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Business
Beef Prices Hit Record Highs As Herd Shrinks To 70-Year Low With No Relief In Sight Beef Prices Hit Record Highs As Herd Shrinks To 70-Year Low With No Relief In Sight
Beef Prices Hit Record Highs As Herd Shrinks To 70-Year Low With No Relief In Sight If steak night feels like a splurge and ground beef is denting the budget, you’re not imagining it. Beef prices are climbing to record highs with little sign of easing. According to USDA outlooks released Friday, Sept. 5, the spike is being driven by a deep supply crunch colliding with steady consumer demand.  The US cattle herd is now the smallest since 1951, the result of years of herd liquidation during drought and high feed costs, and rebuilding will take time. Demand, meanwhile, hasn’t cracked. Americans continue to buy beef for its taste and versatility, which keeps pressure on …

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by Joe Lombardi
Weather
Natural Disaster Americans Fear Most Revealed In New Survey As Weather Anxiety Grows Natural Disaster Americans Fear Most Revealed In New Survey As Weather Anxiety Grows
Natural Disaster Americans Fear Most Revealed In New Survey As Weather Anxiety Grows Americans may live with hurricanes on the coasts, blizzards in the North, and wildfires in the West.  But one natural disaster still rises above the rest as the nation’s most feared, a new survey finds. The poll of 2,500 adults, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Master Lock, found that fears shift depending on the region, but a single threat came out on top nationwide.  The threat of a tornado (46 percent) is more terrifying than a tsunami (43 percent), earthquake (35 percent) or hurricane (33 percent), the survey said. Nearly half of respondents said this disaster scare…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Beef Prices Keep Climbing To New Record Highs: Here's What's Fueling Soaring Costs Beef Prices Keep Climbing To New Record Highs: Here's What's Fueling Soaring Costs
Beef Prices Keep Climbing To New Record Highs: Here's What's Fueling Soaring Costs You may want to savor that next steak. It’s not getting cheaper anytime soon. Beef prices have hit an all-time high in the US, driven by a mix of short supply, steady demand, and mounting costs across the cattle industry. According to the American Farm Bureau and industry economists, the national cattle inventory is now the smallest it’s been since 1951. Many ranchers reduced herd sizes — or left the business entirely — after years of drought, inflation, and rising interest rates made farming unsustainable. Add in strong consumer demand and the result is tight supply pushing prices ever h…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why
Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why Hot weather isn't the only thing hitting summer cookouts – beef prices are also on the rise. The average price of a pound of ground beef hit a record high of $6.10 in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's 13.7% higher than the average in June 2024. Uncooked steak climbed 8% to $11.49 per pound, according to the Associated Press. The surging beef costs come as the US cattle herd has fallen to its smallest size since 1951, with the US Department of Agriculture reporting just 86.7 million cattle and calves nationwide as of Wednesday, Jan. 1. David Anderson, a liv…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why
Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why If you plan on enjoying a burger on the Fourth of July, it may be more expensive than ever. The retail price of a pound of ground beef hit a record high of $5.98 in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's up by 18 cents from April and a 16.2% increase from the May 2024 average of $5.15. An American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) survey puts the retail price even higher, now averaging $6.67 a pound. Feeding 10 people a standard Independence Day cookout – including burgers, chicken, beans, and potato salad – costs about $70.92, or $7.09 a person. While the …

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by Chris Spiker
News
Four South Jersey Counties Declared Disaster Areas After Severe Drought: USDA Four South Jersey Counties Declared Disaster Areas After Severe Drought: USDA
Four South Jersey Counties Declared Disaster Areas After Severe Drought: USDA Four Southern New Jersey counties have been declared disaster areas as farmers grapple with severe drought, the United States Department of Agriculture said. Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties were declared primary counties eligible after suffering a drought of eight or more weeks last year, the USDA said. Burlington, Camden, Ocean and Salem counties were declared contiguous disaster areas. The natural disaster designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers through emergency loans, the USDA said in a release. Emergency loans …

