By Lilly KershStaff Writer from street improvements to a new police headquarters meant to keep the aging city’s infrastructure maintained support for the bond referendum was leading for all seven propositions after the polls closed Saturday voters cast ballots for four new council members in the local election Breaking NewsGet the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy In Place 2, Bob Kehr was leading with 56% of votes, according to unofficial results posted on Collin County’s website Douglas Reeves was trailing with 23% and Carson Underwood with 21% Chris Krupa Downs was leading with 55% of votes and Cody Weaver was trailing with 45% A special election was called for the Place 5 council seat after Shelby Williams resigned to pursue a seat on the Collin County Commissioners Court Steve Lavine was leading against Gary Cary Vidal Quintanilla was leading with 54% of votes Mayor John Muns ran unopposed for reelection and will serve a second and final term leading the city Around 19,000 ballots were cast in the Plano elections Support for Proposition A was leading with 72% of votes The proposition asked voters to consider issuing about $316.5 million in general obligation bonds for street improvements Proposition B asked for about $155.2 million for a new police headquarters and public safety communications center Proposition C asked voters for $51 million to rebuild the city’s 34-year-old police training center on 14th Street Support for the proposition was leading with 62% of votes Saturday night Voter support for Proposition D was leading with 65% of votes and asked for about $37.5 million to go toward three fire station projects Proposition E asked voters to consider about $45 million for a new fleet maintenance building with more service bays for the public works department Voter support was leading with 56% of votes Proposition F asked for nearly $1.9 million to remodel Schimelpfenig Library on Custer Road Support for the proposition was leading with 67% of votes asked for nearly $40.8 million for parks and recreation facilities projects and support for the funding was leading with 72% of votes the tax rate is expected to increase by 3.2 cents equal to $224.65 in 2029 for an average home valued at $579,554 The referendum was the city’s largest in history Plano approved a $364 million bond referendum in 2021 focusing on renovating and maintaining infrastructure in the city Collin County saw a 11% voter turnout in the May election among about 740,500 registered voters Around 67% of votes were cast early and 33% on Election Day This story is developing and will be updated as more votes are counted She graduated in 2024 from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism and was born and raised in Atlanta Home » Elvin Bonilla and Carmina Ramirez Killed in Crash on 14th St in Plano The deadly crash happened at about 7:15 p.m Elvin Bonilla and Carmina Ramirez on 14th St in Plano TX – Two people were killed in a motorcycle crash on 14th Street in Plano on Saturday evening 21-year-old Elvin Bonilla was riding a motorcycle westbound on 14th Street Investigators say the pickup driver tried to turn northbound onto Del Sol Drive and the motorcycle slammed into the passenger side of the pickup The two were transported to the hospital where they died The pickup driver was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries Police said speed appears to be a contributing factor in the incident Have you lost a loved one in a car accident Contact our Houston personal injury attorney today Staff please click the “REMOVE ARTICLE” button below and the article will be removed Removal of an article is usually done within several hours after receipt of the removal request Oscar Abelenda and Donna Harrison Killed, George Harrison Critically... read more Christine Rottmann Killed in Killeen Pedestrian Accident on 8th... read more One Injured in South Abilene Three-Vehicle Crash at South... read more Multiple Injured in Grand Saline Multi-Vehicle Crash on Highway... read more Man Killed in Houston Pedestrian Accident on Longpoint Road... read more Christopher Sterling Killed in Ector County Motorcycle Crash on... read more Three Injured in Port Arthur Two-Vehicle Crash on Las... read more The first incident happened at about 2:15 a.m. on... read more The accident happened at about 6:49 a.m. on Sunday,... read more In addition to helping personal injury clients within the City of Houston we also assist clients who reside in West Houston and Southwest Houston We also serve clients residing in North Houston Joel A Gordon & Associates - Accident Lawyer Early voting totals show incumbent Nancy Humphrey Sam Johnson and Elisa Klein are leading their races and covers businesses and restaurants in Collin and Dallas counties He joined Community Impact in June 2023 and previously covered the cities of Wylie Plano staff is looking to increase participation in the arts with the Plano Cultural Arts Plan Plano voters selected representatives for four open city council seats and Plano ISD school board seats Voters also appeared likely to pass a sweeping $648 million bond package. Here are the uncertified results from the Collin County Elections Administrator appeared