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The 2025 State Fair of Texas is scheduled to open Sept. 26 and run until Oct. 9 at Fair Park in Dallas, featuring 24 days of celebration of Texan food, music, rides and culture. Prices of tickets vary by day, with discounts available online. Taylor Pulfer, State Fair of Texas director of communications, described this annual event as the organization's largest fundraiser, with all proceeds dedicated to the nonprofit mission of supporting education, community giving and the preservation of Fair Park. One of the fair's signatures is its “Texas-sized” twist on traditions. Fairgoers are greeted by Big Tex, a 55-foot cowboy, with his signature “Howdy, folks,” while the Cotton Bowl stadium hosts the Allstate Red River Rivalry football game. Another staple is the Big Tex Choice Awards, a creative fried food competition that has become a tradition that can’t be found anywhere else, Pulfer said in an email. Food remains one of the fair’s central experiences. Alongside classics such as Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, visitors can try this year’s Big Tex Choice award-winning foods, including the Crab and Mozzarella Arancini, Chill and Thrill Delight, Cookie Chaos Milkshake and Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders. Pulfer said this fair is a “tradition that gives back.” It drives tourism, supports small businesses, showcases Texas agriculture and helps fund scholarships and community programs. For first-time visitors, Pulfer recommended starting with a photo with Big Tex, grabbing a corny dog, then exploring Midway rides, the livestock barn, the auto show, cultural exhibits and live music. “The Fair is a tradition that brings people together,” Pulfer said. “For many families, it’s where memories are made year after year.” @samip.parajuli.54 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Student Senate members appointed a new Supreme Court justice, introduced four new resolutions and voted on one resolution during their Tuesday meeting. The body confirmed Kayla Gillespie, nominated by Student Body President Effua Jordan, as the fifth Supreme Court justice. Jordan said Gillespie has consistently shown herself to be a leader grounded in service, integrity and community, and has made it clear that she will approach her role with balance and impartiality. Gillespie said she brings the perspective of someone who wants the community to grow. “College is about making memories and building a community when you’re away from home, and I just want to make sure that everyone gets that chance because they deserve it,” she said. During the meeting, student senators passed Resolution 25-13, “Move Out of the Way,” after deliberation. The resolution aims to create designated parking spots for campus delivery and supply trucks that do not interfere with the routes of the MavMovers. Samuel Duncan, College of Liberal Arts senator, raised concerns over student parking, noting it is already limited and that some lots that would be utilized are full. Others said that the delivery drivers would be moving after a set period of time and that the proposed maps are temporary until there is a more fleshed out parking map after renovations are completed. “Parking is already a problem,” said Hephzibah Akinmade, College of Nursing and Health Innovation senator. “But it’s not like we’re taking all this space with the student; they’re just there for a set amount of time, so the order of everyday life is going to move on.” Resolutions 25-18, “Cultivating Campus Civic Culture”; 25-19, “Title IX, Don’t Take Mine”; 25-20, “TextBook Sell-Back Drive”; and 25-21, “Analog Manual,” were introduced to the senate. During the open forum, Andres Morales, Student Body vice president, addressed the senate about the upcoming senatorial reelection, as today was the campaign kickoff. In his speech, Morales said 17 student senators were up for reelection, noting they cannot flow through the election cycle comfortably. He questioned the senators, asking, “What have you done for your constituents? Have you used this responsibility? Have you shown up and voted when it really mattered?” “To be a senator is to carry influence and with it accountability; your votes, your presence and your voice do more than just fill these seats right here,” he said. Resolutions 25-14, “Shh-tudy Rooms,” and 25-15, “Minimum Wage, Maximum Impact,” were killed. Academic Affairs Chair Emman Khan said Resolution 25-14, “Shh-tudy Rooms,” was killed because the library is already working on initiatives that the bill asks for, which is making library study rooms more soundproof. Student Affairs Chair Roberto Sok said Resolution 25-15, “Minimum Wage, Maximum Impact was killed due to the minimum wage being set to $10 by the UT System. Updates on the research process were given on Resolution 25-17, “Gimme My Greens,” and Resolution 25-16, “Condom Convenience.” The next Student Senate meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Student Government Chambers. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed an executive order banning hemp and hemp-derived product consumption for minors and regulating its sale, though critics question its impact. On Sept. 10, Abbott directed the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to prohibit the sale of hemp-derived products to minors and require age verification upon purchasing for all customers; retailers who violate the order will have their permits revoked. “Safety for kids, freedom for adults,” Abbott said in a post on X. Texas’ growing hemp industry was left largely in the fate of consumers after Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3 earlier this year. Since the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp nationwide, Texas has seen rapid expansion in the market. The product remains legal under current interpretations of the federal and state law, as long as they contain no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. As the executive order does not ban the product itself, some lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Charles Perry, remain dissatisfied. In a statement issued Friday, Patrick argued that the order gives the current THC market a seal of approval. “These are the same people who have been selling dangerous THC products to kids and teens for the last four years in thousands of locations across Texas,” he said. “They will continue to do so under this executive order without a ban.” Chase Whitworth, Artisan Vapor and CBD Collins district manager, said the governor’s order represents a fair compromise. “I personally think that it’s a good thing that that’s happening, cutting regulation on the use for minors to be attacked by the THC industry,” Whitworth said. According to a report from Whitney Economics, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, CBD and cannabigerol are some of the most common hemp-derived products sold in Texas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cannabis affects brain development and functions, specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions and reaction time. The center said usage before 18 may affect how the brain builds connections for functions like attention, memory and learning, and the effects could be permanent. Patrick said the legislature never voted to legalize recreational marijuana or the THC products sold now, but due to the loophole in hemp laws, highly potent THC products are being sold, which is why Senate Bill 3 was passed in the Texas House and Senate during the regular session. Since the veto in late June, Abbott put the item on the agenda for two special sessions over the summer. In a proclamation issued June 22, Abbott said SB 3, as written, would create legal uncertainty for Texas farmers, as the bill criminalizes the manufacturing, distribution and sale of all consumable hemp products, regardless of whether they comply with federal law’s THC limits. The governor’s latest order requires the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to immediately create an age limit, but does not prescribe when the restriction must take effect and calls for both agencies to work with the Department of Public Safety to increase enforcement on existing rules. The Department of State Health Services is also required to begin reviewing the current rules within 10 business days to possibly add stricter labeling and testing, improve recordkeeping to facilitate oversight and increase fees to support enforcement. Sid Miller, Texas Department of Agriculture commissioner, said Abbott deserves praise for protecting minors from THC products while respecting the rights of adults. “Protecting our kids and defending our freedoms do not need to be at odds,” Miller said. Although Whitworth supports increased protections for youth, he said he worries that ongoing debates and potential bans could hurt small businesses. “Lots of these small mom and pop shops won’t survive as well based off of that,” he said. “They won’t be able to recover.” Perry said in a post on X that the age restriction does not fix the problem, and it gives the industry what it wants by leaving the product on shelves and ensuring the legislature will not close the loophole. “This debate isn’t over, and I will not stop fighting until we secure real protections for our communities and prevent Texas from repeating the mistakes of other states,” Perry said. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Preparedness in the Park will be hosted by UTA’s Office of Emergency Management, the Arlington Fire Department and Levitt Pavilion at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Levitt Pavilion as part of National Preparedness Month. The event will feature educational booths and a screening of the film “Twisters,” as well as giveaways of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radios. One radio will be given away per household through the giveaway, while supplies last. Kwa heri Harris, the director of emergency management at UTA, said the biggest thing attendees can look forward to is the opportunity to learn and gather as a community. “We believe that preparedness saves lives,” Harris said. “It's also better to be proactive in making sure you have a preparedness plan and a preparedness kit, versus being reactive.” Some booths at the event will be dedicated to building a 72-hour emergency kit, making emergency family plans and educating about outdoor warning sirens. Harris said they worked to make sure the event would be an interactive and fun environment where attendees could learn. “We thought that it would be a good idea to bring the community together to talk to them about the importance of having a plan and being equipped,” she said. Parking for the event will be free, with open seating available on the lawn. Attendees can bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch “Twisters” during the screening. @hud4qureshi news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Dallas Wings (10-34) beat the Phoenix Mercury (27-17) 97-76 in their last game of the season Thursday in a sold-out College Park Center. The Wings went into the game with a ten-game losing streak after the Los Angeles Sparks dealt them their 34th loss this season in their most recent matchup. Even with the team finding double-digit wins, the Wings were not able to ride a win streak this season. “Lots of close games in that stretch, just could never really get to the finish line. Was excited at home that we threw punches,” head coach Chris Koclanes said. Prior to this match-up, the Wings faced the Mercury in back-to-back games in July. Dallas won the first game 98-89 before traveling to Arizona, where they lost 102-72. While the Wings' season hasn’t gone as planned, rookie guard Paige Bueckers provided a spotlight for the team by breaking the franchise’s single-season scoring record for a first-year player with 650 accumulated points as of a Sept. 4 game. “Just a whole bunch of potential, and it showed up in so many different stories this season,” Bueckers said, reflecting on the season. “I feel like there's so many different things that have captivated what we've been through as a team and how much we've overcame.” In the first quarter, the Wings came out reckless with two early fouls by Bueckers, contributing to the team being in an early hole. A late-quarter run from the bench allowed them to shorten the lead, ending the quarter down 28-25. For the Mercury, forward Satou Sabally came out strong, scoring 11 of her 14 points in the first half and looking unstoppable in the paint. In the second quarter, the Wings tied the game at 30 for the first time with seven minutes left in the half. Multiple clutch shots from the Wings allowed them to pull away at the end of the half, taking a 57-47 lead. In the third quarter, the Wings opened up the half on an 8-2 run, with multiple steals and rebounds. The Wings outscored the Mercury 25-13 and ended the quarter 82-60. The Wings' bench also played a crucial role in the team securing their final win of the season, with players like guard Aziaha James and forward Amy Okonkwo scoring 20 points each. On the defensive side, starting Wings forward Myisha Hines-Allen led in rebounds with 10. “The season hasn’t been great, but [the fans] stood beside us the whole time, and tonight was their night and we had to give it back to them today,” James said. With the team’s delayed relocation to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Memorial Auditorium, the Wings are expected to continue their tenure at College Park Center for the 2026 season, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. @tracysansomjr sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA volleyball will co-host the UNT-UTA Invitational, the team’s first and only home invitational, starting Friday. After the first match at the University of North Texas, the team will return home to play two more matches. The first is against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the first home game of the season at 5 p.m. Saturday at College Park Center. The Mavericks look to continue defending their home court at this week’s competition, as they’ve tallied 681 days since their last loss at the arena. Coming off a three-set sweep against Alcorn State University in the Cowgirl Classic, UTA will have the opportunity to keep its undefeated six-game win streak alive in Denton, Texas, where the team is slated to face Northwestern State University to open the tournament. The last time the teams faced off was in 2021, when the Mavericks secured a 3-2 win in a five-set match. An almost completely revamped roster fuels the Mavericks as they prepare for their only home invitational. The team will bring back only seven players from last year’s NCAA tournament run. The team will close out the tournament with a second home game against invitational co-host UNT at 5 p.m. Sunday. The Mavericks will compete in one more preseason tournament, the Roadrunner Classic, starting Sept. 19. Western Athletic Conference play will begin for volleyball with a home game against Southern Utah University at 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at College Park Center. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+. @player_z0 sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The UTA men’s golf team opened its 2025 fall season with a ninth-place finish in the Whirlwind Invitational at the Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona, on Sept. 8 and 9. In the season-opening invitational, UTA was one out of 12 teams competing, with 71 participants total. The Mavericks shot a combined 285-281-286 in the three-round meet, finishing 12-under-par. Freshman Arth Sinha led the way, as he shot 70-69-65 for a 12-under-par total, clinching a fifth-place finish. Sinha went 7-under-par in the final round and tied host University of Southern California’s Jaden Dumdumaya for the second-best single-round score of the tournament, which let him jump up 12 spots. The only other Maverick with an under-par score was freshman Ajay Morris, who shot 5-under for 24th place. Morris, an Arizona native, played his first collegiate tournament less than 40 miles southeast of his hometown of Avondale, Arizona. Freshman Nicholas Lyman also made his collegiate debut in his home state, as the Whirlwind Golf Club is about a 50-mile drive southeast from his hometown of Surprise, Arizona. He shot 2-over-par over the course of the tournament and placed 44th. Sophomore Jerry Huang and junior Matthew Broder rounded out the team performance for UTA, as the two shot a respective 4-over and 11-over-par. Huang placed 52nd, and Broder placed 69th. Junior Michael Chevalier competed as an individual but shot the fourth-best of the six Mavericks in Chandler, with a 3-over-par total due to a 5-over final round. This performance notched him in 47th place. The Mavericks will have the next week off before heading to the Gene Miranda Air Force Falcon Invitational in Air Force Academy, Colorado, just north of Colorado Springs, starting Sept. 20. @TyRoland06 sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA intramural volleyball spikes into its second week of the season with students having fun and bringing a competitive spirit. The fall semester includes sand and indoor volleyball at the Maverick Activities Center. Sand volleyball teams are allowed three to eight players on the roster and indoor volleyball allows four to 12 players. Kinesiology junior Kaitlyn Bener said she is enthusiastic about the connections and learning opportunities through the intramural volleyball team and encouraged her peers to give it a try. She said that it’s as easy as going to open gym at the Maverick Activities Center and asking if there are any open spots. “I’ve been able to build connections with some of my fellow coworkers and also learn how to referee new sports,” Bener said. “I was excited to get to learn how to understand how those work.” Intramurals boast a wide range of talent, which include people playing for fun to more experienced players who have played the sport for years. Some of the games often get intense, no matter the sport, especially when playoff season closes in. Accounting junior Daryon Jackson is no stranger to the intramural volleyball scene, as he said he played during his freshman and sophomore years. Jackson said the club has a competitive nature and he said he plans on continuing his involvement in the volleyball program. “They all have a competitive nature,” Jackson said. “Even if you're new, they won’t yell at you or anything — they’ll push you to get better, they're always nice people.” With intramurals being such a popular attraction, students have offered feedback on ways that it can be improved upon and be more rewarding for the winners. Caleb Ventura, marketing and finance senior said adding better incentives or consistent prizes for each sport would bring out more students and raise the competitiveness of the programs. “They’ve fluctuated in the past years between rings and shirts,” Ventura said. “If they could just make some sort of prizes that I think students would actually want to fight for more, it can definitely increase the competitiveness; it’ll also be something we could cherish more.” Students can buy semester-long intramural passes on UTA’s website for $10, so students don’t have to buy multiple passes for other sports. Students can download the Fusion Play app to join or create an intramural team after they have purchased an intramural pass. The app contains all of the registration deadlines, teams, schedules and times of games. The regular volleyball season runs from Sept. 2-18, with practices running every Tuesday through Thursday. Even though registration for teams has ended, interested students can still sign up for a team, up until playoffs start. @tdreevess sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From the start of Fright Fest at Six Flags to a Lil Wayne concert, Dallas-Fort Worth residents