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- ⚖️Trump in today; TikTok out, then in; Patty Williams passes away; Are you too heavy? New definition weighed.
⚖️Trump in today; TikTok out, then in; Patty Williams passes away; Are you too heavy? New definition weighed.
Plus more bite-size news about business in Tarrant County.
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the U.S. is today at 11 am. It is Trump’s second inauguration and the 60th in U.S. history. The ceremony has been moved inside because of sub-freezing temperatures in D.C. The same thing occurred in 1985 when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. The current issue of our print publication has a look at memorable highlights from previous inaugurations.
Fort Worth’s 40th annual MLK Day Parade scheduled today has been postponed because of freezing temps.
More than 170 million users were greeted with a message on their TikTok accounts Sunday that the entertainment and cultural platform was banned. Its message included: "We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution.” And Trump did. By late afternoon, he had negotiated to have TikTok back up and running. More to come? The Supreme Court ruling backed the Biden Administration ban because of Chinese data collecting being a threat. Only the Senate can vote to overrule the Supreme Court.
While all that was happening, Meta announced a video editing app called Edits is coming soon to counter TikTok video editing app CapCut.
Patty Williams, President of Roger Williams Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram, and wife of Congressman Roger Williams, passed away after a courageous battle with glioblastoma.
Charles Taylor, Provost the past seven years at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, has decided to step down for personal reasons.
Westlake-based Charles Schwab will renew branch-building in retiree spots like Florida (looking for grandmas), relocate storefronts to 'high-traffic' areas, and dedicate staff to $10-million-plus accounts, according to its CEO Rick Wurster.
Choice Health at Home, headquartered in Tyler, and an entity of Fort Worth-based Coltala Holdings, has acquired Family Tree Private Care, one of the largest private care operators in the U.S. Choice Health at Home offers premier home health, hospice, personal care and rehabilitation services.
Mayor Mattie Parker formally announced that she will seek a third term. Fort Worth does not have term limits for its mayor.
Fort Worth ends fiscal year 2024 with a $332.5-million General Fund balance, up about 10%.
Details of the Maverick Golf and Ranch Club community development by Discovery Land Community off Lake Benbrook are online.
Hoque Global, which failed to start its contracted $70-million Evans & Rosedale project in Fort Worth, has missed its construction deadline for Mansfield's $65-million Smith & Elm development, according to the Dallas Business Journal. It reports the deal is being re-negotiated.
Greater Fort Worth and Tarrant County’s year-end housing report:
Fort Worth home sales increased 0.5% year-over-year. Active listings increased 36% year-over-year. Prices stabilized with Fort Worth’s median home price going up 1.5% and the days on the market increasing four days over 2023 to 49.
Tarrant County saw median home prices rise 0.7% year-over-year. There were 1,400 more active listings in 2024.
News you can use: To sell your house, figure out what to renovate first. Replacing a garage door is probably worth it, but adding a bathroom might not be. (WSJ)
D CEO and Dallas Innovates reveal a long list of 2025 Innovation Awards winners, led by Corporate Innovator of the Year Bell Helicopter (CEO Lisa Atherton).
Arlington's National Medal of Honor Museum will host a job fair Feb. 1-2 for its March 25 opening. Get details here.
A passenger on a 2022 American Airlines flight has filed suit against the airline after it accused him of trafficking his wife, and they were met at landing by authorities.
The Fort Worth Chamber has launched the Business Champions program to support businesses by connecting them with community leaders and gathering key insights to drive growth. The program will focus on business retention, expansion, and overall business climate issues. It hopes to reach 600 member visits during 2025.
Uh-oh: General Motors is facing a safety probe into 870,000 SUVs and pickups. How bad is it? The federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 39 owners have complained of engine failure in newer Silverado, Tahoe, and Yukon full-size trucks equipped with the L87 V8 engine.
Fifteen months after it began, a cease-fire and three-hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas began Sunday. The deal calls for a seven-week truce and hundreds of hostages exchanged.
After studying new, smaller store builds vs. converting established stores, McDonald’s has decided new store builds work better for its CosMc's restaurants. So, three of the original seven nationally will close, including two in Tarrant — 300 E Abram St. in Arlington and 7304 Denton Highway in Watauga. McDonald’s said the concept is alive, and it is building two more smaller sites.
Daily digit: Whether they’re resigning, retiring, or being shown the door, more U.S. CEOs (1,991) said goodbye to their companies last year, per a report. That’s the highest figure since outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas started tracking turnovers in 2002 and an ~60% increase from two years ago.

Notable and quotable: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” —Peter Drucker (1909-2005), management consultant, educator and author
Snippets:
Do calls for a new definition of obesity carry weight?
Mark Cuban has a tip for the perfect time to start a business.
FDA approves Omvoh for moderately to severely active Crohn's Disease.
Company launches transformative fungi-powered technology that can eat through plastic and improve the environment.
Announcements:
Tarrant County: Election winner Rick Barnes replaces Wendy Burgess as tax-assessor collector. He names former County Commissioner Andy Nguyen as his Chief of Staff.
United Way of Tarrant County: Selects Dana Fairbanks as Director of Marketing.
La Madeleine: Appoints former Denny’s executive John Dillon as President.
Euless: City Manager Loretta Getchell will retire Jan. 31 after a 27-year tenure with the city.
Brand Juice Marketing: Agency launched by Paul Rogers at 2920 Shotts St.
Texas Family Initiative: Kristi Naylor re-joins as Chief Programs Officer.
Shelton, Mead & Shelton: Adds CPA Ryan Hill.
MI Supply: Dale Williford launches HVAC Supply business.
EMPOWER: Adds Randy Neff as Senior Vice President.
North Texas Leaders & Executives Advocating Diversity!: Hires Zane McClain Torres as Grants and Financial Administrator.
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