📍Supremes OK vote maps; In-flight calls coming to AA? Feehan out of Dutton Ranch.

Trinity Metro President and CEO Rich Andreski held a slide show for city council members Tuesday and said he expects construction to begin later this year on TEXRail's 2.1-mile extension from downtown to Fort Worth’s Medical District and Near Southside. The project is estimated at $167 million and funded. 

Fort Worth-based GM Financial reported net income of $514 million for the quarter ended March 31, compared to $460 million to end 2025 and $499 million for first quarter last year. 

British Airways, American Airlines’ biggest partner in the U.S., has rolled out Starlink Wi-Fi on select flights. The powerful Wi-Fi connection allows for calls in-flight. Could American be next? 

Fort Worth-based Crimson Chemicals secured the first U.S. distribution agreement for Hypercell Technologies’ rapid microbiological testing platform, which could replace days-long laboratory testing with on-site results in under one hour. Crimson Chemicals will introduce the new generation of DNA-based diagnostics across the food industry. Robert Miller is the President and CEO of Crimson Chemicals.

Amazon's west Dallas fulfillment campus is slowly transforming into a drone launch hub. It has plans on file to build the first of 22 planned Prime Air "drone paddocks" across Texas at 1301 Chalk Hill Road. The proposal would bolt landing pads, shade canopies, and a modular operations office onto an existing fulfillment center in a project valued at about $25 million.

Fort Worth's Carlo Capua, a senior principal at the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, is one of 12 North American semifinalists out of 120 competitors for the 2026 Defender Trophy, a global adventure competition featuring off-road Land Rover driving and endurance challenges and sponsored locally by Land Rover Fort Worth. He earned his spot at a qualifier event in British Columbia. Four finalists will be selected May 15 to represent North America at the final in Africa this October. 

Series showrunner Chad Feehan, at times a Fort Worth resident, has left Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch, just weeks before its May 15 series debut. Feehan, who also was behind another Sheridan spinoff, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, will not be returning for a second season if Dutton Ranch is picked up. 

The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® MDCX command and control platform successfully completed a historic initial flight of the U.S. Navy's MQ‑25A Stingray. The platform is the backbone of the Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System  MD-5 Ground Control Station.

The Real Brokerage and RE/MAX Holdings have a definitive agreement under which Real will acquire RE/MAX Holdings to create what the companies described as a leading technology-enabled global real estate platform named Real REMAX Group. The transaction implies an enterprise value of approximately $880 million.

The office of the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton successfully defended Texas’ new congressional maps in the U.S. Supreme Court. It granted summary reversal, which completely reversed the district court’s decision and allows the congressional map signed into law in August to remain in effect for the 2026 mid-term elections.  

Hiro’s Kitchen, known for its sushi and sake, has taken a 10-year lease on 1,299 square feet at 309 W. Daggett. LanCarte Commercial is handling the retail project, and was represented by Finn Wilson, Riley Dean and Sarah LanCarte. Sunrise Scones will also have 656 square feet in the space. 

Keller officials unanimously approved updates to its fire code, which includes changes for emerging technology risks and  protection requirements, plus sections that impact scooter storage and locations for electric vehicle charging stations.

Creation and Crow Holdings Capital completed Triad 820, a three-building, 137,000-square-foot, Class-A industrial development on nine acres along Anderson Boulevard in Haltom City. It was designed and constructed by LGE Design Build. Leasing is being led by Todd Hubbard and Joe McLiney with NAI Robert Lynn. 

Centurion American purchased 71 acres for a residential development at 13376 John Day Road in Haslet, near AllianceTexas and Highway 114. Icon Global was the broker and CMV Essentials the seller.

A new program aimed at maintaining buildings within the city’s historic township will go into effect in Grapevine. Council members unanimously approved the creation of a historical facade preservation program during a joint meeting with the planning and zoning commission April 21.

The Tax Court affirmed bargain sale treatment for a transfer of for-profit colleges to a nonprofit entity, but adjusted the taxpayer’s claimed charitable deduction for the transfer. This Tax Matters item from the Journal of Accountancy has the details.

Here is the answer if you wonder what all the Arlington downtown lights are during May... and why they keep changing. 

Fort Worth Black News founder Jill Darden has passed at 52. She founded the newspaper in 1997 with her mother to write about community leaders and activities. She was 23 at the time. 

Believe it or not: In-N-Out used to accommodate burger orders of any size beyond its largest 4x4 option (four patties + four slices of cheese). That is, until one particularly famous incident in 2004 where a customer ordered a 100x100 burger, which prompted management to ban off-the-menu additions.

Daily digit: 17 percent = Film tickets sold last year that were for the premium large-format screens, up from 13 percent in 2021. Consumers are willing to pay more to see movies on bigger screens and with better sound.

Significant stat: Comparing 2025 to 2024 Texas gained the most residents overall (391,200), followed by Florida (196,700) and North Carolina (145,900). California lost 9,500 residents, the most of any state. 

Announcements:

• Longbow Partners: Hires Mercedes Bolen to lead local government affairs and public strategy. Previously, she spent 13 years at Hillwood and exited as VP of External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives. 

• The John Zimmerman Group (Compass Fort Worth): Adds Kevin McGinnis.

• Bank of Texas: Names Cody Barrentine as VP - Commercial Relationship Manager.

• CureNet Research: Adds fractional CFO owner Sarah Webb as CFO. The company supports physician-led research through training, mentorship and technology.

• Casa Mañana Theatre: Hires Katherine Curtis as Vice President of Marketing. 

• 8020 Consulting: Hires Dee Walker as a Director.

• Haslam Firm: Hires attorney Elizabeth Haslem, who also starts Haslam Law, PLLC, which emphasizes high-impact litigation and strategic case development.

• Younger Partners: Hires Steven Grant as Managing Director of the commercial real estate firm’s retail brokerage.

• ANDRES Construction Services: Hires Jonathan Herreros as Marketing Manager. 

• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas: Judge Alan Albright, known for overseeing patent cases, is stepping down in August and returning to private practice.

• Come Near: Hires Lauren Calzada as CRM and Prospect Manager. 

• WestWind Building Corp: Promotes Rick Stanford to Director of Business Development.

• Storage 365 Management: Adds Cindy Gonzales-Baker as General Manager.

• Piatt Handyman and Home Remodel: Launched by Christian Piatt.

• Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital: Earns Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery. 

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