Shorthorn News
- Warm, sunny weather expected in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekDallas-Fort Worth residents can expect a dry, warm and clear week, with little to no surprises. Monique Sellers, National Weather Service meteorologist, said the upcoming week will almost have almost identical weather daily, with rain chances by the weekend. “It does look like we could start seeing a pattern change by the weekend, though, so that’s something to keep an eye on,” Sellers said. “There’s a chance that we’ll get a cold front that will come through.”
- Howl-O-Ween Doggy Costume Contest brings pup getups to Downtown Arlington Doggie DepotThe sound of barking dogs dressed to the nines brightened the Downtown Arlington Doggie Depot on Saturday at the first-ever Howl-O-Ween Doggie Costume Contest. The heat and sun did not stop the competition, and the 20 contestants walked the red carpet, showing off fun, glamorous costumes to popular ’80s songs. Fan favorites included dogs dressed as a chicken, a hot dog and Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars. Marissa Soto, Arlington resident and event coordinator, 39, said she wanted to bring attention to the doggie depot and create a fun community downtown. “At the end of all this, it was just watching dogs in costumes, I was like, ‘I’m going to end up having a great time,’” Soto said. These canines went paw-to-paw for four categories: funniest costume, most creative/DIY costume, best owner/dog duo and best costume overall. Grapevine, Texas, resident Megan Aeschbach, 35, won DIY and most creative with her goldendoodle Tyger, dressed in a handsewn Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform. Aeschbach said sewing the jewels onto Tyger's costume took the longest and wasn’t finished until the night before. She said she wasn’t sure if they’d compete; she just wanted to go out to the event. “It’s great to get people out, spend time outside, see other dogs,” she said. “I love dog-friendly events that I can take her to.” The judges had raving reviews of the competition. Doreen Bruner, Downtown Arlington Management Corp. chair and one of the judges, 70, said she hopes the event becomes annual. “The chicken one just cracked me up,” Bruner said. Arlington resident Citlali Pacheco, 29, was one of the judges and said it was hard to choose who had the best costumes. “They were all so cute,” Pacheco said. “They’re all winners to me.” Grand Prairie, Texas, resident Kyle Collett, 35, dressed up as a TIE fighter pilot and won the best owner and dog costume with his dog Zoey, who dressed up as his captive Ahsoka Tano. Collett said Zoey would be in for a doggy pie even if she didn’t win. Grand Prairie resident Alejandrina Rodriguez, 42, and her dog Tutsy won best costume overall, dressed as Snow White and the Evil Queen. When asked how she felt after winning, Tutsy made no comment. No barks, no panting, just a wagging tail. @tay._.sansom @atclements03 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
Shorthorn Sports
- Dallas Wings: Bright rookie, rough seasonThe Dallas Wings concluded the 2025 WNBA regular season with a 10-34 record, failing to meet expectations despite a strengthened roster. “There’s so many different things that have captivated what we’ve been through as a team and how much we’ve overcame, and it started from the beginning of the season,” rookie guard Paige Bueckers said after the final game of the season. With the Wings placing last in the league, the team’s winning percentage was the fourth worst in franchise history and the second worst since the team’s move to Arlington in 2016 to play at UTA’s College Park Center. Despite subpar results, the Wings still improved from their 9-31 record in the 2024 season. Head coach Chris Koclanes credited the players’ bonds and grit, emphasizing the value of team chemistry and staying true to their identity throughout the season. “The mental side of the game and the mental work that you all don’t see, that they really bought into it,” Koclanes said after the final home game. “You see it in the camaraderie, in the interactions here, you just see this team is connected.” Despite that connection, the Wings fired Koclanes last week, concluding his only year as head coach as the team looks to reset after an underwhelming season. Koclanes was picked up by Dallas after the team hired Curt Miller, general manager and executive vice president. The now former Wings coach was an assistant for Miller while he served as head coach for the Connecticut Sun from 2016-2022. Rookie guard Aziaha James said Koclanes helped her develop patience and let the game come to her. She said Koclanes instilled confidence in her game. With the 2025 season in the rearview mirror, the team has set its sights on a new practice location. In June, the Dallas City Council approved plans for a new Wings practice facility at Joey Georgusis Park in West Oak Cliff, Dallas. The facility’s groundbreaking was Sept. 26, and it is expected to open in spring 2026, according to a Dallas Wings press release. The Wings played their first non-pandemic home games outside College Park Center this season, with two games against the Indiana Fever at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The first saw a sold-out crowd of 20,409, a franchise record and the largest crowd recorded at any WNBA game in Texas. Throughout the season, Dallas made multiple trades and hardship contracts in an attempt to flip the script. In June, the Wings traded their 2026 second-round and 2027 third-round draft picks to the Seattle Storm for center Li Yueru. Later that month, the Wings sent forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces for the Aces’ 2027 first-round draft pick. In August, they traded guard DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx for forward Diamond Miller, guard Karlie Samuelson and the Lynx’s 2027 second-round draft pick. Amid the trades, much of the team’s season was defined by extended losing streaks. The Wings’ season began with 11 losses in their first 12 games, and the team lost 15 of its final 