Plano officials hear from residents, parents on future of closed Plano ISD campuses
Plano officials held their first open-house discussion Sept. 24 at Haggard Middle School to gather community input on the three Plano ISD schools the city is purchasing.
What happened: More than 80 nearby residents and community members attended to ask questions and share concerns about the redevelopment of Davis Elementary property. Most attendees opposed any kind of housing development and favored creating a public park, potentially extending the nearby Caddo Park, which the current zoning would also allow.
Some context: After PISD trustees voted to close four campuses in June 2024 due to declining enrollment, the city of Plano approved an interlocal agreement to purchase Davis, Forman Elementary and Armstrong Middle. Plano approved funding to purchase the three campuses earlier this year, and the city is planning to finalize the purchase in November, Plano’s Real Estate Manager Matt Yager said.
Looking ahead: Plano Neighborhood Engagement Manager Stephanie Peacock said Plano City Council will have the final decision on the properties’ future after community meetings and discussions.
Moving forward: Plano ISD starts first school year following campus closures
As Plano ISD’s first school year begins following the closure of four campuses, a new chapter is starting for impacted staff and families.
What happened: PISD Chief Communications Officer Lesley Range-Stanton said that the district provided support for students and families impacted, including open house and transition events.
Existing and planned facility improvements for all receiving campuses “were more than adequate to support additional enrollment,” according to district officials. Range-Stanton said PISD offered positions to all employees from closed campuses, and “approximately 85%” chose to stay with PISD.
Frisco ISD to launch ‘one-stop shop’ for district communication, news alerts
Frisco ISD will soon be launching a new communications system for its families.
The gist: FISD campuses sent over 11,000 messages to families last school year, officials said. The system is intended to replace apps and systems currently used by district campuses and programs, including Remind 101, Sports U, Mailchimp and Smore, among others.
Quote of note:“We really do want it to be a one-stop shop for our parents to be able to find everything they need for their child’s campus and their extracurricular activities,” said Amanda McCune, FISD chief communications officer, during the board workshop.
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Dallas - Fort Worth area.
Andalous Fresh Mediterranean is slated to open in the first quarter of 2026, said Wassim Merched, founder of Andalous Mediterranean Concepts.
The modern, fast-casual eatery will feature a dining experience that combines buffet-style service with plated dishes. Cold items, including fresh dips, salads and toppings will be available buffet-style while proteins will be plated fresh from the kitchen, Merched said in an email.
“This location will serve as a prototype model for future growth opportunities, allowing us to perfect a scalable concept while delivering the same authentic Andalous flavors,” Merched said.
🍳 Broken Yolk Cafe to bring brunch concept to Frisco, Plano, Allen with North Texas expansion (Read more)
🍗 Former NBA player operating sports bar in his hometown of Fort Worth (Read more)
🍔 Burger Bro'z to bring smash burgers to Roanoke (Read more)
😋 Levant BBQ to offer smoked meat, family platters in Frisco (Read more)
Le Beef Steak & Frites recently opened in Plano’s Shops at Legacy North, a company representative said.
The French cuisine restaurant, which is owned and operated by brothers Alex Nunes and David Jeil, serves a prix fixe menu, including an artisan salad, 50-day wet-aged, USDA Prime top blade steak, signature fries and a proprietary Le Beef sauce. Other protein options include chicken and sausage. A vegetarian plate is also available.
Thousands of Texas businesses barred from selling THC to customers under 21
Many Texas retailers can no longer sell consumable THC products to customers under 21 years old after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved two emergency rules Sept. 23.
The overview: The new rules, which were drafted after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Sept. 10 executive order requesting tighter THC regulations, apply only to retailers that sell alcohol. The rules state that businesses may not sell, serve or deliver consumable hemp products to minors and must check all customers' IDs before selling them THC products.
Zooming in: About 60,000 Texas businesses hold TABC licenses and will be prohibited from selling THC products to minors. Those businesses include bars, restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores and some convenience stores.
However, the rule does not apply to THC retailers that do not sell alcohol or have a TABC license, such as smoke shops, gas stations or online sellers. The TABC and the Texas Department of State Health Services are working to determine how to best enforce age restrictions for THC retailers that do not sell alcohol, agency spokespeople said.
