Playground structures at two McKinney parks have been removed and will soon serve communities overseas as part of a partnership with Project Playground, a Houston-based nonprofit organization, a Jan. 13 city news release states.

The specifics: The playground structure at Ash Woods Park was removed Nov. 21-22 while the Inspiration Park playground was removed Jan. 2-3, city officials said.

The structures will be refurbished prior to being sent overseas for installation.

A new playground structure at Ash Woods Park debuted Jan. 5, city officials said. A new playground structure at Inspiration Park will open in late January, pending weather. 

The context: City officials have partnered with Project Playground previously, with playground pieces from seven McKinney parks supporting access to safe playgrounds for more than 6,000 children worldwide, the release states.

El Pollo Loco opened Jan. 12 in west McKinney, a company representative said.

On the menu: The eatery, which was founded in 1975 in Mexico, serves burrito bowls, tostadas, salads, quesadillas, nachos and more.

• 211 N. Custer Road, McKinney

The University of North Texas will offer free tuition to families who meet certain criteria starting in the 2026-27 school year.

The breakdown: The new initiative, called the North Texas Promise Program, will give first-time college freshmen living in Texas the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree without paying tuition or the mandatory fees, UNT announced in a Jan. 14 news release.

The program covers four years, or eight consecutive semesters. The fees will be compensated by a combination of federal, state and institutional grants, according to UNT’s website.

What they're saying: “With the North Texas Promise, more outstanding Texas students will be able to access a college education that prepares them to unlock their full potential,” UNT President Harrison Keller said. “I am proud we are able to offer this program grounded in our core values and our commitment to create enduring value for the public good.”

Catch up on some of the biggest news out of Community Impact's Dallas-Fort Worth coverage areas from Jan. 12-16.

Central McKinney Kroger store slated for closure, officials confirm

GCISD sees departure of 3 district employees

Mike’s Chicken set to serve fried chicken in Plano, near Richardson border

India Bazaar sells fresh produce, groceries at new McKinney store

Fried chicken, Tex-Mex and a candy shop: 6 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurant, business updates

AT&T to build new 54-acre global headquarters campus in Plano

Five Republican candidates are running for a six-year term on the Texas Railroad Commission in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Katherine Culbert, Hawk Dunlap, Bo French, James "Jim" Matlock and Jim Wright are vying for the Republican nomination for a seat on the railroad commission. The winning Republican candidate will face Jon Rosenthal in November, and the winner of that election will begin serving on the commission in January 2027.

Rosenthal, a state representative and oilfield mechanical engineer, is running uncontested in the Democratic primary. Community Impact runs candidate Q&As for contested races only.

The context: The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, according to its website, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government.