Prosper ISD officials are looking for ways to save money in the 2026-27 budget, Chief Financial Officer Keri Croy said at a July 20 Board of Trustees meeting.

What's happening: The 2026-27 budget, which was approved at a June 16 meeting, projects a $42.2 million shortfall for the upcoming school year, including an expected $25.1 million shortfall in the district’s general fund, according to Croy’s June presentation.

What's being done: According to Croy’s July update, initiatives to cut costs heading into the 2026-27 school year include:

• Department budget reductions

• Contract audits

• Travel freeze for central office staff

• Staffing evaluations

Quote of note: “We’ve got some decisions to make and some work to do,” Croy said. “We’re about to roll up our sleeves.”

inLIFE Wellness’s Pilates studio on the border of Prosper and Celina opened Aug. 1, a company representative confirmed.

A snapshot: The Australian fitness brand is known for its catalog of reformer Pilates classes that incorporate weight training, cardio, yoga and barre.

• 2700 W. Frontier Parkway, Ste. 100, Prosper

A new gas station is coming to Roanoke and a gym will open in Allen. Check out the latest construction permits filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 

The Plaza at Spring Creek: Shopping center The Plaza at Spring Creek will start complete construction in early December 2027, according to TDLR documents. The development will feature two parking decks, 11 retail buildings and two community green spaces. 

• Location: northwest corner of Dallas North Tollway and Spring Creek Boulevard, Plano
• Estimated timeline: Dec. 1, 2025-Dec. 1, 2027
• Estimated cost: $9.76 million

• Location: northeast corner of US 377 and Bobcat Boulevard
• Estimated timeline: Jan. 12, 2027-Aug. 30, 2027
• Estimated cost: $850,000

More than 150 restaurants throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area will take part in the 30th annual DFW Restaurant Week.

The gist: The event officially runs from Aug. 10 to Sept. 7, however, some restaurants will do a preview weekend Aug. 6-9, according to the DFW Restaurant Week website. The culinary event will feature prix fixe menu dining options ranging from $29 to $99, with 20% of the cost donated to the North Texas Food Bank or Lena Pope in Tarrant County. Lena Pope offers mental health options, counseling, substance abuse counseling and early learning centers, according to its website.

By the numbers: Restaurants in Dallas raised $505,235 for North Texas Food Bank, while restaurants in Tarrant County raised $176,092 for Lena Pope, according to the website.

The details: Restaurant Week launches Aug. 10-16, but many restaurants will extend the special menu through Labor Day, according to the website. Participating eateries are located in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Rockwall counties.

Texas is halting the approval of new data center projects until state regulators can audit all data centers seeking to connect to the power grid, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Aug. 3.

The overview: The governor directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to conduct “a comprehensive verification and audit” of all data center applicants “before any additional data centers are approved to move forward.” 

Data center regulation has emerged as a bipartisan issue in recent months, and the move comes amid both growing public criticism of Texas’ booming data center industry and recent political pressure for Abbott to respond.

Zooming in: Abbott asked the PUC and ERCOT to collect information about the tax exemptions each data center is collecting; details about each project's anticipated water and electricity usage; and how data center developers will work to limit noise, light pollution and other impacts on local communities.

Officials did not say how long the pause would last or when the audits would begin.