As hundreds packed UTA’s Rosebud Theatre on Monday for a Texas House redistricting committee public hearing, citizens and state representatives highlighted one missing item. An actual redistricting map. “Basically, Mr. Chairman, this process is wrong. You guys have the power to stop it. I hope you will use your power for the benefit of the people of Texas,” said U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, at the public hearing. At the final of three Texas House public hearings, dozens of state lawmakers, a packed hearing room and an overflow space set the scene to discuss the sudden decision to tackle congressional redistricting during the Texas Legislature's special session. Approximately 500 people signed up to speak. “This effort to change the district, again, has nothing to do with representing people better. It’s the opposite of that,” said Texas Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, and vice chair of the Texas House redistricting committee. “It's power grab at the expense of Black and brown communities.” The state has not provided any proposed revisions of the current map, which was drawn in 2021 and has yielded 25 seats for Republicans and 13 for Democrats. Critics of the mid-decade redistricting process question why the committee is hosting public hearings before maps are available. If the new maps are drawn, they will also be based on the same U.S. census data from 2020 used for the 2021 maps, Jeff Archer, executive director at Texas Legislative Council, said at the public hearing. Seven of Texas’ 38 congressional districts contain part of Tarrant County — five represented by Republicans and two by Democrats. On July 21, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Dustin Burrows, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, announced in separate press releases the formation of a Senate Special Committee and a House Select Committee to oversee the redistricting process. The 21-member Texas House redistricting committee is chaired by Texas Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton. Texas, like all U.S. states, redraws its electoral lines every 10 years using data from the U.S. census. While no law is set against redrawing the lines more often, it’s not a common practice. Texas last practiced mid-decade redistricting in 2003 when Republicans gained control of both chambers of the Legislature. Democrats never regained control in Texas. This time, the pressure to redraw congressional seats seemingly comes from the federal level. President Donald Trump’s administration began pushing the idea, asking Texas lawmakers to redraw congressional districts to maintain Republican Party control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm election. The Department of Justice sent out a memo July 7, alleging that four Texas districts — including the 33rd Congressional District currently held by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth — constitute illegal racial gerrymandering. All four districts are majority nonwhite. ‘This fight is not new’ Roman Palomares, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said at the public hearing that the current mid-decade redistricting process continues the suppression of Latino voting strength. “LULAC proudly stands with coalitions of Latino, Black, Asian American organizations, which have consistently led legal efforts to secure fair redistricting,” Palomares said. “This fight is not new, and it is far from over.” Redrawing the state’s congressional map became one of 18 items Gov. Greg Abbott is prioritizing on the 30-day special legislative session that started July 21, citing “constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice,”even as Texas Republicans previously said that the districts were drawn race blind. State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said at the public hearing that he also has not seen the proposed maps. “The reality is that I've been reassured that there'll be hearings once the maps come out,” West said. “But check this out: Will there be regional meetings like this?” Democrats nationwide have already started pushing back against the plan, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is signaling a retaliatory redistricting in the nation’s biggest blue state. Republicans have a 219-212 advantage in the U.S. House, with four seats vacant. At a rally outside the University Center before the public hearing, state Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth, said he has recently had conversations with Newsom and asked the California governor to join the fight against redistricting. “We are at war, and they're coming for us,” Romero said. “The other thing that we have to understand is this is a deal. Trump called his governor, his boy, and said, ‘Time to pay me back.’ This is the way the new government of the United States is working for y'all.” Veasey, whose seat is being targeted by the Legislature, said at the public hearing that his district was created as part of a court-ordered map in 2011 to remedy deliberate racial gerrymandering. Abbott and Republican lawmakers swore under oath in front of the federal court that their map was “race blind,” Veasey said. “So, what is it? Were they lying then or are they lying now?” he said. Mid-decade redistricting In an interview with The Shorthorn, Pat Flavin, a political science professor at Baylor University, called the president’s effort “unprecedented.” “I can't think of an example where a president has so publicly instructed a state to engage in mid-decade redistricting,” Flavin said. Texas Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, told The Shorthorn on Thursday that he has never seen a legislative body being asked to identify and break apart districts that have a majority of minority populations. “That's just a ludicrous statement in and of itself,” Turner said. Throughout Monday’s public hearing, the Rosebud Theatre, which houses 435 people at maximum, was filled with attendees, speakers and state lawmakers. About an hour and a half into the hearing, UTA opened the Bluebonnet Ballroom for overflow following requests from West and other state representatives. Mineola, Texas, resident John van Compernolle said that because the item is now on the special session agenda, the committee should use the opportunity to redraw fair and balanced maps that are color and party blind. “If in fact, these districts, as they're drawn, are gerrymandered, which many people have said they are, then you have an opportunity to un-gerrymander them,” he said. The redistricting process also received support at the public hearing. Rich Stoglin, president of the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County, said