Richardson North Junior High is set to transform into Richardson ISD’s third middle school.

The gist: Richardson City Council unanimously approved a rezoning that will allow for the school’s planned expansion and renovations in their Dec. 8 meeting. The proposed expansion includes constructing a new gymnasium; demolishing and rebuilding portions of the west side of the building; and adding new athletic, dining, administration, career and technical education and fine arts spaces.

The details: The proposed renovations don’t fully comply with the existing zoning standards for Richardson North, so the district requested this rezoning to allow for modified development standards. These include increasing the allowed height of buildings and waiving a requirement for a screening wall between the school and the adjacent neighborhood.

What’s next: Following the unanimous approval by City Council, construction is expected to start in May.

Restaurateur Fernando Barrera, who owns Latin Deli in Dallas, recently opened Josefina’s Cocina in Richardson.

What they serve: The menu, which features breakfast, lunch and dinner options, includes nachos, fajitas, chilaquiles, enchiladas, salads and more. Breakfast items, including omelettes, crepes and waffles, are served all day. The drink menu features fruit margaritas, desert cocktails, cervezas, tequilas and mezcales.

• 3610 Shire Blvd., Ste. 108, Richardson

The Lavon Farms development in east Plano is moving forward following final approval from city officials.

The gist: At their Dec. 8 meeting, Plano City Council members approved rezoning the property from agricultural to residential community design—a designation created by Plano’s Envision Oak Point Plan, which aims to strategically develop and connect northeast Plano. The 215-acre Lavon Farms development is planned to include 626 single-family residential units,1,052 multifamily units and 37 acres of open space, including 10 acres of parks, a micro farm and ranch.

One more thing: The property could have also been impacted by recent state legislation changes, including Senate Bill 15, which brought the minimum required lot size for single-family homes to 3,000 square feet and restricts city authority on parking, open space and building height requirements.

What’s next?: If approved, Hickman said Nov. 17 they would expect to break ground on the first phase of the project before the end of 2026. Moore added that he expects the entire project to take seven years.

Interested in news from businesses in the McKinney area? Check out 16 businesses now open, coming soon and other updates from west McKinney.

1. Hopdoddy Burger Bar: The eatery, located in McKinney’s West Grove development, serves a variety of burger choices including the Cadillac Wagyu, Tikka Masala and the Magic Shroom. Non-beef burgers and milkshakes are also available.

• Opened Nov. 11
• 8565 W. University Drive, Ste. 100, McKinney

• Opened Oct. 25
• 4051 S. Custer Road, Ste. 1170, McKinney

Texas voters will see 18 statewide races on the ballot in 2026.

The overview: Texas will hold Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 3 to determine who will appear on the statewide ballot in November. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, meaning registered voters can cast their ballots in either primary and do not need to register with a specific party.

What to know: The 18 statewide races on the 2026 primary ballots are:

• U.S. Senate
• Governor
• Lieutenant governor
• Attorney general
• Comptroller of public accounts
• General land commissioner
• Agriculture commissioner
• Railroad commissioner
• Texas Supreme Court, chief justice
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 2
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 7
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 8
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 3
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 4
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 9
• 15th Court of Appeals, chief justice
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 2
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 3