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(FOX40.COM) — As the frenzy over Stanley cups continues across social media and in U.S. retailers, the Stanley company is responding to concerns over the presence of lead in its popular insulated cups.
Claims about the drinkware’s lead content bubbled up over the past few weeks, with some TikTok videos showing users testing Stanley cups for lead with at-home swab tests. Questions about the presence of lead, which is a natural metal that’s toxic to the human body, have caused Stanley to address the topic this week.
“Yes, Stanley uses lead in its manufacturing process for its cups, but they only pose a risk of lead exposure if the cover on the bottom of the tumbler comes off and exposes the pellet used to seal the cup’s vacuum insulation,” a Stanley spokesperson told TODAY.
The cover on the bottom that the representative is referring to is a round part on the bottom of the cups. That part can come off, if damaged, causing the lead pellet hidden inside to become exposed.
Stanley said no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that would come into contact with beverages.
In a separate statement to FOX Business, Stanley PMI, the manufacturing company, explained how the lead is used.
“At Stanley, one of the key features of our products is our vacuum insulation technology, which provides consumers with drinkware that keeps beverages at the ideal temperature,” Stanley PMI said. “Our manufacturing process currently employs the use of an industry standard pellet to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of our products; the sealing material includes some lead. Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers.”
So now you may still be worried: are Stanley cups safe to drink out of?
Stanley representatives are confident that their cups don’t pose any risk as long as the lead barriers on the cups aren’t compromised.
“All Stanley items comply with Prop 65 and FDA requirements,” Stanley said on its website. “Also, all contact surfaces are guaranteed to be safe and BPA-Free. The steel we use is 18/8, or grade 304, otherwise known as food-grade stainless steel. Like all of our products, our stainless-steel items must pass rigorous health and safety tests before making them available to the public.”
Consumers with questions or concerns about a potentially damaged or defective Stanley cup can contact Stanley directly.
The Eagles have turned to their biggest rival to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy.
Kellen Moore, who coached the Cowboys to three top-6 offensive rankings in four years in Dallas, will be the Eagles’ new offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday evening.
Moore replaces Brian Johnson, who was fired after three years with the Eagles, this past season as offensive coordinator. Moore will be the Eagles’ third offensive coordinator in three years.
Moore spent the last year with the Chargers as OC under Brandon Staley, who was fired last month and replaced by former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
Nick Sirianni said on Wednesday that whoever he brings in as offensive coordinator will bring in his own scheme and structure as opposed to calling plays within Sirianni’s offense.
“We’re bringing in a guy to bring in new ideas, to do the things that he’s done in the past,” he said Wednesday. “It’d be crazy not to add some of the things that we’ve done in the past here, as well. …
“We’re working on getting the best guy in here for the job and a guy who has a vision, a guy who’s going to call the plays, a guy who’s going to be able to coach a quarterback. … So it’s just about getting the right guy and then we’ll decide where that goes. But I’m hiring him to do a job and to be in charge of the offense.”
The Eagles did finish seventh in the NFL in scoring this past season, but the offense grew stale and predictable as the year went on. They scored fewer than 20 points in five of their last seven games, and in their wild-card loss in Tampa, the Eagles scored just nine points.
Moore, 35, spent parts of six seasons as a backup quarterback with the Lions (2012-14) and Cowboys (2015-17) before starting his coaching career in 2018 as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach. After one year, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and held that position from 2019 through 2022.
The Cowboys were ranked 6th, 17th, 1st and 4th in Moore’s four years running the offense, the first year under Jason Garrett and three under Mike McCarthy. Curiously, both Johnson and Moore coached Dak Prescott – Johnson at Mississippi State and Moore with the Cowboys.
After the Cowboys lost to the 49ers 19-12 in a conference semifinal game in Santa Clara last year, the Cowboys and Moore parted ways. A day later, he was hired by the Chargers, and in his one season in L.A. the Chargers went 5-12 and ranked 21st in offense.
Kellen was one of only three known candidates for the job. Former Cards head coach Kliff Kingsbury and Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson also interviewed. All three were big-time college quarterbacks.
That tells you how important this hire is to Jalen Hurts, whose performance declined under Johnson, who was coached in high school by Hurts’ father.
“It’s really important that those two guys are going to work hand in hand to make sure we’re getting back to where we need to be,” Sirianni said.
During Moore’s four years in Dallas as offensive coordinator and play caller, the Cowboys averaged 27.7 points per game – 2nd-most in the NFL behind the Chiefs’ 28.8. During his five years in Dallas as either QBs coach or OC, they had the 4th-most passing yards in the NFL with 256 per game.
Moore’s only NFL playing time came in with the Cowboys at the end of the 2015 season.
With Tony Romo injured and Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel struggling, Moore played in the last three games, starting two, and threw four touchdowns and six interceptions vs. the Jets, Bills and Washington. He threw for 435 yards with three TDs against Washington in his final NFL appearance. Moore is the first head coach or offensive or defensive coordinator in Eagles history who either played or coached with the Cowboys at any point before he joined the Eagles.
The Flyers looked out of gas, out of sorts, and way out of their depth.
Already on a skid from a grueling stretch ahead of the All-Star Break, the best-in-the-East Boston Bruins came into the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday and put a painful bow on it, embarrassing the Flyers in a 6-2 blowout that was over by the first intermission.
