FOX (3) The women of 'Farmer Wants a Wife'

If you're one of the millions of viewers who saw the promo for Farmer Wants a Wife during the Super Bowl on Sunday and thought to yourself, "What in the reality TV nonsense is this?" — don't worry, we have some answers.

Based on an international reality format and hosted by country star Jennifer Nettles, Fox's new dating show sends 32 hopelessly single city women to find love with one of four unattached farmers: Hunter Grayson, 31, from Watkinsville, Ga.; Ryan Black, 32, from Shelby, N.C.; Landon Heaton, 35, from Alva, Okla.; and Allen Foster, 32, Williamsport, Tenn. Each farmer will bring eight women to his homestead for a chance at romance amidst the livestock, hay, and hard manual labor. (If this sounds vaguely familiar to you, it's probably because a short-lived U.S. version of Farmer Wants a Wife aired on the CW in 2008.)

So who are these single women competing to be a farmer's wife? They range in age from 22 to 39, come from cities including Miami, New York, and Chicago, and work in a wide array of jobs, from sommelier to cyber security analyst. Read on to get familiar with the hopefuls before Farmer Wants a Wife premieres on March 8.

RYAN'S LADIES

Brittany

Age: 33 Occupation: Travel blogger Current Location: Sacramento, CA

Haley R.

Age: 28 Occupation: Recruiter Current Location: New York, NY

Lily

Age: 24 Occupation: Psychology Student Current Location: Miami, FL

McKenzie

Age: 29 Occupation: Interior designer Current Location: Phoenix, AZ

Porschia

Age: 29 Occupation: Accounting assistant Current Location: Las Colinas, TX

Sara V.

Age: 27 Occupation: Bartender Current Location: Dallas, TX

Sarah I.

Age: 27 Occupation: Communications for Global Children's Charity Current Location: Brooklyn, NY

Shartaysia

Age: 29 Occupation: Mental health therapist Current Location: Los Angeles, CA

LANDON'S LADIES

Ashley L.

Age: 27 Occupation: Executive coordinator Current Location: Dallas, TX

As winter weather continues in DFW, some school districts have announced delayed starts for Friday, Feb. 3.

Here's a rundown of where districts stand as of Thursday afternoon:

Allen ISD campuses and offices will be closed Friday, Feb. 3. Kids Club will also be closed.

"The decision to cancel school was made because of the ongoing precipitation and forecast for sub-freezing temperatures throughout the evening and into tomorrow morning," the district stated. "This decision was made with the safety of our students, families, and staff in mind, including our student drivers and students who walk to school or the bus stop. Weather conditions are expected to improve throughout the day tomorrow. Therefore, previously scheduled fine arts and athletics events on Friday evening will proceed as normal."

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD campuses, district offices and facilities will remain closed on Friday, Feb. 3 due to the winter weather forecast.

The district originally planned a delayed start but then announced a Feb. 3 closure.

Celina ISD has said it will remain closed on Friday, Feb. 3.

"District staff spent this afternoon assessing bus routes, campus parking lots, sidewalks and other non-treated roads and intersections across our district’s 96-mile service area," the district site sates. "Most of the area continues to have nearly 2” of ice creating hazardous driving conditions. With temperatures dipping below freezing tonight, areas that have thawed this afternoon will refreeze making roads undriveable. Based on weather reports, the district doesn’t expect roads and parking lots to clear until tomorrow afternoon when the temperatures get well above the freezing mark. With all of these variables in mind, our district’s top priority continues to be the safety of our students, parents and staff. Thank you to all of our Bobcats for your patience and understanding during this time. In the coming days, our district will share school make-up information."

Prosper ISD will remain closed on Friday, Feb. 3.

"This evening, district staff assessed city roads, rural bus routes, and campus parking lots across our 58-square-mile district," the district stated. "Temperatures have dipped below freezing, and areas that might have thawed this afternoon will refreeze overnight. Based on the latest weather reports, we do not anticipate that roads and parking lots will be clear of ice until tomorrow afternoon. Our first priority is to ensure a safe route to school for our buses, staff, and teen drivers."

Friday night activities will take place as scheduled.

The district's special board meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 at 6 p.m.

Coppell ISD has announced that it will be closed on Feb. 3.

"Extracurricular activities may not be impacted," the district stated. "Please reach out to the campus for specific information."

The district originally planned a delayed start for Friday but then announced a closure due to "deteriorating road conditions and staffing concerns."

Frisco ISD buildings will be closed for instruction and business on Friday, February 3, 2023, due to poor road conditions. Frisco ISD will utilize the scheduled April 28th Bad Weather Make-up Day.

More information about weather-related closings in Frisco ISD will be available at friscoisd.org as it becomes available.

Lewisville ISD has said all campuses and facilities be closed Friday, Feb 3.

