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How to manage holiday spending when you're buried under student loan debt

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — For Nicole Plauché and her family, Christmas is the time of the year where they can use their preferred love language: gift giving. This year, however, Plauché is worried about how much she can afford to spend on gifts. Her main struggle? Student loan payments.“It just doesn't leave much room for anything outside of just basic necessities,” said Plauché, a 23-year old tech sales manager from Dallas, Texas.Marisa Johnson, 26, has approximately $145,000 in student loan debt from both her bachelor's and master's degrees. Since the COVID-era payment pause ended in October, she's been paying back $300 a month while she waits to see if she'll be enrolled in a new income-driven repayment plan.Nicole Plauché, 23, poses for a photo at her family's home in Highland Village, Texas, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Plauché graduated from college last year with a business degree and is navigating how to manage holiday spending while paying student loan debt. (AP Photo/LM Otero)Be...

States trashing tons of masks and pandemic gear as huge stockpiles linger and expire

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

When the coronavirus pandemic took hold in an unprepared U.S., states scrambled for masks and other protective gear.Three years later, as the grips of the pandemic have loosened, many states are now trying to deal with an excess of protective gear, ditching their supplies in droves.With expiration dates passing and few requests to tap into its stockpile, Ohio auctioned off 393,000 gowns for just $2,451 and ended up throwing away another 7.2 million, along with expired masks, gloves and other materials. The now expiring supplies had cost about $29 million in federal money.Boxes of personal protection equipment maintained by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are shown stacked in a warehouse in Jefferson City, Mo., on Dec. 1, 2023. (Brad Bashore/Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services via AP)A similar reckoning is happening around the country. Items are aging, and as a deadline to allocate federal COVID-19 cash approaches next year, states must decide how ...

Favorite quick weeknight recipes from 2023

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

We’ve just published our list of the 50 most popular recipes of 2023, and I’d like to compliment you on your excellent taste. The tinto de verano! Dumpling tomato salad with chile crisp vinaigrette! Mochiko chicken! Cacio e pepe and white lasagna! And the banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery in New York, which I think far outshines its famous cupcakes.I’ve picked five recipes from the list to feature, dishes I feel are particularly good for a fast dinner.1. Gochujang Buttered NoodlesGochujang Buttered Noodles. These garlicky, buttery noodles are perfect for when you need a stellar pantry meal lickety-split. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. (James Ransom/The New York Times)These garlicky, buttery noodles are perfect for when you need a stellar pantry meal lickety-split. A packet of fresh or even instant ramen speeds up the meal prep and is ideal when cooking for one (see Tips). Honey and sherry vinegar round out gochujang’s deep heat into a mellowness that’s at once sweet, savory and ...

Sneak peek: Highland Popcorn, which employs people with disabilities, is set to open early next year

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

A new nonprofit popcorn shop is getting ready to open in Highland Park next year.Highland Popcorn is set to open late January or early February in the Highland Village Plaza shopping center, with both a retail storefront and a wholesale component to package products for stores like the nearby Lunds & Byerlys. They’ll have butter popcorn, cheese corn, caramel corn and seasonal flavors like peppermint crunch, plus cookies and sodas.The store’s workforce will be predominantly people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said founder Shamus O’Meara.(If you don’t know O’Meara, perhaps you know his son Conor, or at least his voice: The 25-year-old hosts a local radio show called “Conor’s Corner,” on which he talks about sports and life with autism and chats with guests ranging from Vikings player Justin Jefferson to St. Paul City Council member Chris Tolbert.)Although popcorn can be a grab-and-go product, Highland Popcorn is meant to be a space to hang out, O’Meara s...

18-year-old tried fleeing police, arrested with loaded handgun

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An 18-year-old was arrested on Tuesday for possessing a loaded handgun near Central Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Albany. Shaimeek Nesmith, of Albany, faces several charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! On Tuesday, around 9:21 a.m., Albany County Sheriff's Office members were conducting an investigation near Central Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Albany. Deputies approached an 18-year-old they believed to have a handgun.Deputies approached the man, later identified as Nesmith, and say he fled on foot. He was apprehended after a short chase and was found to have a loaded .22 caliber Ruger Security Six handgun. Schenectady Police investigating Steuben Street shooting Charges:Second-degree criminal possession of a weaponFourth-degree criminal possession of a weaponSecond-degree obstructing governmental administrationNesmith will be arraigned in Albany City Court on Wednesday.