That’ll make it five straight losses for Philadelphia to counterbalance the five-game win streak that had them looking like one of the best teams in the NHL only a week ago, and a 1-5-0 record in the six games in nine days stretch that consisted of some of the league’s fiercest juggernauts.
The Flyers have come a long way already, and have done so to many’s surprise, but these past few games have been a brutal reminder of just how far they’ve yet to go.
“I like our team,” head coach John Tortorella said postgame of his club now that it’s the end of January. “When we played Dallas, it’s probably the best game I’ve seen a team play under me in a number of years. We’ve lost ourselves a little bit here.
“I think we’ve lost confidence offensively, although I thought we generated some offense today. It’s how the league works sometimes. You have some good weeks and you have some struggles. We’re having some struggles now. We just gotta try to put our head down, see if we can solve some problems, and get better.”
They’re already a lot better from what they were this time last year, and they’re still in the playoff picture heading into February even with the losing streak, but up against the league’s elite like Colorado, Tampa Bay, and then, of course, Boston – they don’t hold a candle to them. Not right now.
The experience isn’t there. The structure and discipline, though slowly but surely getting better, isn’t there yet either. And the game-changing, superstar-level talent in the way of a Nathan MacKinnon or a Nikita Kucherov or a David Pastrnak, it’s going to be a while before they have that, and it’s going to be a grind until then.
And with all due credit – a lot considering where the team has put itself at the outset of a clearly stated rebuild – the players have done well for the most part of staying with that grind and pulling off a good number of tough wins.
But it finally caught up to them this past week, and especially on Saturday with the Bruins looking faster, smarter, and far more talented.
The All-Star break, and the nine days off coming with it, couldn’t get here soon enough.
“I think we just gotta continue to do what we’re doing,” winger Travis Konecny, who has gone cold offensively of late, said. “Remind ourselves every day that we’ve put ourselves in a great spot as of where we are right now in the season and what we’ve done as far as in the standings.
“No one believed in us that we’d be here. So maybe it’s a good time for a break. Regroup, get some energy, enjoy some time with your family and friends, and then get back here.”
Pastrnak lit the lamp twice in the first period to reach 33 goals on the season, first with an uncontested snipe that he threaded right through the legs of Travis Sanheim and over the blocker of Samuel Ersson to the far side post and in, and then with a loose rebound put home after cycling out from behind the net.
Pavel Zacha retrieved the puck in the corner then slipped a cross-crease pass by everyone in orange to an unmarked Charlie McAvoy who snuck down low to complete the play, and Brandon Carlo threw a shot on from the point that deflected off the sticks of Nick Seeler and then teammate Danton Heinen in front to send the puck flying into the twine over the shoulder of Ersson.
The Flyer fell into a 4-0 hole all within the last six minutes of the opening frame, looking defensively lethargic on each surrendered tally, and leaving the ice to a chorus of boos from maybe the biggest crowd the arena has seen for a hockey game all season once the horn sound to signal the first intermission.
Ersson, who’s now getting his look as the No. 1 goaltender, gave up those four goals on just 14 shots and was pulled for Cal Petersen coming back out for the second. Going back to last Saturday against Colorado, when he checked in for a yanked Carter Hart, Ersson has gone 0-4-0 with 16 allowed goals after standing tall for much of November onward.
Old friend James van Riemsdyk cleaned up on another rebound soon after the switch to make it a 5-0 game, and aside from Tyson Foerster’s two goals late in the second and midway through the third, Boston pretty much cruised from there.
The Flyers, meanwhile, crumbled into aggravating penalties and defensive miscues that culminated in a final blunder from Sanheim that let Charlie Coyle score and pretty much summed up the entire day.
Yup.
“It’ll be behind most of us within the hour here,” Konecny said. “Just forget it. Burn the tape and move on.”
Konecny will travel to Toronto for the All-Star Game festivities next week, while the Flyers on the whole will get nine days off to process their recent struggles, rest, and reset – which will also hopefully be enough time to get Owen Tippett back healthy.
The Union is having another quiet offseason. While some moves have been made, there have been no needle-moving arrivals. Should the Union be trying to win with the same roster for the third consecutive season or is Ernst Tanner delaying the inevitable?
The Philadelphia Union has been a top team in MLS for 4 years now. With the 2024 season upon us, the club will not change its roster philosophy much. The Union is running it back with a similar roster for another year.
While this is a roster that has an MLS Cup appearance, as well as multiple semifinal appearances in continental tournaments, they have fallen short at every term. Given that record, should the Union’s aim be to run it back?
Minimal Roster Changes
Unfortunately, Union fans have had to sit on the side as other MLS teams announced exciting new signings. However, the Union wasn’t completely quiet.
The club did lock in a surprising return for left-back Kai Wagner. Additionally, Ernst Tanner made signings for future depth that would likely start the season on Union 2.
The most recent news is the Union has locked in a 1-year deal for long-time Union captain Alejandro Bedoya to return to the club. This comes just a few months after a reported falling out between Tanner and Bedoya, causing blowback from the fans.
This will very likely be Bedoya’s final year with the club. While Bedoya will add to his club record of 247 caps, the writing has been on the wall for a while that his playtime should be dwindling. Bedoya has found himself unavailable at key points of the last few seasons due to nagging injuries. One of the few roster changes we may see is Bedoya taking a step back. Whether as a 60-minute a game player or a full transition to the bench.