Little Elm ISD will be closed on Feb. 3.

"Earlier today we announced a two-hour delay for the start of school tomorrow," the district stated. "We have amended that decision to closing school for Friday, February 3. Many of our roads have improved greatly throughout the day. However, as you know, Little Elm ISD has several bridges throughout the District that our school buses have to cross. With the continued freezing temperatures overnight and the amount of slush and water remaining on our bridges, we have decided it would be best to keep schools closed for the safety of everyone."

More information on Little Elm school closures can be found online at littleelmisd.net.

McKinney ISD schools and offices will remain closed on Friday, Feb. 3.

"All previously scheduled evening athletic and fine arts events and competitions will continue as scheduled," the district stated. "District schools and offices will reopen with a normal schedule on Monday, Feb. 6. Please stay safe and travel with caution."

For more information about inclement weather notifications, visit mckinneyisd.net/safety-security/emergency-management/severe-weather-preparedness-response/

Mesquite ISD will remain closed tomorrow, Feb. 3, due to ongoing inclement weather and road conditions.

"Stay safe, and we will see you back at school on Monday," the district stated.

Plano ISD schools and facilities will remain closed through Friday, Feb. 3.

"Although weather conditions improved somewhat today, the continued precipitation and tonight’s expected freezing temperatures remain a safety concern for many of our less traveled roads and bridges, student drivers and students who walk to school," the district stated. "The forecasted below freezing temperatures overnight and continued precipitation also pose a significant safety concern for icy district parking lots and sidewalks for the morning commute. The weather is expected to improve by midday tomorrow, but not in a time frame that would allow a safe commute to school."

PISD expects operations to resume on Monday, Feb. 6.

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The city of Allen is making changes to its residential sidewalk program to help low-income residents.

According to the city, property owners are responsible for maintaining their sidewalks. The city of Allen currently offers to share in the cost of repairs, covering up to 50% of the total cost. Those who qualify can contact the city for an evaluation and repair of adjacent sidewalks.

To qualify, the city said the sidewalk has to be located within the city’s right-of-way and must be a minimum of eight feet in length.

Another possible qualification is if sidewalk sections must also be up heaved or depressed causing an abrupt change in grade of 40% or more (two inches vertically or 10 inches horizontally) or creates an unsafe condition according to the city.

To render the city’s service, residents are required to pay their share of repair costs upfront.

At last week’s Allen City Council workshop, Allen Community Enhancement Director Lee Battle proposed an added benefit to low-income residents, where the city would pay for up to 75% of any needed sidewalk repairs.

"The council had asked staff to put together an option for residents who couldn’t pay for half of the sidewalk repairs,” Battle said.

To see if you qualify, contact (214) 509-4500.

The Allen ISD Leadership Academy spent its January meeting touring the Service Center and learning about the behind-the-scenes operations of the school district.

In the afternoon, the Leadership Cohort traveled to Allen High School for a special tour of the campus from PALs leaders and a delicious lunch at Blú Bistro Restaurant.

The Leadership Academy is designed to give community members an in-depth look at the inner workings of Allen ISD through a 6-month class.

2023 street and alley rehabilitation approved

To keep up with aging and deteriorating streets and alleys, Allen City Council has approved the 2023 Street and Alley Rehabilitation Project for $1,994,991.

During this annual project, the city will remove and replace concrete panels on approximately 3,000 yards of alleys and 12,300 yards of roads in various locations throughout Allen including portions of Stacy Road, Bethany Drive, Rivercrest Boulevard and more.

Sharing resident feedback

It's not too late to apply for the Downtown Design Review Board. Community members who live in or own/operate a business within the downtown district can apply for a chance to shape downtown Allen. Experience in real estate development, architecture, landscape architecture, planning, urban design, or a similar profession is preferred but not required. Applications are due by Feb. 1.

"Please stay off the roads unless it is absolutely essential, and be cautious when walking on paved surfaces, such as sidewalks and parking lots, to avoid the risk of falls," the city said.

City employees are currently applying sand to bridges, overpasses and major intersections, the city said.

Allen gives priority attention to bridges, intersections and main thoroughfares when responding to ice and snow, but slicks spots can develop quickly in these areas. The city said it does not have the resources to treat all residential/neighborhood streets during snow and ice events, and residents should avoid all unnecessary travel.

Service will slide at least two days for remaining Monday customers and at least one day for all customers whose collections are typically scheduled for Tuesday-Friday. Customers should keep trash/recycling bins, lawn waste and other accepted items at the collection point until service occurs.

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Winston Henvey is the reporter for the Mesquite News, Allen American and Plano Star Courier. Email him with story suggestions at whenvey@starlocalmedia.com.

