📌 THE BIG STORY

Early voting starts Monday, and you can do it at Town Hall

Early voting runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30, and Keller Town Hall at 1100 Bear Creek Parkway is one of Tarrant County’s early voting sites. Tarrant uses countywide vote centers, so if you’re registered in the county you can vote at any location, not just the one nearest you. On your ballot: Keller ISD’s five bond propositions totaling $828,107,815, plus three contested trustee races for Places 4, 5 and 6. The county has sample ballots, the full location list, a map and live wait times posted now, so you can see the exact proposition language before you go instead of reading it for the first time in the booth. If you want a mail ballot, your application has to be received by Friday, October 23.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Three big cases hit Council Tuesday night

The October 20 agenda is up, and it’s a heavy one. Providence, the 22-lot subdivision proposed on 20.93 acres of Keller ISD-owned land at 901 Johnson Road, gets its public hearing. So does 7 Brew Coffee at Keller Parkway and Pate Orr, with both a use permit and a site plan amendment. And Samantha Springs Commerce, the 31-brownstone project at 800 N. Main, comes back under Old Business, which tells you Council didn’t kill it on October 6 even though the minutes from that night still aren’t posted. There’s also a closed-session item about legal action on the Westlake data center. What’s still not on any agenda, eleven weeks after Council told staff to start drafting one, is Keller’s own data center moratorium.

26 houses proposed on Norma Lane

Planning and Zoning took up the Preserve at Willow Creek on Monday, a request to rezone 13.65 acres at 684 and 754 Norma Lane from SF-36 to a planned development with 26 lots and about 2.1 acres of open space. That’s a real density change on an established street. The commission’s written action hadn’t posted as of this morning, so there’s no recommendation to report yet, but it’s the kind of case that lands at Council within a month or two.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Still no word on the natatorium

Five weeks of asking and the district’s own pages still say the pool is closed until further notice. The last official language was “on track for an October reopening,” and October is more than half gone. The one hopeful sign is unofficial: Lakeside Aquatic Club, which runs lessons there, has scheduled natatorium sessions starting Monday, October 19 and says things “should be back to normal starting mid-October.” That’s the club’s expectation, not a district announcement, so don’t drive over there Monday without checking first. Proposition C on your ballot asks for another $8,867,510 for the natatorium’s filtration, dehumidifiers and HVAC.

The superintendent explains the bond Tuesday

The Keller Council of PTAs has “School Bonds 101” with Dr. Cory Wilson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 20 at the Education Center, 350 Keller Parkway. It’s day two of early voting, which makes it your last easy chance to ask questions before you vote. The district calendar also has a trustee candidate forum on Tuesday, October 27, before voting closes on the 30th.

The district needs 300 volunteers next week

Keller ISD’s career and technical education department is running mock interviews for high school seniors October 21 and 22 and is looking for about 300 business professionals to sit on the other side of the table. If you’ve ever wanted a concrete, two-hour way to help a kid who isn’t yours, that’s it.

🚧 ROADS

The eight streets were finished in August, and I got this wrong

Three weeks ago I told you the Tarrant County repaving of North Pearson, Willis, Roanoke Road, Cheyenne Trail, Judge Bland, Lucian, Oak Hill and Oak Trail was badly overdue and that nobody would say why, and I gave you the Public Works number. That was wrong. The work finished August 4, right on schedule, with Willis Lane between North Tarrant Parkway and Bursey Road the last piece, repaved and repainted before Indian Springs Middle School and the Keller Center for Advanced Learning started back. The city never posted a completion notice anywhere findable, which is why it looked abandoned from the outside. It wasn’t. My apologies to whoever called Public Works on my say-so.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

McAlister’s looks like 1241 Keller Parkway

Last week I flagged that the McAlister’s Deli announcement and the local coverage gave two different street numbers. The evidence now leans toward 1241 Keller Parkway, Suite 100, in The Shops at Keller Marketplace, the same center First Watch is going into. That matches the franchisee’s own listing. No city permit or certificate of occupancy confirms it yet, so treat it as the likely answer rather than the settled one. Opening is still early November.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Keller at Southlake Carroll
Friday, October 16, 7 p.m. at Dragon Stadium in Southlake. Keller is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in district after beating Byron Nelson 49-42 last Friday. It’s an away game, so this one’s a drive, and ticket prices are on Carroll’s site rather than KISD’s. Fall break didn’t stop football.

Keller Farmers Market: Soup & Bread Day
Saturday, October 17, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. The market lists the theme and nothing else about what it includes, so go for the market and let the soup be a surprise.

Looking ahead to next Friday and Saturday, the Keller Pointe has its Pumpkin Splash and Bear Creek Park has the Haunted Camp Out and Trash Bash. The city hasn’t posted 2026 times or prices for any of them yet, so if you want in, call Parks at 817-743-4050 early next week. School’s back Monday. That’s your Keller week. See you next Friday.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-10-9-to-10-15

Now hiring an urgent Shift Manager at Pizza Hut need to be at least 18 years old. 12584 North Beach Street and Timberland Boulevard. Minimum 4 days of work per week. Flexible schedule. Pay is $13-15/hr depending on experience. Contact 817-562-2644 or come in. 12584 N Beach St 76244

📌 THE BIG STORY

The natatorium is still closed, and it just cost Keller its biggest race weekend

The KISD Natatorium has not reopened. The race organizer posted it plainly: the pool “is closed for repairs and will not reopen until after our scheduled event date.” So Sunday’s Monster Triathlon, which has run for 21 years and draws more than 700 athletes, has been converted to a run-bike-run with no swim leg at all. Saturday’s kids race keeps its swim but moves it to The Keller Pointe on Rufe Snow, while the bike and run stay at the natatorium. Families racing Saturday now need two buildings. For everyone else, the number that matters is the calendar: the pool closed in mid-May, trustees approved $357,000 for new filters in June, the district said three to four months, and the latest district hiring notice now points to mid-October. That’s five months and counting for swim lessons, high school swim and dive, and the 600-plus swimmers of Lakeside Aquatic Club. One more thing worth knowing before you vote: Proposition C on the November ballot is the natatorium fix, about $8.9 million for filtration, dehumidifiers and HVAC.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Kroger pulled its own project and has to start over

