Plano’s VA clinic is now officially the U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic.

A variety of news headlines affected Collin County residents during 2025, starting on January with a major measles outbreak that began in far West Texas. By the time the Texas Department of State Health Services declared the outbreak over in mid-August, there had been 762 confirmed cases and two deaths. Four cases were reported in Collin County, but only one case was linked to the outbreak that began in Grimes County.

As the Texas Legislature convened in January, a bill passed two years earlier took effect -– ending the annual inspection required for Texas vehicles except for emissions inspections in 17 counties surrounding large metropolitan areas like Dallas-Fort Worth.

This year, legislators scrapped another automotive regulation by eliminating temporary paper license registration plates.

Other bills provided $51 billion for property tax relief, $75 billion for public education, more than $215 million for rural healthcare and grants for new ambulances, $30 billion for road projects across Texas, $2.5 billion for water and flood infrastructure, $340 million for new mental health beds plus $54 million for youth crisis outreach.

Lawmakers also passed 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution that were approved Nov. 4 by voters.

In a special legislative session, senators and representatives redrew congressional district lines, with the final outcome to be determined in federal court.

The Legislature also passed new standards for flood warnings in Central Texas after the Guadalupe River overflowed July 4, killing more than 130 people including 25 campers and two counselors in Camp Mystic.

A proposal by members of the East Plano Islamic Center to build a Muslim-centric community near Josephine resulted in several state investigations and a new law regulating similar investments to prevent them from being unfair or discriminatory. House Bill 4211 was sponsored by 89th District Rep. Candy Noble, who also carried a bill requiring all public-school classrooms to post a copy of the Ten Commandments. 

Voters in rural Collin County approved creation of an emergency services district by a 72.5% margin. The district will be responsible for arranging fire protection for residents no longer served by municipal fire departments.

The Nov. 4 election featured a return to hand-marked paper ballots ordered by the Collin County Commissioners Court.

“I am very pleased with everything that my office and staff accomplished during this to hand-marked paper ballots in the polling place, New Elections Administrator Kaleb Breaux said. “We overcame many challenges from June until now to pull this off. I am really proud of everyone in this time of transition.”

Three of the nine seats on the Collin College Board of Trustees were open in the election. Staci Weaver won Place 4 with 58.20%, Place 5 Trustee Raj Menon was unopposed and Place 6 incumbent Stacy Arias filed for reelection but withdrew from the race, leaving Justin Adcock unopposed. Place 1 Trustee Megan Wallace resigned from the board because of relocation and trustees will name a replacement.

Work on North Texas’ third commercial airport began July 18 with a groundbreaking for the expansion of McKinney National Airport or TKI. Passenger service is expected to in late 2026 after completion of a new terminal building, parking lot and other infrastructure. Houston-based Avelo Airlines announced in December it would provide service to the airport.

A segment of U.S. Highway 75 between the Bush Turnpike and U.S. Highway 380 was renamed the U.S. Congressman and Prisoner of War Sam Johnson Memorial Hospital. In addition, the VA clinic in Plano was renamed to honor Johnson, who served the 3rd Congressional District from 1991 to 2019.

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