have plenty of events to attend this week. Sports Grab a seat to watch the Dallas Cowboys play against the New York Giants in their 2025 home opener at noon Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Tickets start at $75 and doors open at 10 a.m. Watch North Texas Soccer Club take on Sporting Kansas City II in a soccer match at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Choctaw Stadium, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for general seating start at $24 and are available for purchase online. Entertainment The thrilling Fright Fest will be returning to Six Flags Over Texas starting Friday. It will recur weekly on Sunday, Friday and Saturday until Nov. 2. There will be haunted mazes, live shows and more. Tickets start at $30 to gain access to the haunted mazes, which does not include park admission, and cost $69 for access to both. Enjoy the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy “You Can’t Take It With You,” beginning its run at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Theatre Arlington. Tickets start at around $40 for adults. There is a $5 student discount on tickets, and if a student comes with a student ID 15 minutes before the play begins, they can purchase any remaining seats for $5. Music Experience PopCycles Pedals and Beats, an open-air bicycle and outdoor festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at 300 E. Division St. There will be live music provided by Truth Vinyl, and the event is open to anyone in the community and riders of all skill levels. There will be art, vendors and food for attendees to enjoy alongside the music. Lil Wayne is on tour to celebrate 20-plus years of his “Carter” album series and will be performing at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas. Admission to the concert starts at around $40, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. @hud4qureshi news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As the sun set and the air cooled in Arlington, Jose “G-Bear” Gomez Jr. pedaled his glossy black cruiser along the city’s streets. Gomez and more than 60 cyclists motored through the UTA campus, and around the downtown area to the Entertainment District once a week — in a good-natured pack of whirling wheels. Zoom. “You get to see a lot of things that you never saw while you’re in the car,” said Gomez, a 43-year-old Dallas resident working in sales. Gomez is a member of the DFW BMX Cruisers group, established in 2018 to bike across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The group meets in Arlington on most Wednesdays. For many cyclists, riding with DFW BMX Cruisers provides mental and physical exercise along with a sense of community. Members from all walks of life say they’re looking out for each other — during and after the rides. Many are small business owners who trade services through the group, from plumbers and technicians to car dealers. “You can see anybody on our page, they’re all saying BMX family,” Midlothian resident Peter James said. “We all try to help each other out.” Grand Prairie resident Kriss Parra nodded, chiming in. “Someone gets a flat tire on the ride, everybody stops and helps out,” Parra said. At around 8 p.m. on a recent Wednesday, the group met at the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on East Abram Street where members readied themselves for the ride. For Dallas resident Joana Cornejo, the rides relieve stress from her job in the food industry. “I take it as therapy,” Cornejo said. “It helps me out to destress from everything going on in the world or at home and just go out and have a good time with all the guys, all the girls that come. Now it’s more of us girls, which is fun.” Calves tightened, helmets were balanced, wheels inched forward. Then they were off. Whoosh. On campus, a tide of riders poured across the University Center’s wide pavement. Neon bike rims flickered, casting a party glow as bass-heavy EDM music pulsed through portable speakers. Some performed wheelies, leaning back with a bent leg and balancing on the rear wheel. They made a steep ascent around UTA before heading out to the bright lights of Arlington. A 7-Eleven came into sight. Skrrrt. Members rested, grabbed a drink at the store and caught up with one another. Then they pedaled around the Globe Life Field area before circling back to Fuzzy’s — sometimes reaching about 10 miles per hour. On average, the group rides at least 10 to 12 miles every time they meet. Members keep the same route for peace of mind, Gomez said. Despite the familiar path, they are still learning new things. “We discover a lot of restaurants and a lot of new places,” Gomez said. Then they get back to their daily lives. “Ultimately, you know, that’s what we all have to do, get back to our everyday,” said Arlington resident Eddie Pineda, who leads the Wednesday rides. “But this is our escape from everyday.” @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Margaret Monostory Crowley leaned back in her chair