AGP Executive Report

Texas Data Centers vs. the Grid: As heat pushes demand toward records, a new report warns that giant data-center loads can drop fast during grid disturbances, raising reliability stakes for ERCOT and beyond. State Energy Funding: Abbott announced a $113M Texas Energy Fund grant for SPS to harden the Panhandle and South Plains distribution system for 167,000+ customers. Policy Clash: Abbott is also calling for tighter limits on data centers, including bans in rural neighborhoods, reversing his earlier pro-AI push. Oil & Politics: U.S. oil giants are set for their strongest quarterly profits in years, setting up a potential fight with Trump over pump prices. Texas Markets: The Texas Stock Exchange is set to begin trading Monday in a major test of Dallas’ bid to become a national finance hub. Consumer/Legal: AG Paxton opened an investigation into StubHub over alleged World Cup “ghost ticketing” affecting Texas fans. Business Deal: Yara agreed to buy a Gulf Coast ammonia plant in Texas City for $1.3B, targeting ramp-up by end of 2026.

Energy & Capital Markets: Energy Transfer, Sunoco and related units are redomiciling from Delaware to Texas, effective July 6 (market effective July 13), keeping NYSE tickers and unitholder rights intact. Manufacturing Workforce: Caterpillar is investing $5M in Texas to expand training pathways with Texas State Technical College and partners, aiming to meet demand for skilled manufacturing workers. Banking: WestStar Bank’s El Paso market president, Arlene Carroll, is moving to Vantage Bank as the El Paso leader. Public Safety & Courts: A federal appeals court ruled ICE can’t detain migrants beyond 90 days without a bond hearing, a decision that could affect Texas and Louisiana. Sports Business: Tesla reported record Q2 deliveries (480,126) and opened US orders for the Model Y L, while the Rockets reportedly agreed to a 5-year, $81.5M deal with Tari Eason. Local Economy: San Antonio topped GoDaddy’s Most Entrepreneurial Cities list, and Killeen’s Red White and Blue Festival is expected to draw up to 15,000 and boost downtown small businesses. Agriculture Risk: USDA says new world screwworm cases are concentrated in Texas, raising stakes for livestock producers.

Texas Energy & Grid Reliability: Gov. Abbott announced $22M+ in Texas Energy Fund grants to boost power reliability in the Panhandle, including substation capacity and transmission upgrades for North Plains Electric Cooperative customers. Data Centers vs. Rural Texas: Abbott escalated his push to block AI data centers in rural neighborhoods, adding to a broader debate over power and water impacts as Texas seeks more transparency from operators. Natural Gas Infrastructure Fight: A proposed multi-state gas pipeline (Borealis Project) drew sharp resident and conservationist concerns in Kentucky over environmental risks, including habitat impacts and karst-area safety questions. Helium Supply Crunch: Southwest Gases says helium shortages tied to global supply cuts are hitting Texas labs and small businesses, with allocations slashed and prices spiking. Semiconductor/Robotics Momentum: Nightfood Holdings (TechForce Robotics) highlighted its positioning as semiconductor suppliers shift toward the U.S., while Integer and Skyward Specialty set upcoming earnings calls. Local Business & Community: Metallica’s foundation awarded $75K to South Texas College for advanced manufacturing and mechatronics training; and Anthony’s River Oaks rolled out a new weekday Italian lunch menu.

Texas Senate Race: Democrat James Talarico is pushing a major minimum-wage hike, arguing $15 an hour won’t cover rent, food, energy and transportation for full-time workers. Energy Assistance: With triple-digit heat hitting Central Texas, TXU’s Energy Aid program is highlighting how eligible customers can get help paying bills and cooling costs through local partners. AI & Finance: Prague-based EquiLibre says it raised funding at a $500M+ valuation for AI trading agents that it claims can run billions in trades monthly without a loss month. Cybersecurity: Medtronic is notifying patients after an April data breach that impacted more than 297,000 Texans, with types of data potentially including sensitive personal and health information. Trade & Markets: The U.S. won’t renew USMCA in its current form, setting up annual reviews and potential renegotiations that could affect Texas exporters and jobs. Data Centers & Water: Gov. Abbott renewed calls to block AI data centers in rural neighborhoods and to eliminate tax breaks, as Texas continues pressing operators for water-use reporting. Legal/Consumer Protection: A Texas court ordered a porn site’s domain locked down after it failed to comply with the state’s age-verification law, requiring a $9M bond. Workforce & Training: Abbott and TWC announced $206,178 in Skills Development Fund grants for Alamo Colleges District to train 158 workers in high-demand roles in San Antonio.

