The McKinney Fire Department is conducting a prescribed burn at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in January, according to a news release.

What’s happening: Public Information Officer Luis Aguilar said the burn is expected to start at 1 p.m. and last until 5 p.m. The prescribed burn will cover about 10 acres of land near the museum, according to the news release. Fire department officials will be on site to closely monitor the prescribed burn to ensure safety.

“Smoke may be visible in or around the Heard Museum during the burn but there is no need to call 9-1-1 to report it,” the news release states.

More information: Heard Natural Science Museum’s hours of operation will not be affected by the prescribed burn, said Stephanie Jennings, marketing and communications director. Some trails such as the Bluestem, Wood Duck and Cedar Brake won’t be accessible after noon, but the museum building will remain open as usual, she said.

Blue Lake Dental is set to open soon in McKinney, practice co-owner Dr. Nancy Luu said. The practice is owned by Luu and her husband, Dr. Vu Dang who is also a dentist, and will offer comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages.

The details: A variety of services will be offered including preventative dentistry, restorative dentistry and oral surgery.

• 9401 W. University Drive, Ste. 110, McKinney

AT&T is planning to relocate its global headquarters to a new 54-acre campus in Plano’s Legacy District, according to a Jan. 5 announcement shared with employees by CEO John Stankey.

What you need to know: The new headquarters will be located at 5400 Legacy Drive, which is part of the former Ross Perot Electronic Data Systems campus at the intersection of Parkwood Boulevard and Legacy Drive. The city of Plano was in the process of redeveloping the site as the Texas Research Quarter, a planned life sciences and innovation district, as previously reported by Community Impact.

What’s next?: Stankey said in the statement AT&T is targeting partial occupancy in the new space “as early as the second half of 2028.” According to the city’s zoning website, the EDS campus is proposed for a zoning change from a planned development to commercial employment. The rezoning request covers 99 acres at the southeast corner of the intersection of Parkwood Boulevard and Legacy Drive, and will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission Feb. 2.

Texas charter system Harmony Public Schools launched a new virtual learning platform on Jan. 5 that allows students across the state to take high school courses online.

The overview: The Harmony Online Learning program includes dozens of courses aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards, all of which are self-paced, according to a news release.

More details: Students can choose from dozens of courses in core subjects, electives, Advanced Placement and Career and Technical Education, according to the program’s website. The offerings aim to help students complete credit recovery, get ahead with their requirements and access courses not available at their home campus. Credit earned through Harmony may be applied toward high school graduation requirements depending on local district policies, per the release.

One more thing: Interested families can enroll online, and spring courses begin Jan. 12, per the release. The cost of tuition per course is $325, a spokesperson from Harmony Public Schools told Community Impact.