A North Texas institution is reopening in Arlington After more than four decades serving Tex-Mex and American classics Arlington's Campo Verde closed its doors in January after a recent change in ownership it was announced that Arlington-based chef Mouhssine "Moose" Benhamacht was planning to reopen the beloved restaurant as well as its queso-inspired cheese sauce Get top local stories delivered to you every morning with NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter The new ownership plans to clean up the place Benhamacht owns Cafe Americana in Arlington and previously was the executive chef at Arlington's Live It's unclear when the restaurant will reopen or how the menu will change Campo Verde was known for its Christmas light decor A Tex-Mex restaurant that made every day feel like Christmas with its over-the-top holiday decor has turned out the lights: Campo Verde has closed its location at 2918 W The last day it was open was January 5. The closure was said to last a few days, according to The Dallas Morning News but it’s been weeks now and employees have been laid off When calling the phone number listed on the restaurant's site it goes to a message stating that the number is out of service and disconnected two notes were posted on the closed doors; one from a vendor and the other was a hand-written note from a customer Even the Christmas lights were still on inside “Looks like y’all shut down a staple for this area,” the note read The restaurant was a mainstay and became an annual landmark in Arlington every Christmas holiday season with its 120,000 lights and two model trains circling around the dining room changed ownership and sold the restaurant to Thomas “Tommy” Stewart Jr With the new ownership also came no change in the Christmas decor but a reduced menu of Tex-Mex eats Arlington represented the first El Tiempo outside Houston for the family Patina was originally founded in Los Angeles and manages restaurants in museums These drinks at Provender Hall light up.Provender Hall Provender Hall Bar & Grill the restaurant in The Stockyards from chef Marcus Paslay's From Scratch Hospitality has two new non-alcoholic beverages that light up: Stockyards Sparkler with sparkling cherry lemonade and Neon Lemonade with elctric blue raspberry lemonade Designed with a light-up ice cube keepsake they're fun for the kids and also make a good mocktail complete with western decor and classic southern fare the most festive restaurants in Texas has closed its doors seemingly for good after serving Texans for over 40 years Texas has been a staple of the area for over 40 years The Tex-Mex restaurant became iconic in the city and beyond as word spread the decorations inside the restaurant is what brought so many people to Campo Verde and brought many happiness as the restaurant was covered in Christmas decorations all year long the doors closed and no one knows what will happen to the restaurant now and the phone number has been disconnected The Dallas Morning News attempted to call the owners of Campo Verde but no one answered And these decorations were up all year long A Christmas paradise for those who love Christmas any time of year Below is a video from a few years ago giving a tour of Campo Verde the original owner and founder of Campo Verde sold the business in 2022 The current owner has other businesses in Louisiana Known for its year-round Christmas decor, this Tex-Mex favorite in Texas has now closed its doors.\nRead More By Melanie Hernandez and Lauren Drewes Daniels By Imelda GarcíaStaff Writer Although the closure was initially said to be only for a few days Attempts by The Dallas Morning News to obtain a comment from the owner Thomas “Tommy” Stewart have not been returned The holiday paradise with thousands of Christmas lights has been open since 1983 at 2918 W It is considered to be a local icon in the city Restaurant NewsGet the scoop on the latest openings GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy For years, Campo Verde had loyal customers who would frequently went there to eat its Tex-Mex dishes. One of those customers is Julie Miller, who arrived Saturday, Jan. 25, at 6:30 p.m. for dinner with her friend, Sarah Johnson, to find the restaurant’s door closed. “It used to have a very extensive menu, but they changed it for some time now since the new ownership took place, but even like that, they had a lot of people,” Miller told The Dallas Morning News. “The parking was packed on Saturdays. You weren’t able to find parking and you always had to make a line to get a table. It’s so sad to see it like this.” On Saturday evening, all the Christmas lights inside were on, giving the impression that the place was up and running, but it was closed. Two signs were affixed to the door, one from a vendor and one from a customer. “Looks like y’all shut down a staple for this area,” said the customer message, written by hand. “Shouldn’t have changed the queso dip! We miss the original Campo Verde.” No name was left on the note. Campo Verde’s changed hands in 2022, when James “Smiley” Williams, the founder and owner for nearly 40 years, sold it to restaurateur Thomas Ray Stewart Jr., who has other businesses in Louisiana, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram. A little over a year after the transaction, in November 2023, Williams passed away. Social media posts in recent months show a customer base that perceived declines in service and food. The Arizona Cardinals, State Farm and Arizona's Family are partnering to broadcast the "Cardinals Girls High School Flag Football Game of the Week presented by State Farm ®." This marks the first time an NFL team will produce and air a high school girls flag football game of the week. This week the Canyon View Jaguars take on the Campo Verde Coyotes on Thursday, November 7 at 6:00 p.m. MST. Cardinals owner said recognition is his highest honor received Former wide receiver reaches his 15th version of charity event Tight end's father served in Air Force for 28 years Cardinals owner joins father along with other franchise greats Great Lawn will host the event on April 24 Team joins CivxNow to improve youth education First female NFL owner remembered during Women's History Month  In celebration of Women's History Month, the Arizona Cardinals are honoring the incredible women shaping our community. From influential leaders to local changemakers, we're spotlighting the voices making a lasting impact across the Valley. In celebration of Black History Month, the Arizona Cardinals are highlighting local Black community members and influential voices across the Valley. Former Cardinal Anquan Boldin helps create luncheon for charitable awareness Roberto Del Real works for Chicanos Por La Causa Exploring Kelvin Beachum's My Cause My Cleats process through the lens of the Cardinals team photographer