Sabre selling, Ricky Stewart buying; Driver license renewal going virtual? 🧟FW haunted house ranked No. 1.

Fort Worth-based engineering and architecture firm Freese and Nichols has received a second Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the highest recognition in the U.S. for quality business practices and resilience. Freese and Nichols became only the eighth company to have earned two, winning its first in 2010. Up to 18 awards may be given annually across six categories. The program is a public-private partnership through the U.S. Department of Commerce.

SeaQuest Fort Worth, a marine-themed amusement at Ridgmar Mall, has shut its doors after months of animal abuse complaints, PETA confirmed to Culture Map and Fort Worth Report.

Beginning Sunday, Trinity Metro TEXRail’s schedule to DFW International Airport will increase to 30 minutes during mid-day service, which has been hourly. For passengers traveling from Fort Worth T&P Station to DFW Terminal B, the first trip will be at 4:13 a.m., and the 30-minute frequency will continue through the 6:43 p.m. departure. Details are here. 

Medical City Fort Worth, part of HCA, has planned a $37-million cardiac catheterization laboratory expansion project with four operating rooms inside its existing Medical District location. HKS Inc. will develop the 17,380-square-foot space, which is planned to open in 2026.

Dick's House of Sport, a new concept from Dick’s Sporting Goods, is planned for The Parks Mall in Arlington and will replace the original Dick's by 2026. House of Sport would include indoor and outdoor sports fields and courts, climbing walls, equipment repair stations and other activities along with Dick’s Sporting Goods retail offerings. There are two stores in Houston.

A company tied to Richard (Ricky) Stewart, the co-founder of the Chicken Express fast food chain, has purchased a 44,000-square-foot shopping center at 300-318 Main St. in Weatherford, according to the Dallas Business Journal.  Deed records show RLS took out a $4.27 million loan from Community National Bank and Trust of Texas. The Village is three blocks from Weatherford's historic courthouse and town square. 

Arlington-based Sumexus has launched its Non-Emergency Medical Transportation services across Tarrant, Johnson, Parker, Denton and Dallas counties. The company aims to enhance access to non-emergency healthcare appointments. 

The Department of Defense and Small Business Administration plan to invest approximately $2.8 billion in over 1,000 companies, which they declined to name, to shore up tech innovation.

The Supreme Court is allowing national medication and anti-doping rules for horse racing to remain in effect while a court fight likely to wind up with the justices continues.

Southlake-based Sabre agreed to a multi-year agreement with Saga Travel Group, which provides tours, hotel holidays and adventures targeted for people over 50. Sabre’s marketplace includes travel content from more than 400 airlines, two million lodging options, and hundreds of tour operators, rail, car rental, and cruise providers.

Sabre is selling corporate travel platform GetThere to New Zealand-based Serko for $12 million. The deal is expected to close Jan. 6. Then, a 5-year partnership will start, utilizing Sabre's sales team to co-sell and co-market Serko's products, including GetThere and Zeno, a travel and expense-management software.

Gallus Detox Centers, a provider of in-patient medical detoxification and outpatient behavioral services for drug and alcohol addictions, has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It has three locations, one in Fort Worth.

BNSF Railway and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers reached a tentative agreement on a five-year contract, and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers ratified its agreement. The IBEW agreement is the ninth reached by the railroad in the last two months and means 53% of the railroad’s union workforce is covered by agreements.

Viessmann Generations Group announced it had finalized its purchase of Fort Worth-based KPS Global, a provider of custom enclosures for controlled environments. KPS has an extensive value chain coverage across design, engineering, installation and after-market services.

Ground was broken as Fort Worth Housing Solutions readies for the construction of Babers Manor, a mixed-income, multi-family development as part of the Stop Six Choice Neighborhood Initiative, launched in 2020.

Snippets:

• One hundred twenty doulas, trained in a United Way of Tarrant County program, are making a difference in maternity successes in Fort Worth zip code 76104, one of the worst for births. 

• Could Texas driver’s license renewals go virtual? Fingers crossed ... it's estimated to cost the state $22 million in the first five years. 

• Down the drain? And in news of coincidence, the Dallas Cowboys and Kohler kitchen specialists have signed a multi-year marketing agreement. 

Believe it or not: This idea may not take flight … a New Zealand airport limits goodbye hugs to 3 minutes. Those seeking fonder farewells should “use the car park,” a sign tells travelers.

Today’s trivia: American Airlines' longest flight in its history -- 8,300 miles from D-FW to Brisbane, Australia -- isn't even among the top 10 longest in history. 

Daily digit: The average U.S. smartphone user has 2,795 photos stored, 58% of which are selfies, per a recent survey. 70% of respondents intend to print out the photos they take, but only 19% “often” do so, and 22% “rarely” get around to it.

Significant stat: Approximately 1.2 million patients are affected by mistaken drug administration each year, costing the healthcare system approximately $5.1 billion. Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a wearable camera to address the issue. Software in the camera uses AI to recognize vials before they are injected into a patient, providing a warning if it is the wrong medication.

Announcements:

• American Culinary Federation: Names Tarrant County College Culinary Arts Program Coordinator Chef Katrina Warner Chef Educator of the Year.

• Citadel Partners: Promotes Andy Goldson and Mac Morse to equity partners. Adds Breck Besserer as senior advisor in office and industrial project leasing.

• KAI Design: Hires Nicholas “Nic” Simmerman as Project Manager for D-FW office.

• UNTHSC: The Physician Assistant Studies program is granted a 10-year accreditation continuation, the maximum allowed.

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