Today, we have a deep and intimate conversation with Jarred Howard, CEO of the National Juneteenth Museum. We discuss how to celebrate Juneteenth in 2025 with NJM at their inaugural Freedom Vibes Festival. You can get your tickets now.

As usual, the pod has three short stories before the big story. We will update you on redistricting and how Fort Worth has amassed a million people, passing Austin!

Short Stories #1: Has Fort Worth become a Top 10 City?

- Monumental milestone: Fort Worth population officially exceeds 1 million

- Discord conversation about Tarrant County's growth

- Strong Towns

Short Stories #2: What to know about redistricting in Tarrant County

- Tarrant residents say their voices are going unheard in fierce debate over redistricting

Short Stories #3 Mayors and cities start standing up against redistricting

- Arlington Mayor raises concerns, calls for investigation of Tarrant County redistricting plan

- Fort Worth Will Propose a Resolution on Tuesday 

BIG STORY: Conversation with Jarred Howard with the National Juneteenth Museum

Wins and Losses

Ann:

👎 FW Council Meeting on the same day and time as the commissioners court

👍 Seeing family in California

EJ:

👎 Latino leaders lack strategy and are unaware of redistricting

👍 Get involved with the 817 Gather Community

This is a complete show, starting with the cancellation of six figures of NEA funding in North Texas. Mercy Culture breaks ground on its new center, and top county officials praise it. The big story is redistricting updates, and where does funding go in Tarrant and Texas?

COMMUNITY UPDATES:

Join the Discord

RSVP for the 817 Gather

SHORT STORY #1: North Texas arts groups have lost over $280,000 in NEA funding

- Fort Worth groups lose $110K in NEA funds to transform former KKK hall after Trump move

SHORT STORY #2: Mercy Culture Church breaks ground on shelter for human trafficking victims, with plans for more

- Mercy Culture backs church elder facing dueling reports on sexual misconduct allegations

SHORT STORY #3: Redistricting Updates: 

- Redistricting: Racial Discrimination in Tarrant

- This is not Democracy. It’s Manipulation

- Legal Letter from Texas Civil Rights Project, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and ACLU Texas

BIG STORY: Tarrant Democrats Funding the Far Right

- Texas megadonor Alex Fairly joined forces with the GOP’s ultraconservative wing. He didn’t like what he saw.

WINS AND LOSSES:

Ann:

👎 State Legislative Session

👍 GREENPrint

EJ:

👎 Michael Crain

👍 Redistricting Collaboration

-

Ale Checka, an award-winning public school teacher with 17 years of experience in FWISD, organized an opinion piece in the Star-Telegram to oppose Governor Abbott's Voucher Program. This voucher program aims to defund public schools while subsidizing private schools for privileged families. FWISD is already facing budget cuts and school closures, and this bill could exacerbate these challenges in our school communities. We are in the 9th inning, so Ale joins Ann and EJ to get us out of our seats and into the streets advocating for our public schools.

SHORT STORY #1: Steer FW Recap

-Fort Worth officials revamp plans for West 7th public improvement district after roadblocks

SHORT STORY #2: Mental Health Panel

SHORT STORY #3: Keller ISD updates

- City of Fort Worth pushes for public vote in Keller ISD split

- Keller ISD grapples with potential $12.4M deficit as new split details emerge

BIG STORY: We’re Fort Worth educators. Let us tell you how bad vouchers will be for schools | Opinion

- Fort Worth ISD seeks balance between community voice, data in school closure plan

WINS AND LOSSES:

👎 DART says legislation to reduce its funding would have 'devastating impact'

👎 Conservation Policy

👍 Fort Worth child care center avoids closure after outpouring of donations

EJ:

👎 Mercy Culture Measel Vaccination Rates

👎 Fort Worth-area event reveals how some conservative activists see Black history, culture | Opinion

