Local public interest attorney Joanna Bryn Smith officially announced Monday that she is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 120th District state representative seat in the May 19 primary election.
According to her announcement:
Smith, 39, of Wyoming, is a native of Shavertown in Luzerne County.
She is a graduate of Bishop O’Reilly High School, Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and the City University of New York School of Law. She previously worked as a public defense attorney in multiple counties and now provides free legal services to victims of domestic violence.
Smith said she is running on a platform that centers on lowering costs for families and making Pennsylvania more affordable. She plans to focus on raising the minimum wage to support working Pennsylvanians, lowering property taxes to ease the burden on homeowners in the Wyoming Valley, and ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare.
She is planning to support public education funding so that children are prepared for the workforce of tomorrow.
Smith is no stranger to public service for her community. She has worked tirelessly for the Luzerne County community through servant-leadership for many years with the Wills for Heroes program, the Wilkes-Barre Law Library Charitable Organization, the Fine Arts Fiesta, and Leadership Northeast, among other local non-profits. Smith also served on multiple local non-profit boards, doing whatever is needed, from ensuring ethical fiscal compliance in organizations to scrubbing bathrooms.
“I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work, the work that few people are willing to do,” Smith said.
Smith was elected to Luzerne County Council in 2023.
In her time on Council, she has demonstrated a proven record of fighting for unions and workers’ rights, protecting our election workers, working for anti-discrimination, and, in a bipartisan effort, providing tax relief for fully disabled veterans.
“We need change in Harrisburg. We need people in Harrisburg who are familiar with doing hard work, getting much-needed measures passed, and protecting our seniors and parents, as well as the future for our children,” Smith said. “I want to work towards that common-sense change in Harrisburg for not only the 120th district, but for all Pennsylvanians.”
Smith will begin circulating petitions on Tuesday.
The state representative seat is occupied by Brenda Pugh, R-Dallas Township.
American Ben Shelton (left) defeated fellow American Taylor Fritz on Sunday to win the 2026 Nexo Dallas Open.
Jeffrey Dean
Provided by Jeffrey Dean/Wick Photography for the Dallas Open
FRISCO
Of the many evolutions this century in sports, few are as confounding as the “plight” of the American men’s tennis player.
The generations that followed John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras have been replaced by a group of tremendous players and athletes who collectively are not the best in the world at any point.
On Sunday in Frisco, the best American players in the last decade played each other in the finals of the Nexo Dallas Open before the largest crowd in the history of the event. Ben Shelton defeated Taylor Fritz in a two-hour, three-set match that was perfect for an American audience, as one of these two is the ideal candidate to break one of the more astounding streaks going in major professional sports.
The last time an American won a tennis Grand Slam was Andy Roddick in the 2003 U.S. Open. Roddick retired in 2012.
The closest an American has come to winning a Slam since then was Fritz, who reached the finals of the U.S. Open in 2024, where he was defeated by Jannik Sinner.
The last time an American won the men’s French Open was Agassi, in 1999; the last American to win the Australian Open was Agassi, in 2003; the last American to win Wimbledon was Sampras, in 2000.
America is deep, and not at the top
John McEnroe attended the first days of the Dallas Open to promote the event, and addressed the problem that is a problem only in the United States. The rest of the world doesn’t care if an American is or isn’t the best tennis player on the globe.
“We’re as close as you can be, considering that these two guys (Shelton and Fritz) have sort of separated themselves from everyone. So at least the guys have pushed each other,” McEnroe said. “That’s a key thing in development, but we have to keep putting younger kids in that position.”
After winning the 2026 Dallas Open on Sunday in Frisco, Ben Shelton should be the top ranked American tennis player in the new ATP rankings. He was ninth entering the tournament. Jared Wickerham Photo provided by Jared Wickerham/Wick Photography for the Dallas Open
Entering play this week, America featured seven players ranked in the top 50: Fritz (7), Shelton (9), Learner Tien (23), Tommy Paul (24), Brandon Nakashima (29), Frances Tiafoe (30), Alex Michelsen (41) and Jenson Brooksby (45).
It’s not No. 1 through 5, but this is progress.
“We have a significant amount of guys that are in that next group, right?” Roddick said to a small group of reporters before participating in the promotions of the Dallas Open. “But the next 10 or 15, the fact that we have four or five of those guys is a lot of progress from when I stopped.”
Roddick is the last American player to be ranked No. 1 in the world, when he was there in 2003 and ‘04. Shelton and Fritz have been close, but there are two new obstacles that Roddick didn’t see coming.
Tennis’ Big 3 era replaced quickly by the Big 2
Roddick’s view is not that American men’s players are bums, but rather very top of the sport remains in the hands of a precious few who are not from the United States. For about 20 years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic ran the sport as they combined to win 66 grand slam titles.
Federer retired in 2022, and Nadal followed him two years later. Djokovic at 38 is ranked No. 3 in the world, but he’s no longer the Terminator with a racquet. In their place Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner have established themselves as the kings of the court, and the rest of the world consistently isn’t in their sphere.
“Where American tennis is no different than where the world versus Alcaraz and Sinner are right now,” Roddick said. “I thought we were going to go back to an age of parody where — ‘crazy’ — I thought people would win seven slams or six slams or four slams, and then they would kind of be enough to go around.
“I didn’t see the era of selfishness exhibited by the Big Three continued through this new generation, especially this quickly.”
What can American tennis do to catch up?
In maybe more ordinary times, a Fritz, Shelton or Tiafoe may have won a Grand Slam by now. The talent and athleticism are there. There continues to be a difference in the top of the sport, and the rest.
From mental aspects to the game, to the development on the younger stages, everyone has a theory, but no real solution.
“It’s not consistent with everyone; those guys (Sinner and Alcaraz) are just really, really, really good,” Fritz said. “There are certain things the American guys might do as well, or better, but there are parts to the game where they can’t quite match them.”
This is not a topic, Fritz said, that is a source of discussion among U.S. men’s pro tennis players.
Fritz did say on the development side there are a few areas where America could improve, starting with facilities and the need for America’s top young players to play each other more frequently. America’s top players tend to be spread out between training facilities in New York, Florida and California.
A top tier training facility draws a pro player to work out there, and they can hit with the talented teenager, who improves with that exposure and experience.
As evidenced by the top 50 players in the world, American men’s tennis is not in bad shape, but they’re all still trying to reach the very top and end one of the more bizarre streaks going in pro sports.
Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality. Support my work with a digital subscription
No. 10 TCU baseball started the season with back-to-back ranked wins in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, but that momentum faltered in a 12-2 loss to unranked Oklahoma on Sunday night at Globe Life Field. The game ended after seven innings on the 10-run mercy rule.
The Sooners’ offensive outburst against the Horned Frogs came as no surprise, as they dominated the tournament, scoring 20 runs in their first two games and winning by a combined margin of 16 runs (10-3 over Texas Tech on Friday and 10-1 over Oklahoma State on Saturday).
TCU coach Kirk Saarloos didn’t mince words when talking about what went wrong for the Horned Frogs.
“We were a step slow on everything, and the game will humble you really fast,” he said. “They played exactly the style of baseball that we like to play. And I thought we were a step slow, and it always starts with starting pitching, but I thought we were a step slow on defense, a step slow in the box.
“We don’t play good defense, we don’t pitch the ball at all, and we didn’t really do anything offensively. So the game will kick you right in the crotch and let you know really fast if you don’t show up ready to play every single day.”
Despite the loss, TCU still put together a solid opening weekend with a pair of 5-4 victories over No. 23 Vanderbilt on Friday and No. 7 Arkansas on Saturday.
TCU (2-1) will next play UT Arlington (0-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Globe Life Field.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s loss:
Lance Davis makes first career start
Arkansas transfer Lance Davis had his first start of his college career and struggled, giving up fours runs on five hits with one strikeout in three innings of work.
The right-hander’s troubles started after back-to-back walks in the first inning loaded the bases, which ultimately yielded two runs, though Davis avoided a disastrous inning by stranding runners on second and third with a groundout. Camden Johnson’s two-run homer in the second inning put the Sooners in front 4-1.
The TCU bullpen didn’t fare much better, allowing seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
TCU bats falter in finale
Sooners starting pitcher Cord Rager gave the Horned Frogs fits, allowing one run off two hits with eight strikeouts in five innings.
The Horned Frogs had few scoring chances against Rager. TCU only had four at-bats with runners in scoring position, but was unable to get any hits in those high-leverage situations.
“They pounded us in,” Saarloos said. “They pounded our righties in. The lefties they threw in a little bit, too, and, you know, they got to give credit to them. They threw the ball really well. But overall, I think when you get down, whatever the score was, it makes things a little bit more difficult, not impossible. We didn’t do enough to get back in the game.”
One of the Horned Frogs’ best chances came in the top of the fifth inning with runners on first and second with one out, but left fielder Cole Eaton lined out and second baseman Cole Cramer struck out swinging.
Next great TCU freshman?
Last season, utility player Noah Franco and outfielder Sawyer Strosnider were All-Big 12 selections in their first year in Fort Worth, and TCU might’ve found its next great freshman sensation in Lucas Franco.
The shortstop from Katy was a highly touted recruit, No. 5 in the state of Texas according to Perfect Game, and played like it in his first two games as a Horned Frog, going 2-for-6 with a home run, an RBI and three runs.
Franco went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run against the Sooners.
Franco talked about setting an example for younger players after the win over Vanderbilt.
“Just kind of keeping everybody even-keeled. We took a lot of importance on any distractions, just cutting them out and everybody staying in one lane, going the same direction,” Franco said. “So, everyone’s done a great job of that, and I kind of took it upon myself to show it to the freshmen, who kind of everybody’s going to get kind of in their head about preseason and rankings and all that stuff. I just kind of wanted to show them that — don’t worry about that stuff. Go play.”
Saarloos said he wasn’t surprised by how Franco has played.
