DTX-FHA: Impact 10/24/2025

Two Lewisville ISD construction projects closed out under budget, netting the district roughly $1 million in savings in 2023 bond funds, according to documents from an Oct. 20 board meeting.

The details: LISD previously approved a guaranteed maximum price of $8.68 million for the Degan Elementary School Partial 20-Year Life Cycle Maintenance and Repair project included in the 2023 bond. The project closed out at roughly $7.9 million, about $760,000 under budget.

District officials also wrapped up several flooring and casework projects across nine campuses under budget. The guaranteed maximum price was $4.9 million, and the project closed out at $4.6 million, resulting in about $300,000 in bond fund savings, according to district documents.

Zooming out: Other completed bond projects include furniture replacements at several campuses, a districtwide emergency radio system replacement, and new track and field lighting at all LISD high schools, according to a report from Executive Director of Construction Randy Fite at an Oct. 6 work session.

Salerno’s Italian Restaurant has been serving Highland Village residents for 40 years this month, according to a company representative.

The details: The restaurant offers Italian dishes such as lasagna, spicy bolognese, shrimp scampi, eggplant parmesan and more. Mike and Morris Salerno opened Salerno’s in Flower Mound in October 1985 and then relocated the restaurant to Highland Village in 2018.

• 2250 Justin Road, Ste. 130, Highland Village

Officials from Giving Grace held a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 15 for the Love First Campus, located at 5000 E. McKinney St., Denton, according to a news release.

Giving Grace is a nonprofit organization that serves individuals and families in Denton County who are currently homeless or are in danger of becoming homeless.

The impact: The Cornerstone Phase of the Love First Campus, a $14.6 million investment, will create an emergency family shelter and Life Skills Center, the news release states. It will provide families with housing, life skills training, childcare and a wide range of supportive services all under one roof.

Quote of note: “Every family deserves dignity, safety and the chance to thrive,” said CEO Dawn Shapley. “With the support of our community, partners, and the leadership of the County Judge and Commissioners Court, we can break the cycle of homelessness in Denton County and build a stronger future for all families.”

Two constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot would impact the operation and oversight of Texas’ judicial system if approved by voters.

The details: State Proposition 3 seeks to require judges to deny bail for certain felony offenses, keeping more defendants in jail as they await trial. Proponents of the measure, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, said in June that it would improve public safety by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

Proposition 12 would rework the 13-member State Commission on Judicial Conduct, allowing the governor to appoint a majority of the commissioners and requiring most sanctions for judges accused of misconduct to be issued publicly. The bipartisan proposition faced pushback from some House Democrats who expressed concerns that allowing the governor to appoint a majority of commissioners would politicize the nonpartisan judicial conduct commission and give Abbott more power to remove from office judges whom he does not agree with.

Zooming out: The measures are among 17 state propositions being considered by Texas voters in the Nov. 4 election.