DTX-FHA: Impact 9/30/2025

The gist: Trash collection fees for Highland Village residents are slated to increase by 3.95% beginning in October. City Council members discussed this change during a Sept. 23 work session.

What you need to know: The city’s contract with Republic Services allows for a 4% annual rate adjustment, which the company requested for FY 2025-26, Director of Marketing and Communications Laurie Mullens said.

The following rates go into effect Oct. 1:

• Residential fees will increase from $21.24 per month to $22.08 per month.
• Senior residential fees will increase from $19.15 per month to $19.91 per month.

Check out these nine business openings, relocations and closures in Flower Mound and Argyle.

Now open
Girl Scout Dream Lab
The first Girl Scout DreamLab in Texas is now open in Flower Mound, said Jennifer Bartkowski, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas.
The DreamLab is a multi-purpose space that supports Girl Scout leadership development and exploration, according to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas website. It includes a space for hands-on cooking, science, technology, engineering and math activities, a podcast and media studio, a craft area, office space, interactive activity zones and badge work areas, Bartkowski said.

• Opened Sept. 15
• 6050 Long Prairie Road, Flower Mound

During the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce luncheon Sept. 25, Grapevine Mills general manager Joe Szymaszek announced some upcoming changes at the shopping mall.

Szymaszek talked about new stores, attractions and renovations coming to the Simon Property Group-owned mall.

“We always like to keep things fresh,” he said. “We always like to give the shopper a reason to come back.”

What’s happening: Syzmaszek said the mall underwent interior renovations in 2016, and the food court renovation was completed in 2019.

Now, he said, the focus is on the exterior. Faded parking signs have been replaced, exterior walls have been repainted and landscaping improvements have been done near Saks Off 5th and Primark, a store that will be opening in November.

Major takeaways: He also mentioned new stores coming: Primark, Pop Mart and Puffy Cotton Candy.
 

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.