At Kroger’s own request, Council tabled the permit for the new Marketplace at Keller Parkway and Rufe Snow on Tuesday. It won’t come back until December 1, and because the fuel center changed, the whole request has to go back through the Planning and Zoning Commission first. The current plan is a grocery store, a fuel station and a drive-thru pharmacy on about 17.58 acres, with two full-access driveways on Rufe Snow and two more on North Town Center Lane. If it’s eventually approved, the Kroger you shop at now, at 976 Keller Parkway, closes. Nothing is decided, and now nothing will be for another two months.

A nail spa, a dog boarder, and a new zoning category all cleared

Council approved Earth Nail Spa at 1637 Keller Parkway, Unit 200, a 2,675-square-foot shop with 16 manicure and 10 pedicure stations and about 20 employees. It also approved Pet Care Plus at 750 S. Main, Unit 110 in Bear Creek Plaza, in the old Well Groomed space, which adds overnight and short-term boarding rather than just grooming. That one’s useful to know with fall break starting Monday. Council also created a new “Community Facilities” zoning district, which covers schools, government property and similar uses, and which requires a specific use permit before the city or a school district can put in a stadium or athletic field.

The two you’ve been waiting on are up October 20

Providence and 7 Brew were not on Tuesday’s agenda after all. Both advanced out of Planning and Zoning on September 22 and both are now scheduled for City Council on October 20. Providence is 22 lots on 20.93 acres of KISD-owned land at 901 Johnson Road, with a gated private street and 28,000-square-foot minimum lots. 7 Brew would go in the old Quickway property at Keller Parkway and Pate Orr, with proposed hours of 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. most nights and 11 p.m. on weekends.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Your school board candidates don’t agree on the bond

The Fort Worth Report published a side-by-side look at where the seven trustee candidates stand, and they split on the $828 million package. Some back the whole thing. Place 5 candidate Andrew Walsh supports the athletics and natatorium propositions while opposing the two biggest ones. Incumbent Chris Coker, who voted against putting the bond on the ballot in August over its size, did not attend the forum, and neither did Place 4 candidate Geramie Parrish. The one thing every candidate agreed on was opposing any effort to split the district. Early voting starts October 19.

The superintendent is taking bond questions October 20

The Keller Council of PTAs has a “School Bonds 101” session with Dr. Cory Wilson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, in the Texas Rooms at the Education Center, 350 Keller Parkway. He’s explaining the five propositions and taking questions. That’s the day after early voting opens, which makes it the last easy chance to ask before you fill out a ballot.

What the bond money is actually for

If the number feels abstract, the Star-Telegram walked through the condition problems behind it this week: deteriorating concrete, roof leaks and classroom cooling that doesn’t keep up. That’s what Proposition A, the $756 million piece, is meant to address across 34 campuses. Worth reading before you decide, whichever way you’re leaning.

🚧 ROADS

US 377 is getting landscaped medians

Council awarded a $261,605.30 contract to Central North Construction on Tuesday for Green Ribbon landscaping and median work along US 377, with up to $400,000 in TxDOT reimbursement available. No start date or lane closure schedule has been posted yet. Expect crews in the medians on the main north-south route through town at some point, and expect it to look better when they’re done.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

McAlister’s Deli is opening in November

The franchisee says early November on Keller Parkway, with a drive-thru, an 1,800-square-foot dining room seating 48, and 65 to 75 employees. Fair warning on the address: the company’s own announcement and Community Impact’s story give two different street numbers, both on Keller Parkway, so wait for a sign before you drive somewhere specific.

Something sweet is coming to Bates Street

Ashley Stone Hernandez, who runs the 139 Olive event center, bought 128 and 136 Bates Street and is turning them into The Keller Depot. The plan includes converting the old Catherine Anne’s Books building into “The Jackson Cottage” for a dessert business. Construction was set to start right after the site hosted a National Night Out party on Tuesday, with completion estimated for late this year. This is the project the city backed with a façade grant and an incentive agreement in September.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Monster Kids Triathlon
Saturday, October 10, 7:30 a.m., ages 4 to 13, about $39. Read this part carefully: the swim is at The Keller Pointe, 405 Rufe Snow Drive, and the bike and run are at 1000 Bear Creek Parkway. Two addresses, one race. Distances go from a 25-yard swim for the 4 to 6 group up to 125 yards for the 11 to 13s. It’s untimed.

Monster Triathlon, now a run-bike-run
Sunday, October 11 at 1000 Bear Creek Parkway. Transition opens at 6:15 a.m., closes at 7:15, race starts at 7:30. No swim this year. The short option is a 2-mile run, 10-mile bike and 2-mile run; the longer one has a 14.5-mile bike. About $100 with fees. Costumes are encouraged and watching is free, which makes it a decent Sunday morning with kids. Packet pickup is Friday 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday noon to 4 p.m. at Bear Creek Running Co., 121 Rufe Snow Drive.

Keller Farmers Market
Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. No theme this week.

Tomorrow is a student holiday and the district is closed all next week for fall break.

That's your Keller week. See you next Friday.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-10-2-to-10-8

📌 THE BIG STORY

The restraining order is gone, but the lawsuit isn't

The Marshall Ridge lawsuit over the Westlake data center is still alive, even though the judge just lifted the order that had frozen the town's vote on it. Since August 17, a temporary restraining order had blocked Westlake from voting on the development agreement for the Circle T data center. On Friday, Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick dissolved that order, after chewing out attorneys on both sides for dumping roughly 1,000 pages of documents on her the night before the hearing. She didn't grant an injunction, didn't deny one, and didn't toss the case.

