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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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. Fort Worth mom & daughter debut cafe with tacos and homemade tortillas. A new Fort Worth café is serving up breakfast tacos and burritos with homemade tortillas just like abuela used to make. Called Cafecito, it's a mother-daughter operation from Cinthya Duran, a South Fort Worth native, who's partnered with her mother, Yaneth Sanchez, on their first food and beverage endeavor.

2. Acclaimed Thai restaurant expands to Fort Worth's hottest neighborhood. An acclaimed Thai restaurant in the mid-cities is making a big step up to Fort Worth's hottest street: The new place is called Ko Thai, and it's opening at 721-725 W. Magnolia Ave., a couple doors down from Shinjuku Station (which sadly just closed after 13 years in the Near Southside).

3. Fort Worth to host forgiveness day for those with outstanding warrants. Scofflaws in Fort Worth are getting cut some slack: The Fort Worth Municipal Court is hosting a forgiveness event where anyone with an outstanding citation can clear it up without fear of arrest.

4. 4 DFW universities earn top rankings on new list of best colleges in U.S. Four Dallas-Fort Worth area universities have risen through the ranks in a highly anticipated new list of the country's best universities. Niche, an education review and ranking website, has deemed Texas Christian University the sixth best college in Texas, for the third consecutive year.

5. Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 restaurants with the best sandwiches. For this month’s Where to Eat, we point you to the best sandwich shops in and around Fort Worth. These are traditional sandwiches, and include venerable classics as well as some worthy newcomers.

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New film about Texas' next mega-metro tops this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot 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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. New documentary explores Texas' emerging mega-metro that could rival Dallas-Fort Worth. It's no secret that Austin and San Antonio are becoming some of the biggest cities in Texas, and that together, they just might rival the likes of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston one day. A new documentary called San Antonio-Austin: The Emerging Mega-Metro takes a deep dive into the booming 80-mile region between the Central Texas cities.

2. Tarrant County court adopts trendy new property tax scheme to lower taxes. Tarrant County residents got cut a break: The Tarrant County Commissioners Court adopted new tax rates for 2024 that fall "Below No-New-Revenue Rate" — a jargon-y way of saying there won't be an increase in taxes.

3. Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 hidden-find new restaurants. When it comes to restaurant openings, bigger does not always mean better, especially when we've uncovered some lower-profile newcomers that may not (yet) be a media buzz but definitely deserve attention, as well. For the August edition of Where to Eat in Fort Worth, we bring you six small but mighty new restaurants.

4. West Side Cafe finds new owner and more Fort Worth restaurant news. In this roundup of dining news around Fort Worth, there are promising openings and sad closures. New owners, new menus, new desserts. Ice cream, cake, and frozen yogurt. And new craft beer.

5. Restaurant dedicated to comforting mac & cheese makes Fort Worth-area debut. A restaurant chain dedicated to mac & cheese is coming to North Richland Hills: I Heart Mac & Cheese, a fast-casual concept that specializes in mac & cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, will open a new location at 8528 Davis Blvd. #128.

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Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 hidden-find new restaurants

Where to Eat

In the past several weeks, several high-profile restaurants have opened in Fort Worth, making them seemingly perfect candidates for this edition of our monthly Where to Eat spotlighting newcomers.

There's Walloon's, the buzzy new seafood spot from chef Marcus Paslay; and Le Margot, the French restaurant collaboration between chefs Felipe Armenta and celebu-chef Graham Elliott.

But bigger does not always mean better, especially when we've uncovered some lower-profile newcomers that may not (yet) be a media buzz but definitely deserve attention, as well.

For the August edition of Where to Eat in Fort Worth, we bring you six small but mighty new restaurants:

Brix BBQ
After two years of setbacks and delays, the brick-and-mortar version of Trevor Sales’ popular barbecue trailer opened recently at 1012 S. Main St. in the booming South Main area. BBQ Snob Daniel Vaughn has already given the place his seal of approval, with a headline exclaiming it's the best new spot in town. The brick-and-mortar version of Brix has inside/outside seating, plus a rooftop dining area that'll be nice in the fall. Sales is still tweaking his menu, but in addition to his calling cards - brisket, housemade sausage, and ribs - he’s added a few items such as a brisket ragu pasta, and turned rotating favorites into permanent fixtures, like his popular smashburgers. Another welcome addition: booze. Brix offers an impressive assortment of beer, bourbon, and wine.

