DTX-DEN: Impact 11/3/2025

The Denton County Transportation Authority will be receiving three new 35-foot buses next year.

The DCTA’s board of directors approved the purchase, which will cost nearly $2.4 million, during the Oct. 23 meeting.

What you need to know: The purchase for the three new buses was budgeted for the 2025-26 fiscal year, similar to a three-bus purchase approved for the 2024-25 fiscal year, said Lisa Taylor, DCTA’s vice president of operations. By approving the purchase in October, the DCTA will be able to avoid cost escalators that would have made the purchase more expensive, Taylor added.

However, because of an anticipated impact of tariffs, staff budgeted a 9% contingency that is included in the total price, Taylor said. The 35-foot buses, which will be built by Gillig, will begin production in September 2026, according to DCTA documents.

A new location for Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is slated to open next year in Rayzor Ranch Town Center.

What's on the menu: The restaurant’s menu includes authentic Japanese cuisine, such as nigiri, sashimi and sushi rolls, according to its website. Kura Revolving Sushi Bar also serves edamame, ramen and udon noodle dishes, and a selection of mochi ice cream. All dishes in the restaurant are served on a revolving conveyor belt.

Also of note: The Denton location is set to be the chain’s 15th in Texas, with others in McKinney, Fort Worth, Frisco and Plano.

• 3400 N. I-35, Ste. 150, Denton

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Millions of Texans may see delays in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beginning Nov. 1, as the federal government shutdown reaches the one-month mark.

The latest: The federal food assistance program is set to run out of funding in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use federal contingency funds, which are stockpiled for emergency expenses, to fund SNAP in November, although the next steps surrounding SNAP benefits were unclear as of press time.

The local impact: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks.

“People are at risk of going hungry if the government doesn't reopen and SNAP benefits are delayed. … These are already vulnerable Texans,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an Oct. 27 interview.

Food banks across the state Texas food banks previously expanded their operations to meet increased demand as thousands of federal workers go without paychecks during the shutdown.

Approximately 460,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Advocates are encouraging Texas voters to approve State Proposition 14, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend $3 billion to launch the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

The overview: Proposition 14 would allocate $3 billion in state dollars to fund the institute for the next 10 years. The institute would work with researchers and doctors to study the prevention and treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

All funding for the institute would come from existing state revenue, donations and potential federal grants, meaning no new state taxes or fees would be created.

What they're saying: "If Proposition 14 passes, it really will establish Texas as an incredible leader in our country," neurological researcher Joshua Shulman said. 

At the polls: Early voting runs through Oct. 31, and Election Day is Nov. 4. For more information about the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.