Fog/Mist 40°
Business
Popular Tex-Mex Chain Shutters Only Nassau County Location Popular Tex-Mex Chain Shutters Only Nassau County Location
Popular Tex-Mex Chain Shutters Only Nassau County Location It’s a somber day for queso lovers and margarita enthusiasts on Long Island. The sizzling sound of fajitas and the tableside theatrics of “Guacamole Live” have all fallen silent as On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has officially shuttered its only two Long Island locations. Both the Holtsville restaurant on Middle Avenue and the Hicksville spot in Broadway Mall now bear the tragic, final designation on Google: “Permanently Closed.” Even the company’s official website has erased any trace of these Tex-Mex outposts, as if they were never part of the On The Border family at all. …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
These States Seeing Highest Rates As Flu Hospitalizations Spike Amid Worst Season In Years These States Seeing Highest Rates As Flu Hospitalizations Spike Amid Worst Season In Years
These States Seeing Highest Rates As Flu Hospitalizations Spike Amid Worst Season In Years The flu is surging across the United States, reaching its highest severity in 15 years. Overcrowded hospitals, long ER wait times, and visitor restrictions have made this one of the worst flu seasons in recent history. In early February, flu-related doctor visits and hospitalizations hit their highest levels since the 2009 swine flu pandemic, according to the CDC. The agency reports that at least 33 million Americans have already been sickened during the 2024–2025 flu season. Key Figures  (as of Feb. Friday, 21, per CDC estimates): 33 million illnesses 430,000 hospitalizations 19,00…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Right-Wing Podcaster Dan Bongino Named FBI Deputy Director Right-Wing Podcaster Dan Bongino Named FBI Deputy Director
Right-Wing Podcaster Dan Bongino Named FBI Deputy Director Popular right-wing podcaster - and staunch Trump supporter - Dan Bongino has been named as the FBI deputy director in a surprise move. The former Secret Service agent who went on to become an instructor in Maryland, earned a master's degree from Queens College and an MBA at Penn State University. He will serve under recently appointed FBI Director Kash Patel, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the agency's dozens of field offices. "Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice! Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next DEPUTY…

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by Zak Failla
Real Estate
Home Sales Plummet, Prices Hit New January Record: How Tariffs Could Drive Costs Higher Home Sales Plummet, Prices Hit New January Record: How Tariffs Could Drive Costs Higher
Home Sales Plummet, Prices Hit New January Record: How Tariffs Could Drive Costs Higher Home sales fell in January as prices continued soaring, showing the financial strains potential buyers are facing. Existing-home sales declined 4.9 percent from December 2024 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million in January, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said in a news release on Friday, Feb. 21. The median home price climbed 4.8 percent year-over-year to $396,900, the highest amount ever in a month of January. In the Northeast, sales fell 5.7 percent from December to an annual rate of 500,000 homes, though they increased 4.2 percent from January 2024. The m…