Is Running Back the Correct Philosophy?
Unfortunately, the Union’s “golden era” is starting to be known for falling short. The Union has fallen short in MLS Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and now Leagues Cup. From those teams, there have been minimal changes and additions to the team. Who is to say 2024 won’t be more of the same?
Now, the sport bounces differently every time. Without Gareth Bale, the Union have a star above their crest. If an offsides call was made in last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinal, maybe the Union would have eliminated the Supporters Shield winners in FC Cincinnati. The fact of the matter is the Union has been so close to glory, that it isn’t insane to try to get to the promised land with its roster.
However, the argument for that is a strong one. That is MLS is getting better. The best example is the league now houses Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez. While yes, Inter Miami is on their own pay scale, other MLS teams have grown past their fear of spending money on transfers. Other MLS teams are finding ways around MLS’ roster restrictions. Meanwhile, the Union are hoping the roset core that was built in 2021 can finally achieve success in 2024.
It is safe to say, fans of the club are unsure. This season is a huge question mark, and likely the last chance for this Union core to add to the Union’s shallow trophy case.
(NerdWallet) – Mortgage rates and home prices are high, and the number of homes for sale is meager. The recent housing market has been bleak for buyers, and NerdWallet’s 2024 Home Buyer Report — the eighth of its kind — indicates that while some folks finished 2023 feeling discouraged, other would-be homeowners felt downright defeated.
Less than one-quarter (23%) of Americans who began last year with the intention of buying a home were successful (having purchased or in the process of purchasing) by year’s end, according to the NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll in late November 2023. This is down from 34% two years ago, according to the 2022 report. As the longstanding aspiration of homeownership grew further out of reach during these past few years — due to unaffordability and a lack of houses for sale — it’s possible more would-be buyers don’t view homeownership as they once did. In fact, 64% of Americans say buying a home is not the measure of achievement it once was, according to the survey. And 56% of renters say they don’t think they’ll ever be able to afford homeownership.
The fact is, buying in 2023 was difficult. After a series of monthly declines, October marked the lowest number of annualized existing home sales in over 13 years, according to the National Association of Realtors. Still, in the face of adversity, at least some folks are hoping for improvements this year: 12% of Americans say they plan to buy in the next 12 months, according to the survey.
“2023 was terrible to home buyers, but 2024 will be better as mortgage rates fall and homes become more affordable,” says Holden Lewis, NerdWallet home and mortgages expert. “Actually, ‘less unaffordable’ might be a better way to say it. Buyers will likely struggle to find affordable homes in 2024, but the homebuying experience might not be as miserable as in 2023.”
Key findings
2023 buyers struggled to find success. More than three-fourths (77%) of Americans who began 2023 with the intention of buying a home fell short, an increase from 66% of unsuccessful would-be buyers in 2021.
Some buyer optimism seeps into 2024 home budgets. More than 1 in 10 (12%) of Americans say they plan to purchase a home in the next 12 months. On average, they hope to spend $274,800 — well under the national median sales price.
Overall, the current perspective is glum. About two-thirds (67%) of Americans say the housing market has never been worse for buyers than it is right now, and 64% of Americans believe a housing market crash is imminent in the next three years.
More cite obstacles to homebuying in 2024 than years past. About three-fourths (74%) of Americans say something is preventing them from buying a home in 2024, up from 69% in 2023, 63% in 2022 and 61% in 2021 and 2020.
The current market could have lasting impact. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans say buying a home is not the measure of achievement it once was, and 54% of Americans say there is too much pressure to own a home in the U.S., a sentiment more commonly felt among younger generations.
Looking back at 2023
As of Jan. 1, 2023, some 21% of Americans were hoping to purchase a home during the year, according to the survey. By the end of the year — Nov. 28-30, when our survey took place — 77% of those homebuying hopefuls had fallen short. That’s compared with 70% when we asked last year about 2022 buyers, and 66% when we asked about 2021.
Buying a home has proven increasingly difficult over the past few years. Average rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage topped out at about 7.8% in late October. Affordability, high rates and lack of inventory topped the reasons these would-be buyers fell short in 2023.
“There wasn’t a whole lot working in favor of home buyers this past year,” Lewis says. “Many opted out entirely due to high rates, but those who stuck it out faced tough competition in the face of depleted inventory.”
Home buyer tip: Many of the same homebuying challenges in 2023 will remain this year. Even if more homes are listed, it’s unlikely to be enough to warrant falling prices. Buyers in 2024 should prepare for another tough environment. Lower mortgage rates as the year progresses may make home payments more affordable, but they may also usher in greater competition.
Buying and budgets in 2024
Despite the tough 2023 market, at least some Americans may think their chances will improve this year: 12% of Americans plan to purchase a home in the next 12 months, according to the survey, and many of them (63%) hope to spend under $300,000, a lofty aspiration that may only be possible in the most affordable areas.
Americans planning to purchase a home in the next 12 months hope to spend $274,800, on average, or a median of $200,000. For context, the median price of existing homes sold in November, when the survey was fielded, was nearly $388,000, according to the National Association of Realtors. Nationwide, typical existing home prices have climbed more than 50% over the past five years, according to data from NAR. And it could be that some would-be buyers’ expectations have yet to catch up.
