$944M Christmas Eve Miracle? Major Mega Millions Jackpot Eyed Across America $944M Christmas Eve Miracle? Major Mega Millions Jackpot Eyed Across America
$944M Christmas Eve Miracle? Major Mega Millions Jackpot Eyed Across America Some Lottery players are hopeful that Santa leaves a $944 million present under the Christmas tree this year. The Mega Millions jackpot is wrapping up the holiday season with a jaw-dropping prize estimated at $944 million - with a $429.4 million cash option - for the drawing on Tuesday, Dec. 24, making it the seventh-largest jackpot in the game’s history, just in time to pay off some holiday bills. No ticket hit the jackpot in Friday night’s drawing, and now, the odds-defying prize could make someone’s holiday dreams come true.  Two of the top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever hi…
Brewing Tensions: Starbucks Strike Expands To 9 States Brewing Tensions: Starbucks Strike Expands To 9 States
Brewing Tensions: Starbucks Strike Expands To 9 States A Starbucks workers' strike, which began in select stores, has expanded to nine states as employees push for better wages and working conditions during the holiday rush. The strike, led by Starbucks Workers United, demands higher pay and improved staffing to address what employees describe as chronic understaffing during peak hours.  Workers at dozens of stores in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania joined the strike over the weekend. Starbucks has a total of about 16,000 stores in the US and around 35,000 worldwide. Over the weekend, picket lines formed at high-traffic stores in N…
Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores
Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores The party is over for a popular chain store that's been in business for decades. Party City is “winding down” operations immediately at its approximately 800 locations, CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees  in a video call on Friday, Dec. 20, CNN reports. Workers were told they will not receive severance pay, and that their benefits would end as the company goes out of business, CNN says. The company, headquartered in in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, is running low on cash and unable to pay rent in some locations, according to an earlier Bloomberg report. Party City was foun…
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots has announced plans to close all of its remaining 963 stores, initiating "going out of business" sales following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in September. The company says it's started the process of closing stores in 48 states and liquidating inventory under its court-supervised Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.  The decision comes as the retailer seeks to maximize value for stakeholders while exploring potential going-concern sale opportunities. "We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Big Lots' President and Chie…
Drone Sightings Spark Multi-State Concerns Along East Coast Drone Sightings Spark Multi-State Concerns Along East Coast
Drone Sightings Spark Multi-State Concerns Along East Coast Authorities along the East Coast are grappling with a surge in drone sightings, raising security concerns and prompting high-level responses. In New Jersey, residents have reported numerous drone sightings since mid-November, particularly in Morris and Somerset counties, and more than a dozen mayors are calling for investigations. Gov. Phil Murphy is urging residents to report suspicious drone activity to law enforcement and emphasizing the state's commitment to public safety.  "We are actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement par…
Daniel Penny Acquitted In Chokehold Death Of Jordan Neely Aboard NYC Subway Car Daniel Penny Acquitted In Chokehold Death Of Jordan Neely Aboard NYC Subway Car
Daniel Penny Acquitted In Chokehold Death Of Jordan Neely Aboard NYC Subway Car A New York ex-Marine was acquitted in the chokehold death of a New Jersey street artist aboard a Manhattan subway. Daniel Penny was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely by a Manhattan jury on Monday, Dec. 9, following 20 hours of deliberations, CBS News reports. It came days after Judge Maxwell Wiley dismissed a manslaughter charge against Penny after jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the top count. The 26-year-old Penny, a Long Island resident from West Islip, had been accused of killing 30-year-old New Jersey native Jordan Neely aboard a …
Cucumbers, Eggs Recalled Due To Risk Of Salmonella Contamination Cucumbers, Eggs Recalled Due To Risk Of Salmonella Contamination
Cucumbers, Eggs Recalled Due To Risk Of Salmonella Contamination Cucumbers distributed throughout the US and Canada and organic eggs sold in 25 Costco stores in several states have been recalled due to the risk of Salmonella contamination. Cucumber recall SunFed Produce, LLC (SunFed) is recalling all sizes of whole fresh American cucumbers packaged in bulk cardboard containers labeled with the “SunFed” label or in a generic white box or black plastic crate with a sticker that provides the implicated grower’s name “Agrotato, S.A. de C.V." The recalled cucumbers were sold between Saturday, Oct. 12, through Thursday, Nov. 26, 2024. The whole fresh America…
29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River 29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River
29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River A 29-year-old man from western Massachusetts and law clerk for the State of New Jersey has been identified as the person police pulled from the Connecticut River earlier this week.  Daniel Esrick, a Northampton native, was found Monday, Nov. 25, near the Gill side of Route 2, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. It's unclear how long he had been in the water.  Daniel was a talented student, according to his obituary. He studied biology and physics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst before matriculating to the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he g…
New Update On Food Recalls Ahead Of Thanksgiving New Update On Food Recalls Ahead Of Thanksgiving
New Update On Food Recalls Ahead Of Thanksgiving With Thanksgiving meals just a day away, there are concerns over the nation's food supply after multiple major recalls the last few days. Federal authorities are now saying that all products linked to the outbreaks are off the shelves and products currently being sold are safe to eat. After a deadly E. coli outbreak, a California-based company pulled bagged organic carrots from such popular retailers as Whole Foods, Walmart and Trader Joe's.  For the latest info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), click here. In a Listeria outbreak linked to meat and poultry pr…
Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products
Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products A multi-state Listeria outbreak linked to meat and poultry products has killed an infant and sickened at least 10 others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials are investigating infections linked to recalled Yu Shang Food ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The illnesses were in New York, New Jersey, California, and Illinois between Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, Oct. 24, the agency said. Of 11 people with information available, nine have been hospitalized. In California, one pregnant woman and her twins were sick and both infants died. But …
Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products
Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products An E. coli outbreak linked to bagged organic carrots has prompted an expanded recall as the number of cases grows. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 39 people across 18 states have been sickened.  Click here for a new, updated story - Here's What To Know Now About Food Illness Outbreaks, Recalls Ahead Of Thanksgiving The outbreak has resulted in 15 hospitalizations and one death. The recall initially began earlier this month when reports of illnesses linked to Grimmway Farms’ bagged carrots surfaced. The recall now covers multiple brands of orga…
1 Dead, Dozens Sickened In 18 States, Including MA, From E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Carrots 1 Dead, Dozens Sickened In 18 States, Including MA, From E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Carrots
1 Dead, Dozens Sickened In 18 States, Including MA, From E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Carrots An E. coli outbreak linked to carrots has left one person dead and sickened 39 people in 18 states. Click here for a new, updated story: Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) says the infections have come from multiple brands of recalled organic whole bagged carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, which is based in Bakersfield, California.  "Carrots on store shelves right now are likely not affected but may be in people's homes," the CDC said. "If you have any recalled carrots…