” Lundberg says. “You cannot settle, and you’re always having to get better. But because they’re my teammates and best friends, I didn’t really look at it as trying to compete to win the region. It was just showing up, doing my job.” Lundberg would do her job well enough to capture the title in arguably the nation’s most competitive region while competing for its most competitive team

— such victories are especially hardearned in college rodeo. Like many athletic programs, rodeo competitors wake up early for daily practices and balance heavy course loads. But the participants of college rodeo must further maintain the daily upkeep of their equine partners, pay for that daily care and their weekend entry fees (though rodeo programs do award certain scholarships for the school year and reimbursement to the top weekend performers), and travel to competitions, which across the season’s 10 rodeos, can be upwards six hours away. “You don’t just get on a bus and go to a basketball game or track meet,” Stewart says, “where you may only need a pair of tennis shoes.” And all that work comes with lofty expectations. Tarleton Rodeo expects its cowboys and cowgirls to win. There’s a reputation to uphold and national titles to claim — and championships don’t just fall into the laps of waiting cowboys and cowgirls.

“These girls, they keep you on your toes,” Lundberg says. “You cannot settle, and you’re always having to get better. But because they’re my teammates and best friends, I didn’t really look at it as trying to compete to win the region. It was just showing up, doing my job.”

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HEAVY IS THE CROWN As Lundberg told me, a single second in goat tying is comparable to an eternity. This is why she wasn’t nervous for her last run at the CNFR, where she was a full second in the average behind the goat tyer leading the overall standings. Her fate was sealed. The cowgirl had a remarkable first CNFR, finishing out as the reserve champion — second place. She had turned in three consistent, top-placing runs in the first three go’s, earning a spot in the finals where she split the win for the round. But it still wasn’t enough to edge out the University of Wyoming competitor who had remained, in some instances, only one-tenth of a second ahead of Lundberg. She was proud, of course. A freshman

should be so lucky to do that well in their first shot at the championship — and she was told as much. Lundberg smiled brightly and thanked everyone who sang her praises. But the memory of remaining sidelined while another cowgirl took a victory lap, Lundberg later tells me, will stick with her. “Nobody cares about second place,” Lundberg says. “And that’s exactly how it should be.” Of the 15 Tarleton Rodeo members who qualified for the CNFR — a mighty large pool of contenders — five punched their ticket to the final round, Skinny Parsons included. Other than Lundberg’s reserve championship, freshman Daxtyn Feild also won an event title, splitting the championship for the bareback riding three ways with two other cowboys. But it wasn’t enough to secure the overall points needed, and the men would fail to three-peat in the esteemed team championship. Mark Eakin said winning a team title at the CNFR requires every individual member to draw the right livestock, perform nearly perfectly in every round, resist crumbling under the pressure of the national stage, and somehow emerge as the best team among nearly 50 programs. And for most college rodeo programs, both teams nabbing a hard-earned third place would mark the beginning of a winning streak — certainly not the end of one. “We’ve had plenty of those championship weeks,” Eakin says. “And this year just wasn’t ours.” Regardless of the results, Eakin knows the support of their university’s president endures, recruits will continue pouring in, and the million-dollar complex they train in isn’t going anywhere. Everything needed to begin another championship run will remain. I point out as much to Lundberg, curious to know how she thinks a rodeo program that expects to win will bounce back after losing. “I know without a doubt this whole team is going to win it next year,” she says. “We know how it feels to lose now. And I don’t think we’ll let that happen again.”

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The Ghost of T. Cullen Davis Meeting Fort Worth’s most infamous criminal defendant

By Brian Kendall and John Henry

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E DOUBT ANYONE WILL ANSWER.

What kind of civilized person answers a midafternoon knock if they’re not expecting someone? Then again, what if someone does open up? Which of us should speak? Maybe they’ll have one of those fancy video intercoms so they can see and talk to us without opening the door. Either way, we figure that once we introduce ourselves and explain our purpose for the unannounced visit, it’s unlikely we’ll be invited in for tea and crumpets. As the arrival time on the GPS approaches, our conversation turns to what odds Vegas would give us on making it past the front porch, and nervous laughter starts to creep in. But who can blame us? After all, it’s not every day one cold-knocks on the purported residence of T. Cullen Davis. Cullen Davis. Mention that name to anyone who was around Fort Worth in 1976, and their eyes will widen with a flood of memories. Mention it to anyone born a few years later, and they’ll fill you in on what their parents told them. And mention it to any younger generation, and they’ll recount the story from a true crime TikTok. The name remains one of Fort Worth’s most infamous — perhaps second only to fellow Fort Worthian Lee Harvey Oswald. And like Oswald, Davis was never found guilty of the crimes for which he was forever judged. But, unlike Oswald, it’s not easy to find people who don’t think Davis did it. Davis remains the richest man ever tried for murder in the United States. And the trial itself — featuring a cast straight out of “The Real Housewives of Fort Worth” and enough plot twists to give a soap opera nausea — became a national obsession. Like the O.J. Simpson trial that would consume America 17 years later, those involved — attorneys, accusers, witnesses, and media personalities — became part of the era’s zeitgeist. And we haven’t even mentioned the subsequent and equally bizarre murder-for-hire allegations and trial. It’s no wonder many suspect the TV show “Dallas” owes its genesis to this Fort Worth crime saga. With no physical evidence, it remains impossible to prove whether Davis committed the murders — despite three eyewitnesses identifying Davis as the shooter. But one thing is certain: Davis, now 92, has spent the last 50 years carrying the reputation that he shot his wife amid their bitter divorce and murdered her boyfriend and 12-year-old daughter. To many, it’s not even questionable. We pull up to Davis’ purported home — we aren’t 100% certain it’s his residence and might only succeed in alarming an unsuspecting soul by asking if Cullen Davis is in their house. But spotting a Texas A&M-themed curb address increases our confidence. The light-brick, single-story home sits in an innocuous Colleyville neighborhood. Two large oak trees shade a wellmanicured front yard, and its façade has all the hallmarks of a semi-custom home built circa 1994. It’s beautiful and charming, but also a far cry from the 13,000-square-foot mansion that Davis

once called home — and where the double homicide took place. The nerves reach their apex as we press the doorbell — it’s the standard plastic type that has a little too much give, making us wonder if any ringing is occurring inside. Through the textured privacy glass, we catch the silhouette of a short figure walking toward us. As the front door swings open, a gray-haired lady in black pants and a button-up greets us. “Hi,” she says semi-suspiciously. “Hi! How are you!?” we respond — three levels too high on the volume control — and quickly continue without waiting for a response. “We’re with Fort Worth Magazine. Is this the Mr. Cullen Davis residence?” “Yes,” she answers with surprisingly less suspicion. “We were wondering if he had a moment to chat.” “Well.” She pauses for a moment. “I sure hate to turn you down,” she says, her slight Texas twang sounding quite amicable. “Come on in.”

WE’RE OCCUPYING ONE OF TWO OFF-WHITE, SUEDE COUCHES THAT FACE EACH OTHER IN THE LIVING ROOM. Dana Dixon, the generous lady who invited us in has gone to fetch Davis, who she says is watching TV. “He watches a lot of TV,” she later told us. “We watch Fox News mostly. But [it can get] a little boring, so we go and watch ‘Landman’ or whatever’s good that’s on.” Dana warns that Davis isn’t in great shape and has what she describes as memory problems. Like many in their 10th decade of life, she says he has good days and bad days and suggests that today is not a particularly good one. “So don’t have your feelings hurt if [he can’t recall things],” she says. “Sometimes he doesn’t even remember my name.” “And what is your relation to Cullen?” we ask. “I’m his wife,” she says. “We’ve been married two years.” Not that the local media or tabloids have kept strict tabs on Cullen Davis’ love life over the past couple of decades, but this revelation certainly came as a surprise. The marriage to Dana marks — at the age of 90 if the pair were wed two years ago — Davis’ fourth. The oil heir’s first marriage to Sandra Masters in 1962, with whom he had two sons, ended in divorce. Following the split, he soon took his second nuptials with Priscilla Lee Childers, a bombshell blonde from Houston who had three children from two previous marriages. During contentious divorce proceedings with Priscilla, which began in 1974, Davis met Karen Master. The two would wed in 1979 with Davis adopting her two sons, Chesley and Trey — both of whom taking the name Davis. Karen and Cullen Davis remained married until Karen’s death in 2016 of organ failure. Though only two years have passed since they tied the knot, Dana, a born and raised Fort Worthian and graduate of Polytechnic High School, says she’s known Davis for 60 years, having first

Cullen Davis. Mention that name to anyone who was around Fort Worth in 1976, and their eyes will widen with a flood of memories.

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met at the Petroleum Club in downtown Fort Worth. According to Dana, after Davis married Karen — a constant presence during Davis’ high-profile murder and murder-for-hire trials — Dana and the acquitted Davis had families that lived across the street from one another, and the two kept in touch. Five years after Karen’s death, a mutual friend called Dana asking her to check in on Davis, saying “I think he’s in really bad shape. His wife died, and he’s there by himself.” The request happened to come right as the infamous winter storm of 2021 struck North Texas. “So, then I was here [in Cullen Davis’ house] three or four days,” Dana says. “And I decided I couldn’t leave him here by himself.” Though Dana is only five years Davis’ junior, comparing the two is a classic example of the adage “age is just a number.” In many respects, she’s decades younger than him, and it’s clear she serves as a caretaker of sorts. She’s also, we’ll note, a departure from type for Davis. And by this we mean Dana is a brunette, despite a few gray hairs staking their claim. Otherwise, she appears to share the same elegance and Christian faith that defined Davis’ third wife, Karen. Dana is now in the nearby room rustling Davis to greet us as we wait seated in the living room. In front of us, between the two parallel couches, is a large, wooden coffee table with a couple of books, marble chess set, and bowl of Ghirardelli chocolates resting on top. As one might have Priscilla Davis guessed by its exterior, the home is tastefully decorated with traditional furniture and inoffensive earth tones. A framed baby picture rests on the side table, and on the opposite wall next to an open archway hangs a cross. Then, through the archway, appears an instantly recognizable figure. Though walking gingerly with both hands firmly grasping a walker and sporting thinner hair, thicker wrinkles, and a complexion that doesn’t see much sun, it’s undeniably Cullen Davis. As he enters the room, we kick off our hellos and how-areyous before the walker-wielding Davis approaches an obstacle: a narrowing of his path due to an outstretched leg of a chair. “Do you need some help?” we ask. The question goes unanswered as he swiftly lifts the walker over the chairs, doing so with a slight smirk while eyeing us both to ensure we appreciate the effort and showmanship. We then exchange firm handshakes as we introduce ourselves. Though Davis no doubt occupies a celebrity status among Fort Worthians, it feels wildly inappropriate to attribute any rush of nerves to our being “starstruck.” It’s not excitement we’re experiencing, but a peculiar unease.

“Good to see you, John and Brian,” he says, struggling through his words in a shallow rasp, as though requiring an extra breath mid-syllable. Despite our unannounced visit, like Dana, Davis is dressed as though expecting company, wearing a pressed button-up and gray slacks. As we sit to chat, each question we pose or sentence we speak to Davis requires an immediate repeat. It’s obvious Davis’ hearing has deteriorated, but Dana surmises he must’ve had a bad night, as Davis is not at his best. But once the small talk about how long he’s lived in Colleyville finishes, Davis wastes no time getting to brass tacks. “So, what are you going to ask me?” he says. Whether purposeful or not, we catch a slight sneer. Davis has dealt with journalists like us for 50 years, and whether we’re digging for answers or seeking an angle, he knows we wouldn’t be sitting across from him in his living room if he wasn’t one of the most notorious criminal defendants in Texas history. Avoiding the bait, we bring up a book we spot on the coffee table, Oil Legends of Fort Worth. “Are you in this?” we ask. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen it,” Davis says, picking up the book from the table. “I don’t remember.” “I don’t know who’s in that one,” Dana interjects, “but the other one is a book about his dad.” The other book on the table, I’ll Take the Rest of the World: The Remarkable Business Success of Kenneth Williams Davis by Carlton Stowers, is a biography on Davis’ father, an oil tycoon who was famously and unaffectionately referred to as “Stinky” Davis. The title is a reference to a quote Stinky is purported to have said to Mr. Fort Worth himself, Amon Carter, after Carter expressed dismay over Stinky’s refusal to contribute to a local civic project. “Tell you what, Amon,” Stinky said. “You take Fort Worth, and I’ll take the rest of the world.” But professional life kicked off more modestly for the future tycoon. Starting work as a roughneck, Stinky worked his way up to becoming the vice president of a struggling oil supply company before gaining controlling interest. In 1936, he began diversifying the company’s portfolio by purchasing undervalued companies within the industry. And in 1958, Stinky consolidated these assets under a single umbrella, which became known as the Fort Worth-based Kendavis Industries. Thomas Cullen Davis entered the picture in 1933 as the middle of Stinky’s three sons. A graduate of Arlington Heights High School, Davis would then attend Texas A&M University and went to work for the family business after earning his degree.

