"Restructuring FWISD, Murder Probe, New Athletic Director, and Severe Weather Alerts"

Good morning, this is Fort Worth Local Pulse for Thursday, March 27, 2025. We're starting off with some big news from City Hall. Last night, the Fort Worth ISD School Board unanimously approved a restructuring plan aimed at improving student performance, particularly in math and literacy. The plan will shift job roles and redirect $22.7 million to support reading and math instruction. While this affects over 160 employees, the district assures that affected staff will have options to stay within FWISD. This comes as the district works to address concerning statistics - only 35% of students are reading at grade level, and just 26% meet math standards. In other developments, Fort Worth police are investigating what they believe to be a murder-for-hire case in the South Hills neighborhood. Two arrests have been made in connection with the shooting death of 30-year-old Martin Diaz early Saturday morning. The incident occurred in the 2600 block of Covert Avenue, and police are still piecing together the details. On a brighter note, Fort Worth Christian School has announced Chris Cunningham as their new Athletic Director. Cunningham brings an impressive track record, including four state championships during his tenure at Prestonwood Christian Academy. In real estate news, we're seeing explosive development in Far Southwest Fort Worth. New housing and commercial projects are reshaping the area, bringing both opportunities and challenges for long-time residents. For job seekers, the U.S. Postal Service might have opportunities. DFW postal workers recently rallied against proposed changes, which could lead to shifts in the local job market. Sports fans, mark your calendars. The BCS Varsity Track Team had an outstanding performance at the Fort Worth Country Day Meet earlier this month, with several athletes setting personal records. Looking ahead to the weekend, we've got some community events to watch out for. Fort Worth Families Forward will be hosting candidate forums tonight and next Wednesday, giving residents a chance to hear directly from local election candidates about community needs. In weather news, we're keeping an eye on the possibility of severe thunderstorms. A watch was issued for our southern counties until 1 a.m., so be prepared if you're heading out this evening. Today, we're expecting partly cloudy skies with a high near 77°F. On the business front, Dairy Queen offered free cones yesterday as part of their annual promotion. If you missed out, don't worry - there's always next year! In a heartwarming community story, a Richardson woman was recently celebrated for her volunteer work, reminding us of the impact one person can have on our city. Today's crime report: Police are urging caution after a body was recovered from the Trinity River earlier this week. While details are limited, authorities are reminding residents to be careful near waterways, especially with recent rains. This has been Fort Worth Local Pulse. We'll see