⚖️Texas loses great statesman; GM on why car prices are rising; Retire? Mega Millions at $800M.

No way to “brake” rising car prices if you want AI features. General Motors expects higher new vehicle prices, citing growing costs for electronic components. The biggest pressure comes from DRAM memory chips, which are used in everything from infotainment systems and digital instrument clusters to advanced driver-assistance features. 

Tom Luce III died yesterday at 86. Mostly behind the scenes, he bought the Magna Carta, ran Ross Perot’s Presidential campaign, was Education Secretary for George W. Bush, sat on the Texas Supreme Court, and worked with CPRIT, SMU’s Law School and Lyda Hill Philanthropies. At the time of his death, he was founder and advisor of the policy think tank Texas 2036.

Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet explained what may be one of the biggest strategic shifts underway at the world’s largest defense contractor. Rather than waiting for formal Pentagon requests, Lockheed is increasingly developing weapons and expanding manufacturing capacity before contracts are awarded, betting it can anticipate the military’s future needs. Lockheed employs approximately 19,200 in Tarrant County, more than 23,000 across D-FW, and approximately 120,000 in 50 countries globally.

Aurora Innovation, operating and testing at Hillwood Alliance, offered a livestream of its second-generation platform for driverless trucks last week. It projects a 1,000-mile Fort Worth-to-Phoenix trip could be completed up to 40% faster than with a solo driver while increasing revenue potential through greater truck utilization. The platform is designed for a one-million-mile service life. Check out the future of highway trucking here. 

Fort Worth-based Bell Textron picked up a $33.6-million contract from Naval Air Systems Command for the U.S. Marine Corps' major upgrade kits and electrical re-wiring for its attack and utility helicopters. They are built specifically to carry the next generation of weapons.

Boeing and GM, 50/50 partners in HRL Laboratories, signed a definitive agreement to sell it to IBM. HRL, founded in 1948 as Hughes Research and Development Labs, was acquired by GM in 1985. HRL delivers transformative technologies in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries.

Did you know? The Mega Millions jackpot reached $800 million after no one won Friday. The prize is the10th largest ever. The next drawing is tomorrow at 10 p.m. The prize, after taxes, can be claimed as $344.2 million in cash. The largest Mega Millions win was $1.602 billion.

What would you do? A toddler under two flew free on an outbound flight with his parents. At the time of the return flight, he was two and would need to pay for a seat. It was a $793 surprise to the parents. 

In 1992, a federal appeals court ruled that a cap on NCAA coaching salaries was a violation of antitrust laws. Today, TCU Athletic Director Mike Buddie says ADs and coaches should have a salary cap.

Texas' Higher Education Coordinating Board rolled out a sweeping plan that would overhaul how state dollars reach public universities and colleges, shifting much of the money toward what students actually complete rather than who simply shows up. The potential change could not happen until the 2028-29 budget.

Satterfield & Pontikes Construction and Klein Tools topped out the Klein Tools Warehouse expansion in Mansfield. The milestone marks the completion of the structural framework of a 460,000-square-foot warehouse and the transition into the interior construction phase. The building is designed to integrate seamlessly with Klein Tools' existing 300,000-square-foot distribution center.

The founders of Dan's Bagels started baking sourdough at home in 2020, opened their first storefront in Trophy Club in 2021 and are expanding through franchising. Store No. 5 opens Sept. 2 across from Birdville H.S. in North Richland Hills.

Burciaga Hospitality Group opens Almacen el Gallo today for lunch and dinner occasions at 500 W 7th St. in downtown Fort Worth. Adrian Burciaga describes it as celebrating family and Mexico.

Lockheed Martin received a $23.1-million order from Naval Air Systems Command to provide engineering and technical services, depot activation support and material lay-in to establish and activate F-35 national air vehicle depots for Finland, Switzerland and S. Korea. Sixty-eight percent of the work will be done in Fort Worth and the completion date is Dec. 2028.

The crowning jewel of women's professional rodeo breakaway roping is moving to Fort Worth from Las Vegas. The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo have a three-year agreement to bring the Wrangler WPRA National Breakaway Finals to Will Rogers Coliseum. The 2026 dates are Dec. 18-19.

Marcus & Millichap negotiated the sale in June of Premium Storage, a 165-unit self-storage facility at 2180 FM 1187 in Mansfield. It has 12 climate-controlled units, 107 covered parking spaces and 46 uncovered parking spaces in 47,891 net rentable square feet. Danny Cunningham and Brandon Karr represented the seller, a local owner-operator, and procured the buyer, a Midwest-based investment group. 

Today in history: 1993 = Jordan Spieth was born in Dallas. He was the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer and won two of his three major championships, the Masters and the U.S. Open, at the age of 21.

Significant stat: $23,340 = Cost of raising a child in D-FW in 2026, up 4.5% from last year — the biggest jump of any Texas metro, but less than Austin, a SmartAsset study found. D-FW still ranks as the 10th-most affordable major U.S. metro for raising a child. 

Daily digit: U.S. tequila consumption grew 30% between 2015-2020, according to drinks data provider IWSR. Americans particularly enjoy premium-and-above brands, sales of which shot up by 60% during that period. 

Snippets:

• Recaro Aircraft Seating and the University of Texas-Arlington are partnering on an initiative known as the Experiential Learning in Emerging and Novel Technologies, funded by the National Science Foundation.

• Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than half a million Broncos because a wiring harness in the engine compartment can short circuit and increase the risk of fire.

Announcements:

• Big 12: Selects former TCU point guard Olivia Miles as the conference's female athlete of the year for the 2025-2026 season. 

• REV Entertainment: Promotes Jared Schrom to Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President; Starr Gulledge to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration; Madison SanFilippo to Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, and Senior Vice President; and Scott Hays to Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President. Hires Brian Lyter as Vice President, Sports Management. 

• UTA Department of Art and Art History: Appoints television director Rachel Raimist to the position of Morgan Woodward Distinguished Professor of Film and Video. 

• American Airlines: Jonathan Pierce, Director - Global Learning, is leaving the company. 

• Fidelity Investments: Hires Tim Proffitt as Director of Architecture.

• Charles Schwab: Hires Major Smith as Advisor Support Associate. 

• The Salvation Army of North Texas: Hires Ryan Barrera as Director of Development. 

• Kroll: Hires attorney Aaron Sigel as Senior Corporate Counsel. 

• Jackson Walker: Promotes attorney Jeff Connor to Partner-Corporate (Investment Management).

• Bogan Foundation: Names Stephen Boehmer Vice President.

• BNSF Railway Police Department: Hires former White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook to a leadership role.

• Tarleton State: Names Michael Jones Chief of Police. 

• Crescent Real Estate: Promotes Tiffany Payan to Senior Vice President: Finance and Compliance, and Anne Mahaffey to Vice President: Fund Controller. 

• ICIMS: Adds Danny Rojas as Senior Principal, Product and Market Insights. 

• U.S. Foods: Promotes Lauren Aguirre to Region Director, Central and West.

• Fun Town RV: Promotes Jonathan Brassford to Vice President of Dealership Excellence.

• Marsh McLennan Agency: Adds Kirk Boswell as Employee Health & Benefits Advisor. 

• Medical City Weatherford: Names Tyler Bodiford Chief Financial Officer. 

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