The Metroplex can expect mostly sunny weather this week, with highs in the upper 90s and lows in the lower 70s. Daniel Huckaby, National Weather Service meteorologist, said temperatures will gradually rise during the week, with mid to late week heat index values near 100 or exceeding 100. Chances of rain will also return this weekend. “We're coming up on the autumnal equinox here, later in the week, so [we] should be talking about fall weather, but unfortunately, it's going to feel more like summer,” Huckaby said. @reyyhankilic news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

FORT WORTH — Roxana Aguirre, Fort Worth resident and educator, teared up as the room around her erupted in applause. After around four hours of discussion and nearly 160 speakers in open forum, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court approved a list of 51 early voting sites — including those at UTA and several other colleges — for the November presidential election at Thursday’s meeting. The measure passed 4-1, with County Judge Tim O’Hare in opposition. “As an educator, I just feel that seeing college-age students come out and exercise your democratic right to let your elected officials know that you are against something they are proposing is beautiful to see,” Aguirre said. Adding to the uncertainty of the proceedings was the in-person absence of Commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roy Brooks, who have been vocal about the need for more early voting sites. The two were in Washington D.C. for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Conference. Many among those who spoke to the commissioners had criticized the court for proceeding without them. The two voted remotely on the measure. Simmons thanked the citizens and students for their engagement in local governance. “Those young people, this is what it's about,” she said. “Thank you for coming over, and thank you to your professors and advisers for allowing you to come over and participate in your local government right here in your footprint.” O’Hare said the idea behind having multiple voting locations is to be equally spread out and accessible to all. Having locations less than a mile apart makes no sense, he said, because voting sites in some communities are 10 to 15 miles apart. “You don't win them all,” O’Hare said after the meeting. “I stood up for what I believed in and the rest of the court did not agree with the way I saw it.” Among those speaking at the meeting, including groups of advocates, elected officials, UTA students and staff, most pleaded to keep the university sites, saying any attempt to remove voting locations was an act of voter suppression. “A voteless people is a hopeless people,” said Relius Johnson, New Maverick Orientation director. College campuses are a microcosm of society because of the diverse student populations, and UTA is located around thriving areas where people vote, Johnson said. Having a polling site on campus allows everyone in the community to have their voice heard. Democracy begins on college campuses, and young people are changing this nation, environmental science senior Rogelio Meixueiro said. Tarrant County is paving the way for change in Texas, Meixueiro said, and while he’s happy with UTA’s energy to keep the site on campus, he believes the work is not done until after Election Day. “I think now our duty is ensuring that hundreds of students in our university and all across the county make their voice heard, and hey, we’re paving the way,” he said. Everyone should have their votes and voices heard, said Taylor Tracy, first vice president for UTA’s NAACP chapter, after the meeting. The nonpartisan organization attended the meeting to ensure it was educating and advocating for students while empowering people. “We just want everybody to have the ability to be able to vote,” Tracy said. During the Sept. 4 meeting, the Commissioners Court failed to approve a list of 50 early voting locations, 2-2, for the second time within two years, with Commissioner Manny Ramirez absent from the vote. The Maverick Activities Center was an active voting location but was unavailable for early voting during the 2023 November constitutional amendment election. However, it was open for the primary election in March. The 4-1 vote Thursday approved the original list and added the Vietnamese American Community Home in Dalworthington Gardens. “I think that we have to have more objective criteria and we have to have better reasoning whenever we’re selecting sites, but again, reducing the number is not a priority,” Ramirez said at the meeting before voting to approve the list. O’Hare is not against having intentional polling locations, but the current list of voting sites with some locations within almost a mile from one another would be a waste of money, he said. Three other voting site drafts were proposed with fewer locations, and O’Hare said he would have supported any of those along with the newly added location. Early presidential voting at UTA began as early as 2000, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. This year, citizens can register to vote until Oct. 7, with early voting running from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. @PMalkomes @trinhvchristine news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Arlington is more than just the home of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers — it’s a creative hub where local artists thrive. From bars and coffee shops to the Levitt Pavilion and backyard areas offering a stage, aspiring stars can make a name for themselves within the community. The Football Team Creative was created in 2017 to bring UTA together through art and music, Lillian Durand, The Football Team Creative president, said. The group’s biggest events are their shows, whether held in a member’s house, local bar or restaurant. “Since UTA is lacking in that respect of having an actual football team, we wanted to do something that still brought the community together and created a campus culture,” she said. “Instead of doing sports-related events, we like to throw on art and music shows that help support the creative community in Arlington.” The team aims to give local artists their first paid gig and help provide them a starting point. They try to book bands native to Arlington, many being UTA students, as well as others throughout the Metroplex. “Every single band that we book, we pay them,” she said. “The reason we charge for our events is [because] we’re a nonprofit, so we don’t seek to really necessarily make money off of the events.” In a digitalized age where music is at your fingertips, Durand said live music is essential. She said the experience at shows creates a special bond with those around you. “It’s not just about listening to the music, but hearing the show live and with other people, there’s just a completely different energy to it,” she said. Dallas artist Niki Joans started her first college band, Summit Valley, in 2019 as a UTA student. Named after Summit Avenue, Joans and a few friends began practicing in a garage. Their first gig was a live-streamed show with The Football Team Creative in 2020, and