Wind gusts of 30+ mph along with afternoon and evening blowing dust, could reduce visibility. Weather MapsRadarEl Paso fire extinguish Lower Valley house fire; dog killed Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso crews extinguish house fire in the Lower Valley that killed one dog and displaced a family of four they received calls regarding a fire in a home at the 7000 block of Campo Verde Lane EPFD reported the flames were extinguished EPFD said no one was home at the time of the fire EPFD said the American Red Cross was called out to help the displaced family Regarding questions on what sparked the fire EPFD said that is still under investigation This is a developing story; check back for updates RECOMMENDED: El Paso police investigating murder near Fort Bliss-- the 7th of 2025 RECOMMENDED: Crash involving multiple semi-trucks closes lanes on I-10 at Paisano Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox The Campo Verde boys' soccer team advanced to the AIA high school soccer Open Division semifinals after defeating Mesa High in a tight match Both teams were coming off narrow wins in the previous round The Coyotes now will move on to the Open semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m. The first half of Wednesday's Campo Verde-Mesa game was a back-and-forth battle with both teams preventing the other from gaining much momentum Campo did a better job of attacking and getting shots at the goal but stellar play by Mesa's goalkeeper and Mesa's defense kept the game scoreless at the half The game remained that way until 17 minutes remained in the second half when Campo Verde midfielder Angel Moreno scored the game's only goal and the Coyotes held off the Jackrabbits the rest of the way “It’s exciting it means we can prove that 5A teams can play with 6A team It was a great game,” said Campo Verde head coach Andrew Guarneri “I thought we played better in the first half and I thought they were better in the second half and that proves 5A can play with 6A.” Saturday's other semifinal will feature No The Campo Verde boys soccer team extended its win streak to six games with a 1-0 victory over Highland Friday night keeping its sights set on a strong run into the Open Division playoffs Both teams came into the game ranked among the AIA's Top 32 teams that will go into the Open Division playoff bracket The intensity between the two Gilbert rivals was evident throughout Friday's game which included Highland head coach Julio Becerra being ejected along with one of his assistants.The game was a tight defensive contest for both sides early on until a penalty by the Hawks gave the Coyotes a penalty kick Middle fielder Johan Tanzer scored to give the Coyotes the lead 1-0 with 27 minutes left in the first but plenty happened afterward.Toward the end of the first half a penalty was called on Campo Verde and it led to Highland's Josh Orellana-Valencia with a penalty kick but the referee reversed the call due to a stoppage in play as players and coaches on both sides complained about the lack of calls the ball seemed to cross the goal line but it was ruled no goal as multiple fans were screaming “The ball went in.” About eight minutes into the second half the referee blew his whistle while Highland was throwing the ball in play Highland's Becerra and assistant coach Brian Ronan began to argue with the referee The referee gave both coaches a red card and ejected them from the game it got a little heated,” said Highland assistant coach Zakari Smith Campo Verde head coach Andrew Guarneri noted his team's play in the second half helped secure the win I liked our transitions in the second half,'' he said "We stayed with the game plan and it worked.'' Campo Verde (8-1 in AIA matches) next plays Tuesday at home against Mountain Pointe at 5 p.m Highland (5-3 AIA) travels south to face Tucson Magnet School on Tuesday at 6 p.m Editor's note: The top Fort worth news of the week includes openings and closings. A festive, holiday-crazed restaurant has gone dark, while a celebrity chef's latest concept has debuted. Read the five most popular Fort Worth stories of the below, and then find some weekend fun right here 1. Holiday-crazed Arlington restaurant Campo Verde turns out the lights A Tex-Mex restaurant that made every day feel like Christmas with its over-the-top holiday decor has turned out the lights: Campo Verde closed its location at 2918 W 2. BBQ restaurant with heartwarming family story to open in Fort Worth A beloved family-owned barbecue joint in the mid-cities is undergoing a transformation the restaurant formerly known as Berry Best Barbecue in North Richland Hills has rebranded as Lil JJ's Smokehouse and is opening in a prime location in the bustling Presidio Towne Crossing shopping center in north Fort Worth 3. Haltom City gas station restaurant does spicy, juicy momo dumplings There’s a new restaurant in the mid-cities focused on a special kind of dumpling: Called MoMo Bros it's serving traditional Nepalese street food in Haltom City at the Cowboys gas station at 4050 Haltom Rd 4. Retro hotel opens in Stephenville, Texas with celeb chef Stephan Pyles A hipster motel and restaurant with celeb chef has debuted in Stephenville 78 miles southwest of Fort Worth: The Interstate Inn is now open for overnight accommodations with 33 distinctively outfitted rooms that summon the '60s The Seeker – a modern Texas cuisine concept created by Southwest chef Stephan Pyles – opened January 30 5. Fort Worth Rodeo gets glamorous grand entrance at Junior League gala Hundreds of Fort Worth philanthropists and patrons of both Junior League of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo descended on "the dirt floor" of Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum on Saturday January 11 for Junior League's 13th annual Grand Entry Gala 1. Fort Worth Public Market drafts celeb chef for new restaurant and bar The historic Fort Worth Public Market has drafted a celebrity chef to add an exciting new food & beverage operation: Wilks Development is partnering with Fort Worth Top Chef Jenna Kinard and Kansas City restaurateur Christian Moscoso 2. Historic Hogan Building in Fort Worth to welcome a Mexican restaurant There's a new restaurant set to open in downtown Fort Worth it's a Mexican place set to open in the basement of the historic Hogan Building at 901 Houston St 4. Spend Cinco de Mayo 2025 at these Fort Worth restaurants and bars an annual holiday that commemorates a battle won by Mexico in 1863 But its arrival at the peak of spring means that it also makes for a great excuse to drink and grab tacos 5. Crazy tasting tops 7 best food & drink events in Fort Worth this week Here is a roundup of key games covered by The Arizona Republic on Friday Thunderbird rolls over Northwest ChristianBy Howard Schlossberg  While rolling up 484 yards in total