New Leadership on Campus as Final Homestand Opens
Arlington, TX · September 15, 2026
Finding a patch of shade along Abram Street will be prime real estate before sunset, especially with a busy slate of campus news, evening workshops, and baseball tonight.
The Lead
Dr. Archie Holmes assumes office today as acting president of the University of Texas at Arlington, marking a historic milestone as the institution's first Black leader. UT System Chancellor John Zerwas appointed Holmes, previously the system's executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, following Dr. Jennifer Cowley’s decision to step down and return to faculty research after more than four years at the helm.
As Tarrant County's largest four-year university with over 41,000 students, the campus anchors local workforce development, research ventures, and the downtown corridor. Holmes brings decades of academic leadership and an electrical engineering background, retaining his system-level responsibilities while steering the university through the coming academic year. Cowley transitions into a special advisory role to assist with the handover, while the UT System Board of Regents launches a nationwide search for a permanent successor.
Local Pulse
Mayor Schedules Citywide Neighborhood Listening Sessions Public town halls running October through May will gather resident input on transit, zoning, and neighborhood streetscapes.
Rangers Launch Final Regular-Season Homestand The club opens a nine-game stretch at Globe Life Field tonight while honoring Roberto Clemente’s humanitarian legacy.
Marquis Circle Drainage Upgrades Reach Completion Newly replaced storm mains and outfalls now protect Lake Arlington shoreline neighborhoods from heavy seasonal rainfall runoff.
Today's Outlook
- High 99°F · Low 81°F — Clear
- Plan outdoor runs early and keep sunscreen handy under the blazing afternoon sunshine.
What's On Around Town
Today
Gyro Fidget Spinner 3D Printing George W. Hawkes Downtown Library (100 S Center St), 5:00–8:00 PM · Free Learn TinkerCAD codeblocks and craft your own custom mechanical spinner.
Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers Globe Life Field, 7:05 PM · Paid Catch the homestand opener alongside pregame Roberto Clemente Day honors.
Tomorrow
- Creative Acts of Kindness George W. Hawkes Downtown Library (100 S Center St), 4:00–5:00 PM · Free
- Family Chess Club George W. Hawkes Downtown Library (100 S Center St), 6:30–8:00 PM · Free
- Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers Globe Life Field, 7:05 PM · Paid
Thursday
- Discovery Room Free Day River Legacy Nature Center (703 NW Green Oaks Blvd), 9:00 AM–5:00 PM · Free
- STEAM Kids Workshop East Library and Recreation Center (1817 New York Ave), 4:30–5:30 PM · Free
- Hand Embroidery Basics George W. Hawkes Downtown Library (100 S Center St), 6:00–8:00 PM · Free
Spotlight & Story
- Meadowbrook Park
- When the city purchased 52 acres in 1923 for exactly $5,000 to build its very first municipal park, planners envisioned open green space and a nine-hole golf course. By the 1930s, that modest parcel even briefly featured a sandstone monkey zoo.
Arlington Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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