Winter Storm News

Dallas ISD to shut down for 2 days and more winter storm cancellations

Winter storms are on the way.

Dallas-Fort Worth is expected to get a big winter storm starting January 8, and the cancellations and postponements are beginning to roll in — including Dallas Independent School District, which is shutting down for two days.

According to a DISD statement, "After careful consideration for anticipated road conditions and extreme temperatures, all Dallas ISD schools and offices will be closed Thursday, January 9 and Friday, January 10."

After-school activities and athletic events for those two days are also canceled, and details will be shared when activities will resume. More information will be provided later if makeup days are needed.

Other cancellations and postponements include:

SCHOOLS

Every school district is closed on Thursday; some are also closed on Friday. Including: Allen, Anna, Arlington, Haltom City, Burleson, Southlake Carroll, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Cedar Hill, Celina, Coppell, Decatur, Desoto, Duncanville, Fort Worth Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, Everman, Forney, Frisco, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Highland Park, Bedford Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Irving , Keller, Kennedale, Lake Worth, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Little Elm , Mansfield, McKinney, Melissa, Mesquite, Plano, Princeton, Red Oak, Royse City, Sanger, Sunnyvale, Wylie, plus college campuses such as Collin College,TCU, Texas Wesleyan University, Weatherford College.

CITY SERVICES

Most city offices are closed. Exceptions include brave Irving, which will be open as usual unless weather forces a closure.

Dallas Animal Services will be closed on Thursday, January 9
Dallas' animal shelter will be closed, due to the anticipated inclement weather but will reopen on Friday, January 10 at 12 pm, weather permitting. Their Animal Services Officers will continue to operate 24/7. If you see an owned pet left in the cold with no access to shelter, call 311. Their priority will be weather-related calls. Their adoption lobby will be closed: however, staff will be working to process online adoptions. Feel free to submit adoption applications on Thursday. Intake will be closed to owner surrenders. However, they will still accept intakes of sick or injured strays only that need immediate attention, from 11 am-5 pm. Owner surrenders should make an appointment online at BeDallas90.org/rehome, and healthy strays should not be brought into the shelter until Friday, January 10.

If you find a healthy, friendly stray animal from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening, bring them inside if possible, and provide them shelter until Friday, January 10. Be sure to keep them isolated from other pets. Animal care staff will be on-site to care for our animals and medical staff will be on-site to provide critical care for sick and injured pets in the shelter.

Operation Kindness closed for one day
With the incoming winter weather, Operation Kindness has made the decision to close to the public on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The North Texas animal non-profit will still have a small crew of dedicated team members onsite staying overnight to ensure all pets are taking care of.

STORES

Tom Thumb possible temporary closure
According to a spokesperson, the Tom Thumb supermarket chain may close stores on Thursday, January 9, depending on how heavy the storm is. An employee said that they were on standby, and that shoppers should call on Thursday before coming in to the stores.

ARTS

Fort Worth Museum of Science & History
The Fort Worth Museum of Science & History will be closed on both January 9 and 10.

The Kimbell Art Museum
Fort Worth museum will be closed January 9-10, due to anticipated inclement weather. In addition to regular museum hours, the closure affects the Friday Evening Lecture, which will be rescheduled, Happy Hour in the Kimbell Café, and the museum’s schedule of Friday evening public tours. The museum expects to open Saturday and resume all scheduled programming. The Kimbell Art Museum follows Fort Worth Independent School District when determining closures due to weather.

Nasher Sculpture Center
The Nasher will be closed on both January 9 and 10. If tickets were purchased in advance, they will exchange the ticket for a later date. If a guest is unable to visit the Nasher at a later date, they will refund the cost of the tickets. Guests can visit the Nasher website for more ticketing information or contact Isabel Lee-Rosson at ileerosson@nashersculpturecenter.org.

Artstillery Immersive Production Opening postponed
Due to uncertain weather, Artstillery Immersive Production's opening of "Welcome Mat 2 - People 0" at Fair Park's Embarcadero Building — originally scheduled for Friday January 10 — will be moved to Saturday, January 11 at 7:30 pm. They will be adding additional performances shortly and will share that once they have established the date and time.

Galleria Dallas meet & greet is postponed
Galleria Dallas is celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Stewpot, a Dallas-based mission of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, with displays on the shopping center’s Gallery Wall and Art Window. With the expected inclement weather, the meet and greet with artists from the Stewpot Art Program and Dallas Street Choir performance scheduled for Saturday, January 11 has been postponed to Saturday, January 18 from 1-3 pm at Galleria Dallas near the Gallery Wall, on Level 1 near Sephora. A scheduled volunteer activity hosted by The Stewpot on Level 3 near the Play Place will take place at the same time.

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Downtown News

Dallas City Council awards $47 million in convention center contracts

Courtesy photo

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The Dallas Convention Center took another step towards its big makeover. According to a release, the Dallas City Council has awarded more than $47 million to two contractors who will be working on the renovation, as follows:

$25,137,244 million to Gensler, an architectural and engineering design firm, for the renovation and reconstruction of the Dallas Memorial Auditorium (Arena) – Component Three. Memorial Auditorium will be the future home for the WNBA Dallas Wings.
$22,261,116 million to KAI/Alliance, LC (dba KAI Design), for Component Four: renovation and reconstruction of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), an arts organization featuring the works of African-American artists. KAI will join the TBAAL project management team led by Dikita Enterprises, Inc. as the Architecture and Engineer.

The Dallas City Council has already awarded more than $187 million in contracts for construction projects that include the Convention Center Expansion West of Lamar (Component 1); building the foundations for three deck caps, as well as the capping and foundation of the Lamar crossing; and the renovation of Pioneer Plaza and Cemetery.

There are seven components total.

The new KBHCCD expansion plans include 800,000 square feet of Exhibit Hall space, 170,000 square feet of Ballroom space, a 100,000-square-foot ballroom, 100,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 2,000 parking spaces.

"The City Council continues to provide an unwavering commitment to realize the Convention Center district’s vision as a destination powering the Dallas economy,” says Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert in a statement. “We are thrilled that both of these firms are Dallas-based and will connect communities through their designs for residents and visitors alike to enjoy the best of what Dallas offers.”

The expanded convention center is expected to be complete by 2029.

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