Latest news with #TABC
Eater
22-05-2025
- Eater
Texas Wine Country Confronts the Challenges of Its Boozy Boom
Famed for its German heritage and rolling hills, Texas Hill Country is best known for its wine. Considered the region's crown jewel, Fredericksburg started with just three wineries in the 1970s and has since blossomed, experiencing one of its most significant booms in tourism over the last five years, says Brady Closson, the CEO of Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau. Today, the city has more than 80 wineries and generates the second-highest revenue in wine tourism dollars in the country, falling just behind California's Napa Valley, Closson adds. But with more than 3 million people visiting each year and its designation as the second-most visited wine destination in the U.S., residents are feeling the effects. Locals say some visitors are drinking a little too much while visiting wine country. Around 60 percent of Fredericksburg's arrests each year are due to public intoxication and DWI, or driving while intoxicated, according to the Fredericksburg Police Department, which has tracked a steady rise in alcohol-related arrests since 2019. Police now rank those offenses as their top priority, and even the Fredericksburg City Council is looking to address some of the issues tied to the city's alcohol-fueled tourism boom, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post reports. The police department is working with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to rein in problematic drinking at local establishments. During an hour-long public discussion on Monday, May 12, more than a dozen residents, including business owners, discussed issues with alcohol consumption — concerns that people have been overserved, drugged, and assaulted at bars. Residents made suggestions, including restricting open containers on Main Street, shortening bar hours, increasing police presence, implementing stricter TABC laws, and offering more food options along Highway 290, the nearby stretch of highway home to many of the larger wineries. 'A lot of these young girls will hop on the buses, and they go all day — winery to winery — and they don't eat anything,' says Melissa Humphries, who owns two wine-focused bars in town. Humphries, who co-owns Main Street's Champagne bar Six Twists and wine and chocolate bar Ocotillo, with her husband Bobby, says Fredericksburg experienced a noticeable shift in the type of tourists it attracted starting in 2020, following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of Texas shut down and suffered the consequences, putting many businesses at a standstill, but Fredericksburg, a rural town known for its bed and breakfast hotels, thrived, Closson and Humphries say. Tourists from nearby areas like Austin and Houston used Fredericksburg as a getaway, some staying a weekend to a few days, while others stayed for weeks on end to escape the monotony of their homes while social distancing. As tourism climbed, so did incidents of public intoxication, which worried business owners, trying to uphold a certain decorum that exudes more Napa Valley, less Austin's Sixth Street, Closson says. 'A couple of times we've gone out in the morning, and like, yeah, there's blood on the sidewalk. Where did that come from?' Humphries says, and it's not surprising to see nice cars parked on the side of the road. 'You know they didn't break down,' a resident says. 'They got arrested.' Many have pointed to businesses like Brooke's Bubble Bar for contributing to disruptive behavior. The hard-to-miss pink wine tour company on Fredericksburg's historic Main Street has earned a reputation for its droves of bright pink limos, in which it packs in rowdy bands of bachelorettes and groups of partying women who unleash on the city in all their pink and glittery glory. Business owners say some of Brooke's patrons have returned to Main Street so drunk, they've damaged local businesses, harassed management, and even stolen items, including curtains and sconces, taken from their walls. Brooke's did not immediately respond to Eater's requests for comment. With high-end hotels preparing to plant their flags downtown, some residents fear unchecked tourism could undermine the small-town charm rooted in German traditions and entrepreneurial spirit. These residents want to curb the behavior before the next wave of development reshapes Fredericksburg: Kimpton Hotels and Houston-based DC Partners, the company behind Thompson hotels in Houston and San Antonio, plan to open a 210-room luxury hotel in the middle of Fredericksburg in 2027. The Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts also plans to open its Hill Country location in 2027, which will feature 60 hotel rooms, 37 multi-bedroom resort villas, 50 private residences, an 11,000-square-foot spa, two pools, and five dining establishments, according to a release. Still, Humphries says residents want to maintain Fredericksburg's hospitable, inviting culture without losing the values of its residents and business owners. 'I think it's just maybe some growing pains. We're finding our identity,' Humphries says, noting that many publications have tried to quantify Fredericksburg's growth, culture, and atmosphere. In February 2020, just a month before COVID-19's infamous shutdown, Texas Monthly deemed Fredericksburg 'the new Aspen.' Some locals took the moniker with pride. Others cringed. 