👍 817 Gather Join Us | Discord Community

Jimmy and EJ nerd out about all the new economic data around jobs, real estate, and hotels, leading to a big story about Fort Worth's role in the metroplex. The guys also discuss the curfew and the expansion of the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Sources below:

SHORT STORIES

1. Tarrant Area Food Bank becomes an agricultural hub feeding nearly a half a million people (https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crossroads-lab/article271588527.html)

2. Rosedale continues the $70M project, but when will we get a grocery store? (https://fortworthreport.org/2023/01/25/as70-million-rosedale-project-moves-ahead-residents-remain-concerned-about-grocery-store-homelessness/)

3.  Curfew and proposed C.A.R.E. planfor minors (https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article271750177.html)

BIG STORY: DFW GDP growth and Forts Worth's brand in the metroplex

Texas Growth 
https://reader.dallasnews.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=183fd138-0508-45cc-9d48-214e4e2f6a93

Texas Water Fort Worth impact
https://reader.dallasnews.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=fda04c38-4572-421b-b7e7-9597f1c1f0fa

Texas Energy
https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-green-subsidies-are-attracting-billions-of-dollars-to-red-states-11674488426?mod=mhp

DFW homebuilding market
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2022/02/09/d-fw-grows-its-lead-as-the-biggest-us-homebuilding-market/

DFW hotel growth #1
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/economy/2023/01/27/hotel-business-surges-in-d-fw-and-texas-as-travel-recovers-and-pandemic-fades/

DFW job growth
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/jobs/2023/01/25/economy-on-fire-texas-adds-nation-topping-650000-jobs-in-2022/

Indian Americans in DFW
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/article265152111.html

Asian Americans voting potential
https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/20/inside-the-battle-for-asian-american-votes

Fort Worth's city limits compared to other cities
https://twitter.com/UrbanFortWorth/status/1619436437233074176

WINS AND LOSSES

FWISD cancels $2.6M sex education curriculum: https://fortworthreport.org/2023/01/28/fort-worth-isd-drops-sex-ed-despite-2-6-million-purchase-of-materials-in-april/

White Settlement remains the name of the bridge: https://fortworthreport.org/2023/01/25/white-settlement-road-will-keep-controversial-name-after-council-scraps-plans-to-consider-change/

FW mini train is back: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article270815372.html

FWR gets $1.1 million in funding: https://fortworthreport.org/2023/01/24/fort-worth-report-receives-1-1-million-grant-from-american-journalism-project-to-ensure-long-term-sustainability/

On January 18th, candidates could file to run for city council, FWISD school board, and Tarrant Regional Water District. Jimmy and EJ discuss the new candidates and share updates on A&M and downtown developments.

The big story this week is about the legislative session. Mayor Mattie Parker joined mayors across the big city metros to advocate localized control and broadband access. FWISD created priorities that included more funding since the state has a 33 billion dollar surplus.

The boy's wins and losses include the impact of Frisco's Universal partnership and the economic impact the national championship had on the city. Enjoy!

Jimmy and EJ arrive back from the long break with fresh perspectives and predictions for the city in 2023. Learn who were last year's losers and winners and the significant trends impacting the city's future growth. There will not be a pod next week.

For the final episode of the year, we talk with a true Fort Worth evangelist Carlo Capua who is responsible for building a decades-long strategy for the city to thrive.  ENJOY!

EJ and Jimmy are back from a three-week hiatus and have some serious news to deconstruct as the trial of Arron Dean, the FWDP officer who killed Atatiana Jefferson in her own home, has been found guilty of manslaughter. 

The jury is expected to start deliberation today and determine Dean's punishment.

The guys break down their readings and unravel their opinions about such an emotional case for the city. 

Now more than ever, we need to support our local journalists as their employer McClatchey provides zero compromises to their poor wages and work conditions. Here is the link to donate to support journalists, as they may have to strike to make a point on how important local news is to the city. 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/fort-worth-newsguild-strike-fund?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_medium

EJ and Jimmy get together to breakdown the election results.

