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Small business owners call on government to take on Amazon, level playing field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

An association representing 97,000 of Canada’s small businesses is calling on Ottawa to do more to address Amazon.com Inc.’s dominance.The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said in a report Thursday that it wants the federal government to tackle the e-commerce giant by modernizing competition laws to level the playing field for small businesses.“E-commerce offers a lot of opportunity for small businesses to expand and reach more customers, but they’re facing an uphill battle trying to compete with online giants,” Corinne Pohlmann, executive vice-president of advocacy at CFIB, said in a news release.“Many small businesses looking to get a foothold online will sign up for Amazon’s Marketplace but a number of them report that Amazon’s business practices can make it more challenging for them to compete.”As a result, CFIB feels the federal government should use the ongoing review of the Competition Act to stand up for small businesses.Its recommend...

U.S. applications for jobless claims rise as labor market begins to show some signs of cooling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

More Americans filed for jobless claims last week and while the labor market remains broadly healthy, there have are growing signs that it may finally be cooling.Applications for unemployment benefits rose by 13,000 to 231,000 for the week ending Nov. 11, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s the most in three months.Jobless claim applications are seen as representative of the number of layoffs in a given week.The Federal Reserve has been tapping the brakes on the economy and the labor market for nearly two years, trying to stem what was the highest inflation in four decades. The central bank raised its benchmark rate 11 times since March of 2022 as part of that effort.Yet for months it seemed as though the aggressive actions from the Fed had little impact and companies have been forced to pay more to land employees. Cracks, however, may be staring to show.Overall, 1.87 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended Nov. 4, about 32,000 more ...

Here’s why heavy rain in Florida has little to do with hurricane season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Why has it been raining so much in South Florida? Experts say the latest windy, rainy storm system has nothing to do with hurricane season — and it’s finally moving on.The storm system that formed over the Florida Keys this week and dumped up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain across parts of South Florida has moved into the Atlantic Ocean, bringing clearing skies to the region on Thursday, the National Weather Service in Miami said.While hurricane season doesn’t officially end until Nov. 30, this storm wasn’t associated with a tropical system, according to Luke Culver, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.“It’s not considered a tropical system because of the way it formed,” Culver said, noting that the system developed more like a nor’easter, which are more common in the northeastern United States.Heavy rain started falling across South Florida on Tuesday night, continuing into Wednesday before mostl...

CFD battling massive warehouse fire in Back of the Yards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Fire Department is currently battling a massive warehouse fire in Back of the Yards.A three-alarm response has been called out to the fire, located in the 4100 block of South Halsted.SkyCam9 is over the scene showing massive flames and dark smoke.WGN News will update this story once more information becomes available.

Eye drops sold at Walmart, Target, CVS and Rite Aid recalled

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

(WKBN) – Eye drops sold at national retailers including Walmart, Target, CVS and Rite Aid are being recalled after federal investigators found "insanitary conditions," the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced.The FDA said using the affected eye drops, which were intended to be sterile, can possibly lead to eye infections or "related harm." "Ophthalmic drug products pose a potential heightened risk of harm to users because drugs applied to the eyes bypass some of the body’s natural defenses," the FDA states. 3 brands of applesauce pouches recalled due to lead concerns: FDA The eye drops, recalled by Kilitch Healthcare India Limited, have expiration dates ranging from November 2023 to September 2025, according to the FDA. So far, there have been no related incidents of "adverse events" reported to the company.The following affected products were distributed nationwide under several different labels, according to the FDA.ProductProduct InformationNDC NORetailer / LabelLU...

LIVE: Jury set to begin deliberations in Kaitlin Armstrong murder trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Closing arguments are set to take place Thursday in the murder trial for Kaitlin Armstrong, the woman accused of shooting and killing Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson on May 11, 2022.KXAN will provide a live stream of what the prosecutors and defense attorneys will tell the jury before they begin their deliberations. People can watch that in this story and on the KXAN News Facebook page starting at about 9 a.m. Testimony began on Nov. 1, the State called witnesses for about eight days. Defense called five witnesses on Wednesday and wrapped up its testimony within one day. PREVIOUS: Armstrong's first interview with APD played during murder trial During opening statements, prosecutors outlined a timeline of evidence they said placed Armstrong at the scene and established a motive.As the State's witnesses testified, prosecutors dissected the relationship between Armstrong, Wilson and Armstrong's then-boyfriend Colin Strickland. Strickland testified that he and Wilson were b...

Woman dies after single-vehicle crash on MoPac

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department is investigating a single-vehicle crash that happened on MoPac last week and left a woman dead. According to APD, officers responded to the crash in the 9500 block of the MoPac Expressway around 1:45 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9. According to police, Taylor Courtney, 29, was driving south when she crashed into a concrete median. She was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle, APD said. Courtney was taken to a hospital where she later died. This incident is being investigated as Austin's 77th fatal crash of 2023, which resulting in 80 fatalities for the year.These statements are from the initial assessment of the fatal crash, and the investigation is still pending. Fatality information may change.Anyone with any information should contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at 512-974-8111. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-...

Stillwater: Lakeview Hospital expanding to $400M campus at new location

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater is moving forward with plans for a new $400 million-plus campus at the northeast corner of Minnesota 36 and Manning Avenue, HealthPartners officials announced Thursday.The hospital’s new 68-acre campus, which is expected to open in late 2027 or early 2028, will include emergency medicine, advanced critical care, and specialized centers for heart, cancer and orthopedic care.It’s a major change for the 97-bed hospital, which has been located at the intersection of Churchill and Greeley streets, near Lily Lake, since 1961. The hospital employs about 1,100 people.The new site will give the hospital room to expand and greater visibility, said Lakeview Hospital President Brandi Lunneborg.A map showing the site plan for the new Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater. Officials with HealthPartners announced on Thursday that they are moving forward with plans for a new campus at the northeast corner of Minnesota 36 and Manning Avenue. (Courtesy of HealthPartners)“It’...

The Eleven opens downstairs in Albany's Lark Hall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Lark Hall, a music and event venue in Albany, has opened up a restaurant on the ground floor. The Eleven, named after a Grateful Dead song, officially opened its doors on November 11. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Owners Jennifer and Justin Miller have owned the historic Lark Hall building since 2018. Upstairs, the venue hosts musicians, private events and community events including vendor markets in the winter months.Jennifer Miller said the hours of the restaurant will be evolving, but are currently Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Eleven has brunch on weekends, and has a dinner and cafe menu. Burger King with modern design opens in Bennington The bar and eatery has 11 draft beers, 11 wines, 11 whiskies, and 11 small plates. The menu features sandwiches, charcuterie, salads, waffles and weekly spe...

Empanada restaurant owner offers heartfelt apology to customers for high prices, lower quality

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:43 GMT

Lorena Cantarovici personally apologized in an email to her Maria Empanada customers this week for some empanadas that she was not proud of, and for higher prices that had begun to spiral out of control.The email, which Cantarovici sent on Tuesday, detailed how the 12-year-old business has struggled since the pandemic. “Our costs went through the roof and because our empanadas are made by hand and extremely labor intensive,” she wrote. As a result, “we were forced to raise our prices … Way higher than we ever wanted.”To minimize those labor costs, the restaurant purchased equipment to help seal the empanadas, which had always been done by hand. But because Maria Empanada’s dough was too light for the equipment, she was forced to change the recipe for a thicker consistency.The result: “Instead of a soft, pillowy bite, it ate more like a cracker,” she said. “Perhaps you visited us during this short timeframe where our empanada and its price did not reflect the ...