Texas doesn’t need the Democratic Party’s leadership that leads to systemic gang violence, a pummeling education system and deteriorating communities. “We need and must have increased Republican leadership in the great state of Texas to remain great,” Stoglin said. ‘Politicians choosing their voters’ Democrats have repeatedly criticized the decision to focus on redistricting for this special session over dealing with the aftermath of the July 4 flooding in the Hill Country. “In my opinion, if we're going to be in a special session, we ought to be dealing with the tragedy in the Texas Hill Country from the recent floods and better preparing our state for future natural disasters and really nothing else,” Turner said. Romero did not mince words against Abbott’s priorities. “You have a community in Kerr County that's still burying kids, mothers, fathers, brothers or sisters, and he has no honor for those families, no pride for those families,” Romero said. Trump has said he wants five more seats from Texas. If Republicans win those seats, they will have 30 U.S. House representatives over Democrats’ eight. “We are today playing political games to appease the fella in the White House and his lust for power,” said U.S. Rep Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, whose district is targeted by the Legislature. Flavin said Texas is a Republican-leaning state, as proven by Trump winning the state by 14 percentage points. However, Republicans getting 30 out of 38 seats — approximately an 80% control — would provide a distorted view of their support in the state and would probably be “the most egregious gerrymander one could imagine,” he said. Redistricting, he said, takes power out of the hands of regular voters and puts it in politicians’ hands. “Essentially, instead of voters choosing politicians, you have politicians choosing their voters,” Flavin said. Because the Texas map is already favorable to maximize Republican seats, redrawing could lead to the party stretching their districts and spreading their voters too thin, thus putting their seats in jeopardy in an attempt to flip Democratic seats, Flavin said. Potential challenge In June, Democrats criticized Tarrant County’s mid-decade redistricting process, saying that the approved plan racially gerrymandered voters of color in order to give Republicans an advantage. GOP leaders said the plan is legal and since a federal lawsuit has been filed. Redrawing districts to dilute the power of voters of color is bound to draw legal complaints. The current congressional maps drawn in 2021 are still the subject of an ongoing court challenge. What will happen in Texas in the next couple of weeks could be an inflection point in terms of redistricting, Flavin said. Redrawing the map mid-decade may become a political strategy that political parties may use to ensure they have the majority. “It’s going to be a constant state of redistricting,” he said. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the summer heat outside the University Center on Monday to rally against a proposed Texas congressional redistricting before a public hearing on campus. On July 9, Gov. Greg Abbott announced an 18-item agenda for a special session, including a mid-decade redraw of the Texas congressional maps, which made waves throughout the state. Hosted by the Texas House of Representatives' Select Committee on Redistricting, the hearing was scheduled in the evening at UTA’s Rosebud Theatre to discuss 14 of 38 congressional districts in Texas. Several government officials spoke out against the redistricting during the protest, including Texas Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth and Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons. Having recently undergone a county redistricting that shifted Precinct 2, which formerly contained most of Arlington, Simmons said she understood the issue well. “Don’t mistakenly call this a power grab, a political play. It is racism," Simmons said. “It is diluting the voting strength of people that look like me, and who are Hispanic, Asian and others.” Texas Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said the issue is that people are attempting to ensure they gain and maintain power, while shifting others away. “This is ground zero, Texas, and if it happens in Texas, it can happen anywhere in this country,” West said. “If it happened on the congressional level, it could happen at the local level.” He said that he was glad to see protesters show up in near 100-degree weather and are able to express their opinions. “That continues to give me faith that democracy is not dead, that it is still alive,” West said. Chants criticizing President Donald Trump, denouncing gerrymandering and demanding fair redistricting maps echoed through the parking lot where protestors stood outside the University Center. Yaseen Tasnif, sociology and logistics senior, said the attempt to redistrict was a call to action from Trump, asking Abbott to push for up to five Republican congressional seats. “It feels like it’s taking away our representation, specifically when it comes to UTA,” Tasnif said. They said a lot of voices will be diluted if the redistricting goes into place. Irving resident Staceye Randle, said lawmakers should be focusing on enhancing infrastructure and ensuring people have access to life-saving measures, referring to the recent Hill Country floods. “[Lawmakers] need to listen to the people in their communities, to their constituents,” Randle said. “That’s the most important thing. We put them in office and we can fire them.” Not everyone at the event shared that perspective. Across the street, Arlington resident Kenny Mills, 64, stood with an American flag and voiced his support for the redistricting. Mills said the community elects its representatives, and if they decide that there needs to be redistricting, he agrees. “I’m sure when [democrats] were in charge, there was plenty of it going on,” Mills said. “I think [Republicans] are doing a good job.” But Turner disagreed. Turner said that what lawmakers are attempting is wrong and that they are targeting two majority-minority congressional districts in Texas and dismantling them. “In our first two hearings, we’ve heard from hundreds of people, in Austin and Houston, who have shown up to testify,” Turner said. “Not a single person said they’re in favor of this.” During the public hearing at UTA and during two separate hearings in Austin and Houston, there were no redistricting maps to show the public what the specific changes would be. Turner, who serves on the Texas House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Redistricting, stated that without maps, the public can't testify on any issue. “We’ve asked repeatedly, ‘Where’s the map? Who has the map? Who’s seen the map? When are we going to see the map?’ and we’re being stonewalled,” he said. Turner said the protest was about the community not wanting a Trump takeover of Texas. “We want Trump and Abbott to leave these congressional districts alone and not further gerrymander an already heavily gerrymandered map,” he said. @ tay._.sansom @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

