US 380 between I-35E and Mayhill Road will receive new street lights following Denton City Council's approval at an April 21 meeting.

In a nutshell: Council members approved a roughly $3.5 million contract with Lantana-based firm Albatross Construction to install street lighting along the roadway. City documents state funding for the project was included in Denton’s 2019 bond package, which was approved by voters.

The project’s goal is to improve visibility and safety, as well as comply with Texas Department of Transportation and Denton Municipal Electric lighting standards, according to city documents.

Looking ahead: The work is scheduled to start at the end of April and complete within one year, city documents state.

Denton hat store Mallouf Hat Company closed its brick-and-mortar location on South Elm Street in mid-April, a company representative said.

The details: The company still operates online and accepts online orders.

Mallouf Hat Company offers several styles of headwear, including cowboy hats, scally caps and trucker hats, according to its online catalog.

A company Facebook post states the business received most of its orders through out-of-state sales, and a company representative said sales at the physical store were low.

A new kind of transportation district for bulk operations made its debut in North Texas, bringing benefits for the city of Fort Worth.

The Alliance Logistics District’s creation was announced in November as a partnership between Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Hillwood, a real estate development company, and Fort Worth.

“[This is] a first-of-its-kind district that enables advanced logistics operations, including autonomous and heavy-haul freight movement,” said Nicholas Konen, vice president of strategic development at Hillwood.

The Alliance Logistics District is one of the latest developments in the master-planned community that Hillwood launched, known as AllianceTexas. It consists of three streets: Mobility Way, Distribution Drive and Intermodal Parkway.

The features: Konen said the logistics district provides a more predictable environment for the technology than traditional public roadways would.

“This controlled setting allows for safer integration of advanced vehicle technologies while maintaining oversight and adaptability as conditions change,” he said.

Breaking it down: Several public entities invested in AllianceTexas’ development. Of the $1.6 billion invested in 2025, 43.02% is from federal and state funds.

Keep up to date on the road projects happening around Dallas-Fort Worth, including work finishing up on US 380 and Lebanon Road being expanded to six lanes.

Collin County 

Highway Safety Improvement Program

Project: Updates include modernized traffic signals, upgraded equipment, increased capacity and enhanced pedestrian features to streets in Allen.

Update: Construction is wrapping up with three intersections remaining at Century Parkway and Bethany Drive, Greenville Avenue and Bethany Drive, and Main Street and Greenville Avenue.

• Timeline: construction to wrap up by summer 2026
• Cost: $5.8 million
• Funding sources: city of Allen, Texas Department of Transportation

• Timeline: construction to finish late next year
• Cost: $23 million
• Funding source: Denton County, city of Frisco

Texas residents are increasingly facing damaging storms that drive up home insurance rates and other housing costs. Ahead of the state's 2027 legislative session, consumer advocates and insurance industry representatives are urging lawmakers to consider affordability solutions.

What's happening: The average Texas home insurance premium—the amount paid to an insurance company—was $3,291 in 2024, according to the latest Texas Department of Insurance data. In total, premiums rose about 50% between 2022-24.

Texas’ high propensity for natural disasters has been “the No. 1 driver” behind recent rate increases, said Rich Johnson, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas.

Stay tuned: While Texas can't legislate itself out of weather risks, lawmakers have considered some policy changes to increase disaster resiliency and boost regulatory oversight of the insurance industry. Proposals range from creating grants to help residents weather-proof their homes to placing limits on future rate hikes.