Desmond Milligan

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Illinois dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 9,690 in the week ending August 9, down from 9,988 the week before, the Labor Department said. U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 224,000 last week, down 3,000 claims from 227,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis. Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 99.3%. Iowa, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 32.5%. The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor's weekly unemployment insurance claims report. This article originally appeared on Lincoln Courier: Unemployment claims in Illinois declined last week View the full article

(The Center Square) – While politics is pushing redistricting efforts in other states, Ohio is under a rule of the people to change congressional maps before the midterm elections. Thanks to a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2018, congressional districts drawn without bipartisan support from the Ohio Redistricting Commission must be redrawn every four years. In 2020, the commission approved the maps favoring 10 Republican and five Democratic seats. According to Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, the maps for 2026 mid-erm congressional elections should make the split 8-7 in favor of the GOP. “Ohioans deserve congressional districts that respect communities, follow constitutional guidelines, and accurately reflect voters’ political preferences,” Antonio said in a statement. “I am deeply troubled by the types of partisan power grabs we’re currently witnessing in states like Texas, and I’m committed to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan process that puts Ohioans’ interests first.” Answering President Donald Trump’s call to redraw maps in Texas to put more Republicans in Congress, Texas lawmakers have attempted to pass gerrymandered districts for the past two weeks. Democrats fled the state to stop the process, but returned Monday. The new Texas maps could potentially add five seats for Republicans in the House. However, if Ohio lawmakers follow the voter-mandated rules, the GOP could lose two seats. The Ohio Redistricting Commission is made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, Senate president and House speaker – all Republicans, along with the Senate and House minority leaders. The maps passed in 2020 had no minority support, which is required by the state constitution. The General Assembly can pass new maps by the end of September, with a two-thirds vote in each chamber, which includes half of the Democrats. If that doesn’t work, the commission must adopt a plan by Oct. 31 that has the support of both Democrats on the commission. If the commission fails, the General Assembly can try again and must pass new maps by Nov. 30. Those maps can pass with a simple majority but must comply with the constitution's anti-gerrymandering provisions. Those rules include that no plan can favor or disfavor one political party and districts must resemble voting percentages from the last 10 years in statewide and federal elections. View the full article

Although Hurricane Erin isn't forecasted to hit Massachusetts, the Bay State is still feeling the effects of the storm. That's why two beaches on the South Shore were shut down for today, Tuesday Aug. 19. "The main concern this week though is for high surf and dangerous rip currents to ocean exposed beaches through (Friday)," according to the National Weather Service online forecaster's discussion. What beaches were shut down in Massachusetts because of the problem? Here's what to know. What beaches have been shut down because of Hurricane Erin?The Scituate, MA website is reporting, "Minot Beach and Peggotty Beach are closed to swimming ... due to rough water conditions. The situation will be monitored on a daily basis." The National Weather Service has issued a High Surf Advisore from 8 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Thursday due to "life threatening" swimming conditions on the southern Massachusetts coast and Rhode Island coast. A high surf advisory has been issued for parts of the Massachusetts coastline through Thursday due to Hurricane Erin.“Erin will churn up rough surf and dangerous rip currents along the Atlantic coastline from Florida all the way north to Maine starting this weekend into next week...a major hurricane in the open Atlantic can produce very rough surf that will impact beaches hundreds of miles away," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Dasilva said in a statement last week. What are rip currents?They are powerful channels of fast-moving water, and they have killed about 50 people in the U.S. so far this year, according to a release last week from AccuWeather. If you are caught in a rip current, officials advise you to swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the channel, AccuWeather noted in the release. Hurricane Erin was driving rough surf and a high rip current risk along much of the U.S. East Coast, an Aug. 19 forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows.Hurricane Erin path trackerThis forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Hurricane Erin spaghetti modelsIllustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts. What's the hurricane outlook for the 2025 season?The AccuWeather 2025 Atlantic hurricane season forecast is predicting 13-18 named storms, including 7-10 hurricanes, adding "Three to six direct U.S. impacts are forecast, the same range as last year’s catastrophic season with six landfalls." The report noted that the climatological peak of hurricane season begins Sept. 10. What is the NOAA forecast on hurricanes in 2025?NOAA is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 total named storms. Of those, 6 to 10 are forecast to become hurricanes, including 3 to 5 major hurricanes. This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Hurricane Erin closes 2 MA beaches. High Surf advisory issued for MA View the full article

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A second airman in a month at a U.S. Air Force base in Wyoming stands accused of involuntary manslaughter for a shooting death. F.E. Warren Air Force Base Airman First Class Jadan Orr, 20, remained jailed on Monday after he allegedly shot a man in a Cheyenne apartment early Saturday, according to police and sheriff’s officials. Orr and several friends had been drinking at the apartment for most of the night when Orr and two others went into another room and Orr began handling an AK-47 rifle, according to a Cheyenne Police Department statement. Orr allegedly fired the weapon through a wall, hitting the 23-year-old in the torso. Police arrived to find several people outside trying to help the man, who died at the scene, the statement added. Orr was charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to Laramie County Circuit Court. He did not have an attorney on file to comment on his behalf. Neither Cheyenne police nor the Laramie County coroner had publicly identified the victim as of Monday. Police referred questions about the victim’s identity to Coroner Rebecca Reid, who did not immediately return a phone message. Officials at the base just outside Cheyenne announced on Aug. 12 that an airman had been arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, obstructing justice and making a false statement in connection with the July 20 shooting death of another airman. The victim was identified as Brayden Lovan, 21, of the 90th Security Forces Squadron, 90th Missile Wing. The shooting led the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command to suspend use of Sig Sauer’s M18 handgun. The weapon has been the subject of lawsuits in which plaintiffs allege the gun is susceptible to firing without the trigger being pulled. Other military branches have continued to use the gun. Unlike in the latest case, the airman stood accused in military, as opposed to civilian, court. The Air Force had not yet released the identity of the accused airman and other details of the earlier shooting, saying Monday it was still under investigation. View the full article

