Entergy Texas Invests in Grid Resilience Amid Rising Storm Risks

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As severe weather becomes more frequent and destructive, Entergy Texas is making major investments to strengthen its power infrastructure and improve reliability for Southeast Texas communities. Serving more than 524,000 customers, the utility is responding to recent disasters like Hurricane Beryl and flooding that exposed vulnerabilities in its grid.

In recent years, Texas has experienced an increasing number of high-impact storms that led to widespread outages. This has highlighted the fragility of aging transmission lines and substations. To address these risks, Entergy Texas launched the Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan, a multi-year strategy focused on hardening infrastructure, speeding up outage recovery, and managing restoration costs.

Key initiatives include:

  • $137 million in grid upgrades, such as burying lines and replacing outdated poles with stronger materials.
  • A $110 million project on the Bolivar Peninsula, where composite poles and underground circuits helped maintain service during Hurricane Beryl.
  • $54 million in federal funding to reinforce power lines in flood-prone neighborhoods like Port Arthur.

Beyond infrastructure, Entergy Texas is working to improve emergency preparedness. They run storm drills, increased vegetation management, and updated outage tracking tools with multilingual support. These efforts are designed to reduce outage durations by an estimated 1 billion minutes over 50 years and limit economic disruption during major events.

While the scale of investment is significant, Entergy Texas is seeking federal and state support to avoid steep customer rate increases. The company is also exploring long-term financing tools to spread costs over time.

With weather extremes becoming the norm, Entergy Texas’s approach offers a model for how utilities can adapt their systems for a more climate-resilient future.

PayPal Moves into College Sports

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PayPal has signed multi-year agreements with the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences to become the exclusive digital payments provider for distributing institutional revenue-sharing payments to student-athletes. The deals, which begin July 1, 2025, follow the House v. NCAA settlement, which permits schools to directly compensate athletes. Each institution can distribute up to $20.5 million annually, with the Big 12’s contract with PayPal reportedly valued at nearly $100 million over five years. Financial terms for the Big Ten were not disclosed.

These partnerships position PayPal as a central player in a newly forming college sports economy. Beyond payment distribution, PayPal and Venmo will be integrated into campus life, including tuition payments, concessions, and campus retail. This move could deepen customer relationships with Gen Z users and allow PayPal to cross-sell financial products over time.

The initiative also creates a closed-loop system where transactions by student-athletes generate behavioral data, providing PayPal with insights to refine offerings and improve engagement. Sponsorship elements include Venmo branding at major events like the Big Ten Rivalry Series and Big 12 championships.

This partnership is indicative of broader industry trends, as fintech firms compete to capture long-term users early. The regulatory shift enabling these deals could spur further commercial innovation across sports and education. Execution risks remain, particularly in financial education and user onboarding, but the move signals an aggressive play for market share in a newly opened sector.

Big Changes at Southwest Airlines

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Southwest Airlines is changing its long-standing business model in an effort to increase annual earnings by more than $4 billion by 2026. The company confirmed it will roll back several hallmark policies as part of a broader financial strategy.

One of the biggest changes is the end of the airline’s “Bags Fly Free” policy. Most passengers will now pay standard baggage fees, a move the company estimates will generate roughly $800 million in additional revenue.

Southwest’s open seating system will also be changing. Beginning with bookings in late 2025, the airline will shift to assigned seating, including premium options. Full implementation is expected in early 2026. According to the company, internal research found that 85% of non-Southwest customers cited open seating as a reason for avoiding the airline.

The airline is also revising its fare categories and altering flight credit policies. New credits issued going forward will come with expiration dates, ending the previous practice of indefinite validity.

Additional efforts to diversify revenue include exploring premium lounge offerings and expanding international service—both aimed at attracting business travelers.

These changes are the airline’s most significant operational overhaul in decades. The shift to assigned seating alone is projected to bring in $1.5 billion annually, largely by appealing to higher-paying customers and improving pricing flexibility.

Starbucks Tests AI Assistant to Improve Store Efficiency

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Starbucks is piloting a generative AI assistant called Green Dot Assist in 35 stores across the U.S. and Canada. The tool, developed using Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI platform, is designed to help baristas and store managers manage day-to-day tasks more efficiently.

Accessible through in-store iPads, the assistant responds to voice or text queries, offering instant guidance on drink recipes, equipment troubleshooting, and maintenance procedures. This is intended to reduce the need for staff to consult manuals during busy periods.

Green Dot Assist also automates several routine management functions. It can create IT help tickets and suggest shift changes, easing the administrative workload. Staff can then focus more on preparing drinks and engaging with customers, rather than handling procedural or technical issues.

The assistant is powered by Microsoft’s AI tools, including a grounding engine that aims to minimize errors. Starbucks is monitoring results from the pilot before expanding to more locations in 2026, as part of a larger technology upgrade that also includes new espresso machines and point-of-sale systems.

Potential business impacts include faster service, improved order accuracy, and increased upselling opportunities, which could strengthen customer loyalty and drive sales. Operationally, Starbucks expects reduced training time, lower labor costs, and better inventory management—all of which could help limit waste.

However, the effect on consumer prices remains uncertain. While greater efficiency may reduce pressure to raise prices, the cost of implementing new technology could lead to upward pricing pressure if profit margins remain tight.

The company has framed the initiative as a way to improve efficiency while supporting employees, not replacing them—a notable distinction as other food service companies explore automation to cut frontline roles.

Honda Becomes Founding Partner for 2028 LA Olympics

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Honda will serve as a Founding Partner and official automotive sponsor for the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. The company will also sponsor Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

The partnership represents a change in Olympic automotive sponsorship, with Honda taking over from Toyota after the Paris 2024 Games ended. Honda is now joining Delta and Comcast as the first tier-one sponsor to sign with LA28 since 2021.

What Honda Will Provide

While Honda hasn’t disclosed the deal’s value, founding partner agreements typically cost more than $200 million. This sponsorship brings LA28’s total sponsorship revenue above $1.5 billion, moving closer to their $2.5 billion target.

Honda also plans to supply various vehicles and equipment for the Games, including electric and hybrid cars, motorcycles, ATVs, and marine engines.

The company will focus on sustainable and accessible transportation options to support LA28’s environmental and inclusion goals. Honda and Acura vehicles will also pace all endurance events during the Games.

Beyond Transportation

Honda has committed $1 million over four years to nonprofit organizations that align with Olympic and Paralympic values. The company already supports U.S. Paralympic athletes, including wheelchair racer Susannah Scaroni.

Honda will run marketing campaigns through NBCUniversal to maintain visibility across Olympic media and venues. The partnership also connects to Honda’s history in Los Angeles, where the company established its U.S. headquarters in 1959.