Garland daily local headlines: H-E-B plans, workforce hub opens, and federal drug sentence

Top local headlines

H-E-B details two Garland projects

H-E-B says it plans two new projects in Garland, starting with a major reuse of a long-vacant retail corner at Centerville Road and LBJ Freeway. The company says the roughly seven-acre site is slated to become North Texas’ fourth Joe V’s Smart Shop, a lower-price grocery format focused on fresh staples. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months.

In a separate move, H-E-B says it intends to develop a full H-E-B store on a 21-acre site between Crist Road and Firewheel Parkway, just off the President George Bush Turnpike. That land deal is not final yet, but the announcement is an early signal that the city could see a larger grocery footprint on both the west and northeast sides.

New workforce hub opens to connect residents with training and jobs

A new Garland Workforce Center has opened at 530 Clara Barton Blvd., Suite 270, following a ribbon-cutting on Feb. 26. The center is designed as a one-stop spot for job seekers, offering free skills training referrals, career counseling, resume help, interview prep, and connections to hiring employers.

Alongside job placement support, the center can point residents toward wraparound resources such as child care and transportation assistance, adult education, and services for veterans and people with disabilities.

Garland man sentenced in federal drug trafficking case

Federal prosecutors say a Garland man, Jessie Zavaleta Peralta, 37, has been sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty in a case involving fentanyl and methamphetamine. Prosecutors said he was part of a trafficking organization and stored large quantities of narcotics at a Garland residence before distributing in the Metroplex. The case was investigated by the FBI.

What to watch

• Retail timelines: Watch for zoning, site plans, and traffic impacts as the two H-E-B projects move from announcement into permitting and construction.
• Job support: The new workforce center is now open, and residents looking for training pathways or a faster route to interviews may find it useful.
• Public safety: The federal sentencing is a reminder that fentanyl cases in North Texas continue to bring long prison terms.

Sources

• https://newsroom.heb.com/h-e-b-unveils-plans-for-two-projects-in-garland/
• https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2026/02/27/new-garland-workforce-hub-aims-to-match-residents-with-in-demand-careers/
• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/garland-man-sentenced-federal-prison-trafficking-drugs-eastern-district-texas