and set the scene. The year was 1969, and the 4-year-old had just lost her blue stuffed elephant made by her grandmother at a party for her father’s new colleague in UTA’s foreign language department. She later spotted it in the arms of that colleague’s daughter, a little girl named Lolín Martins-Crane, who fell asleep clutching it. “I was ready to walk over there and shake her and say, ‘Yo, little new girl, give me my elephant back,” said Monostory Crowley, assistant professor of practice in theater arts and dance. Martins-Crane, director at the Career Development Center, laughed as she recalled that moment. “I loved it,” she said. “I wasn’t going to give it back.” For the next 56 years, they grew into each other’s worlds. They had sleepovers. They went to school together, sometimes spent holidays together and took vacations together. Then they stepped back for a time to grow on their own. Yet through every milestone — weddings, babies, or, more painfully, the deaths of their parents — they showed up for one another. No one else could fully understand. Except the other. “She's the only one that has my history memories from a sisterhood perspective. I have no one else. It was just her in those moments,” Martins-Crane said before bursting into tears. Their friendship has gone through multiple facets — in sickness and in health. Their childhood was filled with days exploring the creek behind Monostory Crowley’s house, riding bikes and inventing adventures. They also had to deal with Martins-Crane’s asthma, when Monostory Crowley was the only person allowed to come over and hang out with her friend. In college, Monostory Crowley discovered theater. Martins-Crane, who studied psychology, remembered a sudden feeling that she wasn’t sure she had ever shared aloud. “I was so jealous, because I had not found my tribe yet. I had not found my community,” she said. The pair still traded letters and phone calls, but they became “two siblings trying to find their own identity and falling apart from each other,” Martins-Crane said. Monostory Crowley said the separation didn’t matter. It didn’t make any difference whether they talked to each other once a week or once a year. They knew the relationship was always there. Looking back, Martins-Crane called that process necessary. “We weren't the team discovering together anymore. We were apart discovering,” she said. “I think it was healthy thing. I think it was a good thing. It's made us who we are obviously today, and I just think it's the beauty of the separation.” Soon after, she found her own community at the Dry Gulch — the campus bar once tucked in the University Center basement where The Shorthorn's offices now stand — where her future husband, alumnus Martin Crane, was DJing. Somewhere between Martins-Crane meeting Crane and marrying him, she and Monostory Crowley went through one of their first tough tests. ‘I always felt like I didn't do enough’ Martins-Crane felt “schizophrenic” when her mother died in 1990, she said. One minute, she was crying. The next, she was planning table tents for her wedding the following year. Monostory Crowley also remembered that period for a different reason. “I always felt like I didn't do enough,” she said. At that moment, she was juggling graduate school and living in Austin. “I didn't feel like I was keeping this ball in the air, you know, while I was trying to keep all the other ones in the air,” she said. “I love you,” Martins-Crane responded back, almost immediately. In the years following, Monostory Crowley lost her father in 2003, and Martins-Crane lost hers in 2007. A decade later, in 2017, Monostory Crowley’s mother died. Each loss felt doubled. They mourned their own parent while watching the other grieve. When they were physically there for each other, one would sit at the hospital to give the other a break. And when distance kept them apart, they leaned on many five-hour calls. “I feel like I lost a second set of parents, you know, with yours,” Martins-Crane said. Crane said that with each loss, his wife and Monostory Crowley leaned on each other. Their different personalities made for a deep friendship. “It’s just a long-term friendship,” he said. “So few people get to keep friends that they had when they were 5 years, 6 years old.” ‘She loves me no matter what happens’ Their bonds have grown deeper in recent years. After 25 years of trying, in 2018, Monostory Crowley joined Martins-Crane in working at UTA, their alma mater. She chased the opportunity for decades and credited Martins-Crane for her getting the position. It was Martins-Crane who approached the chairman of the theater arts and dance department, asking him to consider her friend. Even then, Martins-Crane was the one more anxious about the interview. She had a long list of questions when Monostory Crowley called her after: What happened? What did her friend answer? Was she comfortable? Did she have good examples? Is there something Martins-Crane herself could do? Her friend was more brief in her