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Chicago Tribune
13 hours ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Gale Street Inn, known for ‘the best ribs in the city of Chicago,' abruptly closes
George Karzas kept his cards close to his chest. At Weston's Coffee, where he often orders a blueberry muffin and drip coffee with room for cream, the baristas had no idea the longtime restaurant owner planned to close Gale Street Inn. Nor did his many customers in and around Jefferson Park. 'It's too soon to talk,' Karzas said Friday from the bright red doorway of his restaurant at 4914 N. Milwaukee Ave. He has kept the door locked since Wednesday night. Karzas announced on Instagram Thursday that Gale Street Inn, a neighborhood staple in operation since 1963, was permanently closed, a troubling trend among local restaurants, industry professionals say. He cited staffing shortages as the primary reason for the abrupt closure. 'Hiring and retaining quality staff has proven too tough for too long,' he wrote. 'We are tired of sucking, we have standards you know. But overworking our existing crew is not the answer. There are simply too many of you and not enough of us.' He went on to say in the post that he's loved operating in Chicago, 'the greatest food town on the planet,' and that there is 'no gracious way to close a retail business.' The restaurant is widely known for its signature baby back ribs. Some locals are mourning the loss of the restaurant. Konrad Klima, who was born and raised in Jefferson Park, had been having a tough day and was planning to have a beer and a bowl of soup at Gale Street on Friday evening. He was disappointed when he heard Friday afternoon that he'd have to find somewhere else to go. 'That's a bummer,' he said. George Catania had been eating at Gale Street for 50 years, since he was a little kid and would eat dinner there with his grandparents. He liked the ribs and the people who worked there. Catania said he feels bad that they are all suddenly out of a job. Gale Street Inn opened in 1963 in a small tavern near the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Gale Street, serving Texas-size beef and ham sandwiches across the street from its current location, Georgene Chioles-Neff, the daughter of the original owners, George and Joan Chioles, told the Tribune when reached by phone Friday. She said her dad borrowed $5,000 from his parents to open the tavern, and they were able to clean it up to make it 'very quaint and sweet' with a 'beautiful back bar.' Her mom, a Chicago Public Schools teacher, came up with the name Gale Street Inn, said Chioles-Neff, 71, of Kingston in DeKalb County. She remembers her father slicing the beef behind the bar at that time, and serving the sandwiches on dark rye. A couple of years later, Gale Street cook Louie Artis shared with her family his recipe for baby back ribs, which became so popular that lines formed outside the 20-table tavern, said Chioles-Neff, who started washing dishes at the tavern at age 10. 'It was a family affair,' she said. 'We were from Jefferson Park. We were from the neighborhood. Because it was a young family working together that was part of the appeal.' In 1968, the city took the tavern property via eminent domain to build the Jefferson Park Transit Center, forcing the restaurant to relocate, she said. Because of concerns about traffic due to the ribs' success, a local bank attempted to block the family from purchasing the new property, which she said at the time was a chicken farm. Chioles-Neff said the family used the name of Bob Beck, a bartender at the restaurant, to buy it. 'It's a true story, so help me God,' Chioles-Neff said with a laugh, adding that there was a line out the door when they reopened in 1969. George Chioles sold the Gale Street Inn in 1985 to Harry Karzas, father of George Karzas, after opening a second location in Mundelein, which the family no longer owns, she said. George Karzas, who had worked for Lettuce Entertain You founder Rich Melman, took it over in 1992 and worked to reposition the restaurant as a more upscale place. The restaurant was still widely lauded for its ribs, slathered in a sweet peppery sauce. Other items, such as crab bathed in lemon sauce, enjoyed their moment in the sun as well. The restaurant was also known to serve beer from local breweries and hang local art on the walls. Chioles-Neff said she was shocked and heartbroken to learn the restaurant closed this week. All the memories came flooding back — working with her grandfather in the early morning hours, her father's 'bigger than life' personality and her mom's generosity. 