$1.2 million in sidewalk construction set for northeast Richardson
City Council awarded the construction contract to R&A Legacy during its Aug. 25 meeting.
The gist: The sidewalk rehabilitation funded by the 2021 bond will encompass the area between Brand Road, Murphy Road, and the city’s borders with Garland and Plano, according to city documents.
What’s next: The work is set to begin in September and last approximately one year, according to the documents.
East Plano treatment plant upgrades reauthorized following delays
Improvements to Rowlett Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant are moving forward after Plano commissioners reauthorized a site plan for the facility.
The North Texas Municipal Water District requested reauthorization because construction on the plant’s improvement projects has been delayed due to issues with the bidding process.
What you need to know: At their Sept. 2 meeting, Plano Planning and Zoning commissioners authorized a two-year extension for the plant’s revised site plan, which was initially approved in 2023. NTMWD completed the first phase of improvements to the treatment plant in November 2021 to improve the plant’s peak flow capacity, and the upcoming phase aims to better manage and treat flow during weather events.
Quote of note:“One of the challenges with the project ... [is] we have to keep the plant operational at all times,” NTMWD Director of Engineering Mark Simon said. “[The plant] does treat 50% of the flow for Plano and roughly 25-30% of the flow from Richardson.”
Oktoberfest, Halloween: Check out 12 fall festivals, events around Dallas-Fort Worth
Here are 12 festivals and activities for Dallas-Fort Worth residents looking for fun ways to spend a weekend this fall.
1. Grapefest in Grapevine: Attendees can taste wine and explore Downtown Grapevine. This year’s theme is The Grape Gatsby, a nod to the 100th anniversary of the publication of the "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
2. Oktoberfest in McKinney: Enjoy authentic German food, domestic and imported beer, live music, games and more during Historic Downtown McKinney’s Oktoberfest celebration.
‘This will save lives’: New Texas laws require summer camps to remove cabins from floodplains
Two months after 25 campers and two counselors died in the historic July 4 flooding at Camp Mystic, Gov. Greg Abbott signed three new laws Sept. 5 that he said will “make youth camps safer” and ensure Texas communities are better prepared for future disasters. The flood victims' families attended the Sept. 5 bill signing ceremony in Austin.
The details: Under the two-pronged camp safety package, summer camps are required to remove existing cabins from floodplains by Jan. 1.
Camps must also develop and annually update comprehensive emergency plans, set up warning systems to notify campers if something is wrong and install ladders so campers can climb on cabin roofs during floods.
Looking ahead: Two other disaster preparedness bills, as well as legislation designed to regulate Texas’ multibillion-dollar THC industry, did not pass during the recent special legislative session, which ended around 1 a.m. Sept. 4.
When asked Sept. 5 if he planned to call a third legislative overtime to continue work on those policies, Abbott told reporters to "stay tuned."
