January 5, 2025 • 23 mins
2024 was a whirlwind of headlines, packed with stories that shaped our world and sparked conversations. As we step into 2025, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the biggest moments of the past year and explore what’s on the horizon. From the most talked-about events to the trends shaping tomorrow, this episode has it all. Join us for an insightful and optimistic look back—and forward. Here’s to an incredible 2025!
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Episode Transcript
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Sarah Zubiate Bennett (00:08):
What a year 2024 was. It was packed
with stories that shaped ourcity and sparked incredible
conversations. But as we stepinto a brand new year, there is
so much more to look forward to.I'm Sara Zubiate Bennett.
Welcome to Let's Talk Local. Inthis very first episode of 2025,
we are diving deep, reflectingon the moments that define 2024
(00:28):
and exploring the trends,stories, and possibilities that
could change life as we know itin the year ahead. So whether
you're tuning in to stayinformed, inspired, or just a
little curious, thank you forbeing here. I hope you make it
part of your New Year'sresolution to join us for every
episode. Subscribe now.
(00:49):
Hi. I'm Sarah Zubiate Bennett,and I hope your 2025 is off to
an amazing start. As we settleback into our routines, I'm so
glad you're here with us forthis edition of Let's Talk
Local, a Dallas Express podcast.Every other Sunday, we'll be
diving into the best of Dallas,the stories, the conversations,
and the local highlights thatbring our beautiful city to
life. And that's not all. I'llalso be sharing quick news
(01:12):
updates on Dallas Expresssocials several times a week to
keep you in the loop. I'mthrilled to be a part of this
incredible journey and hopeyou'll join me for the ride.
Subscribe today, and let's talklocal together.
Okay. I'm so excited about this2025 fashion forecast that I'm
gonna be covering. A few of youthat know me well know I
(01:33):
absolutely love fashion. 2025 isshaping up to be an absolute
game changer in style. There'strends that weave past
inspirations, bold creativity,and future facing innovation.
Here are some of my favoritemust watch trends and designers
that are taking the industry bystorm. Okay. For those of you
who've been paying attention,2025 has a really bold theme
(01:54):
focusing on Bohemian Rhapsody.
Boho chic is back with a bang.There's a lot of suede fabrics,
playful fringes, earthy tonesthat exude some free spirited
elegance, And some of the fewdesigners that I absolutely love
in this category are UllaJohnson, and she's really
celebrated for her bohemianaesthetic, and Isabel Marant,
(02:15):
the queen of effortless chic.There's so much of this uneven
hems and conventional cuts thatare really breaking the rules.
They offer really fresh twist totraditional silhouettes. Think
bold, angular shapes for theultimate statements. Rick Owens
is a king of this. He's knownfor his avant garde asymmetry
(02:36):
and J W Anderson who redefinesdraping and tailoring.
So there's also a ton of thismaximalist magic. It really
emphasizes going all out. Thechaotic customization, it's all
the rage with extravagantaccessories, clashing prints,
stealing the spotlight. Some ofthe few designers that I love in
this category are AlessandroMichele from Gucci. I think he's
(03:00):
the mastermind of maximalism,and then there's also this show
stopping sculptural jewelry fromdesigners like Schiaparelli.
So everything old is seeming tobe new again. From the nineties
minimalism to the seventiesboho, eighties glam, the decades
are just colliding in thisstylish nostalgic remix for
today. A featured designer forthis category, I think, is
(03:22):
Celine by Hedi Slimane for thenineties cool and ETRO for their
luxurious take on the seventiespattern.
Then there's sustainable chicwhere fashion is going
absolutely green. Eco friendlymaterials, ethical production,
they're much more than trends.They're the industry's future.
If you look out for brands thatmake you feel good and look
(03:43):
good, some of the designersbehind these style trends are
Gabriela Hearst, asustainability trailblazer, and
then there's Stella McCartneywho leads the charge in ethical
luxury. I love Stella McCartneyfor her ability to morph and
mold to these new trends. Thenthere's this whole digital
couture space where virtualfashion and tech driven designs
(04:06):
are stepping into the spotlight.It's this digital only garment
to augmented reality space thatis absolutely insane for me to
comprehend, but 2025 isdefinitely giving us couture in
the cloud. Some of the featureddesigners are The Fabricant, and
then pioneers in digital fashionand even Gucci who merge tech
(04:26):
and long standing tradition.
And then there are a fewdesigners really redefining the
industry. There's Elena Velez.She's merging metallism
techniques with high fashion.She draws from the industrial
roots of the American Rust Beltto craft gritty yet really
glamorous pieces. And thenthere's Sean McGur, the new
creative director at AlexanderMcQueen, who's injecting
(04:47):
youthful energy and moderntwists into the brand's dramatic
heritage. Then there's Chanel,of course. The new visionary
there, Matthew Blasey, blendsintricate craftsmanship with
forward thinking sophistication,and I believe is taking on
Alexander McQueen's brand kindof head to head, but really
ensuring that the iconic brandremains cutting edge.
(05:07):
And then, of course, since we'reLet's Talk Local, I had to place
a spotlight on local designerEse Azinabor, based in Dallas,
Texas. Ese is really redefiningcouture with her intricate hand
beading and embroidery. Hercreations are stunning. So many
of my girlfriends wear hercreations which draw on both
(05:28):
African and European influences.Her bridal and evening wear
creations are pure opulence. Icannot wait to pay her a visit
in 2025.
Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, thepost election rally is no joke.
In December of 2024, investorspumped about $8,000,000,000 into
(05:49):
US equity funds, bringing totalinflows for 2024 to a record
smashing $450,000,000,000. Inplain terms, it means that the
stock market had a banner yearand the election supercharged
it. So 2 big questions remain, Iknow. 1, why the market is
soaring, and 2, where do we gofrom here? When it comes to the
(06:10):
market's meteoric rise, itssimplest explanation, I believe,
is the fact that there's morebuyers and sellers. And what's
driving up demand, in myopinion, are cash, buybacks, and
optimism. Money managers areplaying catch up post election,
and retail investors are pouringinto call options like never
before.
(06:31):
Corporate buybacks are set totop $900,000,000,000, and this
is entirely fueled by surgingtech earnings and Fed rate cuts.
And let's not forget the$7,000,000,000,000 sitting in
money market funds waiting tojump into stocks as rates
decline even further. No wonderthe S & P had one of the
best runs since the nineties.The nineties, that's absolutely
(06:55):
huge. But, per usual, everymarket high is when the
financial media revs up its fearmachine with news of crashes,
inflation, bubbles, you name it,but I just urge you not to let
the noise distract you. Ibelieve that this coming era is
one of true transformation,especially related to everything
(07:15):
finance and economic. So forthose of you who are interested,
I'm gonna take a few moments toexplore some big ideas that are
really shaping our world. Thefed just delivered its 3rd rate
cut of the year, loweringexpected rates to 4 a quarter to
4 a half percent. But despitethese rate cuts, I do not expect
a pattern to be emerging. Fedchair Jerome Powell signaled a
(07:39):
new era of caution withinflation proving to be really
stubborn. Even still, furtherrate cuts seem unlikely. And the
takeaway, the party may bewinding down.
I mean, we cannot ignore thefact that one of the top stories
from 2024 is the fact that wehave these unexplained drone
(07:59):
sightings. Since mid November2024, there's been numerous
reports that have emerged ofthese mysterious drones
accompanied by these orbs overso many parts of the United
States, not just in thenortheast anymore. They're
everywhere.
These sightings have sparkedpublic concern and widespread
(08:20):
speculation about their originsand their purpose. Witnesses
have described the orbs asbright glowing spheres when
observed in proximity to thedrones, but then some reports
suggest that these orbs exhibitflight patterns and behaviors
distinct from conventionalaircraft, including hovering at
high altitudes and moving atextreme speeds. For instance, a
footage taken from a commercialplane en route from Chicago to
(08:42):
Newark captured the glowing orbshaped objects that, I guess,
were described as impossiblealtitude. And certain
investigations and explanationsfrom federal agencies, including
the Department of HomelandSecurity, the FBI, they've been
investigating these sightings. Iknow that a lot of the news is
really mixed in what they'rechoosing to share with us.
(09:03):
I don't know if it's our owngovernment. I don't know if it's
another government. I do believethat they do know. I believe
that there's coordinationamongst all or some of these
entities, and I believe thatlife will change as we know it
in 2025. As of now, they havenot identified any type of
malicious activity or crediblethreats to public safety
(09:24):
associated with the drones orthe orbs. Some experts suggest
that sightings may be due tomisidentifications of manned
aircraft, celestial objects, orlegally operated drones.
And let's be real. No one'ssurprised that Donald Trump was
the most Googled name of 2024.Between his legal battles, his
(09:45):
campaign for president, and thefact that he knows exactly how
to make people either love himor hate him. He was everywhere
this year. Love him or not,Trump is headed back to the
White House on January 20th.
And as president-elect, he'salready making big waves. So
here's a look at some of the fewchanges we can expect as Trump
takes office. First up, FBIdirector Chris Wray is
(10:07):
reportedly stepping down. Trumpplans to replace him with Kash
Patel, calling him the mostqualified nominee to ever lead
the FBI in the agency's history.Those are big words, so let's
see how it plays out. Thenthere's Robert F Kennedy Junior,
Trump's choice for Secretary ofHealth and Human Services. But
here's where it getsinteresting. RFK Junior has
(10:28):
asked Trump to appoint hisdaughter-in-law as deputy
director of the CIA to dig intothe JFK assassination. Yes. You
heard that right. Could wefinally see a major conspiracy
theory unravel? Let's staytuned.
Trump has also stated that hehas intent to end birthright
citizenship on day 1, arguingthat it encourages women to
(10:49):
cross the border illegally togive birth resulting in children
who automatically gain UScitizenship. His supporters
believe this policy shift couldhelp address illegal immigration
by removing a perceivedincentive. As someone who was
born under birthrightcitizenship, I see this issue
from a deeply personalperspective.
(11:10):
My biological mother came to theUnited States, gave birth to me,
and made the difficult decisionto place me up for adoption into
the home of George and GloriaZubiate immediately at birth,
believing it would give me abetter future, and it did. But
not without trauma on all frontsand a lot of pain. Almost a
decade later, my birth motherreturned to the United States as
(11:32):
a legal citizen herself with mysiblings after enduring
significant pain and sacrificeto do things the right way.