'The three of us that are left, my brother, my sister and myself, are very sad,' she said. 'I cried all day yesterday. It was another loss. My mom and dad put their entire heart and soul into (the restaurant). Just two weeks ago, Sam Toia, the president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, spoke with Karzas. During that conversation, he got an inkling Karzas might close the eatery soon, but Toia said it seemed Karzas just decided to go for it this week. Toia called Karzas the 'de facto mayor of Milwaukee Avenue,' saying he knows everything about Jefferson Park. 'Gale Street Inn was a place you went for your communions, your graduations, your anniversaries,' Toia said. 'Now you're taking another great place away from the Northwest Side of Chicago, where people went to celebrate special occasions.' 'You could get as good a steak at Gale Street as you can at any of our steakhouses downtown,' he continued. 'And the ribs might have been the best ribs in the city of Chicago.' Toia said Karzas, and many other restaurateurs Toia represents, had large concerns about the financial viability of their businesses after the elimination of the tip credit. He also said that since 2020, labor and product costs have both increased 35%, among other expenses. Fear of immigration raids is another big concern right now, he said. All in all, small, locally owned businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, Toia said. 'The restaurant industry was an industry of nickels and dimes before the pandemic, and post-pandemic, it's turned into a business of pennies and nickels,' Toia said. Other local business owners also feel the change coming to the neighborhood. Steve Bollos' family took over the Jefferson Inn — a beloved dive bar right next door to Gale Street — around the same time the restaurant opened its doors. Bollos and Karzas worked side by side for close to 30 years and shared many of the same longtime regulars. 'Gale Street and George have been an anchor for Jefferson Park when it comes to food culture,' Bollos said. 'The closing of Gale Street is pretty devastating for the Jefferson Park neighborhood and Chicago in general, because they created this label of a place to go, where you can be treated right and feel at home.'
Politico
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
‘Trump movement' turns on Cornyn, poll finds
MAGA loyalists have put Sen. John Cornyn's reelection campaign in a Texas-size hole. An early May poll commissioned by the American Opportunity Alliance, a major conservative funding group linked to megadonor Paul Singer, shows the Texas Republican down 17 points in a head-to-head primary matchup with state attorney general Ken Paxton. Below the top-line of Paxton's 52-percent-to-35-percent advantage, the poll found a clear divide between those voters who were defined as 'Trump Movement' voters and those who were 'Traditional Republicans.' In the former category, which made up of 58 percent of the electorate, Paxton had a 45-point lead. Among the latter, who made up only 35 percent of voters, Cornyn had a 27-point lead. The findings reflect a increasingly prominent divide among Republican primary voters in Texas where an insurgent hard-right faction has been steadily gaining ground in recent years while ousting more traditional GOP elected officials. Paxton, who has faced federal investigation and impeachment, has long been a darling of right-wingers in Texas, while Cornyn — first elected to the Senate in 2002 — is considered a pillar of the establishment GOP. In a speculative three-way race with GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt, who is exploring a bid, the margin barely narrowed with the Cornyn trailing Paxton, 43 percent to 27 percent, with Hunt receiving 14 percent. There was some good news for the incumbent in the poll. Despite trailing Paxton significantly, he is still viewed favorably by the Republican primary electorate in the Lone Star State — just not as favorably as the state attorney general. The poll, conducted from April 29 through May 1 among 800 Republican primary voters, is among a series of public and private surveys all showing Cornyn significantly trailing Paxton. They have sparked increasing concern from national Republican operatives about a potentially ugly and costly primary, as well as the possible elevation of a scandal-plagued candidate who might be at risk in a general election. The American Opportunity Alliance's interest in the race is notable; it's one of the key donor consortiums in Republican politics and its members including Singer and Chuck Schwab are some of the biggest funders on the right.
