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I cover the fast growth of the North Texas suburbs for The Dallas Morning News as a local government accountability reporter. 

Dallas News •

Plano voters set to consider leaving DART next year after council OKs withdrawal election

Plano will let voters decide if it will withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system, after the City Council Wednesday set an election next May to settle the question – joining Highland Park and Farmers Branch in throwing the matter to the ballot box.

Irving will decide Thursday if it will join the three cities in seeking an exodus from the state’s largest transit agency, a movement that has been fueled by dissatisfaction over what some leaders have deemed inadequate service from DART in...
Dallas News •

Prosper election: Unofficial returns show library funding in trouble in $192M bond package

Prosper voters appear to be supporting most projects in a $192.3 million bond package that aims to address the town’s booming population and strained infrastructure in what Mayor David Bristol calls “the next phase in the development of our community” — apart from one measure to fund a new library.

Elections were being held across North Texas on Tuesday, with generally low turnout.

In the town of Prosper, early returns show support for most of the package apart from Proposition C, which asked...
Dallas News •

Collin County voters bubble in paper ballots in ‘stress test’ election

Collin County voters spent more time at the polls than normal this election to bubble in their ballots by hand for the first time in decades, a switch inspired by President Donald Trump’s call for election reform amid his unfounded concerns over widespread voter fraud.

It took longer for voters to fill out the paper ballots than mark them electronically, poll workers observed, as the county performs a “stress test” on a new system ahead of larger elections in 2026, County Elections Administrato...
Dallas News •

Voter turnout exceeds expectations in Dallas, Collin counties, officials say

All 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution on the ballot Tuesday were on track for approval, according to unofficial statewide returns, as voters across Dallas-Fort Worth also weighed in on a slate of local measures and a few contests for local and state offices.

More voters in Dallas and Collin counties turned out on Election Day than expected, county elections officials told The Dallas Morning News.

Voters cast ballots in city council races, bond measures and tax proposals in the c...
Dallas News •

What to know about Plano’s Shops at Willow Bend, Dallas Stars’ potential new arena site

As the Dallas Stars and Mavericks feud over the American Airlines Center, the Stars have eyed the suburbs for a new hockey arena. The frontrunner for the NHL franchise’s potential new stadium is the site of an aging, bygone suburban shopping mall in Plano.

The 107-acre property, at 6121 W. Park Blvd., has emerged as the team’s favorite after discussions with other cities including Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth should the team leave the American Airlines Center when its lease expi...
Dallas News •

Irving becomes latest city to call DART membership into question

Irving is the latest city to throw its future with Dallas Area Rapid Transit into question.

Joining Plano, Farmers Branch and Highland Park, Irving’s City Council will consider next week whether or not it will ask voters if the city should withdraw from the transit agency.

“The services provided by DART do not adequately meet the needs, demands, and expectations of the residents and businesses of the City of Irving,” the city’s council agenda states.

The Irving City Council could decide next...
Dallas News •

What to know about DART’s Silver Line train now running from Plano to DFW Airport

Dallas Area Rapid Transit officially opens its Silver Line this weekend, providing a 26-mile railway connecting major urban hubs in the Dallas metro area even as the transit system is cutting services and costs.

Starting Saturday, the Silver Line will run from DFW International Airport to DART’s Shiloh Road Station in Plano.

The new train line links three counties in North Texas — Collin, Dallas and Tarrant.

DART CEO Nadine Lee hopes the line will bring an economic boost to cities hosting sta...
Dallas News •

Collin County suburb could land Dallas Stars with billion-dollar stadium

The Dallas Stars are considering a new $1 billion arena in Plano at the Shops at Willow Bend Mall site — a move that could see the hockey franchise leave downtown Dallas for the first time in its history, two people with knowledge of the team’s efforts told The Dallas Morning News.