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By the time of Stinky’s death in 1968, Kendavis was reportedly worth $800 million — of which the three sons received equal shares. “What was your dad like?” we ask. “Well, he was pretty tough,” Davis says, his answer giving way to a long pause. As fate would have it, Davis inherited the estate the same day he’d marry his second wife, Priscilla — exchanging vows only a few hours after being notified about his father’s death. While a story persists that the timing was intentional — owing to his father’s supposed disapproval of Priscilla — the pair had planned to wed on this date long before learning of Stinky’s passing. But such rumors, whispers, and speculation seemed to follow the 26-year-old Priscilla like a storm cloud of gossip. A statuesque blonde with a risqué fashion sense and a one-of-a-kind physique that, by her own admission, was aided by silicone, Priscilla looked like the quintessential honky-tonk socialite at the height of disco. A mother of three, the vivacious Texan possessed a magnetic charisma and clearly relished the attention she received — even if much of it was through the raised eyebrows of Fort Worth’s upper crust. Cullen, for his part, never seemed to give into jealousy despite her provocative nature. In fact, most report that he enjoyed showing her off at social events — Cowtown’s annual lineup of galas, functions, tournaments, and graduations — much to the dismay of the pearl-clutching elites. To many outside observers, the pair seemed a great match — one’s yin to the other’s yang. But things weren’t nearly as idyllic behind the closed doors of their recently built 13,000-squarefoot mansion, a stark white edifice that overlooked downtown Fort Worth. According to Priscilla and her daughter, Dee, Cullen had become physically abusive — a string of violent outbursts that left welts, bruises, a broken nose, a broken collarbone, and a dead cat in its wake. Priscilla would file for divorce in July 1974, one month before the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary. During the subsequent divorce proceedings that would drag on, Priscilla obtained custody of the mansion and all its furniture and was awarded monthly support payments. She was also given custody of Dee, whom Cullen had adopted — Priscilla’s other two children, Jack and Andrea, were living with their father. Despite the divorce growing increasingly combative as it slowly played out, both Davis and Priscilla would eventually find steady relationships during the proceedings. Davis began dating Karen Master, and Priscilla began dating former TCU basketball player Stan Farr, a man who locals commonly referred to as “the Bear” or “the Gentle Giant” — he stood at a towering 6-foot, 9-inches. Karen was another beautiful blonde whose personality proved more palatable for Cowtown’s upper echelon, not that that’s what drove any wedge between Cullen and Priscilla. Despite the thick shadow cast over them, in Karen, Davis found a relationship that endured. Though today’s Cullen Davis has one ear clocked out and some fleeting recollections, we dare say that his wit and charm remain intact.

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“You look good,” we tell him when physical appearance enters the conversation. “Well, I tend to,” he quips back at us. And when we begin discussing age, whether for comedic effect or not, he’s understandably in slight denial over how many times he’s been around the sun. “I’m either 93 or something a lot cheaper.”

ON THE EVENING OF AUG. 2, 1976, RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRAD BEVERLY BASS — A BEST FRIEND OF PRISCILLA’S DAUGHTER, DEE — AND HER BOYFRIEND, GUS “BUBBA” GAVREL, SPENT AT LEAST PART OF THE EVENING AT THE RANGOON RACQUET CLUB OFF OF CAMP BOWIE. MEANWHILE, PRISCILLA AND STAN FARR, WHO NOW LIVED TOGETHER IN THE DAVIS MANSION AFTER BEING EXCLUSIVE FOR OVER A YEAR, JOINED BEVERLY AND BUBBA AT THE WEST SIDE WATERING HOLE FOLLOWING DINNER WITH THREE OTHER COUPLES AT THE OLD SWISS HOUSE. Having emerged from a divorce hearing earlier in the day, Priscilla, pleased with Judge Joe Eidson’s rulings, was in a particularly joyful mood. Judge Eidson postponed the divorce trial, increased her temporary alimony, ordered Cullen Davis to pay more than $27,000 in outstanding bills, and awarded attorney fees to her lawyers. Following dinner and drinks, Priscilla and Stan returned home to the sprawling Davis Mansion shortly before midnight. As they entered through the back door, Priscilla noticed something amiss: The security-system lights were dark, indicating the home’s double locks were not activated as they had been before leaving. While Stan went upstairs, Priscilla entered the kitchen and noticed the basement light was on. As she walked toward it, she found bloody handprints on the wall and door frame. According to Priscilla’s later testimony, a man wearing a shoulder-length black wig and concealing his hands inside a dark plastic bag suddenly emerged from the laundry. After greeting her with a simple “Hi,” he shot her in the chest. Though Priscella screamed for Stan to remain upstairs, he rushed down anyway, and the man fired his gun through the closed stairway door. The shooter and Stan then struggled before the man in black shot him repeatedly. Priscilla watched as Stan collapsed and died, after which the man dragged his body toward the basement. Priscilla escaped briefly but testified the man caught and dragged her back before eventually releasing her, appearing to be distracted by an approaching vehicle, which carried Beverly and Bubba. Priscilla hid in nearby bushes until she could flee across an adjacent field. She then heard additional gunshots. The man, it turned out, had shot Bubba. Beverly fled on foot across the estate to Hulen Street, flagging down a passing motorist who took her to a pay phone at a convenience store on Bellaire Drive. Meanwhile, a wounded Priscilla pleaded through the locked door at a nearby residence for help, “Cullen is up there shooting everybody.” Beverly was equally convinced who she saw shoot Bubba. “I saw his ugly face,” she said to a private security guard who had come upon her and the motorist at the Mr. M convenience

Cullen Davis being taken into custody

Inside the Davis Mansion following the murders

Phil Burleson, Cullen Davis, Richard Haynes Priscilla Davis and her attorney, Jerry Loftin (left)

Karen Master and Cullen Davis Ambulance attendees remove body of Stan Farr

Jack Strickland

Karen Master and Cullen Davis Stan Farr and Priscilla Davis

The Davis Mansion on Stonegate Boulevard

Richard “Racehorse” Haynes

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store, according to Texas vs. Davis by Mike Cochran. “Whose ugly face?” asked the guard. “Cullen — Cullen did it,” she replied. “Are you certain?” the guard asked her. “Yes,” she said. “I saw his ugly f***ing face.” According to Bubba’s testimony, the man in black turned and shot him only after Beverly recognized the shooter and called out his name, “Cullen.” Investigators later found Andrea Wilborn, Priscilla’s 12-yearold daughter, in the mansion’s basement, dead from a single gunshot wound. Bubba, Beverly, and Priscilla all identified Cullen Davis as the shooter. Fifty years later, it remains the question everyone wants to ask him. Did you murder Stan Farr and Andrea Wilborn? Almost goading us as we sit in his Colleyville house, Cullen yet again poses the question: “What did you want to ask me?” Throughout our short conversation, things Davis says that make our blood curdle — like an offhanded “Who can believe me?” — might otherwise seem normal if he hadn’t stood trial for murder. Despite the acquittal, no matter what Davis does, he’s a man whose image can’t be separated from the horrific murder of two innocent people. Yet, not everyone buys his guilt. Trey Davis, Cullen’s adopted son by Karen Master, has long defended his father, confidently claiming his innocence in articles and on network television, including an appearance on CBS’ “48 Hours.” Yet, it’s his experience with these appearances that prompt him to reject our interview request over email. “Not one interview broadcasted or published the constellation of exculpatory elements that I laid out pointing to [Cullen’s] innocence,” Trey writes over email. “After the ‘48 Hours’ interview, it became clear to me that no one wants to be challenged on their long-held beliefs that [Cullen] committed those heinous crimes. “[Cullen’s] story of innocence has all the flavor of a piece of melba toast. It does not play well on TV or read well in a periodical. The story of his guilt, on the other hand, is a three-patty, juicy cheeseburger. That is what the public — those familiar with the story and those new to it — holds to. That is what they want. What I have to say means nothing.” Trey, we’ll note, claims to have evidence supporting these assertions of his father’s innocence, but our repeated requests to speak were left unanswered. But Davis’ defense, with the unflappable Richard “Racehorse” Haynes in its corner, wouldn’t require such evidence for an acquittal. Tim Curry, the District Attorney, would charge Cullen on two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. However,

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prosecutors would choose to focus on the capital murder of the 12-year-old Andrea. The trial also moved to Amarillo because of extensive publicity in Fort Worth. Though, by now, the story of a multimillionaire standing trial for murder was making headlines across the nation. Despite the charges, a share of Fort Worth’s upper crust — those who regularly snubbed their noses toward the flamboyant Priscilla — seemingly rallied behind Davis, with the likes of Amon Carter Jr. leveraging his influence to have Davis released on bond. However, Davis’ release was denied after the Court of Criminal Appeals found that the proof in the case was evident. In other words, prosecutors weren’t working with a flimsy file. With Davis facing the death penalty, the prosecution’s case against Cullen rested almost entirely on the eyewitness testimonies of Priscilla and Beverly — Bubba, who was permanently paralyzed from the waist down, didn’t know Davis at the time of the shooting and only identified him later. There was also no physical evidence tying Davis to the scene of the crime, and investigators never determined whose bloody handprint was found at the scene, and the murder weapon was never recovered. Attempting to plant reasonable doubt among the jurors, the venerable Haynes, who sported a square jaw and spoke with a plainspoken drawl, put the key witness, Priscilla, on trial. An infamous cross-examination that lasted two weeks, Haynes, known for his dramatic flair, dragged Priscilla through the muck, highlighting affairs outside her marriage to Cullen and leaning into questions about her alleged debaucherous lifestyle. Haynes suggested one of the many savory characters she had coming around the mansion, including a man named Horace Copeland, could have been responsible for the murders. And, in fact, Haynes said he believed Farr might’ve been the intended target. After only four hours of deliberation, the jury found Cullen Davis not guilty. “The judge in this case allowed Haynes to roll all over them,” a Tarrant County attorney who was involved in the case tells us. “Sure, the prosecution also made some mistakes, but Judge George Dowlen shouldn’t have permitted half the stuff Haynes was getting away with. That’s why Cullen Davis is walking free today.”

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME A STORY ON CULLEN DAVIS HAS APPEARED IN FORT WORTH MAGAZINE. IN FEBRUARY 2000, A PORTRAIT OF DAVIS, CLAD IN A LOONEY TUNES TIE, WITH THE ACCOMPANYING HEADLINE “WHAT HAPPENED TO CULLEN DAVIS?” appeared on the cover. Avoiding any discussion of the murders or his trials, the story centered on his newfound faith in Christ. “I’ve studied every bib-

lical subject there is to study,” he said in the 2000 feature. “I’m on the other side of the world now. I’m in such a different place than where I was 20 years ago, so transformed by God’s grace, that I’m not sure I even can remember the person I used to be.” Electing to revisit this — perhaps with the hope he’ll recall the 26-year-old piece — we remind him of the story and ask Davis about his faith. “Is that what you want to ask me? If I still believe in Jesus?” he asks. “Yes, sir,” we respond. “Well, I do,” Davis says. “It’s always been important to me. Except, I haven’t gone to church since I moved here.” “Is there a reason for that?” we ask. “Too much trouble,” Davis responds. Dana says Davis doesn’t usually feel like attending church due to the crowds, though she says she now has a Bible study every Saturday. Trey Davis, when writing about his father, shared, “He has never wavered from his faith, despite being given every reason to. He accepted Jesus as his savior and never looked back. He implemented words like repentance, forgiveness, and humility. He implemented these words as the backbone of his faith.” Faith remains a major theme in most stories about and interviews with Davis since his acquittals. In many cases, as Skip Hollandsworth experienced with his own 2000 story, when Davis responds to a straightforward question about his final trial with “That was a long time ago. I know it sounds silly, but that’s what it was.” After all, faith is a much easier topic to discuss than revisiting one of the most notorious legal sagas in Texas history. As perplexing as many found Davis’ first acquittal, one could easily describe the result of his second encounter with the justice system as flat-out unfathomable. Only a year after his last trial, Davis was in trouble again in what appeared to be an openand-shut case of solicitation of murder. He again hired Haynes, this time for $2 million, according to Texas vs. Davis, by Mike Cochran. ($2 million is $10 million today.) According to Cochran, Haynes, who lived in Houston, wouldn’t come to Fort Worth until a sizable down payment had been received. The case against Cullen centered on prosecutors’ claim that he hired David McCrory to arrange the murders of Judge Eidson, Priscilla, Beverly, and Bubba, among others. The state’s case relied heavily on secretly recorded conversations between Davis and McCrory, which prosecutors argued revealed a genuine murder-for-hire plot. Eidson even agreed to stage a photo purportedly showing he was dead. Davis, however, insisted the conversations were nothing more than talk and denied ever intending for anyone to be killed. This time taking the stand in his own defense, Davis repeatedly declared he was not guilty. He testified that he sought legal advice from longtime friend and attorney Hershel Payne after McCrory broached the subject of killing people. Davis said Payne

