Northwest ISD officials named four new principals for schools in its district, including the newly constructed Barksdale Middle School.

What happened? The new principal for Barksdale Middle School is Michelle Jennings, who was voted in unanimously by the board, 7-0.

“I look forward to getting to know the students and families of Barksdale Middle School as we prepare to open the school together,” she said. “My top two priorities are building relationships with our incoming Bronco families, and beginning the hiring process to find the best educators and support staff possible for our students."

Diving deeper: The board also unanimously named new principals for the following three schools for the 2026-27 school year:

• Danny Fracassi for Worthington Middle School
• Kenni Dwyer for Sendera Ranch Elementary School
• Britney Kerley for Carter Elementary School

Voters in Keller, Roanoke and Fort Worth can cast their ballot for the upcoming May 2 election during the early voting period from April 20-28, with the exception of April 21.

What you need to know: Tarrant County residents can vote from any of the 46 polling locations during early voting or on election day.

Polling location operating hours vary, according to the Tarrant County Election Office’s website, and are as follows:

• April 20, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 22-24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 25, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
• April 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• April 27-28, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

• April 20, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 22-25, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 27-28, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Community Impact sat down with the president and chief executive officer of the TurfMutt Foundation, Kris Kiser, to discuss the importance of lawn maintenance and a few tips to ensure your yard looks good year-round.

The TurfMutt Foundation is a nonprofit that advocates for outdoor living and the care and stewardship of yards, parks and other green spaces, according to its website.

Responses have been edited for length, clarity and style.

Why should homeowners take care of their lawns?
Our outdoor spaces, particularly our lawns, are an extension of our home. During COVID, people really did reconnect to the outdoors. It was a safe space where you could entertain, cook and meet with friends and family. It created a connection to the outdoors that we used to have.

What common mistake should homeowners watch out for when planting?
Time of year. You want the ground to essentially be thawed, so you don't want a hard freeze. Remember that newly planted plants will need water, likely supplemental water, until they're established.

From new H-E-B locations in Denton to airport construction updates, check out five trending stories from Community Impact's Dallas-Fort Worth coverage areas.

H-E-B gives updates on two new Denton locations

Cracker Barrel shifts opening date for new Prosper restaurant

Upgrades coming to Terminals D, F at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Single-family zoning case in north McKinney heads to council

McKinney to enter negotiations with Parkhill for proposed sports complex

Texas is home to the nation’s fastest-growing data center market, with one January report projecting that the state will see a 142% increase in its share of the data center industry by the end of 2028.

During a wide-ranging Texas House hearing April 9, lawmakers questioned data center developers, energy companies and state grid officials about the amount of water the large facilities use; how they impact noise levels and air quality; and whether residents can expect higher costs when data centers come to their communities.

What they're saying: “Water is a really scarce resource in this state, and so we have to have a clear picture of what these facilities use on the water side,” said Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

More details: Data centers use water to cool their computer servers and prevent overheating. The facilities have historically used a water-intensive process known as "evaporative cooling," but data center executives said April 9 that they have transitioned to “closed-loop” systems where water is continuously reused.