A man rides a bicycle in Haggard Park past a downtown mural on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Plano. A celebration is planned for this weekend for Plano’s sesquicentennial.
Smiley N. Pool/Dallas Morning News
Journalists at The Dallas Morning News will meet with residents at a pop-up newsroom in downtown Plano this month, inviting Collin County audiences to get to know the reporters and editors covering North Texas.
It’s the newspaper’s northernmost and fourth pop-up in the past year. Born from The News’ initiative to build trust with North Texas communities, the pop-up newsroom seeks to connect journalists with audiences and strengthen relationships with local media.
“There’s a lot of appetite for news about these growing cities,” said Angela Mathew, a Collin County reporter at The News. “We’re really committed to telling their stories.”
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From Sept. 28 through 30, a group of reporters and editors will work from the Rooftop Event Spot at the Urban Rio restaurant in downtown Plano — from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28 and Tuesday, Sept. 29, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
RSVP for the Plano pop-up events Sept. 28-30 at www.dallasnews.com/plano-popup
Reporter Aria Jones, right, speaks to Brenda Lynch, center, and Sandra Alridge during the first day of The Dallas Morning News Red Bird pop-up newsroom on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the DEC Network in Dallas.
Angela Piazza/Staff Photographer
Come with your questions or to introduce yourself to local journalists, and leave with a better understanding of what The News does as a newsroom in Collin County and beyond.
Ken Smith speaks to reporters at The News during a pop-up newsroom event at The Hub Oct. 14, 2025 in South Dallas.
Azul Sordo/Staff Photographer
On the evening of Monday, Sept. 28, join journalists at Ten 20 Gallery, in partnership with gallery owner Kendrix Wesley, for an event, “The Art of Place,” focused on public support for the arts in North Texas. The event starts at 6 p.m.
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The decade-old nonprofit art gallery is a hub for local artists located in the heart of downtown Plano. The Monday night event will explore why public art is important to the community, what resources are needed among artists in North Texas and how public art is supported in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Wesley, a photographer and the gallery’s owner, hopes the event is a safe space for the community to share their stories and goals in an actionable way, and for attendees to get to know local artists.
Related: How is The Dallas Morning News working to build trust with North Texas?
“I look at journalists as artists as well. We all tell stories in different formats,” Wesley said. “When you’re around a group of artists, it’s a gateway to a lot of different possibilities.”
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On the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 29, meet journalists at Lemma Coffee from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for casual conversation before the workday begins, just a few blocks from the pop-up. Coffee will be on us.
On Tuesday evening, join a panel of local leaders for a discussion on “The Future of Collin County,” one of the fastest-growing areas of the country and a hub of business, education, politics and people. Moderated by reporters, this event in the rooftop space of Urban Rio will explore the trajectory of growth in North Texas. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event starts at 6 p.m.
The pop-up newsroom will wrap up Wednesday, Sept. 30, at noon. Reporters and editors will then host a listening session in partnership with the Wellness Center for Older Adults at the Sam Johnson Recreation Center. Residents aged 50 and above are welcome to attend.
Traffic passes the city logo in the intersection of E. 15th and Avenue K on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Downtown Plano. A celebration is planned for this weekend for Plano’s sesquicentennial.
Smiley N. Pool/Dallas Morning News
RSVP for the Sept. 30 listening session at www.dallasnews.com/plano-listen
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Parking will be available at Urban Rio and on surrounding streets. The event is accessible on DART via the Red Line, and during peak hours, the Orange Line.
Mathew said in-person connections are more meaningful to building relationships that help make local news better. “These three days will be a good way for us to build some of that,” she said.
Past pop-ups were held at the MLK Hub affiliated with St. Philip’s School and Community Center in Dallas, the Shops at RedBird and Southern Methodist University.
Reporters Lana Ferguson, left, and Jamie Landers, right, speak with visitors to The Dallas Morning News Red Bird pop-up newsroom on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the DEC Network in Dallas.
Angela Piazza/Staff Photographer
Dallas Morning News Plano Pop-Up Schedule:
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9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meet journalists at the rooftop event space at Urban Rio, located at 1000 14th St #100, Plano, TX 75074. Come and go as you please to speak with reporters and editors, ask questions and learn more about the newsroom.
6 p.m. “The Art of Place” event on public art at Ten 20 Gallery, 1001 14th St. #200, Plano, TX 75074. Expect speakers, mix and mingling, questions and answers, and light bites.
8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. “Coffee with Reporters” at Lemma Coffee, where your coffee is our treat.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pop-up newsroom at the rooftop event space at Urban Rio
Evening event at the Rooftop Event Spot at Urban Rio on “The Future of Collin County.” Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m. Expect a moderated discussion with panelists along with light bites and refreshments.
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9 a.m. to noon. Pop-up newsroom at the rooftop event space at Urban Rio
2 p.m. listening session with the Wellness Center for Older Adults at the Sam Johnson Recreation Center in the dining room, 401 W 16th St, Plano, TX 75075. Expect guided discussions with reporters and editors on topics such as local transit, property taxes and development.
Sign up for our weekly Collin County newsletter here and email tips on all things Plano, McKinney and more to lilly.kersh@dallasnews.com.