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
How two CEOs mixed romance and business, leading to scandal
The Vaquero Club is tucked away behind stone walls in a wealthy suburb of Dallas. The gates protect a swanky neighborhood of Texas-size mansions, a pristine golf course and a lake stocked with bass. Residents pay for seclusion and privacy, but it's one of those gated communities where secrets are hard to keep. On a recent Friday evening, Ashley Buchanan and Chandra Holt headed to the Vaquero clubhouse for dinner, as they often do. Buchanan, 51, in a white polo shirt, and Holt, in a shaggy cream vest, sipped cocktails at the bar, according to a person who saw them. It was her 45th birthday. The pair showed no signs of having been engulfed in a corporate scandal that got Buchanan fired as CEO of Kohl's—which had become public just the day before. Earlier that week, Kohl's chairman and an outside lawyer had confronted Buchanan, according to people familiar with the matter. The Kohl's board was investigating after an employee raised red flags. Buchanan had helped broker a deal for Kohl's to sell products from a coffee startup called Incredibrew. It was run by Holt, and the CEO hadn't disclosed their personal relationship, violating the retailer's ethics code. Kohl's Chairman Michael Bender had known Buchanan and Holt for years. The three executives had worked together at Walmart a decade ago. But Bender, who led the board that had hired Buchanan a few months earlier, didn't know they were a couple. The lawyer demanded to know: Was Buchanan dating Holt?Yes, he replied. It was an admission of a relationship that had been gossiped about for years among employees, but kept out of view of many corporate leaders and board members. First at Walmart, then crafts retailer Michaels and now Kohl's. But it wasn't really hidden. Both Buchanan and Holt had filed for divorce from their respective spouses in 2020. Court records showed an extramarital affair with Holt had a role in Buchanan's divorce. And the couple lived openly at Vaquero, where they play tennis together and share a $3 million stone house with a koi pond and private pool. Ashley Buchanan While a CEO doesn't have to share his or her love life outside of work with the board, most companies require executives to disclose relationships that could result in potential conflicts of interest. Both Buchanan and Holt had run major retail chains—she had been CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond and another retailer. They had worked together and hired staff from each other's companies. Holt had also started a coffee brand that was being marketed to both Kohl's and Michaels when Buchanan was running them. Buchanan and Holt had largely kept quiet with co-workers and the companies that employed them about their romantic relationship, according to people who worked with them and court documents. Michaels tried to recruit Holt for a senior role soon after Buchanan became CEO of the crafts retailer in 2020, and Buchanan didn't disclose that he had a personal relationship with her at that time, according to one person familiar with the matter. Holt didn't end up taking the job. Later on, Buchanan also didn't disclose his relationship with Holt to some merchants—the employees who choose which products to buy—when Michaels decided to sell Incredibrew at its stores. After he was fired by Kohl's, Buchanan's defense was that he made introductions for merchants but didn't require them to buy particular products, according to one person who spoke with him. On May 1, Kohl's said it fired Buchanan for cause after an investigation by outside lawyers found he had violated the company's ethics code, saying he had helped arrange a deal to sell Holt's coffee products. Buchanan had dictated the payment terms, and the order was for hundreds of Kohl's stores, according to a person familiar with the situation. Kohl's said the terms were 'unusual" and favorable to the vendor. The investigation also found that he caused Kohl's to enter into a multimillion-dollar consulting agreement at Boston Consulting Group, where Holt was an adviser at the time. Chandra Holt founded Incredibrew, which sells coffee pods infused with supplements, in 2022. In an interview that day, Holt said she has known Buchanan for 10 years. She said they weren't romantically involved when Michaels was looking to hire her and that her Incredibrew business hadn't been compensated by Kohl's. Boston Consulting Group said it was surprised to learn of Holt's relationship with Buchanan. 'As a result of this non-disclosure, we have terminated Chandra Holt's contract," BCG said in a statement at the time. The firm said it had employed Holt on a part-time basis to provide advice on retail topics. BCG said she wasn't involved in structuring the Kohl's assignment or negotiating any contract terms. The work for Kohl's hadn't started by the time Holt's contract was terminated, according to people familiar with the situation. Meeting at Walmart Buchanan and Holt met a decade ago in Bentonville, Ark., when she took a job in 2015 as a vice president with Sam's Club, the warehouse chain owned by Walmart. Buchanan was running Walmart's dry grocery business at the time. Holt, a Minnesota native, had started her career at Target, where she spent a decade, then worked a few years at Walgreens. After she joined Walmart, Holt and her