The city of Fort Worth staff and City Council are working on amending zoning ordinances related to certain business uses throughout all 10 council district areas.

Alleviating the proliferation of certain business uses, such as liquor package stores, retail smoke shops, pawn shops and payday loan stores, was discussed at a council work session meeting Jan. 6.

The context: The changes to the ordinances would deal with the distance needed for separation between similar businesses and also remove permitted use in certain areas, according to city documents.

The council will vote on the amendments during the Jan. 27 meeting.

What they’re saying: “Quite a few opened and got their CO [certificate of occupancy] through general merchandising and it was not declared a smoke shop,” Council District 4 representative Charlie Lauersdorf said. “Is there a process we can go back and verify they are legitimately operating right now?”

Gyro360 is opening its third location this spring along Keller Parkway.

The details: The restaurant has a number of Mediterranean dishes like falafels, gyro bowls and feta fries, according to its website.

The new location will be at a new multi-tenant building located at Keller Commons, according to a city of Keller social media post. The building will be anchored by Glo Tanning, which is relocating from its current location along Keller Parkway.

• Opening spring 2026
• 1637 Keller Parkway, Keller

US Aviation, a Denton-based aviation training academy, was awarded $835 million in federal funds to provide initial pilot training for the U.S. Air Force, according to a Dec. 19 federal announcement.

Outside of the Denton location, training will take place at its outposts in San Marcos, Texas, and Peachtree City, Georgia.

The details: The agreement will run through December 2035 and supports the Air Education and Training Command requirements for flight students, according to the announcement. 

It allows US Aviation to give initial pilot training by providing contractor-provided aircraft, simulators, curriculum and instructional services under a performance-based model. 

What else? US Aviation Academy was founded in Denton in 2006 and has supported military and civilian flight training programs in the U.S. and abroad.

The training school offers courses on how to become a pilot, domestic flight training, military flight training and international flight training.

A new U.S. Postal Service rule could impact when time-sensitive mail, such as tax forms and mail-in ballots, is considered officially sent.

The overview: Effective Dec. 24, mailed items are postmarked when the USPS processes them, rather than the date items are dropped in a mailbox. A postmark refers to the date and location stamped or printed on most mailed items, indicating when and where the USPS “accepted custody” of a mailpiece, per the federal agency.

Zooming in: According to the Texas comptroller’s office, the updated USPS guidance means items could be postmarked “several days” after they are dropped in a mailbox. This includes date-sensitive items sent by Texas residents and businesses, such as property tax payments, federal tax returns, mail-in ballots and required business reports.

To ensure that mail is postmarked on the day it is sent, customers can take mail into their local post office and request that the item be hand-stamped for free, according to the USPS. Texans can also pay property taxes and submit ballots in-person at county offices.