Reference for rants
After the midterms, America and its democracy look stronger

American policy is splitting, state by state, into two blocs

https://www.economist.com/interactive/briefing/2022/09/03/american-policy-is-splitting-state-by-state-into-two-blocs

America’s black upper class and Black Lives Matter

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/08/22/americas-black-upper-class-and-black-lives-matter

Inside the battle for Asian-American votes

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/20/inside-the-battle-for-asian-american-votes

Less than half of US children under 15 are white, census shows

https://www.brookings.edu/research/less-than-half-of-us-children-under-15-are-white-census-shows/

Race and finance: America’s segregated banking sector

https://www.ft.com/content/e63cbe88-6d46-4119-9067-e10a926c61c2

U.S. Christian majority could fade in coming decades, models find

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/30/most-common-age-among-us-racial-ethnic-groups/

Jimmy and EJ break down election data and what their concerns are moving forward. They also discuss the rise in crime in West 7th, Las Vegas Trail, and Stockyards rezoning.

Come hang with the boyz at Hotel Dryce today from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Ann and EJ sit down with Jason Ballmann, who is running for city council District 3. Jason was a former council member in Marfa, Texas, and is currently a brand strategist at Texas Instruments. Fort Worth is growing fast, and we need leadership that puts people first, not just developers and big real estate interests. Jason shares how he has seen firsthand what happens when communities get priced out, neighborhoods lose their character, and working families struggle to keep up with rising costs. Growth should work for everyone, not just a select few in Fort Worth!

SHORT STORY #1: Health

- Deadly flu season: CDC reports more deaths from flu than COVID in recent weekly data

- Here's a look at 2023-2024 Texas kindergartens w/ <50% MMR vax rate. Notice the majority are private schools

- 21 Measles Cases Linked to Megachurch in Texas

- Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared

- A third woman has died under Texas’ abortion ban as doctors reach for riskier miscarriage treatments

- A Woman Died After Being Told It Would Be a “Crime” to Intervene in Her Miscarriage at a Texas Hospital

SHORT STORY #2: Education

- Parents rally to save Fort Worth ISD schools from closure

- Here’s why the Tarrant County government is stepping up to help boost reading rates

- Fort Worth ISD community members call for policy to protect students from ICE raids

- 11-year-old Texas girl was bullied to suicide over family’s immigration status, mom says

SHORT STORY #3: Development

- Texas Leads the Build-to-Rent Boom

- Austin is no longer the Texas metro with the highest rent prices

- The gap between house and apartment rents in D-FW has never been bigger

BIG STORY: Interview with Jason Ballmann for District 3

WIN ANS LOSSES:

Ann:

👍 Youth 

👎 Federal Funding Cuts to Transporation

EJ:

👍 Jambaloo

👎 Dan Patrick Conservative Hollywood Bill

817 Gather:

We are back from a two-week hiatus with a special interview with Shawn Lassiter.  She is a former science teacher and TX06 candidate who leads BRAVE/R Together, a nonprofit focused on transforming communities of color that deal with systemic inequities.

Her team of localized ambassadors and United Way Tarrant County will be hosting the inaugural 76104 Phoenix Festival celebrating the greatness in communities such as Historic Southside, Morningside, and Hillside.

The 76104 Phoenix Festival will be a two-day event that includes a dinner, a morning 5K run, a farmers market, and an evening celebration with local artists.

The event is free to attend, and you can learn more at https://bravertogether.org/phoenix.

This episode also includes three short stories and our wins and losses for the week! 

We made some inaccurate comments on this week's pod that we felt we needed to correct. See you in two weeks!

It was a slow news week, but the Fort Worth Report and the Star-Telegram provided some concerning updates about the city manager's relationship with Sasha and Ed Bass. How deep does this relationship go, and did the city council do enough?

We will be out for the next two weeks and miss you all.

