When Texas House Bill 1935, the decision by the state to remove the public restriction on carrying blades more than 5.5 inches long, went into effect in September, it coincided with the most big-blade-friendly time of year: the Texas Renaissance Festival. “We've always allowed patrons to come in with swords and axes, bows and arrows, things like that,” said Travis Bryant, Marketing Director for TRF. He began working as a performer on the grounds 17 seasons ago. “But we've always required them t

New York Congressional Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, has endorsed City Council Member Laurie Cumbo for reelection. Cumbo, a first-term Democrat from District 35, which covers Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, is in the midst of a tough primary battle against Ede Fox, a Democrat who lost to Cumbo in 2013 and is running again this year. Jeffries, whose congressional district includes large parts of Cumbo’s Council district, explained the endorsement to Gotham Gazette in a phone interview on Monday. “These are challenging times in our country, and Democratic members of our Congress are fighting hard each and every day to stop the onslaught of regressive policies coming from the Trump administration,” he said. “In this atmosphere, having a strong ally in the City Council to defend the interests of the neighborhoods we both represent is critically important. There is no better ally that I could have at the local or state level than Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo.”

Denton County, a small area north of Dallas, is host to a diverse population of old-timers and college students. It's also home to local sheriff Tracy Murphree, who's been making headlines thanks to a history of controversial Facebook posts. Following the May terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester , for example, he called for an end to "political correctness" and warned against an enemy with an ideology “ hell bent on killing you .” The post, in which he declared, "The left

Despite laying claim to less than one percent of party affiliated registered voters within New York City, the Green Party has two candidates competing in a rare primary this year. Candidates Jabari Brisport and Scott Hutchins are facing each other for the chance to run against the winner of the Democratic primary between incumbent Laurie Cumbo and Ede Fox, as well as Republican candidate Christine Parker, in the 35th City Council District, which includes central Brooklyn neighborhoods like Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, and parts of Crown Heights.

After competitive primaries, the New Jersey gubernatorial race is now between Republican Kim Guadagno and Democrat Phil Murphy. As the candidates head toward November's Election Day, New Yorkers may want to pay attention to the race and how each major party candidate might affect New York if elected. Given the proximity and relationship between the two states, particularly in relation to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the fact that New York's workforce includes many New Jersey commuters, the next governor of New Jersey will have significant sway over key infrastructure, transportation, economic, public safety, public health, and other decisions that affect New Yorkers.

Vanguard America, a white nationalist group left its mark on Texas universities again Monday, with another series of offensive posters. The posters, last seen posted in universities across the state in Feb were seen again on campus at UNT Monday Morning, where they were posted to social media before being removed.

As I, like every other twenty year old, try to navigate my way through the stresses of adult life, I am pelted with a variety of ways one can unwind at the end of a long day or grueling week. Painting works for me, and though it doesn’t work for everybody, nothing makes me feel better than a few hours of swirling colors and good music. However, I’m not painting to be the next Picasso, I’m painting to let out steam. If this sounds like something that could work for you, I have a few tips that could save you money in the long-run.

Student activists from UNT partnered with students from Texas Woman’s University to commemorate International Women’s Day on Wednesday by organizing a march to the Square. There were complications during the rally however, after it was discovered that one of the members of the crowd was YouTuber Steven Crowder, who had been impersonating transgender women with a friend.

A few dozen UNT students and faculty stood on the steps of the Hurley Administration Building Monday to protest and petition President Neal Smatresk to make UNT a sanctuary campus. UNT students advocating for the university to become a sanctuary to undocumented immigrants were satisfied after meeting with Smatresk to discuss policy reforms after previously unsuccessful negotiations. Though Smatresk cautioned onlookers and activists of the limitations to the university’s abilities to legally support undocumented students, he said ICE agents would not be allowed on campus without first obtaining a warrant.

Students were moved this week by a Black Lives Matter demonstration involving dozens of posters duct taped to the wall of Willis Library, Thursday. The posters, six of which were originally hung by sociology senior Jazmine McGill along with friends David Rafael Montalvo and Nadia Ala’i Rosales have continuously grown in numbers expressing mostly student support for the BLM movement and the victims of police brutality in the United States.

Tuition for traditional undergraduate students is increasing for the 2016-17 school year as part of a plan approved by the university’s Board of Regents in 2014.

Council member Kevin Roden started a slew of accusations that candidate Sara Bagheri received money from a tea party political action committee, but Bagheri’s campaign finance reports show she has not taken any money from the PAC. Bagheri was endorsed by the group Empower Texans after completing a questionnaire sent to all of the candidates, but has not received campaign money, according to reports.

Residents of the Forum at Denton Station apartments were startled Tuesday night as four gunshots were fired into the window of apartment 4112. Nobody was injured, and there are no suspects or victims according to Denton police.

Sara Bagheri wants to replace Greg Johnson in May for the At Large Place 6 position on the Denton City Council. Bagheri hopes to focus first and foremost on hiring an auditor, one of four positions City Council has the authority to hire. The auditor position, whose job is to balance City Council’s budget and manage how much is spent, hasn’t been filled since 2011. Bagheri said Denton’s government is not accessible enough for her constituents.

Members of the Denton Sons of Confederate Veterans met at the Square Saturday to pay tribute to fallen soldiers and to celebrate the 155th anniversary of the Confederate flag. Though expected to become an annual event on the Square, this is the first time the group has met in Denton to celebrate Confederate flag day, which they normally celebrate in Fort Worth.

Denton City Council signed a lease last week on the two buildings south of the Square formerly owned by DATCU Credit Union for a new City Hall that will cost $4 million over 10 years, but not everybody is happy about it.

Despite the “pro-rape” group Return of Kings cancelling its rally scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday at the Denton Square, citizens of Denton County still gathered in counter-protest. The protesters got together after the Facebook group #ThisIsNotDenton organized its rally in response. Before Return of Kings cancelled its meetings, the group intended to discuss its plan to legalize rape on private property.

People in Denton are joining international outcry against “Return of Kings,” a self-proclaimed “neomasculinist” group whose leader has called for the legalization of rape on private property, for planning a private meeting Saturday for “hetereosexual men” at locations throughout the world — including the Denton Square and surrounding bars.

Of the 13 residence halls on campus, 12 do not have community stoves or ovens. And students say that’s not cutting it, because the university advertises full kitchenettes in the dorms for public use. The fire marshal last spring determined the residence halls’ ventilation systems were not up to code, so the stoves and ovens had to be removed. Construction crews building Rawlins Hall, established to house honors students, were able to conform to those standards, affording the residents there the luxuries of both an oven and a stove.

A new study by UNT researchers suggests people who suffer from insomnia have an increased chance of getting the flu. The study, conducted by psychology professors Dr. Kimberly Kelly and Dr. Daniel Taylor, was the first to examine the link between insomnia and the effectiveness of flu vaccines in college students.