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What US cities do people spend the most (and smallest) on groceries?

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What US cities do people spend the most (and smallest) on groceries?

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As grocery prices rose, Samantha Black cut budgets elsewhere to feed her family of five.

“You can’t cut out groceries,” said Black, who lives in Dallas with her husband and three children. So they cut back on eating out. The family spends around $600 a month on groceries, starting from about $400 last year.

A new Wallethub study analyzed the US cities where people spend the most on groceries. The study reviewed 26 common items in 100 cities and compared them to median household income to determine where Americans spend their largest percentage of their food income.

Detroit shoppers spend the most while Fremont, California shoppers spend the most. Dallas ranked 39th.

Shopping customers surprised at the high price

Food is an inevitable cost, and some people go to the grocery store once or twice a week, so shoppers are enthusiastically sensitive to fluctuations in grocery prices.

Higher prices hit all pocketbooks, but the pinch is often felt more by low-income shoppers, he said.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ September consumer price index, grocery stores’ food prices rose 0.6% between July and August, the fastest change in monthly groceries in three years. According to CPI statistics, it was 29% higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prices also vary regionally, according to Balagtas. For example, beef prices are high nationwide due to small beef herds and strong demand. In some places, beef prices are even higher than others. He said it was 24% higher in the West of the United States in 2024, according to government data.

“Part of that is the cost of delivering and cost of retail space, and the cost of workers,” he said. “If retailers have to pay higher rents in New York City… we know that higher costs will be passed on to consumers than in rural Indiana.”

Which cities spend the most on groceries?

The results of the Wallethub analysis are ranking the top 100 cities in the US. Top ranked cities had the most expensive foods as a percentage of monthly median household income.

  1. Detroit (3.78%)
  2. Cleveland (3.77%)
  3. Birmingham, Alabama (3.28%)
  4. Newark, New Jersey (3.16%)
  5. Toledo, Ohio (3.09%)
  6. Hialea, Florida (3.00%)
  7. Buffalo, New York (2.98%)
  8. Cincinnati (2.90%)
  9. Milwaukee (2.89%)
  10. Memphis, Tennessee (2.87%)

Detroitians spend the most on groceries, not because food is the most expensive, or because the city’s median annual household income is $39,575. Cleveland has the lowest household income in the country at $39,187.

Some of the most expensive cities were full of rusty belt cities and previously flourished…The city where factory jobs have left,” Rupo told USA Today.

Which cities spend the least amount of groceries?

The cities where shoppers spent the least on groceries were:

90. Chandler, Arizona (1.45%)

91. Scottsdale, Arizona (1.40%)

92. Huntington Beach, California (1.33%)

93. Santa Clarita, California (1.33%)

94. Plano, Texas (1.33%)

95. Seattle (1.32%)

96. Gilbert, Arizona (1.24%)

97. Irvine, California (1.23%)

98. San Francisco (1.22%)

99. San Jose, California (1.16%)

100. Fremont, California (0.96%)

Lupo said California’s food costs are high, incomes are high, and the cost of living is high.

Food Price: Grocery prices are rising. I’ll explain the reason.

How families can save money on groceries

To save money with groceries, Black recently started shopping at the Costco Business Center, which is open to Costco members, but items are on sale in large quantities.

In June, Black created content on social media about daily life as a working mom, documenting how she bought 120 pounds of chicken for $160.

“It really helped us because we had chicken for at least three months,” Black told USA Today. The disadvantage was that while the meat was already cut out, the family had to package 303 wings, 108 drumsticks and 40 large chicken breasts before putting the meat in the deep freezer.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA Today. Contact her at blinfisher @usatoday.com or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @Blinfisher, @Blinfisher.bsky.social.. Sign up for our free daily money newsletter that breaks down complex consumers and financial news. Please subscribe here.

Is there a “fatal flaw” in the prosecution of James Comey that could derail him?

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Is there a “fatal flaw” in the prosecution of James Comey that could derail him?

Some legal experts, including former GOP Justice Department officials, say the DOJ had no legal authority to appoint a prosecutor who indicted Comey.

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WASHINGTON – The federal accusation of former FBI director James Comey could face important legal challenges and potential terminations due to questions about how the Trump administration appointed a prosecutor who got it, constitutional experts and Democrats say.

Former Justice Department employee Ed Whelan says Comey’s September 25th indictment has “fatal legal flaws” because he has no legal authority to appoint White House civil servant Lindsay Harrigan as a US lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia.

In that capacity, Harrigan was the only prosecutor to approve a big ju trial charge against Comey with two counts: lying to Congress and obstructing official cases.

“The indictment is invalid because I think the appointment is invalid,” Whelan, assistant deputy attorney general for legal counsel under former President George W. Bush, told USA Today in an October 6 interview.

In that case, Whelan and others said they could knock out the case before they could go to trial. Comey is scheduled to sue on October 9th in the Alexandria area of ​​Virginia, just outside the capital.

Whelan, chair of constitutional research at the Centre for Ethics and Public Policy, first argued in 26 blog posts for the conservative magazine, National Review, the day after Comey’s indictment.

Liz Oyer, a former Justice Department mercy lawyer under Trump, said he believes there is a strong argument that she has not been legally appointed.

“And if she was not legally appointed, the charges would be void,” Oyer told USA Today. “She is the only person to sign the charges.”

Oyer also said the restrictions laws to bring about these specific charges against Comey expired on September 30, meaning “if this charge is abandoned, it cannot be amended” or resubmitted.

“Comey’s lawyers will certainly raise this argument,” Oyer said.

Some Trump critics have covered the debate. “Here’s the question: Can Donald Trump also appoints a temporary US lawyer to take retaliation to appoint an interim US lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia?”, Sen. Tim Kane, a Democrat, said: “I have the question: Can Donald Trump also appoints an interim US lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia?”

Comey says he is innocent and will fight the charges, but the lawyers representing him have not had any comment on the validity of the indictment in court or whether he plans to attack Harrigan’s appointment.

Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin also did not comment on the appointment of Harrigan and the effectiveness of Comey’s indictment. Harrigan’s office did not respond to requests for comment, so the White House referred to the DOJ with questions on the issue.

Harrigan brought charges after Attorney General Pam Bondy tapped her to replace Trump administration appointee US lawyer Eric Sheebert.

President Donald Trump said he resigned after prosecutors refused to seek the charges of Comey. He and his legal team reportedly believed there was a lack of sufficient evidence.

Harrigan’s appointment – a former prosecutor’s lawyer who previously Trump’s personal lawyer and later his White House aide – was to run out on September 30th with accusations that the five-year restriction law accused Congress of making false statements to false Congress in September 2020.

Her appointment also came shortly after Trump personally demanded that he be taken to social media and, along with other political enemies, be charged with Comey.

In a post about the Truth Society on September 20th, Trump publicly addressed Bondi, saying Comey was “guilty like hell,” but without explaining what Comey was said to have been. “We can’t delay it anymore,” Trump said, “Justice must be provided now!!!”

Is only one US interim appointment allowed?

According to Whelan, the Department of Justice cannot legally appoint a second U.S. lawyer after appointing the first that expires.

He cites section 546(d) of title 28 of US Act. This allows the Attorney General to appoint interim US attorneys for a 120-day term. “The district courts in such districts may appoint US attorneys until the vacancy is met.”

In Siebert’s case, his term expired on May 21 or later, 120 days after his appointment by Attorney General James Mchenry on January 21.

Whelan also cited a note as evidence by conservative Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito on November 13, 1986. The OLC will guide the Department of Justice and the wider US government on legal terms, so that the office will be called.

“After the expiration of the 120-day period, further interim appointments will be made by the court, not by the Attorney General.”

“It appears that Congress was therefore intended to grant only the power to the Attorney General to make one interim appointment. Subsequent interim appointments would have to be made by the district court,” Alito wrote, overseeing the prosecutor’s jurisdiction.

If Trump fires Sheebert, “it will empty the office.”

Pro Trump lawyer Trent McCotter opposed Whelan’s analysis. He replied to Whelan with X, “It emptyes the office” as Trump fired Sheebert.

“If you’re right, the AG’s appointing power will literally not be reset after the 120-day deadline.”

