$845M bond approved May 2
Streets ($511M), Parks ($185M), first-ever affordable-housing prop, charter amendments + mayor/council raise
City · Tarrant County
Fort Worth · county seat
Population ~935,508 · fort-worth-isd
Where the West Begins
☕ Fort Worth brief Mon, Jun 1
Mayor Mattie Parker
Re-elected to 3rd term (May 2025) · @MayorMattie
FWISD: C (73)
2nd year of improvement — F-rated schools cut from 31 → 11; 70k+ enrolled
Local News
Fort Worth Headlines
Bond + Mayor + FWISD recovery + Stockyards expansion
Bond
$845M six-prop bond passes May 2
Streets ($511M), Parks ($185M), first-ever affordable-housing prop, 9 charter amendments incl. mayor/council pay raise. Source: Fort Worth Report.
Source: City + ISD records
Mayor
Mattie Parker re-elected to third term
Re-elected May 2025. Oversaw bond passage + $5M affordable-housing add. Source: Fort Worth Magazine.
Source: City + ISD records
Schools
FWISD: F-rated schools fall from 31 to 11
C-73 rating for 2024-25 — 2nd consecutive improvement (D-65 → C-70 → C-73). Source: TEA Aug 2025.
Source: City + ISD records
Heritage
Stockyards Heritage Development Project ongoing
Multi-year $175M+ revitalization preserves National Historic District while adding new hospitality. Source: Hickman Companies / Stockyards Heritage.
Source: City + ISD records
Convention
FW Convention Center expansion underway
Massive $700M+ expansion + Omni hotel tower transforming downtown convention footprint. Source: FW Sports Commission.
Source: City + ISD records
Growth
TCU expansion + cultural-district investment
TCU continues campus expansion; Cultural District museum upgrades (Modern + Kimbell + Amon Carter). Source: TCU + FW Cultural District.
Source: City + ISD records
🏛️ Civic
Fort Worth voters approve $845M bond package — streets, parks, and a first-ever affordable-housing prop
On May 2, 2026, Fort Worth voters approved all six bond propositions in an $845M package. Prop A: $511.48M for streets and mobility infrastructure. Prop B: $185.14M for parks, recreation and open-space improvements. Notably, this was the first Fort Worth bond election to include a proposition on affordable housing. Voters also approved nine proposed amendments to the city charter, including one raising the mayor's and council's annual salaries. Source: Fort Worth Report.
🏛️ Civic
Mayor Mattie Parker re-elected to third term
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker won re-election to a third term, continuing the leadership through significant city initiatives including the recently passed $845M bond package. Earlier this year, the council allocated an additional $5M for affordable housing after resident feedback. The May 2026 ballot included nine proposed city charter amendments, including raising mayor and council pay. Source: FOX 4 / Fort Worth Magazine.
🎓 Schools
Fort Worth ISD improves to C (73) in 2024-25, F-rated schools cut by more than half
Fort Worth ISD earned a C grade with a score of 73 for 2024-25, the district's second consecutive year of improvement after C (70) in 2023-24 and D (65) in 2022-23. The number of F-rated schools dropped from 31 in 2024 to 11 in 2025, and A-rated schools rose by 70%. Of 125 rated schools, 17 scored A, 28 B, 41 C, 28 D, and 11 F. The district received 122 distinctions (up from 99). State takeover scrutiny continues over the closed Leadership Academy at Forest Oak. Source: WFAA / Axios Dallas / FWISD.
🏠 Housing
Fort Worth adds $5M to affordable housing in bond program after resident pushback
Fort Worth plans to devote an additional $5 million to affordable housing after feedback from residents and council members. The bond program adjustment was part of the city's broader bond preparation that culminated in the May 2 approval of an $845M package, which included the city's first-ever affordable-housing bond proposition. Source: Fort Worth Report.
