BIG STORY: An interview with Shahd Arnaout of the Tarabishi Family.

• Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away
• ‘Bring Maher home’: Family of Arlington man detained by ICE makes plea to Trump
• GoFundMe for Wael Tarabishi

SHORT STORY 1: ICE Protest

Fort Worth protest against ICE decries fatal shooting of Minneapolis woman

SHORT STORY 2: Public Comment

Fort Worth council considers restoring more chances for public to speak

SHORT STORY 3: Tarrant GOP challenging Dem signatures

Tarrant County GOP chair challenges 7 Democratic candidates, removes Republican House candidate | Fort Worth Report

WINS:

817 Gather at the Table

Could This State Senate Runoff Be a Tipping Point for Tarrant County?

Texas teachers' union sues state over disciplinary actions tied to Charlie Kirk posts

Fort Worth eyes library, community center spaces for local art exhibitions

African American museum seeks $40K from Fort Worth to complete construction plans

Prominent Fort Worth art museum named Texas’ top free attraction

Daytripping on TEXRail: Grapevine, North Richland Hills popular with riders

A bus route extension from Stop Six to Cultural District is coming

Arlington council hears new recommendations on plan to reimagine downtown

A dumpling dream: Big restaurant, gathering spot begins construction

Fort Worth event planner hosts gatherings to uplift artists, weave communities together

A decade strong, The Welman Project moves toward more support for North Texas teachers

West Fort Worth nonprofit fills emergency food gaps, continues distribution into 2026

LOSSES:

Texas child care programs could see funding delay during national crackdown

Arlington's Handitran service could see changes in the way users pay for rides

Court dismisses pastor's lawsuit alleging Tarrant County judge violated free speech rights

Developer behind $10B Fort Worth data center requests more land

ACTIONS:

January 13 - Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court at 10am

January 13 - Fort Worth city council public comment vote at 6pm (Sign up to speak)

January 18 - 817 Gather at 10am

January 21 - Early Voting for Taylor Rehmet

January 31 - Election Day for TX SD 9

February 17 - Democratic Primary for midterms

(P.S. There were so many articles this week that we hit the character limit and weren't able to link them all. Sorry.)

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

BIG STORY: Junior Ezeonu

After running for Gran Prairie at 21 while still he college, he beat a 12-year incumbent and became the Mayor Pro Tem. Now he's running in the Democratic Primary for Texas House of Representatives District 101. He talks about his journey and why it's so important that young people run for political office.

SHORT STORY 1: Mercy Cult goes national

Fort Worth’s Mercy Culture announces expansion with new churches in D.C., California

SHORT STORY 2: Fort Worth’s economic growth

City manager: Fort Worth’s economic growth continues to look strong

SHORT STORY 3: Alicia Ortiz to run for FW City Council District 10

votealiciaortiz.com

WINS:

TEXRail expansion moving forward with revised $33M contract

Gateway Park to see new amenities soon. This local group is helping enact plans

Yard tools to your door: Fort Worth mobile shed loans equipment to residents for free

Fort Worth shelters plan continued improvement, less canine euthanasia in 2026

LOSSES:

DFW one of the hardest areas for minimum-wage workers to afford rent, study says

‘Bring Maher home’: Family of Arlington man detained by ICE makes plea to Trump

2 killed in related shootings after a fight in east Fort Worth park, police say

Tarrant County Jail inmate dies after being found unresponsive in her cell

ACTIONS:

Right Now - Fort Worth City Council Report Card

January 6 - FW Public Comment at 6pm in New City Hall

January 7 - 817 Gather At The Table at 6:30pm in Arlington

January 13 - Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court

January 18 - 817 Gather at 10am

January 21 - Early Voting for Taylor Rehmet

January 31 - Election Day for TX SD 9

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

This week EJ, Ann, & Wesley bring you a special episode where we look back on all that happened in 2025, and look ahead to the possibilities for 2026.

We would love your feedback. Please fill out this form to let us know your favorite guests & episodes from 2025, and how we can improve the podcast.

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

For this week's Big Story, check out our previous episode where we interviewed Bradford William Davis. Ann is out this week for the holidays, so it's just EJ & Wesley.

SHORT STORY 1: Marc Veasey backs out

Congressman Marc Veasey drops out of Tarrant County judge race

SHORT STORY 2: Voter suppression in Tarrant County

Thousands of Tarrant County voter applications saw delays ahead of Nov. 4 election

Pastor alleges Tarrant County judge violated First Amendment by removing him from meeting

SHORT STORY 3: All 3 FW Chambers in favor of state takeover

Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce urging community to support recent TEA takeovers

WINS:

Suicide among youths dropped dramatically in Tarrant County. Other cities have noticed

New, environmentally friendly buses part of Trinity Metro’s $12M upgrade

These Tarrant cities to clean up litter, increase recycling thanks to thousands in state funds

LOSSES:

‘He never actually stopped’: Former Fort Worth councilman remembered for lifetime of helping others

Fort Worth emerges as hub for driverless vehicles

More details emerge about $10 billion Fort Worth data center

ACTIONS:

January 6th - First Public Comment for FW City Council

January 18th - First 817 Gather of the year

January 21st - Early Voting for TX SD 9 Runoff Election

Happy holidays & have a great new year!

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

We spoke with award-winning journalist Bradford William Davis, the former opinion columnist at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who was recently laid off after writing several amazing articles that were critical to Mayor Mattie Parker.

We focused on three of his most recent stories:

• Mayor Mattie Parker should listen to her own words as she faces her critics
• Don’t be so quick to judge intent behind a casket left at mayor’s house
• Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away

And we also talked about the series of articles he's working on about the relationship between transit, sports, and climate impact.

Join the 817 Gather Discord

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

BIG STORY: We talk with Tiffany Burks about how the District Attorney's office has changed over the years, what power it holds, what problems it has created, and how Tiffany plans to solve them.

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

BIG STORY: Our interview with Tiffany Burks went so long that we made this a 2-part episode, so stay tuned for the full interview with Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney candidate, Tiffany Burks.

SHORT STORY 1: Who filed to run in 2026.

Filing deadline drama sets up primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett enters Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
• Democrat Colin Allred drops out of Senate race, announces run for 33rd Congressional District
• Fort Worth’s Marc Veasey running for Tarrant County judge instead of Congress

SHORT STORY 2: Arlington City Council votes against gay rights.

Arlington votes to end LGBTQ protections in anti-discrimination ordinance

Media blitz opposes removal of LGBTQ protections in Arlington

SHORT STORY 3: Tim O'Hare attacks free speech & democracy

Here’s what got a pastor tossed from Tarrant County Commissioners Court

Tarrant County commissioner upset over number of polling places for TX Senate runoff

WINS:

First phase of Fort Worth Convention Center’s $701M revamp completed

Over 90 acres of open space, parkland OK’d by Fort Worth officials

New Arlington parks director looks to prioritize natural areas, open space accessibility

LOSSES:

Gov. Greg Abbott launches plan to open Turning Point USA chapters in all Texas high schools / ‘Completely new leadership’ coming for Lake Worth ISD as Texas takes control

What fewer vaccinated students could mean for Tarrant County as exemptions rise

ACTIONS:

December 16 - People’s Commissioners Court at Blanc Coworking & Studio at 6pm.

December 17 - Support Fort Worth Art meeting at The Pool at 6pm.

January 6

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.

BIG STORY: Last Public Comment of the Year

Removal of attendees, Christmas tree lighting plans punctuate Fort Worth council meeting

SHORT STORY 1: Star-Telegram fires their most outspoken columnist

Bradford Davis talks about his firing on LinkedIn.

• Mayor Mattie Parker should listen to her own words as she faces her critics
• Don’t be so quick to judge intent behind a casket left at mayor’s house
• Father cared for disabled son for years, until ICE took him away

SHORT STORY 2: The potential to reshape city council

City Council pay raises, term limits among potential amendments to Fort Worth charter

SHORT STORY 3: A look at who’s running in 2026.

Filing open for 2026 primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates so far.

WINS:

Civilian-led police unit aims to build public trust, ensure Fort Worth’s accountability

Nearly 300 seek spot on FWISD’s state-appointed board following takeover / How many applicants for Fort Worth ISD’s state-appointed board live in district?

Trinity Metro to lease up to 40 buses daily for FIFA World Cup

LOSSES:

Supreme Court orders Texas to use 2025 map amid legal battle

Both lawsuits accusing Tarrant County of racial gerrymandering have been dropped or dismissed

Single-family homes focus of Fort Worth’s potential $5M affordable housing bond

ACTIONS:

December 11 - Community Design Fort Worth’s Transit Crawl starting at Central Station at 4:30pm.

December 14 - 817 Gather’s Festivus Potluck.

December 17 - Support Fort Worth Art meeting at The Pool at 6pm.

Join the 817 Gather Discord, and follow us on Instagram & TikTok.