The Texas Education Agency awarded a financial accountability rating of "superior" to Grapevine-Colleyville ISD for the 2023-24 school year, according to a report from Chief Financial Officer David Johnson at an Oct. 27 board meeting.

In a nutshell: The TEA’s Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas, or FIRST, rates school districts on several financial factors, adding up to a maximum score of 100. GCISD scored a 94, earning a "superior" rating—the highest in the system according to the TEA’s website.

“The district was in good financial shape in 23-24, we’re in good financial shape today. We’re facing some challenges. That said, the board and the district has done well,” Johnson said.

Cold Press Cafe in Colleyville is closing down and offering discounts on all products, according to the cafe’s Facebook page.

The details: Cold Press Cafe serves organic juices, smoothies, espressos and acai bowls, owner Cody Francell said. The cafe’s final day will be Nov. 15 or whenever product runs out, Francell said.

• 1101 Cheek Sparger Road, Ste. 103, Colleyville

Looking for fun ways to get active? Here is a roundup of 5K races and fun runs around the Dallas-Fort Worth area in November and December.

1. North Texas Hotdog 5K Race: This 5K event features multiple divisions, including regular men’s and women’s divisions as well as the hot dog division, in which participants will need to eat a hot dog after each mile completed in the race.

• Nov. 8, 8 a.m.
• $15
• 2600 N. Plano Road, Richardson

• Nov. 15, 7:30 a.m.
• $45 (5K), $75 (15K)
• Erwin Park, 4300 CR 1006, McKinney

Since Nov. 7, 2000, at least one person has died on Texas roads every day, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. As the Lone Star State nears 25 years of daily traffic deaths, officials at all levels of government are investing in new roadway safety projects and encouraging Texas drivers to do their part to curb deadly crashes.

The big picture: In the past 25 years, over 91,000 people have died on Texas roads. That is enough people to fill Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, according to TxDOT.

On average, 11 people died daily on Texas roads last year. In 2025, an average of 10 people had died per day as of Sept. 24.

Zooming in: State and local leaders found that the top factors in severe crashes include:

• Impaired driving
• High speeds
• Distracted driving
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety
• Lack of seatbelt use
• Roadway or lane departures
• Wrong-way driving

Approximately 460,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Advocates are encouraging Texas voters to approve State Proposition 14, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend $3 billion to launch the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

The overview: Proposition 14 would allocate $3 billion in state dollars to fund the institute for the next 10 years. The institute would work with researchers and doctors to study the prevention and treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

All funding for the institute would come from existing state revenue, donations and potential federal grants, meaning no new state taxes or fees would be created.

What they're saying: "If Proposition 14 passes, it really will establish Texas as an incredible leader in our country," neurological researcher Joshua Shulman said. 

At the polls: Early voting runs through Oct. 31, and Election Day is Nov. 4. For more information about the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.