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Catch 'Em All: Pokémon Cards Return To McDonald's In New Happy Meals Catch 'Em All: Pokémon Cards Return To McDonald's In New Happy Meals
Catch 'Em All: Pokémon Cards Return To McDonald's In New Happy Meals For those who want to be the very best like no one ever was, McDonald's may be the place to go in early 2025. McDonald's officially launched a new Happy Meal partnership with Pokémon on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the fast food chain announced in a news release. The nationwide promotion includes exclusive trading cards, digital rewards, collectibles, and fun activities. Each Happy Meal contains a Pokémon Trading Card Game booster pack featuring four of 15 collectible cards, a Pokémon-themed poster, and a sticker sheet to decorate the poster, The Pokémon Company said. "There's nothing more excit…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Splitting A Flight: Venmo Payments Now Accepted For Bookings On This Airline Splitting A Flight: Venmo Payments Now Accepted For Bookings On This Airline
Splitting A Flight: Venmo Payments Now Accepted For Bookings On This Airline An app used by many to pay back friends for meals or event tickets has another new purpose: booking a flight. JetBlue now accepts payments through Venmo for flights, the airline said in a news release on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The company also said it's the first airline to accept Venmo payments for airfare. The option is currently only available on JetBlue.com but will be on the mobile app "in the coming months." "We're continually looking for ways to make it easier to book a JetBlue flight on our website and mobile app," said Carol Clements, JetBlue's chief digital and technology officer. "Ad…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
NY Costco Workers Practice Picketing, Union Approves Strike Over Wholesaler's 'Greed' NY Costco Workers Practice Picketing, Union Approves Strike Over Wholesaler's 'Greed'
NY Costco Workers Practice Picketing, Union Approves Strike Over Wholesaler's 'Greed' Workers at America's largest wholesale retailer may soon go on strike as the corporation has seen profits skyrocket in recent years, union officials said. Costco workers nationwide voted by an overwhelming 85-percent margin to authorize a strike, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said in a news release on Monday, Jan. 20. The Teamsters cited the retail giant's dramatic surge in net profits and refusal to offer a fair contract. More than 18,000 union-member employees are set to strike if a new agreement isn't reached by the time the current one expires on Friday, Jan.…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Rise In Food Prices Goes Beyond Eggs: Here’s Rundown Rise In Food Prices Goes Beyond Eggs: Here’s Rundown
Rise In Food Prices Goes Beyond Eggs: Here’s Rundown Eggs are not the only food product seeing a sharp increase in prices. December grocery prices were nearly 28 percent higher than five years ago, reflecting how much harder families are finding it to manage their everyday expenses, The Wall Street Journal reports.  According to Labor Department data, grocery prices surged 1.8 percent year-over-year in December, marking the fastest increase in over a year, The trend started just after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2019, mainly due to pandemic-related supply chain issues. According to a Trace One analysis of US Bureau of Labo…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says
Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says The Justice Department has filed a nationwide lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging the pharmacy chain filled millions of prescriptions without legitimate medical purposes, particularly involving dangerous opioid combinations, over more than a decade. Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the civil complaint contends Walgreens violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and False Claims Act (FCA) by dispensing prescriptions despite clear red flags and seeking federal reimbursements for these drugs. “This lawsuit seeks to hold Walgreens accountable for the many…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Celeb Chef Peter X. Kelly Joins Re-Launched Restaurant In Northern Westchester Celeb Chef Peter X. Kelly Joins Re-Launched Restaurant In Northern Westchester
Celeb Chef Peter X. Kelly Joins Re-Launched Restaurant In Northern Westchester A Northern Westchester restaurant is getting a fresh start with the help of a culinary star at its helm.  Basso 56, located in Chappaqua at 11 King St., announced that renowned celebrity chef Peter X. Kelly has joined the team as they prepare to relaunch later this month with a new name—Basso by PXK—and an updated menu featuring Kelly’s signature flair. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Basso by PXK (@bassobypxkchappaqua) The eatery celebrated its rebranding with a "Pots, Pans & Pasta" brunch held on Sunday, Jan. 12 that f…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores Days After NY Settlement: CFPB Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores Days After NY Settlement: CFPB
Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores Days After NY Settlement: Cfpb One of the nation’s largest credit reporting agencies has been fined $15 million for issuing inaccurate credit scores and failing to properly investigate consumer disputes, officials said. Equifax will pay the fine into the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's victims relief fund, the federal agency said in a news release on Friday, Jan. 17. The CFPB's investigation found Equifax ignored critical evidence submitted by consumers disputing inaccuracies in their credit reports. According to the CFPB, Equifax also allowed deleted errors to resurface and relied on flaw…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Cash App Users To Get Refunds In $175M Order As Feds Target Fraud Cash App Users To Get Refunds In $175M Order As Feds Target Fraud
Cfpb Orders Cash App's Parent Company To Pay $175M Cash App's parent company will have to pay $175 million for poorly protecting its users from fraud and financial crimes on the payment platform, officials said. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Block to refund up to $120 million to users harmed by fraud, the federal agency said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The parent company of Cash App, which has more than 56 million accounts, must also pay a $55 million fine into the CFPB’s victims relief fund. The CFPB found that Block failed to properly investigate unauthorized transactions and deprived users of…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why
Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why The Microsoft 365 bundle price is increasing in the U.S. for the first time in a dozen years as the tech giant adds artificial intelligence tools into longtime products like Microsoft Word. The cost of Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions will rise by $3 per month, the company said in a blog post on Thursday, Jan. 16. It's the first price change since the software bundle launched in 2013 under the name "Office 365". Existing subscribers will see the adjustment at their next renewal. "We understand that our customers have a variety of needs and budgets, so we’re committ…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express said it will pay $230 million to resolve federal investigations into deceptive sales tactics and recordkeeping violations involving small business credit card and wire transfer products. The credit card company agreed to pay a $108.7 million civil penalty, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The settlement resolved claims against American Express of deceptive marketing and "dummy" account information. American Express was accused of engaging in unlawful sales tactics and falsifying records between 2014 and 2021. "When financial companies …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
New Eatery Opens Up Shop At Hudson Valley Train Station New Eatery Opens Up Shop At Hudson Valley Train Station
New Eatery Opens Up Shop At Hudson Valley Train Station If you find your stomach growling while waiting for your train at one Hudson Valley station, a new restaurant is now open to help.  The Bagel Train Cafe at the Brewster Train Station in Putnam County announced its opening on social media on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The new eatery boasts a menu with plenty of bagel, salad, breakfast sandwich, and salad options. It also serves omelets, soups, and smoothie bowls, including the "Bagel Train Bowl" with granola, strawberry, banana, raspberry, blueberry, and coconut flakes.  Weary travelers who stop by the train station can also grab a beer or…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Spirit Airlines Slashes Jobs As It Charts Path Out Of Bankruptcy Spirit Airlines Slashes Jobs As It Charts Path Out Of Bankruptcy
Spirit Airlines Slashes Jobs As It Charts Path Out Of Bankruptcy Spirit Airlines is laying off about 200 employees as the company tries to survive amid bankruptcy proceedings. The budget carrier will eliminate the positions across various departments, a company spokesperson told Daily Voice on Thursday, Jan. 16. The move came as Spirit looks to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which it filed for in November 2024. The layoffs, which follow recent pilot furloughs, aim to align the airline's staffing with its current fleet size and level of flying while achieving $80 million in annual cost reductions. "These decisions are never made lightly, and we are c…

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by Chris Spiker