Texans have a week to tell the state how they want it to spend the $1 billion water infrastructure fund approved by voters in November.

Why it matters: People are flocking to Texas. The population is estimated to grow from about 30 million to 51 million by 2070.

• Meanwhile, the water supply is projected to decrease 18% by then.

State of play: Proposition 6 earmarked $1 billion to create the Texas Water Fund for water loss and conservation projects, with a focus on rural communities.

• It's the state's largest investment in water infrastructure since 2013, but proponents say it still won't meet the enormous demand.

Zoom in: Dallas-Fort Worth will be the driving force behind the water demand, per a 2023 state report.

• Demand in North Texas will increase by nearly 68% in the next 50 years, more than any other region in the state.

How it works: The Texas Water Development Board will determine how to distribute the money. At least $250 million must be allocated to projects that create new water sources.

Threat level: Texas water systems are losing at least 572,000 acre-feet of water per year because of the deteriorating infrastructure or breaks caused by shifting ground from droughts.

• That's enough to meet the total 2020 annual municipal needs of the cities of Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Laredo and Lubbock, per a 2022 study.

What's next: Public comment closes at the end of the month. The board will finalize the fund guidelines and rules by the fall.

Walmart is still king of the grocers in Dallas-Fort Worth, according to a new market analysis.

The latest: With more than 100 stores in the metro area, Walmart continued to make up the largest share of grocery sales in 2023 in D-FW, per data from Grocery Store Guide, which tracks retail and food service industries.

• Despite the excitement and crowds H-E-B draws every time it opens a new store, the popular Texas chain holds just shy of 3% of the Dallas-area grocery market.

State of play: H-E-B dominates grocery sales in other parts of Texas, particularly in San Antonio, where the chain is based.

• The grocer opened its first North Texas H-E-B store in 2022, more than 20 years after bringing its Central Market brand to the region.

What's happening: H-E-B plans to open stores in Frisco, Mansfield, Melissa, Prosper and Rockwall. And it's planning to open two of its smaller format stores — Joe V's Smart Shop — in Dallas.

By the numbers: Nearly 5% of a D-FW household's income goes toward food and beverage expenses, per Grocery Store Guide data.

• H-E-B tallied about $877 million in sales at its 11 stores, including Central Market, in the region last year.
• By comparison, Walmart had nearly $7.9 billion in sales in D-FW.
• Fiesta Mart knocked Whole Foods out of the top 10 in market share, increasing from 1.9% of the area's sales in 2022 to 2% last year.

📭 Be honest. Is H-E-B worth the hype? Reply to this email and let us know.

Costco vs. Sam's Club

🌍 Fawn over films. The Dallas International Film Festival has a packed lineup of documentary and short films, along with panels with filmmakers and red carpet events.

• Today through May 2 in Dallas. Passes start at $100.

🎨 Appreciate the arts. Southlake's Art in the Square returns this weekend with exhibits, activities for families and a Saturday night Tom Petty tribute concert.

• Friday-Sunday at Southlake Town Square. Free admission.

📚 Stock your shelves. Peruse the second annual Oak Cliff Book Crawl to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day.

• 12-7pm Saturday at Lucky Dogs Books, Pan-African Connection, Poets Bookshop, The Wild Detectives and Whose Books. Cost: However much your wallet (and bookshelves) can handle.

Church with Hozier

💸 The Dallas City Council approved a 15-year deal for the Dallas Wings to play at Dallas Memorial Auditorium starting in 2026. (WFAA)

⚖️ A Dallas County judge declared a mistrial in a murder case and recused herself after a courtroom livestream showed her making disparaging remarks about the accused man's guilt. (DMN)

✈️ Southwest Airlines flight attendants approved a new union contract that includes a 22% snap-up raise for this year and 3% raises for each of the next three years. (KERA)

A new Texas Monthly story shares the "shadowy side" of becoming a Netflix-famous cheerleading coach.

The big picture: Dallas-Fort Worth is an epicenter in the cheer world, per Texas Monthly.

• The National Cheerleaders Association is based in North Texas. Its founder was an SMU graduate who became known as the father of modern cheerleading.

Catch up quick: Netflix's "Cheer" portrayed Navarro College, about an hour from Dallas, as an underdog vying for the top spot at the National Cheerleaders Association College Nationals.

• The first season was a pandemic-era hit, turning coach Monica Aldama and her students into celebrities.

Yes, but: The program has since been riddled with scandals.

• One of the cheerleaders was sentenced to 12 years in prison for child pornography and soliciting sex with a minor. Season 2 followed the cheerleaders as they grappled with their teammate's arrest and their fame.
• Last year, Aldama was accused of trying to cover up a sexual assault in a case that was later dismissed. And, this year, her son was arrested on child pornography charges.

The intrigue: Texas Monthly followed Aldama's experiences after "Cheer," including how she dealt with the coverup allegations that were dropped.

• She retired from Navarro and accepted a job as vice president of a cheer company based in North Texas, per Texas Monthly.

The bottom line: "I don't really know what my calling is, but I'm listening, and I'm going to follow my heart," Aldama told the magazine.