Siebert’s appointment by the court “resetting the 120-day clock,” argued McCotter, a former Justice Department prosecutor. And “At the time of his removal, when a new person is appointed by the AG, the clock begins to be ticked by the moment.”

Also, McCotter writes in X. His analysis of federal law in question is that the Attorney General can still appoint a new US lawyer, even after the judge has made his own appointment.

Confusion over provisional versus actions through US lawyers?

The Trump administration may have appointed Harrigan as a US lawyer who “acts” rather than an interim US lawyer, Whelan and other legal experts say.

But since the administration has never said that, DOJ spokesman Gilmartin did not comment on whether the Trump administration has appointed Harrigan in a temporary capacity in the suburban Washington area, where he hears some of the most consequential cases in the country.

Whelan argues that Harrigan could not even appointed to play a US lawyer, as the 2003 OLC opinion that he wrote himself requires that she be called on to request that she be the first to serve as a Senate confirmed officer in another position.

“If they’re saying she’s been appointed acting now, that’s odd,” Whelan told USA Today.

Supreme Court weighs when post office is sued for refusing delivery

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Supreme Court weighs when post office is sued for refusing delivery

The landlord claims the postal worker refused to deliver the mail because the postal worker was black and the tenant was white. The Supreme Court will discuss whether she can sue.

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WASHINGTON – For years, all Leven Conan wanted was to receive mail.

Conan enlists the help of a government watchdog on the postal service and orders the mail to be delivered to two homes he owns in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

She filed more than 50 administrative complaints and received written confirmation from the local postal authority that she and her tenants should receive mail for tenants in the locked post office “cluster box” assigned to their home.

When that didn’t work out, Conan went to court in 2022 seeking compensation. She told the court she believed the postal worker led a “two-year campaign of racial harassment” against her because she is black and rents a room to a white person.

supreme court On October 8th, we discuss whether Konan should have a chance to prove it The postal service deliberately withheld her mail.

Trust in the postal service ‘may be at risk’

The Justice Department contends that Congress gave the U.S. Postal Service immunity for mail delivery problems for what some say were intentional as well as simple mistakes.

Otherwise, the government says, the hundreds of thousands of customer complaints the Postal Service gets each year could be turned into lame lawsuits alleging wrongdoing that are expensive to fight because it’s difficult to determine whether postal workers have nefarious intentions.

But Greg Reed, a regulatory attorney who previously represented the private contractors that make up the Postal Service’s surface transportation network, said the case will determine “whether this unique American agency can be held accountable to its customers.”

“Both confidence in the Postal Service and its continued relevance may be at risk,” he said.

Are you refusing to have your email protected?

A federal district judge in Texas ruled that Conan could not sue in 2023. That’s because federal law protects the Postal Service from claims “arising from loss, miscarriage, or negligent transmission of letters or postal material.”

But when Conan appealed, the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said the language did not cover a postal worker’s refusal to deliver mail.

“If the USPS intentionally fails to deliver mail to a designated destination or mistakenly fails to deliver mail to a third party, it is not a ‘Miscarr (IED)’ because the mail was not carried at all,” the appeals court said. “Conan’s claim is not prohibited because no miscarriage occurred.”

The federal government asked the Supreme Court to resolve the issue.

more: Her landlord says her mail wasn’t delivered because she’s black. The Supreme Court weighs.

The true meaning of the word “miscarriage”

Both the Justice Department and Conan’s lawyers argue that a common understanding of the term “miscarriage” works in their favor.

According to the government, miscarriage means intentional misconduct, just like other words starting with “MIS” such as “misconduct,” “cheating,” and “misdeed.”

The interpretation of “miscarriage” makes it easier to apply the law because the line between intentional and unintentional can be difficult to distinguish, the government says.

For example, what if the mail carrier really believes the residence is vacant when it isn’t? Intentional “miscarriage” could sue the Postal Service, the Justice Department asked in written arguments, saying the government had good reason to withhold Conan’s mail.

Conan’s lawyers argue that the government is trying to stretch the meaning of “miscarriage” beyond common usage. They said that some words starting with “MIS” define torts, but many others, such as “accident,” “miscommunication,” and “miscommunication,” suggest only carelessness.

And when warning of a flood of lawsuits, the government is “grossly overestimating” the financial incentive for someone to sue, her lawyers argue.

“In most cases, the $405 filing fee, not to mention the cost of hiring an attorney, will negate any potential recovery from a missing package,” they said in their legal brief.

The side of a woman who previously stumbled in the mail

According to the government, in 2024, the postal service was hit with 942 lawsuits for damages. Most were related to motor vehicle accidents involving postal workers. 73 was born from travel and falls.

In a 2006 case brought by a woman who tripped over mail left on her porch, the Supreme Court rejected the government’s concerns that the Postal Service could be inundated with frivolous anti-skid claims.

In a 7-1 decision, the court said the Postal Service must rely on normal protections against frivolous lawsuits because Congress “did not intend to exempt all postal activities.”

In a brief, three justice groups encouraged the Supreme Court to rule against the Postal Service again.

Postal workers are the federal government employees Americans interact with the most, the Taxpayer Protection Alliance told the court.

“This case illustrates the serious consequences of allowing federal agencies and their agents to believe they are above the law,” they wrote.

Is the federal government still closed? What do you know on Wednesday?

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Is the federal government still closed? What do you know on Wednesday?

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The partial federal closure entered its eighth day on Wednesday, October 8th, with no visible signs of budget contracts between Democrats and Republicans yet.

Speaking to White House reporters on Tuesday, October 7, President Donald Trump threatened that some federal workers may not receive the repayment if Congress finally agreed to the funding package.

“We’re going to take care of our people,” he added. “There are people who really don’t deserve to be cared for, and we take care of them differently.” As for Democrats, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a minority leader, ruled out the possibility of a closure when he told reporters that the one-year extension of the American Care Act subsidy was “non-starter” and “laughterful publicity.”

“Let’s go from there from a permanent expansion, and negotiation perspective,” Jeffries said.

Here’s what you need to know when the federal shutdown enters day 8:

more: Health care for “illegal immigrants”? Here’s what lies behind the shutdown rhetoric:

Is the federal government still closed?

Yes, the federal government remains largely closed.

Salaries have been suspended for around 2 million federal workers, with around 750,000 people being ordered not to report jobs. Other employees, including military and air traffic controller employees, must work without compensation until they reach a budget contract.

What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but it will hit 12% of staff and suspend marketing campaigns, according to agency closure plans.

Similarly, payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health programs.

more: The TSA and FAA are still acting as shutdowns (for now)

Will US email be sent?

USPS said in a statement that the USPS would not be affected because it does not rely on Congress. The post office is open.

How about the airport?

Over 13,000 air traffic controllers and approximately 50,000 transport security managers will need to appear at work during the closure. According to Reuters, the controller is set to receive a partial salary on October 14th for work done before the shutdown.

Will food aid continue under SNAP and WIC?

According to a closure planning plan document issued by the US Department of Agriculture, special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children known as WIC, and special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children known as WIC, will continue with special supplementary nutrition programs known as WIC, and special supplementary nutrition programs for women, infants and children.

What does shutdown mean to the military?

Two million active duty veterans will remain out of service until the budget impasse is resolved.

Approximately 55% of the Department of Defense’s 740,000 civilian employees, including those involved in training, procurement and management support, have been abandoned. Civilians working in cybersecurity, healthcare, weapons system maintenance, intelligence and logistics are still working.

The National Guard that Trump deployed in American cities must also continue to work.

What about homeland security, immigration, and border officials?

Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s 271,000 workers have been abandoned, including those involved in research, planning, training and audits.

Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security guards, Coast Guard officials, and emergency workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency remain at work.

The 15th shutdown since 1981 was the fourth-longest in US history, halting a six-day shutdown in 1995. The longest closure lasted 35 days in Trump’s first term from 2018 to 2019.

Contribution: Zac Anderson of USA Today, Joey Garrison, Bad Janssen and Zachary Screen; Reuters

Five Best AI Observability Tools of 2025

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Five Best AI Observability Tools of 2025

Guest Author: Or Hillel, Green Lamp

AI systems are no longer experimental, they are embedded in everyday decisions that affect millions. But as these models grow into critical spaces such as real-time supply chain routing, medical diagnosis, and financial markets, what is as simple as stealth data shifts and undetected anomalies can reverse confident automation into expensive breakdowns and embarrassment.

