Designs will begin on the North Oak Street reconstruction project after Roanoke City Council approved Teague Nall and Perkins Inc., a civil engineering firm, for the project at the March 24 council meeting.

The overview: The contract with TNP will not exceed $411,530 and will be paid for by the city of Roanoke and Denton County, according to city documents.

Roadwork on North Oak Street will be from Byron Nelson Boulevard to Dorman Street and include:

• Upgrading the street so it has a 31-foot curbed roadway
• Installing new storm drain infrastructure and cross culverts to replace the existing open ditches 
• Replacing water and sewer lines
• Adding and replacing sidewalks

Francesca’s, a women’s clothing boutique at Tanger Outlets Fort Worth, will close by the end of the month.

What's happening? A countdown to closing sign is posted at the store, with the last day open being at the end of March.

The store sells women's clothing, handbags, shoes, jewelry, accessories and gifts, according to its website.

The Houston-based retailer began liquidating all merchandise in January after receiving a notice of default from its lender, requiring the company to shut down, according to previous reporting.

• 15837 N. Freeway, Ste. 1075, Fort Worth

For nearly 30 years, Speedway Children’s Charities has had an impact on nonprofits in the region through various sporting events, most notably the annual NASCAR race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

That is the largest single-event fundraiser for the nonprofit, which provides aid to children in need in Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Dallas counties, said Marissa Chaney, executive director of Speedway Children's Charities' Texas chapter.

Zooming in: Last year, the Speedway Children’s Charities’ Texas chapter, or SCC-Texas, awarded $250,000 in grants to 37 nonprofits throughout the region. Chaney said there were 165 requests submitted, and the board of directors looked through each application. Chaney said the awards range from $5,000-$20,000, depending on the specific project requested, and are for a specific project rather than operational funds.

The details: Texas Motor Speedway will host a trio of races from May 1-3. A live auction, a legacy shop with memorabilia and a 50-50 raffle are all part of the fundraising efforts during race weekend.

• 3545 Lone Star Circle, Fort Worth