Los tipos hipotecarios alcanzaron un mínimo anual la semana pasada, pero durante los próximos días podrían ser más volátiles, según los nuevos datos económicos. Cuando la Reserva Federal comenzó a recortar los tipos de interés el otoño pasado sucedió algo curioso: las tasas hipotecarias aumentaron. Ahora, el banco central se está preparando para recortar los tipos de interés de referencia de nuevo y existe la posibilidad de que vuelva a suceder algo similar. ¿La razón? Los tipos hipotecarios actuales ya descuentan las expectativas sobre el próximo movimiento de la Fed: justo esta semana alcanzaron el 6,58 %, el nivel más bajo desde octubre de 2024. Lo que influye en las tasas hipotecariasLa serie de datos económicos que se irá publicando desde hoy hasta la reunión del 16 y 17 de septiembre podría provocar cambios en los tipos de interés en las próximas semanas. No obstante, la relación entre los recortes de la FED y los tipos hipotecarios no es directa. De hecho, el interés que se aplica a las hipotecas es sensible a diferentes factores, sobre todo al rendimiento de los bonos. PUBLICIDADLos profesionales del sector hipotecario consideran que momentos como este pueden ser frustrantes para quienes están en el negocio. Las tasas hipotecarias se estancaron en un nivel alto que ronda el 6 % durante gran parte del año, obstaculizando a los compradores con problemas de asequibilidad y limitando el refinanciamiento. Ahora que por fin los tipos de interés están bajando, están recibiendo más llamadas de posibles clientes. Sin embargo, muchos de esos clientes dicen que quieren esperar hasta septiembre para seguir adelante, con la esperanza de que los tipos bajen aún más. “Oh, Dios mío, es lo que menos me gusta escuchar”, confesó Taylor Sherman, agente hipotecario de Barrett Financial Group en Tucson, Arizona. “Les digo: ‘bueno, ya sabes, esa bajada ya está descontada’. Sí, la política de la FED determina los tipos, pero en realidad todo versa sobre cómo el mercado ve la política de la Reserva Federal”. Cuando la FED baja los tipos, los intereses de las deudas vinculadas a la tasa preferencial, como las líneas de préstamo con garantía hipotecaria y las tarjetas de crédito, suelen descender poco después. Sin embargo, los tipos que se aplican a las hipotecas fijas a 30 años no están ligados a esa tasa y a menudo apenas reaccionan. En ocasiones, como ocurrió el año pasado, incluso suben. Las tasas hipotecarias dependen fundamentalmente de los rendimientos de los bonos del Tesoro a 10 años, que se mueven en respuesta a una amplia gama de factores, como las expectativas del mercado sobre la inflación, los futuros préstamos del gobierno y lo que hace la propia FED. Los diferenciales hipotecarios, la diferencia entre el rendimiento a 10 años y las tasas hipotecarias vigentes, también juegan un papel importante en los tipos y dependen de otros factores, desde la volatilidad del mercado hasta la demanda de bonos hipotecarios. Según CME FedWatch, actualmente los traders estiman que existe un 85% de posibilidades de que se produzca un recorte de tipos en septiembre. Básicamente, esas probabilidades ya están integradas en los tipos hipotecarios actuales, aunque podrían oscilar a partir de ahora y hasta ese momento por diversas razones. Antes de que la FED mueva ficha, se publicarán nuevos datos económicos sobre la contratación de agosto y la inflación al productor y al consumidor. A inicios de este mes, por ejemplo, los débiles datos del empleo impulsaron los tipos hipotecarios a sus mínimos actuales del año. PUBLICIDADEn este momento, un comprador que pueda destinar US$3.000 mensuales a la hipoteca tendrá unos US$20.000 dólares más de poder adquisitivo que en mayo, cuando los tipos hipotecarios alcanzaron su pico más reciente, algo por encima del 7 %, de acuerdo con Redfin. Esperar puede no ser una buena estrategiaLa responsable de investigación económica de dicha correduría, Chen Zhao, dijo en un comunicado que los compradores de viviendas que esperen a que la FED mueva ficha para comenzar su búsqueda podrían llegar demasiado tarde, sobre todo porque se espera que la volatilidad de los tipos de interés aumente en las próximas semanas a medida que se vayan publicando los publiquen nuevos datos. Bogdan Toderut, agente de préstamos de Summit Funding en Cumming, Georgia, está siguiendo de cerca la inflación y los datos de empleo para intentar descifrar hacia dónde se moverán los tipos hipotecarios a partir de ahora. “Muchas veces el mercado incorpora las expectativas en los precios”, señaló Toderut. “Los grandes cambios se producen cuando no se cumplen esas expectativas”. PUBLICIDADAunque cree que algunos de sus clientes inversores podrían beneficiarse intentando cronometrar el mercado, aconseja a la mayoría de los compradores que se enfoquen en la asequibilidad general y en sus cuotas mensuales, más que en detalles como los pequeños vaivenes de tipos. Pese a todo, los tipos hipotecarios pueden cambiar de manera rápida e impredecible. Cuando alcanzaron el 6,2 % en septiembre pasado, la agente de préstamos con sede en Arkansas, Amber Moser, preparó presupuestos de refinanciación para varias docenas de clientes. Sin embargo, ninguno de esos acuerdos prosperó porque los propietarios estaban esperando unos tipos más bajos que nunca llegaron. En última instancia, perdieron la oportunidad de ahorrar entre 300 o 400 dólares al mes. Moser, que trabaja para Gershman Mortgage, dijo que se esfuerza por explicar a los clientes potenciales cómo los tipos hipotecarios dependen del mercado y se mueven antes de que se produzcan hitos como los recortes de la FED. También les advierte que los intereses son, en última instancia, impredecibles. “No tenemos una bola de cristal y no sabemos lo que va a pasar”, reconoció Moser. “La mejor opción es no intentar cronometrar el mercado”. Claire Boston Síguenos en nuestro canal de WhatsAppTAMBIÉN TE PUEDE INTERESAR | EN VIDEO: ¿Cómo sabes si es el momento de comprar una vivienda? View the full article

聯合國8月19日稱，2024年共有383名人道救援人員遇害，寫下新高記錄，並警告今年的傷亡人數同樣令人不安。 法媒19日報道，聯合國當日藉「世界人道主義日」公布上述消息，並指出去年人道救援人員的死亡人數較2023年增加31%，主要原因是加沙持續不斷的衝突和蘇丹衝突，分別造成181名和60名人道援助人員遇害。 圖為2025年1月21日，以色列與哈馬斯停火期間，一名巴勒斯坦婦女在加沙南部的汗尤尼斯（Khan Younis），獲發聯合國近東巴勒斯坦難民救濟和工程處（UNRWA）的物資。（Reuters）聯合國稱，其中多數遇害者是當地員工，通常是在履行職責時遇襲，或是在家中遇害。除了罹難者外，去年還有308名救援人員受傷，125人遭綁架，45人被拘留。 聯合國人道事務負責人費查（Tom Fletcher）說：「如此規模的襲擊，卻完全沒有問責，這是對國際社會不作為和冷漠的可恥控訴。」 這張2025年8月19日從以色列一側拍攝的照片中，可以看到位於加沙邊境地區被摧毀建築。（Reuters）根據救援工作者安全數據庫的初步統計，截至2025年8月14日，今年已有265名救援人員年遇害。 聯合國重申，針對救援人員和救援行動的襲擊違反國際人道法，並破壞了維持數百萬困於戰爭與災區中的人的一線生機。 本文獲《聯合早報》授權轉載 多國空投物資有加沙護士被砸中身亡　聯合國官員指場面如飢餓遊戲美國中東特使加沙視察援助點　聯合國：迄今逾850人站點附近被殺加沙飢餓情況嚴峻　以色列允外國空投物資　聯合國狠批：製造煙幕聯合國：5月底以來　加沙已有近800人在領取物資過程中喪生 View the full article