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker delivered her first State of the City address on Thursday, so Jimmy and EJ decided to break down the conversation. There is also a special announcement at the very end of the pod to hang with Jimmy and EJ at Hotel Dryce!

This weekend at the Texas Tribune Tribest annual event, Mattie Parker, Nicole Collier, and Marc Veasey were on a panel called WOWtown, which focused on how Fort Worth is the most exciting and interesting town in the state of Texas. 

Jimmy and EJ decided to take that theme and highlight the local challenges that are not being discussed in the city.

This episode is a basket of updates on important projects in Fort Worth.

Jimmy and EJ are back together with a full slate of topics and conversations to have with you and the rest of our amazing community. We start the pod with three short stories:

1. FWISD's new superintendent comes from Midland. Is that a good thing?
2. Carswell Prison gets attention from Marc Veasey to hold a hearing to investigate sexual assault cases
3. Glen Whitley and Betsy Price move away from GOP agenda

The BIG story is the recent conversation around density in the city as West 7th looks to add more apartments and remove some storefronts.

Kathleen Brown is an attorney who decided to run for office after her congressman, Ronny Jackson, tweeted "#StopTheSteal Fight For Trump!" just moments before our nation's capital was breached by insurrectionists who believed the election was stolen.

At the 817 podcast, we believe this big lie that the GOP supports is threatening our democracy, which is why we were excited to support and welcome Kathleen to the show.

Kathleen has a big hill to climb as the Democratic nominee for Texas's 13th congressional district, but Ronny Jackson would run unopposed without her.

TX 13 is also the most conservative district in the country that covers the Texas Panhandle, parts of Texoma, and northwestern parts of North Texas, including Denton County. 

Kathleen is a jolt of energy, and there is a lot in this transparent interview we can learn as Fort Worthians about the fight we all need to have, regardless if we are democrats, libertarians, or republicans, for our democracy.

To donate to Kathleen Brown's campaign, go to: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kathleentx13

We have a lot of updates this week around several different topics, including the new Omni development and FWISDs B rating!

The big story is about the shenanigans in the 323rd District Court, which oversees juvenile criminal cases. Two associate judges are rarely holding hearings leading to an overcrowded detention center. The data shared in a 21-page audit uncovered wide-ranging problems at nearly every level, including violations of Texas law and how some youths are being housed. 

Jimmy and EJ are back in action, just the two dissecting the local news circuit after a few weeks of excellent guests who joined us on the podcast. Make sure to check the last few episodes! The city has proposed its budget for 2023, laying out its priorities. This episode does not have a big story; instead, Jimmy and EJ riff on five to six stories around new development opportunities in the city.

Here is a list of non-profits that received money from the ARP (Total $35.5M)

Here is Bud Kennedy's column on Parker County's fight against immigration.

Today, the 817 Pod community hears from Lara and Zephyr, two students at Keller High School who are part of the Keller Student Activism Organization. This grassroots movement was initiated by a small but determined group of students who have made their voices heard at recent board meetings and organized a school walkout to protest the board's proposal to split the school district into two parts. This plan is controversial and has garnered opposition from community leaders, who are presenting evidence to highlight the lack of transparency and the need for the people to have a say through a vote.

Follow and subscribe to stay informed on what is going on around you in Fort Worth, Tarrant County.

Early in the pandemic, we had Economic Development Director Robert Sturns on the pod to talk about his team's work to support small businesses that were dealing with shutdowns. 

Now that business is returning to normal and Fort Worth continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities, we sit down with Robert to discuss their corporate relocation strategy and approach to building a community where everyone can thrive.

Below is some important information to support this conversation: 

• (EconDev Funding) Fort Worth Moves To Strengthen Hand in Economic Development (FW Report)
• (EconDev Funding - Background) Fort Worth Considers Beefing Up Economic Development Funding (FW Report)

The council returns to their normal meeting schedule tomorrow with a full list of priorities to jump into, from short-term rentals to finalizing the budget. We discuss the different agenda items we need to consider as residents. Learn how you can get involved and attend one of their upcoming meetings below.

 The big story is teacher shortages, as FWISD saw a 50% uptick in teacher resignations over the previous year, creating acceleration of vacant positions.

Today's guest co-host Anthony Hernandez is a director of a teacher recruitment organization, so he gives a lot of great perspectives on what is happening and where we can go from here.

Here’s the full budget schedule leading up to its final approval: 

• Budget engagement meeting, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, Summerglen Library, 4205 Basswood Blvd.
• Budget engagement meeting, 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, Handley Meadowbrook Community Center, 6201 Beaty St.
• Budget engagement meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, Southwest Community Center, 6300 Welch Ave.
• Budget engagement meeting, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, R.D. Evan Community Center, 3242 Lackland Road.
• Budget work session, 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• Budget work session, 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• Potential CCPD board meeting, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• Budget work session, 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8 at City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• Budget work session, 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9 at City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• City Council meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13 at City Hall, 200 Texas St.
• City Council meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at City Hall, 200 Texas St.

This is our ONE-HUNDREDTH EPISODE!!! Thank you to everyone who has shared an episode or was a DAY 1! We are inspired to keep going and providing updates to our amazing city Fort Worth, Texas!

This is a super episode with the big story being short-term rentals. Fort Worth is hosting several public comment events in the next few weeks to share its four options for STR management. We sit down with Jessica Black, who has become a big influencer and advocate for neighborhoods across Texas that are dealing with STR growth. She is the co-founder of the Texas Neighborhood Coalition and a resident in Arlington, Texas. This is a great episode and extremely informative as we look at the growth of our city. 


FWISD Invest $1.2M in Marketing:
https://fortworthreport.org/2022/07/14/fort-worth-isd-plans-to-spend-1-2-million-to-compete-against-charters-other-public-schools/

The city presents a plan for $13 million in federal housing department funds:
https://fortworthreport.org/2022/07/13/city-presents-annual-action-plan-to-use-millions-in-federal-housing-department-funds/

Why so many immigrants rise to the top - NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/07/11/opinion/immigrants-success-america.html

People from elite backgrounds dominate college PhDs:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/08/dept-of-data-academia-elite/

Big Story: Four Ways Fort Worth Could Regulate AirBnBs and VRBO:
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article262748027.html

City Options for SRTs:
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/short-term-rentals

Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-15/airbnb-spends-millions-making-nightmares-at-live-anywhere-rentals-go-away

A few pandemic relief grants are available for small business owners in Tarrant County. Jimmy and EJ share two and give updates on the $200M CDFI loan program.

Jimmy and EJ share three short stories, one big story, and their wins and losses for the city. Enjoy!

 CDFI $200M Loan Program:
https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/29/program-focused-on-fort-worths-entrepreneurs-of-color-lends-millions-with-more-to-come/

Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program ($20,000 Max)
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-texas-travel-industry-recovery-grant-program

Tarrant County Pandemic Recovery Assistance ($27,000 Max)
https://www.tarrantcounty.com/en/county/tarrant-county-recovery-resources-assistance-center--rrac-.html?linklocation=trending&linkname=Pandemic%20Recovery

Jimmy and EJ sat down with District 3 City Councilmember with Michael Crain to have an intimate conversation about the city's future. He has a complex district and prime area to woo companies for economic growth. He is also a born and bred Fort Worthian, so he brings a unique perspective to the changes in the city.

This felt like a long week as Texas politics continue to protect the wrong things. 

Jimmy and EJ start the pod with three short stories which include the TxDOT I-30W study, Fort Worth's PR contract, and Councilwomen Biven's frustration over how $28 million in stimulus spending was introduced to the council.

The big story was highlighting the ramifications of Roe v Wade in Texas and exploring what to do next.

Here is a list of the stories mentioned:

TxDOT:
https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/22/if-anyone-can-do-it-its-fort-worth-community-urban-planners-look-to-proposed-i-30-expansion-to-link-neighborhoods/

FW PR Agency: https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/22/why-fort-worth-is-using-a-pr-and-ad-agency-for-economic-development/

City Council:
https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/23/we-probably-need-to-step-back-fort-worth-council-members-question-staff-proposal-for-28-million-in-stimulus-spending%ef%bf%bc/

Big Story:

https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/24/what-happens-next-for-abortion-law-in-texas/

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/article262870028.html

Dante Williams was just a kid from the Funk who ended up building a tight-knit group of brothers from the Eastside who are influencing how our city is shaped. If you do not know Dante or his nonprofit  Community Frontline, get to know them, as I am sure they will be making an imprint on your and our future.

Community Frontline: https://communityfrontline.com/

DIG Contracting: https://dig-contracting.com/

Jimmy and EJ dissect this Fort Worth Report article (https://fortworthreport.org/2022/06/07/fort-worth-council-members-reflect-on-first-year-in-office%ef%bf%bc/). 

Budget season has also started for the city and there has been some movement on short-term rentals in the city.

Jimmy and EJ are back from a long weekend and ready to tango. A lot of movement is happening around the development of Fort Worth. The guys spend time discussing black tourism, aerospace manufacturing, affordable housing, and the possible revitalization of East Lancaster.

We were not planning on doing a pod this week, but due to the horrific tragedy in Uvalde where our fellow Texans were massacred, we felt we had to check in on the community. We are thinking of every one of you, and now more than ever, we need to take action and be bold for the future of Texas.

Ann and EJ sit down with a friend of the podcast, Katrina Carpenter, with Carpenter's Cafe. EJ and Ann riff on short stories, giving you all updates on election filers, federal executive orders, and the shenanigans in District 6. ENJOY!

SHORT STORY #1: Who has filed to run and events you should know about

- Who's running for Fort Worth City Council in 2025? Here are the candidates for the May 3 election

- Join us at the 817 Gather

- The Future of the City (EJ's moderating)

- Interested in Running for School Board Event

SHORT STORY #2: Executive Orders and DEI Bans Impact on FW

- Federal funding freeze stirs panic, confusion for Tarrant County Meals on Wheels

- Trump wants to end U.S. Department of Education. How would Fort Worth schools be affected?

- TCU's website boasted DEI as 'key to the university's mission.' Now that page is gone

- UTA creates a Task Force to be proactive

SHORT STORY #3: District 6 is a Dumpster Fire 

- Gyna Endorses MAGA

- Mia Hall gets Jared's staffer's endorsement

- Jared endorses a different Crowley School Board member

BIG STORY: A Candid Conversation with Katrina Carpenter

WINS AND LOSSES:

Ann:

👍 Events to mobilize

👎 Federal Executive Orders

EJ:

👍 Costco

👎 Stock Show

Sometimes you have to play defense instead of offense. EJ and Jimmy share who they are voting for in the Republican runoff and why 96% of voters should do the same. Bud Kennedy had a great article in the Sunday paper that plays as the backdrop to this episode. Enjoy and share!

Here is a list of Republicans Jimmy and EJ are voting for:

Attorney General: George P. Bush

Commissioner of General Land Accounts: Tim Westley

Railroad Commissioner: Sarah Stogner

US Representative, District 30: Pick your poison

Member, State Board of Education District 13: Kathryn Monette

State Representative, District 91: David Lowe

State Representative, District 93: Laura Hill

Criminal District Attorney: Matt Krause

County Criminal Court No. 5: Mamie Johnson

Jimmy and Ej recorded this episode in the middle of the week to bring us their opinions and perspectives on the election results. They also highlight the upcoming May 24th election and discuss the city's obsession with funding cops.

EJ and Jimmy recorded this pod on election day. They talk about the investments Fort Worth is willing and not willing to make, and the impact voting has on all of us.

