The Garland ISD Board of Trustees began its Oct. 27 meeting with a public hearing on the district’s 2025-26 School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) report.

Arturo Valenzuela, the district’s executive director of finance, presented the report and its 21 financial indicators, noting that Garland ISD received an A for Superior Achievement, the highest possible rating established by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The district earned the maximum number of points on each indicator.

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Priority registration began Oct. 26 and was determined by the number of completed Collin College credit hours. Students registered for classes through Workday, which was accessible through CougarWeb at www.cougarweb.collin.edu.

The college offered a variety of course formats, including in-person, online and hybrid classes, giving students options to accommodate their academic goals and schedules. Students could review available courses and class schedules at www.collin.edu/academics/class_schedule.

The early registration payment deadline for Wintermester 2026 and Spring 2027 classes was Dec. 9. Students were encouraged to register early to secure their preferred courses and meet payment requirements by the deadline.

Additional information about registration procedures and important academic dates was available at www.collin.edu/register/registration#dates.

Collin College served approximately 60,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offered more than 200 degrees and certificates. Its academic programs included a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Clinical Operations Management. 

For more information about the college and its academic programs, visit www.collin.edu.

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The county held a public meeting Oct. 27 at Leland Edge Middle School in Nevada and made a virtual presentation available online for the Collin County Outer Loop-Southeast project.

The project covers Segments 2 and 4, extending approximately 14 miles from County Road 656 northeast of Farmersville to the Collin-Rockwall County line northwest of Royse City.

The project team is finalizing the schematic design and Local Environmental Document for the preferred alignment. The environmental document will then go to Collin County Commissioners Court for consideration and final approval.

The study, which began in summer 2024, is expected to conclude in late 2026 or early 2027.

The county has identified an updated preferred route based on the previous Technically Preferred Alignment, established through studies completed in 2009 for Segment 2, from U.S. 380 to FM 6, and in 2010 for Segment 4, from FM 6 to the Rockwall County line.

The latest study revisited that route to account for development and other constraints that have emerged since the earlier studies.

After evaluating several variations and considering public and stakeholder input, the county selected the Pink Alignment, which includes a western shift through the middle portion of the study area.

Although a preferred alignment has been identified, its precise location and property requirements could change as engineering continues. The proposed freeway would require a right of way approximately 500 feet wide, and the alignment could shift slightly before the schematic design is completed.

Engineers will determine preliminary lane configurations, ramp locations, interchange designs, drainage requirements and the amount of land needed for the project.

The Local Environmental Document will examine potential effects on residences, businesses, community facilities and archaeological, historical, cultural and biological resources.

Collin County is working with the North Central Texas Council of Governments on the environmental review and coordinating with local governments and other agencies.

Once Commissioners Court approves the environmental document, the county plans to move into final detailed design and begin acquiring property needed for the corridor. Right-of-way acquisition is expected to take several years.

The county intends to acquire enough right of way for the ultimate freeway rather than only the land needed for the first construction phase. This would protect the corridor from additional development as the roadway is built over time.

No construction date has been set for the full freeway, which will depend on funding and traffic demand.

The current plan calls for construction in phases, beginning with one two-lane frontage road carrying traffic in both directions once funding is secured. Both frontage roads could be built simultaneously if traffic needs and funding justify doing so.

Officials have not determined which frontage road would be built first. Freeway main lanes in the center of the corridor would be added later as population, development and traffic demand increase and funding becomes available.

Current plans call for frontage roads designed for 45 mph and freeway main lanes for 70 mph, although those design speeds could change as engineering progresses.

Drainage plans call for runoff to be directed away from nearby neighborhoods and the roadway through engineered grassy ditches or channels and appropriately sized culverts.

Decisions about roadway lighting, including the size and spacing of lights, have not been made.

The 14-mile project would eventually become part of a much larger transportation corridor. The proposed Collin County Outer Loop would extend approximately 55 miles from the Denton County line through areas including Celina, Weston, Anna, Melissa, Farmersville, Josephine and Royse City.

It would connect with a proposed regional outer-loop system extending through Denton, Collin, Rockwall and Kaufman counties and potentially Ellis County.

