Oil and gas giant: Diamondback Energy is attempting to buy rival Endeavor Energy Resources to create an energy giant in the southwestern U.S. worth more than $50 billion. A tie-up between Diamondback and Endeavor, if it succeeds, would create the third largest producer in the Permian Basin behind Exxon and Chevron, overseeing 838,000 acres and potentially producing 816,000 oil-equivalent barrels each day. Read more about the deal.
Meteorologist: Jay Grymes, chief meteorologist for WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, will serve as interim Louisiana state climatologist, effective Feb. 15, while LSU conducts a national search for a permanent state climatologist. The search will begin immediately, and Grymes will also maintain his role at the TV station. See the announcement from LSU, and read about the former climatologist’s departure from NOLA.com.
Recap: Super Bowl 58 is in the books, and the Kansas City Chiefs won out over the San Francisco 49ers. But not everyone who tuned in to the matchup came for the big game. The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest stage, with companies jockeying for a limited supply of spots to get their products in front of millions of consumers. For the second consecutive year, the average cost of a 30-second ad spot was $7 million. Check out the full recap of this year’s ads from CNBC.
