💰Berkshire Hathaway worth $1 trillion; U.S. 2024 deficit at $1.9T; Fort Worth ISD and UNT Health Science Center dealing with woes.

Sylvia Trent-Adams, President of The University of North Texas Health Science Center, sent a letter to the HSC community announcing the suspension of the Willed Body Program until it can be reviewed by an outside firm because “failures existed in the management and oversight.” She said HSC has apologized and has permanently closed the BioSkills Lab; terminated program leadership and will take all corrective actions necessary. 

Slowed F-35 negotiations: “Given where we are in that negotiation, we don't expect to be completed by the end of this quarter, and that will cause in the quarter — up to about $500 million in sales, and potentially about $500 million of cash flow,” said Lockheed Martin's Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave. In another Lockheed note, the Air Force has more than 1,000 F-35s on order, but it's not among its top three combat aircraft flown. 

Tomorrow night at 5:30, the Fort Worth ISD has called a special meeting to discuss the leadership record and contract of Superintendent Angelica Ramsey. It comes three weeks after Mayor Mattie Parker said a leadership vacuum existed in the school district. Tensions between the school board and Ramsey, who receives an annual salary of $335,000, reached a boiling point after Parker spoke to trustees during their regular meeting in late August. In February, Ramsey said the school board breached her contract over differences about her evaluation.

Fort Worth-based TFF Pharmaceuticals, focused on development and commercialization of its patented Thin Film Freezing tech platform, has partnered with Emory University and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to test the feasibility of converting Emory’s mRNA-based Cas13a antiviral against influenza A and B and SARS-CoV-2 into a dry powder formulation. 

UT-Arlington alums Raj and Indra Nooyi make a $5 million gift.

Streaming service Victory+, co-founded by the Dallas Stars to broadcast its games, has launched and the Stars exhibition game will be aired Wednesday. 

Is American Airlines trying to keep pace on free in-flight Wi-Fi? It doesn't appear to be.

Highlights from the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors August housing report:

• Fort Worth median home prices rose to $340,000, a 2.1% year-over-year increase. Tarrant County’s median home prices declined 0.6% versus last year.

• Closed sales declined 12.1% in Fort Worth and were down 10.5% in Tarrant County, versus last year.

• Active listings were up 45.2% in Fort Worth, and increased 43.3% in Tarrant County, versus last year.

• August saw 3.7 months of inventory in Fort Worth and 3.5 months in Tarrant County, compared to 2.4 and 2.3 months in 2023.

• Fort Worth's days on the market versus last year were up seven days, for a total of 45, and Tarrant County's increased six days, for a total of 43.

Berkshire Hathaway stock joined a rarefied club of companies valued at $1 trillion. Some investors and analysts think its shares are a little pricey. An opinion also possibly shared by founder Warren Buffet. Berkshire owns several companies based in or with a significant presence in Fort Worth, including Acme Brick, TTI Inc., BNSF Railway, Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate and Van Tuyl Group. (WSJ)

Vehicle state inspections are going away, but not the fee or the emissions tests.

The Fort Worth Zoo announced the Aug. 18 birth of Finnigan, its second baby giraffe this summer. At birth, Finnigan was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 158 pounds.

Ya’ll street not Wall Street: According to the Bureau of Labor, employment in Texas’ investment-banking and securities industries rose 111% the past two decades and 27% since the pandemic, compared with respective increases of 16% and 5% in New York. Texas has seen a 13% increase in the number of people employed in finance since 2019, compared with 2% in New York and 3% nationally. D-FW ranks second among U.S. metro areas in terms of total workers employed in finance-related industries, trailing only New York City. (WSJ)

You think you have debt? The U.S. government spent $380B more than it earned in August, according to the Treasury Department. It also has spent more than $1 trillion on interest payments this fiscal year -- a first -- as the fiscal year-to-date budget deficit swelled to $1.9T, up 24% from a year ago.

Pour out a cup: Coffee drinking may slow facial aging by improving skin elasticity, a new study shows.

Believe it or not: Ford Motor Co. filed a patent for a car that generates holographic images of police and guard dogs to deter thieves.

Daily digit: According to an analysis by listing service Coworking Cafe, Fort Worth ranks as the #2 America’s Boomtown (2024) for economic growth (among large cities), with highly ranked population growth, a leading educational attainment rate, increased housing investments, and economic diversification in technology, healthcare, and logistics. Mesa, AZ secured the top spot among large cities (500k+ population).

Snippets:

• The Texas Longhorns are ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press football poll for the first time since 2008. 

• Do you remember Real ID legislation from 2005? It starts in May 2025 and if you want to fly, you better read this. 

• Will GM, Ford use EV batteries built with Chinese tech in U.S.?

• General Mills has sold its yogurt businesses to two French companies. Its brands included Yoplait, Liberté, Go-Gurt, Oui and Mountain High.

Announcements: 

• DFW Alliance of Technology and Women: Awards Spark Award to Nanoscope Therapeutics co-founder and CEO Sulagna Bhattacharya.

• Google: Hires Jasmine Amo as a Data Center Site Negotiator.

• Varghese Summersett: Fort Worth-based law firm opens in Houston, it's 4th location.

• INSIDE Public Accounting: Ranks Whitley Penn 8th of 75 in "Best of the Best” firms list.

• Fortune Magazine: Selects TimelyCare to 2024 Best Workplaces in Health Care list.

• GM Financial: Promotes Aleshia Howe to Assistant Vice President.

• Texas A&M School of Law: Selects Kayla Dailey, Class of 2016, as Alumni Legacy Award recipient.

• Texas Watch: Selects Fort Worth attorney Steve Laird its Champion of Justice.

• D.R. Horton: Appoints three independent board directors — Barbara R. Smith, M. Chad Crow, and Elaine D. Crowley. Eight of the 10 directors are independent.

• Koddi: Names Paul Dahill Managing Director of Sales.