Crescent Systems Inc. has committed to a $1.45 million expansion in Richardson’s Innovation Quarter.

What you need to know: The company, which has provided hardware and software for defense and government operations in the Richardson area for 30 years, has committed to long-term leases at two facilities in the IQ, as well as a capital investment in tenant improvements and new equipment, according to a Nov. 4 news release from the city.

The company will lease approximately 70,000 square feet across IQ facilities at 1155 E. Collins Boulevard and 1680 Prospect Drive, including a 14,000-square foot expansion at the Prospect Drive location. Crescent Systems will add 36 new jobs over the next two years with an average salary of approximately $117,000.

8-bit bites allows customers to enjoy over 1,000 retro video games like while eating, co-owner Taimoor Khan said. 

The details: The restaurant serves smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, a variety of loaded fries and wings, Khan said. 8-bit bites also offers cereal-based milkshakes, which includes cinnamon toast crunch, coco puffs and fruity pebble flavors, Khan said. Every three months a secret menu item will be rotated in, which will include a food item and a milkshake, he said. 

In addition, customers can enjoy free video games on old consoles like the Nintendo 64, Khan said. 

“It’s very nostalgic," he said. "Our playlist is even top hits from the 80s and 90s.” 

• 2067 N. Central Expressway, Richardson

Texas is the nation’s largest energy producer, leading other U.S. states in both natural gas production and renewable energy generation, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows. Yet as people, businesses and data centers continue to move to the state, experts say Texas leaders need to harness new strategies to make energy more affordable and ensure the state power grid remains reliable.

The details: Amid high inflation nationwide, energy prices are on the rise in Texas, and residents are feeling the strain, experts said at the Texas Energy Summit, which ran from Nov. 4-6 in Austin.

In a June 2025 report, the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, a nonprofit research organization, found that 65% of low-income Texans recently engaged in “energy-limiting behaviors,” such as turning off their air conditioning to reduce electric bills or underheating their homes in the winter. 

What they're saying: Experts said state lawmakers and officials could invest in energy efficiency and residential demand response programs to tackle affordability and grid reliability issues.