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by Chris Spiker
Politics
Trump Fires Nation's Senior Military Officer Trump Fires Nation's Senior Military Officer
Trump Fires Nation's Senior Military Officer President Donald Trump announced on social media that he has just fired the nation's senior military officer and named a successor. General Charles Q. Brown Jr., age 62,  made history as only the second African American to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Trump appointed retired three-star general John D. Caine to fill Brown's position as he seeks to reshape military leadership. “Today, I am honored to announce my nomination of Lieutenant General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Friday evening, Feb…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
New Poll Shows Approval Drop In Trump's Handling Of Economy New Poll Shows Approval Drop In Trump's Handling Of Economy
New Poll Shows Approval Drop In Trump's Handling Of Economy As economic uncertainty looms, a new poll shows President Donald Trump's approval rating has slipped, with growing numbers of Americans expressing concern over the nation's financial direction. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which surveyed 4,145 US adults nationwide over a six-day period ending Tuesday, found Trump's overall approval rating at 44 percent, down from 45 percent in a poll conducted Friday, Jan. 24 to Sunday, Jan. 26.  His disapproval rating climbed to 51 percent, a notable increase from 41 percent in polling taken just after he returned to the White House on Monday, Jan. 20 to T…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
NY Shoppers Feel Inflation But Spend Less Of Income On Groceries Than Many States: Study NY Shoppers Feel Inflation But Spend Less Of Income On Groceries Than Many States: Study
NY Shoppers Feel Inflation But Spend Less Of Income On Groceries Than Many States: Study Inflation and soaring grocery prices are squeezing US households at the beginning of 2025, but a new study says Northeast families are spending less of their income on food than other parts of the country. A study from WalletHub called States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Groceries was released on Thursday, Feb. 13. Despite higher food costs, residents in many Northeast and mid-Atlantic states spend a smaller share of their incomes on groceries compared to others. WalletHub said the cost of groceries has surged more than 25 percent since 2019, straining household…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Retail Spending Slips As Inflation Climbs In January, Adding To Economic Concerns Retail Spending Slips As Inflation Climbs In January, Adding To Economic Concerns
Retail Spending Slips As Inflation Climbs In January, Adding To Economic Concerns After a solid holiday season, US retail sales took a surprising step back to start 2025, snapping a streak of growth and fueling worries about the economy. Retail and food services sales fell 0.9 percent in January, according to Census Bureau data released on Friday, Feb. 14. The decline reversed the trend from December 2024's revised increase of 0.7 percent, signaling that consumers may be feeling the squeeze from rising prices. Economists had predicted only a slight decline, with Dow Jones estimating a 0.2 percent drop, NBC News reported. The sales totals were seasonally adjusted but…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Musicians Push Congress To Stop Corporate Radio From Dodging Royalties Musicians Push Congress To Stop Corporate Radio From Dodging Royalties
Musicians Push Congress To Stop Corporate Radio From Dodging Royalties Hundreds of music legends and rising stars are calling on Congress to make major radio companies equitably pay artists when their songs are played on air. Popular 90s R&B group Boyz II Men met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for the American Music Fairness Act, a bill aiming to require corporate radio stations to compensate performers while protecting small, local broadcasters. The meeting happened on Thursday, Feb. 13 to coincide with World Radio Day. The Philadelphia-based singers of the hit song "End of the Road" spoke with three leaders in the House of Represent…

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by Chris Spiker
Politics
American Teacher Marc Fogel Returns Home After Release From Russian Prison American Teacher Marc Fogel Returns Home After Release From Russian Prison
American Teacher Marc Fogel Returns Home After Release From Russian Prison Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania teacher detained in Russia since 2021, is back in the United States following a negotiated exchange facilitated by President Donald J. Trump and his administration, officials announced on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Fogel, who had been serving a 14-year sentence for possessing medical marijuana prescribed for chronic pain, was freed after diplomatic efforts led by Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. His return follows years of advocacy from his family and lawmakers across the political spectrum. Fogel, Family Express Gratitude In his first public remarks since return…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
American Teacher Marc Fogel Freed From Russia In Prisoner Exchange American Teacher Marc Fogel Freed From Russia In Prisoner Exchange
American Teacher Marc Fogel Freed From Russia In Prisoner Exchange A Pennsylvania teacher is finally free after years in a Russian prison, following a high-stakes diplomatic deal brokered at the highest levels of the U.S. government. Marc Fogel, who had been detained in Russia since 2021, is back on American soil after President Donald J. Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff orchestrated a negotiated exchange. Fogel, a former teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, was serving a 14-year sentence for possessing medical marijuana prescribed for chronic pain. Witkoff left Russian airspace with Fogel earlier on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, as part of…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Gulf Of America Name Change Activated By Google Maps, FAA Gulf Of America Name Change Activated By Google Maps, FAA
Gulf Of America Name Change Activated By Google Maps, FAA The Gulf of America, the area that has been known for centuries as the Gulf of Mexico, is now being used by the US government and some online platforms. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Google Maps have implemented the controversial name change.  The shift follows an official update by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and was reinforced by a proclamation from President Donald Trump, who on Sunday, Feb. 9, declared the date as the first-ever Gulf of America Day. The announcement came directly from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who posted on social m…

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by Joe Lombardi