Barbecue has been a journey for 225° BBQ co-owner Rene Ramirez — literally. Before settling into its current location on East Main Street in east Arlington, 225° BBQ started as a food truck in Dallas in 2018. Then, it bounced to Grand Prairie, Texas, to various parking lots and eventually to where it is now. Although the location didn’t work out for a while, they were asked to come back and now own the spot. But Ramirez has not settled. He starts his day at around 3 a.m., trimming briskets, boiling beans and prepping sides. Some nights, he doesn’t sleep until midnight. “By the second day, third day, I’ve already worked like 40 hours, and then the week just started,” he said. At its current location, where the smoky scene of brisket drifts through the air, a mural of singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez lies on the wall as an intentional effort to represent the marriage of Texas pride and Mexican culture. It’s that culture of identity, history and hustle that led 225° BBQ to become KERA’s best barbecue joint in North Texas, voted by more than 9,000 readers in 2023. The Mexi-cue fuses traditional Texas barbecue with Mexican flavors and draws a loyal following. Ramirez estimated that around 70% of his customers are from word-of-mouth, with some coming religiously around once or twice a week. On the menu, brisket and shrimp tacos both have places alongside barbecue plates. With its meat, 225° BBQ provides something savory, sweet — and plenty of spice — that goes beyond salt and pepper. The rub has barely changed since the start. That meat is smoked with post oak and pecan wood in a two-to-one ratio that Ramirez sources from east Texas. After years of bouncing around, 225° BBQ now has a team of seven or eight. Ramirez never forgets its beginning. It’s the years of practicing barbecue in his backyard, taking orders from roadside pop-ups to the food truck, that have brought him here. It’s that failed brisket at his family cook-off over a decade ago that started it all. His brother, who won that cook-off, is now his business partner. “It’s still my baby at the end of the day,” Ramirez said. “I gotta make sure everything’s right.” Multimedia editor Ronaldo Bolaños contributed to this reporting. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the modest-sized, single-story Hurtado Barbecue restaurant on East Front Street, five 1,000-gallon smokers run simultaneously. It’s around 2:15 p.m. on a recent Friday. Two pitmasters have been in the smoker area trimming and preparing the meat since 4 a.m. Soon they will tag out for the two other pitmasters who will stay past closing when necessary. “There’s no cutting corners, any of that,” pitmaster Chris Kurosky said. The smokers cook the chickens, sausages and briskets — all menu items that brought Hurtado Barbecue from serving at pop-up events to opening three brick-and-mortar locations in two years. Outside of the Arlington location, UTA alumnus Brandon Hurtado and his wife own restaurants in Dallas, Fort Worth and Mansfield. What makes Hurtado’s winning recipe? “The love we put into this,” Kurosky said. Hurtado Barbecue’s Mexi-cue flavor offers unusual fare like quail and sweet, plump bacon burnt ends. Its cultural influence is presented from the dry rubs to sides like street corn with spices and crema. On adventurous days, you can get the tostada, which consists of smoked brisket topped with refried beans, salsa verde, Valentina hot sauce, cotija cheese, cilantro and onions. As Kurosky sliced raw pork belly, his fellow pitmaster Joe Ponce tossed them in the spice blend, which is a Hurtado’s recipe but is packaged from a manufacturer that can produce big volumes. They work in tandem. Kurosky has more than 15 years of barbecue experience. “We all got a good amount of experience. This isn’t the place you come to learn barbecue. It’s a place you better know your barbecue,” he said, laughing. Heat radiates from the smokers. Once summer hits, the smoker area may reach around 135 degrees, Kurosky said. As the time goes on, they are gradually turned off. But as of right now, they need to make enough briskets for customers. No one wants a barbecue place that runs out of briskets, he said. At the front, customers lined up from the counter to outside the door, eager to put in their orders for Hurtado’s bold, sweet and spicy interpretation of Mexi-cue. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Fasicka Hicks still remembers the aroma of berbere, a classic Ethiopian spice blend, in her mother’s kitchen when she was a child living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “I always think back when I work on any of the things that I do in this restaurant because it takes me back to the time that I spent with my mother,” she said. Berbere differs depending on each household, but it has more than a dozen different spices, starting with chili pepper. Fasicka Hicks’ sister prepares the spice blend using their mother’s recipe and ships it to her. The Ethiopian flavors now make up a whole section of the menu at Smoke’N Ash BBQ, Hicks’ restaurant that she co-owns with her husband, Patrick Hicks, on South Cooper Street. Patrick Hicks grew up in Waco, Texas, and barbecue is his life, his wife said. “The skill level on the barbecue was his, and the skill level on the Ethiopian side was mine,” Fasicka Hicks said. “So, we were just doing our own thing, and at the end, where we combined everything, where we can help each other as well.” Depending on the previous night’s preparation, the Hicks’ may arrive at their restaurant as early as 4 a.m. for the day’s work. She’s still hanging on to the Ethiopian recipes. “I have learned so much about my husband now than ever, and I think we understand each other much better now than ever because we’re here together,” she said. Smoke’N Ash BBQ was recently recognized by the Michelin Guide as one of the state’s best restaurants and named a best Texas chef semifinalist for the 2025 James Beard Award. Fasicka Hicks is proud of the recognition, but she won’t grow a big head because of it, she said. “What matters is those people coming in here just waiting for the food,” she said. At Smoke’N Ash BBQ, traditional barbecue flavors blend with Ethiopian spices. The smokiness of the meat is paired with the spiciness of the seasoning. It’s rich, sweet and savory. The restaurant also serves lamb as an alternative to pork. Fasicka Hicks said she never thought there would be a platter that offers both Texas barbecue and Ethiopian dishes. If she were a first-timer, she would have doubted Smoke’N Ash BBQ the same way people have doubted them. But barbecue is about community, and Ethiopian food is about getting together. Smoke’N Ash BBQ is about sharing a meal together and hearing laughter at the table. Them being on the same platter makes sense, she said. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Paul Lovato watched Jambo’s BBQ pitmaster make a chopped brisket sandwich. He started counting. One. Two. Three. Four. Forty-three. The number of steps along the small kitchen to complete the sandwich. That was in 2013, on the day before he officially took over Jambo’s BBQ in Rendon, Texas, from founder and pitbuilder Jamie Geer, Lovato said. The restaurant later had two more locations, but following personal family matters, he now only owns the location on West Division Street, bought in 2016. He pursued the barbecue business after managing fast food restaurants for years. That experience allowed Lovato to redesign the Jambo’s BBQ kitchen to streamline the process, so customers can get their food as quickly as possible. Now, a sandwich takes 10 steps. But Lovato kept many things from Geer’s time as the owner — including the recipe. “Jambo’s is pure Texas barbecue: salt, pepper, garlic,” Lovato said about the brisket. “That’s it.” For pork and turkey, the recipe builds upon the “SPG” seasoning, adding red pepper, chili and turbinado sugar. Lovato also sources green pecan wood locally, which adds sweetness and nuttiness to the meat. Lovato didn’t change much of the building of his restaurant, which was originally opened in 1931. It wasn’t just a dining establishment and tea room. It also housed an illegal casino. Upstairs, he kept the casino table. On Instagram, Lovato has learned to produce Instagram Reels to promote Jambo’s BBQ. He calls himself a natural — most of his clips are filmed in one take. “Most of the time, I don’t even have a script,” he said. He said he’s proud of keeping the place open. He’s proud of working in a historic building. He’s proud of the people who stuck with him through everything, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Lovato stopped there. His eyes went red. “It’s just a pride of when you put some food in front of people and see their eyes light up and it makes them happy. That’s what I enjoy,” he said. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

For five generations since 1910, David’s Barbecue’s recipe has remained the same — it’s about tradition. “We still make all of our own products. We make our own sauce, all the vegetables, the meats. We still cook with all wood, no electricity or gas,” fourth-generation owner Jimmy Harris said. “This business is not hard. It’s a simple business.” But what is the key? Having one family member at the location at all times, Harris said. That’s how they have developed relationships with their customers and employees. Not only do the business owners span generations, but so do their customers. Harris has been in the business since he was 8 years old. He retired Jan. 1 but still helps where he can. He sold the business to his son-in-law, Austin Payne, at the same price he bought it from his dad 35 years ago. “It’s not about money,” Harris said. “I want him to be successful.” At David’s Barbecue, they keep it old school. They don’t use a thermometer to check the meat, forks work just fine. Even the furniture, ceiling fans and trays used to serve customers date back to 1965. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m., but as soon as the staff are ready, they allow customers to make their way in, sometimes by 10:55 a.m. Harris said that in 37 years, there has not been one day he has not opened restaurant doors early. Customers grab their trays and walk down the lunch line-style ordering station. The menu is not flashy. It’s simple ol’ Texas barbecue, and the pair agrees to keep it that way. With a sauce recipe developed in the ’30s, Harris said he does not understand how others cannot make their own. The ketchup-based sauce, cooked in lemons and onions, has not changed. Maybe that’s why Harris hasn’t ever eaten at another barbecue spot. Or maybe it’s because he eats at David’s Barbecue for breakfast and lunch. But really, he said he would be too embarrassed if a customer saw him indulging in barbecue that wasn’t his own. “On Mondays, we’ll go out and eat at any place. And everyone’s like, ‘Why aren’t you all at y’all’s place?’ Because we’re not open,” Payne said. But, still, they have not gotten sick of barbecue — even after eating a sliced beef sandwich and fries every day for a year, Payne said. Throughout the 115 years, the business has moved to various cities, from Oak Cliff in Dallas to where the AT&T Stadium parking lot sits. Now, it’s located in Pantego, Texas, less than 10 minutes away from Arlington. “It’s just so important to be part of the community, ‘cause they are a part of your community, ’cause they become family,” Harris said. With a 3-year-old son at home, Payne plans to work until 2055, when he can pass on the legacy. “I’m grateful to have this,” Harris said. “The day that God has given me is a good day to repeat.” @trinhvchristine news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

For our final print issue at The Shorthorn, we wanted to document Arlington’s barbecue scene. There's just something powerful about watching how a small tray of food could connect family members in such a powerful way. So, the outline came to us. Barbecue. The process. The love behind these trays of food. It was clear that no one place could encapsulate the booming scene of barbecue in Arlington. The variety of offerings is what makes the city’s barbecue availability special. We hope to reflect them all — their stories, their systems and the people behind them — to paint the picture. And so, we started pinpointing all the restaurants in the city and contacting them. Asks went out. Some through email, some through social media and some through good ol’ phone calls. By then, we still didn’t realize the project’s scale. Seven restaurants — and then some. From pioneers in the area like Jambo’s BBQ and David’s Barbecue to the recent success story of Habibi Barbecue. From the Mexi-cue culture of 225° BBQ to the Tex-Ethiopian fusions of Smoke’N Ash BBQ. From a big establishment like Hurtado Barbecue to a small location at UTA called Tre’s Bar-B-Q. We were obsessed. With one week and seven restaurants, we split up the work. One person interviewed while the other took photos, ensuring all parts of each restaurant were captured as efficiently as possible. Laughter, anecdotes, debates, and, at times, arguments: What struck us about our time together was that we were there for each other in different ways. We pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones for each story. Our group chat flooded with texts as soon as we finished with each restaurant, bursting with excitement about how we related to these stories in different ways. As much as we took pride in the final project, it was apparent that teamwork and unity are what we cherished the most. It reminded us why we wanted to pursue journalism in the first place — and why we bonded. We think about our team. One is an Asian who didn’t arrive in Texas until eight years ago. One is a Black woman who grew up in Houston. One is an Asian American who grew up in Mansfield, Texas. One is a Hispanic who grew up in Dallas. We don’t have much to do with the true origin of barbecue. We definitely don’t have anything to do with these certain cultures, nor will we ever understand some of these pitmasters’ hustle. But we appreciate good food. And this project connects us all. Barbecue connects us all. @RonaldoBolanos_ @PixaPerfect_ @DangHLe @trinhvchristine news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From a Kendrick Lamar and SZA concert to Arab American poetry and stories, there are plenty of things to do in Arlington this week. Music Experience a night full of culture at “La Peña: A Night in Perú” from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Wellspring on Main. There will be live music and performances highlighting the rhythms of Peruvian folklore, Andean melodies and Afro-Peruvian beats. A Peruvian chef will prepare savory authentic Peruvian cuisine. General admission is $25 and a VIP table is $130 seating five. The VIP experience includes reserved seating, the best view of the stage, comfort and convenience. Tickets can be purchased online. Residents can head to Levitt Pavilion Arlington for a free concert starting 7:30 p.m. Friday featuring Josh Weathers and Goldpine. Goldpine, the husband-wife duo and the winner of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest, will open the show. Josh Weathers, a Fort Worth-based singer-songwriter who combines songs of hope with high-energy