In practical terms, the court no longer stands in Westlake's way. The town could legally vote on the Circle T deal before the next hearing. It says it won't. Town spokesman Jon Sasser said Westlake will keep following Governor Abbott's directives on data centers, which currently have the state refusing to issue permits until ERCOT finishes its audit. So the project is still stalled, just by the state now instead of the court.

Plaintiff Linda Bjorn made a point of saying the case was not thrown out, and people shouldn't read it that way. The next hearing is October 23. Westlake expects the whole dispute to be settled that day. The plaintiffs' attorney says it won't be.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Roanoke confirms it's in talks to take over Westlake policing

Roanoke has now said publicly that it's working toward a possible police services partnership with Westlake, the job Keller has done since 2002. Roanoke's proposal covers dedicated patrol, dispatch, investigations, traffic enforcement, community programs and a school resource officer at Westlake Academy. Nobody has signed anything. Roanoke Mayor Carl "Scooter" Gierisch called it a potential partnership and the city's public engagement manager said no agreement has been reached. One detail that explains the timing of all this: Keller's contract requires two years' notice of non-renewal with an October 1 deadline, which is why Westlake's council acted when it did. Keller PD serves Westlake through September 30, 2028 either way.

Two weeks later, the zoning results still aren't posted

Planning & Zoning heard the Providence rezoning on 21 acres of KISD land at 901 Johnson Road and the 7 Brew drive-thru at 901 Keller Parkway on September 22. The city's records system still shows no posted outcome for either one. City Council meets Tuesday, October 6 at Town Hall, which is the next place either case could surface. Also on the October calendar: Zoning Board of Adjustment October 5, Parks Board October 8, P&Z October 13 and 27.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Your school tax rate isn't going up

Trustees voted unanimously September 24 to hold the KISD rate at $1.0852 per $100 of value, the same as the last two years. It splits into $0.7552 for day to day operations and $0.3300 for debt. The reason the rate held matters more than the number: Superintendent Cory Wilson said district property values dropped about $2 billion year over year, from roughly $23 billion to $21 billion, so a flat rate means less money coming in. CFO Pam Stranathan said raising the rate wouldn't have helped much anyway, because most of the extra would get recaptured by the state. The city's separate rate is $0.300417. Don't just add the two together to guess your bill, since the school district and the city use different homestead exemptions and different taxable values.

Fall break starts sooner than you think

Friday, October 9 is a student holiday for parent-teacher conferences, and the whole district is closed October 12 through 16. That's a full week plus a long weekend on the front end. If you need childcare or you've been thinking about a trip, that's nine days off starting a week from tomorrow.

Monday is the voter registration deadline

October 5 is the last day to register if you want a say on the $828 million bond and the three school board seats on the November 3 ballot. Early voting runs October 19 through 30. Three races are contested: Place 4, Place 5 and the Place 6 special election.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

Cafe Medi has closed

The Greek and Mediterranean spot at 129 E. Olive closed in September after 13 years in Old Town. A sign on the door points customers to the Hurst location on Grapevine Highway, which is still open. Manos and Theresa Moursi opened the Keller restaurant in 2013, built on his grandmother's recipes after he moved from Greece to North Texas in 1995. It had been one of the highest-rated restaurants in town.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Run in the Dark 5K and Fun Run
Saturday, October 3, 5 to 9 p.m. at Keller Town Hall, 1100 Bear Creek Parkway. The one-mile fun run goes off at 6:30 p.m. and is $25, which includes a kid zone wristband. The 5K is at 7:15 p.m. for $35. There's a fall market, food trucks, music and bounce houses around it, and it benefits Community Storehouse. Registration closes Saturday night.

Fall Craft Show and Market
Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Keller Senior Activities Center, 640 Johnson Road, Building C. Free to get in, free parking. Indoor, which matters if the weather turns.

Keller Farmers Market
Saturday, October 3, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. No theme this week.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-9-25-to-10-01

Found a short locally-produced documentary of Keller from 1971 on the Internet Archive.

The narrator says that the city has always been "stolidly progressive." (Start watching at the 2:05 mark):

“The civic climate of Keller has been traditionally calm yet stolidly progressive. Because of this civic attitude, the years have produced a well-balanced community, and one of the finest school districts in the state, if not the nation.”

I had to rewind to make sure I heard it right, because none of that describes the Keller I know today.

📌 THE BIG STORY

Your city bills change in one week

Council approved a $111.8 million budget for the fiscal year that starts October 1, about $582,000 more than this year. The property tax rate goes to $0.300417 per $100 of valuation, up from $0.28700. It's still below the no new revenue rate, and on an average home the city's share of your tax bill works out to roughly $1,381, up about $7 for the year. The bigger hit is water: city water costs rise 4.75 percent and water and wastewater fees rise 3.5 percent. If you use 14,000 gallons, expect about $93.44 a year on water, up $4.29. The budget funds 15 capital projects, including a $2.6 million replacement of the 40-year-old Alta Vista water line, street reconstruction, sidewalk repairs, a new playground and restrooms at Johnson Road Park, and turf replacement.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Keller has a $1.3 million hole to fill after the Westlake split

Westlake paid Keller $1.31 million for police services this fiscal year, and next year's budget had it at $1.38 million. That revenue goes away when the contract ends in 2028. Keller's interim communications manager Randall White told the Star-Telegram the city has already started working out how to cover it, and that Keller knew Westlake had put the service out for bid, so the possibility wasn't a surprise even if the decision was. One nuance worth knowing: a Westlake council member wrote afterward that he sat on a committee that interviewed both police departments over several months and called it a tough decision, which is a different story than pure retaliation over the data center. Roanoke's council went into closed session Tuesday on the Westlake police question, and Roanoke has submitted a proposal.

