Richardson ISD’s six remaining junior highs are on track for expansion into middle schools by 2028, district officials presented to the school board at its Dec. 11 meeting.

The details: The junior high campuses require varying levels of expansion, renovation and construction to take on the additional sixth-grade students and programming planned for the middle schools.

James Watson, RISD’s senior executive director of operations, presented initial design plans and early renderings for each of the transformed middle schools. Some schools will have new additions built on to the existing campus, while others will have entirely new buildings constructed on their site.

What’s next: This month, the city is reviewing design plans, which are set to be finalized in the spring. Construction is slated to begin in June and projected to last until May 2028, with all campuses planned to open to sixth graders as middle schools in fall 2028.

Cloud Naan is opening its first U.S. location in Richardson early next year. It started in Pakistan and has since expanded to several locations in Canada.

The menu focuses on stuffed naans, offering a range of both traditional and fusion flavors, from a creamy tikka naan to a Philly cheesesteak naan.

• Opening early 2026
• 888 S Greenville Ave Ste 224, Richardson

Richardson City Council members unanimously approved $4.2 million in spending on two new firetrucks at a Dec. 10 meeting.

The big picture: This purchase will expand Station No. 3 in northwest Richardson according to the Fire Department Strategic Master Plan, which was approved by the City Council on Nov. 10.

The funding source: Both new firetrucks will be funded by certificates of obligation, according to city documents. Further improvements outlined in the Fire Master Plan, like a potential new fire station, will rely on funding from the upcoming 2026 bond program, which is still in development.

Texas has grown rapidly in recent years, and data indicates that development is not slowing down. The Lone Star State gained about 168,000 jobs from September 2024-September 2025, leading the nation in job growth, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The overview: Texas is attractive to businesses looking to relocate or expand their operations due to its tax incentives and grants, lack of a personal income tax and roughly 200 higher education institutions, business leaders said during a Dec. 10 summit held in College Station by industry network YTexas.

As businesses of all sizes continue to move to Texas, local governments and associations also need to “support the ones that are already here,” said Dean Browell, the chief behavioral officer for Feedback, a digital ethnographic research firm.

Zooming in: In an October study, Feedback found that long-term Texas residents want to live in growing communities with strong education systems and plentiful job opportunities. That growth, however, can lead to rising property taxes and living expenses before residents begin feeling the benefits, Browell said.