assured him that merely talking about such acts, without carrying them out, violated no law. Moreover, Davis maintained that he was the one who actually had been working with the FBI — or so he believed — and portrayed some of his conversations with McCrory as part of that cooperation. (During cross-examination, however, prosecutors highlighted an irreconcilable contradiction: Davis claimed simultaneously to be cooperating with the FBI while also claiming the tapes were created to deceive killers Priscilla had supposedly hired to kill him.) Payne, however, testified Davis never mentioned Agent Jim Acree, the FBI, tape recordings, or specific murder targets. Under cross-examination, Payne acknowledged it had crossed his mind that Davis might have been using him to establish an alibi. The prosecution also challenged Davis’ account of mysterious telephone calls immediately before his arrest near the Benbrook Traffic Circle. Cullen testified he unsuccessfully attempted to call a number he believed belonged to the FBI agent, Acree, before making another call that didn’t go through. But officers testified Davis still possessed only 15 cents in change after his arrest, leading prosecutors to argue his version of making two unsuccessful pay-phone calls was mathematically impossible. They suggested either he completed a call he was concealing or fabricated the entire account. Additional rebuttal witnesses challenged portions of the defense, including testimony from the real Jim Acree, who said he had never communicated with Davis during the relevant period. Cullen faced trial twice in the ordeal after proceedings in Houston ended in a hung jury. The subsequent trial in Fort Worth ended in acquittal. That was the end. Following the acquittal, District Attorney Tim Curry dropped all additional charges against Davis. Tarrant County was officially wiping its hands clean of Davis.

For better or worse, the trials of T. Cullen Davis were a city-defining moment.

WHILE THE CASES ARE NO LONGER PROSECUTED IN COURT, THE DAVIS SAGA HASN’T LEFT THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS OF FORT WORTH. During a discussion concerning whether revisiting the tragic murders, sensational trials, or the man at the center of it all was worthy of a cover story, we heard arguments from all sides. For some, it’s too painful to recount the senseless death of a 12-year-old girl, while others saw it as Cowtown’s first headline-grabbing story in the era of mass media. For better or worse, the trials of T. Cullen Davis were a city-defining moment. Whether guilty or not, this will be his legacy. We suggest to Davis and Dana the idea of returning, maybe catching him on a day when he’s feeling a little better. This, ultimately, doesn’t come to fruition. And, given an interaction we had during our first conversation, I don’t think he minds. “I don’t need any more out of [writers]. They already have the whole story on me,” Davis says. “You think they have the end of your story?” “Well, what is my story? Fill me in.”

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Top Teachers 2026 Few professions carry expectations quite like those placed on teachers. After all, being called “the foundational pillars of society” is a heck of a lot to live up to. But these 10 educators are proof the description fits.

By Brandi Addison Photos by Olaf Growald

While there’s no single profession that’s most important to the future of Fort Worth, the role educators play in molding and inspiring the critical minds of Cowtown young’uns is undeniable. From primary to secondary and private to public (and courses you might not have known existed), these teachers dedicate themselves to a calling that deserves far more than gifted apples. As the magazine has done in years past, we’re honoring 10 Greater Fort Worth educators as the year’s Top Teachers. We began this process by requesting nominations through our website, FWTX.com, where students, parents, fellow teachers, and staff members doted on their favorite educator and shared what makes them deserving of the recognition. The editorial staff then vetted the final list through the teachers’ headmasters and principals.

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Arturo Beltran

Maria Beltran

Nolan Catholic High School, Spanish

Arturo Beltran is preparing to close a chapter he never expected would define his life. Born and raised in Del Rio, Beltran grew up surrounded by two cultures. His mother was from Mexico, while his father was born along the border, giving him an early connection to both Spanish and English. That connection stayed with him through a life that took him beyond South Texas. Beltran served in the military, including time stationed in Guam and Florida, before coming to Fort Worth and working in retail. A suggestion from his wife, Maria, eventually led him toward the classroom, a decision that would shape the next 25 years of his life. After completing education courses at the University of Texas at Arlington, Beltran joined Nolan Catholic High School in 2001, where he found a way to share the language and culture that had shaped his own story. In Beltran’s classroom, Spanish was never just about memorizing vocabulary or conjugating verbs. He wanted students to see the language as something they could carry with them — whether connecting with family members, traveling, or building relationships across cultures. “I wanted them to feel empowered and have that ownership,” Beltran says. As Beltran prepares to retire, he looks back on the moments that made the years worthwhile, including seeing former students return to Nolan and reconnect with him years later. “It’s rewarding,” Beltran says. “To see kids that I taught come back to Nolan and be an instructor.”

Maria Beltran knows the power of language because she has spent her life carrying one culture into another. Born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, Beltran emigrated to Eagle Pass with her family at age 9. That experience shaped the way Beltran approached her decades-long career teaching advanced Spanish at Nolan Catholic, where she helped students understand that language is inseparable from the culture and people behind it. But before language became her profession, Beltran was driven by a curiosity about people and a desire to understand how they think, learn, and grow. While studying psychology, she found herself drawn back to her own culture through Spanish literature, bringing those interests together in a career centered on culture and human connection. “Learning a second language is more than learning how to speak another language,” Beltran says. “It’s about learning about the culture and the history.” Beltran carried that same appreciation for culture into her work as the moderator for Nolan’s Ballet Folklórico program, where she helped students experience Hispanic traditions through music, dance, and storytelling. After a career spanning more than 30 years, Beltran hopes her students leave with more than Spanish vocabulary. She hopes they leave curious about other people, other cultures, and the stories that connect them. “We are no longer just citizens of the beautiful United States of America,” Beltran says. “We are world citizens.”

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Christen Berlanga

Dennis Cowles

Fort Worth Academy, 4th Grade

Cassata Catholic High School, Theology and English

Christen Berlanga believes the smallest people can leave the biggest impressions. Before becoming a teacher, Berlanga studied at Oklahoma State University and imagined a career in media. But graduating during the pandemic made those opportunities harder to find, leading her back to something she had always loved: working with children. Heading into her sixth year in education, Berlanga teaches fourth grade at Great Hearts Lakeside, where she blends creativity with core lessons. Whether she is helping students strengthen their writing or turning history into a hands-on experience, she looks for ways to make learning stick. During her Great Depression unit, she creates a stock market simulation using school supplies to show how supply and demand can change over time. The moments Berlanga hopes students remember are not just the lessons they learned, but how they felt while learning them. “I hope that they would remember how I made them feel: welcome, important, and valued,” Berlanga says. “People will not always remember what you say to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” That starts with listening. Berlanga makes time to hear what students are saying — and what they are trying to say — because she believes every child has something valuable to share. “There is a genius in every child,” Berlanga says. “They may not necessarily have the words to articulate what they’re trying to get across, but if you meet them where they’re at and listen to what they have to say, it’s really beautiful.”

For Dennis Cowles, words have never been confined to the pages they’re printed on. They are invitations to wander through unfamiliar worlds and discover new perspectives. And for more than three decades, he’s encouraged his students — and himself — to accept those invitations. After beginning his teaching career in 1993, Cowles spent years at the university level before heading to Cassata Catholic High School, where he felt he could make the greatest impact as an educator and fulfill a longtime dream of working within the Catholic community. On any given day, his classroom might carry students across the wine-dark sea with Odysseus, through Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County, or toward the green light across West Egg. Other days, they find themselves alongside the rebellious voices of the Beat generation. But no matter the destination, Cowles brings the same curiosity to his classroom that he hopes to instill in his students, approaching even familiar works with the belief that there is always more to uncover. Even after decades of teaching the same literature, Cowles still finds himself learning from the students in front of him. “Somebody who comes to material fresh for the very first time can have insights that I’ve never thought of,” he says. “I learn as much from them as they do from me.” In doing so, Cowles models the very lesson he hopes his students carry with them: There is always more to discover. “I want my students to become lifelong learners,” he says. “I can facilitate, but they have to do the legwork.”

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Shenekia Howard

DJ Perera

William Monnig Middle School, 6th Grade Math

Boswell High School, Art

Before Shenekia Howard was helping students solve equations, she was helping solve cases. Howard began her career in a Mississippi crime lab, but after years in forensic science, she realized she was looking for something different. A suggestion from her godmother led her to try teaching — and she quickly discovered a new way to use her love of math to help others. “I believe in inspiring and creating possibilities to just transform my scholars’ minds and to discover that math is more and math matters,” Howard says. Now entering her seventh year teaching math at Monnig Middle School, Howard works to make math feel less like a barrier and more like a tool students can use. She brings real-world connections into her lessons — from using restaurant menus to teach percentages and budgeting to showing athletes how math appears in the game they love. But Howard says the most meaningful moments aren’t about getting the right answer. They come when students begin to see themselves differently. At a school where many students are still figuring out what futures are possible for them, Howard wants them to know they belong in those spaces. Her guiding principle is simple: Students do not get to decide they cannot do something before they try. “The word ‘can’t’ will not be used in this classroom,” Howard says. “It’s just shaping their minds to know that if I try, I can do it. That’s me turning the impossibility into a possibility,” she says.

DJ Perera knows what it means to chase an unlikely dream. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in Qatar, and drawn to Fort Worth by a passion for art, Perera went to TCU at 17 to pursue painting and drawing before attending Pratt Institute in New York City — a path he knew carried both personal and financial risks. Today, as an art teacher at Boswell High School, he asks his students to approach creativity with that same sense of possibility. As a practicing artist himself, Perera gives students a firsthand look at what it means to build a life around art — from the first idea to the finished exhibition. “You don’t have an art teacher,” Perera tells his students. “You actually have an artist teaching you.” That journey shaped Perera’s belief that opportunity requires both vision and commitment. It also inspired him to create NAMNAL, a new art media and learning initiative developed with TCU and the University of Texas at Dallas. The program reflects Perera’s own approach to creativity — honoring traditional techniques with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to explore what the future of art can look like. For Perera, those moments are where possibility becomes real. Students who once questioned whether a future in art was attainable get to see their own work taking up space in the world. “Give me a chance,” Perera tells his students. “Let me teach you. Let me tap into your potential.”

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Amy Smith

Brooke Terry

Southwest Christian School, 6th Grade English

All Saints’ Episcopal School, Science

Before Amy Smith became a teacher, she dreamed of becoming a writer. But somewhere along the way, she discovered another way to share the power of words — helping students find their own. At Southwest Christian School, Smith brings that same love of storytelling into her sixth-grade English classroom, where she encourages students to see their own experiences as part of a larger story. That approach comes to life through projects like the annual literary food truck festival, where students turn books into creative concepts they can share with others. “I just found my groove,” Smith says. “I love teaching other people to write.” The foundation for that work begins before Smith even reaches the parking lot. Each morning, her 25-minute commute gives her time to pray, reset, and prepare for the day ahead. “God gets me through every single day,” Smith says. “It just helps me kind of lay aside anything I’m struggling with, lay aside any anxiety, and remember that ultimately I’m working for Him.” And what Smith hopes students remember is not just the books they read or the assignments they complete, but the kind of people they become along the way. “I want them to do well and do good,” Smith says. “I want them to be successful, but really more than that, I want them to be good humans.”

The path to Brooke Terry’s classroom started as its own kind of experiment. Teaching was never part of the plan — in fact, it was something she once told herself she would never do. After earning her chemistry degree from Texas Wesleyan, Terry found herself drawn to a different side of science. While in college, she spent summers teaching scuba diving in the Cayman Islands and discovered that her favorite part of science was not just understanding how things worked — it was helping others understand them, too. “I think I found that passion of translating something that I liked and making it interesting to other people.” That experience eventually led Terry to the classroom, where she now teaches chemistry, physics, and nutrition at All Saints’ Episcopal School. Nearly 20 years later, she still finds purpose in helping students take on concepts that initially seem impossible and discover they are capable of more than they thought. “Yes, I’m teaching you chemistry. Yes, I’m teaching you physics,” Terry says. “But what you are learning is how to be persistent, how to persevere, how to push through something that’s difficult and find a different way to think about it.” Terry’s classroom is also grounded in gratitude. Her faith reminds her to appreciate the opportunity to teach, learn, and take another step forward. “Thanking God and just being grateful for the ability to wake up each day and put one step forward,” Terry says, “is what I think about.”