The state just froze data center permits, and the Keller case is in court tomorrow

Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Monday to stop issuing permits for data centers statewide until ERCOT and the Texas Water Development Board finish auditing more than 400 of them. TCEQ has paused all air and water permits tied to data center infrastructure and has to report back by October 19. ERCOT expects to finish its audit in December. This is a state action, separate from both the Marshall Ridge lawsuit and Keller's own proposed moratorium, and nobody has said publicly whether it touches Circle T specifically. The injunction hearing in the 342nd District Court is still set for Friday, September 25.

Tuesday's zoning results still aren't posted

Planning & Zoning heard the Providence rezoning at 901 Johnson Road and the 7 Brew drive-thru at 901 Keller Parkway on Tuesday night. As of this morning the city's records system still lists the agenda, minutes and video for that meeting as not available, so there is no official recommendation to report on either one. Both still go to City Council after P&Z, and Council meets the first and third Tuesdays.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Three intermediate schools close at the end of this school year

Bear Creek, Parkwood Hill and Trinity Meadows close when this year ends. Trustees voted on it back in May, but the clock is now running and Community Impact laid out the current numbers this week: enrollment is down 18.3 percent since 2021-22, and Keller issued 37 housing permits through July 30 compared with 100 in 2019. Elementary schools move to pre-K through fifth and middle schools to sixth through eighth for 2027-28, and feeder patterns shift with them. The district says it saves about $3 million a year. It also says it has not decided what happens to the three buildings.

The school tax rate vote is tonight

Trustees meet at 5 p.m. at the Education Center, 350 Keller Parkway, with a public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 tax rate and a vote on the rate resolution both on the agenda. That's the KISD share of your property tax bill, which is the larger share. This goes out before the meeting, so the result isn't in here.

The bond oversight committee is not on tonight's agenda

Applications for the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee closed September 16. The board has not formally created the committee, has not named anyone to it, and there is no agenda item to do either one tonight. With $828 million on the ballot in November, that's worth tracking. October's regular board meeting has moved from October 22 to October 29.

🚧 ROADS

Eight streets are seven weeks past due and nobody has said why

The Tarrant County repaving partnership covering North Pearson, Willis, Roanoke Road, Cheyenne Trail, Judge Bland, Lucian, Oak Hill and Oak Trail was supposed to wrap up in August. There is no completion notice, no revised schedule and no explanation from the city or the county. Four separate research passes this week came up empty on Commissioners Court agendas and Precinct 3. If you live on one of those streets and want a real answer, Keller Public Works is at 817-743-4080. If you get one, send it to me and I'll run it.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

Eagle Tavern keeps its pool tables, but only two

After a month of this sitting unresolved, the city's September 1 meeting minutes show Council approved the indoor entertainment permit for Eagle Tavern at 721 Keller Parkway as Ordinance 2293, with a condition capping the bar at two pool tables. The permit was the thing standing between the bar and its tables, since the tables themselves are what triggered the requirement. Planning & Zoning had recommended denial in August, so Council went the other way with a limit attached.

Something is coming to Bates Street, but nobody's said what

Council approved a $10,000 façade grant for 128 Bates Street and a separate Keller Depot incentive agreement covering 128 and 136 Bates, reimbursing up to $61,740 for the first phase of work. That phase includes public restrooms at 128 Bates and a commercial grease trap at 136 Bates, and the grease trap money only gets paid out once the owner signs a lease with a food or coffee tenant. Later phases in the application describe pop-up vendors, food trucks and communal seating, but those are concepts, not approvals. No tenant has been named.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Kiwanis Butterfly Festival
Saturday, September 26 at 9 a.m. through Sunday, September 27 at 5 p.m. at the Keller Lions Den, 532 Keller Parkway. It moved here from Southlake this year. There's a 600-square-foot tent with hundreds of butterflies, kids feed them watermelon, and they're released Sunday at 5 p.m. A ticket is good for one entry on either day. Check the current price on Eventbrite, because the Kiwanis club's own page still shows old pricing.

Keller Farmers Market
Saturday, September 26, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. No theme this week, just the regular market.

Family Karaoke Night
Sunday, September 27 at 7 p.m. at Hollywood's Pour Shack, 250 S. Main. The venue moved the start from 8 to 7 now that school is back, says teenagers sing, and specifically invites people to bring the young ones. No cover amount is listed, so ask when you get there.

That's your Keller week. See you next Friday.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-9-18-to-9-24

📌 THE BIG STORY

Westlake is ending its police contract with Keller

The Westlake Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday not to renew its police services agreement with the City of Keller, ending a partnership that started in 2002. Keller PD has handled patrol, dispatch, detention, animal services and school resource officers at Westlake Academy for 24 years. Nothing changes right away: the current contract runs through September 30, 2028, and Keller police confirmed officers will keep answering calls and working Westlake Academy until then. Westlake Mayor Kim Greaves said the town is "extremely grateful for the service that Chief Brad Fortune and the entire Keller Police Department has provided to Westlake for more than two decades." Keller Mayor Ross McMullin said he was disappointed and tied it directly to the data center fight, saying he had hoped the two cities could move past the political rhetoric. The practical question for Keller households is what a lost service contract does to police department revenue and staffing when it sunsets, and nobody has put a number on that yet.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

KISD wants to turn 21 acres next to Keller High into houses

The city posted notice Monday of a rezoning request for Providence, a 20.93-acre planned development at 901 Johnson Road. The land is legally part of the Keller High School subdivision and the owner listed on the application is Keller ISD. The request would drop the minimum lot size from 36,000 square feet to 25,000 and amend the city's land use plan from semi-public and low-density to medium-density single family. In plain terms: the district is asking to convert school-owned land into a neighborhood with smaller lots, while it also asks you for $828 million in November. The Planning & Zoning hearing is Tuesday, September 22 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, and it's open for public comment.

