Fort Worth Expansion, Charter Changes, and Holiday Cheer - Local Pulse

Good morning, this is Fort Worth Local Pulse for Thursday, December 4th, 2025. We're starting this morning with some good economic news for our city. Ariat International, the well-known equestrian apparel company, is expanding its regional headquarters right here in Fort Worth. This expansion brings over 70 million dollars in capital investment and will create around 250 new jobs across two phases. The company is receiving a 1.5 million dollar grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund to support the growth. Ariat's co-founder and CEO Beth Cross says Fort Worth and Texas have been incredible partners in the company's journey, and they're proud to expand their presence here. It's a significant win for our local economy and reinforces Fort Worth's position as a hub for innovation and world-class brands. Speaking of city business, Fort Worth residents may soon have a say in how our government operates. City Council is considering several amendments to the Fort Worth Charter that could affect how we elect our leaders and what they earn. The proposed changes include increasing council member pay, extending their terms from two years to either three or four years, and potentially implementing term limits. There's also talk about staggering council elections so not everyone is on the ballot at the same time. Council would need to call a charter election by February 13th to get these amendments on the ballot in May. If they miss that deadline, the next opportunity wouldn't be until November 2026 or May 2027. Assistant City Attorney Gavin Midgley told council members that adding a charter amendment won't be a significant cost since the city is already holding an election next spring anyway. In public safety news, the Fort Worth Police Department is making changes aimed at building trust with our community. Chief Eddie Garcia announced a new Constitutional Policing Unit that will proactively audit the department to ensure legal, moral, and ethical policing standards. This civilian-led unit mirrors an initiative Garcia launched while leading Dallas police in 2023. It marks the first major change to the department since Garcia became chief in September. Looking at what's happening around town this weekend, we've got plenty of holiday cheer to enjoy. The Artisan Circle in our Cultural District is hosting a free Holiday Stroll on Sunday, December 7th from 11 am to 5 pm. There's going to be live music, free hot chocolate, a holiday market, craft stations, and Santa will be there to visit with the kids. It's a great family-friendly event right in the heart of our city. If you're looking for holiday performances, Stage West continues with All is Calm through December 21st, and Casa Manana's A Rock and Roll Christmas runs through the same date. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden also opened its Christmas in the Garden light display, which features a mile-long self-guided trail of holiday lights set to music. Thank you for tuning in to Fort Worth Local Pulse. Be sure to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.