“Played really good short,” Saarloos said. “I mean, sometimes it’s hard. Your first game you’re the shortstop, your emotions are going, but he’s kind of been that way in fall practice. Nothing’s really been too much for him. I thought he took really good at-bats.”
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Feb. 3 Boston 110, Mavericks 100
Feb. 5 San Antonio 135, Mavericks 123
Feb. 7 San Antonio 138, Mavericks 125
Feb. 10 Phoenix 120, Mavericks 111
Feb. 12 L.A. Lakers 124, Mavericks 104
Feb. 20 at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN, KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 22 at Indiana, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 24 at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 26 vs. Sacramento, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 27 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Jan. 28 Houston 79, TCU 70
Feb. 1 Colorado 87, TCU 61
Feb. 7 TCU 84, Kansas State 82
Feb. 10 TCU 62, Iowa State 55
Feb. 14 TCU 95, Oklahoma State 92 (OT)
Feb. 17 at Central Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 21 vs. West Virginia, 4 p.m., Peacock
Feb. 24 vs. Arizona State, 8 p.m., CBSSN
Feb. 28 at Kansas State, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2
March 3 at Texas Tech, 6 p.m., FS1
Jan. 29 TCU 79, Kansas 77
Feb. 1 Texas Tech 62, TCU 60
Feb. 4 TCU 90, Houston 45
Feb. 8 Colorado 80, TCU 79
Feb. 12 TCU 83, Baylor 67
Feb. 15 vs. West Virginia, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 18 at Houston, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 22 vs. Iowa State, 3 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 25 at Cincinnati, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
March 1 vs. Baylor, 3 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 13 TCU 5, Vanderbilt 4
Feb. 14 TCU 5, Arkansas 4
Feb. 15 vs. Oklahoma (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 6:30 p.m., FloSports.TV
Feb. 17 vs. UT Arlington (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 7 p.m., none
Feb. 20 at UCLA, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 21 at UCLA, 4 p.m., BigTen+
Feb. 22 at UCLA, 3 p.m., BigTen+
Jan. 27 Stars 4, St. Louis 3
Jan. 29 Stars 5, Vegas 4 (SO)
Jan. 31 Stars 3, Utah 2
Feb. 2 Stars 4, Winnipeg 3 (OT)
Feb. 4 Stars 5, St. Louis 4
Olympic break
Feb. 25 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m., Fox, Victory+
Feb. 28 vs. Nashville, 7 p.m., Victory+
March 2 at Vancouver, 9 p.m., Victory+
March 3 at Calgary, 8 p.m., Victory+
March 6 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m., Victory+
2026 season
Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), TBA
Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, TBA
Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, TBA
Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA
Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA
Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA
Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA
Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA
Nov. 7 at Arizona, TBA
Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA
Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA
Nov. 28 at Texas Tech, TBA
2026 season
TBA vs. TBA (at Rio de Janeiro), TBA
2026 opponents (dates and times TBA; one home game will be in Rio)
vs. N.Y Giants
vs. Philadelphia
vs. Washington
vs. Arizona
vs. San Francisco
vs. Tampa Bay
vs. Jacksonville
vs. Tennessee
vs. Baltimore
at N.Y Giants
at Philadelphia
at Washington
at L.A. Rams
at Seattle
at Green Bay
at Houston
at Indianapolis
Feb. 21 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
March 6-7 Goodguys: 16th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals
March 12-15 Steak Cookoff Association World Championships
March 14 NASCAR Racing Experience
March 20-21 POWRi Racing
March 28 Mopar Heaven
April 11 NASCAR Racing Experience
April 18 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
April 18 Bubble Run
April 23-25 Pate Swap Meet
April 25 FuelFest
April 30-May 2 High Limit Racing Stockyard Stampede
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 10:26 PM.
Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.
TCU women’s basketball is back in the lead in the Big 12.
The No. 17-ranked Horned Frogs picked up their second straight win over a ranked opponent, knocking off No. 19 West Virginia 59-50 on Sunday at Schollmaier Arena.
The Horned Frogs (23-4, 11-3) extended their home winning streak to 40 games and moved into a tie for first place atop the Big 12 standings with Baylor (22-5, 11-3). TCU defeated the Bears 83-67 on Thursday in Waco.
“Every time we play [West Virginia], it’s an absolute battle,” TCU coach Mark Campbell said. “Proud of our team. I thought we were tremendous defensively for 40 minutes.”
It was tale of two halves. TCU trailed 28-22 at halftime, but seized control of the game thanks to a 20-2 run midway through the third quarter.
The Mountaineers (21-6, 11-4) were still hanging around, cutting the deficit to 53-47 with 5:59 remaining. That’s when All-American guard Olivia Miles put her stamp on the game.
After knocking down a free throw, Miles found sophomore center Clara Silva for a midrange jumper in the paint. Then Miles pushed the pace in transition and overcame contact for another layup as the Horned Frogs took their biggest lead of the evening, 58-47, with 2:50 remaining.
“It was our defense,” Miles said of the comeback. “I told the girls before the second half started to take individual pride, and we truly didn’t want our man to score on us. It just compiled, and we got into a flow state and started hitting shots. We let our defense dictate our offense.”
Miles finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Horned Frogs hit enough of their free throws down the stretch to put the Mountaineers away and complete the season sweep. TCU beat West Virginia 51-50 on Jan. 14 in Morgantown on graduate forward Marta Suarez’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
“The last two games, to go into Waco and play West Virginia in back-to-back games and to be able to get it done, this group is getting ready for March,” Campbell said. “They’re growing, and they’re doing it together.”
TCU will next travel to face Houston at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Here are three more takeaways from the win:
A run to remember
After a frustrating first half, TCU came out firing in the third quarter behind its stars, Suarez and Miles. The two had been held to a combined six points in the first half, but the halftime break allowed them to adjust to the physical style of West Virginia.
Suarez started the run with a 3 from the top of the key, and then a few plays later, she gave TCU a 30-28 lead with a bucket inside. That’s when Miles started to get involved, as she hit a layup and then found senior guard Taylor Bigby on a beautiful bounce pass through multiple defenders to extend the lead to 34-30. Miles added another assist as she found junior guard Donovyn Hunter in a corner for a 3-pointer.
Led by Miles and Suarez, TCU’s run turned a 28-22 deficit at halftime into a 42-30 lead midway through the third quarter. Suarez punctuated the run with an impressive one-legged turnaround jumper. The barrage changed the entire direction of the game, as TCU led 46-39 entering the fourth quarter and wouldn’t trail the rest of the way.
“We had that 20-2 run in the third quarter, and this group has that ability,” Campbell said. “It was like an avalanche, and we grinded it out.”
Suarez finished with 14 points and five rebounds while knocking down two 3-pointers.
Clara Silva the X-factor
With Suarez and Miles struggling in the first half, the Horned Frogs leaned on the 6-foot-7 Silva to stay within range. With West Virginia’s tallest player only being 6-3, Silva had a noticeable size advantage, which TCU exploited.
Silva scored TCU’s first four points of the game and finished with 10 in the first half. Silva showed her immense potential — and where she needs to continue to grow — against the Mountaineers. Her length and touch around the rim flustered West Virginia, but Silva also had multiple possessions when she settled for a fadeaway jumper instead of leaning into her defender.
“She’s still figuring out how good she is,” Campbell said. “She’s still gaining confidence in her ability to go at people and punish them. I thought she stabilized us in the first quarter and allowed us to get our footing.”
Silva had a smaller role offensively in the second half as Miles and Suarez began to take over, but she was still a vital part of the comeback, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
“I just wanted to keep working because my team trusts me so much and Mark trusts me so much,” Silva said. “I just have to trust myself that even when I make mistakes to keep going, stay physical and play hard. Being around such great guards I get open a lot, and I just have to take advantage of those opportunities when the ball gets to me.”
A sound defensive game plan
The Mountaineers made life tough on TCU offensively with a physical style of defense that disrupted the Horned Frogs’ flow. It wasn’t a surprise considering the Mountaineers held TCU to a season-low 51 points in their previous meeting, but the familiarity with West Virginia’s style didn’t help TCU early.
West Virginia emphasized ball denial and was aggressive in playing passing lanes as the Mountaineers forced six turnovers in the first half. Suarez dealt with foul trouble, and Miles was held scoreless until midway through the second quarter.
Unlike Baylor, which played off of Miles and let her hoist up 3s in TCU’s win Thursday (making 10), the Mountaineers threw bodies at Miles when she drove to the lane and defenders like Jordan Harrison played tight on Miles during every pick-and-roll scenario.
West Virginia’s defensive strategy didn’t have the same impact in the second half. After shooting just 36% in the first, TCU shot 68% from the floor in the second half.