Still no ruling on the data center, and there's a new court date

The judge has now extended the restraining order against Westlake twice to keep studying the evidence, and the next hearing is set for Friday, September 25. Westlake still cannot vote on the development agreement. The agreement was not on Westlake's agenda Tuesday. That makes the 25th the third scheduled court date on this since August, which is worth keeping in mind before anyone treats a hearing date as a decision date.

A 7 Brew drive-thru is proposed at the high school corner

Same hearing Tuesday night: a specific use permit for a 7 Brew Coffee drive-thru on 1.11 acres at Keller Parkway and North Pate Orr Road, at 901 Keller Parkway. If you drive that intersection at 7:40 a.m., the stacking lane is the part worth showing up about.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Five KISD seniors made National Merit semifinalist

Five Keller ISD seniors were named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, and that is the district-wide total, not one campus's count. Semifinalists are roughly the top one percent of seniors nationally, based on the PSAT they took junior year. Worth noting the number is down from 11 last year and 13 the year before. The district's announcement has the names.

The bond watchdog committee is forming, and the window just closed

Keller ISD took applications through Wednesday from parents, guardians and residents who want a seat on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, the group that would track whether bond money actually goes where the propositions say. The board has not formally chartered the committee yet, so nobody is appointed. The next regular board meeting is September 24, which is when to watch for the roster.

Grade check is tomorrow

Friday, September 18 is the six-week grade check for UIL eligibility. If your kid plays a sport, marches, sings or competes in anything UIL sanctioned, today is the last useful day to find out where they actually stand.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

Luna Loco is open, but not fully

Luna Loco at 228 S. Main Street opened back in August and has been running a limited menu since. The owners told Community Impact this week they expect to be on the full menu by October 20. Good to know before you build a dinner plan around something specific.

WORTH EATING: chicken fried steak at Pour Shack, $14

Hollywood's Pour Shack at 250 S. Main lists chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed vegetables for $14. That's a full plate with sides for the price of a fast-casual bowl, and it's a five-minute walk from the rest of Old Town if you want to make an evening of it.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Keller High Theatre presents "It Will All Work Out"
Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m., Saturday, September 19 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m. at the KHS Fine Arts Center, 601 Pate Orr Road North. General admission runs about $10. Student theatre, in your neighborhood, for less than a movie ticket.

Keller Farmers Market: Family Fun Farm Day
Saturday, September 19, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. The market has this one on its schedule as Family Fun Farm Day, though it hasn't published what that actually includes, so go for the market and treat the extras as a bonus.

KizArt at the library
Friday, September 18, 5 to 6 p.m. at Keller Public Library, 640 Johnson Road. Free. A student-led mini art lesson. Heads up on the age: the program description says all ages, but the library's calendar categorizes it for ages 6 to 11, so it's better suited to elementary kids than toddlers or teens.

That's your Keller week. See you next Friday.

📌 THE BIG STORY

Kroger is moving across the intersection, and the old store closes

The Planning & Zoning Commission voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve a permit for a roughly 100,000 square foot Kroger Marketplace with a gas station at 1025 Keller Parkway, the northeast corner of Keller Parkway and Rufe Snow behind the CVS. This answers the question the city's notice left open two weeks ago: it's a move, not a second store. Kroger's presentation says the 34-year-old store at 976 Keller Parkway on the southwest corner would close. "It's cheaper to build a brand new store," said John Votava, Kroger's director of corporate affairs, on why they aren't just renovating. Commissioners Erin Pfarner and Michelle Sandoval Cabanas voted no, and both the public comment and the commission discussion ran long on traffic, since the site sits across from Keller High School and the KISD Athletic Complex. The other thing people asked about is what happens to the building Kroger leaves behind. Resident Nathaniel Dunning pointed at the Big Lots space that's been empty since early 2025 as the cautionary tale. Kroger senior construction manager Craig Winkler said the company owns the property and "it's not in our interests to have an empty building sitting there." City Council takes it up October 6. Nothing is final until then.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

31 brownstones on North Main cleared unanimously

The same night, the commission unanimously recommended the Samantha Springs Commerce rezoning at 800 N. Main Street, turning 15.63 acres into a mixed-use planned development with 31 brownstone homes plus commercial space. Three existing buildings stay and get reused: the Shannon Brewing Company building, closed since 2023 and slated for a new brewery tenant, the Harvest Christian Center Church, and the old Samantha Springs water bottling plant. That's a rarer outcome than it sounds, since the easy version of this project would have scraped all three. It goes to Council October 6 alongside Kroger.

Still no ruling on the data center

Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick held the injunction hearing Tuesday morning in the 342nd District Court. As of today, no ruling has been posted to the court record, reported by any newsroom, or acknowledged by Keller or Westlake. That means we still don't know whether the block on Westlake's development agreement continues or lifts. Do not read anything into the September 8 date passing. Westlake's council next meets September 15, which is the first realistic moment the agreement could come back if the restraint is gone.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

Five campuses moved up a letter grade, two of them dramatically

The district's board recap confirms five KISD schools advanced at least one letter grade in the state accountability ratings. Caprock Elementary went from a C to an A. North Riverside Elementary went from a D to an A, which the district called an unprecedented jump. The district's preliminary FIRST financial rating also moved from a C to a B. If you're zoned to Caprock or North Riverside, that's a real change in the number that shows up on every real estate listing in your neighborhood.

$2.69 million of your school taxes is going to Austin

Trustees approved an agreement to buy attendance credits totaling $2,690,591, which is Keller ISD's recapture payment back to the state under the school finance formula people call Robin Hood. That money is collected from Keller property owners and sent elsewhere. It's worth knowing that number is sitting there while the district asks for $828 million in November.