This is more than just a problem for data scientists and machine learning engineers. Today, product managers, compliance personnel and business leaders realize that the value of AI not only builds high-performance models, but also a deeper understanding of how, why, and when these models are behaving in the way they are exposed to real-world messiness.

Enter the AI ​​observability. This is a daily reality for teams working on reliable, defensive, scalable, and AI-driven products rather than optional add-ons.

Best AI Observability Tools for 2025

1. Logz.io

logz.io stands out in the context of AI observability by providing an open cloud-native platform tailored to the complexities of modern ML and AI systems. Its architecture fuses telemetry, logs, metrics, and tracing into one actionable interface, allowing teams to visualize and analyze every stage of the AI ​​lifecycle.

The main features are:

  • AI-driven root cause analysis: Automatic anomaly detection and intelligent guided troubleshooting accelerate problem resolution. Embedded AI agents can surface trends, actively detect problems, and provide explanations in natural language.
  • Wide integration: LOGZ.IO connects seamlessly with leading cloud providers, container orchestration, and popular ML frameworks. Flexibility ensures the observability of frictionless hybrid and multi-cloud models.
  • Enhanced workflows: The platform’s interactive workflows drive faster investigations by leading even junior engineers to effective troubleshooting.
  • Cost Optimization: Intelligent data management tools allow teams to optimize monitoring costs and prioritize valuable business insights.

2. DataDog

Datadog has evolved from a classic infrastructure monitoring tool to a great power due to the observability of AI in businesses. The platform leverages an integrated stack of telemetry capture, real-time analytics, and ML-specific dashboards that provide both high-level and granular perspectives throughout the AI ​​lifecycle.

The main features are:

  • Comprehensive telemetry: Captures logs, traces, metrics and model performance, allowing for rapid anomaly detection and bottleneck identification in both training and deployment.
  • Machine Learning Monitoring: Special tools track data drift, prediction bias, and resource consumption during inference. The alerts and dashboards are tailored to model-centric use cases.
  • Unified Interface: Engineers, Data Scientists, and SRES all work from shared dashboards to streamline cross-team troubleshooting and collaboration.
  • Rapid integration: Datadog supports dozens of AI and data science platforms, including Tensorflow, Pytorch, MLFlow, Kubeflow and more.

3. Eden

Edenai uses a vendor-independent observability platform to meet the needs of businesses using multiple AI providers. The tool aggregates telemetry streams, monitors the health of AI services, and provides a unified response center regardless of the origin of the model, API, or data.

The main features are:

  • Centralized Dashboard: Ideal for organizations that monitor all AI models, APIs, and endpoints from a single glass pane, mixing public APIs, private models, and open source services.
  • Cross-Platform Drift and Anomaly Detection: AI-driven monitoring illuminates data drift, latency and performance issues, even when AI is consumed or deployed.
  • Auto Auditing: Built-in logging and reporting capabilities allow you to easily meet regulatory requirements and support enterprise governance.
  • Vendor and Dependency Integration: Fast onboarding for new models with connectors for major AI cloud services and on-premises deployments.

4. Dynatraas

Dynatrace has long been known for its autonomous DevOps monitoring, and the 2025 AI observability characterizes its innovation into the realm of AI. The platform’s core is the Davis® AI engine that continuously analyzes system health, model performance, and end-to-end dependencies across the ML pipeline.

The main features are:

  • Autonomous Anomaly Detection: Davis® actively identifies model drifts, data pipeline snuggles, and abnormal behavior of layers, from code to inference.
  • Topology Mapping: Visualize relationships between services, models, data sources, and infrastructure, and easily track the impact of changes and search for root causes.
  • Predictive Analytics: Correlate macrosystem signals with fine-grained ML metrics to help predict incidents before they affect end users.
  • Scale and Integration: Directly connect to major cloud and MLOPS platforms for seamless, low-touch monitoring at enterprise scale.

5. WhyLabs

WhyLabs has a data-centric approach to AI observability centered around risk transparency, quantitative rigor in ML operations, and proactive detection. The platform is built for organizations who want to manage and monitor the entire AI lifecycle, from raw data intake to predicting live models.

The main features are:

  • Pipeline monitoring: Track data quality, schema changes, and functional drift in real time, allowing early alerts for issues that can compromise model accuracy.
  • Model Performance Dashboard: Visualizes predictive quality, bias, and rare event distribution changes for all deployed models.
  • Rich Telemetry Integration: Supports monitoring of both structured and unstructured data types, reflecting the varieties present in the modern ML ecosystem.
  • Collaborative Workflow: Teams can annotate, triage and resolve anomalies using a unified interface and predefined incident playbooks.

Real-world impact of AI observability

What does it actually look like when an organization correctly observes AI?

Enable proactive incident response

In hospitals that use AI for radiology triage, unexpected device firmware updates will cause subtle shifts in pixel values ​​in incoming images. Without observability, this shift is undetected and produces a subtlely degraded diagnosis. Observability causes Shift to trigger an alert, and the team either re-acquires the model again or adjusts pre-processing to avoid harm to the patient.

Preventing bias and drift

Fintech companies notice a sudden, unexplained decline in loan approval rates for certain demographics. Deep observability ensures fairness and compliance with rapid investigation, data drift diagnosis due to shifting upstream data partners, and rapid mitigation.

Supports collaboration with humans

Customer Support recommends answering tickets using AI. When auto-generated advice increases ticket resolution times for one product line, the observability-driven dashboard flag becomes the flag. Teams use this to retrain their models and improve both customer satisfaction and business outcomes.

Choosing the right AI observability tools: alignment, scale, ecosystem

Choosing the best observability platform for AI depends on the organization’s size, complexity, and coordination with goals. Consider:

  • Telemetry coverage width and depth
  • Levels of automation and intelligence provided
  • Developer experience, onboarding, and ease of integration with stacks
  • Auditability Regulation and Compliance Features
  • Ecosystem fit including support for priority clouds, frameworks and workflows

Investing in a suitable observability platform is the basis for resilient, auditable, and fast AI practices from 2025 onwards.

Guest Author: Or Hillel, Green Lamp

Image source: Unsplash

Omnicare, a CVS subsidiary, filed for Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law

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Omnicare, a CVS subsidiary, filed for Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law

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  • Omnicare, a former Cincinnati-based company, has filed for Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law.
  • Parent company CVS Health said it will use the bankruptcy to address financial challenges and consider restructuring or divesting.

Omnicare, a former Cincinnati-based Fortune 500 company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas after a civil ruling of nearly $1 billion this summer.

Drugstore giant CVS Health, the parent company that acquired OmniCare for $12.7 billion in 2015, has suggested that it could sell its specialist pharmacy services business.

“The company will use this process to address other financial challenges and evaluate restructuring options, including implementing a sole restructuring and divestment strategy,” CVS said in a government filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bankruptcy on $949 million fraud

The bankruptcy filing comes weeks after a New York judge ordered Omnicare to pay $949 million fine after a civil trial jury found Omnicare responsible for fraudulently dispensing medicines to elderly people and disabled people in nursing homes and other residential long-term care facilities for seniors and disabled people without a valid prescription.

The penalty order follows a four-week trial in the spring, and the jury found that OmniCare had filed more than 3 million false claims against Medicare, Medicaid and Toricare between 2010 and 2018.

In its latest filing, CVS called the ruling against Omnicare “overstood,” adding that bankruptcy could also help “settle” the lawsuit. According to court records, Omnicare is seeking an appeal against the fraud verdict.

“The court has imposed a penalty that is… extreme and we believe is against the constitution,” Omnicare president David Azolina said in a statement. “In light of this ruling and many other issues facing our business, we are currently taking the necessary steps to move forward.”

What does omnicare do?

OmniCare offers specialized pharmacy services for long-term and acute care facilities. The company fills out and delivers prescriptions, provides clinical support and consultation, and manages medicines for facilities such as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.

The company vows to restructure

Officials with CVS and OmniCare declined to comment on bankruptcy or legal issues. They directed all inquiries regarding OmniCare’s reorganization to the website.

The website says, “(Bankruptcy) does not mean that the business will go out of business.” “We are continuing to operate as usual and continue to devote ourselves to meeting the pharmacy needs of our customers and residents of long-term care facilities.”