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Feb. 3 Boston 110, Mavericks 100
Feb. 5 San Antonio 135, Mavericks 123
Feb. 7 San Antonio 138, Mavericks 125
Feb. 10 Phoenix 120, Mavericks 111
Feb. 12 L.A. Lakers 124, Mavericks 104
Feb. 20 at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN, KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 22 at Indiana, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 24 at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 26 vs. Sacramento, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 27 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Jan. 28 Houston 79, TCU 70
Feb. 1 Colorado 87, TCU 61
Feb. 7 TCU 84, Kansas State 82
Feb. 10 TCU 62, Iowa State 55
Feb. 14 TCU 95, Oklahoma State 92 (OT)
Feb. 17 at Central Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 21 vs. West Virginia, 4 p.m., Peacock
Feb. 24 vs. Arizona State, 8 p.m., CBSSN
Feb. 28 at Kansas State, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2
March 3 at Texas Tech, 6 p.m., FS1
Jan. 29 TCU 79, Kansas 77
Feb. 1 Texas Tech 62, TCU 60
Feb. 4 TCU 90, Houston 45
Feb. 8 Colorado 80, TCU 79
Feb. 12 TCU 83, Baylor 67
Feb. 15 vs. West Virginia, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 18 at Houston, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 22 vs. Iowa State, 3 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 25 at Cincinnati, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
March 1 vs. Baylor, 3 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 13 TCU 5, Vanderbilt 4
Feb. 14 TCU 5, Arkansas 4
Feb. 15 vs. Oklahoma (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 6:30 p.m., FloSports.TV
Feb. 17 vs. UT Arlington (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 7 p.m., none
Feb. 20 at UCLA, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 21 at UCLA, 4 p.m., BigTen+
Feb. 22 at UCLA, 3 p.m., BigTen+
Jan. 27 Stars 4, St. Louis 3
Jan. 29 Stars 5, Vegas 4 (SO)
Jan. 31 Stars 3, Utah 2
Feb. 2 Stars 4, Winnipeg 3 (OT)
Feb. 4 Stars 5, St. Louis 4
Olympic break
Feb. 25 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m., Fox, Victory+
Feb. 28 vs. Nashville, 7 p.m., Victory+
March 2 at Vancouver, 9 p.m., Victory+
March 3 at Calgary, 8 p.m., Victory+
March 6 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m., Victory+
2026 season
Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), TBA
Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, TBA
Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, TBA
Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA
Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA
Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA
Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA
Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA
Nov. 7 at Arizona, TBA
Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA
Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA
Nov. 28 at Texas Tech, TBA
2026 season
TBA vs. TBA (at Rio de Janeiro), TBA
2026 opponents (dates and times TBA; one home game will be in Rio)
vs. N.Y Giants
vs. Philadelphia
vs. Washington
vs. Arizona
vs. San Francisco
vs. Tampa Bay
vs. Jacksonville
vs. Tennessee
vs. Baltimore
at N.Y Giants
at Philadelphia
at Washington
at L.A. Rams
at Seattle
at Green Bay
at Houston
at Indianapolis
Feb. 21 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
March 6-7 Goodguys: 16th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals
March 12-15 Steak Cookoff Association World Championships
March 14 NASCAR Racing Experience
March 20-21 POWRi Racing
March 28 Mopar Heaven
April 11 NASCAR Racing Experience
April 18 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
April 18 Bubble Run
April 23-25 Pate Swap Meet
April 25 FuelFest
April 30-May 2 High Limit Racing Stockyard Stampede
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 9:16 PM.
Luzerne County Council’s Code Review Committee will meet Thursday to further discuss a proposed new economic development division.
A council majority had voted last month to refer the matter to the committee instead of keeping it on a work session agenda for deliberation.
County Manager Romilda Crocamo has said the proposed new Infrastructure, Community, and Economic Development Division would work with County Council “to recruit the right development for Luzerne County.” It would be the first new division added since the January 2012 implementation of the county’s home rule structure, which created eight divisions.
Council members collectively expressed support for the concept, but they were divided on whether the county should proceed with the proposal.
Committees make recommendations to the full council.
Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino is chairing the Code Review Committee, while Councilman John Lombardo is the committee vice chair. Council members Denise Williams and Dawn Simmons are also on the committee.
Thursday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted in council’s online public meeting section at luzernecounty.org.
Sabatino has said he will advocate a division name change “to avoid confusion with federal agencies.” Some citizens have been calling the new division ICE, though it has nothing to do with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Purchasing manual
Council unanimously voted last week to introduce an ordinance amending the purchasing manual.
The ordinance will require a public hearing and majority passage at a future meeting to take effect.
It would raise the threshold required to seek comparison price quotes for purchases.
The county’s home rule charter, implemented in 2012, said quotes must be obtained for purchases between $2,500 and $25,000, while publicly advertised bids or fee proposals are necessary for purchases exceeding $25,000. The charter gives council authority to change those parameters.
The proposed change would switch to Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry bid thresholds calculated annually based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments.
For 2026, purchases between $13,200 and $24,500 would require written or telephonic price quotes under the state labor department standard.
No quotes or bidding would be mandated for purchases and contracts below $13,200 in this scenario. Formal bidding and public notice must be completed for purchases over $24,500, which is $500 below the county’s home rule charter parameter.
In an emailed public comment to the council last week, Jackson Township resident Katrina Domkowski strongly urged council to keep the existing thresholds intact, saying the structure “ensures transparency, competition, and fiscal accountability.”
“This isn’t just about finding the lowest price; it is about evaluating cost against service and performance. When we allow expenditures as high as $13,199 to be made without a second or third opinion, we forfeit our ability to ensure we are receiving the best possible value,” Domkowski wrote.
Dog licenses
The county issued a release last week urging county residents to protect their dog by purchasing or renewing a license in 2026.
State law requires all dogs to be licensed at the point of purchase or adoption, it said, noting owners can face fines up to $500 plus court costs for each unlicensed dog.
Melony Jones, county licensing department administrative assistant, said licenses are the fastest way to bring a lost dog home.
“Many times a week, the county’s licensing department gets calls about a found dog from concerned citizens who just want to get the dogs back to their owners,” Jones said in the release. “It feels great to be able to give them a name, address, or phone number to reconnect these pets with their owners. Unfortunately, there are instances that the dog isn’t wearing a tag, and we must advise them to take them to a local shelter in hopes that the owner will look for them there. That should not happen, and dog owners should know their responsibilities.”
An annual dog license is $10.80. Lifetime licenses are available for $52.80 for dogs with a microchip or tattoo. Senior adults and those with disabilities receive discounted rates of $8.80 annually or $36.80 for a lifetime license.
License purchasing is available at padoglicense.com or in person at three locations — the county Licensing Department in the Penn Place Building, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Wilkes-Barre; the county SPCA at 524 E. Main St. in Wilkes-Barre; and the Hazleton Animal Shelter at 101 N. Poplar St. in Hazleton.
To increase accessibility, the county is teaming up with a few state representatives for Saturday “pop-up licensing events” to sell dog licenses on site, including:
• March 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski’s office, 1325 N. River St., Suite 106, Plains Township.
• March 14, 9 a.m. to noon, at state Rep. Jamie Walsh’s office, 2825 Memorial Highway, Dallas.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
Carmona stabbed Colgrove with an unknown weapon on Jan. 31, stole a car and kidnapped a 4-year-old boy, according to court records.
Colgrove shared the same home address as Carmona, according to court records, but their relationship is unclear. The Mansfield Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for more information on Sunday.
Patrol officers found the missing 4-year-old in the stolen car with Carmona, and the child was later rescued in Missouri after an AMBER Alert, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Carmona’s relationship to the boy was not immediately clear.
Carmona faces charges of murder, aggravated kidnapping and theft of property, according to Tarrant County jail records.
‘Creator of Joy’ family mourn beloved baker
Colgrove, who was a baker with over 20 years of experience, was remembered as a “creator of joy, a weaver of memories, and an artist of life,” according to an online obituary.
The obituary described Colgrove as someone who, “embodied selflessness, kindness, and humor, radiating warmth and compassion to all around her.”
“She lived by the teachings of her savior, Jesus Christ, and her generous spirit was evident in her unwavering support of family and friends,” relatives wrote in the obituary. “She was a trustworthy confidant, a fierce advocate, and a loving presence who enriched the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know her.”
Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.
A researcher was rescued on Sunday after being injured inside one of the deepest Texas caves in Terrell County, officials said.
Texas Game Wardens
A researcher was rescued on Sunday after being injured inside one of the deepest Texas caves in Terrell County, officials said.
A research team was in Sorcerer’s Cave, Texas’ deepest cave at 567 feet, Saturday evening, when a rock broke loose during the ascent and struck a female researcher in the head about 6 p.m., according to Texas Game Wardens.
“Due to the cave’s depth and vertical layout, the group could not alert authorities until about 9 p.m.,” officials with Texas Game Wardens wrote in a social media post.
Texas Game Wardens, along with the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol BORSTAR, the Fort Stockton and Sanderson fire departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Sanderson EMS crew extricated the group about 5 a.m. Sunday, officials said.
The injured researcher was airlifted to a hospital in Odessa, officials said. Her condition was not unknown.
Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.
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One person was shot multiple times early Sunday in south Fort Worth and hospitalized, police said.
Fort Worth police officers responded about 3 a.m. to the shooting in the 1100 block of Oak Grove Road, police said in a news release.
When officers arrived they found a person with multiple gunshot wounds. The person was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
No arrests related to the shooting have been made, police said.
Police said gun violence detectives are investigating the shooting.
Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.
Though it lies only minutes from Interstate 35, Michelle Quant’s property off FM 1187 near Burleson seems a world away from the city and its crowds.
Down the hill from the plantation-style home, pecan and walnut trees surround a spring-fed pond that provides water for horses and cattle, as well as a home for catfish and bass. If you look, you can make out a nearby subdivision and some commercial buildings through the treeline, but those are about the only reminders of encroaching urban sprawl, at least for now.
In April 2025, Greg Coontz, a Burleson attorney, and his sister, Cathy Frederick, a Burleson Realtor, filed an application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to allow a privately owned wastewater treatment facility to discharge treated wastewater into a normally dry creek bed that runs through Quant’s property into Village Creek, which in turn runs into Lake Arlington.
The wastewater system is meant to support a proposed mobile home community that’s slated to go on a vacant 65-acre lot directly across from Quant on the north side of FM 1187. According to TCEQ filings, the community is expected to grow from 10 mobile homes in 2027 to more than 1,100 by 2036. At its peak, the wastewater treatment facility would discharge up to 225,000 gallons per day of treated effluent into the creek that crosses Quant’s land, depositing water into her pond on its way to Village Creek.
The wastewater system is meant to support a proposed mobile home community that’s slated to go on a vacant 65-acre lot directly across from Quant on the north side of F.M. 1187. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
Residents worry about health, environment
In late January, nearly a dozen nearby neighbors gathered around Quant’s dining room table and aired their concerns about what Coontz and Frederick are proposing to do. Neither Coontz nor Frederick responded to the Star-Telegram’s requests for comment, nor did the attorney they hired to oversee their TCEQ filing case.