The district wants to hear from you about online school

Keller ISD says it's launching a virtual and in-person hybrid program for the 2027-28 school year and is collecting family feedback and interest now, with a deadline reported as Friday, September 18. Filling out the survey doesn't commit your kid to anything. Worth noting the district says families would handle transportation for the in-person days, which is the detail that decides whether this works for most households.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

Red Pepper Wok is finally open

After a summer of permitting delays that pushed it about six weeks past its original late-July target, Red Pepper Wok Chinese Kitchen opened September 6 at 1411 Keller Parkway, Suite 300, in the old Buffalo Wild Wings "Go" space at Keller Marketplace. The menu runs to Red Panda wings, Hawaiian honey chicken, bulgogi and family meals sized for two to six people, with gluten-free and vegan options listed. We've been holding this one for four weeks waiting on a source that wasn't the restaurant's own Instagram. It's open.

WORTH EATING: the chicken Parmesan pasta at DeVivo Bros.

New section, no news hook required. DeVivo Bros. Eatery at 750 S. Main Street, Suite 165 lists chicken Parmesan pasta at $16.50 for dinner, crispy chicken over spaghetti in house marinara with mozzarella, Parmesan and basil. It's the kind of thing that survives the drive home, they do pickup ordering, and there's a kids menu for the child who will only eat buttered noodles.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Doggie Dunk at The Keller Pointe Saturday, September 12 at 405 Rufe Snow Drive. $12 per dog in advance, $15 the day of if there's room. Sessions run by dog weight: under 35 pounds at 9 a.m., 36 to 59 pounds at 10:15 and 11:30, 60 pounds and up at 12:45 and 2. Each session has a best-dressed contest. It's the last swim of the season before the outdoor pool closes.

Keller Farmers MarketSaturday, September 12, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. Produce, meat, bread and crafts, and the playground is right there.

A WWII veteran is speaking at the library Saturday, September 12, 10 a.m. to noon at Keller Public Library, 640 Johnson Road. Don Graves, who fought at Iwo Jima, is talking about his experience. No registration required. The library's calendar tags this one as adult 19 and up while the description says general audiences, so call ahead at 817-743-4800 if you want to bring a teenager who'd get something out of it.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-9-06-9-13

📌 THE BIG STORY

Kroger is asking the city for a 100,000 square foot store with gas pumps

Kroger Texas LP has filed for a specific use permit covering an approximately 99,992 square foot grocery store with fuel pumps, outdoor display and seasonal sales on 16.3 acres at 1025 Keller Parkway, at the northeast corner of Town Center Lane and Keller Parkway. The hearing is Tuesday, September 8 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Town Hall. The city's notice doesn't say whether this replaces or expands the Kroger already sitting on that corner, which is the question worth asking if you show up. Fuel pumps at that intersection would change traffic on an already busy stretch of Keller Parkway.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Still no ruling on the data center, and the clock runs out Tuesday

Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick was expected to rule this week on whether to keep blocking Westlake from approving the Circle T data center agreement. She hasn't. The order she extended after the August 26 hearing runs through September 8, which is next Tuesday, so as of today nothing is approved and no dirt can move. The lawsuit from the Lakes at Marshall Ridge HOA argues Westlake's site plan leaves out the 150-foot setback and landscaped buffer its own zoning ordinance requires, and points to a December 2024 amendment that nearly doubled the allowed building height from 45 feet to 80. If the judge lifts the order, the agreement goes straight back to the Westlake Town Council. If she grants the injunction, this stays frozen through the litigation. Either way you should know by the middle of next week.

31 brownstones proposed on North Main

The same night, the commission takes up Samantha Springs Commerce, a request to rezone 15.63 acres at 800 N. Main Street from Commercial and Light Industrial to a mixed-use planned development. The plan is 31 brownstone units, about 8.19 acres of non-residential development and about 3.27 acres of open space, on the east side of North Main roughly a quarter mile northeast of Johnson Road. It also needs a Future Land Use Plan amendment, which means the city would be formally changing what it says that land is for. Applicant is Catalyst Commercial; the owner is Joe McCombs.

Four more hearings that same night

The September 8 agenda has six items total. Also up: a new "Community Facilities" zoning district being added to the city's development code, a dog grooming and boarding shop called Pet Care Plus going into 2,088 square feet at Bear Creek Plaza, 750 S. Main Street, and Earth Nail Spa at 1637 Keller Parkway. That's the biggest single planning agenda Keller has posted in months, and all of it is open to public comment.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

The district bought the land under the natatorium

Trustees approved the resolution on August 27, authorizing Keller ISD to buy the property at 1000 Bear Creek Parkway from the City of Keller for up to $675,000 plus closing costs. The district built the natatorium on city-owned ground years ago under an arrangement that had since run out, so this settles who actually owns the dirt. The pool has been closed since May with a repair bill over $2 million, and the district says repairs are still on track for an October reopening. KISD did not publish a vote count on this one, so if a trustee dissented we don't know it yet.

A Place 4 candidate has dropped out

Keller ISD's elections page now lists Jessica Zafiriou as withdrawn from the Place 4 race, leaving Rachel Weatherington and Geramie Parrish. Place 5 is still a three-way between Andrew Walsh, Chris Coker and Colin Hodges, and Place 6 is still Barbara Brewer against Tommie Johnson. The district doesn't post a withdrawal date, so we can't say when it happened, only that the official list reflects it now. Register to vote by October 5; early voting is October 19 through 30.

The bond oversight committee got talked about, not created

Trustees discussed setting up a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee before the November election so it could start work the moment a bond passes, but they took no vote to establish it. If you were counting on independent eyes on $828 million, that structure does not exist yet. Worth watching at the next regular meeting on September 24.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Keller Farmers Market Saturday, September 5, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. Produce, meat, bread and crafts, and it's the easiest thing to do with kids on a long weekend morning.

