Good Morning! On this day in 1778, Juan Martín de Veramendi was born in San Fernando de Béxar, now known as San Antonio. He became the Mexican governor of Coahuila and Texas in 1832. He was favorable to Anglo-American colonization of Texas, and his daughter Ursula María de Veramendi married James Bowie.
If you play pickleball, Tesla would like to sell you its high-tech paddle for $350. Yes, this is real. Get the details here.
Later today: watch for a partner message from Elf Labs on why Disney’s $1 billion AI deal matters, and what it could mean for you as an investor.
If you’re watching how AI is reshaping entertainment and wondering where everyday investors fit in, today’s sponsor, Elf Labs, shows how the game may be opening up beyond Hollywood’s inner circle.
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Texas Sues Xcel for Deadly Fire
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Minnesota-based Xcel Energy on Tuesday, seeking economic damages and civil penalties for its role in last year’s Smokehouse Creek Fire.
The fire burned more than a million acres in the Panhandle, killed three people and over 15,000 head of cattle, and caused economic losses of more than $1 billion.
A Texas House committee report identified the company’s decayed utility poles as the source of the fire, and Xcel has “accepted responsibility from the beginning,” according to a statement released after the lawsuit was filed. To date, the company has paid out $361 million for 212 claims.
Paxton’s lawsuit accuses Xcel of negligence, claiming the company had marked the decayed poles as needing replacement weeks before the fire. “There must be accountability for the death and devastation the company caused,” he said.
Xcel is denying it was negligent in maintaining its infrastructure, promising to “vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations.”
Dogs Kill Man, Injure Mother and Child
A 62-year-old man was mauled to death by three dogs during his morning walk on Monday in Katy. After the attack, the dogs injured a mother and her 2-year-old son in a nearby neighborhood.
Authorities captured the dogs—two mixed pit bulls and a Cane Corso—after a four-hour search. They are quarantined and being observed for rabies. An upcoming hearing will determine if they are euthanized.
Harris County deputies are interviewing the dogs’ owners to learn how they escaped and whether there’s a history of prior attacks. No charges have yet been announced.
“I stood and hid my son behind me, but they kept backing me up,” said Blessing Okwunwa, the injured mother. “Before I knew it, they jumped on me. I kept hitting and kicking them, but they were still biting me. They were not stopping.”
Country Music’s Joe Ely Dead at 78
Pioneering Texas country music artist Joe Ely died Monday at the age of 78 at his home in Taos, New Mexico. He has been hailed as a “progressive Texas country legend,” a “Texas country-rock hero,” and the “poet laureate of the open road.”
Born in Amarillo in 1947, Ely grew up in Lubbock and formed The Flatlanders in 1971 with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. After a brief stint with the Ringling Bros. circus, he released a self-titled solo album and began touring with punk rock group The Clash, settling in Austin in the 1980s.
During his career, Ely collaborated with music icons like Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty, and Paul McCartney. In 1999, he won his only Grammy with Los Super Seven, a group featuring Texans Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiménez, and Rick Trevino.
Ely released his final studio album, Love and Freedom, earlier this year. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said that “Ely performed roots music like a true believer who knew music could transport souls.”
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What Disney’s $1 Billion AI Deal Means for Investors
Disney just signed a $1 billion deal with OpenAI. The three-year licensing agreement will enable users to generate characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar using AI.
For as long as the $2 trillion entertainment industry can remember, IP deals like this one have been a walled garden for a handful of billion-dollar studios. Disney buys Marvel for $4 billion. Universal buys DreamWorks for $1 billion. Now Disney invests $1 billion into OpenAI. It’s like a poker game where the minimum buy-in is the GDP of a small island nation.
But the game is now changing.
While Hollywood giants scramble for their place in the AI future, one $6 billion IP powerhouse team already owns over 500 trademarks and copyrights, including iconic characters such as Cinderella, Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Rapunzel, and many more.
Their use of AI and other next-gen patented tech is on another level. They’re bringing their characters off the screen and into your living room with 3D holograms, headset-free VR, and AI-powered talking toys. And they’re giving everyday investors access as they do it.
Note: This company is not affiliated with Disney.
They spent a decade building this portfolio. Now they have a team that has executed $6 billion in merchandising deals in their careers, and they have already earned $15 million in royalties for Elf.
Their proprietary interactive content, built on 12 cutting-edge tech patents, has just secured a $200 million TV distribution deal.
As giants like Disney reveal their cards, everyday investors finally have a seat at the table.