'Now, they're like, 'I think we'd rather be Aspen than Nashville.'' 'We're trying to move that wine journey to a Napa level.' Though wineries are a prominent driver of tourism, Closson says there's hope for Fredericksburg to be more intentional about its message, so it's not perceived that the only thing visitors can do there is drink. It's not because they don't want tasting rooms or opportunities to drink in the historic district of Downtown Fredericksburg. 'But do you want three or four blocks of just tasting rooms, or is it, we agree that a mix is probably best for all parties?' he says. Jared Broach, co-owner of Charleston Taylor Estate, a winery in nearby Johnson City, says some businesses are fueling the problem by being too lenient and giving in to gimmicks to attract tourists. 'The wine industry is so economy-based that it ebbs and flows, so what happens is some of these wineries get too desperate,' Broach says. 'They'll welcome in groups, offer huge discounts on tastings, and then you'll have people throwing up in bathrooms, and issues where in Napa Valley, [tourists] would be in jail.' Most wineries are trying to offer a more upscale, educational, yet welcoming atmosphere for wine enthusiasts and newcomers while also fighting the harmful stereotype that 'Texans drink shitty wine and beer.' 'We're trying to move that wine journey to a Napa level,' he says. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nix, Shearmire inducted into TABC's Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame
High school basketball season has long been over, but Saturday May 10, 2025 featured a special celebration for two Texoma Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) hosting its annual clinic, including the Texas High School Basketball hall of fame City's Darryn Shearmire is one of eight members of the class of 2025. He played for the Wildcats from 1979 to 1982, twice earning all-state honors while leading the team to three straight undefeated district championships and a pair of state tournament appearances. Shearmire is currently head coach of the girls basketball team at Bridgeport high inducted in the class of 2025, Burkburnett legend Danny coached the Bulldogs boys basketball team for 43 years, 40 as the head coach. He also spent 26 of those years as Burkburnett's athletic director. At his alma mater, Nix led the Nulldogs to 19 district titles and two state championship game appearances. He has 866 coaching wins at one school, the third most in Texas high school retired three years ago, and the gym at Burkburnett high school is named in his honor. He is also a member of our local hall of fame, the Nexstar Sports hall of fame, inducted back in 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
African Manager
08-04-2025
- Business
- African Manager
FITA2025: Tunisia at heart of investment and trade in Africa
Tunisia will host the 8th edition of the *Financing Investment & Trade in Africa (FITA 2025) conference on May 6–7, 2025, welcoming over 2,000 delegates from 60+ countries. 'Driving Africa's Transformation,' will be, according to Anis Jaziri, president of the Tunisia Africa Business Council (TABC), the theme of this African event, he told a press conference in Tunis on Monday. The event is particularly important, as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of the TABC, celebrating a decade of fostering economic ties between Tunisia and the continent, he pointed out. 'Over the years, FITA has established itself as a key pan-African platform, bringing together project developers, public policy makers, financiers and investors to forge partnerships that will shape Africa's future,' Jaziri added. FITA2025 will highlight the continent's key challenges and growth drivers, while also addressing industrial transformation, energy transition, digitalization, infrastructure and logistics modernization and the development of African tourism. Jaziri added that this event promises to be a major opportunity to accelerate the transformation of the African continent by bringing together talents, visions and opportunities in a framework conducive to structuring partnerships. The event will be attended by many leading figures, including senior government officials, ministers and heads of international and regional institutions from Africa, Europe and Asia, as well as several hundred foreign CEOs, African investment promotion agencies and Tunisian economic operators from various sectors. 