Texas
Why North Texas’ final Fireside Pies closed
Fireside Pies in Grapevine closes after dinner on Aug. 31, 2024. The Grapevine location was the last remaining restaurant in this series of pizza shops that had expanded over 20 years from Dallas’ Henderson Avenue to many parts of North Texas, including Plano, Fort Worth and Grapevine.
Owner Golden Tree Restaurants, which also operates Golden Chick, Jalapeno Tree and Texadelphia restaurants, said Fireside Pies never recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we worked tirelessly to maintain our standard of excellence and serve high-quality fare, foot traffic never rebounded to pre-pandemic levels,” reads a statement from the company.
Fireside Pies was founded in 2004 by Tristan Simon, one of the restaurateurs who reinvigorated Dallas’ Henderson Avenue with chef Nick Badovinus. The original Fireside had a tiny interior with a roaring hot pizza oven. The patio was spacious, save for the tree it was built around. People would line up outside, near the bustling Henderson Avenue, to wait for a table on busy evenings.
Golden Tree acquired Fireside in 2018. Mark Parmerlee, president of Richardson-based Golden Tree, said at the time he was “tickled to have it.”
Indeed, Fireside Pies was one of North Texas’ beloved pizza joints. It made our Best in DFW: Pizza list, and The Dallas Morning News wrote in 2012 that Fireside found “the secret to a perfect pie: crisp, chewy crusts, made-from-scratch sauces and quality ingredients from local purveyors.”
Fireside Pies made pizza seem sophisticated, which was rare in Dallas, another Dallas Morning News critic said in 2007.
The restaurant went through plenty of changes over the years, with restaurants opening and closing and menus getting overhauled. In late 2020, chef Stephan Pyles collaborated with the brand to add 10 new items to the menu, like smoked tomato gazpacho and shrimp ceviche. He was not a founder; he was hired some 16 years later as a consultant, to give the brand a jolt.
In the past few years, the restaurant locations slimmed even more. The original Fireside closed in late 2023.
A spokeswoman for Golden Tree confirmed that the Fireside Pies brand is not being sold.
It’s possible that the restaurant could reopen, but “we do not have any current plans to open in the near future,” the spokeswoman said.
“We want to thank the community for their support and loyalty over the past 6 years,” the company statement said. “The decision was made with a heavy heart and was based upon business needs and the state of our brand.”
Fireside Pies is at 1285 S. Main St., Grapevine. Its last day in business is Aug. 31, 2024.
For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on X at @sblaskovich.
Texas
No. 23 Texas A&M Drops Home SEC Opener To No. 7 Georgia
The No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies baseball team saw another game of struggles to start an SEC conference matchup Friday night in College Station, except this one wasn’t as close as the games last week in Norman, dropping Game 1 of their series against the Georgia Bulldogs, 9-4.
The Aggies posted a seven-run inning earlier in the week against the Texas State Bobcats, but were unfortunately unable to produce that same firepower with their bats three days later.
With the loss, the Aggies drop to 17-4 on the year, and 1-3 against SEC opponents.
Texas A&M Bats Struggle in Loss to No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs
Shane Sdao took the loss for the Aggies despite striking out 11 batters in 5.2 innings pitched while also allowing nine hits and five earned runs on 112 pitches.
With the Aggies against their second top 10-ranked SEC team in a row, the Bulldogs wasted no time making their presence felt in College Station as Henry Allen blasted a three-run home run off of Sdao in the top of the first inning.
Georgia second baseman Tre Phelps would follow up in the second inning with an RBI single to give the visiting team a 4-0 lead after two innings.
The Aggies would find a spark in the bottom half of that same inning, with first baseman Gavin Grahovac smashing a single into center to give A&M their first hit and first two runs of the contest, scoring Jake Duer and Terrence Kiel II, cutting Georgia’s lead in half.
Unfortunately, that’s really where the good times stopped for Texas A&M.
Bulldogs third baseman Michael O’Shaughnessy rocketed a solo home run in the top half of the third, left fielder Cole Johnson would rope a two-RBI single into the outfield in the eighth inning, and designated hitter Jordy Oriach came on to pinch hit in the ninth and smacked a towering two-run homer over the wall in right center.
Aside from RBI singles by Grahovac and Chris Hacopian in the bottom half of the frame, the Aggies were unable to duplicate their stellar offense from Tuesday in the ninth inning, and they took their second straight conference loss on the year.
Both Boston Kellner and Terrence Kiel II were able to draw walks in the contest, allowing them to extend their streak as the only two Aggies to get on base in all 21 games this year.
