Fort Worth School Progress, Industrial Growth, and Primary Elections

Good morning, this is Fort Worth Local Pulse for Thursday, February 19th. We're starting with some encouraging news from Fort Worth Independent School District. Midyear test results show real progress in our classrooms. Reading scores jumped between one and eight points on average, while math scores climbed one to five points. Third grade reading proficiency is now at forty-one percent, an eight point gain from last year. Parents and educators are crediting Superintendent Karen Molinar's focus on uniform lessons across the district and renewed emphasis on phonics instruction. The improvements come as Texas takes control of the district following years of academic struggles. The state education commissioner is expected to make a decision this spring about whether Molinar stays in her position, and community members are making their voices heard about wanting her to remain. On the development front, industrial growth continues in the Alliance area. Hillwood broke ground this month on Alliance Westport Twelve, a massive one point two million square foot spec building. That's significant news for our logistics and warehouse sector. Speaking of major projects, the San Marcos City Council voted early Wednesday morning to block a proposed data center southwest of downtown. The vote came after hundreds of residents showed up to city hall to oppose the development, citing concerns about water and energy consumption during our ongoing drought conditions. The debate highlighted the ongoing tension between economic development and environmental stewardship as our region grows. We're also keeping an eye on what's happening at city hall as we head into primary season. Voters across Tarrant County will be heading to the polls on March 3rd for the Texas primary elections. If you're looking to stay informed about county commissioners and other local races, now's the time to do your homework. For those of you who enjoy watching planes, Runway DFW is offering live plane spotting broadcasts from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. They kicked off another session today featuring everything from super jumbo jets to smaller aircraft. If you want to see the variety of airlines and aircraft that move through our region, they broadcast regularly from Founders Plaza on the northwest side of the airport. We hope everyone is staying safe as we continue monitoring weather patterns. High winds have been fueling wildfires across the Southwest and Plains region, so we'll keep you updated on any impacts closer to home. That wraps up today's local updates. Thanks so much for tuning in to Fort Worth Local Pulse. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's news. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease dot ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.