From across Tarrant County
🗳️ Election
Contested mayor races in nine Tarrant cities on May 2 ballot
The May 2, 2026 ballot featured contested races for mayor in nine Tarrant cities: Arlington, Euless, Keller, Kennedale, North Richland Hills, Pelican Bay, Sansom Park, Westlake, and Westover Hills. The slate also included numerous city council positions, school board trustee seats, and other municipal offices across the county. Source: NBC 5 DFW / Tarrant County Elections.
🗳️ Politics
Taylor Rehmet (D) wins Texas State Senate District 9 special election
In Tarrant County's state Senate District 9 special election held November 4, 2025, Democrat Taylor Rehmet finished as the top vote-getter, ahead by roughly 14,000 votes and a margin of nearly 15%. Rehmet replaces Republican Kelly Hancock, who left the seat in 2025 to become acting state comptroller. Rehmet completes the remainder of Hancock's term. Source: NBC 5 DFW.
All Fort Worth + Tarrant County stories → Around Town
Fort Worth, today
Stockyards + Cultural District + Sundance + Trinity + neighborhoods
Cultural District
Kimbell, Modern, Amon Carter — three world-class museums
Kimbell (Louis Kahn building), Modern (Tadao Ando building), Amon Carter (American art). Plus Will Rogers Memorial Center hosts FW Stock Show & Rodeo each Jan-Feb. Source: FW Cultural District.
Source: City + ISD records
Stockyards
Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
Twice-daily cattle drives down Exchange Avenue, Livestock Exchange Building, Cowtown Coliseum, Billy Bob's Texas. Source: FW Stockyards.
Source: City + ISD records
Downtown
Sundance Square + Bass Performance Hall
35-block dev led by Bass family from 1980s. Sundance Square Plaza is iconic central open space. Source: Sundance Square.
Source: City + ISD records
Near Southside
Magnolia Avenue + medical district
Restaurants, breweries, indie shops along Magnolia. Adjacent medical district anchors regional healthcare. Source: Near Southside Inc.
Source: City + ISD records
West 7th
West 7th Street entertainment + arts corridor
Concentration of bars, music venues, lofts. Major millennial draw — within walking distance of Trinity Park + Cultural District. Source: City of FW.
Source: City + ISD records
Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie Boulevard heritage commercial corridor
Historic west-side commercial spine — antiques, restaurants, brick-paved blocks. Source: Camp Bowie District.
Source: City + ISD records
TCU area
TCU neighborhood + Magnolia Heights
Around TCU campus + adjacent Bluebonnet Hills, Forest Park. Restaurants, student housing, faculty homes. Source: TCU.
Source: City + ISD records
Trinity
Trinity River parks + trails system
100+ miles of Trinity River trails + parks span Fort Worth — Trinity Park, Forest Park, Heritage Park, Gateway Park. Source: FW Parks & Rec.
Source: City + ISD records
Known for
- Fort Worth Stockyards
- Sundance Square
- Kimbell Art Museum
- TCU + Bass Performance Hall
The Story of Fort Worth
Fort Worth began as a frontier army post. On June 6, 1849, just after the Mexican–American War, troops established a camp on the Trinity River named for General William Jenkins Worth — and that November the War Department officially christened it Fort Worth, the northernmost in a line of forts guarding the Texas frontier.
The soldiers left in 1853, but the settlers who had gathered around the fort stayed, taking over the abandoned buildings for stores, schools and homes. Fort Worth's fortunes turned in 1867, when millions of Texas longhorns began passing through on the great cattle trails north.
When the railroad reached town in 1876, the cattle trade exploded, the Fort Worth Stockyards rose into a major livestock market, and the city earned the nickname that still defines it: Cowtown.
From that rough-and-tumble start, Fort Worth grew into the cultural heart of the region — 'Where the West Begins' — and one of the largest cities in the United States, anchoring the western edge of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex.
Sources: Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas; City of Fort Worth.
