This week EJ, Ann, & Wesley bring you a special episode where we look back on all that happened in 2025, and look ahead to the possibilities for 2026.

We would love your feedback. Please fill out this form to let us know your favorite guests & episodes from 2025, and how we can improve the podcast.

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For this week's Big Story, check out our previous episode where we interviewed Bradford William Davis. Ann is out this week for the holidays, so it's just EJ & Wesley.

SHORT STORY 1: Marc Veasey backs out

Congressman Marc Veasey drops out of Tarrant County judge race

SHORT STORY 2: Voter suppression in Tarrant County

Thousands of Tarrant County voter applications saw delays ahead of Nov. 4 election

Pastor alleges Tarrant County judge violated First Amendment by removing him from meeting

SHORT STORY 3: All 3 FW Chambers in favor of state takeover

Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce urging community to support recent TEA takeovers

WINS: 

Suicide among youths dropped dramatically in Tarrant County. Other cities have noticed

New, environmentally friendly buses part of Trinity Metro’s $12M upgrade

These Tarrant cities to clean up litter, increase recycling thanks to thousands in state funds

LOSSES: 

‘He never actually stopped’: Former Fort Worth councilman remembered for lifetime of helping others

Fort Worth emerges as hub for driverless vehicles

More details emerge about $10 billion Fort Worth data center 

ACTIONS:

January 6th - First Public Comment for FW City Council

January 18th - First 817 Gather of the year

January 21st - Early Voting for TX SD 9 Runoff Election 

Happy holidays & have a great new year!

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We spoke with award-winning journalist Bradford William Davis, the former opinion columnist at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who was recently laid off after writing several amazing articles that were critical to Mayor Mattie Parker.

We focused on three of his most recent stories:

• Mayor Mattie Parker should listen to her own words as she faces her critics
• Don’t be so quick to judge intent behind a casket left at mayor’s house
• Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away

And we also talked about the series of articles he's working on about the relationship between transit, sports, and climate impact.

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Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

BIG STORY: We talk with Tiffany Burks about how the District Attorney's office has changed over the years, what power it holds, what problems it has created, and how Tiffany plans to solve them.

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BIG STORY: Our interview with Tiffany Burks went so long that we made this a 2-part episode, so stay tuned for the full interview with Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney candidate, Tiffany Burks.

SHORT STORY 1: Who filed to run in 2026.

Filing deadline drama sets up primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett enters Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
• Democrat Colin Allred drops out of Senate race, announces run for 33rd Congressional District
• Fort Worth’s Marc Veasey running for Tarrant County judge instead of Congress

SHORT STORY 2: Arlington City Council votes against gay rights.

Arlington votes to end LGBTQ protections in anti-discrimination ordinance

Media blitz opposes removal of LGBTQ protections in Arlington

SHORT STORY 3: Tim O'Hare attacks free speech & democracy

Here’s what got a pastor tossed from Tarrant County Commissioners Court

Tarrant County commissioner upset over number of polling places for TX Senate runoff

WINS: 

First phase of Fort Worth Convention Center’s $701M revamp completed

Over 90 acres of open space, parkland OK’d by Fort Worth officials

New Arlington parks director looks to prioritize natural areas, open space accessibility

LOSSES: 

Gov. Greg Abbott launches plan to open Turning Point USA chapters in all Texas high schools / ‘Completely new leadership’ coming for Lake Worth ISD as Texas takes control

What fewer vaccinated students could mean for Tarrant County as exemptions rise

ACTIONS:

December 16 - People’s Commissioners Court at Blanc Coworking & Studio at 6pm.

December 17 - Support Fort Worth Art meeting at The Pool at 6pm.

January 6

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BIG STORY: Last Public Comment of the Year

Removal of attendees, Christmas tree lighting plans punctuate Fort Worth council meeting

SHORT STORY 1: Star-Telegram fires their most outspoken columnist

Bradford Davis talks about his firing on LinkedIn.

• Mayor Mattie Parker should listen to her own words as she faces her critics
• Don’t be so quick to judge intent behind a casket left at mayor’s house
• Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away

SHORT STORY 2: The potential to reshape city council

City Council pay raises, term limits among potential amendments to Fort Worth charter

SHORT STORY 3: A look at who’s running in 2026.

Filing open for 2026 primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates so far.

WINS: 

Civilian-led police unit aims to build public trust, ensure Fort Worth’s accountability

Nearly 300 seek spot on FWISD’s state-appointed board following takeover / How many applicants for Fort Worth ISD’s state-appointed board live in district?

Trinity Metro to lease up to 40 buses daily for FIFA World Cup

LOSSES: 

Supreme Court orders Texas to use 2025 map amid legal battle

Both lawsuits accusing Tarrant County of racial gerrymandering have been dropped or dismissed

Single-family homes focus of Fort Worth’s potential $5M affordable housing bond

ACTIONS:

December 11 - Community Design Fort Worth’s Transit Crawl starting at Central Station at 4:30pm.

December 14 - 817 Gather’s Festivus Potluck.

December 17 - Support Fort Worth Art meeting at The Pool at 6pm.