Cybersecurity & Liability: Texas businesses can’t assume they’re covered under the state’s Cybersecurity Safe Harbor just because they have tools like an MSP or backups—companies must be able to show a maintained cybersecurity program before a breach. Higher Ed Finance: HESC, a Texas nonprofit student loan servicer, originator and systems provider, is buying CampusDoor and keeping both brands’ operations intact to expand private student loan origination and servicing tech. Banking Expansion: Huntington National Bank is pushing deeper into Austin and central Texas commercial banking after recent Texas acquisitions, aiming at middle-market and corporate clients. AI in Mortgage & Title: Beeline Holdings says it completed its MagicBlocks acquisition, bringing more AI automation in-house to speed mortgage origination and title workflows. Texas Business Tech: Conductiv named fintech strategist Gautam Sircar as a strategic advisor to help scale its AI platform for lender loan optimization. Energy & Defense: Battalion Oil closed a refinancing that cuts borrowing costs and extends maturity, while IperionX won up to $6.6M to scale defense-grade titanium plate production. Local Economy & Infrastructure: LCRA awarded $1.08M in community grants across Texas, funding first responders, repairs, and local upgrades.

Energy Reliability: Gov. Greg Abbott announced $113 million in Texas Energy Fund grants to boost power-grid reliability for Xcel Energy’s Southwestern Public Service in the Panhandle and South Plains, targeting pole repairs/replacements, higher-risk protections, and better monitoring. Healthcare & Finance Tech: MedeAnalytics rolled out upgrades to Medicare Advantage Insights to help plans unify quality, risk, finance, utilization, SDOH, and member-experience data into prioritized, predictive workflows aimed at improving outcomes and financial performance. Education & Workforce: Deep East Texas College & Career Alliance (DETCCA) won a $1.77 million Moody Foundation grant to expand college-and-career pathways across six partner districts, including a P-TECH-style model with credits, credentials, and work-based learning. Banking Loyalty Strategy: A new industry push highlights how community banks are using legacy planning conversations to deepen trust and keep customers engaged as banking shifts online. Corporate Moves: bp named two new executive vice presidents—Sam Skerry to supply/trading/shipping and Sonya Adams to people and culture—effective Aug. 1. Retail Expansion: H-E-B filed plans for a new 125,000-square-foot store in New Caney (Valley Ranch Town Center), with construction slated to start in January 2027. Legal/Business Risk: Dish DBS filed for Chapter 11 in Houston as part of a prepackaged restructuring backed by 88% of its bondholders. Local Economy & Community: DETCCA’s grant and the Moody-funded education push, plus a Big Spring Eagles benefit for breast cancer patient Tamara Averette, underscore how Texas organizations are investing in people while managing real-world financial strain.

Houston Real Estate: MetroNational’s 990 Town & Country office tower hit 93% leased in under a year after MetroNational’s acquisition, underscoring demand in Houston’s West Loop/Energy Corridor. Energy & Infrastructure: AMPP is expanding in India to support corrosion control, coatings, and asset integrity as the country ramps up energy infrastructure. AI & Robotics: Apptronik opened an expanded “Robot Park” in Austin to generate real-world training data for humanoids, with Apollo 2 and a Google DeepMind research partnership. EV Charging: Xeal Energy launched in Canada on Canada Day, pitching self-reliant, zero-IT charging for multifamily and commercial properties. Solar Manufacturing: Waaree Solar Americas secured a 236 MW solar module supply contract for a Kentucky utility-scale project, with modules made in Brookshire, Texas. Aviation/Travel: United will add year-round Houston and Washington routes to Cartagena starting Dec. 17. Oil & Gas Politics: Trump urged gas retailers to cut pump prices “immediately,” citing oil prices and taxes. Local Public Safety: Galveston police are seeking a suspect accused of assaulting a UTMB security officer. Business Tech: EHS Insight launched an MCP integration letting teams query live EHS program data through Claude, ChatGPT, and Copilot.

Patent & Tech Litigation: Samsung is facing new Texas federal lawsuits over cellphone playback and home Wi‑Fi patents, while a New Mexico nonpracticing entity also sued 7‑Eleven and others over a communications patent. Healthcare Fraud Settlement: AstraZeneca agreed to pay about $34M to Texas to resolve Medicaid kickback allegations tied to provider “free services” and nurse deployment. Energy & Environment: A Houston-area coal plant, W.A. Parish, was identified as a dominant source of cloud-forming aerosols; separately, OSHA proposed $3.5M in fines after a sulfuric acid spill response at the Houston Ship Channel. Power Demand Alerts: Austin Utilities and regional co-ops issued peak energy alerts asking customers to cut usage during high-demand hours. Data Centers Debate: Victoria County residents and officials weighed economic upside against grid, land, and water concerns as data-center plans move forward. Retail & Real Estate: Tractor Supply filed plans for a Boyd store; Houston’s Greenlight Offer expanded cash-home buying to more metro cities. Food & Compliance: California’s new allergen menu disclosure law starting July 1 puts chains like Texas Roadhouse on notice for menu-level “Big 9” labeling. Workforce & Banking: Kilgore College and CHRISTUS launched Nursing WORKS to boost East Texas nurse pipelines; Alkami highlighted a Landmark Credit Union partnership driving business-banking growth.