🗓️ Coming this week Full calendar →
TUE
28
Birdville ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
TUE
2
Tarrant County Commissioners Court
10am · agenda online
TUE
2
Fort Worth City Council
7pm · agenda online
TUE
2
Arlington City Council
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Northwest ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Keller ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Carroll ISD Board of Trustees
5:30pm · agenda online
🎈 Kids Trading Post · Fort Worth 54 activities →
Storytime, classes, camps, leagues, and open-play in Fort Worth, sourced from libraries and partner orgs. Updated nightly · no manual data entry.
See all 54 kid activities →
Sports
Fort Worth Sports
Where the cattle town watches the games
College
TCU Horned Frogs at the heart of FW athletics
Texas Christian University — TCU Horned Frogs — anchors FW's college athletics. Football at Amon G. Carter Stadium, basketball at Schollmaier Arena, baseball at Lupton Stadium. Big 12 conference member.
Ongoing · Source: TCU Athletics
Pro
Fort Worth shares Cowboys + Rangers with Arlington
Both major pro venues sit in neighboring Arlington (AT&T Stadium for Cowboys, Globe Life Field for Rangers). FW residents make up much of the fan base + are within easy I-30 reach.
Ongoing · Source: Wikipedia
Stockyards
Stockyards Championship Rodeo — world's only year-round rodeo
The Stockyards Championship Rodeo at the historic Cowtown Coliseum runs Friday + Saturday nights year-round — billed as the world's only year-round professional rodeo.
Year-round · Source: Fort Worth Stockyards
⭐ Game of the week
Carroll Dragons — district football (anchor program)
🏈 District football ·
Tarrant County's anchor programs — Carroll (8 state titles), Keller (top-of-district 5A), Mansfield (B-rated district), Arlington Martin (AISD flagship), Fossil Ridge (KISD power program) — get priority weekly coverage from the news radar. Carroll Dragons headline the off-season anchor framing; weekly schedule populates from MaxPreps DFW + each ISD's athletics site.
📜 On this day in Tarrant County sports
1988
🏈 Carroll (Southlake) Dragons claim 1st state football championship — beginning of the dynasty that would produce 8 UIL state titles. Under coach Bob Ledbetter.
1993
🏈 Carroll Dragons capture their 3rd state football title (1988, 1992, 1993 = three-in-a-row 3A run under Coach Ledbetter; QB Kris Brown led the '93 squad past Cuero).
2011
🏈 Carroll Dragons win their 8th and most recent UIL state football title — capping the program's run as Tarrant County's most successful HS football dynasty.
2018
🥎 Mansfield Tigers softball reaches UIL state semifinals — anchor moment for MISD's growing softball program under HC Gregory George's broader program leadership.
2026
🏃 Keller ISD sends 11 athletes to UIL State Track & Field — multiple medal-stand finishes per district release.
📻 Radio guide
Southlake Carroll Dragons football
KKGM 1630 AM (Fort Worth; news/sports) — exclusive radio home of Carroll football
Dragon Sports Network
Aledo Bearcats football (Tarrant-area marquee program)
KTFW-FM 92.1 'Hank FM' (LKCM Radio Group; country) — flagship for Aledo broadcasts
Aledo Sports Network
Arlington ISD football (Martin · Lamar · Bowie)
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — official AISD broadcast partner
NFHS Network
Mansfield Tigers football
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — Mansfield ISD live broadcasts
NFHS Network
Keller / Fossil Ridge (Keller ISD) football
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — Keller ISD live broadcasts
NFHS Network
Fort Worth-area HS football game of the week
KTCU-FM 88.7 'The Choice' (TCU student station, Fort Worth)
KTCU 88.7
🏆 UIL playoff bracket
No active Tarrant County UIL playoff bracket on the desk. Populates when a Tarrant County team is in a UIL playoff round (football, basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball). Source: UIL playoff records.