Broadview donates $380K to help fight food insecurity

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Food banks around New York State received some additional funding on Tuesday. Broadview Federal Credit Union donated more than $380,000 to 46 organizations.The money is going to food banks, shelters and other nonprofits that fight food insecurity. It comes as food banks serve more families than they did a few years ago and face rising costs. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! "In 2022 and 2021, we were spending about $2,500 per month on food, whereas now, in 2023, we're spending between $3,500 and $4,500 a month on food," Hope 7 Community Center Exec. Dir. Margaret Elliott said.Broadview held a ceremonial check presentation Tuesday morning before delivering individual checks to each of the recipients. Checks were given to nonprofit organizations in the Capital Region, Southern Tier, Central, and Western New York. CAPITAL REGIONCapital City Rescue MissionSouth End Children's CaféCity Mission of SchenectadyBethesda H...

Ask Amy: Friend of abused woman steps away

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

Dear Amy: “Christy” and I have been friends for more than 25 years.Christy married an abusive monster, and after 15 years of her crying to me and then going back to him, I stepped away for a few years.I told her that I believed he would kill her, and if I couldn’t convince her to leave, I had to leave because I couldn’t watch.A few years ago, she told me about the horrible effects of his abuse, which led to hospitalizations and eventually brain surgery for an issue related to his abuse.I brought her into my home for a month, nursed her through the miraculous, frightening surgery, and then she went BACK to him.I stepped away for another three years.She reached out a year ago and told me they had divorced.I went for a visit, and she admitted she’d lied, saying that they had agreed not to divorce, “So, if he dies first, I’ll get his military retirement benefit.”I told her she was nuts, but if she wasn’t sleeping with him, and if she never, ever again calle...

Commission receives payment requests of Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia under the Recovery and Resilience Facility

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

On 18 December, the Commission received payment requests under the Recovery and Resilience Facility from three member states - Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia.Cyprus's second payment request is worth €152 million in grants (net of pre-financing) and concerns a total of 33 milestones and 5 targets. This payment request covers transformative reforms and important investments in areas including public health, education, energy efficiency and renewable energy, protection against forest fires and floods, water management, agriculture, research and innovation, financial support to businesses, digitalisation of public administration, taxation, and anti-corruption. Cyprus's overall recovery and resilience plan will be financed by €1.22 billion (€0.2bn in loans and €1.02bn in grants).Romania's third payment request is worth €2bn in grants and loans (net of pre-financing) and concerns a total of 68 milestones and 6 targets. This payment request covers transformative reforms and important investment...

Southern California prepares for flooding as storm moves in

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

As a storm makes its way to Southern California, many residents are preparing as a major flood watch was issued for multiple counties. “This rain for us is going to be very beneficial especially because we are going to see multiple days of it,” said KTLA Meteorologist Vera Jimenez. Scattered showers have already arrived for some areas and more significant rainfall is expected to arrive late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.“Thunderstorms and lightning will be favorable with a remote risk of a small, short-lived tornado,” said the National Weather Service. The counties most at risk include Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.Residents living in recent burn scar areas are preparing for major flooding and mudslides that may threaten homes and even lives.Expected rainfall in Southern California for the week of Dec. 19, 2023. (KTLA)Thunderstorms, flooding and a potential small tornado heading to SoCal on the week of Dec. 19, 2023. (National Weather Service...

Hamas leader visits Cairo, a sign talks on another Gaza truce and hostage swap are gathering pace

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:11 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas’ top leader traveled to Cairo on Wednesday for talks on the war in Gaza, part of a flurry of diplomacy aimed at securing another cease-fire and hostage swap at a moment when the militant group is putting up stiff resistance to Israel’s offensive.Ismail Haniyeh’s visit came a day after Hamas fired rockets that set off air raid sirens in central Israel, a show of strength during a 10-week war that has devastated much of northern Gaza, killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, and driven some 1.9 million — nearly 85% of the population — from their homes.Israel has called on the rest of the world to blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organization, saying it must be eradicated in the wake of its Oct. 7 rampage across southern Israel that triggered the war. But the sides have recently relaunched indirect talks, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, aimed at instituting another cease-fire and freeing more hostages captured in that attack in exchange for Palestinian...