then-husband and young daughter moved into a home in the Pinnacle Country Club, a gated golf community near Walmart's headquarters that is filled with its top executives. Buchanan lived around the corner at Pinnacle with his then-wife and three daughters. The Texas native had worked at Walmart since 2007 and was a rising star within the executive team. He was known as a tough negotiator with Walmart's suppliers, and as a blunt leader who gave his direct reports autonomy. At the start of 2017, Buchanan became Holt's boss after he was named chief merchant for Sam's Club. A few months later, Holt was promoted to lead the Sam's Club grocery business. The following year, she left his group when she was appointed chief operating officer of the chain's website. Chandra Holt In Northwest Arkansas, a region where many inhabitants have ties to Walmart or its suppliers, chatter circulated about Buchanan's close relationship with Holt. That was in part because Buchanan, Holt and their children spent time together without their spouses, and in part because Buchanan discussed his troubled marriage with friends and co-workers, according to former and current Walmart executives. His wife had a serious illness, so he went on many social outings without her. He worried about his wife and the toll her illness took on their children, some of those executives said. Despite the troubles at home, Buchanan's career was advancing and he was viewed by some colleagues as a contender to take over as Sam's Club's next CEO. In November 2019, Sam's Club picked a new leader, but it wasn't Buchanan. He was named to another executive role at Walmart. Around Christmas 2019, Buchanan told Walmart U.S. Chief Executive John Furner that he was leaving Walmart to become the CEO of Dallas-based Michaels, according to some of the executives. Buchanan and his family made plans to move to Southlake, Texas, a western suburb of Dallas. On Jan. 3, 2020, soon after they arrived, Buchanan filed for divorce—setting off legal proceedings that would later reveal the affair with Holt. Moving to Texas Holt was exploring a new role in early 2020. She had been approached by Michaels to serve in a top merchandising position reporting to the CEO. But a nonpoach agreement with Walmart made the move difficult, and Holt stayed at Walmart, where she was promoted around that time. Her marriage was also troubled. She separated from her husband in March 2020, then filed for divorce in October of that year. The couple would twice call off their divorce before making it official in 2024, according to filings. In the summer of 2021, Holt left Walmart to become CEO of Conn's HomePlus, a regional homegoods retailer based near Houston. As Buchanan and Holt moved their lives to Texas, they mostly kept their romantic relationship quiet. They recommended each other's companies to potential hires, in some cases, without disclosing their personal ties. For Conn's, Holt hired an executive that had worked at Michaels, where Buchanan was CEO. Top executives at Michaels said they didn't know the pair had a romantic relationship until more Walmart employees later joined the company, passing along gossip from Arkansas and as Buchanan's divorce proceedings trickled into the open. In early 2021, shortly before Buchanan's divorce was finalized, private-equity firm Apollo Global Management agreed to purchase Michaels and take it private in a $3.3 billion deal. Buchanan stood to receive $32 million from his stake in the deal, according to divorce filings submitted by his ex-wife's lawyer. His ex-wife sued to set aside their October 2020 settlement plan and accused Buchanan of fraud for not disclosing the coming transaction. Buchanan disputed the claim in court. Terms of the pair's final settlement aren't known. Introducing Incredibrew Holt left Conn's in October 2022 and founded Incredibrew, a company that sells K-cup coffee pods infused with supplements such as collagen and melatonin. It was incorporated in July 2023 at her then home address near Houston, state records show. In early 2024 she was hired as CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond after the homegoods chain had emerged from bankruptcy. By mid-June, she was out. The company said it was part of a leadership reorganization, and she didn't publicly comment at the time. She refocused on her coffee startup. Meanwhile, Buchanan was in discussions to join Kohl's as its CEO. The chain was looking for a new leader after years of sales struggles, pressure from activist investors and strategy shifts. Days before Thanksgiving, Kohl's said Buchanan was taking over in January. Incredibrew coffee near the checkout at a Michaels store. The Incredibrew capsules started being sold at Michaels, nestled in the candy area near the cash registers. They were also being sold online. Some former Michaels employees told The Wall Street Journal they wondered at the time why the chain was selling coffee since it doesn't have a grocery section. In a series of LinkedIn posts this year, Holt started promoting Incredibrew. She said she had been working on it for the past two years and unveiled new products. In one video, she talked about the health benefits of the collagen infused coffee. 