CVS had previously considered selling OmniCare. In its annual report, the company determined that the business unit is “no longer a strategic asset” and plans to sell it in 2022. After the valuation, the company amortized a loss of $2.5 billion on assets in the division, and an additional $349 million was amortized in early 2023. The company decided to cancel the sale of OmniCare in late 2023 after a CVS official “deemed there is no longer a chance that the sale will be completed in the short term.”

Over the decades, Omnicare has grown in Cincinnati

The bankruptcy marks a new chapter for Omnicare, which became independent from Kemed in 1981, shortly after Kemed was separated from his former parent company WR Grace.

The company grew to the Fortune 500 through a series of acquisitions.

Cincinnati officials told Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY network, that they don’t know how many Omnicare workers have remained in Cincinnati since 2017, when the CVS acquisition reduced the company’s employees to 246. In 2020, the city received a $1.6 million clawback payment for OmniCare’s failure to maintain and create new jobs.

FAA announces temporary delays at Nashville Airport due to shortages

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FAA announces temporary delays at Nashville Airport due to shortages

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On October 7, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily ordered a ground halt on flights heading to Nashville International Airport as government closures face air traffic shortages.

In the now-suspended recommendation, the FAA said the ground halt would be at least until 8pm local time, affecting flights to Nashville. The agency cited “staffing” as the cause of the ground halt.

Earlier on October 7, the FAA announced that Nashville’s air traffic control was facing a significant staffing shortage, with ground delays at the airport from 4pm to 11:59pm. All flights arriving to Nashville will take off later than expected, limiting the total number of flights entering Nashville airspace at any given time.

According to the latest FAA warning, the average delay at Nashville International Airport was over two hours, and the maximum listed delay was over three hours by 4pm on October 7th. The delay continued until 8pm.

The reason for the shortage of personnel is not immediately clear.

On October 6, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the shutdown of government agencies has put even more stress on air traffic controllers who are already overworked and understaffed. Duffy said that some air traffic control towers have been cut by up to 50% since the closure began, and that the number of poor controllers in some areas has been on the rise.

“Working 6 days a week”: Transport Secretary says that government agencies will be under strain on air traffic controllers

“If we don’t have a controller, we’re going to keep the airspace safe, so what we do is slow down traffic,” Duffy told Fox & Friends on FOX News show.

More than 3,400 US flights were delayed on October 7th, including 25% of Nashville flights, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking website. The bad weather has also affected airmails nationwide.

Contributor: Hadley Hitson, Nashville, Tennessee. Reuters

Rosie O’Donnell says he has “planned” fight against Elizabeth Hasselbeck

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Rosie O’Donnell says he has “planned” fight against Elizabeth Hasselbeck

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Comedian Rosie O’Donnell has concluded the curtain on a notorious 2007 “The View” argument with Republican television personality Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

While appearing on the “Ricky Lee, Tim & Joel” show, the former talk show host, 63, claimed that the producer of “The View” was behind the intense interactions with the former co-host. She mentioned the use of split screen, which she believes indicates that he planned to have a fierce argument with the two of them.

“I think it was prepared, so everything was set up,” O’Donnell said. “Our producers aren’t the kind of person who’s flexible. He wasn’t the kind of person who says he’s going to split screen.”

During the May 23, 2007 episode of the show, political debate between O’Donnell and a former “Survivor” contestant about the US military stationed in Iraq escalated to a fierce personal altercation.

Soon, the two continued screaming at each other for about ten minutes. O’Donnell accused Hasselbeck of not defending himself against the comedian’s claim that it was non-Americans who opposed military advancement, but said Hasselbeck was giving O’Donnell the opportunity to defend him.

The two former friends found themselves in a sly insulting each other during the broadcast, and two days later, ABC admitted that O’Donnell had asked for a termination of the contract.

“I was leaning backwards for that woman, and she was on national television to get me on whether I was patriotic,” O’Donnell said. “I was on a five-woman basketball team and it felt like one of them kept stumbling on my way to the hoop.”

USA TODAY reached out to representatives of The View and Hasselbeck for comment.

Rosie O’Donnell will soon become an Irish citizen

Comedian Rosie O’Donnell said he is preparing to become an Irish citizen after becoming an exile from the United States, citing political situation during President Donald Trump’s second term.

Earlier this year, Odong announced that he had moved to a European country after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, unable to withstand life in the US. In a recent interview with the Australian Daily Telegraph, she confided about her “self-imposed” political asylum.

“My grandparents are from Ireland so I am applying for Irish citizenship and am about to get approved. That’s all I need. It’s good to get Irish citizenship, especially as Trump continues to threaten me with stripping of Irish citizenship,” she told the media.

“What a wonderful news for America!” White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement to USA TODAY.

O’Donnell, a New York-born child and born in New York, has spoken out about the president’s previous threat of stripping his US citizenship. In a September 3 post on Truth Social, President Trump said the administration is considering stripping O’Donnell of citizenship, adding, “She’s not a great American and, in my opinion, she’s not the ability to do so!”

Mega Millions jackpot reached $547 million in the draw on October 7th

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Mega Millions jackpot reached 7 million in the draw on October 7th

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The Mega Millions jackpot rose to an estimated $574 million in the draw on Tuesday, October 7, as no one matched all winning numbers in the draw on Friday, October 3rd.

If someone matches all six numbers, they will be given the option to pay $251.7 million in one-time cash.

This year, there are four Mega Millions winners. The most recent winner is from Virginia and won a $348 million jackpot on June 27th. Before that, on April 18, an Ohio player won a $112 million jackpot. On March 25, the lucky Illinois ticket holder took home $344 million, and on January 17th, another Arizona winner won $113 million.

The winning numbers for the Mega Millions draw, which will take place on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025, are as follows:

Mega Millions Winning Number on 10/7/25

The winning numbers for the draw on Tuesday, October 7th are as follows: 17, 26, 33, 45, 56 And the megaball 19.

The lottery winning numbers are sponsored by: Jackpocket, the official digital lottery delivery company of USA TODAY Network.

Has anyone won the Mega Millions?

Mega Millions winners will be listed here as soon as they are announced by lottery officials.

To view a list of past winners, click Visit the Mega Millions website.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions you will need to buy a ticket. This can be done in a variety of places, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be purchased online.

Once you have your ticket, you will need to select six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered 1-70. Golden Mega Balls range from 1 to 24.

You can request a “quick pick” or “easy pick” if you feel particularly unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking. These options allow the computer to generate numbers randomly.

Mega Millions tickets incorporate a multiplier that increases non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 times. Previously, players had to pay extra dollars to add “Mega Pliers.”

Where can I buy the lottery ticket?

Tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, the official digital lottery delivery company of USA TODAY Networkthe next states and territory of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to play lottery games and select numbers, order, view tickets, and collect prizes all using your mobile phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery delivery company of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett could potentially earn money from referrals to the Jackpocket service. You must be over 18 years old, 21 years old in Arizona, and 19 years old in Nebraska. We are not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling issues? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (or); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all other). visit Jack Pocket.com/tos Over the entire period.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

Florida bill will change the name of a street named after Charlie Kirk

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Florida bill will change the name of a street named after Charlie Kirk

If not, the bill proposes to curb the provision of state funding to the institutions.

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  • A Republican Florida lawmaker has introduced a bill that will rename roads at all public state universities and college campuses, in honor of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
  • The proposed bill will injunctively halt state funding for institutions that do not accept name changes within 90 days.
  • Turning Point USA founder Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on September 10th while speaking at an event in Utah.

A Republican state lawmaker in Florida has introduced a bill calling for all public state universities to change the name of one road on campus after murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

And if not, the bill proposes withholding “national funds” to each institution.

State Rep. Kevin Steele (R-Dade) introduced the bill (HB 113) to the Florida House of Representatives on October 7th. There are no companions in the Senate yet. Steele could not be reached for comment.

If this bill is passed, “the board of trustees of each agency will redesignate the following roads or portions of the roads, if applicable.”

Next, list each road to rename.

