Starting in August 2027, Carroll ISD students in grades 5-8 will no longer be allowed to use personal electronic devices during the school day.

Students will also no longer be allowed to have privacy screens on technological devices, which will be effective immediately.

In similar news: Another update to the technology policy will allow students to use devices to access necessary content during Dragon Den, which is a time for fifth through eighth grade students to study and work on assignments, according to the district.

Parents can opt in to allow their students to use devices for school work during this time, and opt-in forms are already being sent out, said Gina Peddy, CISD's executive director of curriculum and instruction. 

The changes are in order to reduce unnecessary screen time and distractions while still ensuring students have necessary access to online textbooks and resources in a format that is easier for teachers to monitor, according to the district.

Looking ahead: Next year the school district plans to move away from online vocabulary and grammar programs and switch to paper, Peddy said during the meeting.

The Pokeworks in Southlake recently celebrated its 5-year anniversary.

What’s new: The Southlake store has been continuously growing over the years and regularly ranks in the top 10 locations nationwide.

The couple has been residents of Southlake for 20 years and Xue said the business couldn't have made it this far without the support they've experienced from the community.

Looking ahead: Future plans for Pokeworks Southlake include increasing the store’s focus on catering and expanding that side of the business.

• 2801 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 120, Southlake

The city of Dallas approved the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s $1.63 billion operating budget during the Sept. 9 meeting.

Fort Worth City Council will vote on the budget at the Sept. 15 meeting, after getting briefed on the proposed budget at the Aug. 25 work session.

The details: Brian Butler, executive vice president/chief financial officer for DFW Airport, said his staff has been working on the 2026-27 fiscal year budget since April. The airport’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2027. The budget breakdown is $820.6 million for maintenance and operations, $801.8 million for debt service and $10 million for board contingency, Butler said.

He said the DFW Airport board approved the budget during its meeting on Aug. 6. The next step is for the owner cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, to approve the budget.

Zooming in: Butler mentioned the growth in passengers has been stagnant, but with the opening of the Terminal A pier and portions of Terminal F opening in the summer of 2027, that number could rise.

Cottonbelt Trail is passing another step in its construction and Texas Health Allen Hospital is replacing equipment for its nuclear medicine facility. Check out some of the latest construction filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

1. Fit-out for Terminal C renovations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

The Dallas Fort Worth airport’s Terminal C will receive interior fitout renovations for baggage claim, a security check point, concessions white boxes, offices, restroom, break rooms, back-of-house renovations, ready rooms and gate hold lounges per a TDLR filing. The renovations are part of a larger project estimated to be finished in 2030, per previous reporting.

• Location: 2040 North International Parkway, DFW Airport

• Estimated timeline: March 1, 2027-2030

• Estimated cost: $100 million

2. Cottonbelt Trail construction in Plano

3.16 miles of a hike-and-bike trail are planned from north of the President George Bush Turnpike to Shiloh Road, per a TDLR filing. The trail is part of a larger project to connect Plano to downtown Fort Worth, per previous reporting. Construction for a portion of the trail to connect Addison to Plano started in spring 2025.

• Location: DART Silverline Rail

• Estimated timeline: May 1, 2025-April 28, 2027

• Estimated cost: $18.4 million