The city of Denton is preparing for the arctic cold front expected to sweep across North Texas starting Jan. 23. The icy conditions are expected to last until Jan. 26 and possibly Jan. 27, according to the National Weather Service.

In a nutshell: Residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Denton to receive the latest safety and weather notifications.

City staff have prepped the city’s fleet to de-ice the roads ahead of icy weather, activated essential staff shifts for utility and street personnel, and conditioned Denton’s water plants, and the public safety teams will be working throughout the weekend, said Dustin Sternbeck, the city’s chief communications officer.

The Denton County Transportation Authority will have transportation to the Denton Community Shelter, operated by Our Daily Bread, and Salvation Army Denton for those who need a safe place to stay at night.

What else? If there are utility-related incidents, such as busted pipes, power outages, downed electrical poles or faulty sewer mains, residents are encouraged to report the issue by calling 940-349-7000.

With freezing temperatures expected to hit the Dallas-Fort Worth are this weekend, Denton ISD school schedules may be affected by the cold weather.

What you need to know: The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch from Jan. 23-25, and an extreme cold watch is for Denton County from Jan. 24-26, with temperatures forecast to drop to 7 degrees by early Monday morning. The forecast also shows freezing rain and sleet over the weekend.

"We are staying in regular communication with local officials and weather services as we carefully assess conditions and any potential impact to school operations," the district posted on its Instagram page.

Denton ISD’s inclement weather webpage states that in the event of possible weather-related closures, district leaders aim to make a closure decision by 6 a.m.

Also of note: The webpage lists recommendations for parents to make sure their child’s school has accurate contact information to receive communication.

If no cancellations are reported, school and school activities will resume as scheduled.

After nearly 12 years on the square, Painting with a Twist in downtown Denton is closing in late February, owner Jacobi Roberts said.

In a nutshell: Painting with a Twist is a chain of event spaces and art studios where guests bring their own wine and enjoy a painting lesson from an artist.

“It’s sad to go, the square has just gotten too expensive for us,” Roberts said.

• 208 W. Oak St., Denton

A set of permanent regulations for thousands of Texas businesses selling consumable hemp products took effect Jan. 21, after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission adopted them one day earlier.

The overview: The latest hemp rules do not bring significant changes to the roughly 60,000 businesses under TABC oversight. They replace similar emergency rules adopted Sept. 23, prohibiting Texas alcohol retailers from selling hemp-derived THC products to customers under 21 years old.

“The key you heard today… is the effect of THC on younger folks' development—much like alcohol, the same reasons we regulate alcohol for those 21 years old [and up],” TABC chair Robert Eckels said.

Zooming in: The TABC has limited jurisdiction over the consumable hemp industry and can only require age limits and ID checks, agency leaders said. State health officials are considering more comprehensive regulations on the industry.

“The Department of State Health Services’ rules are going to be much more robust,” TABC general counsel James Person said Jan. 20. “They actually cover the products themselves: the [THC] content, the testing and whatnot."

A far-reaching winter storm is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures, wintry precipitation and “dangerous ice” to Texas beginning Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service. As residents brace for days of potentially hazardous conditions, state leaders said Jan. 22 that the Texas power grid “has never been stronger” and will withstand the storm.

What's happening: Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 134 of Texas’ 254 counties, telling reporters that the northern two-thirds of the state—from San Antonio to the Panhandle—will be impacted by the storm.

Officials said they do not expect a repeat of the widespread power outages that occurred during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, emphasizing that changes have been made in recent years to harden the grid against extreme weather. The governor said some Texans could see “local, isolated” outages due to fallen tree branches or ice on power lines.

"The severity of it is not quite as great... as Winter Storm Uri," Abbott said. "That said, people would be making a mistake if they don't take it serious."