✈️AAdvantage takes another hit; Hemp industry took hit, but is back; Arlington-Cowboys to extend their hit.

American Airlines is rolling back key loyalty benefits for AAdvantage members who book basic economy fares, a move that industry observers say weakens one of the carrier’s last remaining competitive advantages. The changes, effective May 18, affect seat assignments, upgrades and boarding priority.

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross told the Star-Telegram editorial board that the city and the Dallas Cowboys are finalizing a 16-year lease extension that would keep the team at AT&T Stadium through 2055. The original 30-year lease began in 2009. Ross: "That is a phenomenal deal, because that means the small business around the entertainment district ... has 30 more years of having the Cowboys here in Tarrant County and the Cowboys here in Arlington. We are super stoked about what’s going on..."

Travis County District Court Judge Guerra Gamble issued a 14-day temporary restraining order preventing the enforcement of new state rules restricting access to hemp-derived products such as smokable THCA flower. Products are available for sale while the broader legal dispute is considered.

A Walmart Supercenter off 287 in south Arlington sold a winning Powerball ticket worth $1 million to an Everman resident. The winning Quick Pick ticket was 9-30-42-50-52. After taxes, the winner will have about $630,000. Walmart is eligible for a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

Texas’ Attorney General office opened an investigation into whether the University of North Texas is continuing to teach Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion concepts and instructing staff to follow policies that are illegal under Texas law. It was launched after a discreetly recorded video began circulating online that featured a Field Education Coordinator from the Social Work Department explaining how DEI is still taught in class at UNT—just without using the explicit DEI keywords and titles. 

The Bell Boeing Joint Program has been awarded a $157-million order to deliver nacelle and pylon upgrades for the U.S. Navy’s MV-22 and CMV-22 Osprey fleets, the Department of War announced. The contract covers 10 Nacelle Improvement Kits and three shipsets of Pylon Support Assemblies. 84 percent of the work will be done in Amarillo and 15% in Fort Worth.

The U.S. Postal ‌Service wants to raise the price of first-class mail stamps ‌to 82 cents from 78 cents, effective ⁠July 12. The proposal must be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. USPS has warned it could run out of cash in February.

Whitestone REIT, a Houston retail real estate firm, will go private after being acquired by Los Angeles investment giant Ares Management. The deal is for $1.7 billion. Whitestone owns 11 suburban retail developments with more than one million leasable square feet in the D-FW area, including Keller Place and Heritage Trace Plaza, both in Keller, and 5000 S. Hulen in Fort Worth. 

To cultivate and grow relationships among women in 1926, the Fort Worth Garden Club was launched to "beautify and keep beautiful the yards and the homes of the city." One hundred years later, the philanthropic movement has elevated green spaces and impacted the city's culture in a profound and ever-increasing way. 360 West has the story. 

The Texas House Administration Committee voted, 6-5, along party lines to approve $118,889.81 in costs tied to efforts to compel Democrat lawmakers who fled the state last summer to break quorum and stall legislation it disagreed with. That works to $8,354 per legislator.

Cheng Kung University in Taiwan earlier this month welcomed a delegation from the University of North Texas to discuss potential collaborations in engineering, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart manufacturing and systems integration. 

Becky Moody, on her home-bred Jagerbomb, won the 2026 dressage World Cup before 6,000 in Fort Worth. It was Moody's first time in the annual championship, and she and her 12-year-old gelding were awarded a personal best 88.830% for their FEI Grand Prix Freestyle performance.

Haltom City says Asian grocery giant H-Mart's first Fort Worth-area store is delayed until fall. The store, at 820 N. Beach St. off NE Loop 820, was to open December 2025.

Dr. Philip Roos, a prominent Texas and national psychologist, and leader in the care and treatment of mental health issues, passed away at 96. 

Significant stat: “The Masters will do about $70 million in merchandise sales this week. $10 million per day. $1 million per hour. $16,000 per minute. $277 per second.” —Joe Pompliano, sports business journalist

Snippets:

• Will trade a 2026 Cooper Flagg for your American Airlines Dreamliner… AA pilots get airline to join the trading card frenzy. 

• Freight trucks left Fort Worth filled with about $1 million worth of Legos. Somewhere along the route, they were hijacked, only to be found in California. 

• July 19, 1876: Texas and Pacific Railroad Engine No. 20 arrives. The Rev. A.S. Hayter is credited with surveying the land, which was a catalyst to transform a small frontier settlement into a thriving major city. See Arlington's 150th anniversary banner.

• In-person early voting for the May 2 Texas elections is April 20-28. The last day to apply to cast a ballot by mail is April 20.

Announcements:

• TPG: Adds Admiral William McRaven, a former University of Texas Chancellor, to its Board of Directors. 

• PMG: Promotes Avryana Bowman to Paid Social Lead.

• Prime Capital Financial: Hires Shane Miller as Partner/Managing Director.

• Susser Bank: Hires Logon Collins as a Sr. Vice President - Relationship Manager.

• First Citizens Bank: Names Chris Stringer Area Executive for D-FW market. 

• First Financial Bank: Hires Nick Hester as Senior Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager in the Chisholm Trail Region.

• Post L Group: Adds Augustin Azusa as Construction Superintendent. 

• Black Lawyers Forum Leadership Council: Adds Cantey Hanger attorney Tiereney Bowman.

• American Academy of Dermatology: Votes Angela Yen Moore onto its board. She has a private practice in Arlington, and affiliations with UNT Health Fort Worth, TCU's Burnett School of Medicine, Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. 

• Master Plan Communications: Promotes Kirsten Brundahl to Vice President.

• Arts Fort Worth: 2026 winners announced during the Arts Forward Summit were Lifetime Achievement – Joe Brown;
  Trailblazer – Shasta Haubrich; Educator – Brandi Waller-Pace; Administrator – Danielle Teagarden; Advocate – Donya Craddock; Philanthropist – The Society Inc. Tarrant Pearls Chapter: and Artist – Sydney Peel.

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Honors Texas Gov. Greg Abbott with its Ronald Reagan Award for his stewardship, recognizing the launch of the largest day-one school choice program in the U.S.

• Early Childhood Intervention Advisory Board: Gov. Abbott adds Jennifer Villarreal of Roanoke, an educational diagnostician, program director and assistant professor in the College of Education at Dallas Baptist University. 

• AvreaFoster: Selects Jon Cannon as Director of Digital Content.

• Burleson: Selects America Resendiz as Executive Assistant in the City Manager's office. 

817 Biz is formatted for viewing on mobile devices. Some links may expire after posting or be paywall-protected.