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway was appointed Tuesday as Missouri's next attorney general, vowing a tough-on-crime approach as her predecessor leaves for a job with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Hanaway's appointment just a day after Attorney General Andrew Bailey said he was stepping down to join President Donald Trump's administration as the FBI's co-deputy director. The change in Missouri's top law enforcement job will take effect Sept. 8. “Fighting crime is — and will remain — job one for this office” Hanaway said. Hanaway has deep roots in Missouri politics and extensive ties as a private practice attorney to corporate clients that will cause her to recuse from some cases as attorney general. Hanaway first won election to the Missouri House in 1998 and led the GOP takeover of the chamber in the 2002 elections as the state began a gradual transition from a political tossup to a GOP stronghold. She served as Missouri's first and only woman House speaker before losing a bid for secretary of state in 2004. She was appointed the next year by President George W. Bush as U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Missouri, which she held until 2009. She lost a Republican primary for governor in 2016. As a partner at the Husch Blackwell law firm, Hanaway has represented global chemical manufacturer Bayer in lobbying for legislation that would provide a legal shield against mounting claims that it failed to warn customers that its popular Roundup weedkiller can allegedly cause cancer. Husch Blackwell also represents Invenergy, which is attempting to use eminent domain to acquire land for a high-voltage transmission line to carry wind-generated power from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois to an electric grid in Indiana. Bailey has opposed the project, and Hanaway said she will recuse herself as the attorney general's office continues a civil investigation into it. Bailey, a staunch Trump supporter, has served as attorney general since January 2023 and won election last November to a full four-year term. Hanaway said she intends to serve the remainder of Bailey's term and seek election herself in 2028. Bailey brought an aggressive approach to the attorney general's office. He pursued numerous legal challenges against Democratic President Joe Biden's administration on policies ranging from student loan forgiveness to environmental rules, immigration actions and transgender rights measures. He also pursued conservative causes in his home state, threatening legal action against private gyms over bathroom policies, demanding that public schools ban drag shows and defending the state's anti-abortion regulations in the face of a voter-approved constitutional amendment establishing a right to abortion. Hanaway praised Bailey but placed a greater emphasis on criminal cases than civil litigation while talking to reporters Tuesday. Missouri's attorney general job has become a quick stepping stone for aspiring politicians. Less than a year after winning election as attorney general in 2016, Republican Josh Hawley launched a challenge to Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill. After Hawley won election to the Senate in 2018, Republican Gov. Mike Parson appointed state Treasurer Eric Schmitt to serve the remainder of Hawley's term. Schmitt won election to his own term as attorney general in 2020, but then quickly announced he was running to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt in the 2022 elections. After Schmitt won the Senate race, Parson appointed Bailey — an Army veteran serving as the governor's general counsel — to fill the remainder of Schmitt's term. View the full article

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction wants to continue working with a Minerva company for its inmate glove-making operation. The state prison system has asked the Ohio Controlling Board to waive bidding procedures and contract with Technical Dipping Solutions LLC on the project, which also involves Summit Glove, the University of Akron and Ohio Penal Industries. Technical Dipping Solutions and Summit Glove are sister companies. If approved, the company would receive a total of $1.1 million for consulting and design work, and $5.3 million for materials over a two-year period beginning in fiscal year 2026. The state Controlling Board is scheduled to meet Aug. 25. The partners launched the glove-making operation a few years ago at the Madison Correctional Institution in London. The operation is expected to produce about 20 million nitrile gloves each year. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio wants to contract with Technical Dipping Solutions on glove work View the full article

Hurricane Erin remained far out at sea on Tuesday, yet it was still producing huge swells, with waves towering 20ft (6 meters) or more and crashing across sand dunes along North Carolina’s barrier islands. The storm was tracking northward, running roughly parallel to the east coast, according to the US’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. Though not projected to strike the mainland, Erin is expected to expand in size and generate hazardous rip currents in the upcoming days. Officials in North Carolina’s Outer Banks warned of coastal flooding, prompting evacuation orders. Erin became the Atlantic’s first hurricane of 2025, intensifying rapidly to a category 5 on Saturday before weakening. It then regained strength, knocked out power to more than 147,000 utility customers in Puerto Rico, and finally dropped to category 2 status on Tuesday morning. The storm had sustained winds of 110 mph while moving north-west at 7 mph. Its center was located about 665 miles south-west of Bermuda and 720 miles south-south-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The storm’s rapid growth ranks it among the fastest-intensifying hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic, highlighting scientists’ warnings that the climate crisis – driven by greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans – is fueling more rapid storm strengthening. Category 2 hurricanes carry sustained winds of 96 to 110mph. Erin was just shy of category 3, the threshold for what forecasters call a “major” storm that is capable of severe destruction, with winds starting at 111mph. Even without a direct hurricane warning, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands were ordered to evacuate. Officials fear that North Carolina state highway 12 (NC 12), the narrow route linking the communities, will be heavily damaged or swept away, leaving residents isolated for days or even weeks. In the Outer Banks, roughly 3,500 locals are accustomed to occasional cutoffs from the mainland – but the tens of thousands of tourists currently visiting are not. “We haven’t seen waves of that size in a while and the vulnerable spots have only gotten weaker in the past five years,” Reide Corbett, executive director of the Coastal Studies Institute, told the Associated Press. “Water, water everywhere. That really resonates on the Outer Banks,” Corbett said. The northern areas around Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, home to the region’s densest development, are outside the evacuation zone. But to the south, across Oregon Inlet, lies Hatteras Island, which relies solely on NC 12 for access. Beyond that is Ocracoke Island, which can only be reached by plane or ferry. Highways were first built there more than six decades ago. Since then, the remote fishing communities transformed into a booming tourist destination, now dotted with thousands of oversized vacation homes. When storms strike, ocean and sound waters often breach dunes, burying the road under sand and debris. Severe events can tear apart pavement or carve out entirely new inlets, forcing temporary bridges. Throughout the 2010s, the North Carolina department of transportation spent more than $1m annually just to keep NC 12 open, plus roughly $50m over the decade for storm-related repairs. Despite the expense, Dare county generates about $2bn annually from tourism, ensuring that the cycle of rebuilding continues. But repairs are not quick. Hurricanes Isabel in 2003 and Irene in 2011 both created new inlets that required two months of ferry service until bridges were installed. Rising sea levels, driven by climate change-related warming temperatures and melting ice, add to the danger. With much of the Outer Banks only a few feet above sea level, even minor erosion can have major effects, such as in Rodanthe, the community that juts furthest into the Atlantic. Since 2020, more than a dozen homes in Rodanthe have collapsed into the sea. Authorities believe at least two more vacant houses could be lost if Erin’s surf is as intense as predicted. The Associated Press contributed reporting View the full article

NEED TO KNOWKayle Bates, 67, will be executed Tuesday, Aug. 19, for the 1982 abduction and murder of 24-year-old Janet Renee White in Bay County, Fla. Appeals citing racial bias and calls for new DNA testing were denied The execution will be Florida's 10th this year, setting a new state record A Florida man convicted of killing a woman after abducting her from the insurance office where she worked is scheduled to be executed, court records show. Kayle Bates, 67, will die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Florida State Prison in Raiford, Fla., under a death warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in July, according to online Florida Supreme Court records reviewed by PEOPLE. Bates' execution will be Florida's 10th this year, setting a new state record, the Associated Press reports. Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, attempted sexual battery and armed robbery in connection with the June, 14, 1982 killing in Bay County, Fla., according to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The victim's name is redacted in the affidavit but she is identified in reports as 24-year-old Janet Renee White, according to the AP, USA Today and WJHG-TV. According to the affidavit, White, a State Farm insurance clerk, returned from lunch that afternoon to find Bates, who surprise attacked her while she answered the phone. Bates had talked to White earlier that day but then parked his truck in the woods behind the building and broke into the office, waiting for her to return, the affidavit states. "[Bates] overpowered her and forcibly took her from the office building to the woods, where he beat, strangled and attempted to rape her, leaving approximately 30 contusions, abrasions and lacerations on various parts of her face and body," the affidavit states. Per the affidavit, Bates was found at the crime scene with blood on his clothes and the victim's ring in his pocket. Additionally, investigators matched a missing watch pin found in the office to Bates' watch and green fibers on White's clothes were consistent with Bates' pants. Also, the knife case found near the victim was the exact type that Bates wore, according to the affidavit. Authorities said he later confessed to the murder. Bates was originally sentenced to death in 1983 after being convicted of the crime. His death sentence stood despite a re-sentencing in 1995 and several unsuccessful appeals in state and federal court, per the affidavit. Attorneys for Bates have asked for additional DNA testing in the case, which has been denied, per the affidavit. They have also filed a federal lawsuit arguing that "Florida’s execution warrant process is infected with racial discrimination and unconstitutional arbitrariness," per a press release. According to the AP, that lawsuit was dismissed last week. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "If the state of Florida takes Mr. Bates life, it will be a tragic miscarriage of justice," James Driscoll Jr., one of Bates' attorneys, told USA Today. "Regardless of what happens, Mr. Bates is at peace." The victim's surviving husband, Randy White, will face his wife's killer at his execution on Tuesday. He told USA Today he met his wife as a teenager and they married a little over two months after that first meeting. "There's been so many deaths in her family, and I thought I would pass and never see justice," he told the news outlet. "It's going to be different to start life new again without this in the forefront ... But I’ll never get past it. I will fight that until my last breath." Read the original article on People View the full article