Game 2 between the two SEC schools is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Saturday.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Texas
Box of parrots seized from SUV crossing Texas border
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Brownsville Port of Entry recently intercepted three live parrots hidden within a vehicle during an alleged wildlife smuggling attempt. (CBP)
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a box of live parrots apparently being smuggled across the border from Mexico into Texas.
CBP seizes live parrots
The parrots were found in an SUV crossing at the Brownsville Port of Entry on March 13, the CBP said in a Friday release.
The 2007 GMC Yukon was flagged for a secondary inspection, at which point a box with three live parrots was discovered.
Homeland Security Investigations special agents initiated a criminal investigation into the seizure. CBP says they worked with partner agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to safeguard the birds at a local zoo.
Parrots are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora regulated by FWS.
What they’re saying:
“Parrots are protected species and our frontline officers work diligently to prevent suspected attempts to smuggle them as part of the illegal animal trade,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry. “Exotic birds may carry various diseases not known to exist in the U.S. that could endanger native wildlife and U.S. agriculture, resulting in potential economic harm as well.”
The Source: Information in this article comes from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Texas
How to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M 2026 March Madness tickets
The Houston Cougars reminded the college basketball world they are a force to be reckoned with in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
No. 2 Houston dispatched No. 15 Idaho 78-47 and is heading to the Round of 32 on Saturday.
Led by freshman guard Kingston Flemings, the Cougars routed the Vandals and secured an intra-state matchup in the second round of March Madness.
SHOP: Houston vs. Texas A&M March Madness tickets
Now, Houston will take on No. 10 Texas A&M on Saturday, March 21. The Aggies pulled off the minor upset beating St. Mary’s earlier on Thursday evening.
Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M March Madness basketball second round tickets.
Shop Houston vs. Texas A&M tickets
Shop Houston vs. Texas A&M March Madness tickets
When is March Madness 2026?
The First Four tipped off the 2026 March Madness tournament on Tuesday, March 17. The two rounds run between Thursday, March 19 and Sunday, March 22. The tournament concludes with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6.
Houston March Madness next opponent
Houston earned a No. 2 seed in the South regional. They team defeated Idaho in the its opening game and have advanced to the Round of 32, where they will play the No. 10 Texas A&M on Saturday. Tickets to Houston’s Round of 32 game start at $192 and includes entry to see No. 4 Nebraska take on No. 5 Vanderbilt as well.
Limited tickets for the first weekend of March Madness in Oklahoma City. are still available. Get your Houston vs. Texas A&M NCAA Tournament tickets now.
Shop Illinois basketball tickets
Houston vs. Texas A&M March Madness schedule, game time
After defeating Idaho on Thursday, Houston will compete against the Aggies of Texas A&M on Saturday, March 21. Tip off is set for 6:10 p.m ET. Shop Houston Round of 32 tickets now.
More March Madness: Everything fans need to know about the 2026 NCAA Tournament
Shop Houston basketball tickets
Houston March Madness basketball tickets
Limited Houston NCAA Tournament tickets are still available for the Round of 32. Get your Houston March Madness tickets now.
Illinois March Madness game locations
Illinois will play its Round 32 game at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Saturday, March 21. Tip off is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. ET
Limited tickets for the first weekend of March Madness in Oklahoma City. are available. Shop your Houston NCAA Tournament tickets now.
Shop ALL Houston basketball tickets
Houston Sweet 16 tickets
If the Cougars were to advance to the Sweet 16, they’d travel back home to Houston. Sweet 16 tickets in Houston are already available starting at $207.
Shop Houston Sweet 16 tickets
March Madness 2026 full schedule for the men’s tournament
- April 6: National Championship
- March 19-20: First round
- March 21-22: Second round
- March 26-27: Sweet 16
- March 28-29: Elite 8
- April 4-5: Final Four
Shop ALL March Madness tickets
-
Detroit, MI3 days agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Oklahoma7 days agoFamily rallies around Oklahoma father after head-on crash
-
Nebraska1 week agoWildfire forces immediate evacuation order for Farnam residents
-
Georgia5 days agoHow ICE plans for a detention warehouse pushed a Georgia town to fight back | CNN Politics
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMassachusetts community colleges to launch apprenticeship degree programs – The Boston Globe
-
Alaska6 days agoPolice looking for man considered ‘armed and dangerous’
-
Southwest1 week agoTalarico reportedly knew Colbert interview wouldn’t air on TV before he left to film it
-
Michigan1 week agoMichigan-based Stryker hit with cyberattack