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How to know if US economy is in recession

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s report Thursday that the economy grew at a 1.1% annual rate last quarter signaled that one of the most-anticipated recessions in recent U.S. history has yet to arrive. Many economists, though, still expect a recession to hit as soon as the current April-June quarter — or soon thereafter.The economy's expansion in the first three months of the year was driven mostly by healthy consumer spending, yet shoppers turned more cautious toward the end of the quarter. Businesses also cut their spending on equipment, a trend that has continued.The list of obstacles the economy faces keeps growing. The Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark interest rate nine times in the past year to the highest level in 17 years, thereby elevating the cost of borrowing for consumers and businesses. Inflation has eased slowly but steadily in response. Yet price increases are still persistently high.And last month the collapse of two large banks resulted in a whole new threa...

Rock-throwing suspect said he and 2 others now 'blood brothers,' documents show

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) -- More information is surfacing about what led to the arrest of three high school seniors suspected of a rock-throwing crime spree that killed a 20-year-old woman.Arrest documents obtained by KDVR on Thursday outlined what led to the arrest of Joseph Koenig, Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak.Timeline of investigationAccording to the documents from the Jefferson County court, investigators located a camera near one of the incidents that showed three vehicles, one of which was driven by a victim and another driven by a witness. The only other vehicle on the road was tracked between multiple cameras and moving at a high speed, the affidavit showed. Father of rock-throwing suspect also arrested during investigation Investigators said they sent photos of the taillights to a Chevrolet employee. The vehicle was identified as a 2014-2016 Chevy Silverado pickup.On Tuesday, a person called police to explain that he and a coworker were talking abou...

Intense downpours become the norm in a warming world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Climate change is playing a critical role in enhancing extreme weather including rainfall patterns, intensity and flooding across the country. As the globe continues to warm (from greenhouse gas emissions) our atmosphere can hold more and more moisture. The air can hold an extra 4% of moisture for every 1°F of warming. This increased warming is enhancing these intense rainfall and flooding events. Warmer air holds more moistureOur partners over at Climate Central analyzed 150 cities in the United States and found that of those 150, 136 of them experienced an increase in rainfall intensity since 1970. This comes out to 91% of the analyzed cities experiencing an increase.Impacts of increased intensity of rain and downpours:More flash flooding events More landslides Negative impacts to agriculture including cropsDamage to infrastructureExposure to more hazardous debrisDisplaced contaminants including chemicals and sewage Increased water-borne diseasesTheir study shows t...

Actor Glen Powell to return to Austin to speak at UT graduation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for April 27, 2023. Glen Powell will be speaking at the University of Texas at Austin's Moody College of Communication graduation ceremony. This story has been updated.AUSTIN (KXAN) — A former UT Longhorn and Austin actor will be back on the 40 acres to deliver a graduation speech at the University of Texas at Austin.UT says Glen Powell will return to campus to deliver the keynote address at the Moody College of Communication graduation ceremony on May 5 at the Moody Center. Powell studied radio, television and film at UT and is an alumnus of the UTLA program, where he spent a semester in Los Angeles. At 19 he headed to Hollywood to pursue acting.He's best known for his roles in “Devotion,” “Hidden Figures,” and most recently in the blockbuster hit with Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick.” Austin actor soars alongside Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick Before landing big roles, Powell went to Westwood High School and...

Minnesota, Washington become trans refuges, shield abortions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

By LISA BAUMANN and STEVE KARNOWSKI (Associated Press)SEATTLE (AP) — Washington and Minnesota won’t cooperate with attempts to prosecute out-of-state patients seeking reproductive or gender-affirming procedures and treatment, under new laws signed Thursday by the two states’ Democratic governors.They’re the latest liberal states to enact legal safeguards as Republican legislators across the country are rushing to block or limit transgender and abortion health care. More than a dozen states have effectively banned abortion outright in the year since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade.“Freedom of choice is a health care issue. We are protecting access to health care,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, who wore a pink tie to the outdoor bill signing ceremony in Seattle. The laws block other states from using Washington- or Minnesota-run courts or judicial processes to enforce their bans — things like warrants, subpoenas,...

Minnesota State chancellor finalists make their case in public Q&A

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

The two finalists to lead the Minnesota State system of 26 colleges and seven universities delivered aspirational messages about higher education Thursday during back-to-back public forums.Tonja Johnson rejected the notion that college should simply be about workforce development.“I’m not interested in grooming students to just go into the workforce to push buttons,” she said. “We need to get students into our campuses so that they can be more than what people told them they can be.”Tonja Johnson, University of Alabama System senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs (Courtesy of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities)Scott Olson spoke of the Minnesota Miracle of 1971, when lawmakers overhauled the way the state pays for education in order to reduce inequities while also cutting property taxes.Equity in education was “the right dream, it just hasn’t been fully fulfilled yet,” Olson said, pointing to persistent and wide achievement gaps among racial and ethnic groups...

Kirill Kaprizov confident he will ‘break through’ when Wild need him most, which is now

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

Kirill Kaprizov had never gone four straight games without a point in his NHL career. Until now.To say the Wild have struggled to get Kaprizov going in the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars would be putting it lightly. He scored via a redirection in Game 1 and has been held in check ever since, with no points in Game 2, Game 3, Game 4, or Game 5. Not the best time for his worst stretch to date.Simply put, with the Wild on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center, they need more from their recently turned 26-year-old star.“Obviously it’s a bit frustrating,” Kaprizov said. “I’m confident this next game I should break through.”He better. Otherwise the Wild could be going home.After looking like a candidate for the Hart Trophy during the regular season, recording 40 goals and 35 assists despite only playing 67 games, Kaprizov hasn’t looked like himself in this playoff series. Asked if h...

Loons will be challenged by Philadelphia Union in next round of U.S. Open Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

Minnesota United will host Philadelphia Union in a U.S. Open Cup round of 32 match on May 9 or 10 at Allianz Field, per the draw released on Thursday.The Loons will have their hands full with a Union team that advanced to MLS Cup last season and currently is in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League against Los Angeles FC.Before the draw, Minnesota sought a home Open Cup match to avoid playing three straight road games. The Loons have MLS games at Vancouver on May 6 and at Sporting Kansas City on May 13.Manager Adrian Heath will tinker with lineups more than usual during this upcoming stretch.The Loons came back to beat USL Championship club Detroit City 3-1 in third round of the Open Cup in Michigan on Tuesday.If Minnesota wins again in Open Cup, their round of 16 opponent will be determined via another draw on May 11. That match would be played May 23 or 24.MLS clubs went 16-2 in the third round this week. The Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami were later winners in added e...

Suspect admits to stealing 32 firearms from gun store

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Thursday, Jonathon Combs pled guilty to two counts of theft of firearms, and using firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Combs admitted to stealing from Calamity Jane's Firearms and Fine Shoes on two separate occasions. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On the second occasion, Combs and a co-conspirator broke into the store with a sledgehammer and stole 31 semi-automatic pistols. They then exchanged most of the stolen firearms with another individual in return for cocaine.Combs faces at least five years and up to life in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. Two other defendants, Martin Taft, 48, and Kwahpreme Mitchell, 32, still face charges in this case.

The Orchestra Now performing at Fisher Center and Carnegie Hall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

RED HOOK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Orchestra Now (TŌN) will be putting on performances of "Before and After Soviet Communism" at The Fisher Center and Carnegie Hall. The program is dedicated to exploring rarely-heard masterpieces of Eastern European composers Karol Szymanowski, Boris Tishchenko and György Kurtág during the rise and fall of Soviet communism. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! TŌN, Bard College's graduate-level training orchestra, is a collection of 54 passionate young musicians from 13 different countries. Their mission is to make orchestral music relevant to 21st-century audiences by sharing their distinctive personal insights in a welcoming environment. The orchestra is conducted by music director, educator, and Bard College president Leon Botstein. The performances will feature several soloists including mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce, violinists Luosha Fang and Hiromi Kikuchi, as well as violists Ken Hakii and Ro...