14 panels, 10 side events and 7 workshops Turning to the 'FITA 2025' program, the TABC president explained that 14 high-level panels, 10 thematic side events and 7 workshops were planned for the event. He noted that five countries would be in the spotlight: Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar and Guinea Conakry, all of which will hold sessions at the event. For the first time, the conference will feature the 'FITA PITCH DAYS'. This is an initiative dedicated to owners of innovative projects who will have the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of international investors and financial institutions, he explained. A BtoB and BtoG room will also be set up to facilitate targeted meetings, he said. Jaziri noted that a digital matchmaking platform will be available from April 14, 2025, allowing registered participants to efficiently plan their business meetings. A conclave for the crème de la crème of international finance FITA2025 is an opportunity for institutions and economic operators to meet the crème de la crème of international finance, CEOs, donors and investment funds to discuss financial mechanisms to revitalize the African economy, tools to develop inter-African trade and levers to boost investment. Beyond the economic aspects, this event is a strategic opportunity for Tunisia to strengthen its investment attractiveness and promote its tourist destination throughout Africa. Anis Jaziri highlighted the opportunity for Tunisian public and private companies to conclude agreements and develop partnerships, particularly in the tourism and crafts sectors. Tunisian Minister of Tourism, Sofiene Tekaya, who recently met Anis Jaziri, expressed his enthusiasm for the scale of this continental and international event. He emphasized that the forum would be a valuable opportunity to strengthen ties with the African continent and promote Tunisia as a destination of choice, particularly for medical, wellness and business tourism. The Minister also recalled that Tunisia's membership of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) demonstrates its commitment to harnessing the transformative potential of the African market.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cold beer at wineries? New bill could shake up Texas's drink scene, here's how:
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Imagine you're going on a night out, excited for the food, company, and a drink of your choice; only to find out that a local winery with an attached restaurant can't serve you a cold beer with your meal. That frustrating reality might soon change, thanks to a new bill that will close a loophole in the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Texas State Representative Brooks Landgraf, who introduced the bill after a request for help, said that if it's passed, the legislation would allow businesses like Homemade Wines Downtown Bistro in Odessa to expand their offerings and better serve their customers. Homemade Wines, a locally owned winery and restaurant in downtown Odessa, has been unable to sell beer due to existing regulations. Despite operating a full restaurant, the business falls into a 'legal gray area' because it is classified as a wine manufacturer. 'Sometimes customers at the restaurant just want to have a beer with their dinner,' Landgraf said. 'But there's not a permit that currently exists for that. So the legislation that I'm proposing would fix that gap and make sure that there is an applicable permit for a situation like the one that Homemade Wines is in.' Landgraf, who has worked closely with Homemade Wines to find a solution, first attempted to resolve the issue with TABC. When no existing permit fit their business model, he turned to the legislative process. Watch the video below to hear Landgraf explain what the bill is, and why it will be important for small businesses like Homemade Wines: Homemade Wines CEO and owner Kris Bowen said the new bill is an answer to a long-standing request from customers. 'The number one question we get is asking if we serve beer. We get it constantly. We have women come in for their wine, and they constantly say, 'I would love to bring my husband in, but y'all don't have beer.' So we're obviously losing business because of that,' Bowen said. The bill would not only allow them to meet customer demand but also open new opportunities for partnerships with other local businesses. Bowen has already expressed interest in collaborating with Tall City Brewery in Midland, a well-known local brewery, to bring more locally crafted beverages to Homemade Wines. 'It takes away a lot of the red tape so that we can collaborate together in different cities. They can have Homemade Wines in their spot, and we can have their beer here. It just opens a lot of doors,' Bowen said. Watch the video below to hear Bowen discuss the impact this bill could have on their business and future partnerships: Currently, the bill is making its way through the legislative process, which began on January 14 and will continue through early June. If passed, the new law is expected to take effect on September 1, 2025. For Landgraf, this bill is part of a larger mission to ensure that West Texans have their voices heard in the state legislature. 'When West Texans have a problem with state government, they come to me to fix it. That's my job, and I'm happy to help, whether it's Homemade Wines or any other individual or business in West Texas who just needs to have a problem fixed at the state level,' he said. If successful, this legislation could serve as a model for other businesses in Texas facing similar restrictions, potentially paving the way for more flexible permitting across the state. And for those who have never been to Homemade Wines, Bower explains how the business is unlike anything in the area: Stay tuned as we follow the progress of this bill and its potential impact on small businesses like Homemade Wines. For more information about Homemade Wines Downtown Bistro, visit its Facebook page, or this website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