offense 184 of which were by running back Elijah Little on dazzling runs it was Thunderbird's defense that secured its 34-10 win Friday night over Northwest Christian at Jack Storey Field Three times in the first half they repelled the Crusaders in their territory Titans' Coach Matt Nalette credits much of it to what he calls the best defensive line in 4A -- Talan Flores They stopped NW Christian two of those times on 4th and 1 Quarterback Andrew Cohill promptly followed up one stop with an 88-yard bomb to Daryl Little Jr while Elijah Little went a spectacular 61 yards for a score following another "We didn't take advantage," said Crusader head coach Dave Inness Elijah Little's 61-yard run and Cohill's 88-yard bomb to Daryl Little Jr were key because of their timing and disheartening impact He finished the game's opening possession with an 11-yard TD run which pretty much won the game in the first half after which they led 20-0 thanks to Little's running and Cohill's arm Thunderbird rolled up 484 in total offense But the defense erased Northwest Christian's early big plays Quarterback Laki Wallwork hit passes of 41 and 47 yards to Deven Helmer Kavalami and Fosu stopped Nathan Johannes on 4th and 1 on consecutive possessions deep in Thunderbird territory It was 27-0 and all but over after Cohill hit Little Jr for an 88-yard TD just a minute and a half into the second quarter The freshman wideout was wide open and went in untouched Northwest Christian finally scored on Wallwork's 6-yard scamper Cameron Main added a late first-half field goal  Thunderbird's Nalette couldn't have been more pleased with his team's effort "We were able to stop them," on those first-half possessions And of Little's 61-yard TD on which he bounced off tacklers Inness on coming up short three times in the first half: "We haven't done that all season," said Inness Both teams finish up 4A Northeast Valley play next Friday Mary's and Northwest Christian (7-2) at Yuma Catholic Campo Verde deals McClintock first lossBy Mohana Holloway The Campo Verde Coyotes went into McClintock High School facing an undefeated Chargers' team that had dominated most opponents and left with 34-14 win in 5A McClintock stood at No.1 and undefeated in 5A San Tan region play while Campo Verde was No the Coyotes dominated the Chargers in all aspects of the game The Chargers were on the board first with a touchdown by wide receiver Kemon Jackson It wasmatched three minutes later by a Campo Verde score by Brody Decker A second-quarter field goal by kicker Mason Brogan followed by another Coyotes' touchdown by runningback Bobby Blackburn gave Campo Verde a 17-7 halftime lead The third quarter was an empty desert score-wise until just before the end Campo Verde broadened their lead even further with a pair of touchdowns by quarterback Karsten Lee The Chargers finally scored again with a touchdown by wide receiver Amari Scroggins Coyotes QB Karsten Lee 4 TDs; Coyotes Kicker Mason Brogan 2 FGs We play as a team and play for one another It’s what makes it sofun to coach these young men.“ -- Campo Verde Coyotes Head Coach Ryan Freeman “We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing andcome and perform next Friday.” -- Campo Verde Coyotes quarterback Karsten Lee The McClintock (8-1) will close its regular season at Dobson (2-7 ) next Friday Queen Creek one step closer to Open playoffsBy Jackson Shaw It was a dogfight all game between two top 6A teams The Queen Creek Bulldogs were able to get it done on the road 23-20 behind a masterful performance on the ground by Tait Reynolds Queen Creek may have cemented themselves into the Open tournament The Hawks were marching on their first drive of the game until Kalen Fisher’s pass was picked off by Queen Creek’s Jayshon Liles at the 20-yard line The Bulldogs had an opportunity to find the end zone late in the first quarter but Highland’s Spencer Heath got to Reynolds in the backfield and Queen Creek settled for a field goal Reynolds somehow managed to escape the Highland pressure and scramble 27 yards to the 3-yard line RJ Jackson finished it off with a one-yard rush putting the Bulldogs up 9-0 after a missed extra point A 33-yard connection from Fisher to Kruz Cullimore got the Hawks down to the 10-yard line Fisher then found his tight end Hayden Daugherty six yards to the end zone Highland’s 2-point attempt was no good and the score was 9-6 heading into halftime Reynolds rushed for more than 50 yards in the Bulldogs’ first drive out of the break which was punched in from the one by David Rosson Highland responded with the play of the game Fisher heaved one deep down the middle to Jalen Cross Cross went over the top of the defender to make the catch then stayed on his feet and walked into the end zone The momentum continued to sway the Hawks’ direction when cornerback Anthony Martin came down with an interception late in the third quarter Reynolds rushed for over 50 yards in Queen Creek’s next possession including a 44-yard scramble on third down to keep the drive alive He capped it off by finding the end zone on an eight-yard keep and increased the Bulldog lead to 10 Highland would bring the deficit back within three when Greyson Sparks scored on a one-yard rush after an efficient drive down field for the Hawks it was 4th and 2 for the Bulldogs with 1:36 on the clock The Hawks took the bait and jumped offside to seal the game Queen Creek QB Tait Reynolds: The “overrated” chants from the Highland student section didn’t seem to phase Reynolds too much The player of the year candidate showed off his legs all night with well over 100 yards rushing in the second half alone including an eight-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter “We balled out … We’re grateful to have everybody healthy and able to play today but we balled out and we found a way to win.” – Tait Reynolds “We’ll take it one week at a time … Wherever we end up in the playoffs we’ll be happy to take that challenge … The one thing I just think is so special about these guys is there’s no quit we’ve been in situations where it’s been tough or maybe it didn’t look like it was going our way but there was zero panic and we just play.” – Queen Creek head coach Travis Schureman He’s a special young man and a special talent who really cares more about his team than he cares about himself,” Schureman said of his quarterback Tait Reynolds Queen Creek (8-1) will travel to ALA Queen Creek (8-1) for their final regular season outing of the season next Friday Highland (6-3) will also play in their last game of the year at Desert Ridge (3-6) a rivalry is forming between two of the top middle-distance runners in Arizona Gilbert Campo Verde junior Bianca Hurtado and Queen Creek junior Nicole Ripperdan have raced each other eight times in head-to-head matchups in the 800 meters over a three-year span while