English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Denton, TX

North Texas faces extended school closures as dangerous cold and icy conditions linger across the region.

DALLAS — Our meteorologists are calling for through Thursday morning. Stay informed by watching regular forecast updates and live radar from across the region on our . You can also for up-to-the-minute alerts from our weather team as they come.

Dallas, Denton, Plano, and Lewisville ISDs were among the first major North Texas school districts to announce that all schools in their districts will be closed on Thursday due to the ongoing dangerous cold and icy conditions.

Sherman, Farmersville, and Northwest ISDs have also announced closures for Thursday. Early Thursday morning, Mansfield ISD announced it would also be closed becuase the district could not get its buses out of the transportation facility.

However, Fort Worth, Arlington, Lancaster, DeSoto and Grapevine-Colleyville ISDs say their campuses will be open.

"There could still be a few slick spots here and there tomorrow, so we encourage everyone to be cautious coming in. We can’t wait to see our students in the morning!" Arlington ISD said in a statement.

"While most streets and campus areas are clear of ice, there may still be some isolated areas, particularly in shaded locations, where snow and ice remain. On our campuses, these areas will be clearly blocked off to help ensure safe access for students, staff, and families," Lancaster ISD said in a statement.

Yes. The district sent out the following message Wednesday afternoon:

"Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of students, Dallas ISD will remain closed, Thursday, Jan. 29. Our crews continue to work around the clock to clear walkways and parking lots despite significant improvements in weather and road conditions. Also, many neighborhood streets and sidewalks remain difficult to navigate, particularly for our buses. This decision was made with the safety of our students and staff in mind. Families will receive an update regarding Friday through the district’s website, official social media channels, calls, texts, and local media."

No. In a video posted to the district's Facebook page, Superintendent Molinar said all schools within Fort Worth ISD will reopen on Thursday.

"We’re excited to welcome our students and staff back to school this Thursday. We can’t wait to see smiling faces in the hallways, hear the buzz of learning again, and get back to the routines that make our schools so special. Stay warm, travel safely, and we’ll see you soon," the video caption read.

No. Arlington ISD announced that schools and offices will open on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the regularly scheduled times.

"Thanks to the warmer temperatures and sunshine today that helped improve roadway conditions, Arlington ISD schools and offices will open," the district said in a statement.

North Texas school district officials say they are continuing to monitor weather conditions as dangerous cold, freezing fog and icy roadways remain a concern, and will provide updates as needed. WFAA's Weather Alert Days have now been extended through Thursday morning as well.

Parents and students can check the latest list of school closures and delays by visiting WFAA’s closings tracker at wfaa.com/closings.

A western diamondback rattlesnake found in an Argyle garage is the first documented in Denton County, offering new insight into shifting wildlife patterns.

ARGYLE, Texas — A snake in a suburban garage might be enough to send most people running. But for Rob Boles, it was another call — at least at first.

Boles, a snake catcher who has been relocating snakes across North Texas for years, said the call sounded familiar. Most of the time, he said, the snakes he’s asked to remove are harmless.

That changed when he arrived at a home in Argyle.

“We walk out and it's not a bull snake, it's a diamondback,” Boles said.

The snake was identified as a venomous western diamondback rattlesnake — a species never before documented in Denton County.

While the species itself is not uncommon, researchers say its presence in that location is what made the discovery significant.

Boles brought the snake to the University of Texas at Arlington, where biological curator Greg Pandelis said the find helps scientists better understand where diamondbacks are turning up as people and development continue to push farther into their habitat.

“It’s not that it’s an uncommon species,” Pandelis said. “It’s that the place that it was found was uncommon.”

The snake was euthanized and preserved, allowing researchers to continue studying it as part of the university’s biological record of reptiles and amphibians.

Pandelis said preserved specimens can remain valuable for generations. He pointed to examples in the collection dating back more than a century, including a common European toad collected in 1913.

Once cataloged, specimens can continue to contribute to scientific research long after they are found.

Pandelis said the rattlesnake’s contribution to science is just beginning, and he hopes discoveries like this help raise awareness about how wildlife patterns are changing.

“Most people have no clue,” he said.

For anyone who does come face to face with a rattlesnake, Boles offered simple advice.

“The best thing is, is three steps and you're out of a snake's way,” he said. “Just back up,” and call a professional.

DENTON, Texas - The Denton County sheriff's office is partnering with ICE as part of a program that will let deputies perform some immigration enforcement officer duties.

What we know:

Denton County is the first in North Texas to adopt the "task force model". Among other things, it would allow select deputies to arrest people they believe are in the country illegally.

"When our officers start handling some of these cases, they begin to be paid by the federal government and so there's a lot of things to work out with that," Denton County sheriff Tracy Murphree said. "But ICE is going to handle all the expense of training. Processing and those things."

The approval in Denton County comes on the same week the acting state comptroller announced a grant program to help with costs for counties.

"The state now is assisting in that from a financial means and assisting based on the size of the county when the counties request it," Kelly Hancock, the acting Texas comptroller, said.

Dig deeper:

Depending on size, counties can receive between $80 and $140 thousand dollars in grant money to pay for things like training and equipment.

"We're always struggling with funds, positions, and so forth like that. So, this is going to be a welcome dollar amount that will assist us in taking care of some of that," said Tarrant County sheriff Bill Waybourn.

A recent Texas law requires all sheriffs to enter some type of agreement with ICE by the end of this year.

So far, more than 150 of the state's 254 counties are taking part in the 287(g) program — including Tarrant County.

"We conduct the 287(g)program inside the jail. There's other 287(g) programs that we could expand to," Waybourn said.

Local perspective:

Immigration activists have raised concerns that agreements like this could reduce trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.

One Denton County commissioner said everyone wants their communities to be safe, but is concerned about local law enforcement working on behalf of federal officials.

"I don't think anybody had any problem with following the law. No, that's right," said Bobbie J. Mitchell, commissioner of Denton precinct 3. "It's just how it's done, but those cities have a right to decide whether they want to be a part of the 287(g) agreement."

What's next:

Collin County's jail enforcement agreement with ICE is currently listed as pending.

The Dallas County sheriff's department is not currently participating in the program.

State law requires some sort of agreement to be approved by December 1.

The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 4 reporting.

What makes bundling insurance more than just a convenience?

According to the article, bundling home and auto insurance often leads to better coordination across coverage types. When policies are reviewed side by side, policyholders are more likely to identify inconsistencies in deductibles, limits, and liability coverage. This process can prevent mismatches, such as having high property protection on a home but low limits on auto liability, which could otherwise leave individuals exposed to financial risk.

The HelloNation feature also points out that many insurance gaps arise from treating each policy as a separate transaction. Josh Knowles emphasizes the value of bundling insurance as a way to approach coverage holistically. When policies are combined, the result is often a more balanced approach to managing risk. For example, aligning coverage limits across home and auto policies can lead to better overall protection.

One of the most frequently discussed benefits of bundling insurance is the cost savings associated with multi-policy discounts. While the article stresses that price should not be the only reason to bundle, it explains how these discounts can still add up over time. More importantly, the real value lies in how these financial incentives are paired with a clearer, more consistent insurance strategy.

Bundling can also simplify policy management. The HelloNation article notes that tracking changes in premiums, deductibles, or terms becomes easier when policies are with the same carrier. This makes it more straightforward to conduct annual reviews and adjust coverage as needed. For households that experience frequent changes, such as home improvements or new vehicles, this added simplicity supports more effective decision-making.

Claims handling is another area where bundling can make a difference. When an incident involves both a vehicle and property, managing the process with a single insurer often reduces confusion and leads to faster resolution. While each policy must still be evaluated on its own terms, having a single point of contact can streamline communication.

According to the article, bundling insurance is also tied to improved risk awareness. Viewing insurance as a unified system helps policyholders understand how a loss in one area can affect others. This broader perspective encourages more thoughtful choices around deductibles, liability limits, and policy updates.

Josh Knowles notes that bundling isn’t the right fit for every situation. Specialized risks or unique property needs may still require separate policies. However, the real benefit of bundling lies in the review process it encourages. By looking at all policies together, individuals are more likely to notice and correct gaps before they result in costly consequences.

The article concludes that bundling insurance supports a shift from reactive adjustments to proactive planning. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, households can use bundled coverage as a tool to keep insurance aligned with their financial goals. The result is stronger protection, fewer surprises, and a more stable long-term insurance strategy.

“Why Bundling Insurance Can Actually Make Sense” features insights from Josh Knowles, Insurance Expert of Denton, TX, in HelloNation.

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The 65-year-old was the only person who prepared bank deposits in the probation office for decades and is suspected of stealing nearly $800,000, deputies said.

DENTON, Texas — A longtime Denton County probation office administrator is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars over her years as the only person in the office handing cash deposits, a probable cause affidavit revealed.

Connie McKeathan, 65, was promoted to administrative supervisor in the probation department in 1990. The Denton County Sheriff's Office said a review of her personal account showed she deposited $790,235 in cash using various Wells Fargo ATMs since 2016.

According to an arrest affidavit, McKeathan conducted an elaborate scheme in which she waived probationers fees if they paid by money order, deposited the money order into Denton County's accounts, changed receipts for payments made in cash to indicate they were paid by money order and then pocketed the cash equivalent -- covering up the theft for years.

In the end, a medical issue that led to McKeathan's retirement caused her to be caught, the affidavit said. When a different employee took over the role, she noticed a $5,000 discrepancy that led the county to undertake an audit, deputies wrote.

In the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years alone, the audit found McKeathan waived more than $170,000 in probation fees paid by money order, the affidavit revealed. Deputies contacted hundreds of probationers who said they paid their fees by money order, but whose entries in the county system indicated their fees had been waived by McKeathan.

Deputies arrested McKeathan in mid-December on charges of tampering with government records and theft by a public servant over $150,000, records showed. She didn't reply to multiple requests for comment.

"Fraud tends to be more likely when someone has the opportunity to commit fraud through a lack of good internal controls," said Jared Eutsler, an associate professor at the University of North Texas who teaches about accounting and fraud.

"For anything of value, that is easier to put in our pockets we want to see two people involved in that process to make sure somebody doesn’t just take it along the way," he said.

A Denton County spokesperson said, "control measures have been improved to prevent this from happening in the future."

She declined to answer further questions citing the ongoing legal process.

Jail records show McKeathan made bail on charges of tampering with government records and theft of property worth more than $300,000.