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U.S. consumer confidence jumps to a two-year high as inflation eases

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence shot to the highest level in two years this month as inflationary pressures eased and the American economy continued to show resilience in the face of dramatically higher interest rates.The Conference Board, a business research group, said its consumer confidence index rose to 117 in July from a revised 110.1 in June. The gauge beat the 110.5 that economists had expected and was the highest since July 2021. The index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. Both improved in July. The future expectations index rose to 88.3 in July, clearing the recession threshold of 80 recorded in June.Economists closely monitor Americans’ spirits because consumer spending accounts for around 70% of U.S. economic activity. The Conference Board index fell more or less steadily from mid-2021 to mid-2022 as surging prices ate into household budgets. But confidence has come back, i...

Boston Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron retires after 19 seasons

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

Patrice Bergeron, one of the greatest Boston Bruins of all time, announced his retirement Tuesday after 19 seasons in the NHL.“It is with a full heart and a lot of gratitude that today I am announcing my retirement as a professional hockey player,” wrote Bergeron in an announcement on the Bruins website.“As hard as it is to write, I also write it knowing how blessed and lucky I feel to have had the career that I have had, and that I have the opportunity to leave the game I love on my terms. It wasn’t a decision that I came to lightly. But after listening to my body, and talking with my family, I know in my heart that this is the right time to step away from playing the game I love.”Before the 2022-23 season, the Bruins captain signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, plus an additional $2.5 million in performance-based incentives.The centre, who turned 38 on Monday, had 27 goals and 31 assists in 78 games for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins this...

Bronny James, son of LeBron James, suffers cardiac arrest during practice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The son of NBA legend LeBron James, who is building his own career in the game of basketball, had a major medical emergency early this week. First reported by TMZ, 18-year-old Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice in Los Angeles ahead of his first year at USC. According to the report, he was taking part in practice at the Galen Center, the home of Trojans basketball, when the emergency occurred.According to a statement released by the James family, the guard is in stable condition and out of the ICU.Here is the full statement on Bronny's medical emergency."Yesterday while practicing, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family, and we will update media when there is more information. LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and...

Tuesday Forecast: Air Quality Alert issued, hot and hazy conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

CHICAGO — Mainly sunny and hazy conditions with temperatures in the low 90s, slightly cooler lakeside. Winds: SSW 5-10. High: 92/87.An Air Quality Alert is in effect until midnight Wednesday morning. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly cloudy tonight with slight early AM thunderstorm chance. Winds: SSE 5-10. Low: 73.Wednesday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, decreasing clouds, humid, chance for storms, S 10-15 G20. High: 91.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Cook County sees record 2,000 opioid deaths in 2022; 91% fentanyl-related

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

CHICAGO — Fentanyl is behind nearly all of a record number of opioid overdose deaths last year in Cook County, according to newly-released data.The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said 2,000 opioid overdose deaths surpassed 2021's previous record of 1,935. Of the 2,000, 1,825 were fentanyl-related.Approximately 78% of the opioid overdose deaths were male and just over 70% took place in Chicago.Last year, the DEA seized 225,913 fentanyl pills in Northern Illinois and over 200 lbs. of fentanyl powder.Part of the rise in fentanyl-related deaths may be attributed to an increase in xylazine trafficking — aka "tranq dope." It's an animal tranquillizer street dealers are mixing with fentanyl and other drugs.“Street dealers are looking to create a more powerful high,” DEA spokesperson Luis Agostini told WGN News earlier this year. “They’re looking to extend the shelf life of drugs like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.”In Cook County, one person died of an xylazine-related overdose in 201...

Musk explains Twitter rebranding, vows to add features

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

(The Hill) -- Twitter owner Elon Musk explained the rebranding of the social media platform to “X” on Monday, saying the original name no longer made sense as he has continued to add new features. “This is not simply a company renaming itself, but doing the same thing,” Musk wrote in response to another user, who included Twitter among a long list of well-known companies that have changed their names.“The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140 character messages going back and forth — like birds tweeting — but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video,” he said.Musk added that Twitter plans to include “comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world” to the platform in the coming months.“The Twitter name does not make sense in that context, so we must bid adieu to the bird,” he said. Elon Musk says tweets are to be called ‘X’s’ now The billionaire owner of SpaceX and Tesla announced the rebranding on Su...

Take a look inside Myrtle Beach's 'Barbie Dream House' as movie tops charts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) - "Barbie" has been a huge box office success, outperforming projections over the weekend. The movie reached No. 1 with $155 million sold in ticket sales in U.S. theaters. Many may not know, though, that North Myrtle Beach has its own Barbie dream house. Right off Highway 17 is a vacation rental called "Inn the Pink," but it's also known as the North Myrtle Beach Barbie Dream House. Co-owner Cristy Weber said she had been wanting an all-pink house for four years, way before the Barbie movie was getting buzz. ‘Barbie’ takes the box office crown and ‘Oppenheimer’ soars in a historic weekend Weber said she originally wanted it for fun - not really something that would work for her everyday life. She said she wanted vacationers to North Myrtle Beach to feel good and happy about themselves while in the house. "Like in the game room out back, they could have different balloon arches and different signs and stuff like that," she said. "And really just g...

WATCH: Sea lion charges tourists at California cove

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) - A sea lion charged tourists on the beach at La Jolla Cove in San Diego Sunday evening.It happened as summer crowds, mostly tourists, overwhelmed the tiny, protected beach — one of the most iconic in California — trying to get up-close photos with the beautiful sea mammals and newly weaned pups. But it's a dangerous risk.“I feel like people should educate themselves a little bit about the marine life here — what to do, what not to do, respect the sea lions, don't touch them, don't get in their space," Japhet Perez Estrada, a La Jolla native and business owner, said to Nexstar's KSWB on Monday. He swims the cove every day and captured video of the incident as he was getting out of the water.“I looked to my left and I see a big sea lion just come out of the water and start charging and that's when it turns to chaos," Perez Estrada said. "Everyone was screaming and running around.”   Sea lion that ingested over 100 rocks returns to ocean There ar...

Parks and Rec Board votes to permanently close Zilker Park overflow lot in September

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Parks and Recreation Department Board on Monday night voted to permanently close one of Zilker Park's largest overflow parking options. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Vote to potentially close Zilker Park overflow parking lot put on hold Polo Field, located between Andrew Zilker Road and Barton Springs Road, is currently open on weekends during the summer and some Fridays for special events or activities, according to the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.The lot has about 750 spaces — equal to the amount of parking in the gravel lot on Stratford Drive. These are the two largest parking options at Zilker Park.During its Monday night meeting, the board amended and approved a draft recommendation on closing the field permanently to parking starting Sept. 4, with the exception of use as an overflow parking area during advance-scheduled special events, detailed below. The approved draft recommendations include the following: Austin City Council approve funding in...

3M’s dark chapter deepens as CEO faces beaten down investors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:15 GMT

3M Co. has so many big problems on its hands that one veteran Wall Street analyst likened the conglomerate’s challenges to the Titanic — just after the iceberg.“We’re talking more about rearranging the deckchairs when you’ve got these big calamities bearing down on the company,” said Deane Dray, an RBC Capital Markets analyst who has covered 3M for nearly 20 years.That may sound like hyperbole for one of the longest-tenured components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average that generates more than $30 billion in sales and showers investors with $3 billion in annual dividends. Yet the magnitude of what 3M is confronting is immense.Wall Street expects 3M will post its sixth-straight quarter of declining sales when it reports results on Tuesday as demand continues to slump across much of its vast portfolio. The bigger worry is that potentially billions of dollars in legal liabilities will consume huge amounts of cash for years to come and put its cherished dividend at risk.The company, ba...