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These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure
These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure Dozens of Party City locations in the DMV region are among the hundreds set to be closed as the company announced it is going out of business. Both Maryland and Virginia were hit hard by the reported closure, which will impact approximately 800 stores across the country. Party City was founded in 1986 and is the largest retailer of party goods in North America. In Maryland, there are 19 stores among those set to be shut down in these locations, according to the company's website:  Annapolis; Baltimore; Bel Air; Catonsville; Cockeysville; Columbia; Forestville; Frederick; Gaithersb…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Nissan, Honda Eye Potential Merger Nissan, Honda Eye Potential Merger
Nissan, Honda Eye Potential Merger Two of the world's biggest automakers may soon become one. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to discuss a potential merger aimed at revolutionizing the future of mobility and electrification.  Announced on Monday, Dec. 23, the goal is to establish a joint holding company that could significantly impact the automotive landscape, and potentially make the combined corporation the world's third-largest auto manufacturer. The merger aims to accelerate initiatives for carbon neutrality and zero traffic fatalities by pooling reso…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Starbucks Strike Expands To 9 States Starbucks Strike Expands To 9 States
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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Grease Grab Gone Wrong: Duo Busted Stealing Used Cooking Oil In Maryland: Police Grease Grab Gone Wrong: Duo Busted Stealing Used Cooking Oil In Maryland: Police
Grease Grab Gone Wrong: Duo Busted Stealing Used Cooking Oil In Maryland: Police A late-night crime turned greasy when two men were caught red-handed siphoning used cooking oil from downtown Silver Spring restaurants, police said. Michael Cordones-Lopez, 24, and Patricio Cardones-Molina, 61, were arrested this week after officers spotted them breaking into grease dumpsters behind local eateries, including the Filmore Silver Spring and Amina Thai, according to the Montgomery County Police Department. The investigation determined that at around 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17, officers were conducting an overnight criminal enforcement detail in downtown Silver Spring w…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Nearly 30 percent of US pharmacies closed between 2010 and 2021, according to a new study in the health-policy publication Health Affairs. The research, led by University of California Berkeley assistant professor Jenny S. Guadamuz and colleagues, analyzed data from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, county health statistics, and ZIP Code demographic surveys.  Of the 88,930 retail pharmacies operating in 2010, almost one-third shuttered by 2021, with those in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods disproportionately affected, Independent pharmacies were hit ha…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Teamsters Union Launches Strike Against Amazon Teamsters Union Launches Strike Against Amazon
Teamsters Union Launches Strike Against Amazon As the holiday season peaks, the Teamsters Union has initiated a significant strike against Amazon, targeting facilities in four states. This action is described as the largest labor movement in the company’s history. On Thursday morning, December 19, union members began protests at a fulfillment center in Queens, New York, with additional strikes occurring in Atlanta, Southern California, and Skokie, Illinois. The union aims to highlight unacceptable working conditions and Amazon’s refusal to engage in collective bargaining.  Their demands include better wages, hours, and benefits fo…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Check Your Tickets: Three $10K 'Mega Millions' Tickets Sold To Maryland Players Check Your Tickets: Three $10K 'Mega Millions' Tickets Sold To Maryland Players
Check Your Tickets: Three $10K 'Mega Millions' Tickets Sold To Maryland Players Three Marylanders woke up a little richer after the Tuesday night Mega Millions drawing, each claiming five-figure prizes. The Dec. 17 drawing was a fortuitous one for Maryland Lottery players, with three $10,000 wins reported, and with no one claiming the $$689 million, it now jumps to $825 million - with a $382.2 million cash option - for the Friday, Dec. 20 drawing. The winning tickets were sold at: Wawa at 4901 Boston St. in Baltimore City; Google Maps street view Silesia Convenience in the 10900 block of Livingston Road in Fort Washington; Google Maps street view Wawa…

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by Zak Failla
Business
End Of An Era: Here's When Firehook Bakery Plans To Close Its Doors In The DMV End Of An Era: Here's When Firehook Bakery Plans To Close Its Doors In The DMV
End Of An Era: Here's When Firehook Bakery Plans To Close Its Doors In The DMV Soon to be gone, but not forgotten. Firehook Bakery, a staple for DMV foodies, announced that it will be closing all three of its bakeries in the region effective as of Tuesday, Dec. 24, though their presence in the area will live on through their beloved products. "As a result of the store closings, as of Dec. 24, we will no longer be selling the specialty items offered at the bakeries on-line, but will continue to sell our full range of Mediterranean Baked Crackers," officials at the store said. This is what we really mean when we say we’re running to the store for ‘one last thing.’ …

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by Zak Failla
Business
Winning $50K 'Powerball' Ticket Sold At Maryland BP Station Winning $50K 'Powerball' Ticket Sold At Maryland BP Station
Winning $50K 'Powerball' Ticket Sold At Maryland BP Station No one took home the $58 million Powerball jackpot on Monday, but one lucky lotto player in Maryland also cashed in on a five-figure ticket sold at an area gas station. Officials say that a third-tier winning ticket worth a $50,000 prize was sold at the Perry Hall BP station in the 8800 block of Belair Road in Baltimore County, the largest win out of thousands statewide starting at $4.  The winning numbers for the Powerball drawing on Monday, Dec. 16 were 09-30-33-57-61 with a Powerball of 17 and the Power Play multiplier was X3.  It marks the 59th third-tier Powerball&…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Amazon Dismissed Warnings On High Rates Of Worker Injuries, Report Says Amazon Dismissed Warnings On High Rates Of Worker Injuries, Report Says
Amazon Dismissed Warnings On High Rates Of Worker Injuries, Report Says ityAmazon is under fire following a US Senate report accusing the company of prioritizing speed over worker safety.  Released by the majority staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee late Sunday night, Dec. 15, the report claims Amazon’s intense focus on productivity has led to unsafe working conditions. The Senate report outlines how Amazon’s warehouse workers face high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and other injuries caused by repetitive tasks and demanding quotas.  It accuses Amazon of knowingly exposing employees to these risks, …

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion
Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion Shake Shack is launching a limited-time promotion offering free burgers with a qualifying purchase during the holiday season.  The “Holiday Burger Blitz” will run from Monday, Dec. 16, to Tuesday, Dec. 24, providing customers with a free burger each day when they spend a minimum of $10 and use the code BURGERBLITZ at checkout. The promotion features a different burger each day, including popular items like the ShackBurger, SmokeShack, and Avocado Bacon Burger. The schedule for the free offerings is as follows: Monday, Dec. 16: ShackBurger Tuesday, Dec. 17: SmokeShack Wednesday, Dec. …

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by Joe Lombardi