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CT Trails Northeast Neighbors In Best States to Live In Rankings, Here's Why CT Trails Northeast Neighbors In Best States to Live In Rankings, Here's Why
CT Trails Northeast Neighbors In Best States to Live In Rankings, Here's Why From the best schools in the nation to some of the highest incomes, several Northeast states are among the best places to live, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of "Best States to Live In" on Monday, Aug. 11. The study ranked all 50 states using 51 measures of livability, from housing affordability and income growth to education, health, and safety. Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said it's important to look beyond just economic factors. "When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices, and…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Multiple Wegmans Cheese Products Recalled Over Listeria Fears Multiple Wegmans Cheese Products Recalled Over Listeria Fears
Multiple Wegmans Cheese Products Recalled Over Listeria Fears A popular cheese sold at a supermarket with locations across the East Coast has been pulled from shelves following a supplier alert that triggered a multi-state recall. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. announced it is recalling its Medium Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese and several products containing the cheese due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  The bacterium can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  Healthy individuals may experience short-term symptoms including high fever, sev…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including CT, Pulled From Shelves Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including CT, Pulled From Shelves
Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including CT, Pulled From Shelves A sweet treat sold at one of the nation’s biggest retailers is now under a safety alert covering 20 states and Washington, DC. The recall involves Favorite Day Bakery Frosted Sugar Cookies, a 10-count product sold under Target’s private label brand.  According to the Food and Drug Administration, manufacturer Give and Go Prepared Foods Corp. of Canada pulled the cookies due to possible contamination with wood. A total of 803 cases are affected. The cookies were distributed through three Target distribution centers — in Connecticut, Maryland, and Ohio — and reached stores in: Connect…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone' Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone'
Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone' Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is giving its restaurants a brighter, modern look, but the makeover is polarizing among the restaurant's biggest fans, with some saying the chain is losing its country charm. Cracker Barrel is in the process of remodeling dozens of its roughly 660 locations nationwide. The effort includes lighter paint, fewer antiques on the walls, updated menus, and streamlined cooking processes aimed at attracting a wider range of diners. Early remodels have already rolled out in multiple states, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Cracker Barrel plans to update or re…

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by Chris Spiker
News
CT Ranked Among Best States To Have Babies, New Study Says: Here's Why CT Ranked Among Best States To Have Babies, New Study Says: Here's Why
CT Ranked Among Best States To Have Babies, New Study Says: Here's Why Families in some Northeast states may have a much easier time welcoming a new baby than others, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of Best & Worst States to Have a Baby on Monday, Aug. 4. The study compared all 50 states and Washington, DC, across 31 metrics, from average hospital bills to infant mortality rates and child-care availability. The leaders boast strong health care systems, parental support programs, and child care access. "The best states for having a baby minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback
Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback Bed Bath & Beyond is officially making its comeback, opening its first physical store since the last location shuttered more than two years ago. The new store, called Bed Bath & Beyond Home, opened in Brentwood, Tennessee, on Friday, Aug. 8. The Brand House Collective is planning to start with six locations in the greater Nashville area. The launch marks the first phase of a broader rollout that could see about 75 stores open by the end of 2026. Brand House was previously named Kirkland's until shareholders approved the company's name change in late July. T…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error
Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error A labeling mistake has prompted the recall of a popular Friendly’s ice cream product sold in three East Coast states. Friendly’s Ice Cream, under parent company DFA Dairy Brands, is voluntarily recalling 324 cartons of Cookies & Cream ice cream due to undeclared wheat and soy allergens.  The product was mistakenly packed in Friendly’s Vanilla Bean containers — creating a labeling mismatch that could pose serious health risks for individuals with allergies. The recalled ice cream was distributed to retail locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania via a single distribution c…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report
Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report The number of Americans continuing to file for unemployment benefits has surged to its highest level in nearly four years, according to new federal data. Continued unemployment claims topped 1.97 million during the week ending on Saturday, July 26, the Department of Labor said on Thursday, Aug. 7. That's the most since early November 2021, when the insured unemployment level reached 2.04 million. Repeat claims rose by 38,000 from the previous week. The DOL data signals that more jobseekers are struggling to find work and remain on unemployment. In the Northeast, se…

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by Chris Spiker
News
'Plastics Crisis' Costs $1.5T Annually, Study Says: 'World Cannot Recycle Its Way Out' 'Plastics Crisis' Costs $1.5T Annually, Study Says: 'World Cannot Recycle Its Way Out'
'Plastics Crisis' Costs $1.5T Annually, Study Says: 'World Cannot Recycle Its Way Out' Researchers are warning about a "global plastics crisis" that's costing about $1.5 trillion a year in deaths and medical issues. The estimate comes from a new study published in The Lancet medical journal on Sunday, Aug. 3. Plastic production is projected to triple by 2060, and less than 10% is ever recycled. Plastics are made from fossil fuels and contain more than 16,000 chemicals. Around 8,000 megatons are polluting Earth's environment, including the most remote places on the planet. Chemicals and microplastics have been found in the brains and other body parts of humans, along with lan…

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by Chris Spiker
Politics
$140K Fraud Committed By Former PA Senator's Aide Scamming Church, Supporters $140K Fraud Committed By Former PA Senator's Aide Scamming Church, Supporters
$140K Fraud Committed By Former PA Senator's Aide Scamming Church, Supporters A former aide to Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes admitted to stealing more than $140,000 from a North Philadelphia church where he was a deacon and from a city political ward he led, the FBI announced on Saturday, Aug. 2.  Willie Jordan, 68, of Upper Darby, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III to two counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, July 30. From 2020 to 2024, Jordan exploited his roles at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and Philadelphia’s 44th Ward for personal benefit, court d…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
P&G Hiking Prices On Household Essentials As Trump's Tariffs Bite P&G Hiking Prices On Household Essentials As Trump's Tariffs Bite
P&G Hiking Prices On Household Essentials As Trump's Tariffs Bite The company behind popular products like Bounty paper towels, Tide detergent, and Crest toothpaste will soon start raising prices due to President Donald Trump's tariffs. Procter & Gamble will start the price hikes in August as the company expects about $1 billion in added costs from Trump's tariffs during the 2026 fiscal year. P&G revealed the financial impact in its latest earnings report on Tuesday, July 29. The increases will apply to about a quarter of P&G's products sold in the US, Reuters reported. A company spokesperson said prices will rise by "mid-single…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
CT Ranks Second Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why CT Ranks Second Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why
CT Ranks Second Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why Many public school systems in the Northeast are outperforming the rest of the country in quality and safety, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States with the Best & Worst School Systems on Monday, July 21. The study ranked every state's public schools based on academic performance, safety, funding, and teacher credentials. Massachusetts ranked No. 1 in the country, earning top scores in both fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading. The Bay State also had the highest share of students scoring a three or better on Advanced Placement (AP) exams and …

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by Chris Spiker