  • The University of South Florida shall redesign the USF Alumni Drive as the Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • The University of Central Florida shall redesign Gemini Boulevard South as Charlie James Kirk Boulevard.
  • Florida State University shall redesign Chieften Way as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • Florida University of Agricultural Machinery shall redesign West Osceola Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Florida Atlantic University shall redesign University Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Florida Gulf Coast University shall redesign FGCU Boulevard as Charlie James Kirk Boulevard.
  • Florida International University shall redesign Southwest 17th Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Florida Institute of Technology shall redesignate the Polytechnic Circle as the Charlie James Kirk Circle.
  • The new University of Florida shall redesign College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • The University of Florida shall redesign Stadium Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • The University of North Florida shall redesignate UNF Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • The University of West Florida shall redesignate Campus Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Broward University shall redesign College Avenue as Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
  • Chipola University shall redesign College Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • The University of Central Florida shall redesign Southwest 26th Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Daytona State University shall redesignate Pinecrest Avenue as Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
  • East Florida State University shall redesign Titan Boulevard as Charlie James Kirk Boulevard.
  • Florida Gateway College shall redesign Southeast College Place as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Florida Keys University shall redesign College Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • Southwestern State, Florida, shall redesignate FSW Parkway as Charlie James Kirk Parkway.
  • Florida State University in Jacksonville shall redesignate Broad Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Gulf Coast State University shall redesign College Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Hillsboro University shall redesign West Tampa Bay Boulevard from Air Cargo Road to Northdale Mavley as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Indian River State University shall redesign Cross Campus Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • Lake Sumter State University shall redesign College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Miami-Dade College shall redesignate Northeast First Avenue as Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
  • North Florida College shall redesign the Mockingbird Trail as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Northwest Florida State shall redesign McCracken Way as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Palm Beach State University shall redesignate Arcee Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Pasco Hernando State University shall redesignate Mrs. Pramira Musnur Health and Wellness Trail as the Charlie James Kirk Trail.
  • Pensacola State University shall redesign College Boulevard as Charlie James Kirk Boulevard.
  • Polk State shall redesignate PSC Access Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • St. John’s River State University shall redesign Peoria Cemetery Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
  • St. Petersburg University shall redesign 5th Avenue North as Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
  • The University of Santa Fe will redesign Northwest 83 Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • Seminole State, Florida, shall redesign College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Street.
  • South Florida State University shall redesign College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • Florida State University Manatee Sarasota will redesign W. 57th Avenue to Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
  • Tallahassee State University shall redesign Progress Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
  • The University of Valencia shall redesign Valencia College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.

“Within 90 days from the effective date of this Act, state funds shall be seized from the State University or Florida College System Agency that did not redesignate the roads or portions of the roads listed above by the Board of Trustees.” “This law will come into effect when it is passed.”

Steele was first elected in 2022. According to his online background, he is vice-chairman of the House Information Technology Budget and Policy Subcommittee and serves on the hospital’s Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the Special Committee on Property Taxes.

This week’s bill follows another Republican lawmaker who renamed “part of SR 985/SW 107th Avenue between 24th Street, South Wales and 90/South 8th Street in Miami-Dade County” to “Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue.”

State Rep. Juan Carlos Polas (R-Miami) introduced the bill (HB 33) on September 23rd, and on the same day, the Lake County Commission unanimously passed a change in the name of the Kirk district road. Records show that the measure was assigned to the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee.

Kirk was shot dead on September 10th while giving a speech at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The man was shot in the neck and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The 31-year-old was a well-known polarizing politician, including author, radio host and podcaster, but his candid criticism of what he called dangerous liberal thought made him an influential political force and was also a lightning rod.

He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, and a grassroots student organization dedicated to conservative activities on free markets, limited government, and university and high school campuses. He patrols campuses around the country to discuss issues with students, often sparking protests.

In a tearful speech at a recent memorial service in Arizona, Kirk’s widow forgives the man accused of murder, saying that her husband wanted to “save the young man just like those who took his life.”

“I forgive him because it’s something that Christ did and Charlie does too,” said Erica Kirk, 36, of Glendale, Arizona, in response to a standing ovation. “The answer to hatred is not hatred; the answer we know from the gospel is love.”

To date, Florida has renamed the driveway section of other conservative icons, and has recently changed it to the late radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

The 2026 Parliament was convened on January 13th, and the committee meeting began this week.

This article includes previously published reports, including the USA TODAY and the USA TODAY NETWORK newspaper Daily Commercial. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida Capital Bureau. Please contact jrosica@tallahassee.com and follow us on Twitter/X. @Mimuro Shikafuru.

Amazon invests nearly $100 million in new U.S. fulfillment center

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Amazon invests nearly 0 million in new U.S. fulfillment center

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  • Amazon has purchased a large warehouse and distribution facility in Ocala, Florida for $97.675 million.
  • The sale is the largest real estate transaction in the county this year.
  • The building was constructed to Red Rock Development’s specifications and is expected to be completed in 2023.

Amazon paid $97,675,000 for a large warehouse and distribution facility in Ocala, Florida, west of Interstate 75 and north of Route 27, according to a deed filed with a court clerk.

The facility, located at 3171 NW 44th Ave., has 1,085,000 square feet of warehouse/distribution space on 91 acres, real estate marketing materials state. Due east on the other side of Interstate 75 are Chewy, AutoZone and FedEx distribution centers, as well as existing Amazon operations.

The seller is listed as Ocala 44 RRL LLC, based in West Palm Beach. The buyer is Seattle-based Amazon.com Services LLC. LXP Industrial Trust, which describes itself as a “real estate investment trust focused on Class A warehouse and distribution real estate investments,” announced the sale in an Oct. 1 news release.

The deed was recorded with the clerk of court on October 1st. This is by far the largest real estate sale in Marion County this year.

News of the sale comes just weeks after a tenant was signed for a similarly large distribution center at Trailhead Logistics Park, just west of Interstate 75 and north of County Road 484.

The buildings Amazon has purchased are built to spec, meaning they have no tenants. Built by Red Rock Development. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in June 2021, and the building is expected to be completed in 2023, according to the real estate appraiser’s office.

At the 2021 groundbreaking ceremony, Kevin Shealey, then president and CEO of the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP), called the Red Rock construction project “another home run for the company, future tenants and the community,” according to an account on the Star Banner, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Trump-backed candidates won primary in the Tennessee special election

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Trump-backed candidates won primary in the Tennessee special election

Matt Van Epps won the GOP primary in the Tennessee special election, filling the seats in the US home in the Nashville area. He advances to the December 2nd general election and represents a district that is leaning towards the GOP.

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WASHINGTON – Donald Trump’s support has paid off in Tennessee.

The president’s favourite candidate, Matt Van Epps, won the special election in the Republican primary on October 7th, filling the vacant US home seat with Mark Green.

Van Epps defeated eight other Republicans for the nomination and is currently opposed to the Democratic primary winner and Tennessee Sen. Aftin Bain in the December 2nd general election.

Van Epps is preferred to win that race in the 7th Congress district seat, representing Davidson, Williamson, Montgomery and parts of 11 other counties.

Last November, Greene cruised to re-elect in the fourth term with almost 60% of the vote. Green, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, resigned from Congress in July to pursue private sector opportunities.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee appointed Van Epps late last year and served as commissioner for the state’s general services department. He previously served as the top coordinator for Covid-19 response in Tennessee.

Trump’s support proved crucial in the Tennessee election. State Sen. Lee Reeves and businessman Stuart Cooper paused their campaign last week after the president weighed in.

Van Epps had framed his campaign on his service as a US Army helicopter combat pilot and his support for Trump. A local military veteran filed a complaint with the Tennessee State Guard against Van Epps, alleging inappropriate use of his military uniform in a campaign ad in violation of Pentagon rules.

Tennessee’s election winner is a Republican and is extremely important to Mike Johnson’s Chamber of Commerce’s ability to lead the Chamber of Commerce. Republicans currently hold a thin majority in the House, 219-214.

Contribution: Vivienne Jones of Tennessee

Trump sells student loans, ponders. can he?

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Trump sells student loans, ponders. can he?

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Would you notice if the U.S. government sold student loans to the private market?

That’s the question 45 million federal student loan borrowers may be asking. The Trump administration is considering selling a portion of the federal government’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio into the private market.

No decision is imminent, the sources said. Politico first reported the potential move.

Lenders routinely sell loans, such as mortgages, to banks, mutual funds, and other large investors, freeing up money to issue new loans. Other than sending the payment to the new company, the borrower is usually unaware. The original terms of the loan remain the same, including the interest rate, monthly payments, and loan term.