17 games. Several major injuries added to the Wings’ woes. Guard Tyasha Harris underwent surgery for a left knee injury in June, leaving her on the sidelines for most of the season. Yueru was unable to finish her season after spraining her left ACL in August. Rookie guard JJ Quinerly suffered the same injury later in the month and has since had surgery on her left knee, the Wings announced Oct. 3. Even with the setbacks, the season was not all lows for the Wings. Their first win came on the road in a 22- point blowout of Koclanes’s former team, the Sun, marking the only time the Wings broke triple-digit points this season. Amid the losing streaks, the Wings had five wins during a seven-game stretch in June, securing half their season’s wins, against the Golden State Valkyries, the Sun, the Atlanta Dream, the Washington Mystics and the Phoenix Mercury. The Wings’ season would’ve finished with an 11- game losing streak if not for a 21-point win in their final game of the year at home against the Mercury, in which three players boasted 20 points or more. A silver lining for Dallas came when the team acquired Bueckers as the No. 1 pick in the draft. By the end of the season, Bueckers had collected a multitude of awards and recognitions for her impact on the league and the Wings’ franchise, backed by impressive rookie stats. Bueckers set a WNBA rookie single-game record with 44 points in a loss to the Sparks. She broke the Wings rookie single-season assist and scoring records and became the fastest WNBA rookie ever to score 500 career points and 100 career assists while averaging the fifthmost points and steals of any WNBA player in 2025. “Once you get a couple games under your belt and you learn and you grow and you watch film, you gain confidence,” Bueckers said in the final home game. “That’s throughout the entire season and my teammates and coaching staff just pouring into me.” Bueckers wasn’t the only Wings player with standout moments this year. Guard Arike Ogunbowale scored 37 points in a loss to the Chicago Sky and later tied a franchise single-game record with 14 assists in a win over the New York Liberty. Forward Maddy Siegrist had a career-high 23 points in a loss to the Dream. For the 2026 season, the Wings will continue playing home games at College Park Center due to delays in plans to renovate the Memorial Auditorium at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas for their new home arena. “I’m just grateful to be around this community,” rookie guard Aziaha James said, reflecting on the season during the final game. “Everyone here helps everyone. We’re just a big family here, and I just can’t wait to do it again next season.” @TyRoland06 @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
- Arlington Renegades rebrand to Dallas Renegades, move to Frisco stadium for 2026The Dallas Cowboys have become Arlington’s sole professional football franchise, with the United Football League making shifts across the nation into new markets. The Arlington Renegades have switched the team name to the Dallas Renegades and will relocate from Choctaw Stadium, the Texas Rangers’ former ballpark. The team will share Toyota Stadium with FC Dallas, a Major League Soccer club, in Frisco, Texas, for the 2026 season. The changes stem from a broader restructuring of the league, as several of the eight teams in the UFL will undergo similar movements within their respective franchises. The league will see three new teams in Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Orlando, Florida, with all three playing at preestablished soccer arenas, according to The Dallas Morning News. Both Texas-based teams will undergo rebrands, with the Houston Roughnecks becoming the Houston Gamblers, joining the Renegades in the realignment. With the introduction of new teams came the departure of others. The San Antonio Brahmas, the Memphis Showboats and the Michigan Panthers have all been disbanded for the 2026 season. The changes follow the addition of the UFL’s newest investor, sports business entrepreneur Mike Repole, who joined the ownership group July 31. Alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia and other members of the coalition, Repol looks to create a bright future for the UFL, according to ESPN. The partial owner of the league believes it can sell out smaller venues and said he hopes the league's size will double over the next decade, according to ESPN. "It's going to feel real, real different, and it's going to show better on TV," Repole said to ESPN. "The sound is going to be better, and the experience and the engagement is going to be better." The UFL will still have a foothold in Arlington, keeping the league’s headquarters rooted in the heart of the Arlington Entertainment District, a decision made in January. As for Choctaw Stadium, this is the third professional team to part ways with the venue in the last few years. The Dallas Jackals said their farewells to the stadium due to uncertainty among ownership ahead of the 2025 season. The North Texas Soccer Club has since wrapped up its tenure at Choctaw Stadium, as the team will head to Mansfield, Texas, to call Mansfield Stadium its home in the summer of 2026 when the facility opens. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
Shorthorn Life & Entertainment
