Construction is ongoing at Richardson ISD’s six junior high schools as students returned to campus earlier this month. District officials shared updates at the Aug. 20 school board meeting on the middle school transformation project, which will transform RISD’s six remaining junior highs into middle schools for sixth through eighth grade.

The overview: Construction kicked off this summer on all middle school sites. Richardson North Junior High and Apollo Junior High will receive renovations and additions to their existing buildings to transform into middle schools. Liberty, Parkhill, Westwood and Richardson West junior highs are having brand-new campuses built next to the current schools.

What’s new: Students at Apollo and North began the school year in portable classrooms while the existing junior high buildings are renovated. The new buildings are currently under construction at Liberty, Westwood and West, while underground utilities for the new campus are in progress at Parkhill.

ABC Auto Glass & Tint began operating under new ownership in Richardson in July, owner Umar Akhtar confirmed in an email. The auto shop has operated in Richardson since 1999.

The details: ABC Auto Glass & Tint will continue to offer windshield replacement, rock chip repair, side and rear glass replacement and insurance-related auto glass services, Akhtar said. Under the new ownership, he said ABC has expanded its services to include ceramic automotive window tinting, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems calibration and mobile auto glass service for qualifying customers and commercial accounts.

Quote of note: “Our goal with the new ownership is to build on the history of the business while modernizing both the customer experience and the services we provide,” Akhtar said in an email. “We have been investing in improvements to the shop, our branding, equipment, technology and overall operations.”

• 516 W. Arapaho Road, Ste. 109, Richardson

Check out five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. SH 170 spur
Project: The project, which was first presented in 2024, would connect Intermodal Parkway to Old Denton Road. A new elevated bridge, 1.4 miles in length, would be constructed from the main lanes east of I-35W to Intermodal Parkway, with associated roadway on either side, for a total project of 2.4 miles.
Update: Public hearings for the project were held in person and virtually July 28 to gather public input. Schematic design and environmental work would start in the spring of 2027, according to a news release. ​​​​​​

• Timeline: spring 2027-spring 2029
• Cost: $115 million
• Funding source: Texas Department of Transportation

Two candidates are running for the U.S. House of Representatives District 3 seat in the Nov. 3 election.

What you need to know: Republican incumbent Keith Self will run against Democratic candidate Evan Hunt.

What they're saying: Candidates were asked to keep responses within 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or shortened to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.