Plans to buy are more likely to be shared among younger generations and those who live in urban areas:
21% each of Generation Z (ages 18-26) and millennials (ages 27-42) plan to buy a home in the next 12 months, compared with 9% of Generation X (ages 43-58) and 4% of baby boomers (ages 59-77).
19% of urban Americans plan to buy a home in the next 12 months, compared with 10% of suburban and 8% of rural Americans.
However, at least some of this year’s buying hopefuls may be underprepared. Only 31% of those planning to buy in the next 12 months have started a down payment fund.
Home buyer tip: “Planning to buy and actually laying the foundation to make buying possible may be two very different things,” Lewis says. “A down payment, for example, can take years to amass. People hoping to buy this year or even within the next several years could benefit from strategic saving and keeping tabs on their credit long before they begin home shopping.”
Current reads on the housing market
Many Americans recognize that buying a home now could be a challenge. In fact, about two-thirds of Americans (67%) say it’s never been worse for buyers than it is right now, according to the survey. This sentiment is felt most strongly among the youngest generations: 74% of Generation Z say the housing market has never been worse for buyers than it is right now, compared with 71% of millennials, 66% of Gen X and 60% of baby boomers.
Younger generations have a unique perspective. For example, two-thirds of Americans (66%) believe current mortgage rates are unprecedented (“have never been what they are now”). More than three-quarters of Generation Z (77%) agree with this statement, 72% of millennials, 69% of Gen X and 53% of baby boomers. At the time of our survey, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was about 7.2%. That rate last broke 8% in 2000; it was over 10% a decade earlier, and peaked at over 18% in 1981.
When things feel bad, it’s not difficult to imagine them getting worse. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans believe a housing crash is imminent within the next three years, and fewer than half (45%) say buying a home in the current market is a smart investment.
“A lot of people might be hoping for a housing crash, in which homes lose much of their value,” Lewis says. “A crash would suddenly make homes affordable for a lot of people who have been priced out. But a crash is unlikely anytime soon. We’re more likely to see ongoing discomfort in the form of sustained high prices and a lack of inventory.”
Current buyer roadblocks
There can be many obstacles on the path to homeownership, and 74% of Americans say something is preventing them from pursuing homeownership or buying a new home in 2024, according to the survey. This has grown from 61% when we asked in the 2020 and 2021 Home Buyer Reports.
Just what those obstacles are varies between nonhomeowners and current owners. The top-cited obstacle for nonhomeowners is the increasingly high cost of living (inflation), where the top obstacle for current homeowners is mortgage rates.
Nearly half (45%) of nonhomeowners say that not having enough money saved for a down payment is holding them back. A bigger down payment can translate to a smaller and more affordable mortgage, but there’s evidence some nonhomeowners may be setting their sights unnecessarily high. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of renters say a 20% down payment is required to buy a home, when in fact there are several options available for lower-down-payment mortgages.
Home buyer tip: First-time home buyers may be eligible for programs that ease some of the traditional obstacles to homeownership. Those hoping to become homeowners for the first time may qualify for mortgages with less stringent standards and down payment assistance.
Changing buyer sentiment
A failed attempt to purchase a home or a market that’s very unfavorable to buyers may have lasting impact. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans say buying a home is not the measure of achievement it once was, an increase from 60% last year.
Further, feeling like you’re at the age where you should buy a home, given cultural norms and traditions, can be a source of stress when buying a home is far easier said than done. Over half (54%) of Americans say there is too much pressure to own a home in the U.S., a feeling most shared by the youngest — 60% of Generation Z, 60% of millennials, 56% of Gen X and 46% of baby boomers agree with this sentiment.
Not everyone wants to buy a home, though. Some Americans who rent (37%) say they plan on doing so forever. At least a share of renters are OK with that — 55% of renters say they prefer renting to all the expenses and effort of homeownership. Yet some may be resigning themselves to it — 56% of renters don’t think they’ll ever be able to afford homeownership.
What it would take for more buyers (and sellers)
A persistent lack of inventory has driven sustained high prices, even as demand was falling last year due to higher mortgage rates. So what would it take to turn this ship?
“Though new home construction is going strong, it would take a significant number of current homeowners selling their homes in pursuit of another to increase inventory in a meaningful way,” according to Lewis.
Unfortunately, some of the things that current owners say would motivate them to buy another home in 2024 are the very things that could depend on homeowners selling — 29% of current owners would buy in 2024 if prices came down, 27% if the “right” home came along and 11% if more homes were listed.
Lower mortgage rates, which are not dependent on home inventory, could tip some homeowners into the market, thereby increasing inventory as they sold their current homes: 6% of homeowners could be motivated to buy another home in 2024 if rates fell below 7%; a total of 11% if rates fell below 6% and 26% if rates went under 5%.
METHODOLOGY
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of NerdWallet from Nov. 28-30, 2023, among 2,073 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact press@nerdwallet.com.
NerdWallet defines generations in the following manner: Generation Z, ages 18-26; millennials, ages 27-42; Generation X, ages 43-58; and baby boomers, ages 59-77.
In the context of their primary place of residence, respondents are not provided with definitions for “urban,” “suburban” or “rural” and are therefore open to interpret these themselves.
Since his arrest happened at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he has faced some initial court delays.
But, since then his case has had a number of setbacks including several defense attornies.
Before Shane Pryor was known as the latest Philadelphia prisoner escapee, he was another docket number in a lengthy court calendar.
In 2020, the then-14-year-old was charged with murdering Tanya Harris.
His case is one of nearly 37,000 open criminal cases awaiting trial.
Pryor has his preliminary arraignment on Oct. 26, 2020, and since then he’s had five different lawyers representing him.
Each new attorney led to further delays in the case.
Earl Raynor Jr. was appointed by the court to defend Pryor in 2022. He was Pryor’s fourth attorney.
“He had his preliminary hearing and then the case didn’t go anywhere for 21 months, then I was appointed,” he told NBC10.
Raynor then requested the court pay for psychological evaluation for Pryor to help in the argument to try him as a juvenile.
“I immediately filed a petition to decertify him. I was surprised that hadn’t been done,” Raynor explained. “I really thought that a psychiatrist could have established that at his age, he did not have the emotional or psychological maturity to fully appreciate the nature of his acts, and therefore should not have been tried as an adult.”
But, Raynor says it took a while to schedule the psychiatrist and get the report to the judge.
Then, the judge overseeing Pryor’s case had replaced Raynor in January of last year and a fifth attorney was appointed.
The judge denied the motion to move the case to juvenile court in December of 2023.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner says his office agreed with keeping the case in adult court.
“We believe that he is criminally responsible for a homicide. We believe that he should be held accountable for that,” Krasner said.
As for the delay in Pryor’s case, Krasner says it is normal to take that long given the pandemic delays and how long it takes for homicide cases to make their way to trial.
According to the 2023 statistics from the District Attorney’s Office, homicide cases were normally resolved in just over two years.
Pre-pandemic, cases were taking just under two years.
For a little more context, ten years ago, homicide cases were also taking more than two years to resolve.
Pryor’s current lawyer, Paul DiMaio told NBC10 that Shane Pryor’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 15.
The attorney says the hearing can go on whether Pryor is there or not.
HONOLULU — The last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed Maui’s historic town of Lahaina in August was identified Friday as a 70-year-old woman whose husband, sister and several other relatives also died in the fire.
Maui police said they identified the victim as Lydia Coloma based on the context of where the remains were found, rather than through DNA or other positive identification methods.
Her husband, along with a sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew, also died in the fire, said her sister-in-law, Tina Acosta, in Honolulu. Coloma was from the Ilocos Sur province in the Philippines, Acosta said, adding that she didn’t know why the final identification took so long.
“We were waiting,” she said.
Identifying those who perished in the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century has been a long, arduous process. Forensic experts and cadaver dogs have had to sift through ash searching for bodies that were possibly cremated, and authorities collected DNA samples from victims’ family members.
The DNA testing allowed officials in September to revise the death toll downward, from 115 to at least 97. The toll rose slightly over the next month as some victims succumbed to their injuries or as police found additional remains.
The number of those who remain unaccounted for has also fallen – to just a few from a previous high of nearly 400, according to the Maui Police Department. Coloma was on the unaccounted-for list before her official identification as a victim. Three people remain on the list.
The victims ranged in age from 7 to 97, but more than two-thirds were in their 60s or older, according to Maui police’s list of known victims. Several were residents of a low-income senior apartment complex.
Authorities began reopening the burn zone last fall to residents and property owners who lost homes while urging returning residents not to sift through the ashes for fear of raising toxic dust.
This month, crews started clearing debris from residential lots. The waste is being wrapped in thick industrial plastic before the Army Corps of Engineers takes it to a temporary storage site south of Lahaina.
The disaster devastated Maui and Hawaii more broadly. Caught in a hellscape, some residents died in their cars, while others jumped into the ocean or tried to run for safety.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. It may have been sparked by downed power lines that ignited dry, invasive grasses. An AP investigation found the answer may lie in an overgrown gully beneath Hawaiian Electric Co. power lines and something that harbored smoldering embers from an initial fire that burned in the morning and then rekindled in high winds that afternoon.
The blaze destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, most of them homes, and is estimated to have caused $5.5 billion in damage.
Nearly six months after the blaze, about 5,000 displaced residents were still living in hotels or other short-term accommodations around Maui. Economists have warned that without zoning and other changes, housing costs in already expensive Lahaina could be prohibitively costly for many after rebuilding.
Former stand-up comic and television producer Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is best known for her irreverent books on parenting, but in her new book “Drunk-ish,” she takes a hard look at her use of alcohol while raising her kids. CBS News’ Jeff Glor sits down with the author to talk more about the book and her journey with alcohol.
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Colman Domingo is set to take on the role of Michael Jackson’s father in an upcoming biopic about the King of Pop.
The West Philly-native actor and Temple University alum will play Joe Jackson, the patriarch and talent manager of the Jackson family, in “Michael,” a film scheduled to premiere next year, Deadline reported.
Joe Jackson, who died in 2018 at the age of 89, was known for “his hard-driving management and often controversial parenting of the Jackson 5,” according to Deadline. The Jackson 5 was the pop group founded in the ’60s that included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson, launching the latter into megastardom. Joe Jackson and his wife Katherine had 10 children, including Janet and La Toya Jackson.
Jaafar Jackson, the 27-year-old son of Jermaine, will take on the role of Michael. Fans got a look at Jaafar in the role through a behind-the-scenes image the actor shared last week to Instagram, alluding to the fact that production on the movie would begin this Monday.
“I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon,” Domingo said in a statement obtained by Variety. “Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation.”
“Michael,” which was written by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan, will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Oscar-winner Graham King, along with the coexecutors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. The film is scheduled to premiere April 18, 2025.
Domingo’s latest role comes during his successful awards season. Earlier this week, he received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Bayard Rustin — a civil rights leader born in West Chester — in the Netflix film “Rustin.” This is the first Oscar nomination for Domingo, who previously won an Emmy for his role in “Euphoria.” Domingo also has been nominated for Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG awards for his work on “Rustin.”
He also starred in the 2023 musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” and can be seen next month in the comedy “Drive-Away Dolls” alongside Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A Philadelphia police officer was hospitalized after being shot during a struggle with an armed man inside a business.
It happened around 8:45 p.m. Friday near the 2800 block of North Mascher Street.
According to police, two officers confronted an armed man inside the store. A struggle ensued and that’s when the male suspect shot the officer twice in the leg.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says the officer’s partner returned fire, striking the suspect who was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The injured officer was rushed to Temple University Hospital and listed in stable condition.
“I’ve been here too many times. It is unacceptable that my officers, my men and women, are shot on these streets in the City of Philadelphia,” said Bethel.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: Philadelphia police provide update on shooting that injured officer
Both officers involved are assigned to the 24th District and have been on the force for six years.
Further information on the shooting, including the suspect’s identity, has not been released.
Police say someone inside of the store stole the suspect’s gun after the shooting. That person is still being sought.
Imags released by police show a person of interest wanted for questioning. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 215-686-TIPS.
Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and also struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.
The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades.
The anti-ship ballistic missile was fired at about 1:30 p.m. local time Friday from Houthi-controlled Yemen toward the USS Carney, U.S. Central Command reported. The missile was shot down by the Carney and caused no damage or injuries.
A little over six hours later, on Friday evening, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.
The anti-ship ballistic missile struck the M/V Marlin Luanda — which is British-owned but flies under a Marshall Islands flag — at about 7:45 p.m. local time, CENTCOM reported.
The ship was damaged, but no injuries were reported, CENTCOM said, adding that the USS Carney “and other coalition ships have responded and are rendering assistance.”
The attack on the Carney represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze, identifying the vessel as the Marlin Luanda.
The Houthi’s now-direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of its campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi’s strikes and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit, in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.
The U.S. military has been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis to degrade their capabilities since Jan. 11, after several weeks of attacks on commercial ships by the militant group.
The U.S. has launched multiple rounds of two different types of airstrikes — those hitting a wider range of targets, like storage sites and radar capabilities, and also preemptive strikes aiming at Houthi missiles as they’re loaded onto launchers to prepare for an attack. This second category — colloquially referred to as “whack-a-mole” strikes — have become an almost daily occurrence.
But those U.S. attacks have not seemed to deter the Houthis. On Wednesday, Houthis launched anti-ship ballistic missiles at the U.S.-owned, flagged and operated commercial ship Maersk Detroit. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Gravely shot down two missiles and a third fell into the water. There were no indications of damage or injuries in the attack.
Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.
Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.
The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels ride vehicles while taking part in a rally and parade denouncing the U.S.-led aerial attacks on Yemen on the outskirts of Sana’a, Yemen. Jan. 25, 2024.
Getty Images
Since November, Houthi rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.
Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well.
The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the Associated Press Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet, killing 290 people in 1988.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Some Florida residents are being tricked into sending pornographic content to scammers posing as two local sheriffs.
The scammers are making phone calls claiming to be Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco — and telling people they have a warrant for their arrest for selling drugs, according to both sheriff’s offices.
In some instances, these scammers will demand the victims send photos and videos of them having sex with someone to prove they do not have drugs.
On Jan. 19, a 17-year-old girl reported that she fell for the scam and had sexual relations with a 29 year-old man, and recorded it.
The sheriff’s department said they don’t believe the man is involved in the scam, but he’s now facing several charges, including unlawful sexual activity with a minor and possession of child pornography.
As of this report and based on phishing technology, officials believe these calls are originating from the Dominican Republic.
Sheriff Chad Chronister
“I am disgusted and outraged by the behavior of these criminals. As your Sheriff, I will never stand for the victimization of any of our residents. I wanted the community to hear me loud and clear, we will never call you about a warrant and demand money or anything else. If you receive a call like this, please hang up immediately and call 911. You have my word that we are using every investigative means to track down these criminals and bring them to justice.”
Sheriff Chris Nocco
“It is sad that in today’s world, there is such evil that preys on our community. I want to assure you we are doing everything in our power to bring these individuals to justice and reduce victimization in our community. If at any point you feel uncomfortable about a phone call you believe is coming from law enforcement, please make sure to call 911 immediately.”
Nicole Romanella O’Neal, a San Diego mom of two, was happy to accompany her daughter Penelope, 6, to her first Girl Scout cookie “kickoff.”
Penelope, a Daisy Scout, was excited to learn all about being a good cookie salesperson. The pair stopped at different stations and practiced knocking on doors, giving a cookie-sales speech, making decisions about safety and creating a sign for their troop’s cookie booth.
At the last station, there were older Girl Scouts pretending to be different types of customers the girls may encounter. When O’Neal saw that one of the stereotypes was “The Healthy Indulgence” customer, she says she “was immediately pretty surprised.” Then, the Girl Scout leading the presentation suggested that if a customer says they’re on a diet, you should offer them the cookies without artificial sweeteners.
“At that point,” O’Neal says, “I blacked out.”
Since it was the last station of the kickoff, O’Neal quickly shuffled her daughter to the car. “I was fuming,” she says.
Even so, she waited until she got home to mention the subject to her husband because she didn’t want to draw her daughter’s attention to what had just happened.
Upset by the “detrimental language” her daughter had heard at the cookie kickoff, O’Neal says, “I opened my phone. I typed out what I was seeing in the note section of my phone, and I posted it to Instagram.”
Stop giving unnecessary explanations
It can be difficult to resist the smiles of a sweet Scout asking, “Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” O’Neal certainly wouldn’t judge you if you did make a purchase, but if you are not interested, she begs you to refrain from mentioning diet, calories, body flaws or weight.
“Nobody is mentioning these things out of malice,” O’Neal says. She assumes that some potential cookie customers feel bad saying no and overcompensate by giving unnecessary explanations. “It’s just an awareness that people don’t have. I’m simply asking them for mindfulness.”
Interestingly, Girl Scouts USA shared a similar sentiment on their Instagram page two weeks ago with reminders to “curb ‘diet’ and ‘skinny’ talk” and “recognize the cycle of body drama.” They even included a post that says, “I am always jaw droppingly shocked at how many adults that visit booths find it appropriate to talk about their health issues with us about cookies.”
Be aware of your wording
If you think 6-year-olds are too young to be affected by talk of diets, weight and size, think again.
“I knew about my body size in kindergarten,” says O’Neal, mentioning an insult that has stuck with her through the years. “Little messages affirm and shape who we are when it comes to body image. I am uber aware of the way I talk and interact with food in front of my daughter.”
O’Neal has spent years struggling with disordered eating, which she describes as “an unhealthy or complicated relationship with food.” Because her disordered eating was affecting her everyday life, O’Neal sought therapy and then started her Instagram account, @MondayDieter, to process what she learned.
She even pursued and completed a master’s degree in food science and is studying to become a registered dietician.
O’Neal points out that one cookie customer making a comment about being on a diet may not be a big deal. But if a 6-year-old hears 10 people groan about being on a diet within an hour or two, it has a bigger impact. “Children aren’t born hating their bodies. They are born with an innate sense to self-regulate. They grow up around adults who talk about their own body flaws,” she says.
So, what should you say to Girl Scouts?
O’Neal plans to allow Penelope to participate in cookie sales. After all, she’ll be learning valuable lessons about teamwork, handling money and entrepreneurship.
But what if Penelope hears customers talking about their diets or asking about the “healthiest” cookie?
“My plan is to step in and say that all the cookies are a great choice,” she says. “I’ll redirect the conversation and add in appropriate messaging that all food is healthy because it gives us energy.”
We contacted Girl Scouts USA and a spokesperson shared a message for cookie customers with TODAY.com via email: “When people approach Girl Scouts at a cookie booth, we hope they celebrate the courage it takes for girls as young as 5 to conduct business transactions with customers. We encourage them to ask girls what they want to do with their cookie money (cookie proceeds stay local). Ask them what they love about selling cookies. It’s about more than the cookie boxes.”
In fact, if you want to support the girls but don’t want the cookies, troops often have a way for you to purchase a box that will be donated to organizations within your community.
And if you truly don’t want to make a purchase of any kind, O’Neal says, “Just say, ‘No thank you’ without giving a reason. Because the reason can be detrimental.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
Knowing the goodbye was coming doesn’t mean it’s any easier to make.
Rhys Hoskins’ two-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers was made official Friday afternoon, marking the true end to the now former homegrown first baseman’s six-season run in Philadelphia.
With that, the Phillies said their goodbye, and their thank you, to Hoskins through their social media channels, paying tribute to his long journey up through the minors, the heartbreak of all those stalled-out late-summer runs, and then finally, the long-awaited breakthrough into the postseason and all the magic Red October’s return brought back to Philadelphia – bat spike and all.
Plus, of course, all the charity work he and his wife Jayme put into the city off the field.
A torn ACL suffered last spring robbed Hoskins of his 2023 season in a contract year and ultimately his shot at making another postseason run with the Phillies – though he was able to throw out the first pitch of the Wild Card round and then join the club in the dugout for Game 7 of the NLCS.
While he was rehabbing, Bryce Harper picked up first base in the meantime and it became clear by the end of the season that keeping him there was the direction for the Phillies to take moving forward, which effectively took up any room that would’ve been left for Hoskins in the lineup and put the writing on the wall.
The goodbye was coming, but never any easier to make because of it.
This really didn’t help either.
The Brewers will visit Citizens Bank Park June 3-5 this coming season and a heartfelt tribute to Hoskins will surely be waiting for him once the three-game series arrives.
If any team knows the importance of depth at the running back position, the Philadelphia Eagles might be first on that list.
Their 7,414 regular season rushing yards in the three-season Nick Sirianni era rank third to only the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears, while the Birds rode that wave into Super Bowl LVII with a league-leading 531 rushing yards that playoff.
With that being said, the Eagles are now in a predicament that could leave them without their lead back in D’Andre Swift and third- and fourth-stringers Boston Scott and Rashaad Penny — all three of them being unrestricted free agents.
The Eagles’ bread-and-butter rushing offense could take a massive hit in the 2024 season if they aren’t careful.
With some good money to spare and high-end draft picks at their disposal, there should be no reason why they avoid the running back market; this time, it’s a necessity.
A Somewhat Regressing Rushing Attack
In 2023, the Eagles’ rushing attack ranked eighth with 2,190 overall yards and tied for eighth at 4.3 yards per attempt. Those are still solid numbers, but for how fantastic their offensive line is, it’s not good enough. While Swift became just the tenth back in team history to reach the illustrious 1,000-yard total in his first season with the Birds, he did so with -65 rushing yards above expected (RYOE), suggesting he was one of the less effective high-end rushers in the NFL.
Among backs with 100 or more carries, he ranked 40th of 49 in the category — just the 18th percentile. When adjusting for RYOE per attempt, he was not much better at the 24th percentile. This is not a point to rip on Swift but to highlight some of the inefficiencies in Philadelphia’s backfield as a whole. With how good their offensive line is, they could have been better.
Even Jalen Hurts saw his worst season as a rusher, with 3.9 yards per carry despite having a career average of 4.8. Hopefully, getting a new offensive mind will start to fix this, but whether Kliff Kingsbury, Kellen Moore, or anyone else gets the job, they will need some help.
The Eagles have issues all over the field that they will need to address, but an offense that scored just nine points in their early-playoff exit to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has to become more explosive on the offensive side of the ball. If anything, it was their defense that kept them in that game, though the 32-9 final would suggest otherwise.
All season long, the Eagles have struggled to truly incorporate their rushing attack like they have in years past under Sirianni. The last time it truly felt as though they did this properly was in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, way back on Sept. 14. In fact, that feeling is backed up by the stats. From Oct. 1 until the end of the season on Jan. 15 — a 15-game span — the Birds did not have a single player reach 100 rushing yards in a single game.
Having 100 rushing yards is no small feat, as the Eagles only had a player reach this total four times in 2022, but their passing attack was also one of the best in the league. They didn’t have the duel threat in 2023, with Hurts regressing a bit stats-wise from his 2022 campaign, making it something they arguably should have leaned on more. At times, it felt as though they were not a threat at all on offense despite their elite talent on that front.
What a Move Could Entail
Whether or not General Manager (GM) Howie Roseman can land — or even afford — a game-altering back this offseason, it should be something he pushes for. It’s not always the best use of assets, but he and the Eagles know all too well what Christian McCaffrey has done for the San Francisco 49ers. Leading the NFL with 349 RYOE, it’s no surprise that he has made the NFC Championship with his new squad in each of his first two campaigns.
Photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
It’s very rare for a younger, talented back like McCaffrey to be on the market, but it’s not like the Eagles won’t have options. The Pittsburgh Steelers had two positive RYOE, 100-attempt backs in Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. Meanwhile, the lowly 6-11 Tennessee Titans could be shopping Derrick Henry, who finished with 84 RYOE and 0.31 RYOE per attempt. There are options that should be available, but sacrifices will have to be made.
If Swift doesn’t re-sign to become the lead back and the Eagles can’t land one of the top available players, they might be in some trouble. While Kenny Gainwell is still under contract and got a decent workload with 84 carries in the regular season and 4.3 yards per attempt, he really isn’t in a place to see a massive uptick in his involvement in the offense. Between Hurts and him, there will need to be another body mixed in there, if not multiple, that can be heavily involved in the rushing attack.
In his Jan. 24 end-of-season press conference, Sirianni preached “fresh ideas.” While this might not have been referring to his back, it’s very clear that a shakeup is necessary.
If the Birds can put more faith in them and have it be a staple of their offense, it might be the first step in returning to the Super Bowl. They have a few months to figure out how they want to attack this dilemma.
An investigation is underway after a triple shooting left a man dead on Friday night, according to police.
The shooting happened just before 7:30 p.m. on the 5600 block of Pentridge Street in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia, police said.
The man who was killed was in his late twenties, officials reported. He was shot multiple times throughout his body.
Police took the man to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead just after 7:30 p.m., according to officials.
The second victim in the triple shooting was a woman in her fifties who suffered gunshot wounds to her arm and chest, police said. She was taken to a nearby hospital by officers where she is listed in stable condition.
A third victim is a man in his thirties who was taken to a nearby hospital by a private vehicle. He is listed in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his stomach, police said.
Police said in a statement that the Homicide Unit is investigating this shooting.
As of Friday night, there have been no arrests made and no weapons recovered in connection to this incident.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
(NewsNation) — Office workers may have a new excuse to start the weekend early: Microsoft Teams was down Friday.
Downdetector showed over 11,800 reports as of noon CT. That number went up to 13,869 at 12:22.
“We’re investigating an issue impacting multiple Microsoft Teams features,” Microsoft 365 wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “We’ve identified a networking issue impacting a portion of the Teams service and we’re performing a failover to remediate impact.”
Microsoft Teams was trending on Twitter on Friday. Users said images and other content weren’t loading and duplicate messages were being sent, among other issues.
According to Downdetector, some people were also experiencing issues with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Store, though to a much lesser extent.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed major changes to the region’s state-funded higher education landscape, including unifying the state system and its community colleges, new affordability initiatives and outcomes-based funding for schools that receive public funding.
