Back in December, the city council passed the long awaited Neighborhood Development Overlay ordinance. This ordinance will allow individual neighborhoods to restrict or in some cases loosen certain development characteristics of their neighborhood. Under this neighborhood driven plan, a neighborhood can initiate a process by which they can vote (by petition) to change setbacks and height limitations within a neighborhood. The ordinance was first discussed about 14 months ago and it passed unanimously.

During Monday evening's worksession, Councilmember Rhea Allison announced he would not seek reelection in the upcoming city council election in May.

It has been over a month now since the U.S. Presidential election was won by Barack Obama. Who did Richardson favor in 2008? We look at a precinct-by-precinct breakdown in Richardson and we look at party trends across Richardson since the 2000 presidential election.

After 31 years of service, Richardson Police Chief Larry Zacharias will retire on December 31, 2008. He has been Chief of Police since 2002.

Richardson was the third most popular early voting location in Dallas County according to county election data. We examine some of the trends we see in early voting compared to past elections, and we ask what that might mean to Republican and Democratic turnout.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Retired Richardson teacher Sarah Scott talks about education, Affordable health care, and energy in her support for Sandra VuLe for State Representative in District 112.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Angie Chen Button talks about economy and immigration in the race for State Representative in District 112.

iPhone, iPod, iTacos. Can you tell that the folks behind this new taco place on Coit Road in Richardson have a techie background? Owner Tom Radecki, 36, was a big gamer back in the day -- so much so that he opened Shadow Lan, a sophisticated gaming spot on Coit, five years ago. But Radecki is also an entrepreneurial sort; and so, when the Quizno's next door to Shadow Lan shut down, he opened the kind of restaurant he himself would frequent.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Resident Kathleen Lunson writes in favor Rain Minns for State Senator from District 16.

In our Echo Election Series for the 2008 election, John Carona explains why he wants your vote for State Senator from District 16. This is the first editorial in our series. In this article you will find Mr. Carona's editorial and an editor's note about our series.