Happy Friday, y’all,

We can officially reclaim our metro again as the World Cup craziness is almost completely gone—the last bunch of watch parties are happening tomorrow and Sunday for the semifinal and final matches. 

It may take area businesses and city officials a while to recover, but “Dallas Stadium” has already begun its transition back into AT&T Stadium. Watch crews return the original signage to the building. The fresh grass installed for the Cup matches will be returned to turf next. During the nine World Cup matches it hosted, the home of the Dallas Cowboys saw 631,843 fans come through.

Not sure what to do with the dozens of cool photos you took from the matches, watch parties, and fan fests? Fort Worth Magazine says to send them their way for a chance to be featured in their August issue. 📸

And as much as the World Cup brought fun to the region, and around the state, did it truly help our economy, boost small businesses, and increase our interest in soccer as a sport? I’ll let you know if our team reports any interesting findings. 

Thrilling adventures await at Hawaiian Falls, like this two-person Hawaiian Halfpipe slide, one of many water-based attractions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. (Hawaiian Waters The Colony)

By Sydni Ellis

It’s summertime in Texas, and you know what that means: It’s hot, hot, HOT! Growing up, one of my favorite summer pastimes was escaping to one of the refreshing, water-based attractions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to cool off. It didn’t matter if it was a lake, a pool, a waterpark, or even a backyard sprinkler—if it involved cold water and swimsuits, I was in!

Now that I’m a mom of three young kids, you can bet this tradition has carried on. Except now, there are many more water-based attractions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to splash around in and actually enjoy the 100-degree weather. You don’t have to plan a full-fledged Texas beach vacation to feel like you’ve escaped to paradise; instead, you can find enough fun right here at home.

🏫 Fracking Elementary: A new report shows more than 50,000 public school students in an area of Arlington are exposed to fracking pollution as a result of oil and gas drilling in northern Texas. Almost 95% of the residents in this 2-mile radius are people of color. 

🗣️ Texas up for debate: For the first time in more than a decade, Senate candidate Ken Paxton agreed on an election debate. His opponent James Talarico challenged him to three televised debates, and Paxton has accepted after avoiding debates in his 2014, 2018, and 2022 campaigns and still managing to win. (Texas Tribune)

🥊 Volunteers needed: Meals on Wheels North Texas is seeking volunteers to cover routes in Dallas and Tarrant Counties, bringing meals to homebound and disabled seniors. As of Monday, 5 to 10 Dallas routes and close to 40 Tarrant routes were uncovered. Here’s how to help.

🌟 It’ so Dallas: Excellent news, the “Y’all can kiss my Dallas” shirt has made it to Norway. Erling Haaland and the Norway soccer team were booted from the World Cup in the quarterfinals, but the 25-year-old striker got a collection of parting gifts from Dallas’ Wild Bill’s Western, including a taxidermied raccoon holding a bottle of alcohol. 

🍦 National Ice Cream Day: Sunday is National Ice Cream Day, and if you’re looking to try a new creamery, we’ve got a list of fan favorites around the metroplex, including a Middle Eastern dessert shop that specializes in “stretchy ice cream.” 

🔑 First home headquarters: A recent report ranked McKinney as the top city in Texas for first-time homebuyers. The suburb was ranked 9th out of all 300 US cities studied. (Culture Map Dallas)

Is it easier for you to learn about what’s happening in Texas and beyond through video? Check out our cut-to-the-chase videos! 

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere with stories from Sydni Ellis. It was edited by Kimberly Lawson.

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