✈️AA wins 'skiplagging' suit; Salsa dances into Parks Mall; CoinFlip doing flips on Yesway deal.

The Arlington Economic Development Corporation and LiftFund have launched a zero interest Buydown Program for local small businesses. The program aims to support the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing up to $100,000 in interest-free loans to help foster growth, innovation and job creation.

Embraer – a multi-national aerospace corporation based in Brazil – announced a $70-million project at Perot Field Alliance Airport in north Fort Worth. Planned in the U.S. is a footprint for a maintenance, repair and overhaul service facility, which will help support its E-Jet customers. Embraer will begin operations in an existing hangar while Hillwood constructs a second hangar (2027). The project is projected to generate more than $1.2 million in gross net new taxes and create 250 jobs.

President and CEO Lisa Atherton leads Bell in Fort Worth and she’s at the helm of a potential $100 billion U.S. Army contract to replace its fleet of Black Hawk helicopters.

Civic Marketplace, a government technology supplier based in Texas, has teamed with the North Central Texas Council of Governments to offer a procurement platform for the group’s members. It aims to inject AI into the government supply process and open up more contracts to businesses owned by minorities. The council, with about 230 members, covers 16 counties in the D-FW metro area.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a stay from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, enabling a key provision of Senate Bill 1, a Texas election integrity law, to remain in effect. SB 1 increased safeguards to prevent ballot harvesting and instituted additional protections to strengthen election integrity. A federal district court had ruled that such provisions violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

By the way, early voting begins Mon, Oct 21. Learn more at Tarrant County’s election site.

Alliance Consolidated Group of Companies medical fund has purchased a 15,110-square-foot property at 950 Davis Drive in Arlington for $6 million. The deal is structured as a sale-leaseback with MCS Dallas Medical.

General Motors upped the ante on its EV bet, investing $625 million into a U.S. lithium mine project known as “Thacker Pass” in Humboldt County, Nev. In a joint venture with miner Lithium Americas, GM will invest a $430 million direct payment and $195 million in credit. The investment unlocks a Department of Energy loan worth $2.3 billion to support the project.

In a partnership with the city, UT-Arlington announced a micro-mobility pilot program set to roll out electric scooters and bikes downtown and around campus starting today.

Tegna and the Dallas Mavericks have announced that 14 stations in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma will broadcast more than 70 of the NBA team’s non-nationally televised games free to viewers during the 2024-25 season. WFAA is the D-FW provider. 

CoinFlip, a digital currency platform, has partnered with Fort Worth-based convenience store chain Yesway to place digital currency kiosks (bitcoin ATMs) at 45 Yesway and Allsup's locations in Texas, South Dakota, New Mexico, Wyoming and Iowa.

Fort Worth council members voted unanimously to expand Rock Creek Ranch Park at its Oct. 15 meeting. it will spend approximately $1.6 million for 59 acres of open space, 40 of which will go to the park in southwest Fort Worth. 

A federal jury in Fort Worth awarded American Airlines $9.4 million in the airline's suit against Skiplagged Inc., a website that promotes bargain fares by having passengers book a cheap flight with a layover and get off at the layover city. Its practice saves fliers money but, American contends, costs airlines millions in uncaptured revenue. 

Judge Reed O'Connor, a federal judge based in Fort Worth, has overseen a high-profile lawsuit filed by billionaire Elon Musk against the watchdog group Media Matters. NPR is reporting that O’Connor was buying and selling stock in Musk’s Tesla company in 2023, the year Musk filed the suit, according to financial disclosure reports recently made public. In August, NPR reported O'Connor had made an investment in Tesla of between $15,001 and $50,000. O’Connor has delivered a string of decisions in the Media Matters lawsuit in favor of Musk, who argues the advocacy group disparaged X, his social media site. Tesla is not directly part of Musk’s Media Matters suit.

Snippets:

• Could your poster design be an official host city design for soccer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup? Enter by Nov. 11. 

• Salsa Limon has opened at the food court at the Parks Mall in Arlington, it’s 7th location.

• Airbnb co-hosting is a growing trend. It assists listing owners with taking care of their home and guests. Owners can have up to 10 co-hosts.

• His daughter was murdered. Then she reappeared as an AI chatbot. (WaPo)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tore down his multi-million-dollar dollar mansion in Prosper to do a complete re-build. Prescott enlisted the help of Dude Perfect, a five-member sports and comedy group from Frisco, to tear down the house.

Jefferson Capital Systems LLC — a bidder for Conn's — is the successful bidder for $360 million after no other qualified bids were submitted, according to the bankruptcy court.

Meta (Facebook and Instagram) loses in court. It must face lawsuits by more than 30 U.S. states alleging the company created and exacerbated teen mental-health issues by making its social media sites addictive, a federal judge ruled.

Daily digit: Wine sales fell 8 percent in the fiscal year ending in August, and premium wines over $100 fell 12.5 percent. Bright spots were Prosecco up 2 percent, and domestic wines over $50 were up 3 percent. Declines are the result of younger consumers opting for other drinks and market share being lost to spirits-based beverages.

Announcements:

• Texas Minority Counsel Program: Names Pham Harrison co-founder Caroline Harrison its Trailblazer of the Year for her work to effectuate the promotion of diversity within the legal profession through hiring, retention and mentoring.

• Sabre: Elects Eric L. Kelly to its Board of Directors, effective Jan. 1.

• GoVision: Promotes Jake Terrell, Design and Technical Manager - Golf; Matt Williams, Service; and Devin St. John, Site Coordinator. Adds Jack Williams, Project Manager - Golf; Coleman Fish, Sales Development; Jacob Delao, Jr., Repair Services; Cooper Curtis, Field Service; and Abby Williams, Sales and Marketing Coordinator.

• American Society on Aging: Adds Cathy Neece Brown of James L. West Center for Dementia Care to the Innovation and Social Impact Advisory Council.

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