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

Marie Vinson

Jennifer Webb

Seminary Hills Elementary School, 4th Grade

Trinity Valley School, 7th Grade Mind Makers

Marie Vinson didn’t take the traditional path to the classroom. Before becoming a teacher, she spent 13 years as a pharmacy technician after first pursuing athletic training. But when the pandemic created a need for teachers, Vinson’s husband encouraged her to finally take the step she had considered for years. She left pharmacy behind and entered the classroom, discovering a new way to help others. Now a fourth-grade teacher at Seminary Hills Elementary School, Vinson brings the lessons from her own journey into her classroom. As a first-generation college graduate who has earned her associate and bachelor’s degrees and is pursuing her master’s, she wants students to see that their beginnings do not define their futures. “Just because you come from something doesn’t mean you can’t make something of yourself,” Vinson says. That message is especially meaningful in a classroom serving students from more than 20 cultures and speaking more than 20 languages. Some of Vinson’s most rewarding moments come from watching newcomers find their voice — from learning their first words in English to having conversations with classmates by the end of the year. Vinson also believes fun is part of the work, like on Grinch Day, when she trades her classroom routine for a full costume and holiday magic and lets herself embrace the same sense of wonder she hopes to create for her students. “I feel like I see me in them,” she says.

Before students can tackle a challenge, they first have to believe they are capable of doing so. That’s where learning begins for Jennifer Webb. Growing up surrounded by educators, Webb saw early on the impact teachers can have — not only through what they teach, but through the connections they build. Now, 35 years into her career, that’s the center of her classroom at Trinity Valley School. In her Mind Makers course, Webb helps seventh graders develop the skills behind success: setting goals, solving problems, communicating ideas, and navigating challenges. But the course is about more than strategies or skills. It is about helping students recognize their own potential and giving them the confidence to take risks. “I hope that they will remember how they felt in my classroom,” Webb says. “That they were not judged, that they were supported and believed in.” That responsibility is something Webb brings to her classroom with intention before students even walk through the door. She describes each day as “millions of decisions” — understanding what students need, helping them stay focused on their goals, and finding ways to support them along the way. Her commitment is simple: Stay positive. Webb believes students are more willing to take on challenges when they know they have someone in their corner. “Everybody’s got something that they’re dealing with,” Webb says. “Just keeping it positive and being that constant support for people around you make a big difference.”

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

Where Every Child’s Potential is Possible

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2026 Private School Guide School Name

Grades Taught

Accreditation

All Saints Catholic School Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.624.2670, ascsfw.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

All Saints' Episcopal School Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.560.5700, aseschool.org

Pre-K – 12

ISAS

6 – 12

COGNIA

Alliance Christian Academy, Fort Worth, 817.840.7767, acaknights.com

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Anderson Private School for the Gifted Talented and Creative, Fort Worth, 817.448.8484, andersonschool.net

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Azle Christian School, Azle, 817.444.9964, azlechristianschool.org

Pre-K – 12

ICAA

Bethesda Christian School, Haltom City, 817.281.6446, bcsfw.org

Pre-K – 12

ACSI

Braveheart Academy Inc., Arlington, 817.422.9135, braveheartacademy.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Burleson Adventist School, Burleson, 817.295.6812, burlesontx.adventistschoolconnect.org

Pre-K – 8

TSDA

Burton Adventist Academy, Arlington, 817.572.0081, burtonacademy.org

Pre-K – 12

MSA

Cassata High School - Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.926.1745, cassatahs.org

9 – 12

TCCB ED

Pre-K – 6

COGNIA

Chisholm Trail Academy, Keene, 817.641.6626, cta.school

9 – 12

MSA

Christian Life Preparatory School, Fort Worth, 817.269.0244, clpsfamily.com

K – 12

COGNIA

Cleburne Adventist Christian School, Cleburne, 817.645.4300, cacs.school

Pre-K – 8

TSDA

Cleburne Christian Academy, Cleburne, 817.641.2857, ccacleburne.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Community Christian School, Mineral Wells, 940.328.1333, ccsmw.org

Pre-K – 12

ICAA

Coram Deo Academy, Flower Mound, 682.237.0232, coramdeoacademy.org

Pre-K – 12

ACCS

Cornerstone Christian Academy, Granbury, 817.573.6485, ccagranbury.com

Pre-K – 12

ACSI

Covenant Christian Academy, Colleyville, 817.281.4333, covenantchristian.net

Pre-K – 12

ACCS

Covenant Classical School, Fort Worth, 817.820.0884, covenantfw.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Prep, Fort Worth, 817.720.3023, cristoreyfortworth.org

9 – 12

COGNIA

Crossing Heritage Academy, Fort Worth, 817.903.8259, crossingheritage.com

K – 12

CSI

Crown of Life Lutheran School, Colleyville, 817.251.1881, colschool.org

Pre-K – 8

LSAC

Denton Calvary Academy, Denton, 940.320.1944, dentoncalvary.org

K – 12

COGNIA

E.A. Young Academy, Roanoke, 682.831.1776, eayoungacademy.com

K – 12

COGNIA

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

K–8

ISAS

Fort Worth Adventist Junior Academy, Fort Worth, 817.370.7177, gofwaja.org

Pre-K – 8

TSDA

Fort Worth Christian School, Fort Worth, 817.520.6200, fwc.org

Pre-K – 12

CESA

Fort Worth Country Day, Fort Worth, 817.732.7718, fwcd.org

Pre-K – 12

ISAS

Grace Classical Christian Academy, Granbury, 817.771.4951, graceclassical.com

Pre-K – 12

ACCS

Grace Preparatory Academy, Arlington, 817.557.3399, graceprep.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Grapevine Faith Christian School, Grapevine, 817.813.2484, grapevinefaith.com

Pre-K – 12

CESA

Green Oaks School, Arlington, 817.861.5000, greenoaksschool.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Harvest Christian Academy - Keller, Keller, 817.485.1660, hcasaints.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Allegiance Academy, Euless, 520.900.6056, allegianceacademy.com

Children's University, Arlington, 817.784.6655, childrensuniversity.com

Fellowship Academy, Kennedale, 817.483.2400, fellowship-academy.org Fort Worth Academy, Fort Worth, 817.370.1191, fwacademy.org

Harvest Christian Academy - Lantana Campus, Bartonville, 940.240.2550, hcasaints.org/lantana

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

CONGRATULATIONS Mrs. Smith on Top Teacher! Discover a Christ-centered, college preparatory education at Southwest Christian School, where every student is seen, supported, and valued.

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2026 Private School Guide School Name

Grades Taught

Accreditation

Heritage Christian Academy, Haslet, 817.439.3833, hcahaslet.org

Pre-K – 12

AACS

Hill School of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.923.9482, hillschool.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Holy Cross Christian Academy, Burleson, 817.295.7232, hccaburleson.com

Pre-K – 12

ACSI

Holy Family Catholic School Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.737.4201, hfcsfw.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Holy Trinity Catholic School Grapevine, Grapevine, 817.421.8000, holytcs.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Immaculate Conception Catholic School Denton, Denton, 940.381.1155, catholicschooldenton.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Jane Justin School, Fort Worth, 682.303.9287, cscfw.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Joshua Adventist Multi-Grade School, Joshua, 817.556.2109, jams.joshuasda.org

Pre-K – 8

TSDA

Joshua Christian Academy, Joshua, 817.295.7377, joshuachristianacademy.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Keene Adventist Elementary School, Keene, 817.645.9125, kaes4kids.com

Pre-K – 8

TSDA

Key School and Training Center, Fort Worth, 817.446.3738, ksfw.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Koan School, Denton, 940.294.6520, koanschool.org

K – 12

COGNIA

Lake Country Christian School, Fort Worth, 817.236.8703, lccs.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Lakeland Christian Academy, Lewisville, 972.219.3939, lakelandchristian.org

Pre-K – 12

ACSI

Legacy Classical Christian Academy, Haslet, 817.363.3652, legacyclassical.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Liberty Christian School, Argyle, 940.294.2000, mylcs.com

Pre-K – 12

ACSI

Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy, Fort Worth, 817.332.3351, mcprep.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Mercy Preparatory Academy, Waxahachie, 469.505.8377, mercyprep.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Merryhill School Arlington, Arlington, 817.678.3791, arlington.merryhillschool.com

Pre-K – 8

COGNIA

Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy, Keller, 817.431.5486, mlcatexas.org

Pre-K – 8

LSAC

Miss Endy's Christian Academy, Fort Worth, 817.737.9031, missendyschristian.com

Pre-K – 7

COGNIA

Montessori School of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.732.0252, msftw.org

Pre-K – 8

AMS

My Dreams Academy, Fort Worth, 972.876.9861, mydreamsacademy.org

6 – 12

TAAPS

Nazarene Christian Academy, Crowley, 817.736.3113, nazarenechristianacademy.org

K – 12

ACTABS

Nolan Catholic High School, Fort Worth, 817.457.2920, nolancatholichs.org

9 – 12

TCCB ED

North Central Texas Academy, Granbury, 254.897.1361, northcentraltexasacademy.org

K – 12

ACSI

Northstar School, Arlington, 817.478.5852, northstarschool.net

7 – 12

COGNIA

Ovilla Christian School, Red Oak, 972.617.1177, ovillachristianschool.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Pantego Christian Academy, Arlington, 817.460.3315, pantego.com

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

Park Row Christian Academy, Arlington, 817.277.1021, parkrowchristian.net

Pre-K – 6

COGNIA

Rivertree Academy, Fort Worth, 817.420.9310, rivertreeacademy.org

Pre-K – 5

COGNIA

Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School, Arlington, 817.275.5081, smgschool.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Saint Rita Catholic School Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.451.9383, saintritaschool.net

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Salam Academy Frisco, Frisco, 972.704.4373, salamfoundation.us

K – 12

COGNIA

School of Lexia, Mansfield, 682.422.9372, schooloflexia.org

1–8

COGNIA

Pre-K – 6

ACSI

Southwest Christian School - Lakeside Campus, Fort Worth, 817.294.9596, southwestchristian.org

7 – 12

ACSI

St. Andrew Catholic School, Fort Worth, 817.924.8917, standrewsch.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Southwest Christian School - Chisholm Trail Campus, Fort Worth, 817.294.0350, southwestchristian.org

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

2026 Private School Guide School Name

Grades Taught

Accreditation

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School Keller, Keller, 817.431.4845, seascs.net

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

St. George Catholic School, Fort Worth, 817.222.1221, stgeorgecatholicschool.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

St. John the Apostle Catholic School, North Richland Hills, 817.284.2228, stjs.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

St. Joseph Catholic School, Arlington, 817.419.6800, stjosephtx.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

St. Joseph Catholic School Waxahachie, Waxahachie, 972.937.0956, stjswaxtx.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

St. Paul Lutheran School Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.353.2929, stpauleagles.org

Pre-K – 8

LSAC

St. Paul's Preparatory Academy, Arlington, 817.561.3500, stpaulsprep.com

Pre-K – 12

TAAPS

St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School - Fort Worth, Fort Worth, 817.246.2032, spsfw.org

Pre-K – 8

TCCB ED

Starpoint School, Fort Worth, 817.257.7141, starpoint.tcu.edu

1–6

SAIS

Temple Christian Academy, Flower Mound, 972.874.8700, templechristian.com

K – 12

AACS

Pre-K – 12

ACTABS

K – 12

COGNIA

The Clariden School, Southlake, 682.237.0400, claridenschool.org

Pre-K – 12

TAAPS

The Montessori Academy of Arlington, Arlington, 817.274.1548, tmaonline.org

Pre-K – 6

AMS

The Novus Academy, Grapevine, 817.488.4555, thenovusacademy.org

K – 12

COGNIA

The Oakridge School, Arlington, 817.451.4994, theoakridgeschool.org

Pre-K – 12

ISAS

Temple Christian School, Fort Worth, 817.457.0770, tcseagles.org The Agape School, Bedford, 214.267.8571, theagapeschool.org