Collin County also has separate projects underway to advance planning and design for Segments 1 and 5 of the Outer Loop and is studying the feasibility of another north-south freeway between Princeton and State Highway 121.

Residents and property owners can follow the project and view updated alignment maps at CCOL-SE.com. Maps will be updated as the project progresses and right-of-way requirements become more precise.

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The Sachse City Council took a few minutes Monday night to highlight the value of recycling and honor a group of young residents for their creative efforts to promote it.

The honorees were students at Cheri Cox Elementary School who were challenged to create artwork using recycled materials. The only rule was that they use recycled magazines, boxes and scrap paper.

Mayor Jeff Bickerstaff presented each winner with a certificate, calling the students forward individually to receive their recognition. Cox Elementary Principal Krista Wilson was also present for the ceremony.

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Construction of Collin College’s new Workforce Education Center at its Wylie Campus reached a milestone Friday, Oct. 23, with a topping-out ceremony celebrating progress on the facility, scheduled to open in fall 2027.

Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter, mayor pro tem Gino Mulliqi and Councilmember Todd Pickens joined representatives from Collin College, Wylie ISD, Skanska, Stantec and AECOM for the ceremony.

Attendees signed the final structural beam before crews raised it into place, marking a significant step toward completion of the building.

The new center will expand workforce training opportunities in several high-demand fields, including welding, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), electronic engineering technology and vocational nursing.

Health professions programs will include certified nurse aide, phlebotomy technician, electrocardiograph technician and patient care technician training. The facility will also accommodate additional skilled trades programs as workforce needs evolve.

The project represents a continued investment in workforce development and reflects the partnerships among Collin College, Wylie ISD and the city of Wylie.

Located at 391 Country Club Road, the Wylie Campus opened in fall 2020. The nearly 100-acre campus includes approximately 300,000 square feet of facilities and has capacity for up to 7,500 students.

The Workforce Education Center is expected to open for the fall 2027 semester.

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Eight candidates are seeking four seats on the Wylie ISD board. Five candidates — Bonnie Tinsley, Brett Fagan, Brandon Thomas, Sam Satterwhite and Scott Johnson — are competing for Place 2, which is open because current trustee Mike Williams is not seeking another term.

Incumbent Stacie Smith is seeking re-election to Place 1, Virdie Montgomery is seeking re-election to Place 5, and Jacob Day is seeking re-election to Place 6.

Trustees serve four-year terms and represent the district at large, allowing voters across Wylie ISD to vote in each of the four races.

Campaign finance reports filed for the election as of Oct. 22 show differing levels of reported fundraising and spending. Fagan and Satterwhite, both Place 2 candidates, reported campaign financial activity, while Smith and Montgomery filed reports showing no contributions or expenditures.

Fagan filed a report covering July 20 through Sept. 24. He reported no contributions and $3,104.66 in total political expenditures, including $348.04 in un-itemized political expenditures. 

Satterwhite filed a report covering Aug. 3 through Oct. 3. He reported $2,750 in political contributions and $2,767.86 in political expenditures. His report also listed a remaining political contribution balance of $140.20 and $700 in outstanding loans.

Campaign finance reports were not listed among the candidate documents provided for review for Tinsley, Thomas or Johnson, who are seeking Place 2, or Day, who is seeking Place 6. 

The absence of a report from the documents reviewed does not establish whether a report was filed separately or whether a filing was required at that time.

Texas Ethics Commission rules require candidates with opponents on the ballot, who expect to accept or spend more than $1,140 during the 2026 election, to file pre-election campaign finance reports. Those reports are due 30 days and eight days before the election and must be received by the appropriate school board clerk or secretary by the deadline.

The $1,140 threshold applies to transactions made in 2026. Candidates who choose modified reporting but later exceed the limit may face additional filing requirements, depending on when the threshold is exceeded.

Unopposed candidates are not required to file pre-election campaign finance reports for that election. Candidates generally must continue filing semiannual reports, even if they have no campaign activity or lose the election, until they cease campaign activity and file a final report to end their filing obligations.