Whether or not this policy couldbe successfully implemented, it
highlights the broader debateabout immigration and
citizenship in the UnitedStates, reflecting both the
complexities of the issue andthe passion surrounding it on
all sides.
(11:56):
On a much lighter note, we havebig news, Dallas foodies. I am
one of them. Deep Ellum's Tatsuis now officially the only
restaurant in Dallas with aMichelin star. Yep. Chef Tatsu
pulled it off, and it's honestlyno surprise. His sushi is next
level. But heads up,reservations were already a hot
ticket. Nowthey're practically golden.
(12:29):
Sharpen your clicking fingers,and may the sushi gods be in
your favor. We're planning tofeature Tatsu soon, but let's
not stop there. There areseveral other amazing Dallas
spots that made the MichelinGuide, too. Monarch, Crown
Block, Teyon, and DuroHospitality's Mister Charles,
just to name a few. There's somuch foodie greatness to explore
(12:52):
in this amazing city. Andspeaking of accolades, Hudson
House is one of my favorites,and it's doing Dallas proud.
They landed a spot on OpenTable.com's list of top 100
restaurants in the US. They havelocations all over DFW in
Lakewood, Highland Park, PrestonHollow, Fort Worth, North
Dallas, and Las Colinas. It's alittle easier to snag a table
(13:14):
here, but here's where you comein. We and I very much want your
recommendations for our nextfoodie adventure. Should we
check out Duro Hospitality'sMister Charles, The Charles, a
hidden gem like Jimmy's FoodStore? What about Maple and
Motor, Boots Burgers inRockwall, Lava Cantina, or Soy
(13:35):
Cowboy? Is there another spotthat we might try?
Dallas got hit with some bignews back in September when
chief Eddie Garcia, one of myfavorites, announced he was
hanging up his badge for good.Since taking over as chief of
the Dallas Police Department in2021, Garcia has been an
absolute game changer for theDPD. So why would someone who's
(13:59):
clearly making such an impactleave? For chief Eddie Garcia,
it's all about tackling a newchallenge as the assistant city
manager in Austin, Texas.Sings: Shot through the heart.
Chief Eddie Garcia (14:13):
Well, let me just hit a couple of things
because, obviously, arrestingviolent criminals, is incredibly
important that are plaguing ourcommunity. There's no question
about that. When I say we're notgonna arrest our way out of long
term problems, what I mean isthis, is that we need to
reinvest in people in places.Police departments, not just
here in Dallas, but nationally,think of us as the fever
reducer. We're the Advil. We'rethe Tylenol you take to reduce
(14:35):
the fever. We are not the cureto the illness.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (14:38):
This move is tough for Dallas to swallow.
Chief Garcia brought a wave ofpositivity and much needed
change to Dallas and the policedepartment. He and Assistant
Chief Reuben Ramirez evensnagged one of the highest
honors in law enforcement, the2024 Shining Star Award, all
thanks to their checkpointsprogram. But now chief Garcia is
(15:01):
off to join former Dallas citymanager T. C. Broadnax in
Austin. If you remember,Broadnax stepped down after some
city council drama, tossed hishat in the ring for Austin city
manager's job earlier this year,and landed it by April. On his
resume, he highlighted his workon police oversight, housing,
homelessness, and public safety.Ironically, some of the issues
(15:22):
Dallas residents have been vocalabout in polls by the Dallas
Express. So what's next forDallas on this city manager
search?
Kim Tolbert has been holdingdown the fort as interim city
manager while city leaders havebeen searching for the perfect
fit. Right now, it's down to 3finalists, William Johnson from
Fort Worth, Sacramento assistantcity manager, Mario Lara, and,
(15:43):
of course, Tolbert herself.We're gonna be keeping a close
eye on this as it unfolds, andyou can bet both Let's Talk
Local and the Dallas Expresswill be scrutinizing every
decision, especially when itcomes to the budget. We've
recently been made aware that on11th, there's going to be a
community meeting, and we'rehoping to have something
solidified, I'm assuming, inJanuary of 2025.
(16:12):
Back in May, Dallas votersapproved a massive
$1,250,000,000 bond programpacked with nearly 830 projects.
The plan is split into 10categories with the city aiming
to wrap everything up over thecourse of the next 5 years. Out
of the total, 475 project arefocused on streets and
transportation, taking up ahefty $521,200,000 slice of the
(16:37):
budget. Parks and recreation aregetting a solid $345,000,000
while $43,500,000 is set asidefor libraries and only
$19,000,000 for homelessassistance facilities.
$19,000,000 might sound like abig number, but in context of
this bond package, it's nothingmore than pocket change. And,
yes, to everyone's point, we'regonna have beautiful parks and
(16:58):
libraries, and I love thoseamenities as much as the next
person. But what good are theyif we have to just step over
homeless individuals to getinside? Now we're gonna stay
tuned for the actual plan ofhomelessness as it evolves in
Dallas when our shelters arealready at full capacity. I know
that we're working hard behindthe scenes to make sure that we
have different initiatives inplace to create an answer to
(17:22):
this problem. And it'sinteresting as we kind of expand
upon this particular topic.