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

Fort Worth Magazine

2026 Private School Guide School Name

Grades Taught

Accreditation

The Selwyn School, Argyle, 940.382.6771, selwynschool.com

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

The Spellmon Fine Arts Academy, Forest Hill, 817.534.4646, tsfaa.org

Pre-K – 12

ACTS

Trinity Christian Academy, Willow Park, 817.441.5897, tcaeagles.org

Pre-K – 12

COGNIA

K – 12

COGNIA

Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, 817.321.0100, tvs.org

Pre-K – 12

ISAS

Victory Baptist Academy, Weatherford, 817.596.2711, vbainfo.com

Pre-K – 12

AACS

Victory Christian Academy, Decatur, 940.626.4730, victorychristianacademy.org

Pre-K – 12

ICAA

K – 12

ACSI

Waypoint Montessori , Colleyville, 817.354.6670, waypointmontessori.org

Pre-K – 6

TAAPS

Weatherford Christian School, Weatherford, 817.341.0000, weatherfordchristian.com

Pre-K – 12

NCSA

Trinity Preparatory Academy, Keller, 817.683.1453, trinityprepkeller.org

Waxahachie Preparatory Academy, Waxahachie, 972.937.0440, waxahachieprep.org

Key for Accrediting Commissions: Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools (ACTABS) American Association of Christian Schools (AACS) American Montessori Society (AMS) Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) Association of Christian Teachers and Schools (ACTS) Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS)

Christian Schools International (CSI) Cognia (COGNIA) Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) International Christian Accrediting Association (ICAA) Lutheran Schools Accreditation Commission (LSAC) Middle State Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) National Christian Schools Association (NCSA)

Confidence doesn’t just happen in the classroom. Confidence starts with belonging. From individualized instruction to clubs and enrichment opportunities, Key School helps students discover how they learn best, both inside and outside the classroom. Personalized Instruction

Academic Language Therapy

Small Class Sizes

Clubs, Creativity & Exploration

Schedule your tour today at ksfw.org

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

7950 John T White Road Fort Worth, TX 76120

Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES) Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools (TAAPS) Texas Catholic Conference Education Department (TCCED) Texas Seventh-Day Adventists (TSDA) Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation (WELSSA)

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AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

Burleson Location: 6am-3pm 225 E Renfro St. Burleson Texas 76028

Nolan Catholic High School CLASS OF 2026 BY THE NUMBERS

$18 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS ADMITTED TO

176 COLLEGES

• Weekly school-wide Mass, Confession and Adoration • World-class robotics program — Ranked 2nd in the World • Four-year STEM engineering curriculum • 45 Advanced Placement, Dual Credit and Honors courses • State Champions in Athletics and Fine Arts

Enrollment is Up!

Currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year. Affordable pathways include tuition assistance, sibling discounts, and TEFA funding.

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MILITARY APPOINTMENTS An exceptionally rare accomplishment for a single graduating class.

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to compete at the next level.

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4501 Bridge Street, Fort Worth TX 76103 www.nolancatholic.org

2026 College & University Guide Enrollment

Tuition and Fees (*In District)

Abilene Christian University, Abilene, acu.edu

3,263

$44,200

Amberton University, Garland, amberton.edu

118

$9,060

Angelo State University, San Angelo, angelo.edu

9,702

$8,460

Arlington Baptist University, Arlington, abu.edu

284

$20,830

Austin College, Sherman, austincollege.edu

1,165

$48,680

Baptist University of the Américas, San Antonio, bua.edu

$9,180

Baylor University, Waco, baylor.edu

14,915

$58,100

Concordia University Texas, Austin, concordia.edu

1,188

$23,500

Criswell College, Dallas, criswell.edu

132

$15,750

Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, dbu.edu

2,785

$40,190

East Texas A&M University, Commerce, tamuc.edu

9,992

$10,026

East Texas Baptist University, Marshall, etbu.edu

1,634

$30,680

Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, hsutx.edu

1,291

$32,960

Houston Christian University, Houston, hc.edu

2,899

$39,430

Howard Payne University, Brownwood, hputx.edu

751

$34,982

Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, htu.edu

1,024

$26,709

Jarvis Christian University, Hawkins, jarvis.edu

577

$11,720

Lamar University, Beaumont, lamar.edu

8,184

$8,905

LeTourneau University, Longview, letu.edu

3,187

$37,160

Lubbock Christian University, Lubbock, lcu.edu

1,313

$28,540

McMurry University, Abilene, mcm.edu

3,167

$32,340

Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls , msutexas.edu

4,303

$10,580

Nelson University, Waxahachie, nelson.edu

1,479

$25,064

North American University, Stafford, na.edu

609

$15,436

Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, ollusa.edu

1,108

$32,106

Paul Quinn College, Dallas, pqc.edu

620

$13,498

School Name

Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, pvamu.edu

8,877

$11,299

Rice University, Houston, rice.edu

4,789

$64,144

Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, shsu.edu

17,787

$9,228

Schreiner University, Kerrville, schreiner.edu

1,120

$39,266

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, smu.edu

7,285

$67,040

Southwestern Adventist University, Keene, swau.edu

758

$25,380

Southwestern Christian College, Terrell, swcc.edu

110

$14,638

Southwestern University, Georgetown, southwestern.edu

1,440

$53,813

St. Edward’s University, Austin, stedwards.edu

2,499

$51,384

St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, stmarytx.edu

2,149

$37,434

Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, sfasu.edu

9,129

$11,128

Sul Ross State University, Alpine, sulross.edu

1,890

$7,592

Tarleton State University, Stephenville, tarleton.edu

15,254

$8,302

Tarleton State University Fort Worth, Fort Worth, tarleton.edu/fortworth

2,321

$4,798

Tarrant County College, Fort Worth, tccd.edu

43,928

$1,863*

Texas A&M International University, Laredo, tamiu.edu

7,210

$7,894

Texas A&M University, College Station, tamu.edu

60,710

$13,154 *in district

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

2026 College & University Guide School Name

Tuition and Fees (*In District)

Enrollment

Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Killeen, tamuct.edu

1,755

$7,363

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, tamucc.edu

8,320

$9,748

Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, tamuk.edu

5,386

$9,892

Texas A&M University-San Antonio, San Antonio, tamusa.edu

7,062

$9,654

Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texarkana, tamut.edu

1,982

$8,349

Texas Baptist College, Fort Worth, texasbaptistcollege.com

354

$11,934

Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, tcu.edu

11,049

$61,740

Texas College, Tyler, texascollege.edu

614

$10,008

Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, tlu.edu

1,319

$36,230

Texas Southern University, Houston, tsu.edu

6,844

$9,173

Texas State University, San Marcos, txst.edu

36,236

$11,450

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, ttu.edu

32,580

$11,852

Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, txwes.edu

1,796

$39,582

Texas Woman’s University, Denton, twu.edu

10,039

$8,640

The King's University, Southlake, tku.edu

251

$12,480

The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, uta.edu

32,545

$11,950

The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, utexas.edu

43,165

$11,688

The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, utdallas.edu

21,858

$14,644

The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, utep.edu

21,118

$9,744

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AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

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2026 College & University Guide Enrollment

Tuition and Fees (*In District)

The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, utsa.edu

31,127

$9,011

The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, uttyler.edu

7,683

$9,736

The University of Texas Permian Basin, Odessa, utpb.edu

4,218

$9,236

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, utrgv.edu

28,674

$9,987

School Name

Trinity University, San Antonio, trinity.edu

2,518

$53,676

University of Dallas, Irving, udallas.edu

1,444

$53,930

University of Houston, Houston, uh.edu

39,257

$9,717

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, umhb.edu

2,803

$30,020

University of North Texas, Denton, unt.edu

34,458

$11,309

University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, untdallas.edu

2,953

$9,595

University of St. Thomas, Houston, stthom.edu

3,365

$34,634

University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, uiw.edu

4,638

$37,090

Wade College, Dallas, wadecollege.edu

252

$17,692

Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, wbu.edu

2,087

$23,782

Weatherford College, Weatherford, wc.edu

6,520

$5,250*

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, wtamu.edu

6,926

$9,101

Wiley University, Marshall, wileyc.edu

712

$12,500

Branding is EvErything Tell Your Brand’s Story Make your mark and wrangle an audience with branded content articles on fwtx.com. FIND OUT MORE

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BUILDING TOMORROW’S BUSINESS OWNERS STARTS HERE Texas Wesleyan doesn’t just prepare graduates for jobs — it prepares them to build companies. The OnDeck ranking is proof: 10th nationally, 7th among private universities, 4th in the South. Source: OnDeck 2026 Entrepreneurship Rankings

AUGUST 2026 | F W T X .COM

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RISING WITH AMBITION. TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY FORT WORTH IS DESIGNED FOR UPWARD MOTION. Everything about our campus, its architecture, its programs, its people, is built to help students move confidently toward what comes next.

Find out more! @TARLETONFW

TARLETON.EDU/VISIONFORTWORTH

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LEGALTALK Welcome to LegalTalk, a section dedicated to empowering our readers with vital insights into the world of law. Here, we delve into critical topics that matter most from legal rights to contracts. Whether you’re looking to stay informed or seeking to understand complex legal issues, LegalTalk is your trusted source for the knowledge you need to lead a better-informed life. The information provided in this section is provided by our advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

LEGALTALK Knowledge from the Experts

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Is your endgame built for appeal? Q: Should I consider an appeal before trial? A: Sometimes you can even appeal in the middle of a case. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 51.014 provides for several instances where your case may be appealed before trial. For example, you can appeal the denial of certain types of motions to dismiss. Having these strategies in your playbook can help you take a necessary “timeout” to get the legal issues right before trial. Q: Can the other side appeal if I win the trial? A: Your opponent gets a vote, so you have to be prepared for an appeal even if you win. Parties usually have 30 days to appeal a final judgment after it is signed. An appellate lawyer can help determine if a judgment is final, challenge a judgment entered without notice, or extend the deadline and challenge legal mistakes. Q: When should my trial lawyer work with an appellate lawyer? A: The earlier, the better. You can gain advantage by considering if an appeal helps you with the very first filing. Is the other side asserting valid claims and defenses that can be disposed of early? Is the trial judge pressuring you to give up rights? What evidence do you need to support a win? Having your lawyers work as a team in the first quarter helps you win in the fourth. Q: Do I need two lawyers at trial? A: Usually, yes. You need a first-chair trial lawyer focused on presenting your witnesses and evidence, and you need a second-chair appellate lawyer to prepare your jury charge, proposed findings, proposed orders, and to help preserve legal issues through objections.

Q: How do I make sure I get what I want at trial? A: Litigation is a team sport. Your trial lawyer helps marshal your facts on the gridiron of the modern courtroom. Your appellate lawyer helps your trial lawyer hang on to that win so it can withstand an appeal and helps the trial judge award the relief you need.

Q: What if I don’t want an appeal? A: You should build your trial strategy with the end in mind, and an appeal should be included in your playbook. An appeal involves a new court that reviews how the law applies to your case. Even if your case is never appealed, preparing your pleadings, jury charge, and proposed orders helps you win. PROMOTION

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Corsair Law Firm (Trade Name of Carney Law PLLC) Kyle Carney 817.717.1195 kyle@carney.law carney.law

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Knowledge from the Experts LEGALTALK

Could I lose custody if I move? Q: How do I get the Court to change our custody order to let me move with our child? A: You will need to file a petition to modify the current court order. However, the best approach would be to talk to the other parent first to see if you can reach an agreement on the planned move and enter an agreed order that allows for your move. Q: If the other parent does not agree for me to move, can I move now, then file a petition with the Court to modify the order? A: If your order specifically requires that your child live in Tarrant County, moving the child is a violation of the Court order that could subject you to serious penalties, including jail time. If the other parent does take you to Court for violating the order and that parent still resides in Tarrant County, the Court may order that the child begin residing primarily with the other parent. Q: If I cannot reach an agreement with the other parent, how likely is the Court to grant my request to modify the order to allow me to move? A: There are several factors the Court must consider any time a party is seeking to make a change to existing custody orders. The Court’s primary focus is what is in the best interest of the child and how your planned move will impact the child’s relationship with the other parent. Q: Can the Court modify the order if the other parent moves outside of Tarrant County in violation of our order. A: Yes, the Court could find that the violation of the order is grounds for modifying your current order. A family law attorney can help you review all the facts of your case and guide you on the best course of action to address any changes in the residence of your child.

Q: Can I move to another county if my current court order requires that my child’s primary residence must be in Tarrant County? A: If you are the parent with the right to designate your child’s primary residence, you cannot move your child outside of Tarrant County without having the Court modify your current order. If the child lives primarily with the other parent, you may be able

to relocate; however, be sure to view the terms of your order because the act of you moving outside of Tarrant County may eliminate any restriction the other parent has on the county in which the parent can establish the child’s residence.