The 107-acre mall property at 6121 W. Park Blvd. has emerged as the favorite to land the NHL franchise after discussions with cities including Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth if the team leaves the Ameri...
Dallas News •

Early voting ends today. Here’s how voters turned out in Dallas, Collin County elections

As voters head into the last day of early voting on Friday, turnout so far has been sparse.

Just 5% of Dallas County’s 1.4 million registered voters cast a ballot during the two-week early voting period as of Thursday, according to elections department data. In Collin County, turnout hovered just under 6% by Thursday.

The Nov. 4 election features 17 proposed changes to the state constitution.

Local issues appear on the ballot only for the cities of Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Glenn Heights,...
Dallas News •

DART’s future in question as Plano, Farmers Branch, Highland Park consider withdrawing

The future of the region’s rapid transit system could take significant hits when city leaders in Plano, Highland Park and Farmers Branch consider ballot measures to withdraw from Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

DART CEO Nadine Lee called the moves “devastating and frustrating” in a news conference Wednesday.

“We obviously will be very concerned about the impacts it would have across our entire network of services for our riders. It breaks my heart that these actions are being taken,” Lee said.

The...
Dallas News •

Is Collin County moving left? Growth could be shifting politics in Republican stronghold

Rekha Shenoy recalls breaking down crying as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with 3,000 No Kings protesters gathered in Plano on a recent Saturday, one of hundreds of demonstrations across the country protesting President Donald Trump’s governance.

The strong showing bolstered Shenoy’s optimism that broader shifts could be taking place in her county. It was a scene she couldn’t have imagined just a few years back.

“There were a lot more people than I ever expected,” said Shenoy, a Democratic Pa...
Dallas News •

See new renderings of the $300M, 20,000-seat amphitheater under construction in McKinney

New renderings of the 20,000-seat open-air amphitheater under construction in McKinney were released by Colorado-based company VENU this week as the $300 million music venue inches closer to reality.

The entertainment and hospitality company plans to open the Sunset Amphitheater next year near U.S. Highway 75 and State Highway 121 and welcome “A-list, Grammy Award winning, national touring acts” with as many as 70 shows a year, according to VENU.

The facility will have features to adapt the op...
Dallas News •

Plano leaders head to Sweden to strengthen economic ties with northern Europe

Plano has business ties across the globe, most concentrated in Asia — but city leaders hope to develop ties with northern Europe as Mayor John Muns and other city officials swing through Sweden this week to add to the city’s economic development portfolio.

The Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson has its North American headquarters in Plano, where the firm employs over 3,300 people, according to the city’s economic development department.

Manufacturing company Assa Abloy, also headquart...
Dallas News •

McKinney leaders vote to ban sleeping downtown in crackdown on homelessness

New rules on homelessness moved forward in McKinney on Tuesday, when the City Council approved a set of bans and guiding principles aimed at steering the city’s broader approach to addressing homelessness in the growing city.

The seven-member council revisited the issue after tabling the proposed ordinances last month because council members could not agree on how to deal with a problem that’s stumped leaders across the country amid tighter policies on those experiencing homelessness.

On Tuesd...
Dallas News •

‘It’s concerning’: Collin County preps change to hand-marked ballots as election nears

Collin County voters will have to bubble in paper ballots by hand for the first time in two decades when they hit the polls next week, a switch prompted by President Donald Trump’s call for changes to the elections process amid his unfounded concerns over widespread voter fraud.

County Elections Administrator Kaleb Breaux said he’s seen no evidence of voter fraud in the county elections, but Collin County commissioners voted four months ago to adopt hand-marked paper ballots in an effort to ali...
Dallas News •

Plano council member resigns to run for Collin County Commissioners Court

Plano Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Julie Holmer resigned from the City Council this week to launch a bid to become the sole Democrat on the Collin County Commissioners Court.

Holmer is seeking the Precinct 4 seat on the five-member court, which oversees county government. The seat is up for election in November 2026.

“Our county is growing, and we have people coming from all over the United States,” Holmer said. “It’s really important that our county feels like a welcoming place and is representative...
Dallas News •

What’s on the ballot in Prosper’s $192 million bond election this November?

Prosper voters will cast ballots Nov. 4 on a proposed $192.3 million bond package that includes funding for roads, a new police headquarters, library, the town’s downtown and more.

Leaders will ask voters to allow the town to issue public debt to pay for large, one-time projects over a period of time. The package includes six distinct propositions to be completed over the next eight years.

Nearly half of the funds proposed in the election, almost $93 million, would go toward streets to design,...
Dallas News •

What to know about Collin County’s November election on emergency services

In November, voters in Collin County will decide on creating and funding an emergency services district to provide fire and ambulance service in areas outside of city limits as population growth strains public safety resources in the county’s growing municipalities.

Several cities in the county decided to end their contracts providing coverage for unincorporated areas, citing a strain on maintaining service quality and the burden on residents who pay city taxes.

Residents petitioned the county...
Dallas News •

By the numbers: 10 statistics that show how Collin County is changing

Collin County’s fast-paced growth is altering the region at break-neck speed, transforming the suburbs north of Dallas into a booming hub for people, business and development.

Here are 10 numbers that help us understand how the county has changed and show where the growth is headed.

By 2060, the county’s population is expected to nearly double to more than 2.2 million residents assuming migration rates hold steady, according to projections by the Texas Demographic Center.

Three Collin County...
Dallas News •

How Collin County is changing, in 5 charts

Amid an influx of new residents and continued growth, Dallas’ once-sleepy suburban communities in Collin County are emerging as regional focal points.

Roads and homes can’t be built fast enough, and school districts struggle to cope with changes in enrollment.

Between 2020 and 2024, Collin County grew 13.6%, according to the Texas Demographic Center, with more than 1.2 million residents. By 2060, the county’s population is expected to nearly double to more than 2.2 million residents, assuming...
Dallas News •

McKinney approves agreement to host CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament through 2030

The McKinney City Council voted Monday to extend an agreement to host the CJ Cup Byron Nelson through 2030, securing the tournament’s presence at TPC Craig Ranch golf club in Collin County.

The PGA Tour event, held annually in May, first came to TPC Craig Ranch in 2021. Local leaders say they hope to turn the event into an economic asset.

The PGA announced earlier this year it would continue hosting the Byron Nelson in McKinney for the next five years.

McKinney will enter the extended agreeme...
Dallas News •

In ‘full-circle moment,’ Plano’s former mayor Harry LaRosiliere receives key to the city

Harry LaRosiliere lived in New York in the early 1990s when he got his calling in life. He told his now wife: “I’m going to be mayor some day.”

That was two decades before he was elected mayor of Plano.

“I chose the city in which I lived to be my world,” LaRosiliere said. “If I could make a difference in the lives of the citizens, then I’m making my world better.”

LaRosiliere, 63, served as Plano’s mayor from 2013 to 2021 before hitting the city’s term limit. LaRosiliere remembers awarding th...
Dallas News •

Mold, air quality concerns abruptly close Plano middle school for cleaning

Meghan Vecchio grew concerned about potential mold near the start of this school year when her child, who attends Murphy Middle School in the Plano Independent School District, reported a bad smell in a classroom and started getting headaches.

She was told there was nothing to be concerned about, then felt misled when the district announced some areas did in fact have elevated humidity and needed cleaning.

Soon, officials announced the closure of the school.

“It’s not that I’m unhappy that th...
Dallas News •

‘He was just a normal kid’: What led a young man from the Dallas suburbs to attack ICE?

FAIRVIEW — Just off Country Club Road here, a narrow street without sidewalks winds past well-kept lawns and brick mailboxes that match the large suburban houses they front. It curls into a quiet cul-de-sac, where a two-story house sits partly veiled by tall trees.

In recent days, after the crush of federal law enforcement agents and television news crews had cleared, a lone Fairview police patrol vehicle was parked out front. It guarded the home of Joshua Jahn, the 29-year-old man suspected of...