This year’s Richardson CARES (Citizens Academy and Resource Education Series) class has officially begun. The 25 members of this year’s class had their first session on Thursday night and learned about the “Richardson Way,” with presentations from the City Manager’s Office, City Secretary’s Office, Budget and Human Resources.

The five winning pieces of artwork in the City’s fifth annual Traffic Signal Box Art Contest have been installed at key Richardson intersections. The theme for this year’s contest was “Community.”  

The annual North Texas Food Bank Peanut Butter Drive began this week, with several locations in Richardson where peanut butter jars can be dropped off.    

Animal Shelter staff announced this week that 80 cats and 64 dogs found their forever homes during the Clear the Shelters campaign Aug. 1-31.

Early giving is now open for North Texas Giving Day, the region’s largest community-wide online giving event, scheduled this year for Thursday, Sept. 17.

City Manager Don Magner announced this week the appointment of Katie Barron, P.E., ENV SP, as the City of Richardson’s Director of Engineering and Capital Projects. Barron will begin her new role Oct. 5.

The City Council will not meet Monday, Sept. 7, because of the Labor Day holiday. The Council will next meet Monday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. with the agenda posted Tuesday, Sept. 8.   

The right lane of westbound Renner Rd extended 1,000 feet east and west of Greenside Drive may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for sidewalk construction as part of a hike and bike trail. The lane closure may remain in place overnight occasionally. The project is expected to wrap up in late September. 

The right lane of eastbound Spring Valley Drive between Gatehouse Drive and Goldmark Drive may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. so concrete repairs can take place. The repairs are necessary after crews fixed a gas leak at 8620 Spring Valley Rd. The work is expected to wrap up by late October.