KELLY DECKER LAW, PLLC Tiffany Yates McWhorter 6490 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth 76116 817. 348.9060 kellydeckerlaw.com

PROMOTION F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

LEGALTALK Knowledge from the Experts

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Are there limitations on property liens? Q: How long is a Child Support Lien active/ enforceable? A: As of Sept. 1, 2023, there are no statutes of limitations applicable to child support liens. Q: How long is a Judgment Lien active/ enforceable? A: An enforcement action on an abstract of judgment lien must be brought within 10 years from the date of recording and indexing of the abstract. The lien can be renewed for an additional 10-year period. Q: How long does a Mechanics and Materialman’s Lien remain active? A: An action on a mechanic’s lien must be brought within four years from the date payment is due under the construction contract. Q: Are there any exceptions? A: Statutes of limitations are a personal privilege that may be waived either before or after the statutory time period. Waivers must be specific to a particular limitations period and have a reasonable time period limiting the waiver, per the Texas Supreme Court. Q: How long do I have to make a partition claim? A: The 10th Court of Appeals, in 2021, held that there are no statutes of limitations on a claim of partition. Q: How long can property or trust interests be “tied up”? A: Property interests must vest no later than 21 years after the death of some life in being (at the time the interest was created) plus a standard period of gestation.

MAG Law, PLLC Q: How long before I can claim Adverse Possession? A: There are four relevant time periods relating to Adverse Possession: three, five, 10, and 25 years, respectively.

Q: How long does a prior owner have to redeem property sold via Tax Foreclosure? A: The former owner of a homestead or agricultural property has a two-year right of redemption. For nonhomestead/nonagricultural/commercial properties, the redemption period is 180 days. PROMOTION

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Martin A. Garcia, President and General Counsel 3108 West Sixth St. Ste. 202 Fort Worth 76107 817.768.3355 texas-title.com

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Knowledge from the Experts LEGALTALK

What is juvenile law in Texas? Q: When a child is interviewed, are there different rules? Are the police allowed to lie? A: Police are allowed to conduct the interview just as they would with an adult. What most people do not know is during an interview, police are allowed to lie to your child. Q: Does my child have to answer questions? A: No, your child is not required to answer any questions. Your child has a Fifth Amendment right no matter where they are. Your child can always say, “I do not want to answer any questions until I speak with my parent/guardian.” Q: Can the school search my child’s backpack, phone, or locker? A: Texas law requires only reasonable suspicion before a search. Reasonable suspicion is our lowest legal standard and is best described as more than a “hunch” or “gut feeling.” This can be waived if your child gives consent to the search. Lockers can be treated differently depending on the school. Some schools have a parent and child sign an agreement or handbook allowing the school permission to search a locker at any time. Q: What happens if my child is arrested? A: If your child is under the age of 17, they will be taken to a juvenile detention facility. If they are held overnight, then they have a right to a hearing regarding their potential release. If your child is 17 and above, they are arrested and taken to adult jail. Q: What do you see with current social media trends? A: Recently there has been more legal involvement in activities following social media trends. Arrests for criminal trespass are on the rise with the new trend of urban exploring, most often in abandoned buildings. Student pranks that end in injuries are followed up with legal investigations and potential civil lawsuits.

Sparks Law Firm Q: What age is considered a juvenile in Texas? A: Anyone under the age of 17 is considered a juvenile in Texas. Age 17 and up is considered an adult for criminal law purposes in Texas. That means in the event of a criminal accusation, a 17-year-old high school student will be treated as an adult.

Q: Can a police officer interview my child at school without a parent present? A: Yes, Texas law allows law enforcement interviews of children without a parent or guardian present. Texas law does not require the school or law enforcement to notify a parent or guardian.

Justin Sparks 1320 S. University Ste. 1015 Fort Worth 76107 817.334.0300 justin@sparkslawfirm.com sparkslawfirm.com

PROMOTION F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

LEGALTALK Knowledge from the Experts

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What evidence matters most in your injury claim? Q: Is the evidence different in a trucking case? A: Very much so. Beyond the basics, we go after the driver’s logs, the truck’s “black box” data, maintenance records, and the company’s hiring and training files. Trucking companies have a team protecting them the day of the crash. You need a lawyer who knows exactly what to demand and how to make them produce it. Q: How do medical records affect my claim? A: They’re the backbone of your injury case. Records tie your injuries directly to the accident and show how serious they really are. That’s why prompt, consistent treatment matters; gaps in care give the insurance company an opening to argue you weren’t really hurt. Q: Can the insurance company use evidence against me? A: Absolutely. Adjusters look for recorded statements they can twist and social media posts that seem to contradict your injuries. One photo of you smiling at a family event can be spun to argue you’re fine. Before you talk to an adjuster or post online, talk to a lawyer. Q: Why does having a trial lawyer change how evidence is handled? A: Because we build every case from day one as if a jury will see it. Insurance companies know which lawyers prepare real evidence for trial and which ones just want a quick settlement. When they know your lawyer is ready to put the proof in front of a jury, they take your claim seriously.

Q: What types of evidence matter most in a personal injury case? A: The strongest cases are built on hard proof: photos of the scene and your injuries, the police or incident report, medical records connecting your injuries to the wreck, and statements from people who saw it happen. Testimony from witnesses who knew you before and after the incident is important as well, as it can relate to the jury how the wreck or fall changed your life.

Q: Why does acting fast matter so much? A: Evidence disappears. Skid marks fade, surveillance footage gets recorded over, and witnesses forget details or move away. In trucking cases, a company can overwrite electronic data within weeks. The sooner we get involved, the sooner we can send legal letters demanding that critical evidence be preserved before it’s gone for good. PROMOTION

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Westbrook Law Ben Westbrook, Owner and Lawyer 8507 Benbrook Blvd. Benbrook 76126 817.489.5499 westbrooklawfirm.com

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Knowledge from the Experts LEGALTALK

What should I do if I’m arrested? behavior is recorded on body cameras and documented in reports. Calm, respectful conduct can help your case later. Q: Should I explain my side of the story to the police? A: No. Remain silent. Provide only your name and date of birth. Save your explanation for your attorney — anything you say to police can be used against you.

Q: How should I behave when I’m being arrested? A: Stay respectful and cooperative. The officers have already decided to arrest you, and your

Q: Do I have to let police search my phone? A: No. Refuse consent. Do not give your passcode or unlock your device. Tell officers you do not consent to a search and require them to obtain a warrant.

Q: When should I talk to an attorney? A: As soon as possible. This is when you explain your side of the story safely. Bring a timeline of events, witness names, and any evidence you have, such as photos and videos. Your attorney may need to secure surveillance footage or other evidence before it disappears and will help you navigate what to do next.

McLarty Law Firm Chelsi McLarty 855 Texas St. Ste. 140 Fort Worth 76102 817.900.3235 mclartylawfirm.com

Are you properly insured? which rarely covers serious injuries. UM/UIM coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has little or no insurance, making it one of the most valuable policies you can carry.

Q: What types of insurance coverage matter most after an accident? A: In Texas, the most critical coverages are liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM), and personal injury protection (PIP). Many people carry minimum limits — $30,000 per person —

Q: What is uninsured/ underinsured motorist coverage, and do I need it? A: Texas law requires insurers to offer UM/ UIM coverage, but you can reject it in writing — that’s a mistake. Roughly 20% of Texas drivers are uninsured. If one hits you, UM/UIM pays what their insurance can’t. Without it, you may be left pursuing someone with no assets and no recovery. Q: What is PIP, and how does it differ from health insurance?

A: Personal Injury Protection pays medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, with no deductibles or co-pays. Unlike health insurance, PIP kicks in immediately without subrogation repayment from your settlement. Texas insurers must offer a minimum of $2,500, but higher limits are available and worth the modest premium increase. Q: When should I consult a personal injury attorney about my coverage? A: Before you need one. An attorney can review your policies and identify gaps before an accident happens. If you’ve been injured, consult one immediately — insurance companies act in their own interest, not yours. An experienced PI attorney ensures you recover everything you’re entitled to.

Varghese Summersett Ty Stimpson, Partner 300 Throckmorton St. Ste. 700 Fort Worth 76102 817.203.2220 versustexas.com

PROMOTION F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

CHOWTOWN LOCAL EATS AND RESTAURANT NEWS

DFW Restaurant Week More than 40 Tarrant County restaurants will serve special prix fixe menus this month to celebrate DFW Restaurant Week’s 30th anniversary. Emilia’s is among them, offering this creste di gallo with rock shrimp, blistered tomatoes, and fra diavolo. Read more in our Chowtown Lowdown column.

WHAT WE’RE CHEWING OVER THIS MONTH:

On Page 84 Fort Worth’s omakase scene is growing fast, with a new wave of restaurants turning dinner into an intimate, chefled experience. We explore what’s driving the trend and where to find the city’s best chef’s-choice meals. On Page 86 Beren Mediterranean continues to raise the bar in Fort Worth’s food and bev scene, this time literally. Meet Fabian Rafael Marin, the bartender carrying out the restaurant’s ambitious new cocktail program, where Mediterranean flavors, fresh ingredients, and plenty of creativity are finding their way into the glass.

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

CHOWTOWN DINING

Nikuya executive chef Alvin Chik prepares an omakase service.

by Malcolm Mayhew Photos by Jill Johnson

Chef’s Choice

Once a rarity in Cowtown, omakase, a chef-driven Japanese dining experience, has found an eager audience — and inspired a variety of distinctly Fort Worth interpretations.

ne by one, the dishes arrive. First, a crisp lotus root chip topped with king salmon tartare and a dollop of guacamole. Then chopped toro belly, rich and buttery, dusted with a shiitake-truffle powder. Next comes tuna two ways — bluefin

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and bonito — followed by black cod draped in a silky cape of miso butter. No menu. No ordering. No idea what’s coming next. For the better part of two hours at Nikuya, the stylish Japanese rooftop restaurant atop The Sinclair hotel

downtown, I’m simply along for the ride, placing my dinner entirely in the hands of the chef, the talented Alvin Chik. This type of freestyle dining is omakase, the centuries-old Japanese dining tradition in which guests surrender the decision-making and allow the chef to dictate the meal. Once a rarity in Fort Worth, omakase has quickly become one of the city’s fastest-growing dining trends, with a growing number of restaurants putting their own spin on the format and finding an audience increasingly eager to trust the people behind the sushi counter. The word omakase translates roughly to “I’ll leave it up to you,” and that’s the agreement diners make if they want an omakase experience. At many Japanese restaurants that serve omakase, diners pay one price for a chef-selected tasting menu, typically consisting of a dozen or more bite-size courses served individually over the course of an hour or two. Essentially, guests place themselves entirely in the chef’s hands, allowing each course to unfold based on the day’s freshest fish and ingredients, often with an explanation of what they’re eating and why it was chosen. That’s the traditional model, anyway. As omakase has grown in popularity, restaurants have begun putting their own spin on the format — a trend that’s evident in Fort Worth, where no two omakase experiences are quite alike. “Omakase has been around for a long time, but over the last six or seven years, you’ve seen an explosion of different interpretations,” says Nafees Amas, CEO of DRG Concepts, which owns Nikuya. “Fort Worth is slowly opening up to the idea of going somewhere and letting someone else take control of your dinner. That’s pushing the envelope a little farther than it has in the past.” Part of that evolution can be traced to Dallas, where the popularity of omakase has skyrocketed over the past few years. Many of Fort Worth’s newest sushi chefs honed their craft there before bringing their experience west. Omakase also satisfies something

many diners are increasingly craving: a unique dining experience. Watching a chef slice fish just inches away, hearing the story behind an ingredient flown in from Japan, or learning why one piece is lightly torched while another is brushed with soy transforms dinner into something closer to live theater than a traditional restaurant meal. For many diners, that’s money well-spent — a meal that’s as delicious as it is memorable. That willingness to hand over the reins has helped fuel a small but growing collection of omakase experiences across Fort Worth in restaurants such as Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar; Little Lilly Sushi; Tokyo Cafe; newly opened Yoichi Omakase and Handroll; Megu, a Japanese and French restaurant near TCU; Kai Sushi in north Fort Worth; and Hiro’s Kitchen, soon to open in the South Main area. What’s perhaps most interesting is that each restaurant interprets the tradition a little differently. At Nikuya, the experience is intentionally flexible. Instead of requiring every guest to purchase the same fixed tasting menu, diners can choose how many courses they’d like while still leaving the selections to the chef. “If you go into a small sushi bar in Tokyo, it’s much more freestyle,” Amas says. “You might have five pieces, seven pieces, or 15 pieces. We wanted something that feels more customized instead of making every guest commit to the exact same experience.” Katei may offer the city’s most theatrical interpretation of omakase. Hidden inside downtown’s upscale Mexican restaurant Polanco (both are owned by Dallas-based Azteca Concepts), Katei treats dinner like a performance. The evening begins in a private lounge, where guests are greeted with drinks and canapés as the chefs introduce themselves and learn diners’ preferences. Diners are then escorted to an intimate 10-seat sushi counter for 20 meticulously choreographed courses. Katei executive chef Cris Marino sticks close to Japanese traditions but often accentuates his selections of fresh fish with high-end ingredients, such as