likely to defeat Carson Underwood and Douglas Reeves with about 55% of the vote The three were vying to replace Anthony Ricciardelli who is term limited and ineligible to run again Kehr owns Kehr Technologies He’s a member of the Plano Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and the Plano Parks and Recreation Commission The Plano Chamber of Commerce named Kehr Small Businessperson of the Year in 2022 He’s also the board chair of Leadership Plano Class 36 appeared likely to defeat former Plano ISD school board trustee Cody Weaver with about 54% of the vote is the vice chair of Plano’s Cultural Affairs Commission according to her website She also serves on the board of the Plano Historical Commission and an alumna of Leadership Plano Krupa Downs told KERA after a Plano city council candidate forum at the Plano Rotary Club that has an impact on local infrastructure “We have to continue to focus on infrastructure making sure that it continues to stay up-to-date and improved,” she said Steve Lavine looked to be headed for victory over Gary Carey in his bid to replace Shelby Williams, who stepped down from the Place 5 seat to run for Collin County commissioner Lavine is an alumnus of Leadership Plano and Plano Citizen’s Academy according to his website. He also has experience serving on city boards and commissions A bill in the Texas House authored by Republican Plano Rep Matt Shaheen could reduce funding for Dallas Area Rapid Transit Lavine told KERA Plano contributes too much funding to DART echoing concerns of the current city council “Every place we have a station such as downtown we have been able to grow our economic development but we're currently putting more money in than we're getting value out,” he said Vidal Quintanilla appeared likely to defeat Hayden Padgett in the race to replace Rick Smith who works in Human Resources for a health care company is on the city of Plano’s Community Relations Commission He’s also a graduate of Leadership Plano and has served as a Collin County election clerk Quintanilla told KERA in a previous interview that the city should bring in small businesses to the city’s vacant storefronts to help revitalize infrastructure “We should be strategically working with our economic development department and plot those out and maybe to smaller organizations some small business owners can probably thrive there,” he said Sam Johnson had a comfortable lead over Xiomar Pierre in the race to fill Angela Powell’s seat who graduated from Plano Senior High School owns a business law firm according to his website biography He also serves on the city of Plano’s Board of Adjustment and has been on the board of the Anti-Defamation League since 2012 “I am running to serve on Plano ISD's Board of Trustees because we need strong leaders who know the Plano community and are willing to roll their sleeves up to preserve PISD's legacy as a trailblazer in Texas education while navigating its evolution through the change it is undergoing,” Johnson said on his website School board president Nancy Humphrey appeared likely to defeat Harper Weaver in her reelection campaign the chair of the district’s legislative subcommittee lists her experience advocating for Plano ISD in Austin on her website She was also the executive director of the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation until she retired in 2019 and engaged parents,” Humphrey said on her website “I truly believe that together we can keep making our schools a place where every student grows and is life ready upon graduation.” Elisa Klein was ahead of both Andrew Rettke and Dash Weerasinghe in the race to fill Jeri Chambers’ seat appearing likely to avoid a runoff — ran for Plano City Council Place 8 in 2021 losing to current council member Rick Smith Klein’s website lists experience as a business owner and PTA mom “Plano has been my home since I was a teenager and I love everything Plano has to offer for all stages of life,” Klein said on her website Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org Caroline Love is a Report For America corps member for KERA News KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you Four Plano City Council seats are on the May 3 ballot All seven Plano bond propositions are passing after early voting Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the developer of a proposed project aimed at supporting the Muslim community to stop construction — or face legal consequences But the builder says they aren’t even close to starting It’s just the latest development in the controversy over EPIC City a project being developed by the East Plano Islamic Center that’s been bombarded with negative attention online and at least five investigations from state officials Here’s what you need to know about EPIC City The 402-acre development would be in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties roughly 40 miles northeast of Dallas near the city of Josephine more than 1,000 single and multi-family homes said the idea for EPIC City came as the Muslim population continues to grow in the region and there are people coming from across the country,” Qadhi said “Dallas is now known to be a hub of people of our faith The first 450 plots sold out within days of its announcements on the mosque’s website He also said there’s no external funding for any of the planned construction people are purchasing shares to own a plot of land for future homes there’s a charge to help fund the construction of other buildings it would take at least another decade to complete Abbott announced a criminal investigation into EPIC on Monday marking the fifth active probe announced by state officials in about a week But it's not clear what criminal statutes EPIC and its project developers could be violating The controversary began in February after a video promoting EPIC City went viral online It almost immediately received backlash from commenters Abbott has repeatedly accused the project of promoting Sharia law and "Sharia cities” — referring to a body of religious laws that form parts of the Islamic traditions sent a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton requesting he look into EPIC Then came the first investigation, followed by three more ordered by Abbott in addition to the criminal probe KERA News sent multiple requests for comment over the past week with a series of questions seeking to clarify Abbott's claims: The governor's office has not responded to those requests for comment as of Tuesday president of Community Capital Partners said in an email to KERA News last week the company will work with Paxton in the pending investigations “We understand that there has been a lot of rumor-milling and misinformation circulated by many who are uninformed," Chaudhary said "We look forward to working with the Attorney General to ensure that we are in legal compliance every step of the way and educating the broader community about our project.” Abbott on Tuesday ordered EPIC and its affiliates to cease construction and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Executive Director Kelly Keel wrote in a letter that despite "extensive permitting obligations,” TCEQ hasn’t any applications or documents for the project and is violating state law But during a public hearing at the Collin County Commissioners Court on Monday said the project is still in the analysis phase “We are looking at the options to prepare an application for TCEQ but at this time we're still on our due diligence phase,” he said Kahloefer said the group anticipates they’ll file for permits with the county sometime later this year has purchased the land and finished water and flood studies and is adapting plans based on those results the former Democratic candidate for Collin County Texas House District 89 told the county commissioners at the hearing the North Texas Muslim community is being unfairly targeted are we now spending tax dollars investigating ideas?” Evans said Some residents who live near where the development will be located said they were concerned how the development will impact local resources But several speakers at the public hearing at Collin County commissioners’ court Monday repeated stereotypes about the Muslim faith including unfounded claims that the potential EPIC City residents would be affiliated with terrorist organizations Tasha Escoto told the commissioners she’s not against inclusion but she said the Muslim-oriented community goes against American "Christian values.” “I'm sick that this is even a consideration in Texas today,” Escoto said “We are a nation founded on Christian values It used to be that something like this was called a cult said those comments don’t represent her faith and said it isn’t fair to generalize about the Muslim community based on stereotypes “My faith values are based on compassion and kindness “There is no discrimination within our faith.” a representative for Community Captial Partners said at Monday’s hearing anyone is welcome in EPIC City and that it’s not exclusive to the Muslim community — a message the group has been emphasizing for months “Anybody who wants to buy a piece of land in this proposed masterplan community can buy one,” Ragsdale said and their vision is to build an inclusive community for everyone.” Ragsdale said she believes reactions from the community may have looked different if the plans for the development were centered around a Christain place of worship Ragsdale added that the community is "proud to be Texans” — and Americans "They are excited about having the opportunity to develop a master-planned family-centric community in Collin County,” Ragsdale said “It’s tough to stand here today and hear all the ideas and hypotheticals and backstory that people have." Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.Penelope Rivera is KERA's Breaking News Reporter Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org. Caroline Love is a Report For America corps member for KERA News Plano residents appeared likely to pass a $648 million bond package Saturday that included seven propositions with funding for roads Plano voters also chose city council and school board members Plano Mayor John Muns told KERA in a previous interview the projects included in the bond were necessary to maintain Plano’s aging infrastructure “If we don't take care of our infrastructure I think companies will look elsewhere if we're not taking care of our city in all facets,” Muns said which would direct about $342.3 million toward improving roads looked likely to pass with nearly three-quarters of voters in favor This includes repairing and replacing bridges alleys and improving infrastructure downtown adding turn lanes at various intersections in Plano and for traffic improvements such as new traffic signals and video cameras at critical intersections $155.2 million for a new police headquarters The third proposition on the ballot included $51 million for a new police training center The proposition looked to pass with about 62% of the vote Proposition D included $37.5 million to pay for public safety facilities and remodels and looked to pass with about 65% in favor This proposition asked voters to approve $45.1 million for a new fleet maintenance building for the city’s Public Works Department It appeared to pass with about 56% of the vote Proposition F included about $1.9 million to remodel Schimelpfenig Library The proposition looked to pass with about 67% in favor The final proposition on the ballot had $40.8 million for parks and recreational facilities Caroline Love is a Report For Americacorps member for KERA News Looking to cop a cup of custard that may be comped by a cop The Plano Police Department is covering the first $100 in ice cream servings to community members who attend their Custard with Cops event at the Culvers in Plano, located at 6400 Lakeside Road. Members of the police force will be chatting with visitors from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6. The Plano Police Department is hosting two 'Custard with Cops' events with the public at the Culvers location in Plano. (Photo Provided By The Plano Police Department) Residents are encouraged to come and chat and learn a little about the people serving behind the badge. “Come out and say ‘Hi’ and we will have a great time. You are very important to us and we would love to see you there,” the department said in a released statement. The department will host a second “Custard with Cops” event later this summer. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Expand(File photo) City officials are investing in a downtown revitalization program in Plano The project involves installing aesthetic streetscape elements and installing a bike path connecting to Plano Middle School Plano is paving head on its next step forward on its downtown Main Street revitalization program To increase the number of visitors attending the downtown shops and restaurants, and to upgrade the downtown’s sense of community, the city is rehabilitating the area stretching along Main Street from Ben Street to Hale Street. “To redevelop Main Street, Plano must build on the existing sense of place and identity. Plano must address the critical issues such as pedestrian circulation, parking, development of public spaces, roadways and streetscape to create a livable and appealing downtown and reinvigorate Main Street,” according to city documents. Before construction on the above-ground work can begin, like replacing the curbs and gutters to make the walkways more user-friendly, extensive underground work must be completed. The first step is replacing the downtown’s ancient water mains and sewer lines. The City Council approved an engineering contract with HR Green, Inc. at their April 28 meeting for $35,470 to oversee the water main and sewer improvements. The water mains in the downtown that were installed over half a century ago need to be completely replaced. The 75-year old sewer lines also need to be completely reconstructed due to their state of disrepair. To fund the contract, the city intends to apply for a Public Water Supply Loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Once the work is completed, the city can move on to resurfacing Main Street. The city also is upgrading the pedestrian walkways to increase their usability, including making them ADA compliant and further away from the roadway. The city is planning to have the Main Street traffic angled away from the Amtrak parking lots, giving pedestrians greater peace of mind. Once the project is finished, residents and visitors will be able to enjoy the area’s upgraded aesthetics with streetscape elements, like brick pavers, benches and planters, landscaped islands and ornamental lighting. For this part of the project, the city approved a $56,949 contract with HR Green, Inc. during the meeting. The firm will be responsible for the project’s design engineering and construction engineering services throughout the street resurfacing project. For the overall downtown project, the city acquired $1,100,000 in funds through the federal Surface Transportation Program local program. The city projects 80% of the total project to be covered by federal and state grants, with the remaining 20% covered by local funds. Above ground work is expected to undergo its most intensive construction phase during spring 2028. We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview News | Women’s Basketball Inks Hiba Malkawi from Plano Texas 04/30/2025 | 3:30:00 | Women's Basketball CARBONDALE, Ill. - On Wednesday, head coach Kelly Bond-White of the Southern Illinois University women's basketball team announced the signing of Hiba Malkawi from Plano Voting hours can vary by polling location but they will generally be open between 7 a.m.