Keller Writers' Association Saturday, September 5, 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. at Keller Public Library, 640 Johnson Road. Free, open to adults and teens. Bring pages if you have them, or just sit in.

Enjoy the long weekend. Keller ISD is closed Monday for Labor Day. See you next Friday.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-8-30-9-05

Hi,

My family is moving to Keller next month. Where can my wife bring our 2yr old to play that’s not directly in the sun? Anything indoors?

$521 here. We are with AE Texas via Energy Ogre.

REJECT THE BILLIONAIRES. VOTE IN EVERY LOCAL ELECTION.

Signup to speak against cutting voting locations in the Sept 1 commissioners court meeting. Tell your boss you have a dr appointment!!

https://horizon.agendalink.app/engage/tarrantcountytx/6a67969b79ac7fc0c5eaad7b

Commissioners were ready to cut nearly half of voting locations last time, but everyone showed up in opposition.

https://christackett.substack.com/p/tarrant-county-was-poised-to-cut

Even though a lot of the individual cut sites were smaller, together those cut sites still accounted for almost 40% of everyone who voted on Election Day in 2022. That’s not a rounding error. That’s a huge percentage of the county’s Election Day voters whose specific polling place no longer exists.

If anyone witnessed a road rage incident on 8/27 around 5:15 pm where a middle aged white guy in a silver Subaru SUV flashed a gun at my 16 y.o daughter in her gold equinox could you please DM me? She wasn’t able to get his plates.

📌 THE BIG STORY

A judge stopped the Westlake data center vote with an hour to spare

Monday at 3:01 p.m., about an hour before Westlake's council was set to vote, a Tarrant County judge signed a temporary restraining order barring the town from voting on or acting on the development agreement for the Circle T data center. The order came out of a lawsuit filed by the Lakes at Marshall Ridge Homeowners Association and two residents, who argue Westlake never gave legally required public notice on the earlier zoning action that made this project possible. Westlake held the meeting anyway, sat through hours of public comment, went into closed session, then voted unanimously to table the whole thing until after court. The next date that matters is Wednesday, August 26 at 10 a.m., when the judge hears the request for a temporary injunction. For scale, this is four buildings totaling 1.1 million square feet, roughly 500 feet from the backyards of Marshall Ridge homes.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Keller police are joining Fort Worth's regional crime center

Council voted Tuesday to put Keller PD into TRIDENT, a multi-agency real-time crime and data-sharing center run by Fort Worth. Keller joins 14 other police departments and the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, and will contribute one detective plus crash data, video and license plate reader information. Chief Brad Fortune's pitch was a road rage shooting where Fort Worth used plate readers from several cities to find the car in 15 minutes and make an arrest within an hour.

The Mt. Gilead roundabout is getting a sculpture, eventually

Three artists pitched council on a piece for the new roundabout at Mt. Gilead and Bourland, ranging from a $6,750 set of red flowers to a $31,500 blue heron that would have to be built from scratch. Council sent staff back for more options after Mayor Ross McMullin said he wanted something with an actual Keller connection, naming the water tower and the railroad. It comes out of development fees, not your tax bill.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

The bond is $828 million, and it's five separate questions

Trustees voted 5-1 on August 13 to put an $828 million bond on the November 3 ballot, broken into five propositions you vote on individually. Prop A is the big one at $756.3 million for roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and safety systems across 34 campuses plus a partial rebuild of Keller Middle School. The rest: $28 million for student and staff devices, $8.87 million to fix the natatorium so it can reopen, $11 million for the athletic complex and Keller High field house, and $23.9 million to put turf on middle school and high school baseball and softball fields. KISD says none of it raises the current tax rate. Trustee Chris Coker cast the lone no vote, saying he doesn't think the community will support a number that big. Register to vote by October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30.

Your November ballot is set, and all three board races are contested

Filing closed Monday for Places 4 and 5 and Thursday for the Place 6 special election, and every seat drew multiple candidates. Place 4: Rachel Weatherington, Geramie Parrish and Jessica Zafiriou. Place 5: Andrew Walsh, Chris Coker and Colin Hodges. Place 6: Barbara Brewer and Tommie Johnson. Same ballot as the bond, so you're picking the people who'd oversee that money on the same trip to the polls.

KISD held its B rating from the state

The Texas Education Agency released 2025-26 accountability ratings on August 15, and Keller ISD stayed at a B. Statewide, 85 percent of campuses landed at C or higher. The ratings lean heavily on STAAR results, so treat it as one data point rather than the whole picture of your kid's campus.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

The city just cut a deal to help build HOPS in Old Town

Council approved a Chapter 380 incentive agreement Tuesday for HOPS Kitchen + Bar, the Chinese steakhouse going up at 200 Keller Parkway from the owners of HUSH. It's performance-based, ranging from $23,857 to $39,762 over the first four years, meaning the city pays out only if the restaurant hits its numbers. The city projects $2.16 million in first-year sales, which is the same projection HUSH got before it did $3.75 million. Opening is still targeted for 2027.

Gyro360 is not coming to Keller after all

Owner Pete Ahmeti confirmed by email Tuesday that he's scrapped plans for the Keller location. The Mediterranean spot had been announced back in December for Keller Commons, the new multi-tenant building on Keller Parkway anchored by Glo Tanning. If you'd been waiting on those gyro bowls, the nearest one is still Flower Mound.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Keller Farmers Market Saturday, August 22, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. Texas produce, meat, tamales and baked goods, with the playground and trails right there when the kids are done shopping.

Typewriter Type-In at the library Saturday, August 22, 10 a.m. at the Keller Public Library Annex, 640 Johnson Road. Free, all ages. Charles Bartlett Justice brings in a collection of working vintage typewriters and lets people bang away on them. Weirdly great for kids who have never touched one.

