Good morning! On this day in 1946, nuclear laboratory technician and labor union activist Karen Silkwood was born in Longview. Known for reporting concerns about the health and safety practices at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication Site in Crescent, Oklahoma, Silkwood died under suspicious circumstances in 1974. In 1983, Meryl Streep portrayed her in an Academy Award-nominated film about her life.
Southwest Airlines is laying off workers for the first time in company history. Check out the story in today’s Roundup section.
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Dallas-based Southwest Airlines announced plans to lay off 15% of its corporate workforce, about 1,750 employees, amid rising labor costs and pressure from investors to improve efficiency.
CEO Bob Jordan characterized the company’s first-ever layoffs as “a very difficult and monumental shift.” It follows recent announcements that the carrier will begin assigning seats and adding redeye flights for some routes, changes that are part of what Jordan called “the largest and most comprehensive” transformation in company history.
Employees affected by the layoffs will continue receiving salary and benefits until their official separation in April, though they won’t be expected to work.
Abbott Orders Probe Over ‘Transitioning’ Claim
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency to investigate a claim that teachers at a Houston high school have been “secretively transitioning” a student by referring to her by a name other than her legal one without parental consent.
During last week’s Houston ISD board meeting, Moms for Liberty activist Denise Bell spoke on behalf of an unnamed mother who said teachers and administrators at Bellaire High School refused to accommodate her requests to use her daughter’s legal name.
“This goes against our Christian faith, the advice of her therapist, and quite frankly, common sense,” Bell said.
Abbott shared a video of Bell’s testimony on social media, saying the incident highlighted the need for school choice legislation. “No school should be involved in ‘transitioning’ a child,” he said. “If this is not already illegal, it will be after this session.”
Love Field Buys ‘Turbine-in-a-Box’ Pods
Dallas Love Field is the first airport in the world to purchase JetWind Power’s “turbine-in-a-box” pods to harness jet exhaust and convert it into renewable energy. During an 18-month pilot program, the pods have charged 10,000 personal devices.
The approximately 6-foot-tall pods are the brainchild of Dr. T.O. Souryal, an orthopedic surgeon who was the Dallas Mavericks team physician for 22 years. He says he got the idea during a flight 25 years ago when he observed how much debris his plane kicked up when it was taxiing.
The current design can withstand the 50-60 mph winds generated by planes on the tarmac, but improvements are being made to position the pods at the end of runways to capture the jet blasts created during takeoffs.
Airports worldwide—including DFW International Airport—have expressed interest in purchasing the pods. The company also sees potential applications for its products in harnessing the wind generated by high-speed rail, helipads, and military bases.
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Recent Tech Boom Could Send “EarnPhone” Soaring
While the media obsesses over Trump’s return, smart money is quietly positioning for what could be one of the biggest tech booms in history.
Their innovation has led to over $325M in earnings for 45M+ users worldwide. And with their EarnPhone recently launching in Best Buy and Walmart, we could be looking at the next household name.
➤ Buda: Thieves stole three French Bulldogs from a resident on Saturday. The incident is the latest in a string of Austin-area thefts of the expensive breed. (More)
➤ Montgomery County: A bald eagle was euthanized after a landowner shot it for harassing his chickens. The man told game wardens he thought it was a hawk. (More)
➤ Lubbock: The city signed an agreement on Friday to purchase the 1,500-acre V8 Ranch for its planned Lake 7 water reservoir. (See Details)
➤ Burleson County: Game wardens are looking for information on a large pile of fish that was discovered on Saturday near a Lake Somerville boat ramp. (More)
➤ Richards: A Waller County inmate who escaped from a hospital in January was apprehended after spending nearly a month on the run. Salvador Saucedo, 37, was added to the state’s 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders List last week. (See Details)
➤ Crowds gathered at Dallas City Hall and the Texas Capitol on Monday to protest President Donald Trump and DOGE chief Elon Musk as part of the nationwide “Not My Presidents Day” demonstration organized by the newly formed political group 50501. (More)
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➤ Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger played well in his first start for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Monday, making 21 saves. USA lost 2-1 but had already clinched a spot in tomorrow’s championship game. (More)
➤ Texas Longhorns head football coach Steve Sarkisian has signed a new contract to keep him with the team through 2031. (More)
➤ Texas A&M baseball star Jace LaViolette hit three home runs in the Aggies’ first series of the season last weekend against Elon, boosting his case to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. (More)
➤ Introducing ThePhotoStick Mobile: effortlessly back up photos, videos, and music from your iPhone or iPad. Free up space and secure your memories with this easy-to-use USB device. Simply plug it in, download the app, and safeguard your cherished moments. (See It Here)
➤ Saks Global is shuttering the corporate headquarters and flagship store of Dallas-based Neiman Marcus following last year’s acquisition of the luxury retailer. The store, which has been in operation since 1914, is being closed due to a dispute with the building’s landlord. (More)
➤ A Dairy Queen franchise operator is closing 25 stores across Texas, sending the “complete contents” of a number of them to auction. (See Details)
➤ A 50,000-square-foot recycling facility operated by Northeast Texas Regional MRF will open next month in Kilgore. A recycling center serving several East Texas cities was destroyed by a fire last summer. (More)
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This tech company grew 32,481%…
No, it’s not Nvidia… It’s Mode Mobile, 2023’s fastest-growing software company, according to Deloitte.4
➤ Southern Methodist University is hosting a training seminar this week to provide guidance to federal contractors about complying with new cybersecurity rules set by the Department of Defense. (More)
➤ A 7,500-square-foot Houston mansion built in 1920 for East Texas lumber baron W.T. Carter Sr. has hit the market for $4.2 million. (See Photos)
➤ USA Today included two Texas restaurants in its annual list of the best in the country. (See List)
1 Mode Mobile recently received their ticker reservation with Nasdaq ($MODE), indicating an intent to IPO in the next 24 months. An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur. 2 The rankings are based on submitted applications and public company database research, with winners selected based on their fiscal-year revenue growth percentage over a three-year period. 3 A minimum investment of $1,950 is required to receive bonus shares. 100% bonus shares are offered on investments of $9,950+. 4 The Deloitte rankings are based on submitted applications and public company database research, with winners selected based on their fiscal-year revenue growth percentage over a three-year period. 5 Minimum investment is $999.96. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.modemobile.com. This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile’s Regulation A+ Offering. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Start-up investments are speculative and involve a high degree of risk. Those investors who cannot afford to lose their entire investment should not invest in start-ups. Companies seeking startup investment tend to be in earlier stages of development and their business model, products and services may not yet be fully developed, operational or tested in the public marketplace. There is no guarantee that the stated valuation and other terms are accurate or in agreement with the market or industry valuations. Further, investors may receive illiquid and/or restricted stock that may be subject to holding period requirements and/or liquidity concerns. DealMaker Securities LLC, a registered broker-dealer, and member of FINRA | SIPC, located at 105 Maxess Road, Suite 124, Melville, NY 11747, is the Intermediary for this offering and is not an affiliate of or connected with the Issuer. Please check our background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. This is a paid advertisement for Mode Mobile Reg A offering. Please read the offering statement at https://invest.modemobile.com/. Rainmaker Ad Ventures is paid by Mode Mobile for promoting their securities offering. Payment is in cash and billed monthly. As of the end of January, Rainmaker has received $156,897. Additional fees may have accrued since then. **https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1748441/000149315224029326/0001493152-24-029326-index.html
Southwest Cutting 15% of Corporate Jobs
