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News
Amtrak Debuts New High-Speed Trains Across Northeast As Trump Seizes DC's Union Station Amtrak Debuts New High-Speed Trains Across Northeast As Trump Seizes DC's Union Station
Amtrak Debuts New High-Speed Trains Across Northeast As Trump Seizes DC's Union Station High-speed rail in the Northeast just got a significant upgrade. Amtrak's new NextGen Acela trains launched on Wednesday, August 27. The first train left Union Station in Washington, DC, at 5 a.m., while a second one departed Boston's South Station at 6 a.m. The upgraded trains promise faster service and more seats to the nation's busiest rail travel corridor. "Acela is synonymous with American high-speed trains, and today marks a new era of next-generation service," said Amtrak President Roger Harris. "On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, I’m proud to welcome you aboard NextGen Acela. Th…

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by Chris Spiker
Weather
NOAA Releases 3-Month Forecast: Fall Weather Won't Be Ordinary NOAA Releases 3-Month Forecast: Fall Weather Won't Be Ordinary
NOAA Releases 3-Month Forecast: Fall Weather Won't Be Ordinary If you're getting set for sweater weather with Labor Day weekend marking the unofficial close of summer, the just released three-month long-range outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center may come as a surprise. Bottom line: expect a fall that’s anything but ordinary. Residents across the Northeast, Atlantic Corridor, and Appalachians can expect a warmer-than-normal stretch from September through November, according to the center's newly-released forecast. The new outlook shows a strong chance for above-average temperatures across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, M…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Plan b Closing 3 Restaurants Soon In 'Strategic Realignment' Plan b Closing 3 Restaurants Soon In 'Strategic Realignment'
Plan b Closing 3 Restaurants Soon In 'Strategic Realignment' Two longtime Plan b restaurants in Connecticut — Hartford and West Hartford — will shut down at the end of the month, marking the third closure of a Connecticut restaurant for the chain this year.  The company announced that both Connecticut locations, along with its Springfield, Massachusetts, restaurant, will close as part of what leaders call a “strategic realignment," a press release said. “This decision reflects a balance between fiscal responsibility and staying true to the experience our guests and teams deserve," said founder and CEO Allie J. Gamble in the statement. “ Plan b i…

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by Josh Lanier
Weather
Old Farmer's Almanac Unveils 2025-26 Winter Forecast Old Farmer's Almanac Unveils 2025-26 Winter Forecast
Old Farmer's Almanac Unveils 2025-26 Winter Forecast Winter’s first plot twist just dropped, and it points to very different scenes along the I-95 corridor and the nearby mountains. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, The Old Farmer’s Almanac released its 2025-26 US winter outlook, calling the season “mostly mild — with pockets of wild.” “Don’t lose track of your snow shovels and umbrellas,” editor Carol Connare said, noting much of the country leans near to slightly milder while the Appalachians skew colder. The outlook cites a fading La Niña shifting toward neutral, a recently peaked solar cycle, and the chance of a wobbly polar vortex to occasionally cr…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Rita's Challenges Classic Fall Flavors With Newest Dessert Rita's Challenges Classic Fall Flavors With Newest Dessert
Rita's Challenges Classic Fall Flavors With Newest Dessert A popular Italian ice chain is taking on seasonal favorites like the Pumpkin Spice Latte with a new fall treat. Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is selling a limited-time dessert called Apple Butter Concrete. The eastern Pennsylvania company announced the new flavor in a news release on Monday, Aug. 25. The treat blends vanilla frozen custard with apple butter, vanilla wafers, and gooey apple pie filling. Rita's said the combination creates "an unforgettable new Concrete that captures the warmth and coziness guests look forward to" in the fall. Rita's is also bringing back its …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Powerball Jackpot Soars To $750M; 10th Largest In History Powerball Jackpot Soars To $750M; 10th Largest In History
Powerball Jackpot Soars To $750M; 10th Largest In History The Powerball jackpot is approaching $1 billion after no Lottery players hit all five numbers and the Powerball.  A $750 million jackpot will be up for grabs on Monday, Aug. 25, marking the 10th-largest grand prize in the game's history — with an estimated cash value of $338.6 million.  The winning numbers for the Saturday, Aug. 23 Powerball drawing were 11-14-34-47-51 with a Powerball of 18. While no player matched all six numbers drawn, two tickets sold in Maine and New York matched all five white balls and won $1 million prizes. A third ticket sold in South Dakota also matched…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Study Reveals CT's Place In National Hair Care Spending Rankings Study Reveals CT's Place In National Hair Care Spending Rankings
Study Reveals CT's Place In National Hair Care Spending Rankings The rising cost of a haircut is hitting wallets harder in some Northeast states than others, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Hair Care on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The personal finance website compared the average price of men's barbershop visits and women's salon services in all 50 states to median household incomes. The study found Pennsylvanians spend about 1.42% of their income on hair care, ranking 11th nationwide. New York followed close behind at 17th (1.34%), while Massachusetts placed 20th (1.31%). …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
CT Ranks Among Nation's Worst Tippers, Study Finds: Here's Why CT Ranks Among Nation's Worst Tippers, Study Finds: Here's Why
CT Ranks Among Nation's Worst Tippers, Study Finds: Here's Why Residents across the Northeast are earning high incomes but leaving some of the nation's lowest tips, according to a new study. Payment processing company BLogic Systems released a list of the 10 worst states for tipping. The analysis looked at average tip percentages, waitstaff wages, and public attitudes toward gratuities, combining them into a "Generosity Index." Connecticut landed third-worst nationwide, with an average tip of 19.8% and a Generosity Index score of 25.1 out of 100. The Constitution State's average income is $78,820, yet 92.4% of residents reported "tipping fati…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
‘If I Die, It Was Greg’: Pregnant Teen Found Buried On Boyfriend’s Property, Police Say ‘If I Die, It Was Greg’: Pregnant Teen Found Buried On Boyfriend’s Property, Police Say
‘If I Die, It Was Greg’: Pregnant Teen Found Buried On Boyfriend’s Property, Police Say The day before a pregnant Massachusetts teen went missing earlier this month, she sent a chilling text to her sister about her boyfriend: “My phone is at 4% and if I die, it was Greg.” Two weeks later, police found the body of 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro, who had been stabbed to death and buried in the yard of her boyfriend’s grandparents in Rehoboth, authorities said. Gregory Groom, 22, admitted to police that he killed Monteiro, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said. Despite that alleged confession, he pleaded not guilty to murder. Monteiro was last seen alive on Aug. 6. Inve…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
Frozen Shrimp Recall Expands Over Radioactive Contamination Concerns Frozen Shrimp Recall Expands Over Radioactive Contamination Concerns
Frozen Shrimp Recall Expands Over Radioactive Contamination Concerns A growing seafood scare has widened as federal officials announced a second shrimp recall tied to possible radioactive contamination, this time involving multiple brands across nine states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Southwind Foods, LLC, is voluntarily recalling a range of frozen shrimp products that may be contaminated with cesium-137, a man-made radioactive isotope linked to long-term cancer risk through repeated exposure. This marks the second shrimp recall in a matter of days. Earlier, the FDA warned that certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores could be contaminat…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Cracker Barrel Unveils New Logo, Menu Changes Despite Large Fan Pushback Cracker Barrel Unveils New Logo, Menu Changes Despite Large Fan Pushback
Cracker Barrel Unveils New Logo, Menu Changes Despite Large Fan Pushback Cracker Barrel is rolling out sweeping updates, even though many loyal fans say they want things left the way they were. The Tennessee-based chain unveiled its first new logo in nearly 50 years on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The familiar image of a man sitting beside a barrel is gone, replaced with a simplified, text-only design. Cracker Barrel said the refreshed look is even closer to the company's early days, when it also had a text-only logo. "Anchored in Cracker Barrel's signature gold and brown tones, the updated visuals will appear across menus and marketing collateral, including the…

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by Chris Spiker
Weather
Erin’s Offshore Spin Will Unleash Flash Flood Risk Across Northeast Erin’s Offshore Spin Will Unleash Flash Flood Risk Across Northeast
Erin’s Offshore Spin Will Unleash Flash Flood Risk Across Northeast A surge of tropical moisture unleashed by Hurricane Erin is set to drench the Northeast with meteorologists warning that sudden, drenching downpours could trigger dangerous flash flooding from Virginia to New England on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Tropical air funneled northward by Hurricane Erin is colliding with a stalled weather front, setting the stage for intense rainfall and the risk of flash flooding across a wide swath of the Appalachians and Northeast from late Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists report. While Erin itself is spinning offshore, the heav…

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by Joe Lombardi