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Meal kit delivery company HelloFresh has agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle allegations of what prosecutors called "deceptive subscription practices" in California. The settlement was announced Monday by district attorneys in both Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties, which jointly filed the lawsuit that led to the settlement. The plaintiff argues that HelloFresh's policies violated the state's Automatic Renewal Law by "deceptively enrolling consumers into auto-renewing subscription plans without proper disclosure or consent," according to a statement from Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman's office. Scales of justice and gavel"No company, no matter how big or well-known, is exempt from California’s consumer protection laws," Hochman said. "We will aggressively pursue enforcement when businesses take advantage of consumers by failing to clearly disclose subscription terms, obtain proper consent, or provide a fair way to cancel. Consumers have a right to know what they’re signing up for, and they deserve better. Digital deception is still deception under the law." HelloFresh admitted no liability in the settlement. What were the allegations leveled against HelloFresh in California?Prosecutors alleged HelloFresh placed customers into ongoing subscriptions without proper notice or authorization. The Santa Clara District Attorney's Office also accused the company of making it difficult for customers to cancel subscriptions. "The meal kit delivery company, the largest in the U.S., also failed to disclose the material terms and conditions of advertised free meals, surprise gifts, and free shipping offers, among other false and misleading advertising allegations," Santa Clara D.A.'s officials said in a written statement. "These actions are violations of California’s Automatic Renewal Law and False Advertising Law." The civil complaint alleged that HelloFresh failed to clearly disclose subscription terms prior to collecting payment; was unable to obtain customers' affirmative consent before charging their credit or debit cards; failed to provide post-transaction acknowledgments of subscriptions; and failed to offer an easy mechanism to cancel subscriptions. “Misleading automatic renewal subscriptions and false advertising practices don’t sell products – they sell deception,” according to Santa Clara County D.A. Jeff Rosen. “Stop means stop.” HelloFresh denies wrongdoingHelloFresh representatives told CBS News that the company's policies were fair. "We take our commitment to customer transparency very seriously, and our subscription model and cancellation policies have been consistently clear to customers throughout the whole customer journey," according to a statement from the company. "While we deny any wrongdoing, we have cooperated fully with the coalition of California District Attorneys and have entered into a settlement agreement with them to resolve the matter amicably." Where will the settlement money go?Of the $7.5 million settlement, $6.38 million will be divided between the prosecuting agencies in the form of civil penalties, according to the L.A. County D.A.'s Office. $1 million of the settlement will be paid as restitution to eligible California consumers, officials added. $120,000 will be used to cover investigative costs. HelloFresh makes up roughly 75% of the meal kit delivery market in the U.S., officials said. The case was investigated by the California Automatic Renewal Task Force, or CART, Hochman said. The program was started in 2015 to address consumer complaints about improper subscription practices and comprises prosecutors from Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Diego counties, as well as the city of Santa Monica. Who is eligible for restitution from Hello Fresh?According to the settlement, eligible consumers are those who: Were enrolled in automatic renewal product subscriptions between Jan. 1, 2019, and Aug. 18, 2025. Were charged for the first shipment without their knowledge or consent. Canceled their automatic renewal subscription after the first shipment. Never received a refund from HelloFresh. These individuals will receive notices from the third-party administrator detailing how to submit a claim. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: HelloFresh to pay $7.5M in California subscription settlement View the full article

Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin announced he's retiring in November, just two years into a four-year term as the Air Force's top general. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff and I'm thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump's faith in me to lead our service," Allvin said in a statement released by the Air Force Monday. He gave no reason for his early departure. File: U.S. Gen. David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, speaks alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on March 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. / Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images"More than anything, I'm proud to have been part of the team of Airmen who live out our core values of integrity, service and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation," Allvin said. Allvin was nominated in 2023 by President Joe Biden to be Air Force chief of staff. He's the most recent top officer to exit the military this year. In February, President Trump fired Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr., who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth then ousted the chief of Naval Operations, the Air Force vice chief of staff, and weeks later, the head of U.S. Cyber Command. The commandant of the Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, was also fired this year. When asked about the circumstances of Allvin's retirement, Hegseth's office referred questions to the Air Force. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement, "The Air Force is fortunate to have leaders like General Dave Allvin. During his tenure, the Air Force has undertaken transformational initiatives that will enable Airmen to answer their nation's call for decades to come." A source familiar with why Allvin is retiring characterized it as a decision between Allvin and Meink. Allvin, according to his Air Force biography, is a command pilot with more than 4,600 hours in over 30 aircraft, including 800 flight test hours and 100 combat hours. He graduated in 1986 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Before serving as Air Force chief of staff, he was the vice chief of staff, the No. 2 in the Air Force. He previously served as commanding general of NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan, commander of 438th Air Expeditionary Wing in Afghanistan and deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements for the Air Force. Mediators await Israeli response after Hamas agrees to Gaza ceasefire proposal How probable is a meeting between Putin, Zelenskyy arranged by Trump? Judge dismisses part of a lawsuit against "Alligator Alcatraz" View the full article

