Good Morning H-TOWN & HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🥳🎇 Welcome to 2025! Can you believe how fast 2024 flew by? Honestly, for me, 2024 was definitely not THAT BITCH—but I’m determined to make sure 2025 is THAT GIRL! I hope you’ve taken some time to set your goals & resolutions because this year, we are all about accountability. Shoot me an email with what you want to accomplish in 2025, and let’s hold each other to it! Cheers to a fresh start and an A M A Z I N G year ahead!

H-TOWN HEADLINES

• Announcement: Laws passed during the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023 are finally in effect. These new laws address rising property taxes, Texas vehicle safety inspections, and data privacy.

• Tragedy: A man and woman died after being pulled from a house fire in northeast Houston. Firefighters faced delays entering the home due to burglar bars but eventually found the couple unconscious in a bedroom. The home lacked smoke detectors, and the fire is believed to have started in the living room. An investigation is ongoing.

• Incident: A 25-year-old man shot three boys, aged 12 and 13, who allegedly attempted to rob him at gunpoint at a Houston apartment complex. One boy is in the ICU; the other two have non-life-threatening injuries. A fourth juvenile was detained, and multiple weapons were recovered. The case is pending a grand jury review— stay strapped H-TOWN 🔫

NATIONAL HEADLINES

• Passing: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, passed away at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family. He served from 1977 to 1981 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his humanitarian efforts. His death comes shortly after the passing of his wife, Rosalynn Carter, in November 2023.

• Discovery: The FBI seized over 150 homemade explosive devices, including pipe bombs and a vest rigged with explosives, from Brad Spafford's Virginia farm—the largest explosive cache in its history. Spafford, arrested on firearms charges, is deemed an extreme danger to the community— dw he was white 😮‍💨

• Performance: Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) emerged as the top-performing stock in the S&P 500 for 2024, with shares soaring approximately 356%, driven by strong demand for its AI services and significant revenue growth— How will it hold up in 2025?

• Loser: Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) was the S&P 500's worst performer in 2024, with shares plummeting approximately 65% due to declining profits, store closures, and increased competition— We’re a CVS family