This Week's Hot Headlines

Change in low-level marijuana policy tops this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines.

1. Fort Worth will now ticket for low-level marijuana, instead of arrest. Law enforcement agencies in Fort Worth and Tarrant County will begin issuing tickets to those found with small amounts of marijuana, instead of arresting them and taking them into custody. In a joint release from The Tarrant County Law Enforcement Executives Association and the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, the agencies highlighted their new policy in which people detained for certain low-level, misdemeanor crimes may now be issued a citation.

2. The official list of top 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas-Fort Worth. What a difference a year makes, as the Dallas-Fort Worth area has no shortage of events from which to choose this Fourth of July weekend. We've rounded up the biggest and best events for your oohing — we mean viewing — pleasure. And here are some local restaurants and bars hosting fireworks-viewing parties.

3. Latest species to invade Fort Worth is an icky super-long predatory worm. As if red ants and killer bees aren't bad enough, there's another invasive species in Texas that has slithered into Fort Worth: an extra-long worm — it can be nearly a foot long — disgusting on its own, but also predatory. It's called a hammerhead flatworm, and The Texas Invasive Species Institute confirms that they're starting to be spotted in the Fort Worth area.

4. Stunning Hill Country pool cannonballs onto Condé Nast Traveler list of top swimming holes. As Mother Nature cranks up the heat in Texas, it's time to think about a getaway to cool off in the country’s best swimming holes. A new list in Condé Nast Traveler magazine crowns Hamilton Pool in the Hill Country — west of Lake Travis and north of Dripping Springs — as one of eight “stunning” swimming holes in the U.S. (But before you jump in the car and drive south from Fort Worth, there's something to know — read on.)

5. Blockbuster dine-in theater and entertainment venue coming soon to Southlake. A massive new dine-in theater and entertainment center is bringing movies, bowling, bumper cars, and more to a vacant movie theater in Southlake Town Square: Austin-based EVO Entertainment will make its Dallas-Fort Worth debut in the former Harkins Southlake 14, which closed in November 2020.

Po-po will give you a ticket but not haul you in.

Photo by Scott Davidson/Wikipedia

Po-po will give you a ticket but not haul you in.

Weekend Event Planner

The 9 best things to do in Fort Worth this holiday weekend

Photo courtesy of Cirque Musica

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The post-Christmas event landscape in and around Fort Worth offers a decent number of things to do, including one last holiday-themed event. Other choices include: two comedians, four concerts, a college football bowl game, and screenings of an acclaimed new film.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events. Looking for the best Christmas lights still illuminating Fort Worth? Find those lists here and here.

Thursday, December 26

Hyena's presents Ralph Barbosa
Ralph Barbosa was named the Funniest Comic in Texas in 2019, was the winner of the New York Latino Film Festival Stand Up Comedy competition in 2021, and recently made his HBO debut on the HA Festival Comedy Special. He also sold out six shows in Dallas for his 2023 Netflix special, Cowabunga. He'll perform six times through Saturday at Hyena's Comedy Nightclub.

Braxton Keith in concert
Braxton Keith calls San Antonio home, but the 20-something songwriter hasn’t spent much time there in recent years. As one of the newest exports of Texas’ country music scene, he leaves town nearly every weekend. Inspired by the traditional twang of storytellers like Marty Robbins and Merle Haggard, he writes songs that blend modern sounds with the best elements of old-school country. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of his new EP, Blue.

Friday, December 27

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Navy
With the expansion of the College Football Playoff, bowl season has been somewhat diminished, but the annual Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl still has some cachet to it thanks to its association with the service academies. This year will feature a matchup between Navy, which is riding high after beating Army in the annual Army-Navy game, and Oklahoma, who went through a down year for them, but still beat Alabama to deny the Crimson Tide a spot in the playoff. The game takes place at Amon Carter Stadium on the TCU campus.

Magnolia at the Modern: Conclave
Conclave explores one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events: selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running the covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake - secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church. There will be seven screenings through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Improv Arlington presents Chingo Bling
Comedian Chingo Bling is known for his insightful, unapologetic stand-up comedy and multiple viral videos. He has appeared in everything from feature films, Netflix, and MTV shows, to comedic web series, musical parodies, and live stand-up comedy shows. He currently hosts the podcast, Red Pill Tamales. He'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.

Wyatt Flores in concert
Singer Wyatt Flores is one of the latest up-and-comers in the Red Dirt country genre of Texas and Oklahoma. A native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, the 23-year-old made his debut in 2022, putting out three EPs in three years before finally releasing his debut album, Welcome to the Plains, in October. He was even a nominee for Best Emerging Artist at the most recent Americana Music Honors & Awards. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.

Saturday, December 28

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland is filled with acrobatics, aerial feats, and musicians and singers, taking audiences on a journey into a world of music, cirque, and wonder. With new costumes, music, and storylines, the all-new show blends the grace and athleticism of circus performers with a musical mix of seasonal favorites. The one-night-only event takes place at Will Rogers Auditorium.

Toadies in concert
Fort Worth originals Toadies have a semi-annual end-of-year tradition of playing at Billy Bob's Texas, as they did so in 2021 and 2022 (for some reason, they - boo! - played in Dallas at the end of 2023). The band has released seven albums in their career, most recently 2017's The Lower Side of Uptown, although their biggest success remains their 1994 debut album, Rubberneck, which might get extra play at this concert since it hit its 30th anniversary this year.

Sunday, December 29

The Damn Quails in concert
In the early-to-mid 2010s, the Damn Quails were a rising Red Dirt country group. But a fight with their record label and other issues led them to go on an indefinite hiatus in 2016. Against the odds, the group - led by Gabe Marshall and Bryon White - made a comeback in 2022 with a new album, Clouding Up Your City. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas.

Photo courtesy of Cirque Musica

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland will be at Will Rogers Auditorium on December 28.

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