Energy & M&A: Matador Resources’ San Mateo Midstream agreed to buy Cardinal Midstream’s operating subsidiaries for $752M in cash, expanding San Mateo’s Delaware Basin footprint in West Texas and New Mexico, with a target close by July 31. Renewables in Texas: Meta signed a 220MWac/286MWdc solar PPA in Texas with Sabanci Renewables for the environmental attributes from two projects, with delivery starting after 2027 completion. AI & Semiconductors: Skanska USA named Bryan Northrop to lead its Advanced Technology unit covering semiconductor and data center builds across multiple states including Texas, as AI-driven infrastructure demand keeps pulling investment. Healthcare Tech: HealthLynked launched an AI agent platform for 24/7 appointment scheduling and voice-based patient-office communications. Public Safety Tech: Flock’s surveillance camera network is expanding fast nationwide, raising fresh concerns about security and data-sharing practices. Local Business: Take 5 Oil Change opened a new Harlingen shop, adding quick-service oil changes and routine checks. Markets & Index Moves: Ring Energy and Abundia both gained Russell index inclusion, a boost for investor visibility. Policy & Economy: AAA projects 72.2M Americans will travel for July 4, with road trips still dominating.

Energy & Infrastructure: Texas’ data-center boom is colliding with water and power reality, as lawmakers push for more transparency and many operators still won’t share water-use details; the wider U.S. energy buildout is also driving a “co-innovation” push across grids, LNG, renewables, nuclear, and gas. Public Health & Policy: A flu outbreak at Lackland AFB has raised fresh alarm after a rollback of the universal flu vaccine mandate left fewer trainees opting in. Local Economy & Food Access: Killeen is investigating why North Killeen’s grocery-store push stalled for years, with residents calling it a food-desert problem that hits families hardest. Border & Security: CBP seized more than $70M in meth across two ports of entry in the Laredo area, underscoring ongoing cartel trafficking pressure. Education & Community Impact: Texas districts continue to report large at-risk student populations, while El Paso Leadership Academy’s figures highlight the scale of need. Business & Growth: Texas’ recruiting and tech momentum continues, from Texas Tech’s 2027 five-star class momentum to new cooling-paint tech used for FIFA fan-fest infrastructure in Houston.

Texas Data Centers: Lawmakers say they still lack solid numbers on how much water and power data centers need, with fewer than one-third of contacted companies responding to a state survey—raising alarms as Texas has 248+ proposed projects in the pipeline. Cold-Chain Automation: Lineage is building a major automated temperature-controlled distribution center in Hutchins (DFW area) with TGW Logistics, targeting go-live by end of 2027 to expand refrigerated and frozen supply. Livestock Health Watch: Florida issued emergency rules after Texas detected New World screwworm, tightening animal import requirements and inspections to protect cattle herds. Food Transparency Push: A new California allergen disclosure law is set to force large restaurant chains (including Texas Roadhouse) to publish ingredient allergen info starting July 1. Local Business Pulse: Abilene reported multiple openings and moves in June, including a new John Deere dealership, a drive-through bank relocation, and a new health-and-wellness clinic. Politics & Power: Two Texas House Republicans who backed Cornyn now back Ken Paxton, while polls show the Paxton–Talarico Senate race remains extremely tight. Sports & Business Buzz: World Cup crowds are boosting North Texas demand for Argentine food, with local restaurants reporting surges tied to Messi-led matchups.

Local Infrastructure: San Angelo is starting multiple sanitary sewer projects with road closures beginning June 24, including a West Harris Ave/Pecos St segment through June 26 and a longer Cottonwood St shutdown from Guadalupe to Caddo expected to run into late September. County Finance: McMullen County commissioners approved a 2026-27 health insurance renewal that raises monthly premiums to $123,740, plus an interlocal deal for grant-writing support tied to water and sewer projects. Energy & Agriculture: Texas livestock producers are bracing for the New World screwworm after USDA reported 20 total detections, all in Texas and New Mexico, prompting new movement rules and inspections. Tech & Legal Services: Houston-based Scale Law Firm AI named Tima Mousavi to lead AI education and training for lawyers across the U.S. and Canada. Markets: U.S. stocks finished slightly lower after a choppy session as oil slid and investors digested hotter inflation data; Brent and WTI both fell. Public Safety/Scams: San Antonio approved fraud warning signs for all 193 Bitcoin ATMs after $39 million in crypto ATM scam losses. Politics: Texas Democrats elected Kendall Scudder to lead the party into critical midterms, while Sen. Bernie Sanders closed the convention with an anti-oligarchy message. Education Policy: The Texas State Board of Education approved a Bible-reading mandate for millions of students, with implementation starting in elementary grades in 2030-31.

