This January 23, bestselling author Chloe Gong will visit the Sherman Public Library and Sherman ISD for AuthorFest 2026. This is the 39th time that the library and school district have joined together for this exciting event, which gives our local community the opportunity to meet notable writers in person. (photo credit One Grid Studio)

Tickets and tables are on sale now for the second annual Taste of Chocolate Gala. This event will be Saturday, February 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Complex. Guests can enjoy listening to live jazz music, featuring Brad Silwood on the saxophone, watch local artists paint and then bid on those creations in the live auction. Belle Rae’s will be serving up a buffet dinner. Guests will get two drink tickets and can choose from Neighbors Place Wines, beers, soft drinks or water. There will also, of course, be a chocolate candy and dessert bar, including chocolate fountains.

The fairy godmothers of The St. Andrew Prom Closet announce that the 17th Annual Prom Closet is scheduled for Feb. 24 - 28 and March 2 - 5, and 7, 2026, at St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano. Girls from ANYWHERE in need of a prom dress are invited to select a dress and accessories - all at no cost. To make these dreams possible, the community is invited to donate dresses (sizes 0–30), jewelry, shoes, handbags, and wraps to help complete every girl’s prom look for her special night.

The 2026 spring severe weather season is not too far away, and the National Weather Service and local public safety officials want you to be ready. The National Weather Service (NWS) Office located in Fort Worth will be conducting a free Severe Weather Education class in Collin County on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Myers Park Event Center in McKinney. There is no cost to attend this class, no pre-registration is required, and you do not have to be a resident of Collin County to attend.

The region’s largest indoor boating event makes a splash with hundreds of boats, exclusive pre-season deals, fan-friendly experiences at Dallas Market Hall Beginning January 30. Known as “The Super Bowl of Boating,” the Dallas Winter Boat Show will feature more than 600 boats from North Texas’ top dealers, plus the latest in motors, watersports gear, technology, and accessories. Attendees will experience the region’s most comprehensive showcase of lake lifestyle recreation ahead of peak Texas boating season.

Locals from northeast Texas will find the initial 2026 programs presented by the WWII History Roundtable, Audie Murphy Chapter, to be exceptionally linked to the region. One of those WWII participants spotlighted will be Colonel Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot, the late Richard E. "Dick" Cole (pictured), who was interviewed in 2009 by Dr. Sloan as part of Baylor’s Institute of Oral History. This will be fodder for the April 23 program to be given by Columbia University Professor and Attorney Michel Paradis.