Michelle Quant voices her concerns about a proposed wastewater treatment facility located next to her property during a meeting with neighbors on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. The wastewater facility would discharge treated wastewater into a normally dry creek bed that runs through Quant’s property. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
For her part, Quant doesn’t want treated effluent flowing into the pond where her livestock drinks and her family and youngsters from her church fish.
When she reviewed Coontz and Frederick’s TCEQ filing, she was surprised to find that nowhere did it mention that her pond lay along the effluent path.
Michelle Quant is worried about a proposed wastewater treatment facility located next to her property. She doesn’t want treated effluent flowing into a pond where her livestock drinks and her family fishes. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
Other residents worry about the impact of the treated wastewater on the Village Creek watershed, where an environmental protection plan was put in place several years ago to reduce pollution. Some fear the two proposed holding ponds near the wastewater treatment facility could overflow during a heavy rain, worsening flooding in an already flood-prone area and potentially contaminating the groundwater.
Still others believe the treatment facility will create nuisance odors or affect air quality, or that treated effluent discharged into the dry creek that feeds into Village Creek will stagnate, attracting mosquitoes.
Connie Dunn, who attended the meeting at Quant’s house, said she’s worried about her daughter, Em, who has an autoimmune disease. Dunn wonders if particulates in the air from the wastewater treatment facility could make her daughter ill.
TCEQ’s manual for managing small domestic wastewater systems lists several common violations at wastewater treatment facilities. Among those is the failure to keep effluent discharge under the permitted level. Other common problems include equipment deterioration stemming from poor maintenance and erosion of wastewater holding ponds.
A proposed wastewater treatment facility would discharge treated effluent into a normally dry creek bed that runs through Quant’s property. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website shows there are 123 sites in Burleson with water permits. Of those, only two are listed as having current violations. One of those sites with a violation is a water treatment facility at the Escondido Village Mobile Home Community on Bethesda Road, which is permitted to discharge up to 19,500 gallons per day of effluent into the Village Creek watershed, according to TCEQ records.
Based on a Google satellite image, there are approximately 50 to 60 residential units in Escondido Village. Over the past two years, the wastewater treatment system has never had a major EPA violation, but it has been out of compliance four times for effluent falling below the minimum oxygen concentration value and five times for effluent exceeding the maximum value for suspended solids. The site was also flagged for having late or missing compliance reports in 2024.
According to online records, TCEQ issued a violation notice to the owners of the Escondido Village site in February 2025 after someone reported raw sewage being discharged as result of a malfunction at the wastewater treatment facility. There was another report that same month of raw sewage discharge, but there was no record of how that case was ultimately handled.
Escondido Village management did not respond to a message requesting comment.
The TCEQ spokesperson did not comment when asked how often the agency will test or monitor the treated effluent entering Quant’s property, but the Escondido Village permit, which was last renewed in 2022, requires the owners to submit monitoring data monthly.
Joe Robledo, a spokesman at the EPA’s Dallas office, said in an email the agency doesn’t track how often violations occur at small- to mid-sized domestic wastewater treatment facilities.
“Failure at any wastewater treatment facility is not generally due to size as long as the system is designed, operated, and maintained properly,” Robledo said. “A more common potential issue for small systems is if operators keep accepting new connections as the population increases without redesigning the system to handle increased capacity.
Residents bemoan lack of communication
The people who met at Quant’s house want assurances about the wastewater treatment facility that could be coming to their neighborhood, and almost all said they were disappointed that only a handful of nearby property owners were formally notified about Coontz and Frederick’s TCEQ filing. Quant was one of them, and she’s the one who spread the word.
“If it wasn’t for Michelle, none of us would be sitting here today,” said Chad Brantley, who added that no one from the neighborhood had heard from Coontz or Frederick or the developer they partnered with to build the mobile home community.
Lawn signs show opposition to a privately owned wastewater treatment facility for a proposed mobile home community that’s slated to go on a vacant 65-acre lot in a Burleson neighborhood on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
Quant also pointed out that the public notice that was required as part of the TCEQ filing was posted at the Crowley Public Library, six miles east — and in an entirely different city — from the wastewater treatment site.
According to a TCEQ spokesperson, the agency’s chief clerk mails out notices to adjacent and downstream property owners when a wastewater permit application is filed.
But it is incumbent upon the applicant to identify those property owners as part of the permit application process. If other residents wish to receive notice, they must register with the TCEQ.
Responses from local and state agencies
A spokesperson with the Fort Worth Water Department said the proposed site for the wastewater treatment facility was at one time part of the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, but it was removed at the property owner’s request. Therefore, the property isn’t eligible for Fort Worth city utilities. Drinking water is supplied to the area by the Bethesda Water Supply Corporation, and surrounding homes have septic systems for wastewater.
Lake Arlington isn’t a municipal water source for Fort Worth, but it is a source of drinking water for Arlington.
When asked if the wastewater treatment plant’s effluent would pose a threat to Lake Arlington’s water quality, a spokesperson for the city of Arlington issued a statement that included the following:
“Arlington residents should know that wastewater treatment methods approved and monitored by the TCEQ prevent negative water quality impacts and protect our watershed.”
Michelle Quant is concerned effluent from a proposed wastewater treatment facility will flow into the pond her livestock drinks out of and her family and youngsters from her church fish in. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
The statement also said the millions of gallons of raw water entering Arlington’s two water treatment plants each day is tested throughout the day, “with the number of tests typically exceeding 125,000 in a single 24-hour period.”
Representatives from the Trinity River Authority of Texas, which implemented the Village Creek watershed protection program, did not respond to a request for comment.
The TCEQ spokesperson said the agency is scheduling a public meeting for Coontz and Frederick’s application. A date has not been set, but a notice will be posted 30 days in advance of that meeting.
According to the TCEQ website, these meetings are opportunities for the public to provide feedback and ask the applicant questions. A representative from TCEQ is also present for questions. A decision on the fate of an application, however, is not determined at a public meeting.
As of mid-January, Coontz and Frederick’s application had received more than 400 comments on the TCEQ website. There were numerous duplicates, but the message was clear: people who live nearby don’t want the wastewater treatment facility.
The TCEQ spokesperson didn’t directly address most of the concerns raised by Quant and her neighbors, but she did say TCEQ’s executive director will provide a written response to the comments the agency received. After that, the spokesperson said, those who still oppose the wastewater treatment application will have 30 days to ask for a reconsideration or a contested case hearing.
The contested case hearing is similar to a civil trial, presided over by an administrative judge. TCEQ commissioners consider all requests for a contested case hearing, the agency’s website says, but they can deny those requests.
“Therefore,” the TCEQ website reads, “it is very important that requesters fully explain — in their written comments, hearing requests and other filings — the reasons why their hearing request should be granted.”
At this point, TCEQ has determined, at least preliminarily, that Coontz and Frederick’s application meets state and federal requirements. In December, the agency issued a draft permit. If the final permit is granted, it will remain in effect for five years before renewal is required.
For now, worried residents are anxiously awaiting the public meeting, and Quant is hanging her hopes on getting a contested case hearing on the books. If that happens, the future of this area could come down to how strong an argument the community makes.
Matt Adams is a news reporter covering Fort Worth, Tarrant County and surrounding areas. He previously wrote about aviation and travel and enjoys a good weekend road trip. Matt joined the Star-Telegram in January 2025.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is in entering the fifth year of his 10-year, $325 million contract.
Chris Torres
ctorres@star-telegram.com
The Category 7 tornado that is the Los Angeles Dodgers cut a swath through the hopes of at least a dozen MLB clubs long before the regular season begins.
The Texas Rangers are not the Pirates, Rockies, Marlins or the other handful of teams that play the same game as the Dodgers, but aren’t in their league. The Rangers are also no longer in the upper echelon, where they previously paid to belong.
Since the 2025 season ended, the Rangers are acting like one of the clubs that expects the league to save them. The team is gambling that MLB will implement a hard salary cap in its next collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association, a deal that expires Dec. 1.
There is often alarming rhetoric and threats between the players and ownership when it comes to CBA negotiations, but this time it sounds more like 1994, when a players’ strike wiped out the World Series.
The Rangers’ ‘big market’ challenge
The last time the contract between the players union and the league expired, in the winter of 2021, resulting in a lockout that did not affect the regular season, the Rangers didn’t worry about anything. Rangers owner Ray Davis told then-GM Jon Daniels to spend some of their money; just before the CBA expired, the team signed expensive free agentsCorey Seager, Kole Calhoun, Marcus Semien and Jon Gray.
The next year, they signed free agent pitcher Jacob deGrom. In the span of two offseasons, the Rangers committed to more than $740 million for five players. Consistently, Davis approved moves that added to the payroll, including a 2-year, $37 million deal for DH Joc Pederson, signed in December 2024.
That spending aggression has stopped. The change in the regional TV sports model affected the Rangers, as the once-lucrative deal with Fox Sports Southwest, eventually Bally, was effectively scrapped two years ago. That loss of revenue is not everything, but it’s not nothing.
Rangers GM Chris Young is adamant that given the size — and growth — of Dallas-Fort Worth, the Rangers should never have to go through a rebuild and unload their top players.
DFW is the fourth-largest media market in the U.S., behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. There is usually a direct correlation between media markets and the top payrolls in MLB. The Rangers are an outlier; their projected payroll of $214 million in 2026 is 14th in the league; they were sixth in 2025.
Davis and the ownership group are feeling the fatigue of covering a top five, or 10, payroll, something they’ve done consistently in nearly 15 years of running the franchise. With the prospect, and increasing pressure reportedly from other franchises on MLB to create a new payroll structure, the Rangers are one of many teams not active in free agency for the 2026 season.
MLB’s ‘Dodger’ Problem
The sustained success of the Dodgers has increased the temperature on MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to correct the imbalance in the league.
The two-time defending champion Dodgers’ 2026 payroll is projected to be $414 million, which includes the MLB payroll tax. That would be more than the combined payrolls of three teams — the Guardians, Rays and Marlins. The Dodgers’ payroll is expected to be $90 million to $100 million more than any other team.
When the team signed top free agent Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract in January, the reaction in baseball was, “That’s enough.” All this does is increase the overall price on salaries.
This has happened before in the last 30 years, but the gap between big spenders and those who don’t has never been so wide.
Since big money started to pour into MLB in the early ‘90s, the perception/concern is that too many teams essentially act as farm systems for the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Cubs and Red Sox.
Since 2015, one team outside the top 10 in payroll has won the World Series: the Braves in 2021. Their payroll was 11th. Six times since 2015 the World Series champion’s payroll ranked in the top five.
The players union will fight anything that obstructs spending. The owners will insist the only way to get a balanced field among 30 teams is a cap, which will make the game more affordable to families. They’re lying about the last part.
According to a report by ESPN, there is momentum among owners to dig in for a salary cap.
The Rangers in MLB’s future system
MLB is the only major sports league without a hard salary cap. The league established a payroll tax in 1997, which was later branded a Competitive Balance Tax, but this is not a drag on salaries.
The MLBPA has routinely exploited the fractured state of the MLB owners to win this point in negotiations. Historically, there are just enough owners to stop the league from going all in to enforce the financial restrictions and penalties that exist in the NBA, NFL and NHL.
The last 30 years of pro sports has shown the owners will overspend, driving up the salaries on coaches and players.
Even if the Rangers are in a top-five media market, they’ve never had top-five media market revenues, which did not stop Hicks or Davis from spending like it. Under Hicks, spending did not lead to winning, which ultimately convinced him build through the farm system.
Under Davis, spending resulted in a World Series, and now a place where they are betting that the next CBA will allow them to contend for another title without having to spend like the Dodgers.
Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality. Support my work with a digital subscription
The Horned Frogs have made a statement with two wins over ranked teams to start the season.
Saturday night, pitcher/utility player Noah Franco talked about what the wins mean early on.
“We knew we had the talent coming in. We were a good ball club, now we’re good ball brothers. We’re all coming together and playing like one. Yesterday, we’re getting punched in the face, and we’re coming right back,” Franco said. “There’s nothing really affecting us in the dugout, practice, any of that, we’re all in together.“
Centerfielder Brunson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. But it wasn’t just him. The entire Horned Frogs offense got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in two of the first three innings, then one in the ensuing six to open the door for Arkansas.
Brunson talked about the key to getting off to a fast start.
“Just get going early and stay going. Our offense is dangerous, and we got a lot of talent on it, so once one guy gets hot, the rest of the lineup will continue to grow and continue to get on base,” said Brunson.
Franco strong out of the bullpen
Franco is hitless in eight at-bats to start the season, but the two-way player showed off his bona fides with his first stint out of the bullpen.
Head coach Kirk Saarloos talked about Franco’s two-way impact.
“Noah’s great like that, like last year, I remember a couple times he didn’t have the best outing, and then he would come back in, in the DH spot and hit a homer or two. So he doesn’t let one affect the other. He’s gonna get his hits, It’s just a matter of time,” said Saarloos, “He’s gonna get going offensively. We have no doubt in our mind about it.
“When we came into the season, when we would DH him, we thought we’d use him [as a pitcher], I wasn’t planning on using him quite as long as I did, but after the eighth inning, he rolled back to the dugout and looked me in the eyes and said, ‘I’m not coming out.’”
Franco explained why he wanted to stay in the game.
“How competitive I am in that type of situation, I knew I’m not gonna just try to hand it off to the next person on there. I got called for a reason,” Franco said. “Because of the top talent on the field, and I knew I had capability.”
Franco relieved Zack James, who gave up two earned runs in two innings pitched and was TCU’s best pitcher on the day. He gave up no runs or hits with four strikeouts in three innings of work, also earning the win.
Wasted opportunities
Mason Broomfield gave up two runs in four innings of work off three hits with six strikeouts.
Broomfield’s final stats may belie how much he had to work throughout the game. He had four walks and struggled to consistently find the strike zone, but when it mattered most, he stymied the Razorbacks.
One of Arkansas’ best chances came in the third inning with the bases loaded and only one out. The Razorbacks got a fielder’s choice to score a run, but a second fielder’s choice by Aloy Kuhio ended the inning without further damage.
Another great opportunity came in the fourth inning after an overturned call put Ryder Helfrick up with the bases loaded. Broomfield forced Helfrick to hit a soft ground out and TCU escaped the inning.
The Razorbacks went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and 0 for 9 with runners on base against Broomfield and didn’t fare much better versus the other Horned Frogs pitchers, with only one hit all game with runners on base or in scoring position.
Saarloos talked about how his pitching staff avoided giving up a big inning.
“I think it comes down to toughness, like we’ve been talking a bunch about that, [what] you’re going to come up with in situations where you got to be resilient and kind of put the past in the past and be able to move to the next pitch and be 100% behind that pitch.
“And I think that’s that’s key when you have a good offensive club and a great club over there, you got to make pitches. And for the most part, I thought we made some pretty good pitches.”
TCU will play Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Globe Life Field.
This story was originally published February 14, 2026 at 11:17 PM.
Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.
HAZLE TWP. — When the time came to come up big, Dallas did so like the two-time defending Wyoming Valley Conference Tournament boys champion.
Pat Flanagan did his part, scoring the go-ahead basket with 2:43 remaining and then plucking an offensive rebound off a missed free throw with 19.5 seconds remaining as Dallas edged Crestwood 43-38 Saturday afternoon for the title.
The Mountaineers (21-3) also held Crestwood (16-8) to one point over the final 2:43 for their third win over the Comets this season.
“They want to keep the game in the 30s,” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said. “The tempo, we showed we can play at that level. We didn’t play very well, but we got through it.”
Pat and his brother Chris combined on a key sequence with 22.5 seconds left. Crestwood used up all its foul before putting Chris Flanagan on the line. He hit his first free throw for a 39-37 lead, but missed his second.
A Crestwood player got his hands on the ball, but Pat Flanagan sailed in to grab it. That led to two free throws by Kael Berry with 19.5 seconds left that bumped the lead to 41-37.
“This is a big game. We’ve been thinking about this game all summer,” Pat Flanagan said. “Preparing long hours in the gym. It paid off.”
After a free throw by Crestwood’s Gio Barna, Dallas finished off winning its fourth title in five years with two more free throws.
Crestwood entered the game with the WVC’s best defense, while Dallas came in with the top-scoring offense. Crestwood was able to tilt the game its way through the first half.
Crestwood used a pair of 3-pointers by Connor Wagaman to outscore Dallas 14-5 in the second quarter and take a 22-15 lead into halftime.
“We knew we had to make a comeback,” Pat Flanagan said. “The third quarter is our quarter. We knew we could do it and we got it done.”
Dallas caught Crestwood in the third quarter as an inside basket by Joey Nocito and a pair of free throws by Berry gave the Mountaineers a 29-28 lead entering the fourth.
Crestwood built its fourth-quarter lead to 35-31 with six minutes left on inside baskets by Ayden Agapito and Wagaman. Pat Flanagan, though, prevented the Comets from extending the lead with a steal that Tyce Mason turned into a layup.
Mason’s basket ended a two-minute drought for Dallas.
The game had no bearing on the District 2 seedings. Crestwood will be the second seed in Class 5A and be off until Friday’s semifinal round.
“Like I told our guys, we got two good games,” Crestwood coach Mark Atherton said. “If we can learn from a few mistakes and it comes down to a couple possessions and we take care of those going forward obviously it was worth it.”
Dallas will be the top seed in 4A and host Mid Valley on Tuesday.
“We got to keep the momentum rolling,” Pat Flanagan said. “That’s 10 or 11 in a row. We just got to keep it going through districts.”
Local real estate taxes are increasing in 29 of Luzerne County’s 76 municipalities this year, according to a county report.
The highest increase — 3 mills — is in Ashley borough, where taxes are rising 62%, from 4.85 to 7.85 mills.
To figure out the actual tax payment, the assessed value of a property must be divided by 1,000 and then multiplied by the millage rate.
This means the owner of a property assessed at $100,000 in Ashley will now pay $785 in borough taxes, or $300 more.
Ashley representatives have said the municipality needed an increase to cover rising expenses, including health insurance.
Newport Township is next in line, with a 2.25-mill increase.
The township tax bill will increase $225 on a $100,000 property — from $450 to $675 — due to the 50% hike, which raises municipal taxes from 4.5 to 6.75 mills.
Newport Township Manager Joseph Hillan said township officials exhaustively explored “every avenue for revenue and cuts” before considering a tax increase.
A tax increase was necessary to fund increased costs for workers’ compensation, health insurance, general insurance, and police protection, Hillan said.
“Everything went up, and nothing is going down,” Hillan said of these expenses.
The township’s 24-hour police coverage is important to residents, and law enforcement compensation must remain competitive with other municipalities to ensure the township can recruit and retain officers, he said.
Hillan said the township has experienced minimal real estate growth, but not enough to cover increased costs.
Ranking third is Hazleton, with a 2.008-mill increase equating to $201 more on a $100,000 property.
This increase from 9.1320 to 11.14 mills equates to 22%.
Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat said rising healthcare costs were the primary reason an increase was needed.
Wilkes-Barre Township’s increase was higher than these three municipalities from a percentage standpoint.
Taxes are rising 63.6% in Wilkes-Barre Township — from 2.75 to 4.5 mills.
That 1.75-mill increase will raise the municipal tax bill from $275 to $450 on a $100,000 property, or $175 more.
