My family of five (including two pets) is bone-in crazy — like, certifiably, straitjackets and all — but there’s still one place where we mysteriously get along like a freaking Hallmark made-for-TV movie.
Coyote Drive-In.
Something about the togetherness of loading up our folding chairs, blankets, and pillows in ye olde Nissan Rogue, making the easy cruise downtown through sunset to the drive-in and unpacking together, then hitting the concession stand together (often holding hands) to return with our arms loaded to our perfectly chosen spot, where my wife, young-to-now-teen son, and I just chill and hang out and chat until the film starts, works as a kind of balm. Or maybe even a reset. The evening shade surrounding the four widely spaced screens across a flat expanse of gravel and descending on the sparkling Fort Worth skyline beneath moon and stars encourages huddling close, spiritually and sometimes (according to the weather) physically. The three of us have connected with one another through our tight family bond, its essence underlined by the night, the clean air, the stars, and also through Thor’s hammer and young Miguel’s music to his Coco, and through Joy’s zest for life, Po’s spinning-heel kicks, and Simba’s roar. There’s really nothing like it.
And there never will be again.
After 14 years and many visits by the Mariani Clan and hundreds of thousands of others, Coyote Drive-In is closing. The last day is Labor Day (Mon, Sep 7).
“When we opened Coyote Drive-In, we hoped to create more than just a place to watch movies,” said Glenn Solomon, Coyote Drive-In managing partner. “We wanted to create a place where families and friends could come together and make lasting memories.”
The reason for the closing is Progress (capital “P”), the super-slow-mo kind. The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), which owns the 18-acre drive-in property, will begin work this fall on a new phase of the $1.16 billion (!) Panther Island project which involves building two new canals and a 3-acre park. This part of Panther Island represents the first half of the bypass channel that will reroute the Trinity River as part of built-in flood-abatement measures.
Completion of the project is slated for 2032. That’s a lot of drive-in memories that will never come to pass to make way for more grass and bespoke running trails, which may make my 5-mile-a-day runner-wife happy but certainly not any of us sane people. I guess there’ll also be some restaurants and stuff, overpriced chains or Dallas imports undoubtedly. Upscale development paving over sacred land? Sounds like some kind of horror flick.
The whole Panther Island ordeal has been besieged by problems. Federal construction delays have pushed back the groundbreaking on the north bypass channel to later this year, relocating utility and railroad lines has not been easy, and preservationists have their concerns.
Long-term, though, Panther Island makes sense. It’s a much more robust use of the land. We can only hope that what turns up 900 years from now doesn’t look like every other waterfront in the country, when Coyote Drive-In (223 NE 4th St, Fort Worth, 817-717-7767) offers/offered a distinctly urban, genuine, and I dare say “Fort Worthy” entertainment experience.
No word yet on the drive-in’s last picture show. Coyote vs. Acme is a rumored — and appropriate — choice. It’s about a regular Joe, who happens to be a human-plus-level-intelligent wild animal, taking on a massive corporation in court.
Coyote Drive-In’s closing has my wife pretty upset. A lifelong cinephile, she swore off going to the movies in traditional theaters after the 2012 Aurora shooting and refuses to watch The Dark Knight Rises out of respect for the victims (12 murdered, 70 injured). Coyote Drive-In was her only way to simulate the theatergoing experience that she loves and grew up loving. Now, it’s back to streaming on the Nuthouse Couch, I guess. Thanks, TRWD.
Follow Facebook.com/CoyoteDriveIn for more.
Honks Greet Anti-Flocking Bridge Sign at Hulen
Commuters traveling west on I-30 Monday morning through Arlington Heights got a message and a warning. Huge block letters across the Hulen Bridge spelled out, “YOU JUST GOT FLOCKED! DEFLOCK FORT WORTH.”
The reference was to the two bullet Axis ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers) tucked under the bridge. The group behind the signage, DeFlock Fort Worth, estimates thousands must have seen the sign.
“We’re all being FLOCKED by a government that can’t lock up [its] own politicians,” DeFlock Fort Worth posted later that day. “We appreciate the honks, waves … . If you’d like to help us free Fort Worth of the mass-surveillance state, follow along and tell your friends. We have more good stuff coming soon and maybe even some more fun stuff.”
Follow @DeFlockFortWorth or visit DeFlockDFW.org for allied DeFlocking events around North Texas.
Courtesy DeFlock Fort Worth/Facebook
It’s a First Amendment Holy Ghost Explosion!
I say yea, though I walk through the shadow of the valley of the deplorable county jail, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. And why, why, why do I say this? Why, why? Because I got the First Amendment Holy Ghost power here today! We’re gonna have a First Amendment Holy Ghost explosion! We’re gonna short-circuit Tim O’Hare today, and the First Amendment Holy Ghost is our powerline to a functioning democracy!
Sorry, got carried away with a little Robert Duvall from The Apostle (capsule review: could have made a better play). Sometimes the Holy Spirit of the first of our five freedoms just takes over. Just ask former State Rep. Lon Burnam and podcast host E.J. Carrion, the two Fort Worth cats now facing criminal charges for catching that free-speakin’ Holy Ghost fire at a recent commissioners court meeting and clearly offending County Judge O’Hare. Carrion faces a misdemeanor charge punishable by a fine of $2,000 max, up to 180 days in jail, or both for “disrupting a meeting,” which he accomplished by allegedly hollerin’ “bullshit!” and “all of you are bullshit!” at the esteemed commissioners. He was arrested a week later. As for Burnam, he allegedly grabbed the mic during his one-minute speaking time like Neil Diamond about to get heavy and had to be carried out by sheriff’s deputies. Burnam faces a Class A misdemeanor charge for “hindering proceedings by disorderly conduct.”
On his weekly 817 Podcast, Carrion hasn’t had much to say about the brouhaha publicly on the advice of his lawyer, but to some reporters recently, he said, “It shows that free speech, our ability to challenge power, is on the line. It doesn’t get more authoritarian than this.”
Amen.
R.I.P., Dolly Parton
Country music legend Dolly Parton has died. She was 80.
“Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee,” Parton’s people said in a statement. “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.”
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum said, “Dolly Parton’s legacy is not celebrity but humanity. She was a champion of equality and literacy. She was a picture of dignity, even when dressed outrageously. Anyone who seeks to be more like Dolly is on the right track, but they’ll never get to the finish line. She came from poverty to become the most important native of Tennessee. She shared her fortunes for the good of all of us and shared her soul in every note she sang.”
At Dolly’s request, please donate to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in lieu of sending flowers or other gifts.
This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