Activities
Things to do in Fort Worth
Kids, library, sports, fitness, classes, camps, open play — sourced from libraries, parks, and partner orgs across Fort Worth.
story-time
Toddler Storytime
Weekly · check FWPL calendar
Fort Worth Public Library — Central · 500 W. 3rd St.
event
Summer Reading Program
Summer 2026
FWPL · All branches
story-time
Baby Storytime (ages 0-12 months)
Tuesdays 10:30am
Fort Worth Public Library · Various FWPL branches
story-time
Toddler Storytime (ages 1-3)
Wednesdays 10:30am
Fort Worth Public Library · Central + branch libraries
story-time
Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5)
Thursdays 10:30am
Fort Worth Public Library · FWPL branches
club
Summer Reading Challenge 2026
June-August 2026
Fort Worth Public Library · All FWPL branches + online
Civic & Government
Fort Worth Civic & Government
Council-manager + strong-mayor visibility
Government
Council-manager structure
9 single-member council districts + at-large mayor. City Manager runs day-to-day.
Source: City of FW
Mayor
Mattie Parker re-elected to third term in May 2025
Oversaw May 2 $845M bond passage + earlier $5M affordable-housing add.
Source: Fort Worth Magazine / FOX 4
Schools
FWISD: 70,184 students, C-73 rating
Recent improvement: F-rated schools cut from 31 to 11 in one year.
Source: TEA + WFAA
County
FW is seat of Tarrant County (Judge Tim O'Hare)
Tarrant County government at 100 E. Weatherford St. — Commissioners Court + courts + sheriff.
Source: Tarrant County
Reach the right desk
By the Numbers
Fort Worth by the Numbers
Census + economy + city + region
Pop
1,028,117 (2025 est.) — 10th-most-populous US city
2nd-largest in DFW metroplex; 4th-largest in TX. Source: Census / Wikipedia.
Source: City + ISD records
Area
355 sq mi
Among the largest land-area US cities. Sprawls across Tarrant + portions of Denton + Wise + Johnson + Parker. Source: Census.
Source: City + ISD records
Tax
FY25 city rate $1.0624/$100
Combined with FWISD + Tarrant Co + TCC ~$2.24/$100 for most FW residents — ~$6,188/yr on $277k taxable homestead. Source: TAD / Ballard 2025.
Source: City + ISD records
Employment
Lockheed, BNSF, AA, Bell, AT&T, Pier 1, Alcon
Diversified employer base anchored by aerospace, rail, airline HQ, telecom. Source: FW Chamber.
Source: City + ISD records
Education
TCU (~12,500 students) + Texas Wesleyan + UNT Health
Higher-ed cluster — TCU is largest private TX research university. Source: TCU / TWU.
Source: City + ISD records
Bond
$845M voter-approved May 2 2026
Largest FW bond package; first-ever to include affordable-housing prop. Source: Fort Worth Report.
Source: City + ISD records
Population
935,508
Type
city
School District
fort-worth-isd
School ISDs in Tarrant County
Tarrant County ISDs by enrollment + TEA 2024-25 accountability rating.
| ISD | Enrollment | Rating | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth ISD | 70,184 | C | Panthers |
| Arlington ISD | 56,000 | C | Various |
| Lewisville ISD | 50,000 | B | Various |
| Mansfield ISD | 35,000 | B | Tigers |
| Keller ISD | 34,078 | B | Indians |
| Northwest ISD | 32,000 | B | Texans |
| Birdville ISD | 22,637 | C | Hawks |
| Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD | 22,000 | B | Eagles |
| Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD (HEB) | 22,000 | B | Trojans |
| Crowley ISD | 16,000 | C | Eagles |
| Grapevine-Colleyville ISD | 12,520 | B | Mustangs |
| Burleson ISD | 12,000 | B | Elks |
| Carroll ISD | 8,300 | A | Dragons |
| White Settlement ISD | 6,700 | C | Brewers |
| Azle ISD | 6,600 | C | Hornets |
| Everman ISD | 5,500 | C | Bulldogs |
| Castleberry ISD | 4,000 | B | Lions |
| Kennedale ISD | 3,400 | C | Wildcats |
| Lake Worth ISD | 2,700 | D | Bullfrogs |
Updated 2026-05-27
Property tax rates
Tarrant County 2025 property tax rates by jurisdiction.