World Cup Business Buzz: Cape Verde’s historic run to the knockout stage after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia is turning Houston into a global fan magnet, with the next match vs. Argentina set for July 4. Energy & Markets: Oil markets swung hard after U.S. strikes tied to the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent down more than 4% and WTI around $69, as tanker traffic eased disruption fears. Texas Agriculture & Biosecurity: The New World screwworm has been confirmed in Texas livestock, prompting urgent rancher and pet-owner checks and tighter movement rules—Idaho is also adding entry requirements to protect its herd and trade. Tech & Aviation: Southwest begins rolling out Starlink-equipped aircraft for faster inflight WiFi, signaling another push to modernize travel connectivity. Banking & Deals: Capital One is positioning itself as a “steady partner” amid Texas banking consolidation. Real Estate: New homes are still priced far above typical listings, with Austin among the metros bucking the national gap trend.

Data Centers & Water/Power: Texas lawmakers grilled data-center operators over water and electricity reporting, with only about 17% submitting required water-use surveys—leaving local governments scrambling as the boom accelerates. AI Power Deal: Microsoft’s AI buildout gets a major boost from a 20-year Chevron power purchase agreement for Project Kilby in West Texas, targeting initial power in 2028. Education & Religion: The Texas State Board of Education approved a statewide required reading list that includes Bible passages for K-12, rolling in starting 2030–31 and likely setting up more church-state fights. Public Safety/Local Business: Houston will help pay cleanup after a massive fire at a SE Houston recycling plant, while officials question how such hazards were allowed near residents. Houston Politics/Community: Houston renamed Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard after assault allegations surfaced. Food Assistance: Fewer Texans qualify for SNAP under new work rules, increasing pressure on local food banks. Aviation Watch: FAA is investigating a Boeing 777 low-pass stunt near a Texas airfield. Business Incentives: Cedar Park approved a $13.8M incentive for Texas Materials’ HQ move, tied to job growth.

Rural Healthcare: A new report says 69 of about 100 rural Kansas hospitals are at risk of closure, with 28 at immediate risk—highlighting how inflation and low reimbursement squeeze community care. Texas Education & Culture Wars: Texas education leaders moved closer to a Bible-centered social studies and reading overhaul, with preliminary approval for changes that would require Christian materials statewide. Local Business & Community: A Celina bar dispute over a woman breastfeeding went viral after the restaurant said it never asked her to leave; the incident is now fueling debate over public accommodations. Markets & Energy: Global stocks slid as tech sold off again, while crude prices fell amid renewed Strait of Hormuz shipping activity and Iran-related shipping risks. Finance & Deal Flow: Waypoint Trading Solutions says it will connect clients to the Texas Stock Exchange from day one, aiming to broaden access to U.S. trading venues. Houston Business: Baker Hughes set its Q2 earnings and webcast dates for late July. Public Safety: CBP seized more than $10.1M in meth at the World Trade Bridge in Texas. Tech/Research: Texas A&M’s VISION supercomputer topped U.S. university systems in the TOP500 list.

Tesla Scrutiny: The NTSB opened a probe into a fatal June 19 Tesla crash near Houston, after the driver said an assisted-driving system was in use—while lawmakers, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, are pressing for faster federal accountability. Corporate Moves: Dell shareholders approved moving the company’s legal home to Texas, a notable shift for a major Texas-linked tech employer. Energy & Power: Chevron and Microsoft signed a 20-year power deal for a West Texas data-center project (Project Kilby) targeting about 2.67 GW, underscoring how AI demand is reshaping regional generation plans. Local Finance: S&P Global revised Houston’s outlook to “stable,” citing progress on the city’s finances and the FY2027 budget. Cybersecurity: Texas Parks and Wildlife says a vendor incident may have exposed personal info for 3M+ hunting and fishing license customers. Business Growth: Morgan Stanley won Dallas City Council approval for an incentive package as it expands its Uptown presence, with major job and investment targets. Health/Deals: Natera and Eledon announced a partnership using Natera’s Prospera test as the exclusive dd-cfDNA monitoring assay in Eledon’s planned Phase 3 kidney transplant trial.