🤠 Downtown Weatherford Multi-Million Dollar Mystery Project

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and happy Spring Break to those with kids! It’s another classic week of Texas weather. Freezing this morning and then 90’s later this week. Maybe we’ll see a 100-degree day in April??

In today’s Weatherford Wrangler:

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Let’s get to it,

🏛️ Willow Park Council Clashes Over Free Speech

Once again, tensions flared as Mayor Teresa Palmer twice ejected former council member Amy Fennel for critical public comments, sparking a constitutional debate. While Councilman Eric Contreras defended Fennel’s right to speak, the Mayor stood firm. It’s been a wild couple of weeks over there. You can watch the interaction take place starting at the 7:00 minute mark of this video. Also, you can read a full recap of the interaction by clicking on this article by Rick Mauch.

In lighter news, Willow Park approved $20,000 worth of funds to sponsor a concert series at The District starting April 3rd.

🛠 Renovation Coming to Downtown Weatherford

A $3.2 million renovation is planned at the former Fire Oak Grill space within the historic building at 114 Austin Avenue in Weatherford. The project’s design is being led by Duncan Design Group and involves remodeling the existing restaurant space. Construction is expected to be completed by May 2027, with additional details and updates to be released as the project timeline progresses.

Interestingly, the City of Weatherford awarded a $280,000 restaurant incentive to the project. This is normal for cities to do, as they hope for the building to become occupied so it will begin generating sales tax. We still do not have confirmation of what will replace Fire Oak Grill, but this is a massive construction project.

🚒 A New Fire Station is Coming

The Council officially approved Grossman Design Build for the design phase of Fire Station 5. They selected the firm from 16 different responses, so this project is officially moving from a "need" to a concrete plan. This should improve emergency response times for the growing southern and western parts of the city.

It may be freezing this morning, but warmer weather is coming, and it’s time for many of us to do some much-needed spring cleaning! Instead of throwing away your clutter or donating it to a big box chain, we’d encourage you to consider donating to a local non-profit.

Mana Storehouse: This is a staple in Weatherford. They accept clothing, household items, and furniture to support families in crisis within Parker County. It’s a great way to ensure your items stay right here in the community.

A couple of weeks ago, we asked on Facebook, “What non-profits should we highlight in our newsletter?”, and Mana Storehouse was one of the most supported by this community. For the past 40 years, Mana Storehouse has been enabling families in Parker County to live a dignified life. They have no paid employees. This organization is all led by volunteers and community donations.

So, as you clean out the closet and garage this spring, we’d ask you to consider supporting one of our amazing non-profits! Below is a list of acceptable donation items from their website:

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. These are just things we want you to know. I will always let you know when there is a sponsorship.}

🍿 Family Movie Night is happening at Film Alley tonight at 6 PM. Tickets start at just $5.75. You can’t beat that on St. Patick’s Day!

🌸 Spring Fling at Chandor Gardens is BACK this Saturday from 11 am-3 pm. Go enjoy a walk through the beautiful gardens, eat some great food, and enjoy this wonderful, family-friendly event. Admission is FREE!!

🐂 Legacy Longhorn Ranch is also having a Spring Fling Saturday afternoon from noon until 8 pm. There will be a heated pool, live music, and tons of fun for the whole family.

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. These are just things we want you to know. I will always let you know when there is a sponsorship.}

We cannot link all these. If you’re interested, go look them up!

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. These are just things we want you to know. I will always let you know when there is a sponsorship.}

Thanks again for tuning into the Weatherford Wrangler.

See y’all next week!