This week Fort Worth felt like a big city as we gain national media attention for being the fist city to mine Bitcoin. Is this a good thing for the city? Listen to this episode to get a full perspective. The guys also discuss what happened at Paschal and why we should all be voting against Proposition D in the current bond election.

Make sure to share with a friend and check-in for new pods every Monday morning!

Jimmy is back from being an international icon and has graced the 817 podcast with his presence again to talk propositions in this upcoming bond package. Today is the start of early voting and every day is a fight for a city we love to be prosperous. We talk Beto, Mercy Church, and the lack of leadership among Tarrant County's jail system.

This is a full episode as even the wins and losses could have been short stories. So stay tapped in and enjoy the hang with your favorite local podcast!

BOND PACKAGE STORY: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/election/voter-guide/article260348890.html

Proposition A | Streets & Pedestrian Mobility Infrastructure | $369,218,300
Jimmy: No EJ: Yes

Proposition B | Park & Recreation Improvements | $123,955,500
Both: Yes

Proposition C | Public Library Improvements | $12,505,200
Both: Yes

Proposition D | Police and Fire Safety Improvements | $39,321,000
Both: No

Proposition E | Open Space Conservation | $15,000,000
Both: Yes

Proposition F | Mayor and Council Pay
Both: Yes

Proposition G | Metes and Bounds for Districts
Both: Yes

Proposition H | Post termination hearing
Both: Yes

Proposition I | Time to Review Petitions
Both: Yes

Proposition J | Tax Assessment and Collection
Both: Yes

Proposition K | City Health Department
Both: Yes

Proposition L | Newspaper Notice – Sale of Property
Both: Yes

Proposition M | Paying for Sidewalks and Curbs
Both: Yes

Proposition N | Timing of assessment roll
Both: Yes

Proposition O | Public service corp reports
Both: No

Proposition P | Official advertising contract
Both: Yes

Proposition Q | Annexation Elections
Both: Yes

Proposition R | Independent Auditors
Both: No

This week Fort Worth hosted not one but TWO art festivals downtown!

Ryan and EJ reviewed the Downtown Inc. 40th annual meeting and the 10-year plan that the org has for the city. Take this survey if you want the org to hear your feedback. https://www.dfwi.org/plan2033

They also discuss The Neighborhoods of East Fort Worth Alliance's paper outlining its communities' views on short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO. 

The big story is Demoract county judge candidate Deborah Peoples getting an endorsement from prominent Republican Steve Murrin. What does that mean for the country judge race? Who is next? And who will remain quiet? 

Side note: The team will be off next week for Easter.

We talk about map Anna, the upcoming bond election, and what we should know about our city council's trip to pitch FC Barcelona in this episode.

The big story is Reata and where should the iconic steak restaurant go if they decide to leave downtown.

EJ is joined by Ryan Tiglas, a long-time listener and friend of Jimmy's who will be out the next few weeks.

It is also Fort Worth Reports year birthday, so give them some love and donate: 

https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=fortworthreport&campaign=7014x000001C5ZPAA0

The city council selects a map for redistricting. Jimmy and EJ went through the revisions and what were some challenges along the way. They then discuss the impact Senate Bill 1 is having on elections. The big story is a 'Zero and Hero' segment highlighting people who are doing good work and those who are harming the city's growth. Lastly, the guys finished with wins and losses.

Here are two campaigns they mentioned that could use community support:

Funkytown Fridge:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/funkytownfridge-distribution-center?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Justice for Alyssa:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/8pjgnr-justice-for-alyssa?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

With March Madness in town, Jimmy and EJ discuss the idea of Fort Worth becoming a sports city. Several journalist in the area has wrote articles about this strategy for economic growth and if its a good one to grow a city.

Tomorrow is the last public meeting for redistricting so the guys also go through the three versions of Map X that is being discussed.