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by Sam Barron
Weather
La Niña Is Now Here: What It Means For Winter Weather Patterns La Niña Is Now Here: What It Means For Winter Weather Patterns
La Niña Is Now Here: What It Means For Winter Weather Patterns She’s back!  La Niña has arrived, and its global ripple effects are already taking shape.  Cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, combined with stronger trade winds, are influencing weather patterns worldwide.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed this shift on Thursday, Jan. 9. What Is La Niña? La Niña is part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a natural climate phenomenon that disrupts atmospheric circulation.  During La Niña, cooler Pacific waters can lead to significant changes in rainfall, s…

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by Joe Lombardi
Weather
Drought Conditions Intensify Across South Jersey, Extreme Drought Hits Philly Metro Area Drought Conditions Intensify Across South Jersey, Extreme Drought Hits Philly Metro Area
Drought Conditions Intensify Across South Jersey, Extreme Drought Hits Philly Metro Area Extreme drought conditions are now gripping South Jersey and the Philadelphia metro area, according to the latest update from the National Weather Service (NWS). Drought Monitor update: Extreme drought now covers 36% of our area, including portions of the Philly metro and Delmarva.... Posted by US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly on Friday, November 22, 2024 As of Thursday, November 21, extreme drought (D3 classification) covers 36% of the region—the highest extent since August 2002. Portions of Delmarva and the Philadelphia suburbs are among the hardest-hit areas, …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Wildfire Near Large South Jersey Sculpture Deemed Suspicious, State Police Investigating Wildfire Near Large South Jersey Sculpture Deemed Suspicious, State Police Investigating
Wildfire Near Large South Jersey Sculpture Deemed Suspicious, State Police Investigating Troopers were asking for the public's help after a wildfire near a well-known sculpture in Hainesport was ruled suspicious, authorities said. State police have launched an investigation into the Big Rusty Wildfire, troopers said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Nov. 21. The blaze that ignited near Bancroft Lane and Cove Court on Monday, Nov. 18 scorched 40 acres and threatened 20 homes. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said no evacuations were needed and the wildfire was fully contained by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Crews have remained on-site to monitor the area for flare-…

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by Chris Spiker
News
'Historic Low': NJ Reservoir Drops Below Half Capacity As Wildfires Burn Across State 'Historic Low': NJ Reservoir Drops Below Half Capacity As Wildfires Burn Across State
'Historic Low': NJ Reservoir Drops Below Half Capacity As Wildfires Burn Across State The Manasquan Reservoir, a crucial water source in Monmouth County, has dropped to historically low levels as New Jersey experiences wildfires and drastic drought conditions. The reservoir's water elevation was recorded at 91.27 feet above sea level on the morning of Monday, Nov. 18, according to Marc Brooks, executive director of the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA). That measurement at the Howell Township reservoir was 11.73 feet below its full pool level. The reservoir was holding 2.3 billion gallons of water, which is just 49.35 percent of its 4.67-billion capacity. “This is a…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Five Wildfires Rage Across NJ: Here's The Latest Update On Each One Five Wildfires Rage Across NJ: Here's The Latest Update On Each One
Five Wildfires Rage Across NJ: Here's The Latest Update On Each One New Jersey is actively managing five wildfires across multiple counties, sending smoke into surrounding towns and worsening the air quality. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) continues efforts to contain the flames under a Red Flag Warning issued through Saturday, Nov. 9, by the U.S. National Weather Service.  HIGH Fire Danger Today! A Red Flag Warning is in effect today into this evening as very dry conditions and gusty winds... Posted by US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly on Friday, November 8, 2024 Here's the updated status for each of the five wi…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
House Evacuations Ordered For 'Major' Wildfire In Drought-Stricken South Jersey House Evacuations Ordered For 'Major' Wildfire In Drought-Stricken South Jersey
House Evacuations Ordered For 'Major' Wildfire In Drought-Stricken South Jersey Crews were battling a 200-acre wildfire in Evesham Township, the second one burning in a very dry South Jersey, officials said. As of Thursday afternoon, Nov. 7, 104 structures were threatened and 12 were evacuated due to the fire in the Kettle Run section of Evesham, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The Forest Fire Service has responded with fire engines, bulldozers, ground crews, a helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water at a time, an observation chopper, and more, the agency said. There was also a 300-acre wildfire burning in Jackson Township. The…

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by Chris Spiker