rock ‘n’ soul, will perform at 8:30 p.m. La Diferenzia, a Tejano band known for their blend of traditional Tejano music, romantic ballads and energetic cumbia rhythms, will be performing a free concert with Grupo Moneda from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Levitt Pavilion Arlington. Grupo Moneda includes Latin Grammy award-winning accordionist Tweet Juarez and vocalist Angelica Alcoser. Residents have the chance to see artists Kendrick Lamar and SZA for their Grand National Tour at 7 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium. Tickets are available online starting at $120. Entertainment Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month during the two-day celebration Vision and Verse: A Celebration of Arab Heritage, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. Residents can experience poetry, storytelling and fashion honoring the rich traditions and voices of the Arab diaspora, showcased through traditional and contemporary works. There will be an open mic for attendees to share poetry, stories and music celebrating their Arab heritage, and a panel followed by a Q&A with Hatem Al-Sakr and Jordanian novelist Nemah Ayyad. Hang out with artistic peers at the Sip n’ Sketch event hosted by Draw Together DFW from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at The Tipsy Oak. Bring your sketchbook, tablet or other portable crafts and socialize with other creatives. The event is free and everyone is welcome. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Joseph Balderas realized his childhood dream when he finally stepped foot on a professional film set in April 2024. “I was like a kid in a candy store,” said Balderas, a cinematic arts graduate student. The experience, earned through a UTA professor’s recommendation, gave Balderas a firsthand look at how a $10 million film set operates as a production assistant. He endured long days and saw specialized roles, but Balderas also received networking opportunities, potentially providing him a job in Los Angeles. For over two years, UTA’s Cinematic Arts department has adapted to better prepare students for film and TV production career paths that once could only be obtained living in Hollywood. The department built up its curriculum to provide more opportunities to apply for film festivals and professional networking. The move arrives as the film industry looks increasingly at the Dallas-Fort Worth area for more productions. Already, North Texas Taylor Sheridan films many of his TV shows, including the “Yellowstone” prequest “1983,” in Fort Worth. Lawmakers see Texas’ rising star, too. On April 16, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 22 that would infuse more than $500 million into the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program every two years until 2035. The amount more than doubles the $200 million that Texas lawmakers approved in 2023. UTA will greatly benefit from SB 22 if it passes, said associate professor Daniel García. The bill is now in the hands of the House. In fall 2025, the department will present a studio readiness certificate, which validates people to walk on sets and have entry-level positions like production assistant, García said. The certificate requires classes like the five basic ones, such as screenwriting and cinematography. The department will have intensive weekend workshops where students can hear from different film crews throughout the semester, said Patty Newton, associate professor of practice. Crew members will come from either equipment, lighting or other art departments, Newton said. The certificate focuses on teaching students about assistant roles and how to behave on set, said August Davis, Art and Art History department chair. Newton calls them “set-iquettes” — intangible skills not taught in a classroom: when to talk, when not to, who to talk to or how to drive a golf cart. “It’s kind of an unwritten approach to dealing with a situation where there’s a whole lot of money at stake,” she said. “If you pick up the star in your golf cart, and you take them to the wrong place, and we’ve lost two minutes because of that, they could have lost the sunrise or the sunset and the shot.” “And suddenly you’ve lost your job.” On film sets, Balderas observed professionals in their environment. He watched what they did and started asking questions — learning experiences that hypothetical situations in the classroom can’t fully encompass, he said. “They were essentially holding me by the hand and kind of laughing along with me, and they were like, ‘Oh, this is how it works,’” he said. The growth of production companies in North Texas allows the area to shift from filming commercials to focusing more on TV and movies, which requires longer hours on set, Newton said. At 32, Balderas is in his second career. He initially graduated from UT Rio Grande Valley with a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in creative writing before teaching at a local community college. But he felt something was missing during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I felt like I was doing a disservice to my students,” Balderas said about his impostor syndrome. During that time, Balderas cared for his father, and they made a short film together. A spark was reignited. He pursued a second bachelor’s degree in theater and film at UT Rio Grande Valley, where he noticed holes in its curriculum. So he pursued a master’s degree at UTA. During the early days of the pandemic, Changhee Chun, Art and Art History professor, saw a growing demand for his students at Maverick Film Productions. He launched the production company about eight years ago to provide students with professional opportunities outside class assignments. Maverick Film Productions now has about 13 students with varying majors, Chun said. The company handles 20 to 25 professional productions each semester, ranging from promotional videos, music videos and live streaming campus events to feature-length documentaries. Clients are split in half between companies, such as Central Market and Dickies, and UTA campus partners. They have reached a point where they can deny projects due to over demand, Chun said. “We are here to educate our students, so I think Maverick Productions is doing that,” he said. The production company puts students in a different mindset. If they don’t do well on an assignment, they can redo it or use it as a learning opportunity. Tensions are higher on professional sets. “Especially like live streaming or filming actual events and so on, if you make one mistake, that’s it. You don’t have a second chance, right?” Chun said. Cinematic arts senior Jose Morales said the experiences at Maverick Film Productions keep him on his toes. “You don’t really do that when you’re doing a film production,” Morales said. The department’s faculty are active filmmakers who have received awards, screenings and recognitions internationally, Davis said. They use those experiences to help students navigate the industry and develop their body of work. “It’s playing chess, you know, setting up a career in a really hard-to-get-into industry and even harder to stay in sometimes,” Newton said. For the last two years, the department has collaborated with the Lone Star Film Festival in Fort Worth to bring student screenings to the festival’s official program, Davis said. “This connection and this synergy with the really new filmmaking community in this area, it’s energizing our students very much and obviously our faculty,” García said. In midst of all the economic developments from North Texas film sets, UTA’s Cinematic Arts department doesn’t forget its goals. “We form the storytellers,” García said. As part of his class assignment, Balderas was asked to submit his narrative fiction film, Dad Died Crying, to a film festival. He submitted it to about 15 — and 10 accepted, including the Lone Star Film Festival. The narritive fiction film focuses on two brothers reconciling their relationship while burying their father’s ashes. Balderas draws some of the plot from his real-life experience. He filmed the whole piece in his hometown, the Rio Grande Valley area, to pay homage to the place that gave him the skills to come to Dallas-Fort Worth, he said. His upcoming work is also inspired by his experiences, and his storytelling reflects personal relationships. Balderas appreciates the opportunities he received at film festivals — even the invitations to Los Angeles. He once had dreams of Hollywood, living in his car and dying for his film. He has set his future. He will go back to Edinburg, Texas, for the full circle moment to build UT Rio Grande Valley’s film program using what he has learned from the growth of production in Dallas-Fort Worth. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From baseball to jazz, there’s fun to be had for Dallas-Fort Worth area residents this week. Sports At 7:05 p.m. Friday residents can visit Globe Life Field to watch the Texas Rangers bat it out against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tickets start at $70 and can be purchased online. The Arlington Renegades play against the St. Louis Battlehawks at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Choctaw Stadium. Tickets start at $17 and are available online. Entertainment See Spyro Gyra live 8 p.m. Friday at the Arlington Music Hall to experience the fusion of jazz, R&B, funk and Latin sounds the band is known for. Doors open 6 p.m. and tickets are available online, starting at $32. Head to the Arlington Music Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday to watch the gospel stage play Never Would’ve Made It Without You for a night filled with live music, speeches and special surprises for attendees. Tickets are $25 and are available online. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The aromas of Twiggy’z Mangonadas y Mas fill The Park nearly every Wednesday afternoon. Situated between Trimble Hall and the UTA Planetarium, The Park hosts local food trucks weekly for students and staff to enjoy during lunch rush. While the university offers various dining options, Jennifer Lookenbill, Maverick Dining director of operations, compared the feeling to searching a fridge full of food and still finding “nothing to eat.” “When you see the same variety day in and day out, you almost become numb to what the offerings are,” Lookenbill said. Twiggy’z owner Frank Leija first brought his business to The Park last fall, quickly becoming a fan favorite. The business’ staples include elote with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, tacos, homemade marinated bistek, nachos and more. The name Twiggy’z is inspired by Leija’s 13-year-old daughter, whose nickname growing up was “Twigz” due to her petite frame. His logo incorporates a rainbow unicorn horn in place of the ‘i,’ another nod to his daughter, who loves the magical creature. Leija’s wife fell ill a few years ago, leaving her unable to work. This left the family in a difficult financial situation as they faced homelessness. In the midst of it, his daughter asked him for a snow cone machine. Leija said he purchased one off of eBay and got two deep freezers from Facebook. His children made cardboard signs displaying his phone number, and soon, the family was getting calls and selling $0.50 snow cones from their Dodge Caravan. “We were in neighborhoods, and then we were in taco shops, tire shops, warehouses. Then, going into that first year, we got our first party,” he said. Gaining momentum in their second year of business, COVID-19 caused traction to slow down as Leija got sick as well. Soon after getting up and running again nearly two years ago, the family lost their home to a fire. Close to being put out of the hotel they were staying at, a customer he catered a quinceañera for remembered his kindness and offered them a house for rent in Lancaster, Texas. Leija began working again, selling snow cones and tacos on an empty acre of land bordering the city and Red Oak, Texas. While working out there, Leija said a customer’s parents heard he was going through a rough patch and asked him to name three things he needed help with. Among the three wishes, he said he wanted a trailer. “About two weeks later he took me out to Tyler, Texas, to a ranch, and the trailer was sitting just rusted. No windows, no tires, animals living in it and trash all in it,” Leija said. “He said, ‘Can you do something with that?’ I was like, ‘Man, I told you, if I had a trailer, I’d be unstoppable.’” After taking the trailer to a body shop and adding Leija’s desires — three windows, a grill and a cooler — he said the rest is history. “It went beyond my expectations. Not in my wildest dreams I thought I’d be here,” Leija said, gesturing to the UTA campus. “When I got invited here, I’m still in awe.” Growing up with six brothers and two sisters, Leija said he spent a lot of time in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother when visiting México in the summer. Sharing his culture’s food with people from all walks of life and seeing them enjoy it is an amazing feeling, he said. “Not only you get to tell your friends, and they get to now experience what you grew up with or a delicacy for your culture,” Lookenbill said. “It’s fun because that’s building relationships. It’s building foundations. It’s building memories.” Molly Baggett, Maverick Dining marketing manager, said bringing food trucks of different cultures speaks to what UTA offers as a whole. With a stout international student population, bringing ethnic cuisine to campus allows university members to fully immerse themselves. Because the space used for The Park is small, Lookenbill said there can only be two food trucks at once. Though quickly becoming a weekly staple, she said they had to allow other businesses in the rotation. His first week absent from campus, Leija said he received around 60 messages from concerned UTA students. “The week we didn’t have Twiggy’z, it was a big uproar,” Lookenbill said. Support from the UTA community has been intense, but Leija said he couldn’t ask for more. “I just thank everybody, thank them all from the bottom of my heart,” Leija said. “My family, my kids, we all pray together. We say ‘Thank you.’ We’re beyond blessed to have y’all.” @hjgarcia0 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