Eazy Monkey
Chef Andrew Dilda may have opened the most unique restaurant in town – a restaurant that combines Asian and American cuisine, with a side of ‘90s skate-punk culture. Dilda’s newly opened spot, which takes over the old Fixture restaurant in the Near Southside, is a joint venture between him and partners Andrew Chen, who founded the Monkey King Noodle Company chain of local restaurants, and Sonali Kumar, also a partner in Monkey King. As a result, the menu is inspired by Monkey King’s creative Asian cuisine and Dilda’s ode to Americana. Dishes include crab rangoon nachos, cheeseburger fried rice, beef cheek hash, and orange chicken and waffles. For now, the restaurant is only open for third-party delivery, but once the dining room opens in September, check out its walls covered in ‘90s culture paraphernalia – a nod to his and wife’s musical and pop culture interests.

La Bendicion
Newly opened in the Fielder Plaza shopping center in Arlington, at 1701 West Randol Mill Rd., this small Mexican restaurant harks back to El Fenix and El Chico and other restaurants that wave the flag for simple, straightforward TexMex cuisine. It practically picks up where the space’s previous tenant, the long-running Don Mario’s, left off. Matter of fact, one of the owners is a previous server from Don Mario’s. Don’t expect fireworks, just straightforward TexMex, done well and inexpensively. All the TexMex staples are here: enchiladas, tamales, chile rellenos, tacos and fajitas, stuffed, filled or served with various proteins and lots of cheese. There’s also a handful of seafood dishes, such as bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Noodle Works
From its modest exterior, this small new Asian restaurant in Southlake, at 250 Randol Mill Ave., may seem run-of-the-mill. But the food goes beyond the norm. The restaurant’s namesake dish is made in-house, in dishes such as dan dan noodles, spicy beef noodle soup, and youpo noodles, a mix of noodles with chili sauce, bok choy and green onions. Also made in-house are the dumplings, stuffed with your choice of vegetables or various proteins; bao buns; and pot-stickers. The rest of the menu touches on various Asian cuisines, with Japanese, Chinese and Thai dishes, plus an assortment of boba drinks.

Outpost 36
What looks like a big corporate barbecue restaurant is really an independently owned restaurant run by a small group of friends, Jeff Lowery, Dwight Dowell and Chris Polk; the place is just real big. Instead of the usual cafeteria-style service, customers stand in line to order, watching meat-cutters slice and dice meats that include brisket, sausage, and pork & beef ribs, then wait for their food to be brought to them (meats are supplied from the owners’ own Texas ranch). Everything we sampled during a recent visit was of good quality – brisket was tender and smoky, its spine etched in black pepper and melt-in-your-mouth fat; jalapeno sausage was appropriately spicy and its skin had a good snap; and pork ribs were of good size, not too big, not too small, with a hearty amount of meat. Good sides, too, including fried okra and green beans. The restaurant also makes its own bread, something no other North Texas BBQ joint does except Goldees. Located at 1801 S. Main St. in Keller, Outpost 36 is next door to the similarly named Horizon 76, an American restaurant with the same owners.

R&R’s Soul Food
This new spot in far south Fort Worth that has long been home to various takes on soul food. Before R&R, it was a temporary home to Sausage Shoppe, the long-running sausage and soul food hub that now resides on the east side, and it was the original home to the beloved chicken & waffles restaurant, Taste ‘N See. R&R picks up where its predecessors left off, with owner Renelle Davis offering a wide array of American, barbecue, and soul food dishes, including smothered pork chops, oxtails, and brisket. Sides include candied yams, potato salad, baked beans, and collard greens. There are rotating pies and cakes, too, all $3 a slice, plus Kool Aid and, what else, sweet tea to drink.

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Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 5 new restaurant picks in the 'burbs

Where to eat

The July edition of Where to Eat, CultureMap's monthly column recommending where to eat, focuses on new openings. Obviously there's no shortage, with a seemingly never-ending stream of restaurants opening in and around the Fort Worth area.

This list focuses on that last part: "around the Fort Worth area." We’re talking the suburbs, where new places are opening at the same rapid and exciting pace.

Here are five big new restaurants that have opened just outside Fort Worth:

The Brunch District
New Colleyville restaurant serves brunch every day, not just on weekends. It’s located in a strip mall at 3855 Glade Rd., but the plain exterior gives way to an attractive, lively dining room. The menu consists of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees such as chicken-fried steak. Brunch items include French toast topped with banana-bourbon sauce, lingonberry crepes, bagel and lox, and avocado toast. There are no less than 10 ways to get your pancakes, including topped with crushed Oreos or stuffed with cheesecake bites. There are brunchy cocktails and an extensive kid’s menu. This is the second brunch-inspired concept for co-owner Andreea Bujor, who previously opened Berries & Batter Brunch House in Highland Village and Frisco, and is now focused on The Brunch District, including a second location to open in Addison later this year.