A sea of green overtook the St. Jude Event Center on Sunday afternoon as plant lovers from across Dallas-Fort Worth came to celebrate The Bloomverse Expo. The event was one of the first of its kind in Arlington, garnering hundreds of attendees, with lines wrapping around the building and over 50 vendors selling anything from plants to handmade dreamcatchers and jewelry. Viridiana Robles, owner and founder of The Bloomverse Expo and Plants by Viridiana, said she did not expect such a large turnout. “[The markets] have never been this big,” Robles said. Bloomverse was the first plant convention that many attendees and vendors had participated in of this size. Aubrey residents Julie Harris, 34, and Chloe Freret, 36, ran a booth together and had never been to an expo event before Bloomverse. Harris said they wanted to create an inclusive space. Harris and Freret have kids on the spectrum, which drives the way they sell their items, selling kid kits which come with an affirmation card, care cards and a Pothos cutting that kids can plant themselves. The pair got into growing plants during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then, it’s been a long journey, Harris said. “I mean, these people often have other jobs like we do, and they're putting their additional time away from their families to do something that they love and they feel passionate about, and that's a huge thing,” Harris said about other vendors in the community. To many attendees, the event was about more than just plants — it was about people. Forney resident, Alexandra Gartin has been a part of the plant community for around six or seven years. She said the community makes her feel included and serves as an icebreaker in getting to know people. “Mostly everybody in the plant community is really nice and welcoming,” Gartin said. Dallas resident Blanca Charles, 35, said her mother’s love for plants and the support from her family and partner drove her to start her business, Rooted by Blanca Charles. While she has been at various pop-up shops across the Dallas-Fort Worth area before, Bloomverse was her first time doing a plant-specific expo. Charles is not alone in her endeavor, however. Her partner, Lancaster resident Armando Molina, 35, pushed her to start her business so she could have something to call her own and has helped her at every pop-up event, he said. “It was scary for her to start, she didn't know what to do,” Molina said. “So I kind of gave her that little push and she did it. Now she's doing pop-ups everywhere.” When Molina first joined the plant community, he didn’t know anything about plants, but the community is what kept him with the hobby. “Everybody's so friendly. You get people from so many different types of backgrounds and characters,” he said. “It's just so many different types of people, and it's beautiful to see.” @tay._.sansom @_.lexlie_ news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Robert “Snake” LeGrand, a former UTA men’s basketball head coach well known for his extensive kindness and ties to the community, died at 81 Saturday in Arlington. LeGrand, nicknamed “Snake” for his gliding movements on the court, was a decorated coach with high school and collegiate experience. But his legacy does not end at the court. He was a father, a mentor, and to many, a friend who led with compassion and care. Ricky French, a longtime friend and former vice principal of the high school LeGrand’s son attended, said the coach always cared for others and never treated anyone like a stranger. French recalled a trip to the 2012 Olympics in London, where even overseas, LeGrand ran into people whose lives he had touched. “That’s just the kind of guy he was, you know,” French said. “When he was your friend, trust me, he was your friend. He had your back.” LeGrand initially joined UTA as the assistant head coach of the UTA men’s basketball team. As head coach from 1976 to 1987, he left a lasting legacy and helped open doors for those who followed. Under LeGrand’s leadership, UTA recorded its first 20-win season and saw its first National Invitation Tournament in 1981. He also helped lay the foundation for the university’s wheelchair basketball program, originally known as the Freewheelers before becoming the Movin’ Mavs, according to a UTA press release. Through highs and lows, Snake left his mark not only on the basketball program but on the state of Texas. He was the first Black head coach in Texas NCAA Division I and UTA history, while being the first coach to reach 100 wins at the university. “He just exemplified everything that athletics is supposed to teach you,” French said. Before UTA, LeGrand attended three colleges. He first enrolled at Central State University but left after a year to join the Air Force. After his discharge in 1967, LeGrand returned to school at St. Mary’s University, where he played basketball and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government. LeGrand graduated from St. Mary’s University in 1970 and earned a master’s degree in counseling from Southwest Texas State University, now known as Texas State University, in 1974. He was inducted into St. Mary’s Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. He spent the latter years of his career as a counselor at Lamar High School in Arlington. After more than a decade, he retired but stayed busy running a T-shirt business, Sports N Goods 4 U. LeGrand became a regular at J. Gilligan’s after his time at UTA. Owner Randy Ford, who first met him there, said LeGrand always arrived with a group of friends. “He was always just so full of life, he was always happy,” Ford said. “ I don’t know that I ever saw him at Gilligan’s in a bad mood. He knew everybody.” LeGrand was a beloved figure at J. Gilligan’s, where photos of him hang around the bar and grill. Just the mention of his name would bring people to a smile. His impact is duly noted in the history of Arlington. He is survived by his wife, Gloria LeGrand, his children Brian, Chris, Bobby, Aurice, Lisa, Brianna and 10 grandchildren. “He was a wonderful ambassador for UTA and our athletics programs and a pillar within this community,” said Jon Fagg, UTA director of Intercollegiate Athletics, in a press release. “We will greatly miss having him around the College Park Center and his spirit and legacy will live on for generations to come.” @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

