Centennial, the real estate company that acquired The Shops at Willow Bend in 2022, confirmed that it plans to start demolishing a portion of the mall within a year.

In case you missed it: The demolition is part of a plan to redevelop Willow Bend into a mixed-use center with retail, restaurants, housing, office space and an on-site hotel.

Zooming in: Several areas will remain operational throughout the demolition, including:

• Restaurant district
• Crate & Barrel
• Equinox
• Parking garages

Tongue In Cheek Ice Cream is set to open a second location in Plano, business owner Brett Smith said. There is another location in east Plano on Park Boulevard as well as Richardson and Lewisville shops.

On the menu: The frozen treat business sells handcrafted ice cream featuring 28 rotating flavors and eight vegan and non-dairy options.

• 7801 Alma Drive, Ste. 136, Plano

On March 31, Texas’ roughly 9,000 licensed consumable hemp retailers will face sweeping regulations, including a more than 3,000% increase in annual licensing fees and a ban on most smokable cannabis products.

The overview: The new rules, which also include age verification requirements, stricter packaging guidelines and more rounds of product testing, were originally proposed in December. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which regulates the state’s hemp industry, adopted the rules March 2.

The debate: Supporters of the increased regulations previously said they hoped the changes would result in more comprehensive oversight of Texas’ hemp industry and improve consumer safety. 

Some experts said they were concerned the new rules were taking effect too quickly and could lead some hemp businesses to close their doors.

"It is really tragic that these entrepreneurs are being faced with this, especially in a state like Texas that touts being pro-business ... and here we are shutting down businesses and relegating consumers to an illicit market," said Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center.