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FORT WORTH – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Bell Textron Inc., already one the largest employers in the Metroplex, has chosen its hometown of Fort Worth to build components for the next generation of military assault helicopters. The news, announced Tuesday by Bell CEO Lisa Atherton and Gov. Greg Abbott at a Bell facility in northern Fort Worth, represents an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in North Texas. The company’s new facility in Alliance is expected to create more than 500 high-paying jobs after it opens in 2025. “We are truly a Texas company,” Atherton said. Bell considered at least two other locations in other states for its $632 million plant. It will produce parts for the company’s V-280 Valor to replace the Army’s fleet of UH-60 Black Hawks, developed in the 1970s by the Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky.

Bell won the coveted defense contract in 2022 for its design of the V-280, a tiltrotor aircraft that can take off or land vertically and fly at over 300 mph. The contract could be worth up to $70 billion over many years, depending on how many aircraft the Army and foreign governments purchase. Lockheed Martin and Boeing had competed during the Army’s years-long selection process. The 34-acre site that Bell chose is at 15100 N. Beach St., off Interstate 35W across the Denton County line but within the Fort Worth city limits. The site was formerly home to a Stanley Black & Decker facility. Brian Chase, vice president of international government affairs at Bell Flight, said selecting the facility was about a three-year process. He declined to name the other sites Bell considered. Jobs at the new location will be a mix of support and traditional manufacturing roles, like engineering and operations positions. It’s unclear how many roles will require security clearance. Bell is still designing the manufacturing flow of the facility, and does not yet have a timeline for when hiring could begin. Chase said Tuesday’s announcement was likely the last major site selection for the FLRAA manufacturing. The aircraft will be assembled in Amarillo and testing will be done in Grand Prairie and Arlington. Chase said locals may see aircraft flying near the testing facilities in the coming years.

AUSTIN – After extensive reviews of public comments and stakeholder input, the Railroad Commission of Texas has adopted a significant overhaul of rules regulating oil and gas waste management facilities in Texas. RRC Commissioners voted to adopt the new regulations at their open meeting today.

The regulations cover waste from oil and gas operations, such as rock and other material pulled up from the ground during drilling, as well as waste from other operations for which the Legislature has given the RRC jurisdiction including geothermal, carbon sequestration and brine mining wells.

It is the first overhaul of RRC’s waste management rules in four decades. The new rules help the RRC continue to safeguard groundwater and surface water while adapting to modern waste management practices, such as recycling produced water, and recent advancements in production methods.

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP)- “People are uneasy and they want a safe place to put their family. And they have this attitude that it’s better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it,” said Atlas Survival Shelters CEO Ron Hubbard, amid showers of sparks and the loud buzz of welding at his bunker factory, which he says is the world’s largest, in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Hubbard said COVID lockdowns, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war have driven sales.

On Nov. 21, in the hours after Russia’s first-ever use of an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile to attack Ukraine, Hubbard said his phone rang nonstop.

Four callers ended up buying bunkers in one day, he said, and more ended up ordering doors and other parts for shelters they were already building.

Hubbard said his bunkers are built for all disasters.

“They’re good for anything from a tornado to a hurricane to nuclear fallout, to a pandemic to even a volcano erupting,” he said, sweeping his arms toward a massive warehouse where more than 50 different bunkers were under construction.

A loaded shotgun at arm’s length and metal mesh window shields to block Molotov cocktails nearby, Hubbard said he started his company after building his own bunker about 10 years ago. He says callers ask about prices — $20,000 to multimillions, averaging $500,000 — and installations — they can go just about anywhere. He said most days he sells at least one bunker.

Under Hubbard’s doomsday scenario, global tensions could lead to World War III, a situation he is prepared to live through.

“The good news about nuclear warfare,” he said, “if there ever was any, that it’s very survivable if you’re not killed in the initial blast.”

He’s not wrong, say U.S. government disaster preparedness experts.

Story initially publised by AP. Full story can be read by clicking here .

WAXAHACHIE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man being held in jail fatally assaulted a detention officer who was returning him to his cell following the one hour he was allowed out of his lockup each day, a sheriff said Tuesday.

Isaiah Patrick Bias, a 28-year-old who worked at the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office for over six years, was assaulted Monday afternoon at the county jail in Waxahachie, south of Dallas. Sheriff Brad Norman said during a Tuesday news conference that Arron Semeion Thompson, 45, from nearby Ennis, has been charged with capital murder in Bias’ death.

“Most of the time, law enforcement officers and detention officers deal with good folks having a bad day. Occasionally, we deal with bad folks,” Norman said. “I can honestly say that my staff, over the last day, has dealt with pure evil.”

Norman said Bias was a family-oriented person and beloved by colleagues.

“He was one of the kind of guys who if you needed help, he’d come help you,” Norman said.

Officials said Thompson has been in jail since last month on charges of assaulting a public servant, public intoxication and evading arrest.

Thompson’s bond in Bias’ death was set at $2 million. Jail records did not list an attorney for him.

Norman said the Texas Rangers will investigate.

DALLAS – WFAA reports that homeowners insurance premiums are currently increasing at a faster rate in Texas than in any other state. Many people are urging lawmakers to address the rising costs during next year’s legislative session. State Representative Briscoe Cain, a Republican from Deer Park in Harris County, stated that he has received feedback from constituents who have shared their concerns. “I can certainly tell you and the people of Texas that we’ve heard your voices. We’ve heard your concerns,” said Rep. Cain. Rep. Cain acknowledges that he doesn’t have a solution, but believes this issue requires lawmakers’ attention. “I fully empathize with it. It is troubling. We’re seeing it nationally, but what are the answers? I’m not sure. And that’s something that the legislature is gonna have to study. So, the next legislature must act and I’m glad we’re gonna be starting to do that in January,” Cain said.

Rep. Cain stated that the complaints he receives about high insurance premiums are similar to those regarding property tax rates. Constituents express concern that these high premiums could lead to them losing their homes. “I’m not sure how we lower them. Things have gotten more expensive as well. The cost of replacing things has gotten more expensive. And so, we need to look at whether we can allow people to offer plans that only, maybe, replace certain things. There are some great plans out there for home homeowners’ insurance … we have to look into it and see how we can allow people to get different level plans or how we can allow more people to even come into the marketplace,” Cain said. In Texas, insurance companies are only required to notify the Texas Department of Insurance before increasing their rates. Afterward, they send the bill for the rate increase to the insured.