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Axios Dallas
Dallas Cowboys come home for final preseason game
It's about to get hotter in North Texas. Football season is here.The Cowboys are back home this weekend to play their final preseason game against the Chargers.Why it matters: The team's regular season roster remains up in the air, most notably with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb still holding out for a better contract.Plus, the future of the Cowboys remains in limbo because the team has yet to sign a contract extension with quarterback Dak Prescott.Catch up fast: Lamb is one of the best wide receivers in the league and wants a paycheck to match his performance.His rookie contract ends after...
BigTex Choice Awards winners named for 2024 State Fair
Bacon fried in cotton candy and a Dominican take on a hot dog will have extra bragging rights at this year's State Fair of Texas.Driving the news: The fair hosted its annual Big Tex Choice Awards competition Thursday, with four judges from the Dallas food and beverage industry deciding the winners after a live tasting.Why it matters: The competition started 20 years ago among fair vendors and has evolved from mostly fried foods to a tough battle to come up with the wildest flavor blends that are still delicious.State of play: The 10 finalists were split into two categories —...
Burn bans and water restrictions: How North Texas cities are tackling the heat
Texas is in better shape this summer compared to this time last year, but people, crops and livestock remain at risk amid searing heat and intensifying drought conditions.Why it matters: Many North Texas cities are asking residents to help mitigate the impacts by conserving water, energy and emergency resources.The big picture: Burn bans are in effect for 118 of Texas' 254 counties, per the Texas A&M Forest Service.Texas is also the country's hot spot for heat-related illnesses, per CDC data tracking emergency department visits.Threat level: Dallas-Fort Worth has seen 21 days over 100 degrees so far this year, compared to...
Life expectancy for Texans lower than the average American
Data: CDC; Map: Axios VisualsTexans have a lower life expectancy at birth than the average American, the CDC says.The state is No. 31 in the country for the figure, which estimates the average lifespan a newborn can be expected to live if age-specific mortality levels stay the same.The big picture: Life expectancy nationwide fell by 0.6 years between 2020 and 2021 — largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and drug overdoses, per the report.States in the Southeast generally have a lower life expectancy at birth as of 2021, while states in the Northeast and West have higher life expectancy, per CDC data. Women are also expected to live longer than men.Zoom in: The U.S. life expectancy at birth is 76.4 years. In Texas, it's 75.4 years.People in Hawaii (79.9 years) and Massachusetts (79.6 years) have the longest life expectancy at birth as of 2021.Mississippi (70.9 years) and West Virginia (71 years) have the shortest.Zoom out: Life expectancies in dozens of countries are much higher than in the U.S. The Japanese are expected to live 84 years.Yes, but: Texans are still better off than their neighbors. Life expectancies are shorter in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.
Dallas native Luke Wilson stars in Little League film
Dallas native Luke Wilson stars in the emotional story of a Little League team on the big screen later this month.Why it matters: The 2002 Westside All-Stars were the first Fort Worth team in 42 years to make it to the Little League World Series.They had dedicated the season to the first baseman's father, Bobby Ratliff, after he was diagnosed with cancer.State of play: Wilson plays Ratliff in "You Gotta Believe" to tell the multilayered story of a man living on borrowed time as his son grapples with the fear of losing a parent."Finding the right balance between the two was the real trick to making a movie for the entire family — something that everyone could alternately laugh at, feel touched by, and ultimately, to learn from," director Ty Roberts said in a statement.What's next: The movie comes out in theaters on Aug. 30.
These are the fastest-growing D-FW businesses
More than 200 North Texas businesses are on the Inc. 5000 2024 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.The big picture: Inc. 5000 ranks companies based on percentage of revenue growth in the last three years.D-FW has four businesses in the top 150.Zoom in: Dallas-based Archer Review, which offers medical and nursing exam preparation materials, was the top company in North Texas at No. 46 on the list.At No. 83, health care staffing company StaffDNA was the second top D-FW business.Zoom out: The Woodlands-based Segment HR (No. 32) and Austin-based Maev (No. 38) ranked at the top in Texas.The intrigue: Dallas-based Bishop Cider Company landed on the list with 381% growth in the past three years.The cidery started more than a decade ago in a 700-square-foot Bishop Arts space. The company has since bought two breweries and opened several arcades in Texas.