| Jurisdiction | Rate / $100 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrant County (general) | ~$0.19 | FY25 county portion |
| City of Fort Worth | $1.0624 | Combined with FWISD+county tops out ~$2.24/$100 for FW residents (FY25) |
| City of Arlington | $1.0929 | FY25, decreased ~1¢ from prior year |
| Avg Tarrant homeowner total | ~$2.24 | ~$6,188/yr on $277k taxable homestead avg |
Updated 2026-05-27
Ask the Desk
Questions about Fort Worth
Fort Worth's $845M bond passed May 2 — what's actually in it?
Six propositions totaling ~$845M. Prop A: $511.48M for streets and mobility infrastructure. Prop B: $185.14M for parks, recreation, and open-space improvements. The remaining propositions covered other infrastructure plus — notably for the …
What's Fort Worth ISD's TEA accountability rating?
C with a score of 73 for the 2024-25 school year — the district's second consecutive year of improvement (C/70 in 2023-24, D/65 in 2022-23). Of 125 rated schools: 17 A, 28 B, 41 C, 28 D, 11 F. The number of F-rated schools fell from 31 in 2…
What are Tarrant County's 2025 property tax rates?
Tarrant County (general portion): ~$0.19 per $100. City of Fort Worth: $1.0624. City of Arlington: $1.0929 (down ~1¢ from 2024). Combined rates from Fort Worth ISD + City of Fort Worth + Tarrant County College bring the total for most Fort …
Who is Tarrant County's County Judge?
Tim O'Hare. He is the 33rd County Judge of Tarrant County since the county's founding in 1849, took office January 1, 2023, and his current term runs through January 1, 2027. He is running for re-election November 3, 2026, and has said the …
Who is Tarrant County's Sheriff?
Bill E. Waybourn. Source: Tarrant County elected officials (tarrantcountytx.gov).
All Fort Worth Q&As → Community Voice
History
Founded 1849 as an army post
Fort Worth was established in 1849 as a U.S. Army outpost on a bluff overlooking the Trinity River. Major Ripley Allen Arnold founded it as a military outpost against Comanche raids; it was named for Major General William Jenkins Worth, then commander of U.S. troops in Texas. The Texas and Pacific Railway's arrival in 1876 transformed it into a premier cattle-trade center — the Stockyards' origins — and the Swift and Armour meatpacking plants set up in 1902, employing thousands. The 1917 Ranger oil strike west of the city made Fort Worth a strategic hub for the new oilfields. The city incorporated in 1873 with a mayor-council government. Sources: TSHA Handbook of Texas; City of Fort Worth history page; Wikipedia.
Neighborhoods
FW's 'where do you live?' map
Asking 'where do you live?' in FW means West 7th, Near Southside, TCU, Camp Bowie, Westover Hills (an enclave with own gov), Ridglea, Arlington Heights, Eastside Stop Six, Stockyards, Riverside, Trinity Park-adjacent — each has a distinct identity. Source: FW neighborhood census + community character.
Source: City + ISD records
Neighborhoods
FW's 'where do you live?' map
Asking 'where do you live?' in FW means West 7th, Near Southside, TCU, Camp Bowie, Westover Hills (an enclave with own gov), Ridglea, Arlington Heights, Eastside Stop Six, Stockyards, Riverside, Trinity Park-adjacent — each has a distinct identity. Source: FW neighborhood census + community character.
Source: City + ISD records
Submit your own — moderated, sourced + curated (per Runbook: no public-posting widgets).
Post to Board →🗺️ Neighboring counties
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