caviar and truffles. From time to time, he’ll throw in odes to Mexican and Texas cooking, as on recent offerings such as scallops served on cactus and a Texas toast tres leches dessert. “Omakase is becoming so popular now,” he says. “This is our way of not only distinguishing ourselves from other places but putting a Texas twist on it. We want guests to experience traditional Japanese flavors while reminding them we’re in Texas.” With only two seatings nightly Tuesday through Saturday — at 6 and 8:30 p.m. — and with a price tag of $185 per person (plus drinks, tax, and gratuity), Katei’s omakase experience exudes an air of exclusivity; also, reservations are mandatory. Opened by chefs Ilwon Suhr, Ian Kim, and Mark Kim, Yoichi Omakase & Handroll Bar in the Near Southside takes a more relaxed approach, making omakase a little less intimidating. Housed in the former Shinjuku Station space on Magnolia Avenue, the restaurant feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a hushed sushi bar. As soon as guests walk through the door, the chefs greet them with a booming “Hello!” that evokes “Cheers” vibes. Friendly servers then walk diners through the evening’s omakase: nine chef-selected courses of sushi, sashimi, maki, and seasonal specialties, accompanied by two appetizers and dessert, all for one set price: $85. Unlike the traditional one-bite-ata-time format, Yoichi serves its chef’s selections together in an elegant bento-style presentation, giving diners the same carefully curated assortment but allowing them to experience the meal at their own pace. For newcomers, it’s a gentler introduction to a dining style that can otherwise feel overwhelming. On Fort Worth’s West Side, Little Lilly Sushi puts an even more personal spin on the tradition. Owner Ann Liu says guests begin by setting a budget — $50 per person minimum — and sharing their likes, dislikes, and any food allergies. Prefer nigiri over rolls? Love fatty tuna but not octopus? The sushi chefs build an omakase around those

Two omakase dishes at Nikuya: scallop tartare with housemade shrimp chip (left) and A5 Wagyu topped with matchstick potatoes.

preferences, making each meal a highly personal experience. Hatsuyuki and Megu take a similarly flexible approach, allowing guests to customize the length of their omakase while still trusting the chef to choose what lands on the plate. For the sushi chefs preparing the meals, omakase offers something many traditional menus cannot: complete creative freedom. “It’s a creative outlet for the chef,” Amas says. “Everybody knows salmon and tuna, but omakase lets us introduce people to fish they might never order on their own — mackerel, madai, sea bream. The chef can explain what makes each one special and give guests a frame of reference for something completely new.” That freedom also benefits diners, exposing them to flavors and techniques they might not choose on their own. Instead of defaulting to familiar rolls or sashimi, they’re encouraged to discover something unexpected. The format has become increasingly popular across the country over the past decade, particularly in cities where diners have embraced chefdriven tasting menus and experiential dining. Fort Worth’s growing appetite for omakase reflects that same evolution, Amas says. “The more restaurants that embrace it, the better it is for everybody,” he says. “It creates healthy competition, pushes us to improve, and ultimately helps us serve the community with better food. And it’s just such a cool experience.”

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

CHOWTOWN DINING

Fabian Rafael Marin

by Malcolm Mayhew Photos by Richard W. Rodriguez

The Mix Master

Fort Worth hospitality pro and drinks-slinger Fabian Rafael Marin brings years of fine dining and beverage experience to Beren Meze & Grill House’s next chapter.

ehind every ambitious restaurant is a team guests rarely see. At Beren Meze & Grill House, owner Charlie Unlu has been assembling that team piece by piece. One of its key members is front-of-house director and beverage director Fabian

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Rafael Marin, a Fort Worth hospitality pro whose resume includes a stint at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Washington, D.C., helping launch Hotel Drover’s beverage program, and developing beverage programs at Niles City Hall Saloon and other Fort Worth

hospitality concepts. Marin is now working alongside consulting chef Michael Riemenschneider and bar consultant Mark Kurlyandchik as Beren continues refining both its food and beverage programs in pursuit of a more elevated dining experience. While Riemenschneider is reshaping the kitchen and Kurlyandchik — the James Beard Award-winning filmmaker, former Detroit Free Press restaurant critic, and founder of Booth One Creative, a hospitality group — is helping sharpen the restaurant’s beverage vision, Marin is responsible for bringing that vision to life every night, overseeing front-of-house operations while developing an entirely new cocktail program. “If you want to compete at the highest level, every part of the restaurant has to be exceptional,” Unlu says. “The food matters, but so do the drinks, the service, and the hospitality. Fabian understands that every detail counts, and that’s exactly why he’s such an important part of what we’re building.” The world of hospitality has been an integral part of Marin’s life for decades. After serving in the U.S. Navy, the D.C.-area native entered the restaurant business as a busser before discovering a passion for bartending and front-of-house operations. That passion eventually led him to a pair of acclaimed D.C. restaurants: Range, where Marin worked under acclaimed celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio, and Bresca, where he worked alongside chef Ryan Ratino. During Marin’s time at Bresca, the modern Parisian bistro earned a Michelin star, giving him a firsthand look at the precision, discipline, and attention to detail required at one of the country’s top restaurants. His career was briefly interrupted in 2015 when he was diagnosed with a rare nonseminomatous extragonadal germ cell tumor located between his heart and lungs. After months of chemotherapy and treatment, he beat the disease and returned to the restaurant industry, eventually joining Ratino’s team at Bresca before later making the

move to Texas. Family brought Marin to Fort Worth, where he quickly established himself as one of the city’s rising beverage professionals. He helped develop Niles City Hall Saloon into a destination for craft cocktails, later served as a brand ambassador for Blackland Distillery, and played a key role in launching Hotel Drover’s beverage program. Along the way, he consulted on several local hospitality projects, including Hogan Coffee Lounge, while continuing to pursue his longterm goal of opening a concept of his own. During their respective journeys, Unlu and Marin crossed paths, and Unlu recalled Marin’s experience when it came time for him to start filling positions at Beren, which had moved from a food hall to a fancier, larger space in the Near Southside. “We had met at the Loews Arlington Hotel where we were both working and hit it off,” Marin says. “When he started putting together his team for the new Beren location, he remembered me. When he approached me and told me what he had envisioned and everything he wants to do with the space and drinks program, I immediately knew we were on the same page.” Marin says Kurlyandchik established the creative vision for the restaurant’s evolving beverage program. His role, he says, is transforming those ideas into a polished menu that bartenders can execute consistently night after night. “Mark had a wonderful vision, and Charlie was super receptive to that vision,” Marin says. “My part comes in developing that and making it something we can execute every single day.” The restaurant’s newly released drinks menu reflects that philosophy. Instead of relying on familiar recipes, the beverage team has created cocktails that borrow flavors and ingredients more commonly found in Mediterranean kitchens than behind a bar. The Blackberry Martini, for instance, layers cinnamon and allspice over blackberry and citrus to evoke the flavors of blackberry pie without becoming overly sweet. The Sea Glass Martini combines gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc and sumac, garnished with whipped cheese- and fig-stuffed olives. The Lion’s Milk blends white peach, mint, lemon, and vodka, while the Turkish Cowboy mixes bourbon and rye with black tea honey, saffron, and cardamom and clove bitters. Even the restaurant’s espresso martini takes an unusual turn, incorporating Turkish coffee, Licor 43, raki, and reposado tequila. “I want my personality to make its way through the menu,” Marin says. “We’re creating drinks that have depth and tell a story. We want people to come here not just for dinner, but because the beverage experience is unlike anything else.” With Riemenschneider refining the food menu, Kurlyandchik helping shape the restaurant’s creative direction, and Marin overseeing every guest’s experience from the front door to the final cocktail, Unlu believes Beren is steadily moving closer to the restaurant he has envisioned from the beginning. “I don’t want to just have the best restaurant in Fort Worth,” he says. “But in the country.” Beren Meze & Grill House, 1216 Sixth Ave., berentexas.com

The Chowtown Lowdown For 30 years, DFW Restaurant Week has given North Texans an excuse to splurge on dinner while supporting a good cause. The annual event returns Aug. 10 through Sept. 7, with a preview weekend Aug. 6-9. The more than 40 participating restaurants will offer three-course prix fixe dinners for $49 or $59, while select locations will also feature $29 lunch and weekend brunch menus. To mark the event’s 30th anniversary, some restaurants will offer $99 Signature Experience dinners with chef-driven extras. As always, 20% of the price of each meal will benefit Fort Worth nonprofit Lena Pope, which provides counseling, education, and behavioral health services for children and families. Since joining DFW Restaurant Week in 1998, Lena Pope has received more than $3.3 million through the event, including more than $176,000 last year alone, according to a press release. Fort Worth participants include Reata, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, Don Artemio, Terra Mediterranean, Tinie’s, The Chumley House, Wicked Butcher, Emilia’s, B&B Butchers, Bob’s Steak & Chophouse, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Mercury Chophouse, and many others. Reservations are open now. Menus and a complete list of participating restaurants can be found at dfwrestaurantweek.com. A round of applause is in order for Hotel Drover. The swank Stockyards hotel recently picked up a pair of national honors, including one for its signature restaurant. OpenTable named 97 West Kitchen & Bar to its 2026 list of the Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America. One of just nine Texas restaurants to make the cut, 97 West was the only Fort Worth restaurant recognized and one of only three in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. That recognition comes on the heels of another accolade for Hotel Drover itself. Readers of Travel + Leisure ranked it the No. 2 hotel in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the magazine’s 2026 World’s Best Awards. It was the only Fort Worth hotel to make the regional list. hoteldrover.com Westland Hospitality Group is adding another well-known Fort Worth destination to its growing portfolio. The local hospitality company will soon renovate and operate the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s Rock Springs Cafe, which will reopen this fall as Flora House. The cafe will temporarily close while the space undergoes renovations. Chef Juan Rodriguez will oversee the new concept, which will serve breakfast and lunch daily with an updated menu inspired by the Garden’s surroundings. Future plans include chef-led supper clubs and cooking classes. Westland will also become the Botanic Garden’s exclusive catering partner, overseeing food service for weddings, corporate events, and other private gatherings held on the grounds. The project marks another major expansion for the Fort Worth-based hospitality group, whose portfolio includes Pulido’s Kitchen & Cantina, West Side Cafe, JD’s Hamburgers, and Margie’s Italian Gardens. The company also recently took over operations at Roy Pope Grocery, where it plans to transform the longtime neighborhood market into a Southern Americana-style restaurant. florahousefw.com Fort Worth nonprofit Meals With Meaning is continuing its popular Supper Club Series with a five-course dinner at Brewed on Sunday, Aug. 2. Created by Brewed chef Brianna Estes, the menu will highlight seasonal ingredients and Texas flavors. Courses will include tuna crudo with ponzu and avocado salsa, a black bean empanada, smoked beef cheek with tomatillo risotto, mole negro pork with roasted corn and glazed plantains, and for dessert, mini pavlovas with amaretto cream and passion fruit. Proceeds from the dinner benefit Meals With Meaning, a chef-driven nonprofit that combats food insecurity by turning donated ingredients into chef-prepared meals for people in need throughout Tarrant County. The organization’s Supper Club Series spotlights the talents of local chefs through one-night-only fundraising dinners. Seating is limited, reservations are required, and a cash bar will be available. Visit mealswithmeaning.net

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

DREAM HOME

2026

Tyler Brabec

Susan Semmelmann

Michael Perkins

by Brian Kendall

The (Dream) Home Stretch

The 2026 Fort Worth Magazine Dream Home is really coming together — and it’ll open for touring in November.

hat began over a year ago as architectural plans and a vacant lot has taken shape and officially entered its final phase. With the foundation poured, beams erected, and plumbing installed, in the coming months crews will put the finishing touches on the 2026 Fort Worth Magazine Dream Home in Aledo River in time for public touring in November. This Mediterranean masterpiece marks the 23rd time Fort Worth Magazine has partnered with some of the area’s top industry professionals — 38 in all — to build a home that showcases the latest in homebuilding techniques, design

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

trends, and technology. With the project serving as an opportunity for professionals to demonstrate their craftsmanship, the Dream Home tour will give locals a firsthand, front-row look at some of North Texas’ finest residential work. “[The Dream Home] is such an incredible opportunity for each professional to showcase their Godgiven talents,” says the project’s interior designer, Susan Semmelmann. “And this year is going to be a showstopper. It’s unlike anything we’ve done before, and I’m incredibly excited for people to visit the home and to feel inspired by what they see.” A testament to the area’s rapid growth, this year’s Dream Home dips outside the city limits and heads west to an Aledo address. Nestled right off the lush and secluded Jenkins Road in the Aledo River development, the gated community’s tree-filled 3-acre lots offer homeowners an ideal mix of town and country. “It’s a higher-end neighborhood with more rural kind of lots,” says Andrew Disney, who developed the Aledo River community with his father, Fred. “You’ve got acreage, you’re on well water; it feels like you’re getting that country dream, but you’re not far from Fort Worth.” It’s a stunning, picturesque development that played a significant role in the timeless Mediterranean design of the Dream Home. The home’s architectural designer, Michael Perkins of Elm Residential, said the home’s builder, Tyler Brabec, had a very specific vision that played off the home’s surroundings. “One of the unique things about [this year’s Dream Home] is the site [Brabec] picked and how we went about the design to ensure that each space showed off the property itself,” Perkins says. “We wanted to keep things super simple to allow the landscape and the surroundings to shine. We blended everything in nicely and intentionally kept [the design] understated.”