in high school The total winning margin from all of those races combined is 7.59 seconds has been separated by more than one second That means seven of their eight races have been decided by less than one second Ripperdan holds the edge in the all-time series 6-2 but Hurtado is ahead in two key categories She has a faster personal best and a state title to her name which she won last year over Ripperdan in a dramatic showdown at Mesa Community College last May Ripperdan beat Hurtado at state when they were freshmen She beat me at state last year,” Ripperdan said that was a really hard race for me to deal with mentally because I was going into that race as the No it was a moment of affirmation after losing three times in a row to Ripperdan dating back to the previous season “That win was really special to me,” Hurtado said the first race by .04 seconds in the season opener and the second by .14 at the Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational For an event with so much room to run in the 800 meters it is rare to find two athletes consistently finishing so closely together on such tight margins What makes the dynamic even more interesting is that the pair are teammates on the same club team Rick Carr understands the rivalry almost better than anyone – he started up Huron and coaches Hurtado at Campo Verde “You don’t see that a whole lot,” Carr said.”It’s one of those things where they feed off each other Huron is a nonprofit founded by Carr in 2012 A number of athletes have passed through the club over the years but Ripperdan and Hurtado stand near the top running collegiately at Eastern Michigan University Carr likened the rivalry between the two to boxing in the mid-1980s during the “Fabulous Four” era you had Tommy Hearns at that point in time the pair switch from working against each other to working with each other They constantly border the line of all-out racing and training hard in practice More prep sports news from Stanley: The Arizona Republic's 2024-25 All-Arizona girls HS basketball team, coach of the year The overlap has led to a relationship between the two that extends beyond being competitors “I think the dynamic is great,” Ripperdan said Hurtado added: “I would definitely say it’s really friendly there’s always a hug or some type of interaction The state record of 2:06.01 set by Phoenix North Canyon’s Dominique Mustin in 2019 is a long way off for both athletes But Carr said he will be “shocked” if the record is still standing next season That same year also saw two athletes going at it in the event with Chandler’s Morgan Foster only milliseconds off of Mustin running 2:06.13 for the second-fastest time in state history “We’re both so competitive with each other I think we’re both going to keep bettering each other,” Ripperdan said “I am so grateful for that because we’re going to get faster if we’re pushing each other which is exciting to think about because of what we are capable of.” Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, ASU and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@gannett.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe highlighted by a four-touchdown passing effort in a win over Phoenix Central she’s opted to just focus on flag football The results are already starting to pay off with the team off to a hot start That has almost reached last year’s total of six wins the first test of the 2024 season rolled into town with Gilbert Campo Verde And it was Moreno’s legs this time that sealed the deal in a close 14-7 win This game was a slugfest between two of the top-ranked teams in the state. Mountain Pointe entered the game No. 6 in The Arizona Republic’s latest Super 10 rankings while Campo Verde was No Overtime felt certain — until the Pride took the field on their last drive With less than three minutes left and the score still tied at 7-7 Mountain Pointe had driven down the field after breaking into the red zone following completions to Noreal Sparks and Moriah Green and a pair of Moreno runs weaving her way 17 yards for a touchdown with 2:56 left in the game to break the deadlock It was a big-time play when the Pride needed it the most she’s a dual-threat quarterback,” Pride coach Sergio Ramirez said “She didn’t get to show her legs off as much last season But her legs are just as deadly as her arm We do give her the green light if the defense is giving that to her She can take what potentially should only be a 5-yard run We work on flag moves every single practice had all the confidence in her quarterback headed into the final drive “I knew she was going to do something,” Green said There are many great quarterback-wide receiver duos in the state but there might not be any better than that of Amaya Moreno and Moriah Green While the Campo Verde defense did do an effective job of shutting down the connection for most of the night the two were still able to make their mark on the game It was their 16-yard touchdown pass and catch at the 7:17 mark in the second quarter that got the scoring started who leaped over two defenders to come down with the score I can always throw the ball to her and I know she’ll come down with it.” Ramirez is glad to have those two on his sideline as opposed to trying to draw up a game plan against them “Amaya Moreno is a special player,” Ramirez said “We think she’s the top quarterback in the state You pair that up with a receiver like Moriah with her ball skills Understanding that we have to utilize them properly There are times when it comes to fruition and that happened tonight.” One bright spot for Campo Verde was the play of freshman Ella Mutters With most of the focus on the all-worldly Madison Coger at wide receiver The Republic’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year Mutters stepped up and made a handful of big plays on offense But it was her effort at defensive back where she made the most impact helping quell the high-powered Pride offense as the secondary limited Green for a majority of the game Mutters had one interception on the evening “She’s definitely going to be one to watch for the next couple of years,” Campo Verde coach Brian Coger said She’s one of the many freshmen we have on the roster this year The loss will likely shake up the 5A hierarchy as Campo Verde came in ranked ahead of Mountain Pointe The Coyotes will have time to reflect with its next game against Chandler Arizona College Prep coming on Oct It’s back to the drawing board for Coger and staff “Execute the little things and we’ll be fine.” Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, ASU and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@gannett.