reply, “I think they’re going to hire me.” Kim LaFontaine, retired theater arts and dance professor and chair emeritus, said in a text that Monostory Crowley was a great hire for the department because of her expertise in costume design and set construction. “Kudos to all the people who convinced her to take the position as the department was in desperate need of her talent at the time,” LaFontaine said. Pete Smith, professor of modern languages and UTA’s chief analytics and data officer, said the pair’s friendship reflects the legacy of their fathers, who were once his colleagues. “It's the perfect example of tradition, right?” Smith said. These days, they get together around every week or two, with many texts in between, Martins-Crane said. The family traditions they grew up with continue through their children. Both said they believe they would have been different people without the other — they’re now not just better friends but also better mothers. “I just know that she loves me no matter what happens,” Martins-Crane said. “I can share anything and every single thing with her. There's no judgment, there’s nothing. I feel so at home and so at ease, and it's such a comfort.” As the conversation stretched past an hour, they sat across from one another, eyes brimming as they went through past, present and future. More than once, they finished each other’s sentences. “I have so many things,” Martins-Crane responded when asked about what else they appreciated about the other. “How much longer do you want?” Monostory Crowley asked. Monostory Crowley still keeps the original blue elephant at her bedside. Martins-Crane’s red twin, also stitched by her friend’s grandmother, went to her daughter. Martins-Crane gave a loving look toward her best friend of 56 years, their eyes red from crying. “She’s my elephant in my life,” Martins-Crane said. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the curtains at College Park Center during the 2025 MavsMeet Kickoff, the furry character that represents UTA’s Maverick identity couldn’t help but break out into a spontaneous dance, hyping himself up before stepping into the spotlight. The bass of the music thumps through the floor as he waits, a burst of energy waiting to erupt. Then — he’s off. It’s all in a day’s work for Blaze, UTA’s mascot. But Blaze wasn’t always the face of UTA. UTA has had many mascots over the years, according to a UTA Magazine article, including the short-lived Grubbers from 1917-21, the Junior Aggies from 1923-49, the controversial Rebels from 1951-71, Sam Maverick and finally, Blaze. Blaze, the energetic white horse with a bold blue mohawk, galloped onto the scene in 2007, born from a student vote to reimagine the university’s logo and mascot, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. The horse can be spotted at various outings throughout the school year, such as basketball and volleyball games, and at campus and community events. Each event during the first week of classes revealed a different layer of the mascot's personality. A handler said Blaze represents the inclusivity and diversity at the university. “I think everybody can relate to him in variety of ways regardless on what major you are,” the handler said. He can flip tires, drift go-karts and act out skits with different organizations. “Blaze isn’t afraid to try new things,” the handler said. Not every moment is loud and over-the-top. At this year's Rec Fest, Blaze calmly approached a student and her service dog, crouching down after taking a photo to give the dog a quick pet. He also has less graceful moments. At another event, psychology sophomore Aerial McCaskill said she saw the horse fall down a few stairs while dancing. “Everyone loved it, though,” McCaskill said. “Everyone was laughing with him, tried to help him up. It wasn’t very many stairs, he was okay.” Wondering what the mascot does when he’s out of the public eye, some students have developed their own theories about Blaze, like what classes he would take if he attended college. Public health junior Vanessa Solis, a member of the UTA Wranglers spirit group, said she thinks Blaze would major in kinesiology or sports management. “He’s around the sports all the time. He’s always there,” she said. “So maybe he has an interest in it.” Blaze's impact goes beyond entertainment. When Blaze isn’t there, Solis said it’s noticed. “When people think of UTA, they automatically think of Blaze,” she said. “So when Blaze comes out, there’s a lot more energy than when Blaze isn’t there.” Architecture senior Benjamin Bernardino said he feels a sense of pride knowing Blaze is UTA’s mascot. “He’s the embodiment of school spirit. He represents who we are, us Mavericks,” he said. “They don’t call us Mavericks for no reason.” And maybe that’s why, at the end of the MavsMeet Kickoff, when students had begun filling out, Blaze was still under the lights dancing. Because for this Maverick, the show never truly ends. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu