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Travel vs. savings: Many Americans are prioritizing wanderlust amid economic uncertainty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

Lane Gillespie | Bankrate (TNS)Trying to cut back on spending is never easy, and it becomes even more difficult if all you want to do this summer is go on a summer vacation. As travel has grown more expensive, ongoing economic uncertainty means some Americans may be reconsidering their priorities: spend their hard-earned money on a vacation or reserve it for emergency savings?Bankrate has found that Americans are typically choosing to spend money on travel, even when their emergency fund is low.Slightly less than half (44 percent) of U.S. adults who have traveled or anticipate taking a leisure trip this year have spent, or plan to spend, at least $1,000, according to a June 2023 Bankrate survey. Simultaneously, 52 percent of U.S. adults have less than three months’ expenses in emergency savings, according to a separate June 2023 Bankrate survey. That includes 22 percent of people who have no emergency savings at all.Spending money on a vacation isn’t inherently irresponsible, but sp...

Biden says he and first lady will survey Maui damage as soon as they can. Follow live updates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

By The Associated PressFollow live updates about wildfires that have devastated parts of Maui in Hawaii, killing dozens of people and destroying the historic town of Lahaina. The wildfires are the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. The cause was under investigation. Even where the fires have retreated, authorities have warned that toxic byproducts may remain, including in drinking water, after the flames spewed poisonous fumes.President Joe Biden says he and first lady Jill Biden will visit Hawaii “as soon as we can” to survey the Maui wildfire damage.He said he doesn’t want his presence to interrupt recovery and cleanup efforts.“My wife Jill and I are going to travel to Hawaii as soon as we can,” Biden said Tuesday in Milwaukee at a White House event held to highlight his economic agenda.“I don’t want to get in the way,” the president said, adding that recovery work being carried about by emergency responders and search and...

California judge pleads not guilty to murder in wife’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

By AMY TAXIN (Associated Press)LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Southern California judge charged with killing his wife during an argument while he was drunk pleaded not guilty to murder Tuesday, and his lawyer says it was an “accidental shooting.”Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ricardo Ocampo ordered Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, who appeared in court in a suit and tie, to surrender his passport, submit to searches, and wear monitoring devices for blood alcohol content and GPS as part of new bail conditions sought by prosecutors. Ferguson, who is free on $1 million bail, also is barred from possessing firearms and alcohol and frequenting places such as bars and liquor stores. After the hearing, Ferguson’s lawyers told reporters the long-time judge and former prosecutor was confident a jury would agree with him that no crime was committed. “This was an unintentional, accidental shooting and not a crime,” attorney Paul Meyer said.The he...

What can we expect after voting closes in the District 4 special election?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Tuesday night is the last opportunity for residents in San Diego County's fourth supervisorial district to cast a ballot in the special primary election.Fourteen vote centers are open across the county until 8 p.m. for registered voters to participate in the election, as well as 29 ballot drop boxes that are available. Anyone who is in line at a vote center or drop box location before 8 p.m. will be able to cast their vote, according to Registrar of Voters officials. Meet the candidates in the special election for District 4 Supervisor With polls closing tonight, some District 4 voters might be wondering what to expect afterwards. Counting ballots, of course, takes time for all elections, including special elections. So, what will happen next?Unofficial results will start to roll in tonight after 8 p.m., according to the Registrar of Voters. These preliminary ballots counted will include mail ballots received before Election Day and vote center ballots case from early...

Rep. Adam Schiff hears issues of immigration, Imperial Beach sewage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Congressman Adam Schiff (D) took a tour of the U.S.-Mexico Border and Friendship Park Monday ahead of a roundtable discussion with leaders in the South Bay.Officials focused on issues surrounding immigration and environmental concerns, with the sewage contamination in Imperial Beach taking center stage.“Look, you can’t be a representative for the state unless you understand what are the challenges facing every part of the state," Rep. Adam Schiff said on why he was visiting the San Diego region.The democrat represents the state's 30th District, covering areas of Los Angeles County, but he is making a run for senate. South Bay city looks to its neighbor for reference on adoption of encampment ban Local advocates for immigration, human rights, water quality and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre all had a seat at the table, sharing this biggest concerns with the congressman and senate-candidate.The goal was a non-partisan conversation, hearing about infrastructure, im...

WATCH LIVE | Federal disaster declaration made for Cook County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — President Biden has declared a major disaster exists in Cook County due to recent severe storms and subsequent flooding.The declaration was made Tuesday specifically for those impacted by the weather events from June 29 to July 2. It will make Federal funding available to affected individuals in Cook County. Chicago publicist named in indictment against former President Trump According to the release from the White House, assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Funding will also be available for hazard mitigation measures.Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assi...

Annual Ducky Derby raises nearly $600K for Special Olympics Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

CHICAGO — The annual "Ducky Derby" raised nearly $600,000 for Special Olympics Illinois last week, which broke a record for the event.Crowds gathered along the Chicago River downtown Thursday to watch and see which rubber ducky made it to Michigan Avenue first. People paid $5 a duck to be part of the fun and 100,000 ducks were up for “adoption” this year. The derby is a signature event for Special Olympics Illinois and one of its largest fundraisers of the year.In 2022, the event raised over $431,000. This year broke the record with nearly $600,000 raised and donations are still processing.2023 Ducky Derby, courtesy Special Olympics Illinois“We are humbled by the outpouring response from the community,” says Dave Breen, President & CEO, Special Olympics Illinois. “The Chicago Ducky Derby is not possible without the unwavering support from the city of Chicago, our donors, the community, our sponsors, all the staff and volunteers, and participants. The success of this event is a t...

Zoning changes could make way for more music venues, creative spaces around Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – City of Austin is moving to make it easier for music venues and creative spaces to open in more parts of the city and not just confined to certain areas, like downtown. The initiative aims to help relieve some rent and displacement pressure by making relevant zoning changes. Currently, in many parts of the city, music venues are treated as bars or cocktail lounges, said Donald Jackson with the Economic Development Department. “We have kind of an older zoning code that makes it difficult to do a lot of creative spaces and venue-type operations in different parts of the city,” Jackson said. “One of the things we've been working on for a long time – and that [the City Council] has been pushing for a long time – is to try and revise some of those [zoning hurdles] to make it easier for music venues and creative spaces to operate in more parts of the city,” he continued. The main goal of the initiative as it relates to music venues is to expand the zones where mu...

Minnesota, other states that protect transgender health care now try to absorb demand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

By JEFF McMILLAN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM (Associated Press)States that declared themselves refuges for transgender people have essentially issued an invitation: Get your gender-affirming health care here without fearing prosecution at home.Now that bans on such care for minors are taking effect around the country — Texas could be next, depending on the outcome of a court hearing this week — patients and their families are testing clinics’ capacity. Already-long waiting lists are growing, yet there are only so many providers of gender-affirming care and only so many patients they can see in a day.For those refuge states — so far, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Washington and Vermont, plus Washington, D.C. — the question is how to move beyond promises of legal protection and build a network to serve more patients.“We’re trying our best to make sure we can get tho...

President Biden focuses on factory jobs in Wisconsin, ignoring latest Trump indictment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:20 GMT

By FATIMA HUSSEIN and JOSH BOAK (Associated Press)MILWAUKEE (AP) — On the heels of a fourth indictment for Donald Trump, President Joe Biden focused on manufacturing jobs in a speech at a Wisconsin factory — putting his ideas for growth up against his Republican rivals in a bid to win over voters in a key state in next year’s presidential election.“It’s really kind of basic: we just decided to invest in America again,” Biden said Tuesday. “That’s what it’s all about.”His arrival in Milwaukee came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, a major piece of economic legislation he signed into law with great ceremony but polls show that most people know little about it or what it does. It also occurred a week before Republicans descend on Milwaukee for the party’s first presidential debate. But as Biden spoke, much of the political world was focused on his predecessor, Trump, who was charged l...