With western-style rodeos, outdoor yoga and stand-up comedy, there’s an abundance of activities to do in Arlington this week. Sports Attend the multi-event American Rodeo featuring western sports and performances from country music stars 7:15 p.m. Friday or 1 p.m. Saturday at Globe Life Field. Attendees can see steer wrestling, bull riding, team roping and more. Tickets are available starting at $34.97 on their website. Doors open 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. Residents can come together for a free yoga class in a garden bed from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Lake Arlington Native Plant and Pollinator Garden. The class works to highlight the conservation and restoration of native prairie flowers and wildflowers on 2.75 acres of land adjacent to the Lake Arlington Dam. Watch the Texas Rangers bat against the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m. April 15 at Globe Life Field. Tickets are available on their website and start at $13.86. Those who purchase a theme night ticket through the website will receive a limited edition #42 Jackie Robinson cap honoring his legacy. Comedy Enjoy a night of laughs with Chad Prather and his unique southern style standup 8 p.m. Saturday at Arlington Music Hall. Known for his quick wit and stories, the comedian blends comedy, music and motivation. Tickets are available online starting at $26. Doors open at 6 p.m. Music The Aretha Franklin tribute concert, “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.- A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin” will show attendees the journey of the music artist featuring a live band and vocalists performing some of her greatest hits. The event starts 7 p.m April 13 at the Majestic Theater in Dallas. Tickets are available online and start at $59. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Kim Jackson loves details to an irritating degree. Her art is meticulous. Jackson starts her portraits by sketching in red, black, gold and white markers. Each stroke is a highlight or shadow. Then comes the intricate work: coloring. She fills the art with pieces of cigar labels — each selected, trimmed and positioned just right. Each label and stroke of ink illustrates inanimate objects like a Texas flag, humans like boxer Muhammad Ali or an eight-bit version of Batman. For about a decade, the Arlington resident has combined her habit of smoking cigars with her love of making art. She has produced over 100 collage portraits made from delicately layered cigar labels. She was one of dozens of national, regional and local artists selected for the 11th annual South Street Art Festival in downtown Arlington. “The more I do it, the more insane I get about the details,” she said. “And I clean it up as I go just because I’m uptight like that.” Jackson picked up the habit in the early ’00s as a theatre major at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where “the only thing to do was to go smoke cigars and run lines for theater,” she said. She has made art for as long as she can remember. Her father was a political cartoonist, but she wasn’t as good at drawing. Instead, she’s drawn to a more realistic style. Her art business began when she couldn’t figure out a birthday gift for a friend, Jackson said. She took about 150 labels they had collected together and made a portrait of Shakespeare. At her tent for the South Street Art Festival, Jackson’s works seemed disconnected at first glance. Portraits, patriotism and pop culture icons sat next to one another. Upon further inspection, her work’s details subtly shimmer. Every shadow, every expression and all motions are made of tiny paper fragments — the gold-embossed edges of foil stamping on cigar bands. Each piece can take about 100 hours, Jackson said. While most of her work was hung in the tent, one larger piece was laid on a bench. The 2-by-4-foot piece was a commentary on the Food and Drug Administration wanting to take labels off cigars so they would be attractive to children. The piece was made from 1,500 to 2,000 labels, she said. Jackson has learned to master her craft of blending cigar bands’ colors to make a detailed image, said Steve Moya, owner and producer of South Street Art Festival. “I am amazed at how good she is with what she does,” Moya said. “It’s a very unique talent and something you don’t see a lot.” Her art carries both sight and scent. She displays and sells her work at a cigar lounge she co-owns in Burleson, Texas, Jackson said. The bar in the lounge allows her to escape from the business side of selling art, Jackson said. “It just was never a money thing to me. I just like making things, and I cannot stop,” she said. Her work has traveled worldwide, and her commissioned clients include Al Micallef, owner of Micallef Cigars and the Reata restaurants in Alpine, Texas, and Fort Worth. One of the pieces Jackson did for Micallef consisted of 30,000 cigar bands. Yet, Jackson is still processing that she’s selling art. A decade into her business, it’s not second nature to her. She still schedules alarms to make sure she’s promoting her art on Instagram. But the reality is slowly setting in on her. She can now refuse commissioned pieces. She owns 40 66-quart tubs of bands that friends and the cigar community have collected for her, even if she never directly asked for donations, she said. Her art career is no smoke and mirrors — just smoke and glue. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From opera to spring football, residents have plenty to choose from in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this week. Sports Watch the Texas Rangers take to the diamond against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Globe Life Field. Tickets start at $33 and doors open at 5:05 p.m. The first 15,000 fans will receive a Peagle mascot bobblehead. See the Dallas Stars fight for the No. 1 spot in the central region of the Western Conference as they take on the Vancouver Canucks at 7 p.m. Tuesday at American Airlines Center. Tickets start at $29 and doors open at 5 p.m. Cheer on the Arlington Renegades as they face the Houston Roughnecks on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Choctaw Stadium. Both halftime and post-game will feature a performance from the 1st Cavalry Division Band from Fort Cavazos, Texas. Tickets start at $16 and doors open at 9:30 a.m. Music Enjoy a performance from The Kingston Trio at 2 p.m. Saturday at Arlington Music Hall. Attendees can listen and dance to classic folk music hits, according to the event page. Tickets start at $29 and doors open at noon. Listen to opera as Cherisse Williams, Kaswanna Kanyinda, Lwazi Hlati and Adeniyi Samuel sing at 5:30 p.m. Sunday with accompanist pianist Tao Jiang at Create Texas at Wellspring. Tickets start at $12 for adults, $6 for students and are free for children under the age of 12. Entertainment See street art, oil paintings and spiritual art at the “Come As You Are” art show from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Create Texas at Wellspring. The price of admission is a $5 to $10 donation. Refreshments and appetizers will be served at the event. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

In front of the Chemistry and Physics Building, he welcomes the sun’s warmth on his face. He gently closes his eyes, feeling the balmy air of early spring. His ears twitch as students move between classes. Days like these are usual for Microwave, UTA’s well-known campus cat. His origins are unknown. His oldest documented photo was taken in 2014. Since then, the gray and white stray cat has become one of the most prominent UTA figures. Posts about the short-haired feline on UTA’s Reddit garner hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. “He’s very iconic,” said McKayla Mellen, Campus Cat Coalition president. “So many people know about him more than they know the other cats or even about us.” Microwave’s popularity has helped the Campus Cat Coalition grow its influence, which the club uses to educate the UTA community about cats, Mellen said. He’s also a model. The club has sold stickers of Microwave for fundraising. A couple of semesters ago, Microwave had a wound on his back. Donations poured in to pay for his vet bills. Once healed, the extra money supported other cats, Mellen said. The Campus Cat Coalition doesn’t benefit from any donations or sales as they go directly back to the animals, said Caroline Carter, alumna and an original member of the club’s third iteration in 2019. Microwave accompanied Carter throughout her bachelor’s to master’s degree journey at UTA. She would meet him at the