➤ San Antonio: TxDOT has rejected the city’s request to keep its rainbow-colored crosswalks following Gov. Abbott’s directive to remove non-standard surface markings. The state denied a similar request from the city of Corpus Christi. (More)
➤ Tarrant County: U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth), who was drawn out of his district over the summer, has dropped his bid for county judge, saying he will serve the remainder of his term in an effort to “hold Donald Trump accountable.” (See Details)
➤ Webster: A proposed 12,500-seat amphitheater is expected to create 400 jobs and produce a local economic impact of $3.7 billion over the next 20 years. The $150 million Sunset Amphitheater in Houston is being developed by VENU. (More)
➤ Baytown: Police officer Michael Hightower, 28, has been charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault after his cruiser collided with a minivan while responding to a call in October, killing two children and severely injuring two others. (More)
➤ San Antonio: Spurs legend David Robinson is accusing business partner Daniel Bassichis of misappropriating $34 million from Admiral Capital Group and two of its subsidiaries in a lawsuit filed Friday. (See Details)
➤ Amarillo: Thomas Hover, an assistant chief for the Irving Police Department, has been selected as the city’s next police chief pending approval by the city council next month. Former Police Chief Martin Birkenfield resigned in February. (More)
➤ Austin: The Texas Comptroller’s office has rolled out a new database that lists proposed bonds, the projects they’re intended to fund, and the expected changes to property tax rates if they’re approved. The database was created in response to legislation passed earlier this year. (See Details)
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➤ Texas quarterback Arch Manning announced he’s returning to the Longhorns for the 2026 season, ending rumors he’d be leaving for this year’s NFL draft. (More)
➤ Texas A&M is promoting wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins to offensive coordinator, filling the position left by Collin Klein after he filled Kansas State’s head coaching vacancy. (More)
➤ Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points this week, pouring in 42 against the Jazz on Monday night. (More)
➤ Texas held steady at No. 2 in this week’s AP women’s college basketball poll, while TCU and Baylor fell to No. 9 and No. 15, respectively. (See Poll)
➤ Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards is out for the rest of the year after rupturing his pectoral against Arizona last week. (More)
➤ 37 Freaking Awesome Gadgets.Why is everyone talking about these 37 gadgets? Simple: they work. These aren’t random impulse buys… they’re the smart solutions people keep recommending to friends and family. Each one delivers on its promise, whether it’s decluttering your space, upgrading your tech setup, or just making daily tasks easier. The reviews speak for themselves, and so do the empty shelves. These top picks are moving fast, with several already on backorder. Learn More
➤ Swiss-based pharmaceutical giant Novartis is planning a $280 million manufacturing plant in Denton. The Denton City Council is considering an incentives package worth more than $3 million. (See Details)
➤ Meanwhile, Texas Instruments will begin production this week at its newly completed $40 billion semiconductor plant in Sherman. The facility is expected to support 3,000 jobs at full capacity. (More)
➤ Home values in and around Austin fell roughly 1.1% between Oct. 31 and Nov. 30—the largest month-to-month drop of any U.S. metro, according to Zillow. (See Details)
➤ The Space Workforce Incubator for Texas (SWIFT) predicts that the state’s aerospace industry will create 100,000 jobs over the next 10 years. (More)
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The $4B Deal Everyday Investors Missed
In 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion—one of the most profitable entertainment deals ever made.
But everyday investors never had the chance to participate, missing the upside.
Elf Labs spent a decade securing over 500 trademarks and copyrights featuring Cinderella, Snow White, and other iconic characters to ensure that these dynamic changes.
The company is building a tech-powered character universe, using AI, immersive technology, and 12 patents to activate these globally recognized characters across entertainment, gaming, and consumer products—a market estimated to be worth over $2 trillion.
Analyst interest increased even before any national rollout, following multiple unsolicited offers exceeding $70 million.
And unlike the Lucasfilm deal, investors can get in while the company is still private.
This is a paid advertisement for Elf Lab’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.elflabs.com/
➤ Students at Dubiski Career High School in Grand Prairie are restoring a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub. “The program allowed me to step into aviation, but also see everything that it has to offer,” said a former student who’s now in flight school. (More)
➤ Rocker Steiner of Weatherford clinched the world title in bareback riding at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas over the weekend, while Riley Webb of Denton won his third consecutive title in tie-down roping. East Texans Kincade Henry, Justin Shaffer, Lightning Aguilera, and Kaden Profili had strong showings in tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping. (More)
➤ Lenora Harrison, 84, received a free HVAC unit from a local contractor after living in her Waco home without heating or air conditioning for the last 20 years. “HVAC, air condition, heating, it’s a necessity for people,” said Clint Smith of Heating and Air Paramedics. (More)
Texas Sues Xcel for Deadly Fire