According to the official National Margarita Day website, the national food holiday was founded out of love and appreciation for the drink by real estate agent Todd McCalla in 2008. Since then it’s become one of the most popular food holidays in the country, reminding us every year that cold weather is no excuse to pass on the opportunity to enjoy a well-done margarita.

So we know why margaritas deserve a day in its honor, that much is obvious, but why not celebrate it on its birthday? Well, as with so many of the great modern inventions, several people between the ’30s and ’40s claimed to be the original creators of the drink, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact date, place, or person who created it.

One of the most outlandish stories — certainly the one with the most celebrities involved — comes from right here in North Texas. Legend has it that Dallas socialite Margarita Sames put together the drink to treat guests during a vacation in Acapulco in 1948. One of the guests, one Nick Hilton, enjoyed the drink so much, he took the recipe back with him to add it to his hotel chain menu. Or maybe it was some of the other guests lucky enough to first try the drink who made it popular: Fred MacMurray, Lana Turner, or John Wayne.

The one thing we know for sure is what Todd McCalla has been telling us for 15 years: margaritas are delicious, refreshing and perfect for any day of the year.

Here are our favorite picks for where to celebrate one of America’s favorite drinks in Collin County.

3310 Dallas Pkwy, Ste 105, Plano

Not only will you enjoy a perfectly crafted margarita, but you can visit Mi Dia’s stunning tequila tower where you’ll find a vast selection of premium tequila bottles. If you are looking for a drink with a little twist, try their blueberry Habanero, made with blueberry-infused tequila, Cointreau, habanero-infused agave and lemon juice.

7540 TX-121, Suite 150, McKinney | 5880 TX-121, Suite 103-B, Plano

Depending on how much of a purist you consider yourself, you might want to try Fork and Frie’s twist on the margarita recipe. For national margarita day, they are offering three variations of the cocktail: tequila-tini, made with hand-squeezed orange, lime and a splash of agave, yuzu margarita, made using Yuzu juice, Jose Cuervo traditional and smoked salt, fiery-pineapple margarita with pineapple, muddled jalapeño, house-made sweet and sour, pineapple juice, agave nectar, and spicy mezcal margarita made with mezcal, egg whites, freshly squeezed lime juice with infused simple syrup, finished in smoked glass.

5973 W Parker Rd, Plano

Kona Grill offers an array of margaritas including the house favorite, the watermelon margarita as well as other variations such as the Casamigos and skinny margaritas. They make it really hard to choose, but luckily you don’t have to. Try them all by ordering the frozen margarita flight and find which one is the best.

6765 Winning Dr #810, Frisco

This is a celebration and Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar in Frisco will not only bring all the high-energy live entertainment you are used to, but they’ll be offering their specialty margarita recipe at a discount for the occasion. The Casarita is a premium shaken margarita made with Casamigos Blanco, agave nectar, hand-squeezed lime juice, served over fat ice and lime wheel garnish.

5300 East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas

If dining at celebrity chef John Tesar’s award-winning concept is not enough to convince you to try their drinks, maybe this specialty margarita will do the trick: The Pomegranate Margarita crafted using silver tequila, lemon, pomegranate grenadine (cinnamon & cloves) and Solerno blood orange liqueur.

MUTTS Canine Cantina

1070 Watters Creek Blvd., Allen

It’s a party and everyone is invited — your dog included! Step into MUTTS and enjoy watching your four-legged baby play and make friends as you indulge in their specialty drink, the barkarita. While you are at the bar order a gourmet doggie menu for the little rascal.

More Margaritas, Please!

Blue Mesa$5 top-shelf margaritas all day.8200 Dallas Pkwy, Plano | 14866 Montfort Dr, DallasMore Info

Suburban Tacht ClubServing its Yacht Rock Rita for $8 instead of regular $12 price.5872 TX-121 suite 104, PlanoMore Info

Urban RioOffering $3 house margaritas all day long.1000 14th Street #100, PlanoMore Info

STK SteakhouseOffering 50% off the perfect margarita all day long.2000 McKinney Ave, DallasMore Info

Thirsty Lion GastropubOffering three $9 margaritas.5754 Grandscape Blvd Suite 205, The ColonyMore Info

Melissa McCormick, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Japanese Art and Culture at Harvard University, earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan (1990) and her Ph.D. from Princeton University (2000). She began her teaching career as the Atsumi Assistant Professor of Japanese Art at Columbia University in the Department of Art History and Archaeology and then moved to Harvard as Associate Professor in 2005. She was promoted to Professor with tenure in 2009.

Her research focuses on the relationship of art and literature, as well as forms of visual storytelling, and their integration with social and political history and Buddhist thought. McCormick’s work on the eleventh-century narrative The Tale of Genji has resulted in over a dozen publications in both English and Japanese. Her research was featured in two NHK televised specials (2008, 2019) and is the basis of her monograph, The Tale of Genji: A Visual Companion (Princeton University Press, 2018). In 2019 she co-curated and co-edited/authored the catalogue for the international loan exhibition The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, named among the top five exhibitions that year by The Washington Post.