But federal student loans may be different because the U.S. government offers protections that private companies may not, experts said.

For example, “selling loans reduces the ability of future administrations to seek to create moratoriums on loans, which may be a major concern that administrations seek to address.”

Former President Joe Biden suspended student loan repayments for about 3.5 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Can Trump sell federal student loans?

The law allows portfolios of federal student loans to be sold if there is no cost to taxpayers, experts told USA Today.

And it’s not the first time the sale has occurred in recent years. In 2019, the first Trump administration explored similar options, a source familiar with recent conversations noted.

Trump also suggested handing over student loans to another agency in a March executive order that sought to shut down the federal Department of Education. “(The department) needs to return banking functions to entities equipped to serve America’s students, not banks,” he said at the time.

The sale could be part of Trump’s broader desire to shut down the department, one of his signature 2024 campaign promises.

Is the sale less costly to the taxpayer?

Experts say it’s not clear. That’s because private buyers are more likely to value lower student loan portfolios than governments.

For example, the results of a 2019 analysis by McKinsey consultants to assess the value and credit profile of the Direct Loan portfolio were “poor. An estimated 45% of the loans in the portfolio were not expected to be repaid,” said the Project on Predatory Student Lending, a legal organization representing student borrowers.

Moreover, private companies were less aggressive in their collections. Experts said they cannot garnish wages and other benefits without first going to court.

That’s “a high bar to argue that selling loans doesn’t cost taxpayers money,” Smatters said.

What if my student loan is sold?

The first thing you might notice is when your federal student loans are sold to private investors.

Digging deeper, terms may need to change for a sale to occur. Again, you will not be allowed to garnish your wages or benefits to help pay off your loan without going to court. It also does not give the borrower unlimited time to repay the loan. Experts said these are only given to the federal government.

According to PPSL, there is another issue with the terminology change.

“Laws that strip repayment rights or other favorable terms from student loan agreements may trigger obligations to compensate student loan borrowers for the loss of those terms,” according to the group.

Having to compensate 45 million Americans to have their repayment rights stripped could give borrowers their first financial boost, he said. But that would negate some of the Trump administration’s potential savings because the government would be on the hook to pay them.

Medora Lee is a money, markets and personal finance reporter for USA Today. You can contact her at mjlee@usatoday.com and subscribe to the free Daily Money Newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

Publix announces shareholder dividend payments for the fourth quarter

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Publix announces shareholder dividend payments for the fourth quarter

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  • Publix’s board declared its fourth quarterly dividend of 11.05 cents per share.
  • Dividends will be paid to record shareholders on November 3 as of October 15th.
  • Publix Stock is private and can only be purchased by current employees and board members.

The Publix board of directors has set a fourth quarter dividend on common stock of 11.05 cents per October.

Dividends will be mailed or mailed as a check to shareholders of direct deposits or records on November 3rd, according to the company’s press release.

As of February 4th, the decrement of the holders of our common stock records was approximately 247,000.

In case you miss it: Publix increased sales by 4.6% in 2024 to $59.7 billion

Publix is ​​owned by employees and the company’s common stock is not publicly available. Common stock can be purchased by current employees and board members.

According to Publix’s website, the current stock price, last adjusted on August 1st, is $21.15. On March 1st, the stock rose to $19.20 and rose again on May 1st to $20.20.

Florida-based Publix Super Markets Inc. is one of the 10 largest supermarket chains in the United States. Retail sales reached $59.7 billion in 2024. The grocery store employs more than 260,000 people.

According to the Publix website, the grocery store operates 1,421 stores, 10 distribution centers and 10 manufacturing facilities in eight southeastern states.

Which social security services are available during government closures?

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Which social security services are available during government closures?

Social Security payments will not be interrupted, but additional SSA services could be a different story.

Dana George
|Motley Fool

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Services available

The following list of services will be available, but customers may need more patience as there are fewer staff available to accommodate. According to SSA, local social security agencies will continue to offer the following services: Office:

  • We will help you apply for benefits
  • Supporting appeals
  • Change your address or direct debit information
  • Accept death reports
  • Check or change your citizenship status
  • Reissue a lost or lost Social Security payment
  • Issuing important payments
  • Change of representative recipient
  • Procedure for changes to residence or income (SSI beneficiaries only))
  • Issuing a new or replacement Social Security card

If a hearing is scheduled by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), nothing will change. The hearing office is open as usual.

There is a high chance that the service will be stopped

Until the government reopens, Social Security offices will not be able to:

  • Exchange Medicare cards
  • Issuing an income certificate
  • Update or modify your revenue record
  • Processing beneficiary accounting via the representative beneficiary
  • Handling pre-release agreements for incarcerated individuals
  • Answer questions from third parties
  • Respond to requests under the Freedom of Information Act
  • Continuing IT strengthening activities, public relations activities, and training
  • Handling overpayments

Announcement of Livelihood Cost Adjustment (COLA)

COLA is determined by measuring inflation. There are a variety of indices, but the most common is the consumer price index. Usually announced in October, Labor Statistics Bureau releases inflation report for September, If the closure continues, this will become impossible, delaying the report and COLA release.

Experts predict that COLA will be around 2.7% in 2026. The current government closures will not affect this increase as government data has already been collected for September.

The COLA announcement has only been delayed once. This delay arrived in 2013 14 days late. However, as expected, the increase began at the beginning of the new year, the amount of benefits received by Social Security recipients was not affected.

Make the most of difficult situations

SSA is planning precisely on situations like government closures, but the reality that employees will suddenly be operating with 10% cuts will have an impact on services.

To fill this gap, SSA suggests creating a free service. my If you don’t have a Social Security account yet. Most of the services available at local offices are typically handled online through a personal account.

Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner that provides financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people control their economic lives. The content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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The history of beef between Trump and Bad Bunny

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The history of beef between Trump and Bad Bunny

Trump said he “had never heard of” Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny in 2026. But the reggaeton superstar has been speaking out about Trump’s immigration crackdown and how he responds to the Puerto Rico hurricane.

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You probably have never heard of Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio. But you probably know him by his stage name, Bad Bunny.

Unless you’re President Donald Trump.

On October 6, Trump told News Max’s Greg Kelly that he “had never heard of Bud Bunny, the Puerto Rican music megastar, which was recently announced as the headlining of the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

In an interview with Trump, Kelly claimed that Bud Bunny “hate ice” and that “denies everything he doesn’t like racism.” The conservative news host also pushed the president whether viewers should boycott the NFL for their choice of Super Bowl halftime entertainer.

In response, Trump said: “I’ve never heard of him. I don’t know who he is, I don’t know why they’re doing it, it’s crazy. And they blame the promoters they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

A reggaeton superstar who sings almost exclusively in Spanish, Bad Bunny is one of the most popular music artists in the world. He was Spotify’s most streamed artist for three years from 2020 to 2022. His sixth studio album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” — this is a love letter to Puerto Rico, where he spent the week at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart earlier this year.

Here’s how Trump and Bud Bunny have clashed politically and culturally over the years:

Bad Bunny vs Trump’s immigration policy

The Trump administration has enacted a widespread immigrant raid and rollback on immigrant protection. And Bud Bunny wasn’t silent about it.

Bad Bunny did not schedule US appearances for his latest world tour, including stops at Latin America, Australia, Europe and Japan. Prior to the tour, he held a residency in Puerto Rico from July 11th to September 14th, bringing thousands of fans from around the world to the island.

In an interview published on September 10, Bad Bunny said immigration and customs enforcement crackdowns were part of the reasons he chose not to bring the tour to the US

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, but none of them left the hatred,” he told ID Magazine. “…but there was a problem like (exped) ice, like (my concert), which is something we were talking about and was very concerned about.”

“Nuevayol” music video clearly swipes with a playing card

Bud Bunny also appears to have issued a previously pointed statement about Trump’s anti-immigration policy in the music video for his song “Nuevayor,” the first track from his latest album. After showing the Puerto Rican flag hanging on the Statue of Liberty’s forehead, the voice that sounds like a play from Trump’s radio sounds like this:

“I made a mistake. I want to apologise to the American immigrants,” the voice says. “…I want to say there’s nothing without immigration. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku5v5wzvcve

Maga Allies criticize Super Bowl halftime choice

Several Trump allies have criticised the NFL choice as the Bad Bunny was announced as a Super Bowl headliner.

Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager and current advisor to the Department of Homeland Security, last week suggested that Ice Agent could be in next year’s Super Bowl.

Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem later claimed that the administration would send immigration officers to Levi’s stadium in Santa Clara, California, calling the NFL “very weak” because of performer choices, according to Fox News.

Bad Bunny supported Kamala Harris after the “Kil Tony” controversy

Bud Bunny supported former vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

The move comes after a comedian describing Puerto Rico as a “trash floating island” at one of Trump’s closing campaign rally. A comment from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe went under the stage name Kill Tony, sparking widespread backlash. The Trump campaign at the time issued a statement that the statement did not reflect the views of the candidates at the time.

After Hinchcliffe’s comments went viral, Bad Bunny shared a video of Harris criticizing Trump’s actions against Puerto Rico when he was president. In her Instagram Story, Bad Bunny shared a post from Harris’ Instagram account, which outlines her agenda on the island.

He then shared a clip of Harris’s post. “I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he didn’t when Puerto Rico needed a compassionate and capable leader.

Bad bunny critical of Trump’s hurricane response in Puerto Rico

During Trump’s first presidency, two consecutive hurricanes, including Hurricane Maria, destroyed Puerto Rico in 2017. Approximately 3,000 people have been killed and thousands have been evacuated.

Bad Bunny at the time criticized the Trump administration’s response and lack of aid to the island following Hurricane Maria. Also, when he visited after he was devastated, Trump, throwing paper towels into the crowd, became a virus.

At the 2017 benefits concert for Hurricane Reliefs in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean, Bad Bunny wrote a shirt that looked like it was being directed at Trump.

Or in English: “Are you a tweeter or a president?”

Contributions: Kinsey Crowley, Pamela Avila, Taijuan Moorman, USA Today

Dick Van Dyke jokes about missing his 100th birthday

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Dick Van Dyke jokes about missing his 100th birthday

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Dick Van Dyke maintains his signature wit as he approaches a milestone birthday.

The 99-year-old “Mary Poppins” star made a dark joke about her upcoming 100th birthday while attending the Vandy High Tea event in Malibu, Calif., on Oct. 5, according to People magazine.

“I won’t officially turn 100 until December,” he said, according to the newspaper. “Two months, two months. It would be weird if I didn’t make it in time.”

Van Dyke attended the event with his wife, Arlene, to raise money for the Van Dyke Foundation for the Arts and the Dick Van Dyke Museum. When a fan asked him what his secret to looking young was, he pointed to his wife and said the secret was “right next to me,” according to a video of the event shared on Instagram.

Van Dyke will turn 100 on December 13th.

In November, the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” star will publish a companion book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life,” in which he “reveals the secrets to maintaining your joie de vivre and making the most of the life you’ve been given,” according to the publisher.

“Amazing” Dick Van Dyke At 99 years old, he trains his muscles in the gym with Rick Springfield.

On his birthday weekend, Fathom Entertainment will also release Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration. The film is described as a mix of “classic TV and movie clips, heartfelt interviews with Van Dyke and his legendary co-stars, and a moving visit with the star to his hometown of Danville, Illinois.” It will be screened in theaters for two days only, December 13th and December 14th.

dick van dyke Absent from event due to health: “Today is not a good day”

Van Dijk withdrew this weekend, nearly three months after withdrawing from the event due to health issues in June. At the time, his wife told fans, “When you’re 99 and a half years old, you have good days and bad days.” “Unfortunately, today is not a good day for him.”

However, ahead of the 100th anniversary of Van Dyke’s birth, singer Rick Springfield recently became a hot topic when he revealed on Instagram that he encountered the legendary actor at the gym and was impressed by the 99-year-old’s training methods.

“I was filming an episode of Men’s Health and I went to the gym and guess who else was there but 99 year old Dick Van Dyke working out on all the machines,” Springfield posted. “I thought he was doing well for a 76-year-old, but Dick got up off the chest press machine and did a little dance step before I left! ❤️ Amazing!”

Government shutdown scams include these risks, officials warn

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Government shutdown scams include these risks, officials warn

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As Congress faces another budget impasse, consumer watchdog groups are warning Americans to be wary of scams exploiting fears of a possible government shutdown.

Scammers are already taking advantage of the uncertainty to target federal employees, contractors and benefit recipients with false claims about lost wages, suspension of benefits and emergency relief, state attorneys general and federal officials said.

“These scams are designed to prey on people’s fears during the shutdown,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said this week, warning residents not to click on links or share personal information in unsolicited messages.

Consumer fraud and fraud: FTC sees sharp rise in losses from ‘send money to protect’ financial scams

Officials say common tactics include calls or emails from scammers posing as Social Security, Medicare or food assistance officials. This message may falsely warn that the benefit will be withheld unless the recipient pays a fee or verifies their personal data. Other scams offer “relief programs” or “wage protection services” that request advance payments via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.

Consumer advocates argue that the shutdown period could also cover phishing email and text message attacks with subject lines like “Government Shutdown Notice” and “Benefits Suspended.” Clicking on these links can expose victims to malware or direct them to fake login pages designed to steal credentials.

Although federal government operations may be slowed or reduced, government officials have stressed that most benefits, including Social Security, Medicare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments, will not be terminated by the shutdown. Additionally, the government will never request money or confidential information over the phone or via email.

The Federal Trade Commission warned that some consumer protection services may be limited during the shutdown, which could embolden scammers. Victims are asked to report fraud to their state attorneys general or, if possible, through the FTC’s complaint system.

Herschel Walker confirms joining the Trump team as ambassador

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Herschel Walker confirms joining the Trump team as ambassador

Herschel Walker, a longtime ally of Trump, ran for the 2022 Senate election and was eliminated. He is currently heading to the Bahamas as representative of the Trump administration.

Jasper Ward
|Reuters

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 Reuters – The US Senate on Tuesday appointed former NFL star and political candidate Herschel Walker as the next US ambassador to the Bahamas, and approved filling the post that had been vacant for about 15 years.

Walker has become one of more than 100 candidates confirmed in one vote after Republicans changed Senate rules to allow them to recognize President Donald Trump’s candidate more quickly.

Bahamian ambassador to the US Wendal Jones welcomed the approval and told Reuters: “He will be warmly welcomed by the Bahamians, who are widely known for his hospitality.”

more: President-elect Donald Trump appointed Herschel Walker as ambassador to the Bahamas

He added that Walker is “in an advantageous position to help both governments communicate on many issues of mutual concern.”

Despite its close ties with the US, the Bahamas have no ambassadors since 2011. According to the State Department’s Historical Office, the Bahamas were one of only five countries that have not had an ambassador for more than a decade, including Bolivia and Cuba.

Walker, 63, ran for the 2022 Georgia Senate election as a Republican, but was narrowly defeated by Democrat Rafael Warnock. He was appointed ambassador in December by his longtime ally, then-President-elect Donald Trump.

more: Georgia 2022 Senate Runoff election summary: Warnock wins elections, pushing up the Democratic majority

A State Department spokesman said Walker would be “a true advocate for the US-first foreign policy agenda,” and his appointment would help promote US interests in the Bahamas Islands, located within 90 miles of Florida.

Walker will take the post amid growing concerns from the US over China’s growing presence in the archipelago.

“It’s more important than ever to have an ambassador. China is actively projecting power and malicious influence,” Walker said at a confirmation hearing last month. “The company has built a nearly $3 billion deep sea port and is making other investments in confidential areas that could affect the national security of the United States.”

The Chinese government has invested in major tourism hubs, transshipment ports and national stadiums in the Bahamas, and has recently agreed to fund new hospitals in Nassau through loans from China’s Export and Import Bank.

Bahamian Chinese officials denied their desire for influence and called China a “trusted friend and long-term partner.”

Dr. Robert Evan Ellis, a Latin American expert at the US Army University, said that the growing economic and security presence in the Bahamas requires further attention from the US government.

He added that Walker’s arrival was a sign of Trump’s interest in the region and could ultimately benefit U.S. relations.