UTA Planetarium to walk to Science Hall or the University Center. Even if it was raining. “I pulled up my umbrella, and Microwave and I would walk,” she said. “He’d walk me to and from my building or to the UC so I would grab his breakfast.” Microwave’s previous name was Buddy. When the club became more active, it began naming the campus cats officially. He and other cats were named after appliances. These days, he’s sometimes referred to as Dr. Wave. He’s a man of honor. Microwave has doctorate degrees in chemistry and physics. “Because of the Chemistry and Physics Building right there,” Mellen said. He’s a multidisciplinary scholar. He possesses an honorary doctorate in English. “Because he’s also beloved by the English department,” she said. Microwave has a small, beige plastic house with a blue, slanted top. Above the entrance, a small string of photos of him is attached. A sticker on the front reads “Microwave’s House.” A sign nearby asking passersby not to feed him. “Some people will feed him anything and everything from the cafeteria,” Carter said. She appreciates people’s kindness, but the club manages Microwave’s weight and health. “We have to tell them, ‘Please do not feed him corn casserole. Do not give him Panda Express chicken.’ He will eat it, but do not give it to him,” she said. Microwave gets fed about once a day any time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., said aerospace engineering freshman Miranda Lee, who’s part of the Campus Cat Coalition feeding and PR teams. Last semester, Lee asked him to wish her luck before a chemistry lab. “It depends on how much you studied, if his luck will work for you or not,” she said, laughing. Mellen attributed Microwave’s location and approachability — allowing people to pet and seek him out — to helping him become well-known on campus. “It’s like seeing a celebrity,” she said. The daily campus life involves lots of foot traffic. Microwave bathes in the sunlight by his house. His front legs extended. His back legs slightly bent. His head tilted toward his chest. And that was enough for people to stop in their tracks and capture photos of him. Snap. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As spring approaches, Dallas-Fort Worth area residents can look forward to a surge of events and exhibitions from baseball to live concerts. Sports Baseball fans can cheer on the Texas Rangers as they take on the Boston Red Sox at 1:35 p.m. Sunday at Globe Life Field, concluding a four-game series. Tickets are available online on StubHub starting at $24. Music Join the Arlington Community Band for its free Sounds of Big Band and Jazz concert 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Park. The family-friendly concert will feature familiar favorites of the Big Band and Jazz era, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and more. Head to Arlington Music Hall for a live performance from Centricity Music’s acclaimed recording artist Unspoken from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Known for their soulful, pop-infused sound and the powerful, transparent lyrics of lead vocalist Chad Mattson, the band resonates deeply with fans, according to the event page. Tickets are available online, ranging from $19 to $65. Nature Cherry blossom trees in the Fort Worth Botanical Garden’s Japanese garden will be in full bloom for attendees until “early next week,” according to their Instagram account. The garden is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, with online tickets starting at $12 for adults. Entertainment Head to the Arlington Museum of Art to enjoy “Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition” until April 6. The exhibit provides an intimate look at the life of Princess Diana through images captured by official royal photographer Anwar Hussein and his sons. “Titanic: The Exhibition” is now open in Dallas until May 11, allowing attendees to explore the story of the Titanic through real artifacts, recreated rooms and interactive displays. Visitors will receive a boarding pass with a real passenger’s name, be able to touch an iceberg and take part in a virtual reality dive to the shipwreck. The exhibit is located at 14902 Preston Road in Dallas and tickets range from $16 to $65. @samip.parajuli.54 news-editor.shorthorn@mavs.uta.edu

Recognizing the impact and commitment of four people throughout the community. Architect Rafael Viñoly The vision for the National Medal of Honor Museum began with architect Rafael Viñoly, who died of an aneurysm two years before the museum’s opening. Yet, his legacy lives on within it. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1944, Viñoly studied at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires. As the founder of Rafael Viñoly Architects, Viñoly and his architectural firm have worked on over 600 commissions for buildings such as courthouses, airports and stadiums throughout many parts of the world. As the museum’s chief architect, Viñoly’s design concept is meant to evoke the burden and inspirational character traits of the Medal of Honor recipients. The primary square structure sits 40 feet above ground, supported by five concrete columns each representing a branch of the United States Armed Forces. The over 100,000-square-foot facility features a sunken, open courtyard, the Rotunda of Honor — the main entrance of the facility — and a public space for gathering before visitors enter the museum. A circular shape is cut out of the center of the Exhibition Hall above, allowing light to filter into the Rotunda of Honor. The Exhibition Hall showcases the museum’s core goal of inspiring acts of everyday heroism among its visitors, with artifacts interspersed within immersive storytelling presentations. “He was really invested in this project from the very beginning and so intrigued by the whole mission,” said Bassam Komati, Rafael Viñoly Architects partner. “I’m pretty sure he’d be very, very, very proud.” - Source: Viñoly Foundation and the National Medal of Honor Museum Col. Neel E. Kearby While some stories fade into history, the actions of Medal of Honor recipients are forever engraved into the nation’s legacy. From 1923 to 1949, UTA was called the North Texas Agricultural College, a two-year academic institution offering courses in military science and vocational education among other studies. It is also where Medal of Honor recipient Neel E. Kearby attended from 1930-1931. In 1934, he enrolled in UT Austin to pursue a degree in business administration. By the time he received his diploma in 1937, the world was on the brink of war, and he later enlisted into the U.S. Army Air Corps as a flying cadet. His bravery would soon become worthy of the Medal of Honor. Less than a month after he was promoted to colonel, Kearby shot down six Japanese aircrafts during World War II, the most for an American fighter pilot at the time, saving the life of his comrades. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on Oct. 11, 1943, for this mission. The following year, Col. Kearby was shot down while leading a three-plane formation over Wewak, New Guinea. His legacy lives on through the National Medal of Honor Museum’s Neel Kearby Theater. Aside from the Medal of Honor, Kearby also received five Air Medals, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and the Purple Heart. A life-sized commemorative statue of him sits outside City Center Plaza in Arlington. “He’s the son of the city of Arlington,” said Lt. Col. Greg LeClair, UTA military science professor. “To have that right here is a huge honor to him.” - Source: UTA Corps of Cadets, Texas State Historical Association, Air Force Historical Support Division and City of Arlington Gen. Richard E. Cavazos Medal of Honor recipient Richard E. Cavazos attended UTA, then called North Texas Agricultural College, from 1947 to 1949, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and Sam Houston Rifles drill team. During a battle in June 1953 in Sagimak, Korea, when enemy fire began to overwhelm Cavazos’ company, he followed orders to withdraw his men. But, he repeatedly returned to his outpost alone to search for missing servicemembers. He put himself in danger to assist his injured servicemembers until he cleared the battlefield. Only then did he accept medical aid. Once he returned to the U.S. in the fall of 1953, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, which was renamed Fort Cavazos in his honor May 9, 2023. His bravery and unwavering commitment to his men earned him the Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross, one of the second-highest awards for valor in the military. In 1976, he was appointed the first Hispanic brigadier general in the U.S. Army. He continued to serve until 1984 and retired as a four-star general with 33 years of service under his belt. Gen. Cavazos died in 2017 at the age of 88 due to Alzheimer’s disease complications. In January 2025, former President Joe Biden awarded him the Medal of Honor, alongside others who served in the Korean War. “That is the ultimate embodiment of courage and commitment and sacrifice. He’s risking his own life every time, time and time again,” said Mike Caldwell, director of the Center for the Elevation of Honor at the National Medal of Honor Museum’s Griffin Institute. - Source: U.S. Army and the UTA Cadet Corps Alumni Council Arlington Mayor Jim Ross Arlington Mayor Jim Ross’ life, shaped by the discipline of the U.S. military and a diverse journey of public service, has forged him into the leader he is today. Ross is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, former SWAT team member, lawyer, police officer and business owner. Ross joined the Marine Corps in the late ’70s as a teenager and served for four years. He said the leadership programs they had taught him the character traits of a leader — a lesson he’s carried through every profession. “I’ll be honest, I needed the Marine Corps a whole lot more than they needed me,” he said. Service has always been at the core of Ross’ work, be it in his 13 years with the Arlington Police Department or his time representing harmed victims as a lawyer, he said. For Ross, it has always been about giving back. As the mayor, giving back also extends to Arlington’s deep roots in veteran and military history. Ross chairs the Veteran Affairs Task Force for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and has worked to ensure veterans in Arlington are supported with the resources they need. Ross said he is proud of the Arlington Valor Alliance, which connects veterans with service organizations. He is working on a proposal for a Veterans Village, a hub offering transitional housing, therapy, job placement and more. “Arlington is what I would call ‘veteran proud,’” he said, “We are honored to provide services and respect and honor for the men and women who have served this country.” life-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From country music to Dallas sports, residents have plenty to do in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this week. Music Listen to a modern twist on American country when Chapel Hart performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Arlington Music Hall. See the trio that received a golden buzzer on America's Got Talent. Tickets start at $32 and doors open at 5:30 p.m. Sports Watch the Dallas Stars take to the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers at 1 p.m. Saturday at American Airlines Center. Tickets start at $65 and doors open at 11:30 a.m. See the Texas Rangers gear up for their regular season during their preseason match-up as they take on the Kansas City Royals at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Globe Life Field. Tickets start at $13.86 available on the MLB website. Entertainment Find the perfect book, movie or album while giving back to the community at the Friends and Foundation of the Arlington Public Library book sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Meadowbrook Recreation Center. The semi-annual sale offers over 36 categories of books with most items priced at $1. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From a Texas street food festival to an Elvis tribute show, there’s plenty for Mavericks to do in Arlington during spring break. Sports Residents can see monster trucks at Monster Jam at 7 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium. The all-day event features fan favorites like “Grave Digger” Adam Anderson, “El Toro Loco” Jamey Garner and “Megalodon” Todd Leduc. Before the event, the 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Pit Party gives attendees the chance to meet the drivers and crews and see the trucks up close. Tickets are available online and doors open 5:30 p.m. Entertainment The Arlington Museum of Art has multiple exhibits residents can see. In “Wicked Threads: The Artistry of Costume in Oz,” the museum showcases costumes worn by the cast of the 2024 film Wicked. The “Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume” and “All That Glitters: The Crown Jewels of the Walt Disney Archives” showcase iconic costumes and jewelry worn in Disney films. The “Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition” showcases the life of Diana told through the lens of an official royal photographer. Tickets for the Disney and Diana exhibits can be purchased online, while the Wicked exhibition is free. Attendees can visit the museum 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays. Eat your fill from 2 to 8 p.m. March 15 and 16 at the 2025 Texas Street Food Festival at Texas Live! Featuring Texas’ best food trucks and restaurants, everything will be priced $5 or less. VIP admission is $59.99 and includes a two hour express early entry pass to the festival from noon to 2 p.m., two drink tickets, 25% off merchandise and more. General admission is $9.99 and includes a free drink. Tickets can be purchased online. Music Residents can see The King: A Tribute to Elvis from 7:30 to 9 p.m. March 15 at Arlington Music Hall. The show features Moses Snow and Vince King, two acclaimed Elvis tribute artists. Tickets can be purchased on their website. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Class of ’88 alumnus Kyle Fuller has made a point to stop by Division Brewing almost every Friday since the year it opened. What has kept Fuller coming back for 10 years is bigger than the taste and variety of India pale ale, stout and sour beers brewed in-house. It’s the environment he’s greeted with weekly. “Not only is it the only brewery in Arlington, it’s very much a community feel,” he said. “I feel like I’m home here. Every time I walk in here, the owners Wade and Sean, are happy to greet me.” Wade Wadlington and Sean Cooley founded Division Brewing located at E. Main Street in 2015. As home brewers, they fell in love with beer making. A decade later, their careful attention to crafting a good beer and curating a welcoming spot in downtown Arlington has helped Division Brewing receive the best brewery in North Texas honor from KERA readers in February. When Cooley began brewing beer around 20 years ago, he said his hobby became real early in the craft beer industry. He said the beginning was a very exciting time when there was a variety of new flavors to try and explore in craft beer. Early on, however, craft beer