after a three-hour live set at The Tipsy Oak on East Front Street in 2021, they started to gain traction. “Building a community was so important because that’s really what gave us the confidence to take care outside of Arlington,” Joans said. Since being in college, the band has gained over 800 followers on Instagram and listeners across the world. She said Arlington played a key role in their growth. “Being in Arlington, going to UTA, meeting the people that we met in the area, definitely really helped us to get on the path of taking things to the next level,” Joans said. Live performances allow artists to connect with their fans, something that she said isn’t tangible through listening to music digitally. “You can listen to anybody’s EP or album over the phone, but you are missing a big key component, I feel like, not being in person with your audience,” she said. Arlington Amplified, a nonprofit program supported by Levitt Pavilion Arlington, connects local artists, venues, businesses and industry professionals through its music ecosystem. The program started after the Texas Music Office designated Arlington, the 20th city in 2020, a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community. Initially named Music Friendly Community of Arlington, the program rebranded as Arlington Amplified. The Texas Music Office is the first and longest-running state music office in the nation, according to its website. In 2016, it created the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Program and provides over 60 communities with networks for fostering industry development. Angela Peña, Levitt Pavilion communications and program development director, said Arlington Amplified promotes both local artists and Arlington venues, like J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill and Grease Monkey Burger Shop, highlighting shows and concerts, as well as hosting their own events. Yeslyann Cruz, Arlington Amplified's social media manager, is actively promoting events and venues on their social media accounts. “We also do host networking events every other month where we can get the community together to network and socialize, and meet one another,” Cruz said. “Through these events, people have been a lot more receptive of Arlington Amplified and what it does for the community.” Peña said supporting local artists and musicians directly impacts the economy. Each event is an opportunity to create jobs, as artists need managers, graphic designers and agents. “It’s creating a more open and inviting environment, and it just brings a vibrant community together,” she said. Visitors who have a free night after a Cowboy’s game, concert or convention can find free, live music throughout Arlington with the Arlington Amplified community calendar. Artists submit their shows to be approved, and the information is given to the Convention and Visitors Bureau for those passing through town to find a show. “Every time you visit a city anywhere else, you want to do what the locals do, you don’t want to do the typical trendy things,” Peña said. “You want to go where the locals are.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fort Worth artist Rebecca “Beck Bucks” Luby wanted to experiment with music and find her own artistic value. Luby said the Metroplex’s music scene is small, so having a community in Arlington has been impactful. She connected with the Football Team Creative a few years ago and over time helped put on house shows. She said it’s a great organization for people wanting to experience different avenues. “It’s the mission statement, I think on music and Football Team [Creative], is to see your live music scene flourish by giving people the opportunity to make that happen,” Luby said. She said it was surreal getting her start in Arlington, the city where she was born and raised. She loved performing in an accepting environment. Although she isn’t currently performing live, Luby books shows for artists in the Metroplex and continues to create music. She said there’s nothing like live music because it gives musicians the chance to engage and talk to their fans. “I lived there for so long, and I loved it so much,” Luby said. “But also having an environment of people that you already know, and you’re also starting a movement, you’re in that movement, so that felt so good to do that.” @amandaLaldridge news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Television Academy hosted its 76th annual Emmy Awards on Sunday, honoring the past year’s exceptional entertainment and storytelling. As this year’s hosts, actors Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, “Schitt’s Creek” father-son duo, recognized directors, writers, actors, producers and other technical and creative areas for outstanding work in a television or limited series. Here’s a list of the winners from key categories and where to watch each show. View the full list of winners here. Outstanding Comedy Series “Hacks,” available on HBO Max, won Outstanding Comedy Series after being nominated for 16 categories this year. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series 13-time Emmy-nominee Jean Smart won her sixth Emmy as Deborah Vance in HBO Max’s “Hacks.” Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Jeremy Allen White won his second Emmy as Carmy in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Liza Colón-Zayas won her first Emmy as Tina in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Ebon Moss-Bachrach won her second Emmy as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Drama Series Streaming on FX, “Shōgun” was nominated for 25 categories, the most of the night, taking home four Emmys. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Anna Sawai won her first Emmy as Toda Mariko in FX’s “Shōgun.” This was Sawai’s first Emmy nomination and win. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Hiroyuki Sanada won his first Emmy as Yoshii Toranaga in FX’s “Shōgun.” This was Sanada’s first Emmy win and nomination. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Two-time Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Debicki won her first Emmy as Princess Diana in Netflix’s “The Crown.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Three-time Emmy-nominee Billy Crudup won his second Emmy as Cory Ellison in ”The Morning Show” on Apple TV+. Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series “Baby Reindeer,” streaming on Netflix, was nominated for 11 categories and took home four Emmys. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Four-time Emmy-nominee Jodie Foster won her first Emmy as Detective Elizabeth Danvers in HBO Max’s “True Detective: Night Country.” Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Two-time Emmy-nominee Richard Gadd won his second Emmy of the night as Donny in Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” He also won Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Jessica Gunning won her first Emmy as Martha in Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Lamorne Morris won his first Emmy as Deputy Witt Farr in FX’s “Fargo.” @_itsjinelle life-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu