In eatery franchising news: A Chili’s will freshen up the American Airlines Center come October, as it moves into the venue’s southwest corner — where, for the moment, you can buy Stars and Mavs merch. Expect much branding — including a mini-blimp, which you’ll have to order off the menu…

Is this really what the Cotton Bowl (at least, its south ramp) is going to look like following its $50-million upgrade? Because I don’t see this rendering in the city’s December ’05 briefing on the subject. But I did find this artwork and several under-construction photos from the work-in-progress on…

After the jump, a couple of highlights from the Dallas Hispanic Firefighters Association’s 2009 calendar. But I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to wear the uniforms, gentlemen. Doesn’t look very safe. –Robert Wilonsky…

Does this device look like it could sniff out “more than 90% of the explosives used worldwide”? Looks like the Securities Exchange Commission has finally sniffed out the stink bomb called Sniffex, a worthless and utterly useless product being sold by Irving-based Homeland Safety International in order to make a…

If you want to purchase local artist Chet Phillips’ Space Race Monkey, you’d best hurry. The kid really likes. Whilst cruising the local blogscape this afternoon, I came across fuzzbuzz’s announcement that she was gonna have a couple of pieces hanging in the Dallas Museum of Art beginning Friday, as…

Turns out all your fears were correct — if you’re among those who believe George W. Bush to be deadly alien spawn or a pod person sent here to blend in and destroy the country from within the comfy confines of the Oval Office. In advance of the Mutual UFO…

Brian Harkin Luis Yanez, back on the U.S. Olympic boxing team When I visited Luis Yanez at his Oak Cliff boxing gym in December for a story on the light flyweight’s bid for Olympic gold, he seemed not far removed from the rough streets he had grown up on. There…

Falcon Compnaies The Greenville Avenue Whole Foods, soon to be something else. Unless it’s like the Preston Forest Whole Foods. In which case, nada. Real-estater Randall Turner brings word this a.m. of 37 acres for sale in the heart of the city — though from the description of “one of…

Till this morning, I kinda think I knew America’s Got Talent was back on NBC (for a third season, ho-lee). But now, I am much more certain: The show that made Terry Fator and Cas Haley household names last summer does indeed air Tuesday nights, and last night the Dallas…

The United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference 2008 kicks off today at the Hilton Anatole — and, yup, The Hot Topic for some will be the George W. Bush library-think tank planned for the SMU campus. From the looks of the agenda, the real fun should come tomorrow at…

One minute you’re in the running to be the site of MillerCoors’ brand-spankin’-new HQ. The next, you’re reduced to the last line in a long story about the newly formed company announcing today that it’s taking its 300 to 400 employees elsewhere. [MillerCoors president and chief commercial officer Tom] Long…

And yet another local story goes national. S’up, Matt Lauer — but, really, Ann Curry, “honey”? Nonetheless, extra kudos to 17-year-old knock-out artist Rudy Sandoval for wearing the Pizza Patron T-shirt advertising the special XL Pizza Trio deal. I hope owner Antonio Swad gave you a big ol’ bonus for…

Courtesy Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance The Bridge It’s been two months since The Bridge, Dallas’s new homeless center, opened, and already there are noticeable results. As Central Dallas Ministries’ CEO Larry James points out on his blog this morning, The Bridge has effectively removed hundreds of people from the streets…

Roberto Cavalli If you’d like to hear Air’s “Playground Love” off The Virgin Suicides sound track, check out designer Roberto Cavalli’s Web site. I only discovered this after noticing that Cavalli will be among those scheduled to attend the latest Fashion at the Park extravaganza in the NorthPark Center parking…