Houston company accused of stealing money for surrogates
Several North Texas families say they each lost thousands of dollars in an alleged scam involving a Houston-based surrogacy escrow company.Why it matters: The FBI is now trying to identify all potential victims in the case, a spokesperson tells Axios.The big picture: A lawsuit accuses Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM) and its owner of misappropriating more than $10 million from families. Damages alleged in the lawsuit range from $10,000 to $109,000 for 35 families.SEAM owner Dominique Side is accused of using the money to fund other ventures, including a music career, real estate investments and a clothing line, per the...
Uniqlo sets opening dates for three Dallas-area stores
Japanese retailer Uniqlo is opening its three Dallas-area stores in October.Why it matters: The apparel brand is finally opening brick-and-mortar stores in Texas, which is the company's third-largest online shopping market behind New York and California.This is exciting news for Texans who've already had the chance to shop in Uniqlo's physical stores, which are well-stocked with classic designs in a rainbow of colors.The latest: The location at Galleria Dallas will open first, on Oct. 18, per the company's announcement Monday.Locations at The Parks Mall in Arlington and Stonebriar Centre in Frisco will open Oct. 25.Zoom out: Uniqlo is also opening two locations in the Houston area: Memorial City Mall on Oct. 11 and First Colony Mall on Oct. 18.The Texas expansion is part of the retailer's push to open more than 20 storefronts this year in North America.The intrigue: Uniqlo says it plans to partner with local nonprofits as part of its sustainability program to reuse and recycle used clothing.In Dallas, the company is working with Jonathan's Place, which helps abused and neglected children, teens and young adults.What we're watching: Is Muji next? 🤞
How new real estate rules affect Dallas-Fort Worth
New national rules for home sales will change how thousands of real estate agents in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro do business.The rules came out of a settlement in a class action lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors over how real estate agents are paid.Why it matters: Real estate commissions nationally have fallen slightly since the announcement of the settlement in March.They could fall further after new rules regarding commissions take effect, though it could be several months before the full impact of the changes becomes known.The big picture: Class action lawsuits usually affect a company or a cluster of...
Why new Texas home designs look like "Tetris"
Expect fewer hallways and more nooks that work as "pocket offices" or kid-friendly alcoves in newly built homes.Why it matters: Builders and architects say they're using every square foot of space as many shrink houses to cut costs."All that Tetris we played in the '90s has finally paid off," experts at John Burns Research and Consulting wrote in a recent report surveying industry pros nationwide.State of play: North Texas-based Cadence Homes is building townhouses under $400,000 with workstations tucked just off the kitchen.Listed for about $155,000, one of Lennar's brand-new homes in San Antonio offers 661 square feet of space...
How Dallas became a financial services hub
Data: Labor Department; Chart: Axios VisualsDallas-Fort Worth is growing into a major financial hub, rivaling New York City — and catching the attention of the Wall Street Journal.Why it matters: Texas has steadily been adding finance and insurance jobs since 1990, surpassing the number of employees in the industries in New York, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.The Texas Stock Exchange is launching in Dallas, and thousands of locals already work for Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo.State of play: Goldman Sachs is building a massive office complex near downtown as part of its expansion...
Google adds $1B investment to data centers in Texas
Google is investing an additional $1 billion into data centers to support searches and AI as part of its expansion into Texas, the company announced Thursday.Why it matters: Dallas-Fort Worth is the new Silicon Valley. Major companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Verizon have all expanded data centers in the region in the past five years.D-FW has nearly 70,000 jobs in information services, including data housing, per a Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce estimate.The big picture: Google already has a sprawling campus in Midlothian and has broken ground on a 285,000-square-foot data center in Red Oak, also south of Dallas.The...
Fort Worth approves multimillion dollar settlement with former police chief, employees
The City of Fort Worth will pay a combined $9.6 million to three ex-employees, including a former police chief, to settle lawsuits alleging their firings were mishandled.Why it matters: The former employees claimed in their suits that they were fired for exposing the city's cybersecurity issues.Though the city is agreeing to pay a settlement, officials haven't admitted liability.Driving the news: The Fort Worth City Council approved the payouts this week to end the legal battle with former police chief Joel Fitzgerald, former assistant IT director Ronald Burke and former IT employee William Birchett.The settlement awards $5.2 million to Fitzgerald, $2.4...
How to see the Perseid meteor show in Dallas
The Perseid meteor shower might have already peaked this week, but there is still plenty of time to catch a glimpse.The big picture: Meteor showers are perhaps the most accessible cosmic events each year.You don't need telescopes or binoculars to see the meteor shower, just a comfy place to lie down and look up under relatively cloudless and dark skies.How it works: The Perseids grace our skies each year at around this time when the Earth passes through the stream of dust and rock debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle.The Perseids are known for creating the most fireballs —...
Ken Paxton tells State Fair of Texas to drop gun ban
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening to sue the city of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas after the fair announced it would not let people bring guns onto fairgrounds this year.Why it matters: The fair updated its safety protocols ahead of this year's event after a shooting last year injured three people.The fair previously allowed visitors with a valid handgun license to bring a firearm into the fairgrounds. The accused shooter was not licensed.The latest: The State Fair of Texas announced last week that it updated its weapons and bag policies as part of tightened security measures....
A new book explores Benjamine Spencer's wrongful conviction
For 34 years, Benjamine Spencer sat in a Texas prison declaring he was innocent of killing a Dallas man in a robbery, even when admitting to the crime could've freed Spencer on parole.The Dallas man wrote his wife apology letters for not coming home. "Truth has always meant more to me than my freedom," he said in one note.Why it matters: Convictions like Spencer's are especially difficult to untangle. There was no physical evidence tying him to the crime, and the guilty verdict was based on faulty eyewitness testimony and a jailhouse informant.Ross Perot even paid reward money to a...
Dallas proposes property tax rate cuts for 2024-25
Dallas wants to lower the property tax rate and spend more money on its police and fire departments in the upcoming fiscal year.The big picture: The proposed city budget would reduce the property tax rate by 3.1 cents per $100 valuation, from 73.57 cents to 70.47 cents. It would be the largest single-year tax rate reduction in Dallas' modern history, the city says.The city would also increase the property tax exemption from $139,400 to $153,400 for residents with a disability or older than 65.Why it matters: The budget reflects the city's priorities next year, from public works to public safety.State...
Dwayne Bravo, Shahid Afridi to play in cricket tournament at UT Dallas
Some of the world's top cricket players will visit North Texas in October to compete in a tournament that will test a new format of the sport.Driving the news: The Sixty Strikes Tournament will take place Oct. 4-14 at UT Dallas, the university and National Cricket League USA announced Monday.Why it matters: Dallas-Fort Worth has become an epicenter of cricket in the U.S. in recent years as the sport continues its expansion in the country."As cricket expands its global fan base, Texas will hold front-row seats to its growth across the nation," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.State of...
What's new for Dallas-Fort Worth students
Several North Texas school districts start classes this week, giving parents a break from summer break.Why it matters: This will be a critical year for public schools, as districts navigate funding shortfalls and teacher vacancies.Driving the news: Dallas and Frisco ISDs start Monday. Fort Worth and Plano start Tuesday.State of play: Nearly 1.7 million Dallas-Fort Worth residents are ages 5-19. That's around 21% of the metro's population.But, a report earlier this year found 9 out of 10 Texas students attend inadequately funded schools.What's new: The University Interscholastic League has new heat safety guidelines restricting outdoor practice hours and suspending outdoor...
What's new for Dallas-Fort Worth students
Several North Texas school districts start classes this week, giving parents a break from summer break.Why it matters: This will be a critical year for public schools, as districts navigate funding shortfalls and teacher vacancies.Driving the news: Dallas and Frisco ISDs start Monday. Fort Worth and Plano start Tuesday.State of play: Nearly 1.7 million Dallas-Fort Worth residents are ages 5-19. That's around 21% of the metro's population.But, a report earlier this year found 9 out of 10 Texas students attend inadequately funded schools.What's new: The University Interscholastic League has new heat safety guidelines restricting outdoor practice hours and suspending outdoor...
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