Gilberto’s Taco Shop
Arlington favorite from owner Jose Ruiz made its debut on Abrams Street near Collins in 2019, in a shop that was absurdly small, with tables and booths crammed within inches of another. In late May, they opened a second location at 611 Park Row Dr., a few blocks from UTA, this time with plenty of legroom for diners and a big parking lot, something the original also lacks. The menu is made up of Mex-Mex and Tex-Mex staples, from enchiladas to chimichangas, which you can order individually or as a combo plate with rice and beans. Gilberto’s signature item remains birria tacos, the popular grilled tacos stuffed with cheese and birria meat and served with a side of consommé. They also serve breakfast all day in the form of breakfast tacos and plates, with eggs and choice of chorizo, bacon, or shredded beef. The place is hard to miss: Its building is covered in a mural of the infamous punch delivered by Texas Ranger Rougned Odor to Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista during a 2016 game.

Golosinas Hondureñas
Honduran food isn’t easy to find in North Texas, so any time a Honduras restaurant opens, it’s cause for celebration. This small mom-and-pop in South Arlington, at 7401 Matlock Rd. is a spinoff of a restaurant in Irving, and like the original, it offers authentic Honduran fare: from baleadas — a flour tortilla stuffed with red beans, crema, and queso duro — to pupusas and sopas, to fish and jumbo shrimp dishes cooked in Honduran spices. The expansive menu also includes breakfast dishes, coffee drinks, freshly made pastries, nearly a dozen agua frescas, plus rice and corn drinks imported directly from Honduras.

The Original Roy Hutchins Barbecue
Newly opened in Trophy Club at 3000 Hwy. 114, this barbecue joint has good lineage: It's from three members of the well-known Hutchins family: Dad Roy, his son Wesley, and Wesley’s son Zack (the family recently settled a lawsuit concerning the names of their restaurants). While it operates independently of the Hutchins locations in McKinney and Frisco, it’s similar in both setup and offerings. You wind your way through a line, picking your meats, sides, drinks, and dessert, then snag a seat. The menu mainly sticks to BBQ basics – sliced brisket, served lean or moist, chopped brisket with sauce, smoked turkey, burnt ends, St. Louis-style pork ribs, pork sausage, beef ribs, and smoked chicken. Their sides are more interesting than the norm: There’s a great chopped broccoli salad, pinto beans spiked with brisket, and dirty rice, a rare sight at a barbecue joint. Dessert consists of freshly made banana pudding.

Zack’s Bistro
Those familiar with Keller Chophouse and Mercury Chophouse will recognize the "Zack" in Zack’s Bistro as Zack Moutaouakil, who opened this new high-end steakhouse at 900 E. Copeland Rd. in Arlington, in a space that has seen many a concept come and go: PYT Social Lounge, Okal's Cafe, Donnie's Hot Dog Shop & Philly Steak Supper Club, Flying Daiquiris, even a Quizno's. One presumes Zack will have his usual magic touch. Along with a half-dozen steaks, the menu includes Moroccan beef “cigars” — ground beef wrapped in a spring roll with Moroccan spices — plus bruschetta, calamari, salads, bacon-wrapped deviled eggs, a burger, beef stroganoff, chicken-fried steak, shrimp and grits, beef tips, salads and fish tacos.

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Best bars for singles mingle into this week's 5 hottest Fort Worth headlines

This week's hot 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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 6 best bars for singles ready to mingle. If you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, this list might help. These six Fort Worth-area bars are known in some circles for their matchmaking scene. Some offer swanky lounges where patrons dress to impress, and others are more casual, where even four-legged friends are invited. All make for a great night out – bonus if a new friendship blooms in the process.

2. Hop on over to this fun new boozy snack bar in Fort Worth's Sundance Square. There's a fun new spot to grab a bite and a drink, now open in Fort Worth's Sundance Square: Called Hopscotch, it's a new concept from Mockingbird Food Co., and it opened on June 9 in the former Jamba Juice location at 101 W. 3rd St.

3. Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 new restaurants to try in June. It's time for the June edition of our monthly column Where to Eat, featuring our favorite dining recommendations for the month, and there is plenty of fodder. Fort Worth's restaurant scene keeps on kicking, with promising new places debuting every week. Here are our suggestions for six new places to try in June.

4. Leave cellphones at home for comedian Dave Chappelle's live show coming to Fort Worth. Comedian/actor Dave Chappelle will soon bring his "Dave Chappelle Live" stand-up comedy show to arenas in five cities in Texas, including Fort Worth's Dickies Arena, on June 30. No cellphones, cameras, or recording devices will be allowed.

5. Texans are gliding over lakes and beaches in this summer's coolest watersport – eFoiling. The trendiest watersport of summer 2023 is taking people to new heights – about two feet above water, to be exact. EFoiling (also referred to as electric or motorized surfing) lets riders glide or “fly” above the water using a battery-operated surfboard. While the watersport is still fairly new, eFoil operators recently have popped up on lakes across North Texas and on beaches all along the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida.

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Where to eat in Fort Worth right now: 6 new restaurants to try in June

Where to Eat

It's time for the June edition of our monthly column Where to Eat, featuring our favorite dining recommendations for the month, and there is plenty of fodder. Fort Worth's restaurant scene keeps on kicking, with promising new places debuting every week.

This month's edition is heavy on food-truck-related news: There's a brand new food truck from an acclaimed chef, plus two food trucks that have taken the big step to brick-and-mortar locations. There's also new pizza, vegan, and Southern food.

Here are our suggestions for six new places to try in June:

Acadia Parish Crawfish
Authentic Cajun food arrives on the west side, courtesy of the first brick and mortar from a longtime Cajun cook. Opened earlier this year at 7709 Camp Bowie West Blvd., in the spacious building once occupied by Billy’s Oak Acres and Poppin’ Fresh BBQ, Acadia is run by Daniel Demaline, who, for the past several years, has offered excellent Cajun food out of a food truck, as well as other restaurants with whom he shared kitchen space. A native of Minden, Louisiana, Demaline offers Cajun staples such as chicken & sausage jambalaya, fried gator tail, and po' boy sandwiches filled with choice of fried shrimp, catfish, or oysters. There are also nice surprises, like smoked boudin sausage and King Cake beignets. Demaline goes the extra mile, importing many of his ingredients from Louisiana.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago-style deep dish pizza is the signature item at this newly opened spot in south Arlington, at 4407 Little Rd. #610. Running the show is Ashraf Ghousheh, who owned a similar restaurant in Las Colinas from 2009 until last year, when he sold it. His menu is made up of 15 specialty pies, each named after Chicago culture. The Chicago Bulls pie comes with pepperoni, salami, sausage, and bacon; the Great Chicago Fire is dressed with sausage, sport peppers, garlic, cilantro, and mozzarella cheese; and the White Sox pie comes with alfredo sauce, fajita chicken, red onion, bacon, and jalapeno. While pizzas are his bread and butter, he also offers a handful of other Windy City staples, such as a Chicago hot dog and Italian beef sandwiches.

Heirloom FW
New food truck at Archie's Gardenland on the west side, at 6700 Z Boaz Pl., is the latest project by Kevin Martinez, executive chef at Tokyo Café and Yatai Food Cart. The menu is a change of pace from the type of food for which Martinez is best known. Here, he offers a small rotating menu of American classics with colorful, chef-inspired twists. Made up of only three to four dishes, the menu rotates daily, except for the namesake dish — a beautiful salad consisting of heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, housemade mozzarella, pesto, and balsamic glaze. There’s usually a sandwich, such as a smoked bologna or muffaletta, made with high-quality meats, and at least one dessert, such as herbed vanilla cake with lemon curd, rosemary, thyme, and granola.

Lola’s Cuban Food
After running a Cuban food truck near downtown for several years, husband-wife owners Miquelin Herrera and Linaim Morin have upgraded to a brick and mortar in southwest Fort Worth, at 4608 Bryant Irvin Rd. #440. The restaurant is named after Herrera’s grandmother Lola, whose own recipes inspired many of the restaurant’s dishes. Items include oxtails, stuffed plantains, empanadas, bistec encebollado (steak with onions), and pork chops. Thanks to having an actual kitchen, the couple has been able to expand their menu with new items such as stuffed squid and lobster in salsa. Lola’s also offers classic Cuban sandwiches, along with desserts such as flan and pastries.

