Happy early voting season! 🎉

Early voting starts today in Texas, and we’ve teamed up with a couple of local coffee shops to offer you a fun incentive to get that ballot in early. Today and tomorrow, these shops will give you a discount on drinks when you show your “I voted” sticker.

☕ Kyoto Brew in Lancaster will offer you 50% off drinks

☕ The Clove Cafe in Hurst will offer 20% off drinks (here’s the newsletter that featured this shop)

Don’t forget you can look up your ballot in advance, using our voting guide feature. The last day to vote early in the 2026 elections is Oct. 30! 

Oh, and here are some of the signs we saw from Saturday’s No Kings protests in North Texas.

To see some video from the rallies, tap here and here.

What’s important to you about voting this year? Maybe it’s an issue affecting your family, something happening in your community, an experience you’ve had, or simply something you hope will change.

We want to hear your story. Send us a short selfie-style video telling us what’s inspiring your vote, or your perspective on voting.  Submit your video by 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 23, and if you are eligible, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.*

Seventeen-year-old Ana Mota was told she couldn’t play a male character in her school’s upcoming production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” (Kilyan Sockalingum/Unsplash)

by Sam Cohen

Cross-gender acting has been practiced since the sixth century. It originally began in Ancient Greece when Athenian women were no longer allowed to participate in public life, and as such, men had to play both male and female roles during performances. It became even more common in popular culture thanks to William Shakespeare, who incorporated a host of cross dressing characters into his works. 

For one Grand Prairie high school, though, this normal aspect of theatrical life was recently deemed unacceptable. It was announced on Oct. 6 that 17-year-old Ana Mota would no longer be allowed to play a male character, Seymour, in South Grand Prairie High School’s upcoming production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Two days later, Grand Prairie ISD decided to scrap the play altogether and replace it with “Frozen” instead.

By Noemi Castanon

The Commissioners Court is the general governing body of Tarrant County—think of it as a city council but at the county level. The court is made up of a County Judge and four County Commissioners, elected from one of the county’s four precincts.

So what does the court do? Despite its name, it is a legislative and policy-making body, not a judicial court. Instead, it:

👉 Sets the county property tax rate and adopts the county budget.

👉 Appoints county-wide officials.

👉 Oversees support for public welfare, hospitals, and veterans assistance.

👉 Establishes voting precincts and calls county bond elections.

👉 Builds, maintains, and manages county roads, bridges, and public buildings—including the county jail.

👉 Approves contracts and authorizes payment of all county bills.

During the 2026 midterm election in Tarrant County, you’ll decide who will be the next County Judge: Republican incumbent Tim O’Hare or Democrat Alisa Simmons. 

Two other county commissioner races are also on the ballot: Democrat Jared Williams and Republican Tony Tinderholt are vying for Precinct 2, and Democrat Nydia Cardenas is looking to unseat Republican incumbent Manny Ramirez for Precinct 4.

This glow-in-the-dark Halloween attraction is open every day through Oct. 31. (Noemi Castanon/ Courier DFW)

Hey y’all, it’s Noemi Castanon, your Courier DFW Intern. Let me tell you, I am a huge spooky season fan, and I am always looking for things to do throughout October. Pumpkin Nights at Howell Farms in Arlington is a guaranteed good time.  

Pumpkin Nights first opened in 2019 when founder Travis Snyder was looking to not only bring the magic of pumpkin carving to Texas, but also to create a Halloween experience meant for everyone. Expect to walk a half-mile path through nine immersive pumpkin lands filled with over 10,000 hand-carved and designed pumpkins. 

I visited during a recent weekday evening, and even though there was a line to park, it moved pretty quickly. When you first enter you have the choice of going straight to the pumpkin trails or staying in the village area where you can find food and drinks, vendors, a fire show arena, and a family resting area. 

I arrived a little while before the first fire show of the night was set to begin, so I walked around to explore for a bit. I ended up buying a fried churro, an employee recommendation. It was a nice treat during the show, which consisted of three pyro acrobats performing different tricks with music in the background.

After the show, I headed into the trails where I was amazed to see all the lights and pumpkins everywhere. My favorite part was “The Forbidden City,” which included two giant dragons hanging in the air. 

I would recommend Pumpkin Nights to anyone looking for a different Halloween experience outside of your typical pumpkin patches. The hours are 6-9 p.m. on weekdays and 6-9:30 p.m. on weekends. Ticket costs vary depending on the day, and can be bought online or in person. 

Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Reply to this email.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere, with a story from Sam Cohen and Noemi Castanon. It was edited by Kimberly Lawson.

Courier DFW is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOTING, REGISTERING TO VOTE, OR PROOF OF VOTING IS NOT REQUIRED. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C., 18+. Entry Period: 12:00 a.m. ET 10/19/26 – 11:59 p.m. ET 10/23/26. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules. Sponsor: Courier Newsroom, Inc.