Additional election information and candidate documents are available on the Wylie ISD Board Elections webpage. Campaign finance forms and guidance are available through the Texas Ethics Commission.

Voters can find polling locations, voting hours and other election information through the Collin County Elections Department.

Garland ISD’s next trustee election is May 1, 2027

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Under a nearly full moon, Sachse Cemetery became the setting for an evening of mystery, mischief and a little history Saturday, Oct. 24, as the Sachse Historical Society hosted Aunt Matilda’s Wake.

The Halloween-themed event combined theatrical storytelling with a presentation on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, giving visitors a glimpse into funeral traditions and the lighter side of mourning.

The evening began at the Sachse Museum, where guests enjoyed a meal before making their way to the cemetery. Attendees were encouraged to dress in Victorian mourning attire, period clothing or Halloween costumes.

Among those embracing the theme were Eugene Hauptmann, dressed in Civil War-era clothing, and his granddaughter, Chelsie Hargis, and great-granddaughter, Delilah Bartlett, who wore black. Bartlett completed her outfit with a traditional-style bonnet.

Former Sachse Mayor Mike Felix, dressed as an undertaker, mingled with guests before the historical society’s vice president, Rebekah McDonough, led them from the museum to the cemetery’s committal shelter for the evening’s main attraction.

There, members of the North Texas Civilian Historians joined local participants Ed Brown, the historical society’s secretary, and Matina Newsom, a senior librarian at Sachse Public Library, to bring the fictional Aunt Matilda’s questionable reputation to life.

The roughly 16-minute performance featured bickering mourners, accusations over a poorly constructed casket and speculation about hidden gold coins that might attract notorious outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

Brown portrayed a hardware store owner with a soft spot for Matilda, while Newsom defended the deceased against those who spoke ill of her.

But Aunt Matilda wasn’t about to let others have the last word. Fed up with the arguing, she rose from the dead to voice her displeasure with her funeral arrangements.

Following the performance, McDonough guided visitors to one of the cemetery’s columbaria, where Lucy Massey presented information about Día de los Muertos and its cultural and religious traditions.

Massey, originally from Mexico, explained the symbolism of skulls and La Catrina, an elegantly dressed skeletal figure representing the idea that death comes for everyone, regardless of wealth or social standing. She also discussed the importance of remembering deceased loved ones and praying for them.

The evening’s storytelling continued as guests returned toward the museum, encountering two soldiers whose conversation revealed more about Matilda’s colorful past.

Their exchange brought the fictional tale full circle, leaving visitors to draw their own conclusions about Aunt Matilda’s reputation.

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There had been 214,742 in-person voter check-ins after seven days of early voting, from Oct. 19 through Oct. 25, said Collin County Elections Administrator Kaleb Breaux.

That compared with 501,190 during the first week of early voting for the 2024 general election and 352,294 in 2022. 

Breaux also said his department had received 15,560 requests for ballots by mail that have been processed and mailed. 

Early voting ends Friday, Oct. 30, at 42 locations. 

Breaux said Gay Library in McKinney, Davis Library in West Plano and the Allen Public Library had been three of the busiest locations during the first week.

Breaux said Collin County had 795,752 registered voters eligible to cast ballots in the election. But because the county now uses hand-marked paper ballots printed on demand after check-in, voters may vote at any of the 90 polling locations open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

The elections administrator encouraged voters to plan for where to vote and perhaps consider voting at another location close to them that may not be quite so busy. Voting locations and wait times may be found under polling locations on collincountytx.gov/elections.

Breaux said total Collin County turnout was 69.19% in the November 2024 election and 52.56% in November 2022. 

“I think we are on pace for a possible 65% to 70% turnout for this election,” he said. “As voter participation increases and the window of opportunity to vote closes, I would just encourage voters to remain patience and vote with grace as they interact with our election officials.”

This year’s early voting got off to a shaky start on Oct. 19, Breaux said.

“We had 10 polling locations that experienced some printer outages in the first hour or so of voting,” he said. “We were able to resolve most issues by 9:30 a.m.”

Collin County switched last year from ballot marking devices (BMDs) to paper ballots that are marked by hand.