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe. highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015 and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular Share LinkThere Is An Entire Christmas Restaurant In Texas And It’s Absolutely DelightfulCampo Verde Restaurant in Texas transforms into a Christmas wonderland with over 200,000 lights and festive decorations during the holiday season The fact that you can find them both at Campo Verde Restaurant in Texas This unassuming Dallas-area eatery goes all out for the holidays and it's exactly the kind of kitschy charm your season needs If you want more Texas restaurants make sure to sign up for our weekly dining newsletter a new eatery to try in the Lone Star State will be delivered straight to your email Campo Verde looks like any other Mexican restaurant.. TripAdvisor/Gayle-And-Linda…but when the holiday season rolls around the eatery transforms into a Christmas extravaganza the likes of which you've never seen before Google/Jared GuynesFor years the restaurant has been the talk of the town at Christmastime decking its halls with over 200,000 lights Google/Jared GuynesNot a single inch of space is neglected you'll also see 3,000 yards of multicolored garland Facebook/Campo Verde Mexican RestaurantThe trains traverse the entire restaurant and bar - that's 635 feet of track! TripAdvisor/Tony TThe menu isn't reinventing the wheel by any means you just want classic Mexican fare - think sizzling fajitas Google/Jared GuynesThere are also several American dishes such as chicken-fried steak and a juicy ribeye Mexican food and margaritas are a match made in heaven Facebook/Campo Verde Mexican RestaurantAddress: 2918 West Pioneer Parkway Google MapsRestaurant hours are 11 a.m And the Christmas lights are up from October through March Visit the Campo Verde website to learn more Have you ever eaten at Campo Verde in Texas during the holiday season? If so, tell us all about your experience in the comments! Check out our previous article for more of the best Christmas lights in Texas Need a home base? Check out these unique vacation rentals near Dalworthington Gardens in Texas. 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Website Developed & Managed by   SynergyTop Inc The Campo Verde flag football team is entering its second season of competition as defending 5A champion and head coach Brian Coger is looking to build on that with a combination of returning and younger players The Coyotes defeated Canyon View in last fall's inaugural 5A flag football championship She totaled 2,417 yards and 22 touchdowns last year and was named The Arizona Republic’s Offensive Player of the Year for 2023 part of the Gilbert Public Schools district 8 in The Republic's Super 10 of top flag teams in the state the second for flag as an AIA-sanctioned sport will see more than twice as many schools fielding teams The Arizona Interscholastic Association has added a 4A conference to go with 5A and 6A from last year one of the best pocket passers in the state last year is back helping fuel the Campo Verde offense More: The Republic's preseason Top 25 Arizona high school flag football players for 2024 “The team has been moving in an upward trend for most of the summer we get to finally put it all together and see where we are as a team,” Brian Coger said the Coyotes have nine freshmen joining the team More: The Arizona Republic's preseason Super 10 HS flag football rankings “We have a very talented group of freshmen and those that made the varsity roster earned their place,'' said Coger “Getting them valuable experience now is what will continue to shape this program and determine the future we are working towards.” Coach Coger is expecting Madison to have a significant season apart from the state sheet “We will be leaning on Madison Coger to continue evolving as a team leader,'' he said “That is much more outside of the stat line and just bringing up the younger players and those around her to play at an elevated level.” (This story has been updated with additional information) Here is a roundup of five key Arizona high school football playoff games covered by The Arizona Republic on Friday After going a combined 2-10 in the last five weeks of the regular season Friday night’s 6A State Playoff matchup between the No 9 seed Chandler was a test to see which 6A Premier Region rival could get things turned around quick enough to play another week it was Perry (6-5) that outlasted Chandler (5-6) making multiple defensive stands late in the closing minutes of regulation to preserve a 27-24 victory and advance to next Friday’s second round action Chandler faced a 4th and 3 from its own 36 yard line Perry was eventually forced to punt and give the ball back to Chandler with a little more than two minutes remaining in regulation Chandler was able to convert on a 4th and 19 with 1:35 remaining but the Perry defense stood its ground again forcing Chandler into a turnover on downs following a 4th and 12 situation with 47 seconds left Perry got contributions from a number of players on both sides of the ball but once again the efforts of senior kicker James Dean stood out who has had an accurate leg all season long was 2-for-2 on Friday night in the field goal department hitting his first of the night from 31 yards out with 3:03 left in the first half to tie the game up at 10 apiece He was later successful from 44 yards out with 8:23 left in the third quarter Chandler also got contributions from a variety of players who led the 6A Premier Region with 931 rushing yards during the 2024 regular season tried to push his team into the win column on Friday night with a two-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter that gave Chandler a 24-20 lead “It means a lot to move on to the next round because I didn’t want to we didn’t want to lose and break up [for the season] because we’ve got a really good family going on here but it should be good to get back (to the second round of the postseason).” - Perry sophomore quarterback Kael Snyder on what it means to advance in the 6A playoff bracket “Our motto is ‘relentless and scrappy.’ We put it on our wristbands And if that didn’t show how relentless and scrappy we are and we’re moving on to the quarterfinals.” - Perry Head Coach Joseph Ortiz on his team’s resilient play all night poised Thunderbird Titans football team is headed into the 4A quarterfinals We'll find out next Friday at Mica Mountain Thunderbird (10-1) will let its dominant 49-20 first-round win Friday night at home over Bradshaw Mountain (7-4) speak for itself Tailback Elijah Little continued his spectacular senior year with a 258-yard rushing performance and five TDs to pace the win while cousin Daryl Little chipped in with a punt return TD And while Bradshaw Mountain was able to trade TDs in the first half with the Titans they just ran out of special plays they could pull off Save for the punt return by his cousin Daryl almost every key play for Thunderbird involved Elijah It took him two plays to answer Bradshaw Mountain's opening-drive TD with a 34-yard TD jaunt of his own for a 7-6 lead the score set up by Andrew Cohill's 38-yard pass to Logan Camps And while Bradshaw Mountain made it interesting with Brayden Munday's zigzagging 70-yard pick 6 on the quarter's last play two plays into the second quarter Little scored again on a 38-yard run a signature jump move helping spring himself He'd score one more time in the second quarter his teammates and coaches on the sideline cheering wildly in both appreciation and amazement It was 35-20 when Andrew Cohill hit Daryl Little somehow behind the secondary for a 33-yard TD with just 9.5 seconds left in the half Thunderbird's Elijah Little finished with 258 on just 19 carries Thunderbird coach Matt Nalette believes in his team:  "It's a veteran group," he said postgame "But we've got things to clean up.'' Thunderbird had two lost fumbles and gave up the pick 6 he added: "I think he's someone you have to see in person to appreciate him Just when you think you've seen everything he can do 11 Casteel Colts fought all the way back to win 29-27 over No Colts head coach Bobby Newcombe was removed by school officials prior to the game and assistant Jeremy Beamon was put in place to lead the team Key playsIn the midst of Highland’s opening drive Hayden Daugherty made a catch and refused to be brought down He took on half the defense before he was finally stopped near the 10-yard line and the Hawks capped off the drive with a field goal Casteel’s punt attempt was blocked into the air caught by Spencer Heath and returned for a touchdown to give the Hawks a 10-point lead With just over four minutes to play in the half Highland quarterback Kalen Fisher went back to Daugherty but this time for 28 yards and a touchdown to put the Hawks up 17 Kruz Cullimore continued the onslaught with a rush down the middle 37 yards for another score The Colts came out of halftime a different team On fourth and 28 on their first possession of the second half quarterback Paul Palmer found Elijah Beamon at the 2-yard line and was followed by a successful 2-point conversion pass to Riley Hunt The defense then forced Highland to punt from the back of their own end zone Linyear scored his second touchdown of the quarter and Casteel added another 2-point conversion to narrow the deficit to just one score at the start of the fourth The Colts forced another punt and went on another long drive who adjusted to make an incredible catch in the back of the end zone A missed PAT left the Colts scoring 22 unanswered points to turn the game Key playersIsaiah Linyear was the catalyst who sparked the comeback for the Colts scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter Elijah Beamon had a huge catch on fourth-and-28 which set up a touchdown then made a clutch TD catch in the back of the end zone Paul Palmer threw for two touchdowns and two huge 2-point conversions during the Colts comeback It was just the effort and the energy.'' – Casteel running back Isaiah Linyear we talked about just cutting down on mistakes coming out and cleaning that up and doing your job and trusting that your teammates are going to do their job and that’s what they did in the second half.” – Casteel assistant coach Jeremy Beamon 8 seed Campo Verde survived a high-scoring nail-biter against No It was the second time the two teams met this month and the second win for the Coyotes (8-3) which handed the Chargers (9-2) their only two losses of the season Campo Verde quarterback Karsten Lee accounted for five touchdowns on the night to lead the Coyotes which advance to the quarterfinals next week with quarterback Jaxon Knutson making a massive connection to Amar Baker for 45 yards to put them in scoring position Kemon Jackson finished the drive with a 22-yard run for a touchdown to give the Chargers the first lead of the game a crucial roughing the kicker penalty by Campo set up the Chargers offense connected with Jackson for a 50-yard touchdown to give the Chargers a two-possession lead The game seemed to be slipping away from Campo setting up Campo's offense deep in the red zone The Coyotes began to gain momentum after forcing a stop on fourth down Lee found Wyatt Rauch for a 45-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 The game continued to be back-and-forth after that Lee connected with a wide-open Scott Aholelei for a 25-yard touchdown The Chargers' Jackson responded by scoring his 3rd touchdown of the game The Chargers' offense was fired up after Knutson found Amari Scroggins for a huge gain Knutson's 7-yard run finished the drive with 6 The score was 28-27 as the third quarter ended the score was 35-33 with Campo leading late in the 4th quarter Campo handed the ball off to Bobby Blackburn for a 22-yard touchdown to put the Coyotes up working its way into the red zone as the clock was winding down Knutson took off and appeared headed to the end zone but Campo's defense stopped him a yard short to seal the win Jackson (3 TDs) and Scroggins combined showed why McClintock was one of the most prolific offenses in all of 5A this season moving the ball all night with big plays and scores to keep the game close "It was a gritty performance… We just had kids step up all over the field tonight and that's something to be proud of," --Campo Verde head coach Ryan Freeman and we came out with a win," -- Campo Verde quarterback Karsten Lee 1 seed ALA Gilbert North next Friday at 7 p.m 5A: Desert Edge dominates Cactus ShadowsBy Sebastian Mondaca-Sepulveda 7-seeded Desert Edge sophomore quarterback Blake Roskopf and the offense were lights out in 42-19 victory rout at home against No 7-seeded Scorpions' defense was a key to the win while the offense seemed to click at just the right time It took just 42 seconds for Cactus Shadows to get on the board ran it to the Scorpions 23 and Andrew Muirhead capped it off from there with a 23-yard touchdown The Scorpions tied the game on an Aryon Thomas TD late in the first They took the lead with six minutes left in the first half with Roskopf connecting to Zerek Sidney for a touchdown The Scorpions defense sacked Dixon multiple times and the score was 14-7 at the half Desert Edge carried their first-half momentum into the second with Roskopf connecting with Malakai Moala for a 15-yard touchdown on the opening drive Cactus Shadows answered back as Dixon found Dillion Aspiras for a 24-yard score But Desert Edge quickly reclaimed control on the ensuing kickoff with Jamar Beal Goines returning it 99-yards for a touchdown Heading into the fourth quarter had Desert Edge in control with a 28-13 lead Roskopf would found Sidney for the second time of the night and give the Scorpions a 35-13 advantage before closing out the game Desert Edge's Roskopf with three passing touchdowns and overall efficiency running the offense Also for the Scorpions Zerek Sidney