University officials and community stakeholders gathered Thursday in Willow Park, Texas, for the ribbon-cutting of UTA West’s new storefront. The building will serve as the main hub for public engagement around UTA West while the campus is under construction, and will act as the “face” of the new university, said Wayne Atchley, inaugural vice president for regional campuses. The storefront offers students and families access to admissions, advising, financial aid and other essential services. Set to open in fall 2028, UTA West aims to meet the region’s educational and workforce needs and is projected to generate over 2,200 jobs, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. The UT System Board of Regents approved the new campus’s Fort Worth land purchase last August and broke ground in April. The new storefront sits roughly five miles away from the soon-to-be west campus, located in a plaza adjacent to several local businesses. The space features multiple offices for meetings and community use. During the ribbon-cutting, President Jennifer Cowley said that Fort Worth’s quick growth brings a necessity for “top-tier” education, and UTA West will lay the foundation for surrounding major industries. “This may look like a simple storefront, but don’t let its size fool you,” Cowley said at the ribbon-cutting. “We’re planting roots here, and we believe in your future. It’s a bold declaration and a way to show our commitment to Parker County, Fort Worth, Willow Park and the surrounding communities.” Various Parker County officials, who are assisting UTA with the west campus venture, were also present for the ceremony. “We have this tidal wave of development coming, and with UTA coming and setting that high bar at what has to be one of the most premier sites you can get in the gateway to Parker County, I couldn't think of a better partner,” said Mike Hale, Parker County Precinct 4 commissioner. Atchley said the strong response to the ribbon-cutting and open house that followed, reassured him that they had chosen the right location for the storefront. The next step for UTA West, beyond brand awareness, is solidifying the available degree plans and the building’s layout, Atchley said. “We want to build something here that's meaningful long term, that grows with the community and meets the needs of the community as they develop,” he said. @PMalkomes news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

This is a crime wrap-up from July 17 to 20. Criminal trespass On July 17, officers investigated an unaffiliated female on campus in violation of a criminal trespass warning, UTA Police Capt. Mike McCord said in an email. The female was arrested and transported to the Arlington Police Department jail. If the offender has not been previously convicted of trespassing on higher education property, the offense is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement of up to 180 days in jail or both. If the offender has been previously convicted, the offense is a class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $4,000, up to one year in jail or both. False alarm or report On July 17, officers investigated a reported bomb threat, McCord said. False alarm or report at an institution of higher education is a state jail felony punishable by imprisonment of 180 days to two years in jail, a fine not to exceed $10,000 or both. The case is still active. Theft of service under $100 On July 20, a female staff member reported unauthorized access to the Maverick Activities Center, McCord said. An unaffiliated female was issued a citation and released. Theft of service under $100 is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Celebrate The Bloomverse Expo, one of the first plant conventions of its kind in Arlington, from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the St. Jude Event Center. What started as a plant-obsessed hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic has sprouted into a free, 30 plus vendor plant celebration for the community, featuring rare and uncommon plants, a variety of homemade items and plant swaps. The hobby began around late 2019, when Viridiana Robles, owner and founder of The Bloomverse Expo and Plants by Viridiana, decided she wanted to revamp her room. She bought a few plants, curious to see where it would take her, not knowing it would grow into something much larger. “Fast forward now, I’ve been so obsessed with plants,” Robles said. “I was able to make it into a business full time.” She has been hosting markets for the plant community for about three years now, and said Bloomverse is going to be a bigger version of these markets. The venue will have beginner plants like snake plants, and more rare and uncommon plants like Monstera Albo. “We have all sorts of people bringing different genuses,” she said. “Like genus Monstera, Hoya, Philodendron, Anthurium, everything that you can think of, we will have at the event.” Along with the array of plants, the venue will also have an open concession stand and bar area for attendees to get food and drinks. “We’re curating the space, making it inclusive [and] fun,” she said. “We’re keeping everybody in mind who loves plants.” Robles said the lack of representation in the area is what sparked the creation of the event. “I didn’t see that representation, so I took advantage of it and now I wanna have our own little convention, our own little nook in the event industry and see where that goes,” she said. Bloomverse is a convention for plant lovers, she said, no matter the plant knowledge. “If you love plants, this is a place for you to be,” Robles said. “Honestly, it’s truly like a little love letter to our local plant community here in the DFW area.” @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Civil engineering professor Sahadat Hossain is pioneering change with a new 3,500-foot stretch of plastic-infused road along highway SH 205 in Rockwall, Texas. Partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation’s Dallas District, Hossain and his team began working on the new road in May and completed it this month. Hossain said in a press release that the project is helping to build a cleaner future and demonstrates how engineering innovation can help address one of the world’s “biggest environmental challenges.” The plastic roads are a mixture of 90% bitumen and 10% melted plastic, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. Using a bitumen, or dry mix, creates a