Maiden: Fine Plants & Spirits
Texas’ first vegan tasting menu restaurant comes from Amy McNutt, founder of vegan chain Spiral Diner, and is located in the PS1200 mixed-use development in the Near Southside, at 1216 6th Ave., next to Dreamboat Vegan Donuts & Scoops, McNutt's new vegan doughnut shop. Dinner consists of eight courses for $150, drink pairings extra, and it takes two to three hours. McNutt is not revealing the menu, but dishes shared by diners online include poached cream of cauliflower with zucchini peanut pasta, lemongrass grapefruit consomme, and olive oil cake. Those who don’t want to do the tasting menu can get cheeseboards and drinks at the bar, first come/first serve.

Spice and Gravy Southern Eatery
Cool new family-owned home-cooking spot is now open in far south Arlington, at 7401 Matlock Rd., where mom-and-pop restaurants are hard to find. S&G’s strip mall façade masks a homey atmosphere that perfectly reflects the menu. Owners Mary Sholars and Reginald Williams serve dishes such as shrimp & grits, blackened catfish over collard greens, chicken & waffles, and lemon pepper chicken over grits. There are vegan dishes, too, plus those tailored for those on Keto diets.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Tasty restaurant news tops this week's 5 most-read Fort Worth stories

This week's hot 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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. Fat tacos, crispy pepperoni pizza, and more Fort Worth restaurant news. We have lots of tasty restaurant dish in Fort Worth right now, including a new pizzeria, a new AYCE pizza buffet, and new limited-edition tacos. There's more than one fried chicken offering, and at least two pumpkin specials. Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news.

2. Restaurant bullish on burgers and bourbon cocktails comes to Grapevine. A better burger concept from South Carolina is taking a crack at Texas: Bohemian Bull, a small chain founded in Charleston in 2013, has opened its first Texas location in Grapevine, featuring burgers and a full bar with 24 craft beer taps.

3. Award-winning Mexican restaurant hits the jackpot at new Denton location. A DFW restaurant that's earned national acclaim has opened in Denton: El Rincón del Maiz, previously of Garland, is now located at 1431 E. McKinney St. in Denton where it's winning over locals with its Tex-Mex classics and vegan dishes.

4. Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Celebration ushers in new season with grace and gusto. Thunder crashed and lightning crackled outside, but a freak Friday night thunderstorm couldn’t dampen spirits at the Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Concert and Celebration on September 8.

5. Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 9 best bars to watch college football. Three weeks into the season and college football is on fire. Here are nine of the best bars to visit for some college football-watching in Fort Worth right now - a mix of old favorites and a few new surprises.

Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with new location

Pizza News

A Fort Worth-based pizzeria concept has opened a location in Fort Worth: Mr Gatti's Pizza has opened a restaurant off Camp Bowie at 2812 Horne St. #100, a space previously occupied by Helen's Hot Chicken, where they're open with pizza, pizza rolls, and their signature ranch dressing.

The location is a franchise owned by Kirk Jefferies, who also owns and operates franchises of Jason’s Deli and Chicken Express. This is his first Mr Gatti’s, but he has more locations planned.

“When people talk about Mr Gatti's Pizza, you can see a spark in their eyes. We love being able to bring that 'excitement' and combine it with our passion for pizza,” Jefferies says in a release. “Mr Gatti's Pizza has been satisfying cravings for over 50 years. It truly is an honor to be a part of this legacy brand that people cherish."

Menu favorites from about a dozen pizza options include The Sampler, The Deluxe with sausage, pepperoni, & smoked provolone, and BBQ chicken. A basic 12-inch cheese pizza with one topping is $12.

There are lunch specials from 10:30 am-3 pm including pepperoni rolls and salad for $10; 8 wings and salad for $13; and a medium pizza with 2 salads for $15.

The chain was first founded in Stephenville, Texas as The Pizza Place, in September 1964. In 1969, founder James Eure moved to Austin and opened the first Mr Gatti’s Pizza, named for his wife's maiden name.

They have a major presence in South Texas but only two in the DFW area: Plano and Allen.

There was a location that opened in Fort Worth in 2016, at 3280 W. Seventh St. in Museum Place, which at the time, was the first to use the Mr. Gatti’s name; the chain had been going by "Gatti's." So many name changes! It closed in 2018. There was also a location in North Richland Hills which opened in 2016 and closed in early 2019; and a location in Richardson that closed in 2018.

Back in the day they had a big buffet as well as a big game room, two features for which many longtime fans are nostalgic. But this location is just about the pizza.

There are now more than 70 locations in states across the Southeast, including Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.