with two receiving touchdowns Jamar Beal Goines: 99-yard kickoff return touchdown The Scorpions' defense pressured Dixon all night and they stepped up to the plate.” – Desert Edge head coach Henri MacArthur and I think it’ll stay for the rest of the season.” – Desert Edge QB Blake Roskopf Desert Edge will head to Tucson next Friday for the quarterfinals to face the No Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPHOENIX (AZFamily) — All around the country this week law enforcement has been using valuable resources to respond to false threats at schools On Friday, local police departments investigated social media threats at Arizona schools including Arcadia High School and San Luis High School, according to the school districts. Threats were also investigated and deemed false on Thursday at Tempe Union high schools This is in addition to a student arrested in Surprise on Monday for posting a school threat online and two other students arrested for making false threats in Buckeye Campo Verde High School in Gilbert sent a message to parents about the nationwide threats but they said there have been “no substantiated threats against any GPS schools.” Campo Verde High School said the trend appears to be nationwide with people “making unsubstantiated social media threats against schools.” “During this nationwide social media trend we will continue to work closely with local PD and our district,” the school’s release said “Our top priority is always the safety of our students and staff and to be as transparent as possible with our parents and families so we can work together for the safety and wellbeing of our students.” Dysart High School officials said a threat on Thursday was found to be not credible They said anyone making threats against the school would face “criminal charges to the fullest extent of the law.” Funda Bachini is the Division Chief for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and says there are signs you can look out for if school threats are impacting your kids “Behaviors I would look for are an increase in irritability not wanting to go to school or no longer enjoying school in a kid that used to do that,” she said Dr. Bachini says it’s important to find the right time to talk to your kids about what they are experiencing and feeling “I think the main message from parents to kids is we know these things are happening and we are here to help keep you safe,” she explained Phoenix Police sent Arizona’s Family the following statement about the false threats: “Phoenix police investigators are aware of and are actively investigating reports of a social media threat being shared by multiple sources We would like to remind students and families not to feed the cycle and report not re-post We are investigating where these posts are coming from.” Several schools and districts from around the United States have seen disruptions this week due to the threats In Missouri, local school districts including Jackson, Twin Rivers, Charleston, Sikeston and Dexter, addressed this issue with parents, Arizona’s Family affiliate KFVS-TV reported In Kentucky, Arizona’s Family affiliate stations reported a middle school in Lexington was placed on lockdown due to reports of a student with a weapon, and a middle school in Bowling Green was locked down due to a potential threat In Georgia, Atlanta Public Schools increased security on Thursday due to online threats. And in Florida, officials deemed threats to a high school in Branford as false Knox County Schools in Tennessee reported a dip in student attendance on Wednesday due to the nationwide increase in threats of violence toward schools High school football games were canceled in West Virginia, and classes were canceled in Michigan Campo Verde High School officials gave the following advice related to these false threat incidents: Report Don’t Repost - The appropriate action for a student to take if they see something concerning on social media is to report it to a trusted adult Reposting or sharing with friends does not help the situation and can in fact impede any kind of investigation into an alleged social media threat The serious consequences of making threats against schools There are a number of charges that can be filed against students for making any kind of threat against a school See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description There's a restaurant in Texas that goes all out when decorating for Christmas and it's awesome I'm not talking about decorations randomly placed in different places I'm talking about an explosion of Christmas spirit that would make the Grinch himself feel good about the holiday Campo Verde Restaurant is an eatery in Dallas that specializes in Mexican food the restaurant transforms into something that could only be described as a Christmas explosion Campo Verde uses over 200,000 Christmas lights over 3,000 yards of garland and there are two model trains running through all of that (Can you imagine how much that trip to Lowes or Home Depot costs?) these are not just randomly placed in certain spots there is not an inch of this restaurant that is not decorated with Christmas cheer To say they "deck the halls" is a huge understatement Pictures probably don't do this "Christmas Restaurant" any justice but looking at them will definitely get you in the holiday spirit any place where you can eat tacos and see a massive display of Christmas lights is a win-win situation for Texans Gallery Credit: Chaz I mean combining two of America's favorite things Mexican food and Christmas together is genius So, if you're in the Dallas area this Christmas, check out the Christmas explosion going down at Campo Verde Restaurant. Experience the magic of Christmas at Campo Verde, where Mexican cuisine meets extravagant holiday decorations.\nRead More There's a restaurant in Texas that goes all out when decorating for Christmas and it's awesome Campo Verde Restaurant is an eatery in Dallas that specializes in Mexican food So, if you're in the Dallas area this Christmas, check out the Christmas explosion going down at Campo Verde Restaurant. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved April brings a fresh wave of restaurant news from Campo Verde’s comeback to a new Mexican-Asian fusion spot and a patio brunch series that pairs cocktails with DJ beats the Arlington Tex-Mex restaurant known for its blitzkrieg of Christmas decorations But the restaurant’s 200,000 lights will twinkle once again the globetrotting chef and restaurateur who opened the excellent Farena Italian restaurant at the Loews Hotel in Arlington and now mans the controls of the equally great Cafe Americana in downtown Arlington who has worked in restaurants around the world and now calls Arlington home recently took over the restaurant and is in the process of revamping both its interior and menu the recipe for which has been changed over the years Moose told me he’s even looking into doing a community-wide queso taste test to make sure the new version is to everyone’s liking which served excellent Mex Mex and Tex-Mex on the Near Southside for nearly a decade But owner Francisco “Paco” Islas will launch a new concept in the same space by the beginning of April and he’ll serve a unique style of food: a fusion of Mexican and Asian cuisine Malcolm Mayhew writes about food and culture for Fort Worth Magazine Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCAMP VERDE AZ (AZFamily) — A northern Arizona community is mourning the recent loss of a firefighter The Copper Canyon Fire & Medical Authority in Camp Verde says that firefighter Shane Gage suddenly passed away on Friday The department did not release information on his death He was a resident of Prescott Valley and joined the Copper Canyon Fire and Medical Authority in 2017 He was also a Sedona Verde Valley Firefighters Association Local 3690 member “Shane was truly an excellent firefighter and an even better friend. It was an honor to work alongside him and to call him a brother,” Copper Canyon Fire & Medical Authority said in a Facebook post. A GoFundMe has been set up for anyone that would like to help the Gage family during this time By Sarah BlaskovichSenior Food Reporter As we strive to keep a living list of the oldest restaurants in North Texas still chuggin’ steakhouses and more that didn’t live through early 2025 After over a quarter-century selling Japanese food on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, the original Blue Fish has closed Two Blue Fish restaurants remain: in the Dallas suburb of Allen and in Breckenridge The restaurant was once the coolest kid on the block It was known for its stainless steel interior and neon lights a look called “techno-razzle” in a 2004 Dallas Morning News story and we live in the land of omakase restaurants where pricey dinners cost $185 per person and have become the flashiest part of Japanese dining in Dallas It was always Christmas at Campo Verde in Arlington More than a few strings of lights spreading Christmas cheer Campo Verde has been open since 1983, reports our Imelda García. It closed in early January after one more Tex-Mex Christmas Campo Verde’s founder James “Smiley” Williams sold the restaurant to Thomas Ray Stewart Jr El Taquito Cafe has served a menu of enchiladas A regular told The Dallas Morning News breakfast was “terrific” and the green salsa — good on most anything — was hot as heck which was a source of frustration for some online reviewers But prices were very reasonable: less than $8 for a lunch special They also charged less than $8 for Wednesday specials that The restaurant was founded by Victoriano Martinez When the Great Outdoors opened on Belt Line Road in Addison in 1981 it was the first business in the shopping center New Jersey native Jerry Oliverie found himself in the middle of a sandwich boom: Dallasites seemed to love submarine sandwiches the retail center at Belt Line Road and Montford Drive is still hot but it’s full of new-to-Dallas businesses like sandwich and salad shop Mendocino Farms Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Postino wine cafe Rent went up and the Great Outdoors bowed out. Oliverie is still selling subs in six other D-FW neighborhoods The Great Outdoors was at 5290 Belt Line Road, Dallas. The restaurant group has six remaining restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth. Find one here No more “life of pie,” wrote the family behind 90-year-old Hutch’s on Facebook. The late Raymond “Hutch” Hutchens started his eponymous fried pie company in 1935 according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’ For decades, Hutch’s was mostly a delivery-only fried pie business. Some 50 years later, in 1985, Texas Highways reports that Hutch’s son and daughter-in-law opened the lunch spot in Weatherford where they added sandwiches and soups — alongside The social media announcement of the closure drew nearly 500 comments in just three days Hutch’s Pie and Sandwich Shop was at 145 College Park Drive La Madeleine Country French Cafe closed in Dallas’ NorthPark Center on New Year’s Eve It had sold Caesar salads and that delicious tomato-basil soup at two locations inside the shopping center since 1989 La Madeleine still has 90 restaurants nationwide is expected to open in La Madeleine’s spot inside NorthPark Forgive us for putting a teen-aged restaurant on this list. Although the Meddlesome Moth has been around “just” 15 years, its history in the Dallas Design District tells an interesting story about how our restaurant scene is changing The restaurant owner and the landlord couldn’t come to an agreement on rent The restaurateur hoped he could get a break because the restaurant was the first eatery that took a chance on the then-growing neighborhood which was too much for the Moth to make money What will become of the stained-glass windows in the restaurant? They’re for sale. we expect a restaurant with higher prices and more glitz The Meddlesome Moth is at 1621 Oak Lawn Ave. Quite possibly the most provocative restaurant closure on this list was Morton’s The Steakhouse on Dallas’ McKinney Avenue for a total of nearly 40 years serving steaks for special occasions Morton’s held its own and was once one of our priciest restaurants in 2010 The restaurant closed because the lease was up Morton’s The Steakhouse was at 2222 McKinney Ave. the Zodiac has been one of the fanciest places to eat lunch in downtown Dallas That’s because it’s on the sixth floor of the original Neiman Marcus the most sophisticated place to shop in town Fashionistas stop in for popovers with strawberry butter delicate salads and pot roast named after Stanley Marcus It felt like everybody was somebody in this beautiful dining room too: Grace Kelly reportedly liked The Zodiac.) The restaurant will close March 31, 2025, in conjunction with the closure of the original Neiman Marcus There may never be another Dallas restaurant else like it but owner Janie Alice Harrison is looking to sell it The drive-in, open since 1958, is a “is a precious keepsake of genuine Americana,” Kennedy said when Harrison bought it in 2017 It’s the kind of place “waiting to be discovered by some TV food show.” Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, do you want to send Guy Fieri over? Williams worked at the shop for more than 30 years, Kennedy wrote, before becoming its second owner. Menu items include cheeseburgers, Frito pies, bologna sandwiches, and a plethora of milkshakes and malts. The Malt Shop is at 2038 Fort Worth Highway (U.S. 180), Weatherford. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Follow @sblaskovich on Twitter and ask her what to do where to eat or where to drink in your area.