Jimmy and EJ were in Austin for SXSW! Shout out to Visit Fort Worth for allowing us to be a part of their setup for the city at the Container Bar. Jimmy and EJ get right into discussing Mercy church's illegal involvement in politics, Texas Wesleyan's Hunger Strike,  and Sundance Square's new small business opportunity. During the big story, they spend time telling people around the world what they should know about Fort Worth and then share their wins and losses for the week. 

This week, the big story is a sit down with Chris and Mendi Tackett from See It. Name It. Fight It. Chris was a former school board trustee and an influential voice on CNN's Deep in the Pockets of Texas. He shares his expansive research and foresight since the show and his upcoming workshop for those interested in running for their community's school board. Mendi's experience is following the nuances around Christian nationalism in Texas and how we have to hold Republicans even more accountable beyond vouchers! This is a dynamic duo, which is why we have such a long show for you this week! 

For those newbies to the 817 Pod, we are a weekly show that does three short stories and one big story every week. The show ends with wins and losses from Ann and EJ! We look forward to seeing you back next Monday. If you want to join us in person and hang out with like-minded progressives, come to our 817 Gather. Can't make it in person? Join our Discord Community

SHORT STORY #1: Who is running in Fort Worth?

- Fort Worth council member Jared Williams rescinds reelection bid, leaving District 6 open

SHORT STORY #2: Trump's ICE in Schools impact local students and causes walk outs

- Fort Worth ISD investigates post inviting ICE agents to high school to arrest students

- Hundreds rally across D-FW to show support for immigrants, protest ICE raids

- High school students walk out of North Texas schools protesting immigration crackdown

- The Strange Triumph of a Broken America

SHORT STORY #3: Keller ISD Deserves a Vote

- Keller school board names interim leader, delays vote on superintendent’s resignation

- Study shows revenue projections for Keller ISD split; audit finds problems with budget

- ‘Let these people vote.’ Tarrant County commissioner speaks out on Keller ISD split

- ‘Return power to taxpayers’: A new Texas law would require an election to split Keller ISD

WINS AND LOSSES

Ann:

👍 Rosedale Community Public Art Project

👎 Patrick's Priorities for the 89th Legislative Session

EJ:

👍 MP Materials

👎 Trump Plane Crash

Tarrant County's primary results are concerning and it shows how event the old-guard Republicans are threatened by Mercy culture. At a national and state level we are seeing how crucial Tarrant County is for both Republicans and Democrats. Beto and Abbott were here last week and Biden is coming on Tuesday.  We have a lot of updates as we prepare to head to SXSW next week!

This is a crucial week for us Fort Worthian... but with international news taking priority, we might miss the opportunity to make some real change. Jimmy and EJ talk about the upcoming redistricting meeting today (we thought it was on Thursday when recording the pod) and why you should vote Republican on Tuesday (including for Cary Moon if you are in his district).

The big story is again economic development as penalties for AirBnBs heighten, and Techstars, a tech accelerator, join the innovation ecosystem. Here are the three steps we all need to take as 817ers to mobilize for the things we believe in:

1.) On Tuesday, vote in the Republican primary for Huffines for Governor and Bush for attorney general. These are the two biggest ones to get Abbott and Paxton out of there. If you reside in Moon's district, vote for him as well so he can leave the city council early. To understand why to do this, listen to the pod!

2.) Sign this AirBnB petition as local AirBnB hosts are going to the council meeting on Tuesday to share their case and why they are essential to creating a modern travelers city.

3.) City council has public comments about redistricting tonight (we thought it was on Thursday when we were recording this show). Attend or share your voice for transparency and committing to the recommended map by the committee.  



 

Visit Fort Worth had their grand annual event last week, which led to Jimmy and EJ bantering about missing the shindig and if we should be celebrating in the first place. Based on the stories this week, the 817 tag team duo has some not-so-friendly opinions to get off their chest around economic development, our tourist obsessed economy, and redistricting.