State Fair News

Ken Paxton files lawsuit over State Fair of Texas gun ban

State Fair of Texas loves a parade.

Kevin Brown State Fair of Texas

Texas politicians are objecting to an effort by the State Fair of Texas to make the 2024 version a safer event.

As part of a new set of protocols, 2024 fairgoers will not be allowed to bring in firearms, knives, clubs, explosive devices, ammunition, chemical dispensing devices, replicas, or weapons of any kind — including Holders of a License to Carry, Constitutional Carry, Concealed Carry, and the Open Carry of firearms anywhere on the fairgrounds including Cotton Bowl Stadium.

The new rule is in response to an episode at the fair in 2023, in which three people were injured when someone opened fire at the food court. Previously, the fair allowed concealed carry for self-defense by licensed concealed permit holders.

According to the Texas Tribune, 71 state lawmakers and Republican House nominees signed a petition saying the new policy makes the fair "less safe" because "Gun free zones are magnets for crime because they present less of a threat to those who seek to do evil."

The politicians, listed below, are threatening to take legislative action, stating in their letter that “your actions raise questions about the need for legislation next session to further protect these rights on lands managed by the public."

UPDATE 8-29-2024: On August 29, Texas' Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the city of Dallas over State Fair of Texas gun ban. Paxton filed the lawsuit — on the taxpayers' dime — after giving the city a 15-day notice to reverse the gun ban. The city of Dallas owns Fair Park and leases the grounds to the State Fair of Texas. Paxton insists that, since the property is government-owned, the ban is "unlawful" and violates Texas gun owners' rights. However, the State Fair of Texas is a private nonprofit, and guns have been banned at other similar events.
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The fair responded with a statement that it is following a policy similar to that of most mass gatherings happening these days.

"The State Fair of Texas spends millions of dollars per year on safety and security measures. Furthermore, the Dallas Police Department has a substation at Fair Park. A combined total of more than 200 uniformed and armed DPD officers and State Fair Safety Team members are patrolling the fairgrounds whenever the gates are open. We take the safety of the State Fair very seriously and will continue to do so."

Other new protocols include a redesigned gate entry with cameras at entrances, and a limit on the size of bags. The politicians did not have a problem with those. Phew.

Bags
Approved bags include bags and soft-shell coolers no bigger than 9x10x12 inches, medical bags, and parenting/childcare bags. Coolers must use ice packs or bagged ice; loose ice is no longer allowed.

Also new this year: a 24/7 State Fair Command Center which will serve as a central hub for operational communications and where event oversight, incident notification, tracking, and resolution will occur.

Redesigned Gate Entry
As fairgoers arrive, they will see signage advising them on what to expect when they are screened. This includes information about prohibited items, code of conduct, and that all bags/wagons/coolers are subject to search.

Guests will be channeled through weapons detection technology, which screens for dangerous weapons in the presence of a licensed and trained security officer. The security screening process will be recorded to confirm that security personnel follow best practices.

Texas-themed identifiers will be placed at key pedestrian entry points to help attendees remember where their cars are parked.

Minors
They'll also continue their "After 5 p.m. Minors Policy" instituted in 2023: Starting at 5 pm daily, all minors, age 17 and under, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone (21+) when entering the fair, and they'll be checking IDs. Parents, guardians, or chaperones may accompany no more than six minors 17 years of age and under. Once inside the fairgrounds, the parent, guardian, or chaperone is not required to remain with the minors.

The 2024 State Fair of Texas will take place from Friday, September 27 through Sunday, October 20.

The full list includes Daniel Alders, Trent Ashby, Keith Bell, Bud Buckley, Greg Bonnen, Ben Bumgarner, Dustin Burrows, Briscoe Cain, Giovanni Capriglione, David Cook, Pat Curry, Mana DeAyala, James Frank, Frederick Frazier, Gary Gates, Stan Gerdes, Craig Goldman, Bob Hall, Kelly Hancock, Sam Harless, Cody Harris, Caroline Harris Davila, Brian Harrison, Richard Hayes, Cole Hefner, Hillary Hickland, Justin Holland, Janis Holt, Lacey Hull, Todd Hunter, Carrie Isaac, Jacey Jetton, Ken King, Stan Kitzman, Stan Lambert, Brooks Landgraf, Jeff Leach, Terri Leo Wilson, Mitch Little, David Lowe, Shelley Luther, Don McLaughlin, Will Metcalf, Mayes Middleton, Geanie Morrison, Candy Noble, Tim Oliverson, Angelia Orr, Jared Patterson, Dennis Paul, Charles Perry, Glen Rogers, Matt Schaefer, Nate Schatzline, Matt Shaheen, Joanne Shofner, Shelby Slawson, Reggie Smith, David Spiller, Drew Springer, Lynn Stucky, Valoree Swanson, Carl Tepper, Kronda Thimesuch, Ed Thompson, Steve Toth, Ellen Troxclair, Gary Vandeaver, Cody Vasut, and Wes Virdell.

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Movie Review

Long-anticipated Wicked movie adaptation does not disappoint

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera in Wicked.

The musical Wicked is indisputably the biggest Broadway smash of the 21st century, having grossed more $1.6 billion in New York alone and achieving the rare feat of running for over 20 years. All of which is to say that the long-awaited movie adaptation of The Wizard of Oz prequel will most likely be a massive success whether it lives up to what longtime fans envisioned or not.

Part one — yes, this 2 hour and 40 minute film is merely the first act of the musical; part two arrives a year from now — introduces Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the green-skinned witch who goes on to become Dorothy’s nemesis, and G(a)linda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the pink-garbed “good” witch, as they meet at Shiz University in Oz. Glinda is the ultra-popular one with sycophantic hangers-on, while Elphaba is shunned by almost everyone, sometimes including her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who’s desperate to make her own space away from Elphaba.

Her mistreatment by others leads Elphaba to get angry, which manifests itself in uncontrollable magic. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) notices this and takes a personal interest in her, giving her one-on-one instruction in hopes of harnessing her power. In the meantime, Elphaba and Glinda attempt to go from forced roommates to actual friends, although Glinda’s entitled personality is more of an obstacle than anything else they encounter.

Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by original book writer Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the film does a great job of distinguishing itself from the stage version while still remaining true to what made it so beloved. As Chu showed in his last film, In the Heights, he has an innate feel for how to tap into the essence of the source material while expanding it into something befitting the scope of a blockbuster movie.

In this case, he finds a way to give even greater emphasis to the bigotry that Elphaba faces simply because of her green skin; the fact that she is being played by a Black woman drives home the point even more. The story remains light and fluffy for the most part, but the ostracization/otherness that Elphaba feels is delivered in a powerful way, as is her empathy for talking animals like Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who are facing their own persecution.

Of course, the highlight of the film is Stephen Schwartz’s music, and while not all of the songs are equal in impact, they still make for a cohesive whole. The number of songs and order they appear in the first act is identical to the stage musical, with the standouts remaining “The Wizard and I,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity.” While there is some superfluous action and cutaways added to certain numbers, it’s not enough to distract from what makes the songs effective.

Oddly, the progression of the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda works better on stage when the timeline is accelerated, but Erivo and Grande-Butera make up for this slight lack with their fantastic performances. The emotion each brings to their characters fits them almost perfectly, and there’s simply no denying the strength of each of their voices. Bode, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and more make for a solid supporting cast.

The well-known ending of the first act of Wicked is a huge high point that is so good that it almost makes up for the fact that audiences won’t see the second film for a long time. But if part one is any indication, part two should turn out to be another great musical theater adaptation in a decade that has already seen its fair share.

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Wicked opens in theaters on November 22.

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