Nao Kusuzaki was born in Ehime prefecture, Japan. After moving to the U.S. at age 10, she continued her training with The Washington School of Ballet and Boston Ballet School. Nao became a member of Corps de Ballet with Boston Ballet in 2001. In 2004 she joined Houston Ballet and was promoted to Soloist in 2009. She has danced numerous leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. Some of her featured roles include: the Sugarplum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Nikiya in La Bayadere, Madame Butterfly in Madame Butterfly, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort, Sinfonietta, and Falling Angels, William Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, and Mark Morris’s Pacific.

Nao is also active in the Houston community through producing Dance for Hope, a benefit Concert in response to Japan Earthquake of 2011, co-creating TSURU with Asia Society Texas in 2015, and directing and dancing the 45th Anniversary Ballet Performance celebrating Houston and Chiba Sister City Relations, which premiered in July 22, 2017. In November, 2017, she directed and danced in the revival of TSURU at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston where Nao was commended by the Consulate General, Japan. Nao is Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of Creative Minds Collaborative Inc., a nonprofit organization which seeks to create meaning across artists, educators, and supporters of the arts utilizing dance as the main medium.

Presenting Sponsors of Genji

Stephanie and Frank Tsuru

Diamond Sponsors of Genji

Leigh and Reggie Smith

Gold Sponsors of Genji

Anne and Albert Chao Ann Trammell

Silver Sponsors of Genji

Isla and T.R. Reckling III Vivi Nguyen and Christopher Robertson

Bronze Sponsors of Genji

Nancy Haywood Jean and Henry May Duyen and Marc Nguyen Milton D. Rosenau, Jr. & Dr. Ellen R. Gritz

Japan Series Sponsor

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, and the Wortham Foundation. Additional support provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

Presenting Partner

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.

'Mirror Image: A Transformation of Chinese Identity,' now on view at Asia Society Museum in New York, presents 19 artworks by seven artists born in mainland China in the 1980s.

Nov. 7 in New York, Kevin Rudd and Ian Bremmer discuss Russia’s next steps in Ukraine, U.S.-China relations, and what to expect from the U.S. midterms.

Leni Robredo, 14th Vice President of the Philippines, joins us to talk about how disinformation tripped up her run for the presidency, and about her goal to create politically empowered citizens.

Lurching from crisis to crisis, lasting improvement has been hard to come by. But with increasing talk of systemic change, the drama of 2022 could prove a turning point, writes Shameer Rasooldeen.

High 5 Entertainment announced, on Tuesday, their expansion to serve the north Texas communities of Allen, McKinney, Frisco, and Plano.

The Austin-born experiential entertainment company recently acquired over three acres of frontage in the new award-winning development, The Farm in Allen, on the south side of SH-121 and Alma Road. JaRyCo Development, along with original landowners, the Johnson family, have strategically chosen venues for The Farm in Allen that will reflect its original history of gathering, community and making memories.

High 5 will be neighbors with the incoming HUB, an open-air entertainment venue famous for its first location on 30A near Seaside, Florida. The partnership of the HUB and High 5 will inaugurate The Farm in Allen as the entertainment mecca for Collin County. High 5 Allen is slated to open in late Fall 2023.

High 5 is an upscale family entertainment company with two locations in the Greater Austin area. Like the large, two-story High 5 in Lakeway, the Allen location will feature traditional High 5 attractions, including 24 lanes of bowling, a 2-story laser tag arena, axe throwing, and High 5’s signature “Up Top” boutique bowling lounge. In addition, the new location will offer escape rooms and an expansive resort-style miniature golf course allowing for outdoor entertainment. Craft food and beverages, bars, and event spaces, all key features of High 5’s brand, will be among the many offerings continued in the Allen location.

The Farm in Allen is planned to have 1.6 million square feet of office, 142,000 square feet of retail, a 150-key hotel, 60,000 square feet of restaurants, townhomes and 2,400 urban residential units. The development will also embrace the property’s natural beauty with a 1.5-acre lake, boardwalk restaurants, over 2.5 miles of hike and bike trails, a 16-acre greenbelt along Watters Creek and four additional park areas.

Community members are invited to a ribbon cutting for Artistic Endeavors, a new business opening at 336 Townplace in Fairview.

The event is free and open to the public, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

Chamber holds Senior Service Alliance

Join the Allen Fairview Chamber of Commerce to learn about services and goods available to all seniors and their families within the community in hopes of making their lives easier to navigate and find trustworthy resources when needed.

Chamber to host rise and shine

This group caters exclusively to young professionals in the community.

This group is open to Allen Fairview Chamber members and non-members.

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