Mariners vs. Tigers live updates, scores, highlights, Detroit weather

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Mariners vs. Tigers live updates, scores, highlights, Detroit weather

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For the first time in 16 days, the Detroit Tigers will play their home game Tuesday afternoon, hosting the Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

The Tigers returned to Cleveland for a wildcard round after finishing the regular season on the road in a series with the Guardians and Red Sox, and played the first two games of Seattle’s ALDS. And how things have changed in my 16 days.

When they last won the field at Comerica Park, the Tigers were hearing boos on an eight-game winning streak that cost a central division title. Now they are looking after their business from home and are about to reach the AL Championship Series.

But first thing first. ALDS is tied up after the Tigers won one of two in Seattle. They have veteran Jack Flaherty (4.64 ERA in the regular season) on the mound with fellow Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (6-6, 3.44).

But it can derail the excitement of returning home in Detroit. Thunderstorm bands are expected to move around the area this afternoon, with delays or postponements possible.

The Detroit Tigers finally reached Logan Gilbert at the bottom of the five innings.

Gilbert began the inning by ringing Dillon Dingler, and Dingler advanced second through a sacrifice bunt. Javy Baez’s single placed the runners for the first and third time.

It seemed like the Mariners might escape the unharmed innings, but they were unable to complete the double play, allowing Dingler to score. When Gleyber Torres took root, the score ended there.

The Mariners lead 4-1.

Detroit’s counterattack was completely flat after two more runs surpassed Seattle on the fourth top. Logan Gilbert fired up the middle of the Detriot lineup and finished the inning with a strikeout to Zack McKinsley.

Heading into the fifth inning, it’s still 4-0 Seattle.

After Suarez Homer, Flaherty struck Victor Robles after walking the next batter. It was his day. The Tigers brought Tommy Kahn, who quickly walked through JP Crawford. Kernel needed 13 pitches to record his first out, a strikeout to Landia Rosalenna.

Cal Lowry had two outs and sent the first pitch back in the middle to drive for Canzone, the first RBI in the series. It’s now a 4-0 mariner.

Luckily, the innings end after a high fly ball from Julio Rodriguez is tracked by Riley Green.

The Tigers were unable to answer Seattle’s two-run third place, and Seattle expanded their lead after Eugenio Suarez, who appeared as the Detroit Tiger, led the fourth top by blowing up a solo shot into the left field.

It’s now a 3-0 mariner.

Faced with a two-run deficit, the Tigers scored the runners with the score this inning. However, the Tigers struggled with runners in scoring this postseason, talliing only three hits in positions scored with men in 17 at-bats throughout the first two games of the series.

The responsibility fell to Colt Keith and brought the Tigers back into battle. Keith couldn’t do that.

He certainly gave his best efforts and sent the flyball to deep center field, but there was too much room to spare, and Giulio Rodriguez had no trouble securing the inning final.

I’ll go for the four innings. Seattle leads 2-0.

After four straight base runners allowed the lead three innings, Flaherty hit Giulio Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco to settle into the ditch.

Josh Naylor gave Tigers fans a bit of terror and sent a deep fly ball into the center of the right. However, the ball stays in the yard and breaks both Arozarena and Laurie at the base.

It’s 2-0 towards the bottom of the third.

After being held back on hitless in the first two innings, the Mariners scored three straight hits. This time, Randy Arozarena brought Flaherty back into the middle, allowing Crawford to score from second place.

It’s currently 2-0 Seattle.

Victor Robless led the third bottom with a double leading, putting the man in a scoring position without anyone out. This was the best chance to win a Seattle run. After all, this was their first base runner and was out less than two times.

They don’t even have to wait long for the fireworks to begin. JP Crawford’s single pushed Robles to number three as a throw from Riley Greene went home. However, the throw passes Dingler at the plate and Robble can score on a very close play. Meanwhile, Crawford has also reached 2 base.

Seattle leads 1-0, then another runner with a score at the top of the lineup.

Two innings and two hits from Logan Gilbert. Still, the Tigers don’t do much with bass runners. The Mariners fell silently, despite Dillon Dingler reaching the base on Line Drive to the center right.

This is preparation for a pitcher’s duel. This remains unconscious in the third one.

The veteran right side faced a bit of trouble in the second. Gleyber Torres’ second great play and a dig from Torkelson first drove Josh Naylor out of base pass. However, after that play, Flaherty was counted completely by Eugenio Suarez. Flaherty then threw a broken ball under the zone and placed Suarez, the first base runner of the Seattle game.

The two outs and the runners were the only runners first, and the Mariners couldn’t do any damage.

We are still tied to zero.

After Flaherty was strong first, the Tigers had the opportunity to take an early lead. We were watching the first hit of the first contest, but that wasn’t enough to land the Tigers run. It still can’t enter the second frame.

Obviously, the rain delays had little effect on Tigers starter Jack Flaherty. Flaherty placed Marina in turn. Instant Replay took a while to check for groundouts innings, but otherwise Flaherty had little trouble kicking off the game.

It’s heading scoreless towards the starting bottom.

Where to watch Tigers vs. Mariners Game 3

Game 3 of the American League Division Series is airing on FS1. Adam Amin will be responsible for play-by-play duties as AJ Pierzynski, Adam Wainwright and analysts, and Tom Verducci reporting from the field.

Watch the Mariners vs. Tigers on Fabo

What time is the Tigers vs. Mariners game today?

The first game of the double header of the American League Division Series is 4:08pm From Detroit.

Finally, the prophecy was fulfilled! I’m playing baseball in Detroit today.

MLB announced that the first pitch is expected to arrive at 7pm ET.

The game will air on FS1 until the start of the Blue Jays Yankees at 8pm. From that point on, the game will air on FS2. It can also be viewed in the MLB network and the Fox One app.

The game is a few hours behind at this point, but many fans have expressed excitement about the delay.

The game was originally scheduled to start at 4:08pm ET/1:08 PM PT. That was at least an hour before most fans left their jobs. That means they would have had to miss a part of the game. West Coast fans would have risked missing out on the entire game.

However, this delay not only gave fans a better opportunity to watch their favorite games, but also introduced the absurdity of MLB scheduling games when some fans were unable to attend or watch.

Detroit’s rain delays have been much longer than expected, and could even be reduced to the airtime of Game 3 of the series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees (Blue Jays lead 2-0).

If that happens, the Mariners and Tigers game 3 will shift to FS2, allowing Toronto vs. New York to play in FS1.

Game 3 was supposed to start at 4:08 PM ET, but it doesn’t seem to happen. The tarp is still in the fields and the rain is still falling heavily.

According to the National Weather Service, forecasts predict that rain over Detroit will last until 5pm local time.

In the top 5 series, Game 3 has the most important trend among them.

This is the starting pitcher for today’s game:

  • Tigers: RHP JackFlaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA)
  • Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (6-6, 3.44 ERA)

Gilbert threw twice this year towards the Tigers. He recorded no wins or losses in either game. That said, the Mariners got 1-1 in those games, with the Mariners getting a total of nine runs and the Tigers getting an eight. Gilbert allowed five runs (3 wins) in 10.1 innings pitched in these two games.

Meanwhile, Flaherty threw only one game all year round with Seattle, resulting in an 8-4 loss. Flaherty surrendered two successful runs in five innings in that matchup.

  1. Randy Arozarena (R)LF
  2. Cal Raleigh(S)c
  3. Julio Rodriguez (R) cf
  4. Jorge Polanco (S) 2b
  5. Josh Naylor (L) 1b
  6. Eugenio Suárez (R) 3b
  7. Dominik Song (L) DH
  8. Victor Robles (R)RF
  9. JP Crawford (L)SS
  1. Kelly Carpenter (L) RF
  2. Gleyber Torres (R) 2b
  3. Keith’s Correis (L) DH
  4. Riley Green (L) LF
  5. Spencer Torkelson (R) 1b
  6. Zach McKinstry (L) 3b
  7. Dillon Dangles c
  8. Parker Meadows (L) cf
  9. Javier Báez (R) SS

The series is tied to 1-1

  • Game 1: Saturday, October 4th – Tigers 3, Mariners 2 (11 innings)
  • Game 2: Sunday, October 5th – Mariners 3, Tigers 2
  • Game 3: Tuesday, October 7th – Mariners Tigers, 4:08pm
  • Game 4: Wednesday, October 8th – Tigers’ Mariners, Time TBA
  • Game 5: Friday, October 10th (If necessary) – Mariners Tiger, Time TBA

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