Good morning DFW,

There’s a lot going on in the metroplex this week, so here are a few things to remember. 

📎 Trinity Metro users, to get ready for the World Cup, they’ll be a full-scale emergency drill tomorrow at the Fort Worth Central Station. Learn more here. 

📎 If you’ve yet to finish your taxes, or have filed for an extension, make sure you know about these new tax deductions for tipped workers, those 65+, and anyone who bought a car in 2025. Find tax day deals later in this email. 

📎 Mark your calendars for a special election on May 2. North Texas counties will vote for local office like mayor, school board, and city council positions, as well as propositions. Type in your address to see your municipal ballot. 

Lastly, it’s Black Maternal Health Week. I talked to two DFW moms advocating for safe motherhood journeys. Check out the story below. 

(Photo courtesy of Tequila Robertson, illustration by Joi Louviere/ Courier DFW)

Tenaj Mays of McKinney was in the early stages of her first pregnancy when she first realized her corporate banking job might really be in jeopardy. She knew about the motherhood tax—the indirect punishment put on career women who attempt to straddle work and motherhood. She expected, at least, a temporary pause to her corporate ladder climbing, especially as a Black woman, too familiar with workplace inequities. Just like so many women before her, she wanted it all, but knew it probably wouldn’t happen at the same time. 

As Mays, in her early thirties at the time, prepared to take her 12-week maternity leave, she was told by her manager, who was also a Black woman, that she was the first person who looked like them to take full maternity leave in her 20 years at the company. Mays was surprised and didn’t understand why mothers wouldn’t take all the possible time to heal and bond with their babies. 

Mays’ mother had dealt with extreme postpartum after several of her pregnancies, so she tried to stay on top of everything she’d need, even planning for the unknown.

“ This is my first baby and I knew that I had already dealt with depression before. So I wasn’t afraid to express how I didn’t know how I was gonna manage postpartum depression.”

(Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)

🪽 The Wings new star: Last night’s WNBA draft left Dallas with the first pick for the second year in a row. The Wings recruited UConn guard Azzi Fudd. Fudd will be reunited with her old teammate, the 2025 no. 1 draft pick, Paige Bueckers. The newbie will make more than six times Bueckers staring salary thanks to a recent collective bargaining agreement that raised WNBA salary caps to $7 million. (Yahoo Sports)

🤑 Tax Day deals: Ease the anxiety of submitting your taxes with these freebies and discounts at area businesses. (NBC 5)

📡 Data center pushback: A group of Grandbury residents have sued the town’s mayor and several city council members over a lack of transparency about a proposed data center and the 2,000 acre annexation associated with the project. (KERA)

Plano native makes Masters debut: Plano native Ethan Fang made his debut at the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club last week at the age of 20. Learn more about his golf journey here. (MSN)

(CrediAndrew Jowett/Augusta National/Getty Images)

Last week, I talked to y’all about the potential annexation of two New Mexico counties into Texas. I asked if you thought we should welcome those counties into our state and a third of you said yes, while two-thirds said no. A few of you had some more to say. 

Lorelei wrote: “Those interested in influencing their local politics should get involved in their local politics to achieve their goal…Texas leadership needs to focus on accountability for our politicians, and improving education, quality of life, and infrastructure.” 

Denis wrote: “Think of the number of pie pans, waffle irons, cookie cutters, T-shirt designs that would have to be revised if the shape of Texas changed!”

If Texas did grow, the literal shape of the state would change. Is the iconic Texas outline important to you? Would any annexation situation be worth changing it?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere and was edited by Brook Bolen.

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