The other 25 municipalities with increases, as shown in mills, according to the county data or information supplied by municipalities:
• Bear Creek Township, 0.4412 to 0.5515 (0.1103 more)
• Dallas, 3 to 3.5 (0.5 more)
• Dallas Township, 3.15 to 3.25 (0.1 more)
• Dennison Township, 0.5 to 0.75 (0.25 more)
• Dupont, 1.725 to 2.1250 (0.4 more)
• Edwardsville, 4.45 to 5.95 (1.5 more)
• Exeter, 2.0079 to 2.3565 (0.3486 more)
• Exeter Township, 1.61 to 1.811 (0.201 more)
• Fairmount Township, 1.3475 to 1.41 (0.0625 more)
• Forty Fort, 5.59 to 6.59 (1 more)
• Harveys Lake, 0.8040 to 1.0452 (0.2412 more)
• Jackson Township, 3.94 to 4.04 (0.1 more)
• Jenkins Township, 2.075 to 2.6 (0.525 more)
• Kingston Township, 1 to 1.5 (0.5 more)
• Larksville, 4 to 5 (1 more)
• Lehman Township, 3.85 to 4 (0.15 more)
• Luzerne, 4.0129 to 4.1312 (0.1183 more)
• Nanticoke, 6.9258 to 7.9758 (1.05 more)
• Nuangola, 0.444 to 0.555 (0.111 more)
• Pittston, 6.85 to 8.1 (1.25 more)
• Plains Township, 1.97 to 3 (1.03 more)
• Plymouth, 7.72 to 8.22 (0.5 more)
• Sugarloaf Township, 2.68 to 3.18 (0.5 more)
• West Hazleton, 5.77 to 7.38 (1.61 more)
• White Haven, 7.5 to 8.25 (0.75 more)
No change
Millage rates will remain the same in 44 municipalities, and there are no real estate taxes in Buck and Slocum townships.
The county report lists the following unchanged total municipal millage rates: Avoca, 3.1; Bear Creek Village, 0.5490; Black Creek Township, 0.72; Butler Township, 1.098; Conyngham, 3.63; Conyngham Township, 1.877; Courtdale, 2.5; Dorrance Township, 0.75; Duryea, 2.7; Fairview Township, 1.85; Foster Township, 1; Franklin Township, 0.6350; Freeland, 5.27; Hanover Township, 5.5; Hazle Township, 0.75; Hughestown, 2.4; Hunlock Township, 1.41; Huntington Township, 0.58; Jeddo, 0.336; Kingston, 1.55; Laflin, 1.8476; Lake Township, 0.5; Laurel Run, 1.4683; Nescopeck, 3.2; Nescopeck Township, 1.55; New Columbus, 0.37; Penn Lake Park, 4.6; Pittston Township, 1.9; Plymouth Township, 1.386; Pringle, 0.75; Rice Township, 1.08; Ross Township, 0.44; Salem Township, 3.25; Shickshinny, 1.1329; Sugar Notch, 6; Swoyersville, 2.55; Union Township, 0.4; Warrior Run, 3.8; West Pittston, 4.295; West Wyoming, 2.5; Wright Township, 1.3; Wyoming, 3.7905; Yatesville, 0.612; and Wilkes-Barre, 141.33.
Wilkes-Barre’s assessment is skewed because the city did not convert to new market value assessments in the countywide reassessment.
Tax decrease
The remaining municipality — Hollenback Township — has a slight tax decrease.
Taxes were lowered from 0.6 to 0.58 mill, which means the owner of a $100,000 property will save $2 and pay $58 instead of $60.
Township Supervisor Dave Thomas said the savings “wasn’t that much” but may mean something to residents.
“We have a lot of retired senior citizens in this community and wanted to try to help the people out,” Thomas said. “We get by with what we have.”
County taxes
The county millage rate is increasing from 6.3541 to 6.4494 mills.
For a $100,000 property, the county tax bill will rise from $635.41 to $644.94, a $9.53 increase.
Combined 2026 county/municipal tax bills are targeted for issuance on Feb. 20, according to the county Budget/Finance Division.
Property owners will have two months, or until April 21, to pay at a 2% discount.
Payments are then at the full, or face, amount for an additional two months, until June 23.
A 10% penalty is added for taxes paid for the rest of the year.
The county noted it is not involved in municipal tax billing for Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, or Nanticoke.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
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A suspected drunk driver accused of killing two people and injuring two in a North Texas crash turned herself in to face charges including intoxication manslaughter, Azle police said on Saturday.
The five-car crash occurred on Sept. 23 in the 13000 block of FM 730 S. in Azle. Two people — 67-year-old Robert Anness and 73-year-old Johna Wicker — died at the scene, and two others were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
The driver of a northbound vehicle veered into the southbound lanes, hitting one car head-on and causing a chain-reaction crash, authorities said.
Azle police investigated with the Tarrant County Accident Reconstruction Team, which resulted in multiple charges against 48-year-old Tammy Jo Lawrence, of Springtown, police said in a news release on Saturday.
On Friday, Feb. 13, Lawrence turned herself in after being told that warrants had been issued for her arrest on two counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.
Lawrence was taken to the Parker County Jail and is being held on over $50,000 bond. Jail records show she also faces a charge of driving with an invalid license.
State Rep. James Talarico, left, and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Democratic primary candidates for U.S. Senate, shake hands prior to a debate at the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown, Texas, on Jan. 24, 2026.
Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune via POOL
This week, Texans have their first chance to cast ballots in what is guaranteed to be a critical midterm election year.
Early voting begins Feb. 17 in primaries across the state, including county offices, courts, the Texas Legislature, Congress and the biggest one of all — the Texas race for U.S. Senate, where incumbent John Cornyn has drawn a slate of Republican primary challengers, and two Democratic candidates are drawing national attention (and dollars).
The primaries will set up November showdowns, when Republicans in Congress hope to cling onto their slim majority. Texas isn’t about to turn blue, but Democrats intend to capitalize on what could be a vulnerable year for the GOP.
Here’s a closer look at who’s on the ballot in challenged races across North Texas and what’s at stake with your vote. Early voting is Feb. 17-27, and primary election day is March 3.
The U.S. Senate race in Texas is arguably the closest-watched this election cycle, as Cornyn hopes to hold onto the seat he’s held since 2003. On the Republican side, candidates are trying to cast themselves as the most conservative pick as they jockey for the backing of President Donald Trump. For the Democrats, it’s a battle of style over substance as the frontrunners make their case for why they’re best positioned to win in November.
Democrats eye a blue flip in November
Democrats haven’t won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, a losing streak they hope to end in November.
Democratic primary voters will pick between leading candidates U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett from Dallas and state Rep. James Talarico from Round Rock. Also in the race is Ahmad Hassan from Katy.
When it comes to policy, there isn’t much that separates Crockett, an attorney and former state lawmaker, and Talarico, a former public school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian.
Crockett told the Star-Telegram her priorities are affordability; fixing the country’s “broken healthcare system”; and establishing comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to legal status or citizenship, while also investing in border personnel and technology to keep out drug traffickers.
Talarico said he’d prioritize caps on campaign contributions, banning super PACS and partisan gerrymandering, and policies to increase the minimum wage and lower the cost of living for working families. He also proposes universal early childhood education.
But what the Democratic race has really come down to is persona, a contrast that was starkly highlighted during in a January debate between Crockett and Talarico. Many see Talarico as milder-mannered and capable of reaching across party lines, while Crockett is a more flashy fighter, ready to take on the Trump administration and MAGA movement.
“Crockett’s appeal, most simply, is that she speaks the language of Democratic discontent in the moment, and she speaks it very well,” said Joshua Blank, the director of research for the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin.
An argument among Democrats for her candidacy is the that she might better energize and mobilize voters, Blank said.
“The Talarico argument would be … because of the nature of the brand that he’s built, and even, maybe particularly, the role that Christianity plays in it, he presents as a less threatening alternative to independent voters and maybe even some Republicans who traditionally have not voted for a Democratic candidate, but nonetheless find themselves dissatisfied with the direction of the state and, or the country under Republican leadership,” Blank said.
Republicans work to unseat Cornyn
The frontrunners in challenging Cornyn on the Republican side are Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston.
Paxton, who took office in 2015, pitches himself as a “fearless conservative, a relentless fighter, and a true defender of Texas values” who stood up the Biden administration, corporate overreach and “the corrupt political establishment that’s tried to silence him time and time again.”
The attorney general’s legal troubles, his 2023 impeachment (and acquittal in the Senate) and a pending divorce from Sen. Angela Paxton, a McKinney Republican, have been contention points early in the campaign.
Cornyn touts his years of experience and effectiveness in Washington, as well as his record of “no scandals, just results.” Cornyn says he’s a “reliable ally of President Trump, helping him secure the border, support law enforcement, and unleash our economy.” A win would deliver Cornyn his fifth term in the Senate.
“The conventional wisdom,” Blank said, “has been that John Cornyn is potentially weak amongst a segment of the Republican primary electorate, that Ken Paxton is uniquely positioned to expose that vulnerability, and that, that might be the dynamic that takes down this long term incumbent senator.”
Hunt is a combat veteran in his second term in Congress. He calls himself a next generation of leader who represents changes that Texans are demanding. He told the Star-Telegram he promised to take on the “Washington elite” and carry his “mission of Texas-first policies all the way to Washington and stand for faith, family, and freedom.”
All three Republicans align themselves to Trump at every opportunity, but the president hasn’t endorsed in the race.
“If Trump were to endorse in the U.S. Senate race, it would effectively cause us to throw out every survey we’ve previously done, because it would change the dynamics to such an extent that you’d have to wait and see once the dust cleared what the overall effect was,” said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University.
Redistricting shakeups in Congress
Texas’ mid-decade redistricting, which triggered other states including California to do the same, has injected a new level of uncertainty the future of Republicans’ grip on Washington. At Trump’s urging, the Texas Legislature redrew congressional boundaries, tilting advantage to Republicans to pick up five additional seats in the U.S. House.
Seats in North Texas were among those affected by the reconfiguration, and the maps will be used in the March primaries.
Congressional District 32
Centered in Dallas County, District 32 was redrawn to extend farther east into more rural parts of the state. Its current representative, Democrat Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch, is now running in nearby District 33 (more on that below.)
Two Democrats are competing for District 32: Richardson City Council member Dan Barrios and EMT Anthony Bridges.
Congressional District 33
Perhaps most notably for Tarrant County voters, District 33 (represented by Marc Veasey of Fort Worth) is no longer in Tarrant County, and will not be on the ballot here. The seat does still lean blue.
Veasey, drawn out of the district, didn’t seek reelection, opening up the race in 2026. Johnson, the Farmers Branch Democrat, and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred are among four Democratic contenders in the primary. The race has also drawn four Republican primary candidates.
Allred challenged Sen. Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate in 2024.
Congressional District 30
Contested congressional races in Tarrant County include the election for District 30, which is currently represented by Jasmine Crockett. A small portion of the North Texas district falls within Tarrant County’s eastern edge.
Crockett’s decision to run for Senate after being drawn out of the district prompted a three-way race in the Democratic primary. Candidates include Frederick D. Haynes III, the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas; Rodney LaBruce, a pastor and financial executive for a real estate lender; and Barbara Mallory Caraway, a former state representative and Dallas council member.
Four candidates are running in the Republican primary: Small business owner and community organizer Everett Jackson; IT project coordinator Nils B. Walker; public interest lawyer Sholdon Daniels; and businessman Gregorio H. Heise.
Familiar faces in statewide races
North Texans will see familiar names on the statewide ballot, which includes elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and commissioners of the General Land Office, Department of Agriculture and Railroad Commission. The governor’s race has a full slate of candidates on both sides, but Gov. Greg Abbott will likely win his primary and be a tough incumbent to defeat in November.
Texas Attorney General
The attorney general’s race is an interesting one, given the seat hasn’t been open in about a decade.
In the Republican primary are U.S. Rep. Chip Roy from Austin; state Sen. Joan Huffman from Houston; state Rep. Mayes Middleton from Galveston; and Aaron Reitz, who previously worked as a prosecutor for Paxton and as chief of staff for Sen. Ted Cruz before moving to the U.S. Department of Justice. Roy also previously served as Cruz’s chief of staff.
On the Democratic side, the candidates include attorney Anthony “Tony” Box; lawyer and mediator Joe Jaworski; and state Sen. Nathan Johnson from Dallas.
Texas Comptroller
Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills was appointed in June to serve as acting comptroller, and he wants to keep the job.
The former state senator is among four Republicans seeking a full term leading the comptroller’s office. Joining him is Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick; former state Sen. Don Huffines, a Dallas Republican; and Michael Berlanga, an accountant, property tax consultant and real estate broker.
Democrats running for the seat include finance professional Michael Lange, educator Savant Moore and state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt from Austin.
Meanwhile, Hancock’s vacated seat in the Texas Senate went to a special election with Democrat Taylor Rehmet winning decisively on Jan. 31. He will face off again with Republican Leigh Wambsganss in November for a chance to serve a full term in Senate District 9.
Railroad Commissioner
Former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French is one of five Republicans vying to serve on the Texas Railroad Commission, which – despite what its name suggests – regulates the state’s oil and gas industry.
The race also includes current Commissioner Jim Wright; well control specialist Hawk Dunlap; James ‘Jim’ Matlock, who is retired; and Katherine Culbert, a process safety engineer for an oil and gas company.
Texas Legislature, Tarrant County Commissioners Court
Several state lawmakers aren’t seeking reelection in 2026 or are running for a different office, creating open seats in Tarrant County’s legislative delegation. There’s also an open seat on the commissioners court. These are some of the House and Senate races we’re watching in the primaries:
Senate District 22
Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican, isn’t seeking reelection after being nominated as an assistant secretary of defense in the Trump administration.
The seat, which stretches south into Stephenville, Hillsboro and Waco, has drawn three Republican primary candidates: State Rep. David Cook; former McLennan County District Clerk Jon Gimble; and rancher Rena Schroeder.
Amy Martinez-Salas, a student and mother, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
House District 94
Tony Tinderholt, an Arlington Republican, retired from the Texas House in June and is seeking a job on the Tarrant County commissioners court. His House seat includes parts of Bedford, Euless, Hurst, Arlington and other North Texas communities.
Republicans vying to fill the open seat include executive director of Texans for Medical Freedom Jackie Schlegel, accountant Michael Daughenbaugh, mortgage broker Michael Ingraham, registered nurse Susan Valliant and business owner Cheryl Bean.
Katie O’Brien Duzan, who works in marketing, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
House District 98
State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, a Southlake Republican, isn’t seeking reelection. Two Democrats and three Republicans hope to win the seat that spans Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller, Southlake and other North Texas communities.
Cate Brennan and Aaron Hendley are running in the Democratic primary. Republicans Fred Tate, the managing director at CFO Shield; Keller Mayor Armin Mizani; and health and beauty business owner Zdenka ‘Zee’ Wilcox are running in the Republican primary.
Tarrant County Judge
County Judge Tim O’Hare is hoping to win a second term leading, but will first have to defeat fellow Republican Robert Trevor Buker, a behavorial health security officer, in the March primary. Democrats running for the seat include Precinct 2 Commissioner Alisa Simmons and Millennium Anton C. Woods, Jr., a private contractor and consultant.
Tarrant County Commissioner, Pct. 2
Simmons, a Democrat, was reconfigured in a new precinct map that commissioners approved in June. The seat now favors Republicans. Simmons is bidding for Tarrant County Judge rather than seeking reelection.
Tinderholt and Lucila Seri are running in the Republican primary. Political consultant Gabe Rivas, who previously worked as Simmons’ community outreach director, nonprofit executive Amanda Arizola and former Fort Worth council member Jared Williams are running in the Democratic primary.
Tarrant County Commissioner, Pct. 4
Commissioner Manny Ramirez is running unopposed by fellow Republicans, but the seat has drawn three candidates in the Democratic primary. The winner will face Ramirez in November.
The Democrats are business owner Cedric Kanyinda; Nydia Cárdenas, a leadership coach and organizational development consultant; and educator Perla Bojorquez.
Voters could see May runoff elections
Some races may not be finalized in the March 3 election. Seats where a single candidate doesn’t win more than half of the votes head into a runoff between the top-two vote getters.
Runoffs for the Democratic and Republican primaries are set for May 26. Early voting runs from May 18-22.
The general midterm election is on Nov. 3.
Find your sample ballot and polling place
Voters in Tarrant County can find their personalized sample ballot and information about early voting and Election Day polling places and times on the county’s Election Administration website.
Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years. Support my work with a digital subscription
The March 3 primaries in Texas are the first round of contests ahead of the all-important midterm elections in November. Your primary ballots include a slate of county, judicial, state and federal races. The winners will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram sent candidate questionnaires to everyone running in challenged races on Tarrant County ballots. Below are their unedited responses. The races include Tarrant County government, the Texas Legislature, Congress and a U.S. Senate seat.
Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years. Support my work with a digital subscription
Rachel Royster is a news and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, specifically focused on Tarrant County. She joined the newsroom after interning at the Austin American-Statesman, the Waco Tribune-Herald and Capital Community News in DC. A Houston native and Baylor grad, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading and being outside. She welcomes any and all news tips to her email.
Hundreds of supporters lined the streets of east Fort Worth on Saturday morning to welcome the Buddhist monks home after their 2,300 mile Walk for Peace.
By 7 a.m., a large-sized group had already gathered at Eastover Park, where the monks were due to arrive. Someone scattered red and white rose petals on the road and several people were carrying bouquets of flowers.
Local area Buddhist monks arrive to greet monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace as they arrived back at the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Yvonne Hanson left her home in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, at 6 a.m. Thursday and drove more than 17 hours to so she could be on time to walk with the monks on the last leg of their journey from the park to their temple, the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center.
Hanson told the Star-Telegram that she’d been among the millions of people following the monks’ journey on social media.
“My heart just wanted to burst,” she said. “I just felt it was something I had to do.”
Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace arrive back at the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
More than 1,200 people packed the entrance and grounds of the center to welcome the Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace as they arrived back at the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Kristen Hackenberg from Cache, Oklahoma, contrasted the monks’ message of peace to the political divisions that continue to roil the nation.
“Look what we can do if we come together,” Hackenberg said.
Dragon dancers greeted the Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace as they arrived back at the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace arrive back to the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
The monks set off from the Fort Worth temple on Oct. 26. Clad in brown robes and carrying simple packs on their shoulders, they prepared to walk to Washington, D.C., on a mission to promote national healing and unity.
The trip took a total of 112 days. They returned to Fort Worth around 8:45 a.m. Saturday in a charter bus. The men were greeted by cheers from the onlookers, and the majority joined them for the approximately mile-and-a-half walk to the temple.
Several people along the walk route prayed for the Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace as they arrived back at the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Danielle Deraleau said she’s been following the walk online, and she’s been pleased to see how many people have turned out to support the monks in their various stops.
“It’s nice to see something online that makes me feel hopeful,” she said.
Hundreds fill the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday Feb. 14, 2026 to welcome home the Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Buddhist monks who walked nearly 2,300 miles to Washington D.C. for peace sit in the front of the Húóng Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Early voting starts Tuesday in Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senator, Texas state lawmaker seats, county positions and other elected offices up and down the ballot.
The in-person early voting period runs from Feb. 17-27. Voters in Tarrant County can head to any polling location in the county to get a jump start on voting ahead of the March 3 election.
Here’s when and where to vote in Tarrant County.
Schedule for primary early voting in Tarrant County
Polls are open at the following times:
Feb. 17-20: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Feb. 21: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Feb. 22: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Feb. 23-27: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tarrant County early voting locations for Democratic, Republican primaries
There are 40 polling places open for early voting. A list of the sites is available on the Tarrant County Election Administration website, but we’ve also listed them out here for those wanting to head out and cast their ballots early.
