Dallas Animal Services is set to host “Calming the Canines” on Dec. 31, designed to alleviate the stress experienced by shelter pets during the New Year’s Eve fireworks. The event will begin at 10:30 p.m. and finish up around 12:30 a.m., and DAS is calling on the community to participate in the initiative; In other news, venture into the great outdoors on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with Texas Parks and Wildlife. The state agency will once again host First Day Hikes, a way to start the new year (and those resolutions for better health) on the right foot. Ray Roberts Lake State Park, an hour north of Dallas is hosting its second Tri-Park-A-Thon. Attendees can choose to join for nearly a full day of activity or just for a leg of the journey. The first hike is at 9 a.m., second is at 11, and then again at 1:30 p.m. Each hike is between two and five miles. Hikers who complete all three hikes receive a prize; what makes Plano one of the best cities in the country to raise kids? For many it comes down to affordability, education, child care, family fun and socioeconomics. This year, personal finance company WalletHub ranked Plano the fourth best city in the country to raise a family; And if 2024 was the year inflation altered how often we dined in Dallas-Fort Worth, 2025 will be the year we take back our seat at the table. Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association said, “Cautious optimism” is the catchphrase in the new year.

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