1. TxDOT extends US 380 bypass public comment period for second time
Public feedback will now be accepted through April 20 following a second extension of the public hearing period for the US 380 bypass project in McKinney.
The public comment period, which was originally scheduled to end March 21, was first extended through April 5. The public comment period will now end April 20, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation.
The public hearing is in response to the release of the draft environmental impact study on the project in February. Two in-person public hearings were held in February, where attendees could view project materials, route maps and other documents related to the project and study results.
Read the full story by Shelbie Hamilton.
2. Taylor Swift makes 'very generous donation' to Tarrant Area Food Bank
In the days prior to her concert at AT&T Stadium March 31-April 2, Taylor Swift made what a Tarrant Area Food Bank official called a “very generous” donation to the nonprofit organization.
“We were thrilled and honored,” Chief External Affairs Officer Stephen Raeside said. “While we can’t reveal the exact amount, it was very generous and will provide a couple hundred thousand meals to people in our service area.”
Tarrant Area Food Bank was founded in 1982 by a group of Fort Worth residents concerned about food insecurity in the community. It is now the primary source of donated food for hunger-relief charities and feeding programs in Tarrant County and 12 surrounding counties, serving 1 million meals each week, according to its website. The organization depends upon volunteers and donations to carry out its mission on a daily basis.
Read the full story by Mark Fadden.
3. FDA approves over-the-counter Narcan sales as North Texas hospitals fight overdose death rate
A potentially lifesaving medication used to reverse drug overdoses could soon be seen on pharmacy shelves across the country.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in a March 29 news release the 4-milligram naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, known as Narcan, was approved for over-the-counter sales.
Naloxone products, including Narcan, were already available for purchase without a prescription in every U.S. state as leaders worked to combat the number of deaths attributed to overdoses, according to CVS. Despite its availability, not all pharmacies carried Narcan, or it was kept behind the counter and away from the general public in the store, according to prescription company GoodRx.
Read the full story by Alex Reece.
4. Flower Mound council approves construction of town's first Whataburger
The Flower Mound Town Council on April 3 unanimously approved an ordinance to allow a Whataburger and two other restaurants to be constructed. The proposed changes add an updated concept plan and a landscape plan, and provide elevations for the three fast-food restaurants, according to council agenda information.
Those restaurants include not only a Whataburger, but also a Slim Chickens restaurant and a Dutch Bros coffee establishment all located south of Sagebrush Drive and west of Long Prairie Road.
“It’ll be great to actually have a Whataburger in town,” Council Member Jim Engel said.
Read the full story by Don Munsch.
5. McKinney Air Center gains service recognition ahead of completion of fixed-base operator facility
McKinney’s fixed-base operator, or FBO, at the McKinney National Airport was recognized as a top service provider by Aviation International News just months ahead of completion of a new FBO facility.
McKinney Air Center was ranked among the top 10% of service providers in the 2020 Aviation International News FBO survey of the Americas, according to a news release from the city of McKinney.
The survey, released March 31, evaluated thousands of aircraft handling facilities and judged them based on line service, passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities and customer service. The McKinney Air Center was also the highest-ranking line service in the state, according to the survey.
Read the full story by Shelbie Hamilton.