Last day for football season tickets Saturday, August 22 is the cutoff on Brushfire. Bundles run $24 to $42 depending on how many games your school plays at the Athletic Complex, all general admission, first come first served. Single game tickets open Sunday at 8 a.m. and cost more across a full season. First home games are Friday, August 29.

That's your Keller week. See you next Friday.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/p/the-keller-weekly-8-23-8-29

If anyone witnessed a road rage incident by the Perry’s in grapevine where a middle aged white man in a silver Subaru SUV flashed a gun at my 16 yo daughter in a gold equinox around 5:15 pm 8/27 could you please DM me? She was too shook to get his plates. TYIA

Considering moving to Keller, $700-1m price range. We have two kids. Want a good community with lots of families and kids. Looking for a larger neighborhood with walkability to parks and elementary if we can. Typically like older neighborhoods cause of the trees and bigger lots but open to new construction-ish homes as well. Our hobbies are college football, kids sports, mahjong, and golf. Where are our people at?😂

📌 THE BIG STORY

A judge stopped the Westlake data center vote with an hour to spare

Monday at 3:01 p.m., about an hour before Westlake's council was set to vote, a Tarrant County judge signed a temporary restraining order barring the town from voting on or acting on the development agreement for the Circle T data center. The order came out of a lawsuit filed by the Lakes at Marshall Ridge Homeowners Association and two residents, who argue Westlake never gave legally required public notice on the earlier zoning action that made this project possible. Westlake held the meeting anyway, sat through hours of public comment, went into closed session, then voted unanimously to table the whole thing until after court. The next date that matters is Wednesday, August 26 at 10 a.m., when the judge hears the request for a temporary injunction. For scale, this is four buildings totaling 1.1 million square feet, roughly 500 feet from the backyards of Marshall Ridge homes.

🏗️ WHAT'S GETTING BUILT

Keller police are joining Fort Worth's regional crime center

Council voted Tuesday to put Keller PD into TRIDENT, a multi-agency real-time crime and data-sharing center run by Fort Worth. Keller joins 14 other police departments and the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, and will contribute one detective plus crash data, video and license plate reader information. Chief Brad Fortune's pitch was a road rage shooting where Fort Worth used plate readers from several cities to find the car in 15 minutes and make an arrest within an hour.

The Mt. Gilead roundabout is getting a sculpture, eventually

Three artists pitched council on a piece for the new roundabout at Mt. Gilead and Bourland, ranging from a $6,750 set of red flowers to a $31,500 blue heron that would have to be built from scratch. Council sent staff back for more options after Mayor Ross McMullin said he wanted something with an actual Keller connection, naming the water tower and the railroad. It comes out of development fees, not your tax bill.

🎒 SCHOOLS & KISD

The bond is $828 million, and it's five separate questions

Trustees voted 5-1 on August 13 to put an $828 million bond on the November 3 ballot, broken into five propositions you vote on individually. Prop A is the big one at $756.3 million for roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and safety systems across 34 campuses plus a partial rebuild of Keller Middle School. The rest: $28 million for student and staff devices, $8.87 million to fix the natatorium so it can reopen, $11 million for the athletic complex and Keller High field house, and $23.9 million to put turf on middle school and high school baseball and softball fields. KISD says none of it raises the current tax rate. Trustee Chris Coker cast the lone no vote, saying he doesn't think the community will support a number that big. Register to vote by October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30.

Your November ballot is set, and all three board races are contested

Filing closed Monday for Places 4 and 5 and Thursday for the Place 6 special election, and every seat drew multiple candidates. Place 4: Rachel Weatherington, Geramie Parrish and Jessica Zafiriou. Place 5: Andrew Walsh, Chris Coker and Colin Hodges. Place 6: Barbara Brewer and Tommie Johnson. Same ballot as the bond, so you're picking the people who'd oversee that money on the same trip to the polls.

KISD held its B rating from the state

The Texas Education Agency released 2025-26 accountability ratings on August 15, and Keller ISD stayed at a B. Statewide, 85 percent of campuses landed at C or higher. The ratings lean heavily on STAAR results, so treat it as one data point rather than the whole picture of your kid's campus.

🍔 FOOD & EATS

The city just cut a deal to help build HOPS in Old Town

Council approved a Chapter 380 incentive agreement Tuesday for HOPS Kitchen + Bar, the Chinese steakhouse going up at 200 Keller Parkway from the owners of HUSH. It's performance-based, ranging from $23,857 to $39,762 over the first four years, meaning the city pays out only if the restaurant hits its numbers. The city projects $2.16 million in first-year sales, which is the same projection HUSH got before it did $3.75 million. Opening is still targeted for 2027.

Gyro360 is not coming to Keller after all

Owner Pete Ahmeti confirmed by email Tuesday that he's scrapped plans for the Keller location. The Mediterranean spot had been announced back in December for Keller Commons, the new multi-tenant building on Keller Parkway anchored by Glo Tanning. If you'd been waiting on those gyro bowls, the nearest one is still Flower Mound.

🎉 THIS WEEKEND

Keller Farmers Market Saturday, August 22, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. Texas produce, meat, tamales and baked goods, with the playground and trails right there when the kids are done shopping.

Typewriter Type-In at the library Saturday, August 22, 10 a.m. at the Keller Public Library Annex, 640 Johnson Road. Free, all ages. Charles Bartlett Justice brings in a collection of working vintage typewriters and lets people bang away on them. Weirdly great for kids who have never touched one.

Last day for football season tickets Saturday, August 22 is the cutoff on Brushfire. Bundles run $24 to $42 depending on how many games your school plays at the Athletic Complex, all general admission, first come first served. Single game tickets open Sunday at 8 a.m. and cost more across a full season. First home games are Friday, August 29.

Full disclosure: I live in Keller (off of 377), and this is a newsletter I do every week for us.

https://news.thekellerweekly.com/