wasn’t popular in Texas. “Those early days of craft beer, trying all these new flavors, but then not being able to find them easily at the store," Cooley said. "You’re like, ‘Well, I guess I’m gonna try and make it.” He said he and Wadlington began brewing together through a mutual friend. They started by brewing for themselves and their friends, hosting tastings and cookouts to have them try the brews. “That began an email list to keep people updated with when the next tasting is going to be,” Cooley said. “Then once you get 75, 80 people in your house, your wives start telling you to take this somewhere else.” Cooley said he didn’t know their hobby would become a career. It was just a fun pastime. Growing up in Arlington and having briefly attended UTA, Wadlington said the pair knew they wanted to open their business in the city. At first, when they were looking for a space, they focused on the best place for beer production, not intending it to become a venue itself. They weren’t expecting to change from being open one day a week to five based on demand. “We still struggle at times, and we’re busy to keep up with the demand,” Wadlington said. “Right now, we have a spot for 10 different or maybe more IPAs, and we only have four because we’ve sold beer so quickly.” Cooley said they’re a very small and local business in the grand scheme of craft brewers — you have to come in person and drink from the tap. He said he prefers it that way so they can brew more often, keep their beer fresh and have a larger selection to choose from. Instead of only having four core beers in a season, Cooley said they wanted to do more. “We were one of the first in the market to say, ‘No, we want to have 20 beers on tap, and we’re going to try and do what we can to make that happen all the time,’” he said. Wadlington said they were never afraid to break the mold in the brewing industry. Inspired by different breweries, Cooley and Wadlington traveled to Colorado and California, where the craft beer scene was ahead of Texas at the time of their visit, a decade ago. Professional brewing has a learning curve, and while each brewer has a recipe and style, there are basic, necessary fundamentals to follow. Every brew day, on Wednesdays, Wadlington wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to arrive at the brewery at 5 a.m. With the process taking hours to complete, he likes to start early before opening at 5 p.m. Cooley said in the simplest form, beer starts with malted barley, which provides sugars. Yeast ferments these sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Hop pellets, made from a plant, are then added to impart bitterness and flavor to the beer. “With craft beer, you take that process and then you go wild,” he said. “We’re just exploring all kinds of fruits, spices, herbs, chocolates, any flavor you can think of, we’re throwing it at a beer to see what it’s like.” The brewing process takes about eight to 10 hours, but the batch isn’t used for about 21 days, Cooley said. The batch will ferment for two weeks and then be conditioned another week to two weeks after. “It’s a process. You can’t be impatient and do this,” Cooley said. “A lot of work goes into whenever you’re drinking a beer that’s poured for you in a glass.” What makes Division Brewing unique, apart from its beer, is the two other businesses they opened alongside the brewery. The space next to the brewery used to be a boutique, and after it shut down, Cooley and Wadlington decided to turn it into Growl Records in 2017. Classic original CDs and records are sold and there is a stage for bands to perform. “The Growl brings in a whole group of people that wouldn’t necessarily even visit a craft brewery,” Wadlington said. When a restaurant next door closed, they decided to take the opportunity and start selling and in-house pizzas in 2022. Wadlington makes all the pizza dough, he said. He traveled to Chicago and Wisconsin to ensure his pizza tastes like where the best is served. He worked hard to perfect the thin-crust pizza. While every day may be a little different, they works to make it consistently as good. “We’re just doing things that we like. We like music, we like records, we like pizza, we like beer,” Cooley said. “It may seem odd, like ‘What? A brewery is doing a record shop?’ but it’s like, no, it’s just us. We just like doing the things that we enjoy doing.” Having three businesses that come together brings in a unique demographic. With the brewery bringing in the older crowd and the pizza restaurant and record store bringing in families and younger kids, the whole community can congregate in one spot. “Call me old-fashioned, but it’s important that people share a space together,” Cooley said. “To have a pub to go and get to know each other, to have a place to see live music. It’s important and people gravitate towards that.” Marcus Stephens, Clayton Wills and Hunter Lawson come to Division Brewery every two to three weeks. The combination of being a relaxed hang-out spot with a good variety of craft beer and a patio kept this brewery in their rotation. “Up until we found this place, we had no idea something like this was back here,” Stephens said. “It’s kind of a crown jewel of Arlington, it really is.” Lawson was surprised to find not many UTA students visit the spot. He said it left him thinking how one misses these places. Fuller said that there wasn’t a place like Division Brewing when he was a student at UTA in the mid to late ’80s. He said they had J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill and J. R. Bentley’s, but a brewery has a different vibe to it. “It’s not a restaurant. It’s not a fancy bar, we’re sitting on stools here,” he said. “We can just have a beer and be ourselves.” @amandaLaldridge news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From quilting basics to Dallas sports, Texans have plenty to do in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this week. Music Celebrate Elton John through singing and dancing to The Elton Johns at 8 p.m. Friday at the Arlington Music Hall. Sing along to Elton John’s rock hits through the decades with songs like “Bennie and the Jets,” “Your Song” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Tickets are available online starting at $20 and doors open 6 p.m. Listen to a live orchestra 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Will Rogers Auditorium play Toshio Masuda’s score in “NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience,” alongside clips from the show. Tickets are available online. Sports See the Dallas Stars take to the ice 5 p.m. Sunday at the American Airlines Center against the St. Louis Blues. Doors open 3:30 p.m. Tickets are available online starting at $26. The Dallas Mavericks finish out a homestead against the Sacramento Kings at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the American Airlines Center. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Kyrie Irving collectible pin. Tickets are available online. Entertainment Learn how to quilt 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library during their Quilt Basics: Quilt As You Go event. The class will introduce attendees to the quilting process and techniques, allowing them to take home their finished product. This event is limited to the first 10 attendees and materials are provided. Have a laugh at the movies while watching Pee Wee’s Big Adventure at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Studio Movie Grill in Lincoln Square. This showing is part of SMG’s retro series. Tickets are $5 before fees and can be purchased on their website. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu