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Want to buy a house? Here's how much you need earn to afford one in Chicago

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA/NEXSTAR) — Buying a house in the U.S. isn't cheap, and according to a report from Redfin, it is now harder than ever to afford one.Sky-high mortgage rates and rising home prices have made it more difficult than ever, especially for first-time home buyers, Redfin said in the report, which was released Tuesday.The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan rose to 7.57% from 7.49% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said earlier this month. It's the highest level in more than two decades.To afford a median-priced U.S. home now, Redfin said buyers must earn $114,627, up 15% ($15,285) from a year ago and up more than 50% since the start of the pandemic. The real estate website said a typical household earns about $40,000 less than that. This is the wealthiest person in your state, new Forbes report shows "Hourly wages have risen in 2023, but not nearly as fast as the income necessary to afford a home is rising: The average U.S. hourly wage has increased by&nbs...

Amazon expands drone delivery service in College Station, reveals new plans

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) – Amazon announced Wednesday it would expand its drone program – called Prime Air – to start delivering pharmaceutical products to customers in College Station by drone. Customers in College Station can now choose more than 500 prescription medications to be delivered by drone in less than an hour, according to Amazon. Amazon so far has piloted Prime Air in College Station and Lockeford, California. Stakeholders told KXAN that the drones have successfully delivered thousands of packages to customers since it began in December 2022.  “It's not only just a cool factor because it's the future – It's a drone,” said Ryan Greenlese, an Amazon Prime Air flight operator. “But also, it's saving the environment…These are reusable batteries that we can recharge. We're not using fossil fuels, and [our] packaging is all recyclable material.” Amazon also announced it would expand the Prime Air program to another U.S. city, the U.K. and Italy ...

Farmington teen killed in motorcycle collision in southern Minnesota

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

EAGLE LAKE, Minn. — An 18-year-old motorcyclist from Farmington was killed in a crash on U.S. 14 east of Eagle Lake late Tuesday afternoon.Tyler James Schmitz, 18, died in the 5:37 p.m. crash at the intersection of eastbound Highway 14 and 610th Avenue, about two miles east of Eagle Lake in southern Minnesota, according to the State Patrol.Schmitz was heading east on Highway 14 on a 1999 Honda CBR 600 when the motorcycle and a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu collided.The Malibu — driven by Collin Troy O’Brien, 27, of Elysian — had been westbound on Highway 14 and was heading south on 610th Avenue at the time of the crash, the State Patrol report stated.O’Brien was transported to the Mankato hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Schmitz was wearing a helmet but suffered fatal injuries. The investigation is continuing.Related ArticlesLocal News | South St. Paul receives $800,000 for Wakota Crossing redevelopment project Local News | ...

Aging U.S. power grid to get $3.5B update; Minnesota to share largest grant

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced $3.5 billion for 58 projects across the country to strengthen electric grid resilience as extreme weather events such as the deadly Maui and California wildfires continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems.The largest grant, $464 million, will go to improve five transmission projects across Minnesota and six other Midwestern states, from Iowa to North Dakota. The money includes $95 million previously announced for Hawaii in the wake of devastating wildfires this summer, and $150 million to PacifiCorp to upgrade the grid and boost wildfire mitigation in California, Oregon, Utah and other states.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the $464 million grant to the state Department of Commerce and its partners for five high-voltage transmission lines in seven states will spur about $1 billion in private investments, reducing costs to ratepayers and providing communities with a range of benefits.“Minnesota is proud to lead the way on d...

BCSD files complaint with FAA

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

DELMAR, N.Y. (NEWS10) — After a licensed drone operator was caught flying a drone over a couple of elementary schools in Bethlehem Central School District, the district has now filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In New York, no laws prohibit the use of licensed drones around schools. But the district said in a statement that is unsettling for both families and the district itself. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The only issue is that a person flying a drone over a school is not recognized as unauthorized, according to the agency. Crystal Essiaw, from the FAA, in a statement:“The FAA looks into all reports of any unauthorized drone operations and investigates when appropriate. The agency does not have criminal prosecution authority.”There are a variety of drones sold at stores, but the agency says drone operators should still pay attention to both FAA and local laws. Including when a drone require...

Plan unveiled for new Black cultural center in Albany

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Community leaders in Albany unveiled plans for a new Black arts and culture center in the city. The Alice Moore Black Arts and Cultural Center is replacing the African-American Culture Center of the Capital Region, which was dissolved because of a lack of funding.The new organization will be housed in the same building on South Pearl Street. Leaders are planning to buy property next door and add rental apartments and affordable housing on the upper floors of both. It will help the center bring in revenue and address housing shortages in the area. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "We've already been approached by developers who find this space very valuable, and as a matter of fact, asked us to sell it to them," Alice Green, president of the Alice Moore Foundation, said. "But we said no. Our commitment is to this community and to arts and cultural programming, and that's what we will do with it."Former bo...

Body of missing kayaker recovered from Bowles Reservoir in Lakewood

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

Search crews early Wednesday recovered the body of a 67-year-old man who went missing while kayaking on Bowles Reservoir in Lakewood a day earlier.West Metro Fire Protection District crews and Lakewood police officers responded to a water rescue at Bowles Reservoir near Marston Lake at about 2 p.m. Tuesday after a kayak was found overturned in the water and a local resident was missing.UPDATE: rescue operation has now turned into recovery. Divers completed exhaustive sonar search of reservoir, with extensive underwater search, and did not find anyone. Diving conditions are challenging, with little to no visibility under the surface. 1/2 https://t.co/AhBhttUOkZ pic.twitter.com/hPE7dlxfBe— WestMetroFire (@WestMetroFire) October 17, 2023Crews used sonar to search the reservoir, and after several hours the rescue turned into a recovery effort, according to posts by West Metro Fire on X.Related ArticlesColorado News | Rocky Mountain National Park closes portion of park a...

Kiszla: Free Justin Simmons! Broncos captain deserves better than to go down with this sinking ship.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

Broncos safety Justin Simmons is living proof that bad football happens to good people.Free Justin Simmons. He deserves better than this stinkin’ mess in Denver.If the Broncos do nothing else between now and the NFL trade deadline on Oct. 31, here’s hoping they do right by Simmons and let him join a team that knows how to win.His tale of football woe has been well-documented: Simmons arrived in 2016 as a third-round draft choice, too late to ride in the victory parade celebrating Super Bowl 50, but just in time to huddle around a dumpster fire nobody knows how to extinguish. Now in his eighth NFL season, Simmons has never been to the playoffs, lost 75 of 120 games and listened to five head coaches sell him a bill of goods.After being conditioned to disappointment, does a man ever get used to the bitter taste of defeat?“It doesn’t get any easier,” Simmons said Wednesday.This might be the worst team in the 64-season history of the Broncos, and know what the real bummer is? It co...

SoCal disabled dog crew to be featured in charity calendar, receive special honor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

A group of disabled dogs from Huntington Beach are being honored with a special an award and a photo in an upcoming charity calendar.The "Unstoppable Dogs," Peedy, Pop, Zeek and Little Eddie, will be featured in the 2024 Walkin Pets Calendar — a special calendar published each year that raises money to help disabled and injured pets in need get wheelchairs. Walkin' Pets is a maker of mobility products for disabled animals. The company says it's helped nearly 2 million animals enjoy active, healthier lifestyles in its 20 years of doing business.The Unstoppable Dogs, Peedy, Pop, Zeek, and Little Eddie) from Huntington Beach are to be featured in a popular calendar that raises money for disabled dogs across the globe.The Unstoppable Dogs crew has a large following on social media and has been featured by popular animal interest account, the Dodo. They were among hundreds of entries from 26 countries across the globe hoping to be featured in the upcoming calendar. As part of their selec...

Newsom signs bill allowing cities, counties to ban artificial turf

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:20 GMT

Despite increasing popularity due to a yearslong statewide drought, artificial turf is a new enemy of the California State Legislature.A bill signed into law by Governor Newsom this year would allow cities and counties to ban synthetic lawns over health concerns associated with so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, that have been linked to health concerns, including cancer.An environmental expert at USC said more research should be done to determine the actual health impact, but was concerned about the plastics entering the water supply.Newsom stopped short of an outright ban on the turf as he vetoed a different bill that would have banned the "forever chemicals" and, in effect, the fake turf.