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Nine new medical cannabis dispensaries could soon open in Texas, the Department of Public Safety announced Dec. 1.

The overview: The nine companies were preliminarily approved to join three existing dispensaries that provide medical-grade, low-THC products to eligible patients through the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The program's expansion comes after state lawmakers passed House Bill 46 this spring.

Lawmakers also allowed dispensaries to store products in multiple locations, which advocates said would cut costs, and added more qualifying conditions to the program.

Zooming in: The nine providers given conditional licenses Dec. 1 are:

• Verano Texas LLC in West Texas
• Trulieve TX Inc. in the Panhandle
• Texas Patient Access LLC in North Texas
• Lonestar Compassionate Care Group LLC in North Texas
• Lone Star Bioscience Inc. in South Central Texas
• PC TX OPCO LLC, dba PharmaCann, in Southeast Texas
• Texa OP, dba TexaRx, in the Rio Grande Valley
• Story of Texas LLC in Southeast Texas
• Dilatso LLC in North Texas 

An ordinance amendment passed in January means trap-neuter-release, or TNR, activities for feral cats are no longer prohibited within McKinney’s city limits.

What happened?: Code Services Director Phillip Hubbard said the amendment is intended to no longer prohibit TNR activities within the city. TNR activities were technically illegal to perform within the city before the amendment was passed, according to city officials.

The context: Trap-neuter-release refers to trapping, spaying or neutering, vaccinating and ear tipping feral cats for identification before releasing them. The target population is feral cats which are different from stray cats.

Quote of note: “Our understanding was that was council’s intent—to say ‘Hey, if we have residents who are concerned about feral cat populations and they want to engage in TNR activities, let’s make it so we can do that',” Hubbard said. “That’s what we’ve done with the amendment.”

Jet’s Pizza recently opened a third McKinney location, according to a company news release.

On the menu: The carryout and delivery-only establishment serves Detroit-style pizza featuring their trademarked 4-corner pizza in a variety of options including ultimate pepperoni, veggie and popcorn Buffalo ranch chicken.

Quote of note: “Opening this third location allows us to reach more guests while delivering the same Detroit-style pizza experience they know and love," Jet’s Pizza franchise owner Anthony DeMarti said in the release.

• 2510 N. Hardin Blvd., Ste. 200, McKinney

A hotel garage at Firefly Park in Frisco is one of the latest developments filed recently with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Here are five of the most expensive permits filed with TDLR in the past week.

1. Firefly Park hotel garage: A new parking garage for Firefly Park in Frisco with four levels will be constructed starting later this year, according to a TDLR filing. Firefly Park is a mixed-use planned development that will have residences, a hotel, retail and dining space, and a park with lakes, trails, an art walk and playground, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Construction is estimated to take a little over a year.

2. Westport 12: A new 1,219,000-square-foot shell industrial facility will be constructed at AllianceTexas, according to a TDLR filing. Construction is estimated to take a little over a year.

Two Democratic candidates are running to lead the Texas General Land Office in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Benjamin Flores and Jose Loya are vying for the Democratic nomination for Texas land commissioner. The winning Democratic candidate will face Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham in November, and the winner of that election will begin serving as land commissioner in January 2027.

Buckingham, who is seeking a second four-year term as land commissioner, is running uncontested in the Republican primary. Community Impact runs candidate Q&As for contested races only.

The context: The General Land Office manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the state's Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as the Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs. It is Texas’ oldest state agency, according to its website.

Two Republican candidates are running to lead the Texas Department of Agriculture in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Nate Sheets is challenging incumbent Sid Miller, who is seeking a fourth term as Texas agriculture commissioner. The winning Republican candidate will face Democrat Clayton Tucker in November, and the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

Tucker is running uncontested in the Democratic primary. Community Impact runs candidate Q&As for contested races only.

About the agency: The Texas Department of Agriculture's duties include administering federal nutrition programs and grants; facilitating trade of agricultural products; protecting crops from pests and diseases; providing financial assistance to farmers and rural communities; and conducting consumer protection programs, according to the agency's website.