ACTIV (2061 W Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, 76013)
Bob Duncan Center (2800 S Center St., Arlington 76014)
City of Arlington South Service Center (1100 SW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington 76017)
Elzie Odom Athletic Center (1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, 76006)
Tarrant County Subcourthouse in Arlington (700 E Abram St., Arlington 76010)
Tarrant County College Southeast Campus EMBD 1105 (2100 Southeast Parkway, Arlington, 76018)
Azle ISD PD (483 Sandy Beach Road, Suite A, Azle, 76020)
Bedford Public Library (2424 Forest Ridge Drive, Bedford 76021)
Benbrook Community Center (228 San Angelo Ave., Benbrook 76126)
Colleyville Recreation Center Annex A (5008 Roberts Road, Colleyville, 76034)
Crouch Event Center in Bicentennial Park (900 E Glendale St., Crowley, 76036)
Euless Family Life Senior Center (300 W Midway Drive, Euless 76039)
City of Forest Hill City Hall (3219 California Parkway, Forest Hill, 76119)
Charles F. Griffin Building (3212 Miller Ave., Fort Worth, 76119)
Como Community Center (4660 Horne St., Fort Worth, 76107)
Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years. Support my work with a digital subscription
Pizza Verde, a vegan pizza restaurant in west Fort Worth, is closed for Valentine’s Day after a fire broke out on the roof Friday night.
The restaurant’s owners posted on Facebook that the cause of the fire is not yet known.
“That’s a wrap for the weekend. Roof fire, no clear answers yet, will update soon but will unfortunately not be open for Valentine’s Day,” the post reads.
According to a call log, the Fort Worth Fire Department responded shortly before 8 p.m. Friday to the restaurant at 5716 Locke Ave., off Camp Bowie Boulevard.
In the biggest moment of the season for TCU women’s basketball, Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez reminded the country why the No. 17-ranked Horned Frogs should still be considered a Final Four contender.
TCU blew out No. 12 Baylor, which sat in first place in the Big 12, on Thursday behind a combined 67 points from Miles and Suarez.
Miles scored a career-high 40 points and knocked down 10 3-pointers in the 83-67 victory, while Suarez scored a season-high 27 while grabbing six rebounds and adding three 3s. TCU (22-4, 10-3) needed its two All-American talents to play like their best to stay in the thick of the Big 12 race, and the two stars responded emphatically.
“These two put on one of the most special performances that I’ve got to be a part of in my 20 years of coaching,” TCU coach Mark Campbell said.
Miles’ performance was all about confidence and self-belief. Baylor’s game plan was to intentionally make the senior guard a scorer.
The belief by Bears coach Nicki Collen was that TCU was at its best when Miles was orchestrating the offense and getting everyone involved with her advanced ability as a passer.
Collen’s gamble paid off early, as the Bears went underneath every pick-and-roll, almost daring Miles to take long-distance jumpers instead of allowing her to get downhill.
Miles made just two of her first eight 3s in the first half, and Baylor only trailed 36-32 at halftime. Many players would’ve eased up on their attempts after struggling, but Miles responded in the third quarter.
TCU scored 25 points in the third and Miles scored 23 of them, including knocking down seven 3-pointers. As the Bears continued to play drop coverage, Miles began to feast as her confidence grew with every made basket. One of her last field goals was a step-back 3-pointer off the dribble that only a handful of players in the country are capable of making.
“She was making shots. She went out there and got hot,” Baylor guard Taliah Scott said. “We didn’t make any adjustments on our end, and she was able to go out there and score. She was a tough assignment. She’s one of the best guards in the country, and she showed us why she’s one of the best guards in the country.”
By the time Miles’ avalanche of 3s was complete, TCU grew it lead to 61-48, and the Bears wouldn’t get within single digits in the fourth quarter.
Olivia Miles takes what defense gives her
When asked if she was surprised by Baylor’s strategy, Miles let out a small chuckle.
“That’s what every team has been doing. That’s the scout on me,” Miles said. “I’m just trusting in my work. I know I can score the ball. It’s not something I want to do per se at first glance, but if I have to do something for my team I’m going to do it, and I was just taking what the defense was giving to me.
“I know coach was probably quaking in his boots when he saw 20 3s taken because he tells me to never settle, but that’s truly what the defense was giving me, and I wasn’t going to force it inside if I didn’t have to.”
Miles had the most points and 3s in a Big 12 game in program history, and the 40 points were also the third-most scored by a Horned Frog in program history.
It’s the type of performance Miles didn’t think she was capable of having at Notre Dame.
“If you would’ve told me I would score 40 in a game last year I would’ve laughed at you,” Miles said. “I didn’t have that confidence. I didn’t have that self-belief. What a special win for our team.”
Marta Suarez leaves slump in the past
While Miles is sure to take up most of the headlines with her historic outing, the impact of Suarez can’t be overlooked.
After a shaky January when she averaged just 10.3 points per game, Suarez has rebounded and returned to her early season form with three straight 20-plus-point games.
It was Suarez who helped carry the load while Miles’ 3s weren’t falling in the first half. Suarez hit a 3-pointer in the first half, but did most of her damage right in front of the basket.
“Suarez was the one that really hurt us in the first half,” Collen said.
Her strength and her shot fake were equally effective in creating the space she needed to finish at the rim. Even when Suarez was doubled in the post, she was able to navigate through the traps and still pound the interior of the Baylor defense.
“It was just patience, just slowing down and understanding that I’m strong,” Suarez said. “I can really hurt teams down there, and with the shooters that we have and how open the space is, if you double-team me somebody else is going to score.”
As Baylor finally began to switch its defensive strategy on Miles in the fourth quarter, Suarez stepped up and helped deliver the knockout blow as she scored 10 points in the final quarter, making all four of her shots.
The chemistry the two have is impressive considering it’s their first year in Fort Worth. For Suarez it’s been a joy to play with one of the best facilitators in the country, while Miles is equally happy to have such a skilled forward to lean on.
“We’re having a lot of fun, I think especially because we’re both very flashy. We like versatility,” Suarez said. “You should have seen us in the summer. Now we’re a little tame for obvious reasons, but it’s just so much fun. We both love the game and love competing. We’ll go at each other. As the games are running down, I think about how I’m going to miss practice [with Miles].”
Miles was also quick to offer the same type of praise for Suarez.
“I have such profound respect for Marta and the way she approaches the game,” Miles said. “I truly have not seen anyone else as committed to her craft and what she does. She’s an example for me and someone I truly look up to.”
TCU’s follow-up to last season’s Elite Eight run has included more adversity than anticipated with injuries and narrow losses at the buzzer.
But if there was any doubt that the Horned Frogs could match or even exceed last year’s run, Suarez and Miles reminded the country why TCU should still be considered a contender with March around the corner.
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Jan. 29 Charlotte 123, Mavericks 121
Jan. 31 Houston 111, Mavericks 107
Feb. 3 Boston 110, Mavericks 100
Feb. 5 San Antonio 135, Mavericks 123
Feb. 7 San Antonio 138, Mavericks 125
Feb. 10 at Phoenix, 8 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 12 at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m., Amazon Prime Video
Feb. 20 at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN, KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 22 at Indiana, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Feb. 24 at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Jan. 20 TCU 68, Oklahoma State 65
Jan. 24 TCU 97, Baylor 90
Jan. 28 Houston 79, TCU 70
Feb. 1 Colorado 87, TCU 61
Feb. 7 TCU 84, Kansas State 82
Feb. 10 vs. Iowa State, 8 p.m., FS1
Feb. 14 at Oklahoma State, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Feb. 17 at Central Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 21 vs. West Virginia, 4 p.m., Peacock
Feb. 24 vs. Arizona State, 8 p.m., CBSSN
Jan. 24 TCU 67, Central Florida 50
Jan. 29 TCU 79, Kansas 77
Feb. 1 Texas Tech 62, TCU 60
Feb. 4 TCU 90, Houston 45
Feb. 8 Colorado 80, TCU 79
Feb. 12 at Baylor, 6 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 15 vs. West Virginia, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 18 at Houston, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 22 vs. Iowa State, 3 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 25 at Cincinnati, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 13 vs. Vanderbilt (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 3 p.m., FloSports.TV
Feb. 14 vs. Arkansas (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 7 p.m., FloSports.TV
Feb. 15 vs. Oklahoma (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 6:30 p.m., FloSports.TV
Feb. 17 vs. UT Arlington (at Globe Life Field in Arlington), 7 p.m., none
Feb. 20 at UCLA, 7 p.m., FS1
Feb. 21 at UCLA, 4 p.m., BigTen+
Feb. 22 at UCLA, 3 p.m., BigTen+
Jan. 27 Stars 4, St. Louis 3
Jan. 29 Stars 5, Vegas 4 (SO)
Jan. 31 Stars 3, Utah 2
Feb. 2 Stars 4, Winnipeg 3 (OT)
Feb. 4 Stars 5, St. Louis 4
Olympic break
Feb. 25 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m., Fox, Victory+
Feb. 28 vs. Nashville, 7 p.m., Victory+
March 2 at Vancouver, 9 p.m., Victory+
March 3 at Calgary, 8 p.m., Victory+
March 6 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m., Victory+
2026 season
Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), TBA
Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, TBA
Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, TBA
Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA
Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA
Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA
Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA
Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA
Nov. 7 at Arizona, TBA
Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA
Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA
Nov. 28 at Texas Tech, TBA
2026 season
TBA vs. TBA (at Rio de Janeiro), TBA
Feb. 21 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
March 6-7 Goodguys: 16th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals
March 12-15 Steak Cookoff Association World Championships
March 14 NASCAR Racing Experience
March 20-21 POWRi Racing
March 28 Mopar Heaven
April 11 NASCAR Racing Experience
April 18 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
April 18 Bubble Run
April 23-25 Pate Swap Meet
April 25 FuelFest
April 30-May 2 High Limit Racing Stockyard Stampede
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
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