'It's amazing for hair, skin and nails as well as bone and joint health," she said. Ashley Buchanan reposted Chandra Holt's LinkedIn video promoting Incredibrew. Buchanan reposted the video, which appeared to have been filmed in front of a gas fireplace in the home they share in the Vaquero Club community. Holt said the pods would be available online at Walmart and Amazon. At Kohl's, Buchanan's brusque management style quickly ruffled feathers inside the Menomonee Falls, Wis., headquarters. Buchanan had a residence in Wisconsin but it isn't known how much time he spent there. Within Buchanan's first months on the job, Kohl's was preparing to buy Incredibrew products. As part of the normal process of vetting a new vendor, a Kohl's employee raised concerns, according to people familiar with the probe. The board was notified and an outside law firm conducted an investigation. On April 30, Bender, the Kohl's chairman, and a lawyer called Buchanan to share the findings of the investigation, including the Incredibrew order and the arrangement with BCG, surprising Buchanan. That's when they confronted the CEO about his relationship with Holt. The following morning, Kohl's issued a statement that said Buchanan had been fired for cause. Bender stepped down as chairman to assume the role of interim CEO while the retailer looks for a permanent replacement. Write to Sarah Nassauer at and Suzanne Kapner at
Miami Herald
28-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Popular burger chain taps McDonald's exec to destroy rivals
Whataburger is an American fast food chain, and Texans are proud and joyful. The first location opened in 1950 as a humble burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas, and since then, it has built over 1,100 restaurants in the U.S. and expanded across 16 states. Those who grew up in Texas share the nostalgia and familiarity of stepping into a Whataburger. No matter where you may be, this restaurant is ready to receive its customers with open arms, which oddly enough always feels like returning home, something many chains have tried to achieve but have yet to obtain. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter This fast food chain is unlike any other. Everything from its orange and white stripes to its unique restaurant design and charming Southern hospitality with 24-hour service continues to attract customers worldwide. Related: Popular delivery app wants you to finance lunch The menu is also very extensive and can be consumed at any time of the day. It contains various Texas-size burgers, multiple chicken items, a breakfast selection, and sweet desserts, all of which taste homemade. On Mar. 24, Whataburger announced it had named Todd Ewen its new senior vice president and chief development officer. Ewen will lead the company's growth strategy as it expands into new markets and enters its 17th state, North Carolina. "I'm proud to join the Whataburger team that is setting the standard for excellence as we implement well-developed growth plans," said Ewen. Related: Forget McDonald's, Walmart adds a new restaurant partner Ewen is no rookie in helping businesses reach their full potential. He has over 20 years of experience in commercial real estate development, which led him to found his own brokerage firm, L3 Commercial Development, in 2017. He also has over 10 years of experience in the quick-service restaurant industry, including over seven years as a Development Director and Regional Real Estate Manager for McDonald's, the world's top fast food chain. View the original article to see embedded media. "Todd's deep understanding of real estate in the quick service restaurant industry will be integral in helping Whataburger execute our growth strategy, bringing delicious food and a great experience to new markets and new fans," said Whataburger Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Alexander Ivannikov. Although McDonald's (MCD) was founded four years after Whataburger, the fast food giant has grown tremendously, outperforming all others in the quick-service restaurant industry. More Retail News: Iconic U.S. grocery chain debuts first UK store after a decadeTarget makes bold move to answer Walmart, AmazonTop brands unveil nostalgic new beverage and snack releases Its ability to quickly adapt to the ever-evolving consumer and remain strong amid growing competition is partly attributed to its push for constant innovation, allowing it to continue driving business growth. In 2015, McDonald's introduced a customer-centric turnaround plan to better meet consumer demands. Although Ewen left McDonald's the following year, he helped lead this growth strategy, which successfully helped increase sales. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
New York Times
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Houston Rodeo Is the Super Bowl of Country Culture