Brabec, of Brabec Custom Homes, is at the helm of his first Dream Home project. While he acknowledges the home being a showcase for the latest in design and cuttingedge homebuilding, he also wants to steer clear of fleeting trends — an approach he rejects outright. “We really want to focus on timeless architecture and interiors,” Brabec says. “I don’t want the house to feel dated in four or five years. We’re [inspired by architectural styles] that are hundreds and hundreds of years old. It’s all stuff that has remained timeless.” The smooth-stuccoed, tile-roofed, Mediterranean home is a single-story adobe with five bedrooms and six full bathrooms within a total footprint of 6,608 square feet. And, like all previous Dream Homes, the backyard comes equipped with a pool — this year courtesy of Claffey Pools. Charged with making the home’s many rooms and large spaces both stylish and livable is Dream Home veteran Susan Semmelmann of Semmelmann Interiors. This marks Semmelmann’s eighth Dream Home — a record we sincerely doubt will ever be matched — including serving as an interior designer on each of our last four Dream projects. You’ll have a chance to see everyone’s incredible handywork — Semmelmann’s jaw-dropping interiors, Brabec’s timeless build, Perkins’ thoughtful design, and dozens of other outstanding vendors’ showcases — during the November tours. And if that’s not enough to motivate you to attend, proceeds from tour tickets benefit a Wish with Wings, a local nonprofit that grants wishes to children fighting life-threatening medical conditions. Over the past 40 years, a Wish with Wings has granted over 2,000 wishes to Texas children and their families. Be on the lookout for more updates concerning dates and ticket sales as we get closer to welcoming visitors for touring.

Development

Aledo River

Homebuilder

Brabec Custom Homes

Interior Designer

Semmelmann Interiors

Key Partners Appliances

The Jarrell Co.

Architectural Plans

Elm Residential

Beams

Green Valley Beam & Truss Co

Cabinets Kitchen

The Kitchen Source

Cabinets (other)

Renova Custom Woodworks

Countertop Fabrication

Set in Stone

Countertop Materials

KLZ Stone

Door Front

Durango Doors

Doors Interior

Henson Lumber

Drywall

Alliance Drywall

Fireplaces

Metro Brick and Stone Co.

Flooring Materials & Labor (wood and carpet)

Vintage Floors + Finishes

Flooring and Tile Labor

Vintage Floors + Finishes

Garage Doors and Openers

Open Up Garage Doors

Garage Epoxy Coating

Premier Custom Floors

Glass (all glass)

Fashion Glass & Mirror

Gutters Hardware HVAC (materials and labor) Insulation Landscaping Lighting Fixtures Low Voltage/AV/Security Lumber and Trusses

Loveless Modern Gutters Ricks Hardware Performance Heat & Air New Leaf Foam Insulation MDM Landscapes Ferguson The Otium Group Day Lumber Company

Outdoor Design

Blount Designs

Paint Material

Sherwin-Williams

Plumbing Fixtures Pool

Ferguson Claffey Pools

Roofing

Red Barn Roofing

Stucco

Precision Finishes Stucco & Stone

Tile Material Trash Removal Windows and Doors Exterior

DalTile Waste Advantage RAM Windows & Doors

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

SNAPS

PA R T Y P I C S photos by Rebecca Burke, Kamryn Johnson

Chip Emms, Terrence Butler, Mary Catherine Emms

The A4 Event Academy 4

A Monica Cabrera, Frankie Simons, Allie Sandoval, Sean Evers

cademy 4 held its annual dinner event on April 16 at The 4Eleven. More than 150 community leaders, partners, and champions gathered to hear from Bobb Biehl, executive mentor, author, and inspiration behind Academy 4. Biehl inspired guests to recognize the impact of mentoring fourthgrade students and the urgency of supporting Academy 4’s growth in Fort Worth and beyond. The evening celebrated the power of relationships and community while unveiling Academy 4’s bold vision to double the size of its mentoring program by the 2028–29 school year.

Bob Danley, Melanie Barton, Charles Barton, Bryce Danley

Kevin McGinnis, Stacy Gordon, Sarah Goyak, Dory McGinnis

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

Mark Nurdin, Darrell Bevelhymer

INSPIRED BY YOU. DESIGNED BY PURPOSE.

Schedule Your Design Consultation Today semmelmanninteriors.com 817.774.4045

Flamingo_Fort Worth Zoo Animals Gallery

MAKE A STATEMENT Bring the stories of Cowtown into your space. From our pages to your walls, Fort Worth Magazine’s exclusive fine art images are now available for you to own and appreciate.

From well-known personalities to music and Western, you’ll find the perfect piece for your space.

Fine art prints from our award-winning photographers are now available. Get yours today at art.fwtx.com or scan the QR code on your mobile phone.

fine art as unique as fort worth

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

SNAPS

PA R T Y P I C S

Connor Williams, Gretchen Minyard Williams

Callie Enlow, Coleman Judson, Leslie & John Enlow

Amy & Scott Roberts

Kris & Melissa Boggs, Marcia & Terry Boggs, Ashley & Brian Miller

photos by Mariel and Joey Lifestyle Photography

Lois & Paul Bowman

Beat Leukemia Ball Leukemia Texas

eukemia Texas welcomed supporters from across North Texas to the 21st Beat Leukemia Ball on June 5 at Simmons Bank Pavilion at Dickies Arena. Guests enjoyed an elegant cocktail reception, dinner, auctions, inspiring mission moments, and a moving patient story that highlighted the importance of support during a leukemia diagnosis.

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

Ernie & Lola Sims

BUILT ON FAMILY VALUES. POWERED BY TRUST. In an industry where reliability matters most,

Performance Heat and Air has built its reputation on something even more important: trust.

For more than 15 years, this family-owned

HVAC company has proudly served North

Texas homeowners with honest service, expert craftsmanship, and a commitment to treating

every customer like family. Backed by over 35

years of industry experience, Performance Heat and Air is known not just for keeping homes comfortable year-round, but for the integrity behind every service call. "When someone invites you into their home, it's a privilege," says the team. "That's why we treat every home with the same care and respect we would our own." From emergency AC repairs during the Texas summer heat to complete system installations, Performance Heat and Air has earned lasting customer relationships through dependable solutions and straightforward service. In an industry often driven by sales pressure and rushed appointments, they continue to prioritize honesty, communication, and long-term relationships over

quick transactions. That commitment has brought well-earned recognition, including the prestigious SOAR Award and Trane Comfort Specialist status. But the team measures success differently: by the families who call year after year, the neighbors who get recommended, and the trust built across North Texas communities. As the company grows, its founding values remain unchanged. Hard work. Respect. Reliability. Family. "We're not just in the heating and air business, we're in the people business. Our goal has always been to make families feel comfortable, taken care of, and confident they chose the right team."

Performance Heat and Air — Keeping North Texas Comfortable Since 2010 | 817-477-1000 | performanceheatandair.com

GIVE BACK GREATER FORT WORTH’S CHARITY/SOCIAL EVENTS

AUGUST

National Wellness Month AUGUST 2026 SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

Aug. 6 Build Fort Worth Will Roger’s Memorial Center Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber

Aug. 8 2

★ 23/30

24/31

AUGU ST 2026 | F W T X .COM

★

Back 2 School Bash 2026 FWCC/Eventos Licon Fort Worth Community Collaborative

Aug. 15-16 MEGA Adoption Event Amon G. Carter Exhibits Hall Humane Society of North Texas

Aug. 22 3rd Annual Clay Shoot Northlake Shooting Sports Christ’s Haven for Children

Aug. 29 The Big Wing Challenge Blue Flag Distillery Big Brothers Big Sisters, Greater Tarrant

EDUCATOR SYMPOSIUM 2026

Expedition to Excellence "Empowering Students Using Practical Strategies" Friday, October 23, 2026 8 am - 3:30 pm

Texas Wesleyan University Martin Center

Breakfast & Lunch Provided

5 CEUs

FEATURED SPEAKERS

LUNCHEON KEYNOTE

K THERINE KA MCKNIGHT, PH.D.

L NN LY MELTZER, PH.D.

NIKKI WINTER, M.ED., LDT, CALT

Founder Engaging Learners

Research Institute for Learning and Development (ResearchILD)

Author Brilliant Strengths

JAMES WHITFIELD, ED.D.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Superintendant Treetops School International KSFW.ORG

JOIN US FOR A FULL DAY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AUG . 30 12 PM - 3 PM Enjoy afternoon libations and nibbles when you donate gently-used prom/formal dresses & accessories! Accepting formal dresses, tuxedos, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and new unopened makeup. Monetary donations for alterations and needed accessories are accepted as well.

GIVE YOUR DRESSES ANOTHER TIME TO SHINE BY HELPING LOCAL YOUTH ATTEND THEIR PROM SPONSORS: SOFORTWORTHIT I INTO THE GARDEN I THE SHOPS AT CLEARFORK I JIM IRWIN FLORAL I CHICK-FIL-A BENBROOK I PUT A CORK IN IT I SEWELL TITLE I PRINT POINT I AFFAIRS AFLOAT BALLOONS I ELUSIVE IMAGES I THE REO AGENCY I FREE YOUR MIND I DJ CRYING SPARKLES I TOUGH STARS GIVE BACK MEDIA: FORT WORTH MAGAZINE I NBC 5 DFW I WEST FORT WORTH LIFESTYLE I ARTSY SCOOP I NEIGHBORS OF WESTOVER HILLS HOSTS: CHRISTY DUNAWAY SMITH I GLORIA VAZQUEZ STARLING I ERMA LEE I LYNN HAMMER I CATHY SEWELL I GRAYSON SHAKELFORD I DEBORAH FERGUSON I SHANELLE REYES I ERIN BUCK I BIANCA MCNAMARA I TERESA YEARGINS

F W T X .COM | AUGU ST 2026

From a rowdy Sundance Square to sports bars bursting at the seams and electrifying trips to AT&T Stadium, North Texas had a dang good time playing host to nine international soccer matches during the 2026 World Cup — and we suspect our guests had an equally wonderful experience. To celebrate and document this once-in-a-generation moment, we asked our readers to submit photos for potential use in our August issue. We received over 30 submissions, some of which you can find on page 14. The above photograph was captured by one of our freelancers, Richard Rodriguez, as a jumbotron in Sundance Square was broadcasting one of Mexico’s games. According to our sister publication Fort Worth Inc., more than 8,000 soccer fans filled the plaza for Mexico’s game against Czechia. @superprorico PHOTO BY RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ Scan the QR Code to scroll through all World Cup photo submissions.

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Pictured: Mike Brown, Platform Director

Stephen Jimenez, GM, Spur Chevrolet Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator

Justin Rudd, GM Platinum Chevrolet

We Drive the Difference The Gilchrist Valet Service:

• Online or over-the-phone sales purchase and delivery • Service pick-up and delivery Experience the Gilchrist Difference: • Family owned and operated • Purchase process tailored to your needs • Three stores to choose from where each General Manager personally assists you • Customer relationships do not end with the sale • Each experience is special when you work with Gilchrist Automotive