Are we supposed to just turn ablind eye and let them ride the
overfunded, underutilized DARTsystem, one that our
constituents and citizens arepaying for as they feel
increasingly unsafe? I think youshould ask yourself, is this
(17:42):
level of ridership worth thehundreds of millions of dollars
we pour into DART every year, orcould that money be more
effectively spent? Check the busstops. Are they full of riders,
or are they just makeshiftshelters for the homeless?
Better yet, I suggest that youdo what we did. We actually took
a ride on the train and see foryourself how many people are
riding for free using it asdaytime shelter because there's
(18:04):
nowhere else for them to go. Noone is doing anything to fix
this. I even asked former Dallasmayor Tom Leppart what he thinks
about the amount of money thatgoes to DART versus the
ridership. Here's what he had tosay about it.
Tom Leppert (18:18):
The problem with the DART is like any other city
that is largely in the south andlargely had already spawned
large geographic areas before itwas laid in, is it is difficult
to catch up with that. Masstransit works extremely well in
2 cases. 1 is where you've gotan enormous concentration in a
(18:43):
small area, e. G. New York City.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (18:45):
Mhmm.
Tom Leppert (18:45):
That works good. Or where you actually are laying
out the plan laying out the masstransit in advance of the
growth. Toronto's an example ofof that. Unfortunately, the
Dallas', the Phoenix', theHouston, those sorts of things,
you had urban sprawl in LosAngeles, you had urban sprawl
(19:05):
much before mass transit camein, so you don't have those
concentrated pockets. And as waspointed out, it is expensive to
build this stuff. You know,you're talking millions of
dollars for miles, and when youdo those miles when you've
already had the sprawl, you'rejust it's not as easy to get
people to use it and to come in.So I've got the same frustration
(19:28):
that the money does. We'reputting a lot of money into it.
At the same time, I know when werecruited AT & T, having the
mass transit, having DART was animportant part of what they did.
They looked at where theythought their employees gonna
going to live both north andsouth, so after Richardson as
well as down Lancaster,etcetera, and it was a factor
for them.
(19:48):
They regard it in in a positivelight. But with that sense,
trying to get the ridership thatyou wanna have is very
difficult. Now I don't knowwhere the numbers are more
recently, but it is a toughexercise to try to do mass
transit once you've already hadthe sprawl, but you're trying to
do it for different reasons too.And then it just becomes a
(20:09):
simple question of how youbalance that.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (20:16):
Okay, y'all. Being a Dallas sports
fan, it's a roller coaster at atminimum. This year has not been
great if you love the Cowboys orthe Rangers. The Rangers went
from World Series champs tomissing the postseason entirely
in 2024, and that was a reallytough pill to swallow.
And the Cowboys, they resignedZeke, but didn't even use him as
(20:36):
RB 1. Dak got the biggestcontract in NFL history only to
need hamstring surgery byNovember.
Jane Slater (20:43):
Yeah. The initial diagnosis, according to a number
of sources, Tom and Mike, isthis is a partial avulsion of
the hamstring tendon. It hasactually torn off the bone.
Again, this is an initialdiagnosis. It's my understanding
and an explanation as to why hehasn't gone on IR that he and
his team are looking for severalother opinions before making a
(21:04):
decision about how to proceedmoving forward.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (21:07):
Injuries to Zach Martin, DeMarcus
Lawrence, Micah Parsons, andTreyvon Diggs did not help
either. Sure, they were startingstrong with a 33 17 win over the
Browns in week 1, but it's sortof been downhill since. Losses
to the Saints and the Lionsreally stand out. This season
ended with the Cowboys playingfor their pride and possibly
(21:27):
Mike McCarthy's future with thefranchise. Other NFL teams are
really shining this season. TheChiefs were undefeated until
week 11. The Bills arecontenders, and maybe, just
maybe, the Lions can finally wina Lombardi Trophy. College
football, though, that's beenexciting. SMU made the playoffs
after knocking Alabama out ofthe bracket, and we finally got
(21:47):
the Aggies versus Longhornsrivalry back after a decade with
UT taking the win 17 to 7. TCUhad a so so season, but SMU's
success has had Dallas buzzing.
High school football has beennothing short of thrilling this
year, especially in my home.Texas is buzzing with some
official UIL state champions,and we're here to give them the
(22:09):
spotlight they've earned. Let'sstart with a shout out to a
couple of our local small townchamps, Gunter and Muenster. Way
to bring it home. Over in the 4a division 1 conference, Celina
took the crown and North Crowleydominated as 6 A division 1
champ. Now let's not forgetSouthlake Carroll, Highland
Park, and South Oak Cliff. Theseteams battled their way to the
championship game. They may nothave snagged the title, but,
(22:32):
wow, what an incredible seasonthey gave us. Huge applause for
all these hardworking dedicatedathletes who gave it all their
hardest this year. You makeTexas proud.
Inhockey, the Stars are staying competitive despite losing Tyler
Seguin to hip surgery. And inbasketball, the Mavericks have
been electric, with KlayThompson joining Luka and Kyrie.
(22:53):
With this lineup, a postseasonrun-in 2025 feels within reach.
