16 April 2024

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RNG Project Fundamentals

On this episode of the Powered by Foley podcast, we are joined by partners Robert Sarfatis and Kyle Hayes, who are regularly advising clients in the development, financing and sale of facilities utilizing renewable natural gas.

An unofficial motto of Southwest Airlines’ open seating process for its people boarding its planes was once, “You can sit anywhere you want — just like at church.”

But after some 50 years, Southwest passengers will soon encounter a different process when they book and board a flight. The airline will offer assigned and premium seats and a revamped boarding model, it announced on Thursday.

Adopting a system of “assigned and premium seating is part of an ongoing and comprehensive upgrade” for customers, Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan said, adding that research shows passengers “overwhelmingly prefer” an assigned-seat system like that used by other carriers.

In another change, Southwest also said it would introduce redeye flights. It did not say when the new policies would be enacted.

The company unveiled the dramatic shifts in how it does business as it announced financial results for the second quarter, showing net income of $367 million on record operating revenues of $7.4 billion. In the previous quarter, Southwest lost $231 million. The airline has $11 billion in liquid funds, but it also has $8 billion in debt and is affected by the ongoing struggles at Boeing, its longtime partner.

“We are taking urgent and deliberate steps to mitigate near-term revenue challenges and implement longer-term transformational initiatives that are designed to drive meaningful top and bottom-line growth,” Jordan said.

The Southwest CEO said in April that delivery delays of new planes from Boeing, which has been embroiled in regulators’ concernsover safety issues, “presents significant challenges for both 2024 and 2025.”

In its update, Southwest said it received five Boeing 737-8 MAX planes in the second quarter while retiring seven older Boeing planes. Southwest had ordered 58 Boeing 737-8 MAX planes for 2024; it now expects to receive around 20 of the aircraft this year.

Southwest says it’s carrying passengers in record numbers. But it’s also retiring more aging aircraft than it can add this year: With the delivery delays from Boeing, the airline’s fleet will fall from 817 planes at the end of the second quarter to roughly 802 at the end of 2024.

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AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Police are investigating the second homicide at the same Southeast Austin apartment complex in less than a week.

Police rushed to a disturbance call around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, at the Array Apartment complex on Burton Drive between Oltorf Street and Woodland Avenue. 

“I didn’t hear any gunshots or anything,” said Kelly Anderson, a resident at the complex. “I heard from my roommate that he saw some guy lying in the street.”

Police found a man injured in the parking lot and tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s unclear how he was killed. 

“The deceased individual is being described as a Hispanic male in his 20s,” said Cpl. Jose Mendez of the Austin Police Department. 

Police spent hours canvassing the scene and interviewing witnesses, and were able to detain everyone involved in the disturbance, though there’s no word on any charges yet. 

“I can’t clarify who’s a suspect, who’s a victim or whatnot, but the individuals that are involved are detained right now and cooperating with the investigation,” said Mendez.

This murder happened just hours after police identified the victim in another homicide that happened at the same complex less than a week ago. 

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Jose Negra, 39, was found shot and killed inside one of the Array apartments early last Thursday, but so far there have been no arrests. 

Police do not believe the two crimes are related, but at this point they’re not sure.

“We’re still trying to gather the facts and stuff to see if it is potentially connected,” said Mendez. 

Still, Mendez says crime is a major issue here. 

“We are very aware of the activity that takes place in this apartment complex behind me. I don’t know the specifics of the calls, but I know this is a very well known area to APD,” said Mendez. 

Residents like Kelly Anderson say now they’re worried about getting caught in the crossfire. 

“If there’s a third, I’m probably going to be talking to the complex about breaking my lease,” said Anderson. 

In a statement to FOX 7, Cynthia McMillion, president of Emerge Living, which manages the Array Apartments, said:

“We’ve been actively working with the police department to safeguard our residents and property. It is unfortunate that two isolated incidents happened at the property. One was an alleged domestic dispute between people that knew each other. The second was an alleged incident that started off the property between two non-residents and ended up on the property by chance. We extend our heartfelt wishes to their families and we will continue to cooperate with the police.”

If you have any information on either homicide, you’re urged to call the Austin Police Homicide Tip Line at (512) 974-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at (512-472-8477.