'Mutton bustin',' where children lie on their bellies on top of an agitated sheep and try to hang on as the ovine shoots across a large arena, is one of the most beloved traditions at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Inevitably, the contestants slide off the sheep and face-plant into the dirt, with some coming away crying, others grinning proudly. Either outcome, the crowd at the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world goes wild. The Houston rodeo, which runs March 4 to 23, is beyond Texas-size. More than 2.5 million people attended last year. If you're not from Texas, it's probably hard to imagine: Only 6 percent of last year's attendees came from other states. NaSaysha Cheatham, a Nashville resident, celebrated her 30th birthday with three friends at the rodeo. 'I saw it on TikTok,' she said, 'and I thought, 'well, let's dress up and go'.' On their visit, each of the women donned cowboy hats and knee-high boots with detailed stitching. Anjelique Hyatt, 30, noted that the friends 'wanted to have our Beyoncé moment.' (The pop juggernaut, who grew up in Houston, recently won three Grammys for her 'Cowboy Carter' album.) 'You see so many different variations of what it looks like to be a cowboy,' Ms. Cheatham added. Other mega rodeos include the Calgary Stampede, Canada's largest, and Wyoming's Cheyenne Frontier Days, which claims to be the biggest outdoor rodeo. But Houston's version is the Super Bowl event of contemporary country culture, held in a state that is the leading producer of cattle and beef in the United States: Texas raises more than double the number of head of cattle compared to any other state. For participants, the annual event is serious business. Millions of dollars change hands as heifers brought in from around the world are sold, and programs highlighting specific livestock breeds, like the Open Beefmaster Show, draw spectators and participants alike. There's also an international wine competition, a championship contest for barbecue, and a state-fair-size carnival with roller coasters and Ferris wheels. A guinea pig competition offers awards for best fur coat, and a sprawling shopping area sells everything from handmade leather chairs to turquoise jewelry. 'It's like choose-your-adventure,' said Jessica Garcia, 44 and a Houston resident, thumbing through the visitor's guide as her goatskin cowboy boots were shined. She then headed off to buy a Texas praline caramel apple. The evenings are capped off by fireworks, drone shows and concerts in a 72,200-seat stadium; this year's performers include Reba McEntire, Journey and Post Malone. The cheapest way in is to buy a combination ticket to the grounds, the carnival and the livestock shows ($21 per adult), but most people also want to see the showcase stadium event: a two-hour professional rodeo of roping and riding, followed by the big concert. Those stadium tickets to the rodeo and concert (which include a reserved seat) range from about $30 to $500, with club-level options available. The rodeo riders atop the raging, bucking broncos could go home with life-changing injuries, incurred in front of tens of thousands of people. Or, they could go home with life-changing winnings (the total rodeo purse this year is $2.5 million). Rodeo organizers have smartly worked in a pressure-release valve each evening so that audience members can catch their breath. About halfway through the events, the lights dimmed and a beautiful white horse trotted calmly from a cloud of smoke on one end of the arena, followed by her foal, who played under the spotlight; the moment acted as a grace note, lightening the brutal stakes. The rodeo has an unfettered, unapologetic view of meat consumption — when it began in 1932, it was called the Houston Fat Stock Show. Animal activists regularly protest the event. Proponents point to the rodeo's ability to help people — especially children — make connections between their food, their land, their history and their culture. The birthing center is a big draw, where children can watch mother pigs nudge their newborns' first steps; you can also watch chicks hatch, try your hand at milking a cow or learn how to plant crops. Perhaps the most rewarding experience is an unadvertised one: the chance to speak with families who ranch and farm, and who come to the rodeo so their children can show off the rabbit, guinea pig or calf that they have been nurturing all year. Many suburban families travel to soccer tournaments, but these families travel to livestock shows. The children who bring their animals stand to win thousands of dollars: In 2025, the rodeo will give away over $14 million in scholarships. 'Our thousands of volunteers enable us to maximize our charitable impact,' said the rodeo's board chairman, Pat Mann Phillips. It takes more than 35,000 volunteers to pull it all off. Houston prides itself on its food, and at the rodeo, everyone seemed to be working on a large fried turkey leg, though the variety of options is so much more. Food vendors compete in best-dish contests, the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards. This year some winners included an 'all-meat baked potato' with a pork rib garnish from Harlon's BBQ, and a thick slab of bacon served on a stick in a cloud of cotton candy from Rousso's Fat Bacon. Steps away from the food stands on a recent Saturday night, a line of people — turkey legs in hand — stood to get into the mutton bustin' tent. Audience members stomped on the metal grandstand until it sounded like a hurricane, while children who had signed up to ride the sheep waited their turn. Eight-year-old Siya Iyer, wearing a helmet with a face cage, looked worried. 'I'm a little scared,' she said, eyes nervously darting around at the roaring crowd. 'I have to hold on very tight.' After sliding off the sheep and face-planting into the dirt, she stood holding an ice pack against a swelling in her neck, her concerned parents doting on her. The next round of mutton bustin' contestants filed into the pen, and through the crowd, Siya offered a small thumbs up.