2025 is set to challenge andinspire in equal measure. The
convergence of energy,intelligence, fashion, politics,
sports, and even food certainlysignals an era of
transformation. And whileseismic political shifts may
seem outlandish, who's to saywhat January 20th might bring
(23:14):
when Trump takes oath of office?Buckle up for a year where the
only certainty isunpredictability. Here's to a
beautiful start to 2025.
What a year 2024 was. It was packed
with stories that shaped ourcity and sparked incredible
conversations. But as we stepinto a brand new year, there is
so much more to look forward to.I'm Sara Zubiate Bennett.
Welcome to Let's Talk Local. Inthis very first episode of 2025,
we are diving deep, reflectingon the moments that define 2024
(00:28):
and exploring the trends,stories, and possibilities that
could change life as we know itin the year ahead. So whether
you're tuning in to stayinformed, inspired, or just a
little curious, thank you forbeing here. I hope you make it
part of your New Year'sresolution to join us for every
episode. Subscribe now.
(00:49):
Hi. I'm Sarah Zubiate Bennett,and I hope your 2025 is off to
an amazing start. As we settleback into our routines, I'm so
glad you're here with us forthis edition of Let's Talk
Local, a Dallas Express podcast.Every other Sunday, we'll be
diving into the best of Dallas,the stories, the conversations,
and the local highlights thatbring our beautiful city to
life. And that's not all. I'llalso be sharing quick news
(01:12):
updates on Dallas Expresssocials several times a week to
keep you in the loop. I'mthrilled to be a part of this
incredible journey and hopeyou'll join me for the ride.
Subscribe today, and let's talklocal together.
Okay. I'm so excited about this2025 fashion forecast that I'm
gonna be covering. A few of youthat know me well know I
(01:33):
absolutely love fashion. 2025 isshaping up to be an absolute
game changer in style. There'strends that weave past
inspirations, bold creativity,and future facing innovation.
Here are some of my favoritemust watch trends and designers
that are taking the industry bystorm. Okay. For those of you
who've been paying attention,2025 has a really bold theme
(01:54):
focusing on Bohemian Rhapsody.
Boho chic is back with a bang.There's a lot of suede fabrics,
playful fringes, earthy tonesthat exude some free spirited
elegance, And some of the fewdesigners that I absolutely love
in this category are UllaJohnson, and she's really
celebrated for her bohemianaesthetic, and Isabel Marant,
(02:15):
the queen of effortless chic.There's so much of this uneven
hems and conventional cuts thatare really breaking the rules.
They offer really fresh twist totraditional silhouettes. Think
bold, angular shapes for theultimate statements. Rick Owens
is a king of this. He's knownfor his avant garde asymmetry
(02:36):
and J W Anderson who redefinesdraping and tailoring.
So there's also a ton of thismaximalist magic. It really
emphasizes going all out. Thechaotic customization, it's all
the rage with extravagantaccessories, clashing prints,
stealing the spotlight. Some ofthe few designers that I love in
this category are AlessandroMichele from Gucci. I think he's
(03:00):
the mastermind of maximalism,and then there's also this show
stopping sculptural jewelry fromdesigners like Schiaparelli.
So everything old is seeming tobe new again. From the nineties
minimalism to the seventiesboho, eighties glam, the decades
are just colliding in thisstylish nostalgic remix for
today. A featured designer forthis category, I think, is
(03:22):
Celine by Hedi Slimane for thenineties cool and ETRO for their
luxurious take on the seventiespattern.
Then there's sustainable chicwhere fashion is going
absolutely green. Eco friendlymaterials, ethical production,
they're much more than trends.They're the industry's future.
If you look out for brands thatmake you feel good and look
(03:43):
good, some of the designersbehind these style trends are
Gabriela Hearst, asustainability trailblazer, and
then there's Stella McCartneywho leads the charge in ethical
luxury. I love Stella McCartneyfor her ability to morph and
mold to these new trends. Thenthere's this whole digital
couture space where virtualfashion and tech driven designs
(04:06):
are stepping into the spotlight.It's this digital only garment
to augmented reality space thatis absolutely insane for me to
comprehend, but 2025 isdefinitely giving us couture in
the cloud. Some of the featureddesigners are The Fabricant, and
then pioneers in digital fashionand even Gucci who merge tech
(04:26):
and long standing tradition.
And then there are a fewdesigners really redefining the
industry. There's Elena Velez.She's merging metallism
techniques with high fashion.She draws from the industrial
roots of the American Rust Beltto craft gritty yet really
glamorous pieces. And thenthere's Sean McGur, the new
creative director at AlexanderMcQueen, who's injecting
(04:47):
youthful energy and moderntwists into the brand's dramatic
heritage. Then there's Chanel,of course. The new visionary
there, Matthew Blasey, blendsintricate craftsmanship with
forward thinking sophistication,and I believe is taking on
Alexander McQueen's brand kindof head to head, but really
ensuring that the iconic brandremains cutting edge.
(05:07):
And then, of course, since we'reLet's Talk Local, I had to place
a spotlight on local designerEse Azinabor, based in Dallas,
Texas. Ese is really redefiningcouture with her intricate hand
beading and embroidery. Hercreations are stunning. So many
of my girlfriends wear hercreations which draw on both
(05:28):
African and European influences.Her bridal and evening wear
creations are pure opulence. Icannot wait to pay her a visit
in 2025.
Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, thepost election rally is no joke.
In December of 2024, investorspumped about $8,000,000,000 into
(05:49):
US equity funds, bringing totalinflows for 2024 to a record
smashing $450,000,000,000. Inplain terms, it means that the
stock market had a banner yearand the election supercharged
it. So 2 big questions remain, Iknow. 1, why the market is
soaring, and 2, where do we gofrom here? When it comes to the
(06:10):
market's meteoric rise, itssimplest explanation, I believe,
is the fact that there's morebuyers and sellers. And what's
driving up demand, in myopinion, are cash, buybacks, and
optimism. Money managers areplaying catch up post election,
and retail investors are pouringinto call options like never
before.
(06:31):
Corporate buybacks are set totop $900,000,000,000, and this
is entirely fueled by surgingtech earnings and Fed rate cuts.
And let's not forget the$7,000,000,000,000 sitting in
money market funds waiting tojump into stocks as rates
decline even further. No wonderthe S & P had one of the
best runs since the nineties.The nineties, that's absolutely
(06:55):
huge. But, per usual, everymarket high is when the
financial media revs up its fearmachine with news of crashes,
inflation, bubbles, you name it,but I just urge you not to let
the noise distract you. Ibelieve that this coming era is
one of true transformation,especially related to everything
(07:15):
finance and economic. So forthose of you who are interested,
I'm gonna take a few moments toexplore some big ideas that are
really shaping our world. Thefed just delivered its 3rd rate
cut of the year, loweringexpected rates to 4 a quarter to
4 a half percent. But despitethese rate cuts, I do not expect
a pattern to be emerging. Fedchair Jerome Powell signaled a
(07:39):
new era of caution withinflation proving to be really
stubborn. Even still, furtherrate cuts seem unlikely. And the
takeaway, the party may bewinding down.
I mean, we cannot ignore thefact that one of the top stories
from 2024 is the fact that wehave these unexplained drone
(07:59):
sightings. Since mid November2024, there's been numerous
reports that have emerged ofthese mysterious drones
accompanied by these orbs overso many parts of the United
States, not just in thenortheast anymore. They're
everywhere.
These sightings have sparkedpublic concern and widespread
(08:20):
speculation about their originsand their purpose. Witnesses
have described the orbs asbright glowing spheres when
observed in proximity to thedrones, but then some reports
suggest that these orbs exhibitflight patterns and behaviors
distinct from conventionalaircraft, including hovering at
high altitudes and moving atextreme speeds. For instance, a
footage taken from a commercialplane en route from Chicago to
(08:42):
Newark captured the glowing orbshaped objects that, I guess,
were described as impossiblealtitude. And certain
investigations and explanationsfrom federal agencies, including
the Department of HomelandSecurity, the FBI, they've been
investigating these sightings. Iknow that a lot of the news is
really mixed in what they'rechoosing to share with us.
(09:03):
I don't know if it's our owngovernment. I don't know if it's
another government. I do believethat they do know. I believe
that there's coordinationamongst all or some of these
entities, and I believe thatlife will change as we know it
in 2025. As of now, they havenot identified any type of
malicious activity or crediblethreats to public safety
(09:24):
associated with the drones orthe orbs. Some experts suggest
that sightings may be due tomisidentifications of manned
aircraft, celestial objects, orlegally operated drones.
And let's be real. No one'ssurprised that Donald Trump was
the most Googled name of 2024.Between his legal battles, his
(09:45):
campaign for president, and thefact that he knows exactly how
to make people either love himor hate him. He was everywhere
this year. Love him or not,Trump is headed back to the
White House on January 20th.
And as president-elect, he'salready making big waves. So
here's a look at some of the fewchanges we can expect as Trump
takes office. First up, FBIdirector Chris Wray is
(10:07):
reportedly stepping down. Trumpplans to replace him with Kash
Patel, calling him the mostqualified nominee to ever lead
the FBI in the agency's history.Those are big words, so let's
see how it plays out. Thenthere's Robert F Kennedy Junior,
Trump's choice for Secretary ofHealth and Human Services. But
here's where it getsinteresting. RFK Junior has
(10:28):
asked Trump to appoint hisdaughter-in-law as deputy
director of the CIA to dig intothe JFK assassination. Yes. You
heard that right. Could wefinally see a major conspiracy
theory unravel? Let's staytuned.
Trump has also stated that hehas intent to end birthright
citizenship on day 1, arguingthat it encourages women to
(10:49):
cross the border illegally togive birth resulting in children
who automatically gain UScitizenship. His supporters
believe this policy shift couldhelp address illegal immigration
by removing a perceivedincentive. As someone who was
born under birthrightcitizenship, I see this issue
from a deeply personalperspective.
(11:10):
My biological mother came to theUnited States, gave birth to me,
and made the difficult decisionto place me up for adoption into
the home of George and GloriaZubiate immediately at birth,
believing it would give me abetter future, and it did. But
not without trauma on all frontsand a lot of pain. Almost a
decade later, my birth motherreturned to the United States as
(11:32):
a legal citizen herself with mysiblings after enduring
significant pain and sacrificeto do things the right way.
Whether or not this policy couldbe successfully implemented, it
highlights the broader debateabout immigration and
citizenship in the UnitedStates, reflecting both the
complexities of the issue andthe passion surrounding it on
all sides.
(11:56):
On a much lighter note, we havebig news, Dallas foodies. I am
one of them. Deep Ellum's Tatsuis now officially the only
restaurant in Dallas with aMichelin star. Yep. Chef Tatsu
pulled it off, and it's honestlyno surprise. His sushi is next
level. But heads up,reservations were already a hot
ticket. Nowthey're practically golden.
(12:29):
Sharpen your clicking fingers,and may the sushi gods be in
your favor. We're planning tofeature Tatsu soon, but let's
not stop there. There areseveral other amazing Dallas
spots that made the MichelinGuide, too. Monarch, Crown
Block, Teyon, and DuroHospitality's Mister Charles,
just to name a few. There's somuch foodie greatness to explore
(12:52):
in this amazing city. Andspeaking of accolades, Hudson
House is one of my favorites,and it's doing Dallas proud.
They landed a spot on OpenTable.com's list of top 100
restaurants in the US. They havelocations all over DFW in
Lakewood, Highland Park, PrestonHollow, Fort Worth, North
Dallas, and Las Colinas. It's alittle easier to snag a table
(13:14):
here, but here's where you comein. We and I very much want your
recommendations for our nextfoodie adventure. Should we
check out Duro Hospitality'sMister Charles, The Charles, a
hidden gem like Jimmy's FoodStore? What about Maple and
Motor, Boots Burgers inRockwall, Lava Cantina, or Soy
(13:35):
Cowboy? Is there another spotthat we might try?
Dallas got hit with some bignews back in September when
chief Eddie Garcia, one of myfavorites, announced he was
hanging up his badge for good.Since taking over as chief of
the Dallas Police Department in2021, Garcia has been an
absolute game changer for theDPD. So why would someone who's
(13:59):
clearly making such an impactleave? For chief Eddie Garcia,
it's all about tackling a newchallenge as the assistant city
manager in Austin, Texas.Sings: Shot through the heart.
Chief Eddie Garcia (14:13):
Well, let me just hit a couple of things
because, obviously, arrestingviolent criminals, is incredibly
important that are plaguing ourcommunity. There's no question
about that. When I say we're notgonna arrest our way out of long
term problems, what I mean isthis, is that we need to
reinvest in people in places.Police departments, not just
here in Dallas, but nationally,think of us as the fever
reducer. We're the Advil. We'rethe Tylenol you take to reduce
(14:35):
the fever. We are not the cureto the illness.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (14:38):
This move is tough for Dallas to swallow.
Chief Garcia brought a wave ofpositivity and much needed
change to Dallas and the policedepartment. He and Assistant
Chief Reuben Ramirez evensnagged one of the highest
honors in law enforcement, the2024 Shining Star Award, all
thanks to their checkpointsprogram. But now chief Garcia is
(15:01):
off to join former Dallas citymanager T. C. Broadnax in
Austin. If you remember,Broadnax stepped down after some
city council drama, tossed hishat in the ring for Austin city
manager's job earlier this year,and landed it by April. On his
resume, he highlighted his workon police oversight, housing,
homelessness, and public safety.Ironically, some of the issues
(15:22):
Dallas residents have been vocalabout in polls by the Dallas
Express. So what's next forDallas on this city manager
search?
Kim Tolbert has been holdingdown the fort as interim city
manager while city leaders havebeen searching for the perfect
fit. Right now, it's down to 3finalists, William Johnson from
Fort Worth, Sacramento assistantcity manager, Mario Lara, and,
(15:43):
of course, Tolbert herself.We're gonna be keeping a close
eye on this as it unfolds, andyou can bet both Let's Talk
Local and the Dallas Expresswill be scrutinizing every
decision, especially when itcomes to the budget. We've
recently been made aware that on11th, there's going to be a
community meeting, and we'rehoping to have something
solidified, I'm assuming, inJanuary of 2025.
(16:12):
Back in May, Dallas votersapproved a massive
$1,250,000,000 bond programpacked with nearly 830 projects.
The plan is split into 10categories with the city aiming
to wrap everything up over thecourse of the next 5 years. Out
of the total, 475 project arefocused on streets and
transportation, taking up ahefty $521,200,000 slice of the
(16:37):
budget. Parks and recreation aregetting a solid $345,000,000
while $43,500,000 is set asidefor libraries and only
$19,000,000 for homelessassistance facilities.
$19,000,000 might sound like abig number, but in context of
this bond package, it's nothingmore than pocket change. And,
yes, to everyone's point, we'regonna have beautiful parks and
(16:58):
libraries, and I love thoseamenities as much as the next
person. But what good are theyif we have to just step over
homeless individuals to getinside? Now we're gonna stay
tuned for the actual plan ofhomelessness as it evolves in
Dallas when our shelters arealready at full capacity. I know
that we're working hard behindthe scenes to make sure that we
have different initiatives inplace to create an answer to
(17:22):
this problem. And it'sinteresting as we kind of expand
upon this particular topic.
Are we supposed to just turn ablind eye and let them ride the
overfunded, underutilized DARTsystem, one that our
constituents and citizens arepaying for as they feel
increasingly unsafe? I think youshould ask yourself, is this
(17:42):
level of ridership worth thehundreds of millions of dollars
we pour into DART every year, orcould that money be more
effectively spent? Check the busstops. Are they full of riders,
or are they just makeshiftshelters for the homeless?
Better yet, I suggest that youdo what we did. We actually took
a ride on the train and see foryourself how many people are
riding for free using it asdaytime shelter because there's
(18:04):
nowhere else for them to go. Noone is doing anything to fix
this. I even asked former Dallasmayor Tom Leppart what he thinks
about the amount of money thatgoes to DART versus the
ridership. Here's what he had tosay about it.
Tom Leppert (18:18):
The problem with the DART is like any other city
that is largely in the south andlargely had already spawned
large geographic areas before itwas laid in, is it is difficult
to catch up with that. Masstransit works extremely well in
2 cases. 1 is where you've gotan enormous concentration in a
(18:43):
small area, e. G. New York City.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (18:45):
Mhmm.
Tom Leppert (18:45):
That works good. Or where you actually are laying
out the plan laying out the masstransit in advance of the
growth. Toronto's an example ofof that. Unfortunately, the
Dallas', the Phoenix', theHouston, those sorts of things,
you had urban sprawl in LosAngeles, you had urban sprawl
(19:05):
much before mass transit camein, so you don't have those
concentrated pockets. And as waspointed out, it is expensive to
build this stuff. You know,you're talking millions of
dollars for miles, and when youdo those miles when you've
already had the sprawl, you'rejust it's not as easy to get
people to use it and to come in.So I've got the same frustration
(19:28):
that the money does. We'reputting a lot of money into it.
At the same time, I know when werecruited AT & T, having the
mass transit, having DART was animportant part of what they did.
They looked at where theythought their employees gonna
going to live both north andsouth, so after Richardson as
well as down Lancaster,etcetera, and it was a factor
for them.
(19:48):
They regard it in in a positivelight. But with that sense,
trying to get the ridership thatyou wanna have is very
difficult. Now I don't knowwhere the numbers are more
recently, but it is a toughexercise to try to do mass
transit once you've already hadthe sprawl, but you're trying to
do it for different reasons too.And then it just becomes a
(20:09):
simple question of how youbalance that.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (20:16):
Okay, y'all. Being a Dallas sports
fan, it's a roller coaster at atminimum. This year has not been
great if you love the Cowboys orthe Rangers. The Rangers went
from World Series champs tomissing the postseason entirely
in 2024, and that was a reallytough pill to swallow.
And the Cowboys, they resignedZeke, but didn't even use him as
(20:36):
RB 1. Dak got the biggestcontract in NFL history only to
need hamstring surgery byNovember.
Jane Slater (20:43):
Yeah. The initial diagnosis, according to a number
of sources, Tom and Mike, isthis is a partial avulsion of
the hamstring tendon. It hasactually torn off the bone.
Again, this is an initialdiagnosis. It's my understanding
and an explanation as to why hehasn't gone on IR that he and
his team are looking for severalother opinions before making a
(21:04):
decision about how to proceedmoving forward.
Sarah Zubiate Bennett (21:07):
Injuries to Zach Martin, DeMarcus
Lawrence, Micah Parsons, andTreyvon Diggs did not help
either. Sure, they were startingstrong with a 33 17 win over the
Browns in week 1, but it's sortof been downhill since. Losses
to the Saints and the Lionsreally stand out. This season
ended with the Cowboys playingfor their pride and possibly
(21:27):
Mike McCarthy's future with thefranchise. Other NFL teams are
really shining this season. TheChiefs were undefeated until
week 11. The Bills arecontenders, and maybe, just
maybe, the Lions can finally wina Lombardi Trophy. College
football, though, that's beenexciting. SMU made the playoffs
after knocking Alabama out ofthe bracket, and we finally got
(21:47):
the Aggies versus Longhornsrivalry back after a decade with
UT taking the win 17 to 7. TCUhad a so so season, but SMU's
success has had Dallas buzzing.
High school football has beennothing short of thrilling this
year, especially in my home.Texas is buzzing with some
official UIL state champions,and we're here to give them the
(22:09):
spotlight they've earned. Let'sstart with a shout out to a
couple of our local small townchamps, Gunter and Muenster. Way
to bring it home. Over in the 4a division 1 conference, Celina
took the crown and North Crowleydominated as 6 A division 1
champ. Now let's not forgetSouthlake Carroll, Highland
Park, and South Oak Cliff. Theseteams battled their way to the
championship game. They may nothave snagged the title, but,
(22:32):
wow, what an incredible seasonthey gave us. Huge applause for
all these hardworking dedicatedathletes who gave it all their
hardest this year. You makeTexas proud.
Inhockey, the Stars are staying competitive despite losing Tyler
Seguin to hip surgery. And inbasketball, the Mavericks have
been electric, with KlayThompson joining Luka and Kyrie.
(22:53):
With this lineup, a postseasonrun-in 2025 feels within reach.
2025 is set to challenge andinspire in equal measure. The
convergence of energy,intelligence, fashion, politics,
sports, and even food certainlysignals an era of
transformation. And whileseismic political shifts may
seem outlandish, who's to saywhat January 20th might bring
(23:14):
when Trump takes oath of office?Buckle up for a year where the
only certainty isunpredictability. Here's to a
beautiful start to 2025.
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