The Tarrant County College board of trustees approved a $429.4 million budget and a proposed tax-rate increase for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year at its Aug. 20 regular meeting.

The details: The budget will go into effect Sept. 1 and the proposed tax-rate increase will be voted on Sept. 10, according to board documents.

The FY 2026-27 budget will increase from last fiscal year’s budget of $415 million by 3.5% and prioritizes high-demand workforce programs, according to a TCC news release. Chancellor

Elva LeBlanc said at the meeting that the state underestimated how much colleges and universities would need in funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

Zooming in: TCC trustees also approved the consideration of raising the tax rate from $0.11228 to $0.12 per $100 valuation to help bridge the gap in finding.

The proposed rate would add $7.72 annually for every $100,000 in taxable value compared with the current rate. For a Tarrant County home with a taxable value of $350,000, the annual increase in TCC property taxes would be $27.02.

Tornado Terry's Family Amusement Center expected to close Aug. 9 shortly after celebrating its 35th anniversary, but an anonymous helper and a supportive community gave the arcade another chance to remain open.

What's happening? Owner Shannon Bell said the business had been suffering due to ongoing road construction along Keller Hicks Road, making it hard to access. She was already beginning to auction off equipment when the business was extended a lifeline.

A longtime patron with business and marketing experience convinced Bell not to close the arcade and brought up the idea of a GoFundMe to raise money to keep the Tornado Terry's open.

Zooming in: The description of the GoFundMe mentions possible expansions for the business, including a full kitchen and improved parking. The money would also be used to hire employees to help run the arcade, according to the listing.

• 4530 Keller Hicks Road, Fort Worth

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

Texas’ audit of hundreds of proposed data centers will likely wrap up by the end of the year, grid officials said Aug. 20.

The overview: Up to 300 proposals will be audited to ensure they meet certain criteria before the data centers can begin connecting to the state electric grid. If all the plans are approved, these facilities alone could use about 200 gigawatts of electricity—more than twice Texas’ 91-gigawatt peak demand record, which was set on July 22.

How we got here: On Aug. 3, Gov. Greg Abbott directed ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to audit proposed data centers regarding their water and electricity use; tax exemptions; impacts on residents; and facility ownership.

More details: Only large loads, or facilities that are expected to use at least 75 megawatts of electricity, will be fully audited. However, ERCOT will also survey proposed data centers that would use 25 megawatts of electricity or more.

ERCOT plans to release reports detailing the results of the audit and surveys on Dec. 10, officials said.