En enero se dio a conocer una inesperada y profundamente triste noticia: la muerte de Jeff Baena, esposo de Aubrey Plaza. Tras los primeros reportes, se reveló que el director y guionista se había quitado la vida y que su cuerpo había sido hallado en la casa de Los Ángeles que había compartido con la actriz. Tras su primer pronunciamiento, ella prefirió alejarse de los reflectores y guardar silencio sobre esta situación, pero poco a poco se ha abierto y ha compartido su dolor, tal como lo hizo recientemente. Aubrey sostuvo una sincera charla con su amiga Amy Poehler en su podcast Good Hang. “La gente quiere verte y saber cómo estás; te quieren. Has tenido un año terrible, terrible y trágico... Perdiste a tu marido, has estado lidiando con eso y has estado buscando todas las formas diferentes en las que puedas sentir y encontrar apoyo”, expresó la anfitriona. "En este preciso instante, me siento feliz de estar contigo. En general, estoy aquí y funcionando. Me siento muy agradecida de poder moverme por el mundo. Creo que estoy bien, pero es como una lucha diaria", comentó la actriz de The White Lotus. Aubrey Plaza habló de su dolor en el podcast de su amiga Amy Poehler. (Instagram @goodhangwithamy)"Es una analogía muy tonta y en cierto momento fue una broma, pero lo digo en serio. ¿Viste la película The Gorge? Es como una película de extraterrestres o algo así con Miles Teller...", continuó Aubrey al tratar de explicar su sentir. "En la película, hay un acantilado a un lado y otro al otro, y luego un desfiladero en medio, lleno de monstruos que intentan atraparlos", continuó. PUBLICIDAD"Juro que cuando la vi sentí que eso se parecía a mi duelo o a lo que podría ser mi duelo. Siempre hay un océano gigante de horror, ahí mismo, y puedo verlo", compartió. "A veces solo quiero sumergirme en él, estar dentro. A veces solo lo miro, y a veces intento alejarme de él. Pero siempre está ahí", señaló. Esta conversación con Amy ha sido la primera ocasión en la que Aubrey habla abiertamente de su dolor tras el fallecimiento de su esposo. Poco después de que se hiciera pública la noticia de la muerte de Jeff, hizo un breve comentario a través de un representante: “Esta es una tragedia inimaginable. Agradecemos profundamente a todos los que nos han brindado apoyo. Por favor, respete nuestra privacidad durante este tiempo”. Aubrey Plaza y Jeff Baena estaban separados hacía mesesUn informe publicado el pasado 19 de marzo por el Departamento de Médico Forense del Condado de Los Ángeles reveló que Aubrey Plaza y Jeff Baena llevaban cuatro meses separados cuando él murió de forma trágica. "Jeffrey Baena estuvo separado de su esposa (…) desde septiembre de 2024, cuando ella se mudó a Nueva York", indicó el documento. Aubrey Plaza fue la musa de Jeff Baena en algunos de sus proyectos (Getty Images)Un investigador, cuyo nombre fue omitido en el informe, habló con la actriz y dijo que ella habló con su Baena la noche antes de que él se quitara la vida. Además, confirmó su separación. "Ella confirmó que había estado separada de su esposo Jeffrey Baena desde septiembre de 2024", cita el documento, el cual también detalla que Aubrey y Jeff habían estado yendo a terapia y "experimentando dificultades matrimoniales". Aubrey Plaza y Jeff Baena se separaron meses antes de que él se quitara la vida. (Michael Loccisano)"En octubre de 2024, Baena hizo comentarios preocupantes (…), lo que la impulsó (a Plaza) a llamar a un amigo para que verificara el bienestar de su esposo", señaló la teniente Kelsey Weber. "Baena había estado asistiendo a terapia desde el incidente", agregó. La oficial detalló a su vez que el guionista no había tenido ningún intento de suicidio previo, pero sí tenía dificultades para dormir. PUBLICIDADAubrey "supo por última vez que su esposo estaba vivo cuando le envió un mensaje de texto el 01/03/2025 a las 10:36 horas", agregó el informe. El documento también destacó que no se encontraron alcohol ni drogas en el organismo de Baena, y que tampoco se halló en el lugar alguna nota de suicidio. Si tú o alguien que conoces está considerando quitarse la vida o necesita asistencia en salud mental, contacta inmediatamente con tu Línea Nacional de Prevención al Suicidio: México: (55) 5259-8121, o visita http://www.saptel.org.mx/ EEUU: 988 (línea gratuita en inglés y español) o visita suicidepreventionlifeline.org Argentina: 135 (línea gratuita) (011)5275-1135 o visita https://www.casbuenosaires.org.ar/ Síguenos en WhatsAppTAMBIÉN TE PUEDE INTERESAR | EN VIDEO Una casa, un crimen y un hallazgo tras 41 años: este es el misterio de Coghlan View the full article

NEW YORK — Andrew Cuomo is counting on President Donald Trump and top Republicans to tell the party faithful to vote for him if they want to stop Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani from becoming the next mayor of New York. Cuomo even thinks the president could tell GOP voters to not support the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, in the November election. The alternative, he says, is a democratic socialist leading the nation’s biggest city. “We can minimize [the Sliwa] vote, because he’ll never be a serious candidate,” Cuomo told the crowd at a Hamptons fundraiser Saturday, according to audio obtained by POLITICO. “And Trump himself, as well as top Republicans, will say the goal is to stop Mamdani. And you’ll be wasting your vote on Sliwa. So I feel good about that.” Publicly, Cuomo — a Democrat and the former governor of New York — has shunned the idea of getting any help from Trump. Cuomo said he’d decline an endorsement, and denied a New York Times report that he’d spoken with the president about the race. But Cuomo seemed hopeful for the president’s help behind closed doors, speaking to the more Trump-friendly crowd gathered at media mogul Jimmy Finkelstein’s home in Southampton — the ultra-wealthy Long Island enclave 80 miles east of New York City. Another co-host of the fundraiser, former New York City Council President Andrew Stein, told the Times he briefed Trump last month on how Cuomo had the best chance to beat Mamdani in the general election. And Trump may be receptive, Stein suggested to the publication. The president’s heart is still with New York, and “he doesn’t want a communist and socialist running the city.” Mamdani won a stunning victory over the former governor in the June Democratic primary, expanding the electorate and defeating Cuomo 56-44 in the final round of ranked-choice voting. Cuomo is now running in the general election on the independent Fight and Deliver Party line and trying to rally support in a field that also includes Sliwa and Mayor Eric Adams. Adams is a registered Democrat, but opted out of his party primary when his budding alliance with Trump further tanked his chances. He’s also seeking reelection on an independent line. Cuomo took questions at the event, and an attendee asked Cuomo directly if he or his team was in conversation with the White House about how Trump might influence the race. Cuomo didn’t directly deny it this time. “Let’s put it this way: I knew the president very well,” Cuomo responded. “I believe there’s a big piece of him that actually wants redemption in New York. He feels that he was rejected by New York. We voted for Hillary Clinton. Bill de Blasio took his name off things. So I believe there will be opportunities to actually cooperate with him. I also believe that he’s not going to want to fight with me in New York if he can avoid it.” Sliwa doesn’t think Trump would nudge the GOP to Cuomo, saying the party can’t get over Cuomo’s role in signing a 2019 law that let more people out on bail pre-trial. “And then you’ve got a guy who’s been smacking fannies and killing grannies,” Sliwa added, referring to Cuomo’s resignation following sexual harassment accusations and his management of Covid in nursing homes. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing in both instances. “Why don’t we have a debate? And see how many Republicans go with Cuomo,” Sliwa said. “In the streets we have a word for that: a fugazi, a fake.” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi downplayed Cuomo’s comments as “speculating” about a “hypothetical.” “We’re not asking for or expecting help from anyone,” he said. “Governor Cuomo is the only chance to beat Mamdani and ensure the greatest city in the world stays the greatest city in the world.” Cuomo is planning “to rig the election,” Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement. “Since he’s too afraid to say it to New Yorkers’ faces, we’ll make it clear: Andrew Cuomo IS Donald Trump’s choice for mayor.” Cuomo also talked at the fundraiser about getting Adams out of the race, so the anti-Mamdani vote isn’t split among them. A Gotham Polling & Analytics survey conducted this month for the AARP showed Mamdani leading with 42 percent in the general election, but his top four opponents collectively got 50 percent. Adams “won’t allow himself” to be “a spoiler,” Cuomo said at the fundraiser. “If that happened, he’d have to move to Florida afterwards” because Adams would be “responsible for Mamdani winning. And he believes Mamdani would be horrendous for the city, and we’ve had that conversation.” That didn’t sit well with Adams, who eviscerated Cuomo in a statement as “an embarrassing double-digit loser who couldn’t beat a socialist, and his failure created this entire scenario.” “He should stop lecturing others, drop out of the spotlight, and maybe start by giving his daughter back her apartment,” Adams added. Another attendee at the fundraiser asked Cuomo “if it’s legal or ethical to offer Eric Adams something” to drop out of the race, which prompted laughs from the crowd. Cuomo kept the laughter going, joking about Stein’s reputation, after pleading guilty to tax evasion in 2010. “It is neither legal nor ethical,” Cuomo responded, “but Andy is talking to him.” A version of this story first appeared in Tuesday’s New York Playbook newsletter. Subscribe here. View the full article

Eager New York State Fair butter sculpture fans were encouraged to pay attention to the cow behind the curtain the morning of Aug. 19. The draw? The great and powerful new butter sculpture at the NY State Fair, inspired by "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" on the 125th anniversary of the story. The sculpture centers a cow with ruby red hoofs in a hot air balloon emblazoned with "Dairy Defies Gravity" and is surrounded by three figures: a pregnant woman with a glass of milk, a baby eating a yogurt and a toddler with a piece of cheese. The sculpture, titled "Dairy For Good: Nourish. Grow. Thrive," pays tribute to New York's own, author L. Frank Baum, and the stages of life. Sponsored by Wegmans, the sculpture is constructed from 800 pounds of butter from O-AT-KO Milk Products in Batavia. It's the fourth year color has been used in the sculpture, with flowers and the cow's hoofs among the Technicolor splashes. The sculptors are Jim Victor and Marie Pelton across an 11-day period in the Dairy Products Building. "The butter sculpture is the fair's best-kept secret," Victor said. "People can't wait to see it, what it's going to be each year. That makes it exciting for us." NY State Fair opening dayIt's the unofficial kickoff for the New York State Fair, which opens on Aug. 20. "The butter sculpture is more than just a beautiful work of art, it's a powerful reminder of the importance of our dairy farms and producers," said Julie LaFave, director of the New York State Fair. "It's a chance to shine a light on their hard work and showcase the very best of New York agriculture." A view of the unveiling for the 57th annual butter sculpture at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes, Onondaga County, on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025.The sculpture will remain up for the duration of the state fair in its refrigerated display case. Following the conclusion of the fair on Sept. 1, the sculpture will be changed for good: the butter will be recycled to create renewable energy in an anaerobic digester at Noblehurst Farms in Livingston County. The digester processes manure on the farm and food scraps from local grocery stores, restaurants and more — including Rochester Institute of Technology and Wegmans — into biogas used in electricity generation, heating and hot water. The sculpture has been recycled for the past decade, generating enough electricity to power a home for a month. The electricity generated powers the farm and Craigs Station Creamery milk plant. Last 10 butter sculptures2025: Dairy For Good: Nourish. Grow. Thrive 2024: Dairy: Good for you. Good for the planet 2023: Dairy Every Day is a Healthy Way 2022: Refuel Her Greatness 2021: Back to School, Sports and Play 2020: Nourishing Our Future 2019: Milk. Love What's Real 2018: Your Milk Comes From A Good Place 2017: Dairy Farmers' Tribute to New York State Troopers 2016: Milk Life Celebrates the Success of Team USA and the Athletes of New York State — Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Butter sculpture state fair NY shown in Syracuse View the full article

State Rep. Emily O'Brien, R-Grand Forks, speaks to other lawmakers during a meeting of the Legislative Management Committee on the House Floor on Nov. 13, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Rep. Emily O’Brien, R-Grand Forks, is leaving her legislative seat to become second-in-command at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. O’Brien starts her new job as deputy commissioner of the department Wednesday. According to a Tuesday announcement from the agency, she will serve as a liaison between Health and Human Services and the Legislature, and oversee a funding and performance tracking system. O’Brien’s resignation from the Legislature takes effect Tuesday, according to a Monday letter she sent to Legislative Council and legislative leaders. “This role will allow me to continue serving our state, but in a different capacity — one that complements the work we have done together in the Legislature to strengthen the health, well-being, and future of North Dakotans,” O’Brien wrote in the letter. O’Brien was first elected to represent District 42 in the North Dakota House in 2016, winning her bids for reelection in 2020 and 2024. She served on the Human Resources Division of the House Appropriations Committee, which works on the Department of Health and Human Services budget, during the 2023 and 2025 legislative sessions. O’Brien also chaired the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee over the 2023-2025 interim session, and served as its vice chair for the 2021-2023 and 2025-2027 interim sessions. During the 2023-2025 interim, she served on the Health Care and Health Services committees. “We are thrilled to welcome Emily as our new deputy,” Pat Traynor, interim commissioner, said in the Tuesday announcement. “She brings a proven track record of leadership, deep experience in public service, and a strong commitment to using data to guide decisions.” The North Dakota Constitution forbids members of the Legislature from holding a full-time appointed position at the state level. It’ll be up to the District 42 Republican Party to fill O’Brien’s seat, Legislative Council Director John Bjornson said in an email. Once the district leaders receive an official letter from Legislative Management notifying them of the vacancy, they will have three weeks to name a temporary replacement. That replacement will serve until the 2026 general election, during which voters will elect someone to serve the final two years of O’Brien’s term, Bjornson said. View the full article

As Hurricane Erin weakens to a Category 2 and turns north along the East Coast, forecasters are also watching two systems in the open Atlantic that could grow into stronger storms. The National Hurricane Center said Erin is expected to “substantially grow in size” as it tracks across the western Atlantic this week, though it will stay clear of Texas. The two disturbances, however, could develop in ways that eventually threaten the Lone Star State. NHC map shows active systems in Atlantic. Will either hit Texas?In addition to Hurricane Erin, the NHC is tracking two other disturbances in the Atlantic that could bring tropical weather. One tropical wave over the central Atlantic is producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Conditions appear favorable for gradual development, with a potential tropical depression forming by the end of the week or over the weekend. Forecasters expect the system to move west to west-northwest, reaching the vicinity of the Leeward Islands by Friday, August 22. The NHC has given it a 60% chance of development over the next seven days. A second tropical wave, located a few hundred miles southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands, is generating a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms. The environment is favorable for further development as the system moves westward. However, by the end of the week, it could encounter less favorable conditions, limiting its potential for further strengthening. The NHC has given this system a 30% chance of development over the next seven days. At this stage, it’s too soon to determine if either system will develop — and much too early to confirm whether either will directly impact Texas, take a different path or dissipate without posing a threat to land at all. Tropical conditions 8 a.m. Aug. 19, 2025.Where is Hurricane Erin? See pathSpecial note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Projected path for Hurricane Erin 8 a.m. Aug. 18, 2025.Here's the latest Aug. 19 update on Hurricane Erin. Location: 720 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina Maximum sustained winds: 110 mph Movement: northwest at 7 mph Pressure: 958 mb Hurricane Erin spaghetti modelsSpecial note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. How does the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season compare to last year in Texas?For Texas, the season has been relatively quiet so far — a sharp contrast to mid-August last year, when the state was already six weeks past the final storm to impact the state, which saw the two earliest storms of the 2024 hurricane season. In late June 2024, Tropical Storm Alberto threatened the Texas, and by early July, the Lone Star State was tracking one one of the hardest-hit hurricanes of the season — Hurricane Beryl, which became the earliest Category 5 storm on record before making its third landfall near Matagorda. After that, the remainder of the season was relatively mild for Texas, with no other storm threatening the state. No storms have directly affected Texas this season, but forecasters warn the season is ramping up as it nears its peak months in August and September. Last week, on Friday, Aug. 15, Invest 98L — which the National Hurricane Center believed could strengthen into a tropical depression — reached South Texas but brought little impact other than a few inches of rainfall. Texas weather radarTexas weather watches and warningsStay informed. Get weather alerts via textBrandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Repor This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Is a hurricane headed toward Texas? Map shows active tropical systems View the full article

Don’t sneak up on a pigeon in Massachusetts – you could go to jail. It’s true: a law over 250 years old prohibits frightening pigeons or face jail time or a fine. It’s one of many antiquated laws still on the books in Massachusetts that may no longer pertain to modern life. Others include a ban on cursing at sports games and a fine for publicly butchering the “Star Spangled Banner.” Luckily, these days you're unlikely to be prosecuted for those offenses. A boy plays with pigeons at Murillo Square in La Paz on August 16, 2025.What is the law against scaring pigeons?Section 132, Chapter 266 of the Massachusetts General Laws bans purposely killing or frightening pigeons from someone else’s trap or net. Violators of the law could be subject to imprisonment of up to a month or a fine of up to $20 and would be liable for any damages to the owner of the traps. The law no longer makes much sense in current day, but Massachusetts Historical Society librarian and Chief Historian Peter Drummey told BU Today in 2014 that the law was applicable when it was passed in 1848, as pigeons were used then for food and for target shooting. He called it a “sort of hunter-trapper protection law.” While this law may now be obsolete, Massachusetts still has laws protecting hunting rights. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Is it illegal in MA to scare a pigeon? You could face jail time View the full article

Workers and union organizers walk out of the Portland Press Herald offices in South Portland, Maine on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, to attend a rally in support of expanding their union to cover reporters at other publications run by the Press Herald's parent organization, the Maine Trust for Local News. (Photo by Troy R. Bennett/ Maine Morning Star) About three dozen reporters, photographers, page designers and union activists gathered on a brown lawn adjacent to the Portland Press Herald offices and printing plant Tuesday morning to announce their drive to unionize news workers at all of the Maine Trust for Local News’ weekly and daily paper operations around the state. The News Guild of Maine, which is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, already represents about 150 workers at the Trust’s papers and aims to include the 50 or so remaining non-union jobs at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, The Times Record in Brunswick and the Trust’s 17 weekly publications. Workers at the daily Kennebec Journal are represented by a separate branch of the CWA and are in the process of merging with the guild. “More than 70% of those [50 non-union] workers have signed union authorization cards,” said Megan Gray, president of the News Guild of Maine. On Monday, the guild filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board seeking voluntary union recognition for those workers. The guild has marked the effort as a drive for “One Big Union.” The nonprofit Trust is the state’s largest network of independent news and media outlets. It’s a subsidiary of the Colorado-based National Trust for Local News. Management at the Trust has yet to respond to union demands. Messages seeking comment were not immediately returned. Speakers at the union rally expressed concerns about huge pay disparities between publications within the Trust, lack of job security and dwindling local content as papers are forced to work with fewer reporters and share non-local stories. Times Record reporter Paul Bagnall speaks at a union rally outside the Portland Press Herald in South Portland on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. An experienced reporter, Bagnall makes $10 less an hour than a starting reporter at the Press Herald. (Photo by Troy R. Bennett/ Maine Morning Star)Paul Bagnall, an experienced reporter at The Times Record, said as a non-union worker he makes $18 per hour while starting reporters at the Press Herald earn a minimum of $28.75 per hour. “With the cost of living going up, my paycheck has already stretched to a breaking point,” Bagnall said. “I am currently priced out of potential sources of information — going out to events, restaurants and cafes due to the cost of living — and it’s still rising.” Joe Lawlor, a longtime Press Herald reporter, called Bagnall’s pay shameful. “We can do better,” Lawlor said. Sophie Burchell, a non-union reporter at the Trust’s southern Maine community news division, said her job is unfairly seen as a stepping stone, rather than a sustainable career. “I want it to be seen as a place people can grow and thrive,” Burchell said. “I want to see my peers and their talents thrive in Maine journalism.” Kendra Caruso, an education writer at the Sun Journal, said the Trust isn’t living up to its own journalism mission. “Its stated goal is to prevent news deserts across the nation. However, changes the company implemented early this year, including staff layoffs, have only increased the risk of more news deserts in Maine and decreased the amount of local news coming out of our newsrooms across the state,” Caruso said. Gray said there was no way for the Trust to continue to support local journalism without first supporting its local journalists. “We’re expanding our union because we know that we must invest in our workers in order to invest in the future of journalism,” she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE View the full article

On a recent evening in Senegal‘s capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved in household chores. “The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,” the 53-year-old said, as he described bathing his baby and helping his wife with other duties. Some of the 14 men chuckled, not quite sold. Others applauded. Diane was taking part in a “school for husbands,” a United Nations-backed initiative where respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in health and social issues and promote them in their communities. In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including ones related to health. Women may need their permission for life-changing decisions on accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, along with hospital deliveries or prenatal care. Following his sessions at the school for husbands, Diane regularly holds sermons during Friday prayers where he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to fighting stigma around HIV. “Many women appreciate my sermons,” he said. “They say their husbands’ behavior changed since they attended them.” He said some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers. Habib Diallo, a 60-year-old former army commando, said attending the sermons and discussions with the imam taught him about the risks of home births. “When my son’s wife was pregnant, I encouraged him to take her to the hospital for the delivery,” Diallo said. “At first, he was hesitant. He worried about the cost and didn’t trust the hospital. But when I explained how much safer it would be for both his wife and the baby, he agreed.” No more barking ordersThe program launched in Senegal in 2011 but in recent years has caught the attention of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection, which sees it an effective strategy to combat maternal and infant mortality. “Without men’s involvement, attitudes around maternal health won’t change,” said 54-year-old Aida Diouf, a female health worker who collaborates with the program. Many husbands prefer their wives not be treated by male health workers, she said. The classes for husbands follow similar efforts in other African countries, particularly Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where the United Nations Population Fund says it improved women’s access to reproductive health services by increasing male involvement, growing the use of contraceptives by both men and women and expanding access to prenatal care and skilled birth attendants. Discussions for men also have focused on girls’ rights, equality and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation. The program now operates over 20 schools in Senegal, and over 300 men have been trained. In some communities, men who once enforced patriarchal norms now promote gender equality, which has led to a reduction in the number of forced marriages and more acceptance of family planning, according to Senegal’s ministry of gender. Men join the groups after being recruited based on trust, leadership and commitment. Candidates must be married, respected locally and supportive of women’s health and rights. After training, the men act as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal talks. “My husband used to not do much around the house, just bark orders. Now he actually cooks and helps out with daily tasks,” said Khary Ndeye, 52. Still too many dying in childbirthWhile maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say it still has a long way to go. It recorded 237 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, while 21 newborns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The U.N. globally wants to reduce maternal deaths to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and newborn deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030. One key problem was that many women have been giving birth at home, said El Hadj Malick, one of the Senegal program’s coordinators. “By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital and helping with domestic work at home, you’re protecting people’s health,” Malick said. He said he still experiences difficulty changing mindsets on some issues. “When we just talk to them about gender, there is sometimes tension because it’s seen as something abstract or even foreign,” Malick said. Some men mistakenly believe such talk will promote LGBTQ+ issues, which remain largely taboo in much of West Africa. “But when we focus on women’s right to be healthy, it puts a human face on the concept and its becomes universal,” Malick said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com View the full article

August is National Sandwich Month, and what better way for North Jersey residents to celebrate than by visiting the two local eateries named to Yelp's list of the Top 100 Sandwich Shops in the United States. Second Street Bakery in Jersey City came in at No. 28, followed close behind by Morristown's Saigon Subs & Café at 31. They were the only two shops in the Garden State to make the list, which was compiled using scores from Yelp reviewers. Second Street's Yelp page featured 219 five-star ratings out of 256 total reviews and another 33 four-star ratings. Commenters raved about the shop's casual, no-frills atmosphere as well as cheap menu options with tasty ingredients, including fresh bread. "Friendly service, great prices and delicious food. What's not to love?" read one review from October 2024. The Yelp list highlighted Saigon Subs as one of several top New Jersey shops that specialize in banh mi, a French-inspired Vietnamese sandwich typically made with pâté, jalapeños, pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and cold cuts. The store's Yelp page has an 84% rate of five-star reviews (477 out of 566), many of which praised its signature style of sandwich. "Quick service and very flavorful food!" one commenter wrote in April 2025. "I really love trying new things and this sandwich was so much different than anything I've ever had. All the flavors came together perfectly to deliver a well balanced, sweet but savory sandwich." Yelp compiled its Top 100 list by identifying businesses in the sandwich category on the site. The businesses were then ranked using a variety of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews. For New Jerseyans willing to head out of state to try some highly rated food, here are the Top 10 Sandwich Shops according to Yelp: Franky's Deli Warehouse: Hialeah, Florida Sierra Subs and Salads: Three Rivers, California Tony's Beechhurst Deli: Whitestone, New York Tony's Italian Delicatessen: Montgomery, Texas Woods Deli: Huntington Park, California Chicago Paulies: Tampa, Florida Hugs Cafe: McKinney, Texas Blues City Deli: St. Louis, Missouri Gino's Deli Stop N Buy: San Antonio, Texas Super Subs: Banning, California This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jersey City, Morristown sandwich shops named among best in country View the full article

TUNNEL CITY, Wis. (WFRV) – A 37-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested after allegedly trying to take an infant child, assaulting a deputy, and leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a residence on County Highway M in Tunnel City for a disturbance. When a deputy arrived, he found Joseph Posorske, 37, in a bathroom holding an infant and fighting with a woman. Appleton man arrested after weekend disturbance with firearm The deputy helped remove the child from Posorske’s arms but was hit several times in the process. After losing grip of the child, Posorske allegedly continued fighting before fleeing to a vehicle and nearly running over the deputy as he drove away. The deputy, the child’s mother, and grandmother were treated at the scene for minor injuries and released. Kewaunee Police Department asking public for any information about recent hit-and-run Around 9:30 p.m., deputies located the suspect’s vehicle north of Tomah near U.S. Highway 12. When Posorske fled again, law enforcement pursued him until spike strips were deployed. He abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot before being tracked into a marsh by K9 Rebel and apprehended. Posorske was booked into the Monroe County Jail on charges including second-degree recklessly endangering safety, multiple counts of battery, and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. View the full article

The spotlight at the 2025 Monterey Car Week shone brightly on a true legend reborn, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. Making its highly anticipated North American debut, the 33 Stradale captivated crowds across four of the Peninsula’s most prestigious venues, representing the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship, heritage, and performance. A bespoke celebration of Alfa Romeo’s racing legacy and design ethos, the 33 Stradale takes its inspiration from the iconic 1967 Tipo 33 Stradale, long considered one of the most beautiful cars ever built. The modern interpretation doesn’t simply echo the past; it redefines it for a new generation. With production limited to just 33 units globally, all already spoken for, the 33 Stradale is poised to become one of the rarest and most desirable collector cars of the modern era. Design, Performance, and ExclusivityBuilt entirely by hand at Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera in Italy, each 33 Stradale is a bespoke work of automotive art. Clients collaborate directly with Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile design team to shape every aspect of their vehicle, from materials to finishes, through a process reminiscent of 1960s Italian coachbuilding and Renaissance-era workshops. The result is a car as unique as its owner. The 33 Stradale is offered with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 630 horsepower. With a 0–62 mph time under three seconds and a top speed of 207 mph, the car’s breathtaking performance matches its jaw-dropping design. A carbon-fiber monocoque, active suspension, dihedral doors, and a minimalist, analog-inspired cockpit reinforce the vehicle’s purity of purpose and its place as a true driver's car. An Iconic Presence Across Montereyhttps://youtube.com/shorts/hk49MB9Lie0?feature=shared The 33 Stradale’s week began in style at Motorlux (Wednesday, August 13), hosted at the Monterey Jet Center. Sharing the spotlight with Alfa Romeo’s current production models, including the Giulia, Stelvio, and Tonale, the Stradale stood out among a curated collection of vintage aircraft and exotic cars, perfectly blending performance and elegance in an environment that echoed its aeronautical influences. On Thursday, August 14, Alfa Romeo hosted a private gathering at the Hagerty House in Pebble Beach. Here, guests enjoyed an intimate evening celebrating Italian design and performance, culminating in a fireside chat with Cristiano Fiorio, Alfa Romeo’s head of global marketing and special projects, and Glynn Bloomquist, a U.S.-based 33 Stradale owner. Their conversation offered rare insight into the design philosophy, engineering excellence, and one-on-one customer collaboration that defines each 33 Stradale build. The following day, at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering (Friday, August 15), the 33 Stradale took its place among a curated selection of rare and collectible automobiles. Surrounded by some of the finest machinery ever built, the Alfa Romeo still managed to steal the show, its fluid lines and aggressive stance reaffirming its status as a future icon. Finally, on Saturday, August 16, the 33 Stradale returned to Alfa Romeo’s racing roots at Laguna Seca’s WeatherTech Raceway. Amid the roar of both vintage and modern race cars, the Stradale was displayed alongside the Giulia, Stelvio, and Tonale, further connecting Alfa Romeo’s motorsport DNA with its modern design direction. Alfa Romeo’s Living LegacyFounded in Milan in 1910, Alfa Romeo has always pushed the boundaries of style and performance. That tradition continues today with a lineup that includes the Stelvio SUV, the award-winning Giulia sedan, and the new Tonale compact SUV — the brand’s first hybrid offering. The 33 Stradale is not merely a nod to the past but a statement of intent, marking Alfa Romeo’s unwavering commitment to passion, innovation, and Italian excellence. With its North American debut, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale not only wowed Monterey Car Week attendees but also reaffirmed Alfa Romeo’s place among the most evocative and prestigious names in automotive history. View the full article