Some Online City Services Unavailable Next Two Saturdays During Software Update
Several online payment and reporting services for Water Customer Service, Accounts Receivable and Building Inspections will be unavailable Saturday, June 20 and Saturday, June 27 from 6 a.m.-noon. The temporary service interruption will also impact the MyRichardson mobile app. The outages will occur as the City’s Information Technology Department installs software updates.  

24-hour Response Center: 972-744-4111 

Miss Texas Candidates Arrive in Richardson; Competition Begins Next Week 
Galatyn Park Urban Center is filling with excitement this weekend as participants arrive for the 2026 Miss Texas and Miss Texas’ Teen state competitions, which begin next week. The Eisemann Center and adjacent Renaissance Hotel have served as the official venues for the competitions since 2014.   

To mark the occasion, the City installed special sign toppers on street signs throughout the area last month. This year, 51 candidates will compete to become Miss Texas and 51 will vie for the title of Miss Texas’ Teen.  

Preliminary competitions and final events will take place at the Eisemann Center June 23–27. (See Arts/Culture below for more details.)   

www.EisemannCenter.com  

Celestica Expands Telecom Parkway Campus 
Celestica, a global provider of data center infrastructure and advanced technology solutions, will significantly expand its operations at 2801 Telecom Parkway. The company has renewed leases for two existing buildings and signed a new lease for a 343,000-square-foot facility currently under construction, bringing its total footprint at the site to approximately 1 million square feet through 2036.The expansion is expected to retain nearly 400 existing jobs and create almost 2,300 new permanent positions over the next two years, strengthening Richardson’s advanced manufacturing sector and boosting high-tech employment opportunities across the region.  

The project also marks a major redevelopment milestone for the former Fujitsu campus, reinforcing Richardson’s success in repurposing corporate properties to attract long-term investment and support evolving industry needs.  

Since relocating to Richardson in 2022, Celestica has experienced rapid growth, citing the city’s technology-focused infrastructure and skilled workforce as key factors in its expansion decision.  

More information: Full Press Release 

Richardson Economic Development: Website 

Traffic Signal Box Art Winners Announced 
The five winners of the City’s fifth annual Traffic Signal Box Art Contest were recognized at Monday’s City Council meeting. Each received $200 ($100 from the City and $100 from the Richardson Rotary Club) and a certificate, and their artwork will be turned into vinyl wraps that will be installed on traffic signal boxes at key Richardson intersections. The art can also be viewed online and in the July issue of Richardson Today. The theme for this year’s contest was “Community.” 

The winners are:

• Ardent Lee -  West Renner Road & Waterview Parkway 
• Owen Craven - East Renner Road & Shiloh Road 
• Emily Adams - Abrams Road & Buckingham Road
• Kathryn Weber - East Arapaho Road & North Greenville Avenue
• Fred Lockwood - West Arapaho Road & West Shore Drive

Winners were chosen by a selection committee comprised of members of the Cultural Arts Commission and Richardson Rotary Club. The contest has been a unique way to further the City’s commitment to public art and beautify city streetscapes while reaching a broad range of local talent. Submissions for the 2027 contest will open next spring.   

Monday’s presentation: Video  

Contest website/images of winning artwork: www.cor.net/BoxArtContest  

DART Updates City Council on Services, Projects, Funding, More 
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) leadership briefed the Richardson City Council on Monday, providing updates on transit services, ongoing projects and future initiatives.  

Richardson-specific projects recently completed include the installation of the south Silver Line bridge arch over US 75, with the north arch now scheduled for installation during the final weekend of July. DART also recently completed a lighted pedestrian crossing near the Spring Valley Road/Esperanza Road bus stop, with a similar crossing planned for Renner Road at Greenside Avenue. System-wide improvements now visible in Richardson include upgraded bus stops with solar power and real-time schedule displays; new buses; and updated ticket and tap-card machines.  

The presentation also covered DART’s new governance framework, results of the May 2 election, and next steps for the agency’s General Mobility Plan and Strategic Funding Solution.   

DART is marking 30 years of light rail service this week.  

Monday’s presentation: Video 

Budget “Deep Dives” Continue with Transportation and Mobility 
City staff presented information about Richardson’s Transportation and Mobility 2026-27 Work Plan at Monday’s City Council meeting, part of the “deep dive” presentations given annually in preparation for the Council’s August Budget Workshop. These overviews given by department leadership provide the Council with detailed information about current programs, infrastructure and maintenance tasks, along with trends, proposed projects/initiatives and budget requests. Monday’s presentation included a look at current and future traffic signal replacement projects; intersection improvements scheduled to begin this year at Campbell/University and Campbell/Jupiter; and pedestrian/bike crossing enhancements at Arapaho/US 75 that are currently under design.   

Staff will incorporate Council feedback into the development of the proposed FY 2026-2027 Transportation and Mobility Budget; the City Council holds its annual Budget Workshop Aug. 3-4.   

Monday’s presentation: Video

Flash Flooding: Things to Know
Since flash flood watches and warnings are often far more numerous during Texas summers than tornado alerts, individuals who never experience flooding firsthand may grow complacent and think “that’s not near me,” or “that won’t really happen here.” But when it does happen “here,” or when traveling across the state, the surprising power of a low level of rushing water can catch people off guard and is a big reason why flooding is the leading weather-related cause of death in Texas. Other misconceptions are that flooding stops when rain stops (floodwaters are often picking up force in the aftermath) and that only low-lying areas are at flood risk--flooding can happen anywhere, even in urban areas at high elevation, as impermeable surfaces like concrete and asphalt prevent water absorption, causing rapid runoff.  

Here is some helpful advice regarding flash flooding from the Texas Department of Transportation:  

• “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” -- Never walk, swim or drive through still or moving flood waters. The water may be hiding dangers such as debris, tree branches, power lines or damage to the road. Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock down an adult and cause motorists to lose control of their vehicle, even a pickup truck or SUV.  

• Stay informed about weather conditions when you are driving (many free weather alert apps can tailor weather news and alerts for your exact location; click here to learn about Richardson’s public warning systems and how to sign up).  

• Be especially careful driving at night when it can be harder to see flood dangers.  

• If your vehicle stalls in water, leave it and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.  

More information: Click here