Although restaurateur and chef Miguel Mercado is neither Cajun nor from Louisiana, when it came time to open a restaurant in his hometown of McKinney, Mercado chose to open Cajun Fish Grill because Cajun food is his favorite cuisine and what he calls his passion.

“I’ve been a professional chef for 44 years. My specialty is French food,” Mercado said. “My favorite food to eat is Cajun food, which is like a marriage of French and African cuisine.”

On the menu: The menu boasts Cajun cuisine staples including a variety of blackened fish filets, jambalaya, étouffée and more. Top selling menu items are fried catfish, the fried shrimp po’ boy and the Tricky Fish, which is a grilled blackened catfish served over rice and topped with crawfish étouffée.

• 2960 Eldorado Parkway, Ste. 5, McKinney

Champions Liquor is now open on McKinney Ranch Parkway in McKinney, Owner Jay Turna said.

The gist: The store sells a variety of liquor, wine, beer and vape products, Turna said. Champions Liquor’s offerings include whiskey, vodka, gin and tequila.

• 3750 McKinney Ranch Parkway, Ste. 200, McKinney

Fast-casual eatery Jason's Deli is celebrating its 50th anniversary by honoring the fresh food, people and communities that have defined the restaurant, officials announced in a Dec. 30 news release.

The background: The deli was founded in 1976 by Joe Tortorice Jr. in Beaumont and has since branched out to 114 Texas locations and 235 delis nationwide in 27 states, per the release.

What's new: According to the release, the eatery is celebrating its anniversary by spotlighting new soups during the National Soup Month of January, while also rolling out new items, including the Deli-Bration Cookie—a sugar cookie topped with sprinkles—and returning others.

In their own words: “Our 50th anniversary is about staying true to what’s made Jason’s Deli special since day one—thoughtfully prepared dishes, diverse selections and genuine care for the people we serve,” Clare Wilson, vice president of culinary and R&D at Jason’s Deli, said in the release. 

This November, Texas voters approved 17 constitutional amendments, also known as state propositions. Here’s what’s next for some of those propositions and what they mean for Texans.

The overview: Texas voters authorized the state to spend $1 billion annually on water supply funding, totaling $20 billion over a two-decade period, through Proposition 4. Funding will flow into the Texas Water Fund, a state account created in 2023 to help finance water projects.

However, state law requires that the money does not begin moving into the water fund until September 2027, and it will not be available for grants until 2029. Until then, state agencies, water utilities and local organizations will need to plan for funding, adjust rules and processes to align with recent state laws and update Texas’ water and flood plans, according to the Texas Water Foundation.

More details: Texas homeowners were set to see expanded property tax breaks on their 2025 tax bills under Propositions 11 and 13. Four other property tax exemptions approved by voters will take effect Jan. 1.