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BIG STORY: Mayor Mattie Parker’s Damage Control PR Tour

Mayor’s Chair Not for the Thin-Skinned by Fort Worth Magazine

Tarrant residents get fewer chances to speak at local government meetings. What does that mean? 

SHORT STORY 1: Texas Congressional Redistricting Chaos

Texas redistricting ruling upends candidates’ plans for 2026

Court order on Texas redistricting forces election officials, county parties to scramble — again

Supreme Court temporarily restores Texas’ new congressional map

Filing deadline is December 8th, and candidates don’t even know what district they live in!

SHORT STORY 2: Transportation & Safety Stories

Free parking in downtown Fort Worth garages will be in your rearview mirror next year

Highway collision injures Buddhist monks from Fort Worth on 2,300-mile Walk for Peace

Bedford plans to remove student artwork from crosswalks to comply with Abbott's roadway directive

SHORT STORY 3: FWISD appeals State Takeover

Trustees fighting FWISD takeover, cite need for deeper review

WINS: 

Ten Commandments displays in FWISD, Tarrant-area districts must be removed, judge orders

Brandi Waller-Pace’s concert at Keith House

Natalia Margarita’s art show at The Pool

LOSSES: 

Attorney at center of Keller ISD split tapped to lead Tarrant County GOP as chair

High demand forces Tarrant County rental assistance program to close applications after 4 hours

North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator launches at TCU with $25M

North Texas leaders talk oil, gas, growing nuclear industry at conference

Google investing $40B into Texas for AI, new data centers

ACTIONS:

November 25 - Future of the Community Arts Center meet

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For the 30th anniversary of infamous article in D Magazine, "Who Runs Fort Worth?", we spoke with the journalist who made The Fort Worth Way known to all, Katie Sherrod.

Read the article here.

We talk about how folks define The Fort Worth Way, what (if anything) has changed in the last 30 years, and what we do about fixing The Fort Worth Way.

We hope you enjoy this very special episode.

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BIG STORY: We spoke with Alberto Govea from LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) & Stephanie Drenka from Texas Civil Rights Project about the legal battle against the racist gerrymandered maps that Republicans on Tarrant County Commissioners Court passed this year in an attempt to diminish black & brown voices.

SHORT STORY 1: Tarrant County GOP’s plan to destroy elections

Tarrant County Democratic Party chair Allison Campolo's response

Mercy Culture creates online candidate classes for Christian Nationalists running for office

SHORT STORY 2: Mattie Parker’s PR campaign to uphold the establishment

Mayor talks FWISD takeover, taxes and maintaining Fort Worth’s ‘vibe’ during TribFest

SHORT STORY 3: An update on the Fort Worth Community Arts Center

WINS: 

The Welman Project gets a new location!

The Librarians screening at The Modern 

Filing open for 2026 primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates (so far)

Dallas moves municipal elections to November of odd numbered years

TxDOT: Car-dominant Texas needs more public transit

The Dock Bookshop event & Afrocommuniversity's new susu

LOSSES: 

Tarrant GOP Chairman Bo French stepping down, running for Texas Railroad Commissioner

Teachers question future as Texas takeover of FWISD advances

TCU bumps its tuition, again, making it more costly than some Ivy League schools

ACTIONS:

• December 2nd - Fort Worth City Council Public Comment
• November 18th - Speak at Arlington City Council to defend LGBTQ+ rights & demand the return of Maher Tarabishi from ICE 
• November 18th - People’s Commissioner’s Court

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BIG STORY: An interview with Taylor Rehmet, TX SD9 Candidate.

In a surprise upset, Taylor Rehmet, the machinist & union leader who ran as a Democrat in the special election for TX Senate District 9, came out top of the ticket with 48% of the vote, beating out 2 Republican candidates. Now he'll be in a runoff election with Leigh Wambsganss, the Patriot Mobile backed candidate who led book bans in Southlake.

Democrats see promise for 2026 in Texas Senate near upset

SHORT STORY 1: Blue Wave across the country & high local turnout

Tarrant County sees higher than normal voter turnout, despite polling place reductions

SHORT STORY 2: ICE in DFW

Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away

GoFundMe for Wael Tarabishi

SHORT STORY 3: State appoints FWISD conservator

Texas appoints FWISD conservator to oversee transition to state control

What Fort Worth ISD’s new conservator can — and can’t — do during state takeover

WINS: 

Nydia Cardenas is running for Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 4!

First Gather at the Table! Join the Gather Community on Discord

Tiffany Burks is running for Tarrant County DA!

Evans and Rosedale redevelopment

Billions for Texas water projects approved / Overwatered lawns in Fort Worth

25 immigrants naturalized as American citizens during Fort Worth ceremony

Abraham Alexander honored at Lone Star Film Festival Gala

Liquor stores, smoke shops on every corner? Not anymore, Fort Worth leaders say

Bo French resigns from as Tarrant County Republican Party as chair

LOSSES: 

Irving, Plano, Farmers Branch, & Highland Park to hold elections on leaving DART

You’re not imagining it. Traffic is getting worse in North Texas.

ACTIONS:

November 16th - 817 Gather at 3pm

December 2nd - Last day for public comment of the year at Fort Worth City Hall

Volunteer f

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