- Haunted house, soccer game and live music featured in this week’s To-Do ListFrom a display with thousands of pumpkins to the Mexico vs. Colombia soccer game, Dallas-Fort Worth residents have plenty of events to choose from this week. Entertainment The 2025 Gold Cup champion, Mexico, returns to DFW to take on Copa América finalist Colombia at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium. Tickets start at about $74. Catch a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Levitt Pavilion. Featured artists include Brock Roggow and Dalton Domino. Shopping Enjoy a spooky time at the Rhythm and Relics Halloween market from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Truth Vinyl. Shop from a selection of local vendors offering jewelry, collectibles, handmade goods and more. There will also be costume contests with prizes. Watch out for ghouls and ghosts at The Chosen One Ink's third annual haunted house from 8:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday. There will be live actors, animatronics and free candy. Children are welcome with an adult. Last call for the Friends and Foundation of the Arlington Public Library book sale. Find deals on books and more from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at First Methodist Church of Arlington. Recreation Experience cozy fall vibes at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day through Nov. 2. This year, Autumn at the Arboretum: ¡Mundo México! is celebrating Mexican culture with more than 110,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash reimagining various regions of Mexico. The event also features sculptures by Oaxacan artists Jacobo and María Ángeles. Weekend daytime admission is $25.95 for adults and $21.95 for children 2-12. @ayesha.haroonn news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
- Silent Book Club celebrates 10th anniversaryMost people would likely consider reading a solitary activity, an endeavor done in stolen moments during a busy day or late at night before going to sleep. A decade ago, two friends in San Francisco set out to change that narrative, creating a space where community isn’t defined by conversation — just flipping through pages in a shared space. The Silent Book Club now serves as a global, introvert-friendly alternative to traditional reading clubs. No assigned reading, no pressure to socialize, just a shared hour of quiet reading. As the original Silent Book Club celebrates its 10th anniversary of redefining the literary community with quiet companionship throughout October, Arlington’s local chapter celebrated its own milestone — two years of sharing silence, stories and community. What started as two friends, Guinevere de la Mare and Laura Gluhanich, reading together at a neighborhood wine bar in 2012, turned into a formal organization in 2015, according to the organization’s website. They wanted to create a space that welcomed people to show up, order a drink and read with friends, de la Mare said in an email. Their goal was a book club that didn’t require any extra work for attendees. “This was 2012 San Francisco, so everything was about the hustle and grind of start-up culture,” de la Mare said. “We wanted to give ourselves permission to unplug from the demands of work and technology and recapture that single-minded focus and satisfaction you get from sustained silent reading.” The club has no set book before meetings, allowing anyone to join and read whatever they want. De la Mare said it’s been inspiring to see how the concept has expanded beyond the San Francisco chapter and how it’s become a wide-spread experience that brings book lovers together. “It’s made me appreciate how important reading is to my mental health,” she said. “The difference in how you feel after reading a book for 30 minutes versus scrolling on your phone for 30 minutes is profound.” The club grew through word of mouth and social media to almost 2,000 Silent Book Club chapters in over 60 countries worldwide. Co-leaders Angela Harris and Jennifer Moore started the Arlington and Grand Prairie chapter two years ago, looking for a book club where attendees could read whatever they wanted, not knowing one existed. Harris said she and Moore had always been big readers, but as adults, they struggled to find time to continue. “Silent Book Club, it’s really a space where you can have that dedicated time, no distractions and you’re with other people who love and appreciate books,” Harris said. “You can just enjoy each other’s company and knock out your read for that week.” Grand Prairie resident Kaleigh Harbemon, 33, started attending the meetings earlier this year. Harbemon said she usually shies away from clubs that pressure people to read the same book, so she loves the freedom the Silent Book Club brings. Grand Prairie resident Killian Mujica, 36, said she learned about the club while scrolling on social media with Harbemon, her friend. Mujica said she didn’t know what to expect at her first meeting but that everyone was welcoming. “It was a very nice atmosphere,” she said. “We were all talking about the different books that we were reading, and we bonded over the books.” Despite the club’s name, total silence isn’t required. Meetings are usually held in social settings where people can engage in book discussions. The chapter meets twice a month for about two hours. The first and last 30 minutes are spent socializing, and members read silently for one hour. Those interested just need to show up to a meeting to join, Harris said. For the Arlington and Grand Prairie chapter’s two-year anniversary meeting, the club met in the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library on Sept. 27. The meeting started with activities such as book folding and painting book edges. A ringing bell signaled the end of an hour of crafts and the beginning of the silent reading hour. The room, bustling with laughter and conversation, quickly turned quiet with whispered exchanges few and far between. Arlington resident Carmen Maciel, 31, said she found the club through social media in 2021. Maciel originally attended the Dallas chapter meetings and transitioned to the Arlington chapter when she moved. She has always loved reading for fun, but after having assigned reading for class in high school and college, and starting her career, she didn’t have time for it, she said. Maciel rediscovered her love for reading after the pandemic, craving the opportunity to read with like-minded individuals. “It was nice to have this dedicated quiet time to read,” she said. “I think my brain can be really loud, and although I love to sit and read a book, it doesn’t happen often in my day-to-day.” For its 10th anniversary, the Silent Book Club is hosting a global readathon from Friday to Sunday, and local chapters are coming together to have a readathon in Dallas on Saturday.