“Most voters that we hear from feel like this process takes longs a little longer and liked the ballot marking device’s help in the marking process,” Breaux said. 

But he added it was only a small fraction of voters who commented. “Honestly, it’s probably the same amount that we heard from when we had BMDs, and those folks wanted hand-marked ballots,” he said.

Proposition D on the ballot is a County proposal to issue $40 million in bonds “for the purpose of designing, developing, constructing, and equipping a new County elections and storage facility, including election department offices, election training, election storage, County records, historical documents and equipment storage.”

Breaux said the switch to hand-marked ballots added to the need for more space but was not the only factor. 

“We were part of a space study a few years ago, and the study concluded that we were in about half of the space that we should be in,” he said. “We currently have 25,000 square feet of space (give or take). The study concluded that we should be in about 55,000 square feet of space.”

The elections administrator said the hand-mark ballot equipment is taking up a larger footprint in warehouse space, but growth was also playing a part in his department’s needs. 

“We trained more than 900 workers for this election, and our training space only allows for about 40 participants at a time,” Breaux said. “This is another huge need for us also. We are just out of space here.”

Dallas County voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a 2.4-cent property tax increase that county officials say would help fund efforts to reduce homelessness, address encampments and expand access to mental health and housing programs.

Dallas County commissioners approved an election order Aug. 11 calling the voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, for the 2026 tax year.

If approved, the higher tax rate is expected to generate about $102.9 million in additional revenue, according to the county.

Officials say the money would be used for programs focused on reducing homelessness and resolving encampments, increasing access to mental health treatment and supporting programs that provide stable housing.

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An air medical helicopter landing on the library lawn sent leaves flying and drew attention Saturday as families explored emergency vehicles, met search-and-rescue dogs and tried their hand at police drone technology during Sachse Public Safety Day.

The annual community event, held Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Sachse Municipal Complex, gave residents an opportunity to meet first responders, learn about emergency services and participate in hands-on activities designed for all ages.

One of the day’s highlights came at 11 a.m., when an air medical helicopter touched down near the library. Volunteers with the Sachse Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) secured the landing area and helped manage the crowd as visitors gathered to explore the aircraft and climb inside.

Nearby, Wylie Police Department Detective Blake Miller introduced visitors to drone technology used by law enforcement. Children and adults tried on drone goggles before Miller launched a drone, giving them a firsthand look at the view from above.

Four-legged first responders also attracted attention.

Members of Lone Star Search and Rescue brought search-and-rescue dogs to the event, giving visitors an opportunity to meet the animals and learn more about their work. Among the participating handlers were Chris Arnold with Ronin, Spencer Pearson with Roux and Michele Benjamin with Charlie.

At other stations, children collected fire safety information, played games and explored equipment used by emergency personnel. Malya and Miles Israel were among the youngsters who practiced walking on a simulated roof, an activity demonstrating a skill firefighters may use during rescue operations.

Fire trucks were available for visitors to explore at Fire Station No. 1, while informational booths and emergency vehicles were stationed throughout the municipal campus.

Participating organizations included Carter BloodCare, Heal-Corp Health Education and Liberty S.A.R. Dive Team. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office also offered free vehicle identification number (VIN) etching.

Sachse CERT volunteers assisted throughout the event, including helping young visitors collect educational materials and other giveaways.

The four-hour event also featured complimentary chicken sandwiches from the Credit Union of Texas food truck and ice cream from the Taha Ice Cream truck.

Public Safety Day combined entertainment with practical safety education, giving residents a closer look at the people, equipment and organizations involved in emergency response.

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Sachse residents demonstrated their generosity during September’s Peanut Butter Drive, earning the city top honors for per capita giving in the North Texas Food Bank’s annual campaign.

The recognition comes as food insecurity continues to rise across North Texas, including in Sachse, where an estimated 3,440 residents — about 11.1% of the population in the city’s ZIP-code area — face uncertainty about having enough food.

“I’m incredibly proud of our community!” Mayor Jeff Bickerstaff said. “Sachse may not be one of the largest cities in North Texas, but our residents have shown time and again that we have a big heart.”

Read the full story in the October 22nd edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.