coating around the aggregate, and the surface of the aggregate goes down, which increases strength and bonding, Hossain said. He added that a plastic road will, in some cases, last two or even three times longer than a traditional road. “Even under harsh environmental condition, the road will last longer,” Hossain said. He initially began working on the sustainability of plastic-infused roads in 2019, when his proposal received a $950,000 implementation and performance monitoring grant. In 2023, Hossain’s team implemented plastic-infused roads at UTA in parking lots F10 and F49. He said, apart from a hairline crack, the condition of the parking lots has no problems. “We’re actually working towards a global goal to reduce the plastic waste, promote sustainability and also reduce the maintenance required for a pavement,” graduate research assistant Ishraq Faruk said. Faruk has been a part of Hossain’s team since 2021, and has been involved since the initial laboratory testing. “The mix design that we used for our parking lot and the mix design that we use for Dallas is completely different,” Hossain said. “TxDOT roads, they [have] very strict regulations for the density and air void, so to satisfy that density and rutting and cracking requirement we had to do a lot more tests.” Hossain’s team found that the plastic roads release less than 10% of the allowable microplastic limit. “If there is no crack and there is no exposure to the bitumen, plastic is never going to come out,” he said. For the road in Rockwall, they used 7,500 pounds of plastic, almost 3.5 to 4 tons, Faruk said. “It feels very good to know that there is almost a mile long section in Rockwall that’s going to represent plastic road, and the performance of that pavement will lead to more future plastic roads all over Texas,” he said. Hossain’s team plans to implement plastic roads in Fort Worth and Amarillo, with plans to keep expanding in Texas. “Till we find an alternative solution, we need to deal with whatever plastic we have in our hands, and this provides a solution,” Hossain said. That's very exciting. We know we cannot handle all the plastic, but if we can provide some solution that has a less negative impact, that’s very motivating for me.” news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As the Texas Legislature’s special session progresses, North Texans can now weigh in on plans to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts — one of the most controversial agenda items. The Texas House of Representatives' Select Committee on Redistricting will hold its public hearing at 5 p.m. Monday at UTA’s Rosebud Theatre. Each individual is limited to two minutes of testimony, and the hearing will be limited to five hours, according to a public notice released by the committee. The hearing focuses on 14 of 38 congressional districts in Texas, but speakers can comment on any region within the state. Gov. Greg Abbott announced the 18-item to-do list agenda for the special session July 9, which included the mid-decade redraw of the state’s congressional maps. Three state House members from Tarrant County are on the redistricting committee: Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort WorthRep. John McQueeney, R-Fort WorthRep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie Lawmakers are looking to potentially change the map after President Donald Trump said he wanted to maintain the Republican majority in the U.S. House. The Legislature last redistricted the state in 2021 using data from the 2020 U.S. census. Under the current map, Texas Republicans held 25 of 38 congressional seats following the 2022 and 2024 elections. Trump told reporters that he wants to gain five more U.S. House seats in Texas. “There could be some other states we’re gonna get another three, four or five in addition,” Trump said July 15. “Texas would be the biggest one.” U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, said in a July 9 statement that the attempt to redistrict was “a craven power grab and absolutely disgusting.” Two days prior, the Department of Justice had labeled four seats held by Democrats, including Veasey’s, as illegal, as their constituents are mostly nonwhite. One of those seats — Texas 18th Congressional District — is currently vacant but was previously represented by Sylvester Turner, who died in March. “Let me be clear: I will not stand by while this state becomes a testing ground for Trump’s authoritarian fantasies,” Veasey said in the statement. “We will fight this assault in the courts, in the streets and at the ballot box.” @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The UT System Board of Regents named John Zerwas as the sole finalist for the chancellorship of The University of Texas System on Monday. The chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of the UT System and reports to the Board of Regents. They are responsible for all aspects of the system’s operations. The UT System has 14 institutions that enroll more than 256,000 students overall, making it the largest university system in Texas, according to its website. The institutions also produced more than 66,000 graduates last year. Zerwas currently serves as the interim chancellor of the UT System and received unanimous support as the sole finalist. Before joining the UT System, he served seven legislative terms in the Texas House of Representatives, representing Fort Bend County. He also worked as a physician and an academic and health care administrator. “Stepping into the role of chancellor, I am committed to promoting and expanding our service in thoughtful and effective ways that reflect the rich heritage and bright future of this great state,” Zerwas said in a statement. The final decision to approve Zerwas as chancellor will be considered by the board at its mid-August meeting in Austin. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Since late March, the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market has operated west of the Rotary Dream Park and housed vendors selling a multitude of goods, from bread and produce to crafts and prints of illustrations. The market has continuously grown since its opening several months ago and continues to be busy from the support of residents across Arlington. Vendors come from near and far, spend hours or days preparing and some even load up just to go on to the next market. Here are four of those vendors, and a look into how they prepare and run their booths at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market. Nana’s Pantry At 7 a.m. Saturday, Arlington residents Jacqui Payne, 81, and her daughter Laurie Payne, 60, arrived to set up the Nana’s Pantry booth. They unpacked jams, salsas, pickled vegetables and soup mixes, brought from their home three miles away from the downtown area. Jacqui Payne discovered her love of cooking for people long before she started selling at markets. In the 1980s, she cooked for the people who attended service at the Canterbury House at Southern Methodist University. “I had to fix for 50 no matter how many people showed up,” she said. “I had to make sure there’s enough, and then whatever leftovers there were stayed in the refrigerator and the kids ate off it all week.” Laurie Payne said her mom is always eager to make food for someone else. “She’s almost ready to go kidnap people off the street and give them food,” she said. Jacqui Payne’s preparation for the market starts throughout the week as she makes her inventory with the help of her daughter. She does most of the pickling and salsa making, while Laurie Payne helps her mom with tasks such as lifting pots and pans that are heavy with ingredients and product. “When I’m going to make salsa I have to make sure she’s going to be home because I can’t lift the pot,” Jacqui Payne said. “A batch of salsa is 25 pints, which is like 40 pounds.” She has been participating in markets for close to 15 years, and her daughter began helping around nine years ago. She said she wants to continue Nana’s Pantry for as long as she’s physically able. Laurie Payne said she’ll take up the mantle when her mom no longer can. “I really like some of her products, and when she can no longer make them, I want to be able to do it,” she said. Melton Family Farms Canton, Texas, resident Zach Melton has been selling produce from the Melton Family Farm at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market since it started. On Saturday, Melton said he started loading up the trailer with produce at 4:30 a.m. and arrived at the market at around 7:30 a.m. Melton’s stand sold fruits and vegetables ranging from watermelons to cucumbers and squash. He said peaches and berries usually sell out before anything else. Melton said he's witnessed the farmers market steadily grow since March. As it's gotten hotter, the market has started to open and close an hour earlier, letting residents and vendors stay out of extreme heat. Melton said the heat slows the whole process down, and fewer people are likely to show up to the market. “It’s been a lot tougher just with the heat,” he said. “Not just for me but for everybody out here.” The family farm is a multigenerational business, spanning back to Melton’s grandfather. Melton said it feels good to keep the business going, even if it isn’t the easiest thing to do. Wells Berry Farms Adam Wells and the Wells Berry Farm only recently started attending the Arlington Farmers Market. Wells said his family has vended at other Four Seasons Markets and that he thinks they may become regulars at Arlington’s. “We’ve heard a lot of good things, and it’s a bigger market,” Wells said. “[I] just thought maybe [we’ll] get a bit more traction.” The stand sold a variety of fruits, such as blueberries, peaches and plums. The land Wells’ family farms on was provided by Texas because they had family who fought and died at the Alamo. “They gave all the family members of everyone who died land, so we still farm on that land today,” he said. Wells said preparations for farmers markets are mostly done beforehand. The day of the market, the pints of fruit are brought over in flats and poured into buckets. Wells runs the stand with his husband, who began helping him this year. “We spend all of our time together anyways, so this is just another reason to spend time together and do something we enjoy,” Wells said. Fox and Raven Mead A fan named Coolio keeps Farmers Branch resident Bryce DeShazo, 42, and the Fox and Raven Mead stand cool at farmers markets across Dallas-Fort Worth. The company specializes in alcohol made from honey. “The whole process from start to end for us, just for the markets alone, is roughly seven hours,” DeShazo said. “That involves packing up the car, commuting, setting up, breaking down, going back.” Saturday was the second time Fox and Raven Mead had a stand at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market. DeShazo said he likes how the Four Seasons Markets company treats its vendors. “Without a good support system, nothing is going to be as good as it can be,” he said. “But the fact that this company does that so well is a reason we keep coming back.” DeShazo said his favorite part of doing the farmers market circuit is interacting with vendors and customers, getting his product out into the world and seeing others passionate about their products. “It's just a lovely environment to be in,” he said. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As summer temperatures rise, the Planetarium weather station has students covered, providing important weather information such as wind speed, temperature and outside humidity. The weather station was added on top of the Chemistry and Physics Building in 2023, and the information it gathers became available online last year. Planetarium program coordinator McKenna Dowd said the goal of the station is to provide real-time weather updates not just for Arlington but for UTA specifically. The station is made up of a Davis Instruments Vantage 2 Pro Plus model equipped with temperature and humidity sensors, solar radiation and UV sensors, a rain collector and an anemometer. The website for the weather station also provides data that shows the rain history and amount of rain collected throughout the year, the position of the sun relative to the time of day, the phase and luminosity of the moon, the air quality index and the barometric pressure. Planetarium staff began discussing the idea of a weather station at UTA after realizing that the closest station that gave readings to Arlington was based in Fort Worth, Dowd said. “We realized we don’t have any real-time weather for UTA,” she said. “We thought, ‘Why not get a weather station for our very own campus so we could have real-time and accurate information?’” Students and departments at the university have used the collected data in research, and the Office of Emergency Management uses the data as well, Dowd said. The sensor is also used when planetarium staff are planning observatory events. Additions to the weather station will continue to be made. Dowd said the staff plans to add a cloud coverage sensor and a lightning detector. The addition of a sky camera is also in the works, which could be used to display what the sky looks like in real time inside the planetarium. Dowd said a computer science student was hired to write the code. “[The weather station has] been helpful so far to not only our observatory and for what we do at UTA but also students and research,” Dowd said. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Dallas-Fort Worth residents can expect a hot, dry week with no rain chances. Matt Bishop, National Weather Service meteorologist, said the area is in the typical summer pattern with a strong high-pressure ridge at the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere. “When that happens,” Bishop said, “it shuts off the rain chances, and it warms things up.” The highs for the week are expected to be in the upper 90s, with a potential of triple-digit temperatures toward the end of the week. The lows are forecasted to be in the upper 70s. Bishop said that in the high temperatures, it is important to stay hydrated, take breaks in the air conditioning, keep pets off hot pavement and wear light, loose-fitting clothing. “We typically get this in the summer,” he said. “It just looks hot and dry.” @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

In the face of growing need, food banks, charities and nonprofits across Tarrant County are on the front lines of the fight against food insecurity. In parking lots, gymnasiums and warehouse loading bays, volunteers move with quiet urgency, sorting donations, loading boxes and greeting long lines of families seeking help. Some sites serve hundreds of households in a single day. Their efforts reflect a broader crisis. In 2023, an estimated 337,350 people in Tarrant County experienced food insecurity, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study. Texas leads the nation in the number of people facing hunger — a crisis intensified by rising grocery prices and recent policy decisions, including Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, said Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. The Summer EBT program provides a onetime $120 food benefit per eligible child to help low-income families during the summer, when school meals aren’t available. While over 35 states are participating, Texas is not. “We know that hunger doesn’t take a summer break,” said Jared Williams, vice president of external affairs at Tarrant Area Food Bank. “This program would have been, and is, vital to making a big difference for families during the summer.” Despite the challenges and strain, Williams said the food bank is committed to working hand in hand with local partners to ensure they can provide support. Tarrant Area Food Bank serves over 572,000 neighbors who face food insecurity, including over 187,000 children, he said. “The work that we do is truly most impactful when all of our community [is] working together to make sure that no one in our community goes hungry,” Williams said. However, the hunger isn’t due to a lack of food, Sanchez Hare said. The issue is access: Although systems are in place to help, many eligible individuals don’t apply for benefits due to stigmas. Casey McCollum, Arlington Charities program director, said being poor can carry a stigma of making bad life choices. “The vast majority of our clients are working, usually one or two jobs,” McCollum said. “So it’s not that they’re lazy, they just can’t quite get ahead.” That’s where local nonprofits come in, stepping up to reach those who need the support. Mission Arlington has been in service for 39 years and provides many resources, from Bible studies and congregations to health care assistance and a food pantry. These efforts are part of a larger network of support. Programs that aim to provide this assistance are critical to the national hunger relief strategy and support the work food banks do for families facing crisis and food insecurity, Williams said. “Our goal, ultimately, is to alleviate hunger and improve health in our community,” he said. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

This is a crime wrap-up from July 7 to 14. Credit card or debit card abuse On July 7, a male staff member reported a suspicious transaction on his university procurement card, UTA Capt. Mike McCord said in an email. On July 14, a female staff member reported a suspicious call regarding her university procurement card, McCord said. Credit or debit card abuse is a state jail felony punishable by imprisonment of 180 days to two years in jail, a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. Harassment On July 14, a male student reported receiving harassing phone calls, McCord said. Harassment is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, up to 180 days in jail or both. The case is still active. Arson On July 8, a female student reported a suspicious person, McCord said. The unaffiliated male was located and escorted off campus. Arson is a second-degree felony punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for two to 20 years, a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. The case is still active. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

While individual skills and experience are important, college students or recent graduates may struggle to get a job without properly networking. Handshake, a job and internship platform available to UTA students, aims to help with just that. Adopted by the university in 2017, Handshake connects students with thousands of on-and-off campus employers, functioning as the central hub for all career-related job postings and events, said Nichole Thames, assistant director of Student Employment, in an email. In the beginning of the semester, students will be able to log onto the platform through single sign-on, their UTA NetID and password. Once logged in, they can create a profile, upload a resume, register for events, explore job opportunities and connect directly with employers. On the front page, Handshake categorizes jobs by major and includes tabs for events such as job fairs. A social media-like feature is also available, allowing users to connect with other students on the service. The job filter helps students curate opportunities that fit what they are looking for by pay, location, job type, hours, qualifications, work authorization, benefits, industry, employers and tags. Users can view job details and apply directly if they meet the requirements and required documentation. If not, they can upload missing documents or apply via an external site if needed. Users can also connect directly with the Career Development Center to schedule appointments and find additional resources. The tab groups internships in one place and categorizes them. “Handshake is one of the best tools available to students for finding jobs that align with their goals and schedules,” Thames said. “It gives them direct access to employers who want to hire college students and recent grads, which is something you won’t always find on general job boards.” More information on Handshake is available online. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Arlington residents are being invited to roll the dice on the city’s future from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library in the [re]Brary rooms. Growing a Better Arlington is a new interactive board game offering a playful yet meaningful way for locals to explore where and how Arlington could grow in the years ahead. John Chapman, Arlington’s long range planning manager, said the board game not only explains what a comprehensive plan is and why it matters, but also helps the city think through future scenarios it needs to prepare for. “It brings the community together to play something fun and interactive that will really help shape what the next evolution of Arlington will be,” Chapman said. The board game has two modes: a shortened version and the full game. In the full version, two to six players work to shape the next version of Arlington. Each player gets private funds, and there are shared public funds in the center of the board. Players then choose from live, work and play framework cards that represent how future Arlington residents might live. Once the game is set up, players take turns drawing prompt cards. “The prompt card may have a neutral effect, it may have a positive or negative effect to the gameplay,” Chapman said. “It could create a natural disaster that diverts public funds to assist with cleanup, and it could be something where Arlington is spotlighted for increased innovation and technology sectors that bring additional funds to the city.” Each turn, a player has the option to roll the dice to request a plan change, he said. As players develop more housing using dream coins or create more jobs, they must also invest in public amenities such as parks, libraries or health care. The goal of the game is to achieve the growth trajectory of 30,000 jobs and 15,000 housing units, which is based on existing data and growth patterns Arlington has been experiencing. Chapman said residents can complete a fillable form as the game concludes and are encouraged to take photos of their boards and the city manager's tally sheet. The maps will then be compiled to understand the general themes. MIG, a planning and design consulting firm, helped develop the game and has worked on similar projects across the country. Growing a Better Arlington was created with the assistance of City of Arlington staff. Chapman said he believes that this is the most intricate version that the firm has created. “I think this game will kind of help everyone wrap their minds around that concept that we’re big enough to host a variety of development types in order to ensure that everyone can live their American Dream,” he said. More information and updates about Growing a Better Arlington and the city’s comprehensive plan can be found here. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA has selected Wayne Atchley to be the inaugural vice president for regional campuses, overseeing the development of UTA West and the Fort Worth Center, UTA announced in a press release Monday. Atchley previously worked as the vice president for Academic Affairs at Tarrant County College Trinity River and helped implement enrollment and academic advising initiatives at Tarleton State University, bringing over two decades of leadership in higher education. UTA president Jennifer Cowley said in the press release that Atchley is a highly respected educator with deep roots in West Fort Worth. “When I first met him, it was obvious to me that he has the connection and appreciation for that community, which is critical for building a solid foundation for the new UTA West and a vision for our UTA Fort Worth Center,” Cowley said. After breaking ground in April, UTA West is set to begin enrollment in 2028. The new campus will help UTA work toward its mission to provide students with affordable higher education, according to the press release. Atchley said in the press release that he is excited to have the opportunity to help shape the future of his hometown. “I am looking forward to leveraging UTA’s prestigious R1 status and excellent academic reputation to expand educational and workforce opportunities in west Fort Worth and Parker County,” he said. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Dallas-Fort Worth residents can expect one more round of rain before hot and dry weather takes over for the rest of the week. Matt Stalley, National Weather Service lead meteorologist, said Tuesday brings about a 20% chance of rain showers. Temperatures are expected to rise steadily throughout the week. Highs will stay in the low-to-mid-90s during the middle of the week and could reach 98 or 99 degrees by the weekend. Looking ahead to next week, Stalley said the forecast doesn’t show any major changes, just continued heat and low rain chances. “It looks mostly hot and dry,” he said. @samip.parajuli.54 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross will be hosting a series of Town Hall meetings throughout the next six months to cover key updates around the city, starting Tuesday at the Bob Duncan Center. The Arlington Works public Town Hall meetings will cover several topics, including bond-funded projects, public safety and infrastructure investments and the city’s current and projected budget for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The meetings take place from 6 to 8 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Mayor Ross said the meetings will be an attempt to bring everybody up to speed on what's happening in Arlington, from the city’s perspective. The series will provide a more community-centered, intimate approach in addition to Mayor Ross’s traditional State of the City address, according to a press release from the city. Residents will be able to ask questions and engage with city leaders after each meeting’s presentation. “It gives people, the average person in Arlington, an opportunity to question the mayor,” he said. “‘What's going on with the new police substation up on Lamar? What's going on with the renovation of [Fire Station No. 8], What's going on with Randall Mill Road?’ That type of stuff.” Ross said a lot of people are tired of the federal, state and local government, and Arlington Works is an attempt to better educate residents on their local situation. “In spite of everything else going on all over the country, we're functioning just fine here in Arlington, and not only are we functioning fine, but Arlington is thriving right now,” he said. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu