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Experts share money-saving tips as back-to-school spending soars in 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

As the start of the new school year approaches, parents across the nation are gearing up for the annual back-to-school shopping spree, but his year, families are facing higher expenses compared to previous years. According to a recent survey by RetailMeNot, the average American household is projected to spend $1,498 on back-to-school supplies, electronics, and clothes – an increase of $251 from last year’s spending average.The surge in back-to-school expenses can be partly attributed to inflation, which has impacted the prices of various goods and services. Jessica Allen, community director at Living Well Spending Less, compared the shopping experience to Christmas and emphasized the need for careful budgeting and planning to avoid overspending. “It adds up so fast,” she said. “It’s kind of like Christmas. We’re buying 100 different things from 100 different vendors and it’s so easy to lose track.”To help parents navigate the bac...

Penguin chick ‘healthy, thriving’ after assisted hatch

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

A penguin chick who struggled to come out of its shell at the New England Aquarium earlier this summer, requiring staff to perform an assisted hatch, has graduated from drinking a specialized formula to eating full fish and could join a colony of penguins this fall.The unnamed female southern rockhopper penguin hatched on June 23 with the help of the aquarium’s animal care team, who spent hours peeling back the egg’s outer shell and membrane when the chick could not break through, aquarium officials announced Wednesday.Penguin parents Pebble II and Fuego II were caring for the egg while the chick attempted to hatch, but aquarium staff intervened when the shell showed few signs of damage.“Eggs can take 24 to 48 hours to hatch, but we weren’t seeing much progress from the chick on its own and were concerned it was too weak,” said Dr. Melissa Joblon, director of animal health at the aquarium.Once veterinarians completed the procedure, the chick was admitte...

Patriots rookie Marte Mapu making strong first impression, showcasing versatility: ‘I feel comfortable anywhere’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

FOXBORO — Marte Mapu’s welcome to the NFL moment came during the spring.When Mapu, the Patriots’ third round draft pick in April, arrived to OTAs in Foxboro, Bill Belichick’s operation caught him by some surprise.“They were just more detailed than I expected,” Mapu said. “But that I also expected, too, if that makes sense.”Mapu has seemed to take that sudden realization to heart, because he’s making it his mission during training camp to be as prepared and ready for any role as possible.The 23-year-old Mapu is listed as a linebacker, but even at 230 pounds, has the ability to play in the secondary. He has been an early star in training camp, taking some first-team reps at linebacker even while wearing a red non-contact jersey as he recovers from a torn pectoral muscle. He’s taken reps at third-team safety, too. Mapu takes serious pride in that versatility. He doesn’t know where he might fit in to this Patriots defense when the lights turn on, but he wants to make sure he’s ready for...

Saudi Arabia extends cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day, potentially boosting prices at the pump

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year.The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were last year, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, experts say such a jump is unusual.This year’s record-breaking summer heat has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on...

Ask the Pediatrician: What is single-sided deafness in children?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

Diya Kallam and Dr. Brian K. Reilly | (TNS) American Academy of PediatricsSingle-sided deafness (SSD) is a hearing impairment that affects at least one in every 1,000 babies born. These infants have severe-to-profound hearing loss in one ear with normal or near-normal hearing in the other ear. The condition can also develop in older children and adults.If your child shows symptoms of single-sided deafness, sometimes called unilateral hearing loss, talk with their doctor right away. Hearing impairment can make it difficult for children to learn languages and speech. But prompt treatment can help avoid problems.Symptoms of single-sided deafness to know:— Tinnitus (ringing) in one ear— Selective use of phone in only the hearing ear— Head turning to hear the source of a sound— Difficulty hearing in noisy environments— Auditory fatigue from the extra effort that listening requires with hearing impairmentEarly diagnosis and treatment for hearing impairment is key.If any symptoms of single...

Tractor trailer slams into home in Bellingham, driver in critical condition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

A driver of a tractor trailer that slammed into a home in Bellingham Thursday morning is in critical condition, according to authorities.Emergency responders responded to multiple calls of a tractor trailer into a home at 107 Hartford Ave., around 9:30 a.m. After arriving at the scene, police and fire found the truck carrying construction machinery crashed through the backside of the Cape Cod style home, Bellingham Fire Chief William Miller told reporters before noon.First responders removed the driver from inside the trailer and rushed him to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he is listed in critical condition. A dog that had been on the truck is OK, Miller said.Preliminary findings indicated that the driver had been traveling east into Bellingham on Hartford Avenue, a main road in the Norfolk County town, Miller said. The truck then veered off the street and crossed a side street before colliding into the home at 107 Hartford Ave.The home was vacant at the time of ...

Too much summer fruit? Let Julia Child come to the rescue

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

The bounty of summer fruit presents me with a dilemma — maybe it does for you, too. I anticipate the bite of my first peach of the season, as the juice rolls down my chin, but I overestimate how much fruit I will actually eat. In the store the blueberries look so good — big and sweet, I think to myself as I buy the big container. Now I am stuck with having to eat those berries every day or they will get old and moldy.For the next few days while I eat the blueberries, the peaches wait patiently on the counter. The bruised spots (that I didn’t notice at the store) are quietly starting to turn brown and moldy before they are even completely ripe. They need to be eaten, too.Photo by Claudia AlexanderWhen you’re stuck with too much summer fruit, make a pie or galette.Luckily, I have a solution for this predicament: pie or galette. Maybe like me, you don’t enjoy the jellied texture of many fruit pie fillings. It’s created by the pectin added to keep the pie filling from running right out ...

2 US Navy sailors arrested on charges tied to national security and China

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two U.S. Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to national security and tied to China, U.S. officials said Thursday.A 22-year-old sailor assigned to a ship in San Diego was arrested Wednesday on a charge related to espionage involving conspiracy to send national defense information to Chinese officials, according to the U.S. officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Another sailor was arrested at Naval Base Ventura County north of Los Angeles and charged with conspiracy and receipt of a bribe from a Chinese official, the U.S. officials said. It was unclear if the two cases were related. The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. Federal officials were expected to release more details at a press conference scheduled in San Diego later Thursday. ____Baldor reported from Washington.

These vehicles are stolen most often in California

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – More than 700,000 vehicles are stolen in any given year, but not all cars are equal targets. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) analyzed federal crime data to determine which cars and trucks were most frequently reported stolen in 2022. They found two pickups took the top spots nationwide. In California, the most frequently stolen vehicle was the full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, followed by the Honda Civic sedan.Here are the top ten most stolen vehicles in California in 2022, according to the NICB:Chevrolet pickup (full size)Honda CivicFord pickup (full size)Honda AccordHyundai SonataKia OptimaGMC pickup (full size)Honda CR-VToyota CamryChevrolet TahoeStolen vehicle trends in California matched those seen nationwide, with nine of the top ten vehicles appearing on each list.Nationally, the most frequently stolen vehicle was also the full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, followed by full-size Ford pickups, according to the NICB analysis. All National Parks will be f...

Beloved chicken pie eatery in North Park celebrates anniversary with delicious deal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:56 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Famous in the community for its chicken and turkey stuffed pot pies that come smothered in gravy, the San Diego Chicken Pie Shop is celebrating its 85th year in business with a delicious deal for its customers. This eatery first opened in 1938 and was originally located on Fifth Avenue downtown. It later moved locations to Robinson Avenue in Hillcrest before finding its current home at 2633 El Cajon Blvd. in North Park. Sam the Cooking Guy hosting free popup cookout in Little Italy It's become an annual tradition for the establishment to celebrate its anniversary by offering deals for both dine-in and take-out Chicken Pie Dinners. This meal comes with a pot pie blend of chicken, turkey and gravy served with whipped potatoes, daily vegetable, coleslaw, a pie shop roll, and dessert."Once a year, giving a promotion to our customers symbolizes how grateful we are to still be the fourth oldest restaurant in San Diego and how we appreciate the amazing support over the decad...