-7 p.m Plano ISD is hosting a job fair in late May ExpandPlano city council approved a 15% monthly water bill increase for its residents to help plug a $239 projected deficit Three-hundred million gallons of water rush underground Plano each year to serve its residents The town bills its residents bimonthly for water and sewer charges a $239,613 deficit for next the fiscal year’s projected water revenues has city officials concerned The city council recently approved increasing water rates by 15% The water rates charged to seniors will remain unchanged a typical resident will see an increase of between 6-7% depending on the number of gallons of water used There are currently three water towers spread across the city accommodating all of the town’s residents Residents can view their water usage and projected charges on the city’s website Each bill for a typical resident carries a minimum charge of $22.25 for the first 2,000 gallons of water used Residents exceeding 2,000 gallons of water usage during the two weeks will be charged $5.90 per the next 1,000 gallons used These charges will rollover onto subsequent bills until the full extra 1,000 gallons is used by the resident To begin construction on the project, water mains and sewer extensions will need engineered to stretch out to the agricultural property. A water analysis study is currently being conducted to see just how much water will be required for the data center campus. If Plano is going to transition to a regional tech hub That’s because data centers often require large amounts of water to cool their processors but are more expensive for the developers to build The Plano City Council approved a $29,850 water model study and analysis by the engineering firm HR Green Inc The study was requested by Microsoft, who purchased 500 acres of land west of Eldamain Road for the purpose of constructing a massive data center campus Plano annexed the agricultural property in 2024 before rezoning it to manufacturing for the future data center construction City officials in several municipalities pursue data center developments because once completed each building can generate up to $1 million in tax revenues annually They also have minimal staffing requirements and upkeep costs Plano expects Microsoft to reimburse the city for the costs of the water study. The study will assess the effect of the development on Plano’s existing water distribution systems and measure its pressures and fire flows, according to city documents. To get the ball rolling on the development, the city previously approved a $45,436 contract with HR Green, Inc. to conduct studies of the site to determine the necessary infrastructure requirements and the related costs. The firm is also conducting a traffic study of the area. The study has already shown that the development site will need extensions of the town’s water main and sanitary sewer system. Town officials also will be tasked with approving a roadway expansion to the development site. ' + jQuery.trim(megaMenuData[i].channelCaption) + ' Students who need to recover credits will attend the virtual summer program from June 2-225 Students needing additional support before the summer End of Course exam dates may attend the EOC program at Vines High School Contact your campus counselor to determine appropriate program placement and steps for registration.  For general questions about these summer programs, please contact the summer school office at summerschool@pisd.edu This event is for candidates who are interested in joining Team Plano ISD for the 2025-26 school year.  Plano Job Fair Registration Form PLANO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ADOPTED A TAX RATE THAT WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR’S TAX RATE THE TAX RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY 4.26 PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $-35.40 We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at JenB@nmi.media or call us at 630.552.1000 At the end of the annual Plano ISD Advanced Placement Art Exhibition, several students were awarded for their art with recognition from the ArtCentre of Plano, Plano ISD and corporate sponsor Texas Health Plano. “The Plano ISD Advanced Placement Art exhibition is always one of our most popular. The students create outstanding pieces that would make a statement in any quality art collection,” ArtCentre Executive Director Suzy Jones said. “The ArtCentre and Plano ISD are extremely grateful to Texas Health Plano for it generous support of this exhibition.” The winners were announced at a reception at the ArtCentre of Plano with monetary awards for the winners presented by Jones Dean and Plano ISD Coordinator K-12 Visual Arts Colin McGrane “Texas Health Plano is pleased to support the PISD Senior Art Exhibit we are fortunate to have many extremely talented students in our schools and exemplary art teachers,” Director of Community Relations at Texas Health Mary Jo Dean said “Research shows that exposure to the Arts can help teens develop many positive skills and capacities that are valued by leaders and employers studies demonstrate that Arts exposure can improve a teenager’s confidence and academic performance Art is an important part of our kid’s lives.” Plano ISD Advanced Placement Student Exhibition Awardees Best Overall – Two-Dimensional Art: Helena (CJ) Johnston – Plano Sr Best Overall – Three-Dimensional Art: Sunny Weinstein – Plano West Sr The renovations include several improvements Four council seats are contested and Mayor John Muns is running unopposed for reelection The city’s eight council members can serve no more than two consecutive four-year terms Registered voters in Plano can vote for representatives in all council positions and council members represent the city at large Voters will also decide on seven propositions for nearly $650 million in bonds for city projects which includes funding for street improvements and new police headquarters Here’s who’s on the ballot in Plano’s contested City Council races Three men are running for the Place 2 council seat as Anthony Ricciardelli reaches his term limit on council and heads to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit board Information technology business owner Bob Kehr nonprofit founder and veteran Douglas Reeves and real estate investor Carson Underwood are on the ballot Kehr has had leadership roles on the Parks and Recreation Planning Board Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club among other roles He is endorsed by the Plano Police Association and Collin County Area REALTORS Kehr has emphasized the importance of expanding Plano’s housing stock for seniors and bringing in tax revenue and jobs by attracting and keeping businesses in the city has done community work for children in the foster care system and adults with disabilities according to Collin County Republican Party records Reeves supports keeping power in local government and is against building more high-density apartments in Plano He has called for transparency and accountability in local government saying Plano leaders have “not been upfront” with residents Underwood serves on the Collin County Park Foundation Advisory Commission and has served on the Collin County Central Appraisal District board He is advocating for a shift toward homeownership and would support better rebate programs to renovate Plano’s older homes He also would support more restrictions on short-term rentals, Underwood said in a candidate interview with The Dallas Morning News editorial board, and is in favor of cutting Plano’s contribution to DART in half estate attorney Chris Krupa Downs and real estate agent Cody Weaver are running for Kayci Prince’s open seat Downs has had several community involvements including on Plano’s Cultural Affairs Commission Collin County Historical Commission and Junior League of Collin County She serves on the board of the Wellness Center for Older Adults Downs is endorsed by the Plano Police Association. If elected, she said she would take a more cooperative approach to ensuring DART brings value to Plano “I value collaborative approaches versus just unilaterally going in there and saying we want to adjust funding,” Downs said in a candidate interview with The News editorial board Weaver was elected to the Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees in 2019 and lost a bid for reelection in 2023 In a candidate interview with The News, Weaver said he hopes to preserve Plano’s suburban character and would support building condos and townhouses instead of apartments. If elected, he said he would consider reducing Plano’s sales tax contribution to DART Plano will hold a special election for the Place 5 council seat after Shelby Williams resigned last month to pursue a seat on the Collin County Commissioners Court Retail executive Gary Cary and retired entrepreneur Steve Lavine are competing for the newly open seat Cary has served on Plano’s Planning & Zoning Commission​ and Bond Referendum Citizen Advisory Committee, which gave input on the bond referendum up for a vote this spring He is endorsed by the Collin County Republican Party Lavine previously ran for City Council in 2021 and lost to Ricciardelli. Among Lavine’s community involvements are leadership roles in Plano Youth Leadership and board of nonprofit Friends of the Plano Public Library. He previously served on the city’s Library Advisory Board and Parks and Recreation Planning Board Lavine is endorsed by the Plano Police Association If elected, he hopes to keep Plano an economic powerhouse and retain businesses and their employees He’d also consider reducing lot sizes for certain senior housing options technology executive Hayden Padgett and human resources executive Vidal Quintanilla are running to fill Rick Smith’s seat Padgett is chair of Plano’s Parks and Recreation Planning board and president of the Plano Parks Foundation Board of Trustees He is a member of the Plano Rotary Club and endorsed by the Plano Police Association and Collin County Area REALTORS Padgett’s platform focuses on quality of life emphasizing the council’s role in supporting public safety the city’s parks and repairing aging infrastructure he hopes to support more senior housing options and attract businesses to Plano Quintanilla serves on Plano’s Community Relations Commission and has graduated from the city’s Citizens Police he ran for the city’s Place 4 seat and lost If elected, Quintanilla said he will work toward redevelopment in the city by considering economic incentives or alternative uses for retail spaces in Plano He also supports more resources to the city’s police and fire departments Early voting begins April 22 and Election Day is May 3 Gov. Greg Abbott announced a criminal investigation into the East Plano Islamic Center Monday — the fifth investigation announced by state officials in the last week. Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate EPIC and any affiliated entities for "potential criminal activities." Abbott did not specify what laws may have been be violated — and his office has not responded to repeated requests for comment in the last week over why EPIC is being targeted and those scheming to evade law enforcement scrutiny must know justice is awaiting them," Abbott said in a press release "That is why I directed the Texas Rangers to fully investigate the group behind the proposed EPIC compound for potentially violating criminal law Texas will ensure that anyone affiliated with EPIC who is breaking the law is brought to justice." potential violations of Texas consumer protection laws KERA News reached out to EPIC for a comment and will update this story with any response The Collin County Commissioners Court is set to hold a hearing Monday afternoon to discuss the proposed project Penelope Rivera is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today Brunch chain First Watch recently opened their 26th location in the Metroplex in East Carrollton Expand(File photo) Tim Campbell was reelected to the position of president on Plano School District 88's board of education Campbell speaks at a previous board meeting Following the swearing-in of a fresh face to the Plano School District 88 board the seven-member body reselected its president as a sign of confidence in the direction of the district After the oaths of office by newcomer Charles Schneider and returning board president Tim Campbell the board selected members for the leadership roles Campbell was reelected by the board to the position of board president Kyle Klatt was elected by the board as the new vice president The board chose Kim Velazquez to return as secretary To fill a vacancy, a seventh member of the board will likely be appointed in early May. The board’s next gathering will be for an academic committee meeting on May 7. Plano City Council voted to extend Breckinridge Trail by 1.6 miles (Community Impact staff) Select McKinney residents will vote to elect a city council representative for District 3 in the May election Celina and Prosper residents have until Thursday The former JCPenney headquarters in northwest Plano are set for redevelopment as a mixed-use project (Courtesy Plano Economic Development/Capital Commercial Investments) Colby joined Community Impact in July 2022 He covers transportation and real estate for the Dallas-Fort Worth metro he worked for student newspapers at Del Mar College and The University of Texas at Arlington while attending school Three candidates are running for Plano City Council Place 2 in the May 3 elections Plano ISD received an overall B rating from the TEA for the 2022-23 school year Plano city council member Shelby Williams may be resigning The city council has a special called meeting scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m The meeting agenda includes accepting a council member's resignation and calling a special election to fill a vacancy for the city council Place 5 seat on May 3 Williams announced that he was considering a run for the Collin County commissioner Precinct 4 seat on his website last month Commissioner Duncan Webb currently holds the seat which covers most of Plano and part of Allen and North Dallas He said he would time his resignation so it would align with a regular election to save taxpayers money. Plano has a bond election and several city council seats on the ballot May 3 Williams listed several reasons he was considering running including responsible taxation and budgeting strained transportation infrastructure and the intersection between county government with state and city government Williams is the the Collin County GOP Party Chair He said he wants to see a Republican win in the purple commissioners' court district Webb was reelected in 2022 with about 53% of the vote "Having won three elections in this geography I’m the Republican who can win a General Election here," Williams said The city council is also scheduled to appoint an interim board member to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority board of directors Paul Wageman has represented Plano on the board since 2012. Wageman has faced controversy over his lobbying work for Uber He has suggested reducing bus and light rail services in Plano in favor of GoLink DART uses Uber when GoLink services aren't available KERA reached out to Wageman for comment on Wednesday and didn't receive a response before the publication of this story KERA's Pablo Arauz Peña contributed reporting KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.