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.”

In December 2025, there were 110 homes sold in Denton, an increase from December 2024, which saw 86 homes sold in the same ZIP codes.

The gist: Check out recent real estate data for the area from MetroTex Association of Realtors comparing data from December 2024 to December 2025.

The North Texas region continues to prepare for the FIFA World Cup.
Nine games are scheduled from June 14 to July 14 at Dallas Stadium, which will be the temporary name of AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Mitch Whitten, Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau COO, spoke at the Fort Worth Chamber Economic Impact Forum on Jan. 15 at the Kimball Art Museum on the impact of FIFA holding games in the area. 

The details: He talked about the impact of the games throughout the metroplex. Numbers from the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee expect 100,000 visitors per day, with an estimated economic impact in the region between $1.5 billion and $2.1 billion.

Zooming in: TCU has applied to be a base camp for a team in the region, Whitten said, but FIFA has yet to announce, as national teams have until March to decide where they will train during the event.
FIFA has listed 64 possible base camps, but there are only 48 teams that will qualify for the World Cup.

Stay informed about transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth with these five road project updates.

1. Renner Road water project

Project: The work will increase the water system capacity in northwest Richardson, including the installation of a new waterline along Renner Road. Construction of a new ground storage tank and pump station near Point North Park will also occur in the final stage of the project.

Update: The westbound lane on Renner Road near Custer Parkway is now open. Renner Road may still experience temporary rolling lane closures during non-peak traffic hours as the project enters the final construction phase.

• Timeline: Anticipated completion this winter
• Cost: $75 million
• Funding source: city of Richardson, North Texas Municipal Water District

The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport board approved a $582 million revision to the contract for Terminal F and Skyline Station during the Jan. 8 meeting.

The revision supports future phases of the Terminal F expansion, but does not impact the anticipated opening of Phase 1 of Terminal F in 2027, according to the presentation.

The details: The new contract with Innovation Next+ is now $1.7 billion and the current contract was extended by 379 days. The new projected end date for the work is Aug. 29, 2028.

The change order calls for earthworks, structure and building envelope to expand the concourse capacity for future passenger processing and concessions areas of Terminal F.

Also on the agenda: Atrius Wayfinder, previously LocusLabs, was given a $1.8 million contract to upgrade the DFW Airport mobile app.

The Oakland, California-based company will add enhanced indoor navigation and wayfinding for users. It will also provide the ability to generate heat maps, dwell-time analysis for future planning by concessions and customer experience in the airport, according to board documents.