Four Republicans are running for the Denton County Commissioners Court, Precinct 4, seat for the March 3 primary election.

What’s happening? After being in office since 2018, incumbent Dianne Edmondson is seeking her third term as the Precinct 4 representative for Denton County.

She will be running against current Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, Valerie Roehrs and David Wylie.

The Democratic primary race is uncontested, with Stephanie Draper as the only candidate running.

Preparing for the polls: Early voting begins Feb. 17 for March 3 primary races across Texas, including 18 statewide races and various local races. Registered voters may cast ballots in either Texas’ Republican or Democratic primary, but not both.

The gist: Candidates were asked to keep responses within 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

After 26 years in business, Houston-based clothing retail chain Francesca’s started the process of liquidating all merchandise and closing all stores in mid-January, according to a letter from company officials to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The company operates more than 450 stores in over 45 states, with 52 of those stores being in Texas, according to the company website.

One of those locations is in Golden Triangle Mall in Denton.

What happened: In early January, the company received a notice of default from its lender that required the company to permanently shut down, according to the letter.

“After assessing options, the Company concluded, in its business judgment, that it had no alternative but to immediately cut costs, sell existing inventory, and ultimately cease operations,” the letter states.

• Began liquidating Jan. 14

School districts continue to announce prolonged campus closures as roadways remain icy. Several Dallas-Fort Worth school districts announced continued closures for Jan. 29.

The details: As of Jan. 28, the following school districts and colleges have announced that they will be closed Thursday:

• Argyle ISD
• Celina ISD
• Denton ISD
• Frisco ISD

A new chocolate shop, Especially Sweet Gourmet Chocolate Boutique, is now open Keller.

The details: The sweets shop offers a variety of chocolates like macadamia, fudge lovers and mousse, according to its website.

Especially Sweet Gourmet Chocolate Boutique is owned by Mike and Aspen Calhoun, who manage the shop with their son, Shane. It’s a place for Shane, who was diagnosed with Autism when he was 4, to work and participate with the community, according to the boutique website.

What else? Especially Sweet opened in the former brick-and-mortar location of clothing boutique Swanky Chic.

• Opened Jan. 17
• 241 S. Main St., Keller

Four Republican candidates are running for Texas lieutenant governor—the second-in-command to the governor—in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Republican incumbent Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term in the lieutenant governor's office. The lieutenant governor leads the Texas Senate and can exercise the powers of the governor if the governor dies, resigns, is removed from office or is absent from the state, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

Patrick is challenged by three Republican candidates: Timothy Mabry, Perla Muñoz Hopkins and Esala Wueschner. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters May 26.

Stay tuned: The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November. The winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

Three Democratic candidates are running for Texas lieutenant governor—the second-in-command to the governor—in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Vikki Goodwin, Courtney Head and Marcos Vélez are seeking the Democratic nomination for Texas lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor leads the Texas Senate and can exercise the powers of the governor if the governor dies, resigns, is removed from office or is absent from the state, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

Stay tuned: If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Democratic primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters May 26.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November, and the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.