Author: theparknews

Dade Phelan is no outlier in the modern history of speaker politics, having withdrawn from the Texas House leadership race despite wanting to remain in power.Indeed, the 49-year-old Beaumont Republican, who as recently as Friday said he was seeking a third term in House leadership, is continuing a nearly unbroken tradition dating back nearly half a century as speaker of the House. Either his support base collapsed after the speaker limped away, or the court was hot on his butt.Unlike the lieutenant governor, who is elected state-wide for a four-year term as president of the Texas Senate, the speaker of…

ATLANTA — Georgia football’s Carson Beck suffered an upper leg injury in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game vs. Texas, according to coach Kirby Smart.The injury occurred at the end of the first half of a game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in which the Bulldogs defeated Texas 22-19 in overtime. After the play, more than half a dozen staff members swarmed the field as he lay on the grass.Celebrate Georgia’s SEC title win with special memorabiliaThis play resulted in a sack by Texas’ Trey Moore. Beck fumbled the ball, the ball went wild, and the ball ended up hitting offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild.The…

With 2025 quickly approaching, it’s important to know what to expect from a personal finance perspective once the new year begins. Although there are no major policy changes regarding Social Security, there are still some important changes that both retirees and workers should be aware of.Each year, there are some changes that are based on inflation and some that depend on wage growth. Here’s how these changes could affect your current and future Social Security benefits, taxes withheld from your paycheck, and more.cola in 2025Perhaps the biggest change coming to Social Security in 2025 is the annual cost of living…

U.S. News and World Report annually publishes a list of the best elementary schools based on their ability to educate and lead to success for students of all socio-economic backgrounds. Several elementary schools in the Wilmington area made the 2025 list based on a specific methodology. Half of the formula includes ratings of students who are at or above proficient on the math and reading/language arts state assessments. The other half of the equation incorporates test results related to socio-economic demographics. According to U.S. News & World Report’s methodology, “In other words, the top-ranked schools have high academic performance and…

Baird Bridge at YMCA Camp WakondaYMCA Camp Wakonda celebrated a milestone on Dec. 2 with the construction of the new Baird Bridge over Goose Creek. The 104-foot-tall truss bridge is an important addition to the camp, where eight bridges have been washed away by the raging waters of Goose Creek.Baird Bridge is designed to withstand the elements and provide a safe crossing for Camp Wakonda youth. The bridge was built by volunteers working with Carson Mitchell, with assistance from Miller Engineering and Conco. The Ybee’s, a group of alumni campers dating back to the 1950s, helped paint and prepare the…

A Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $197 million was sold in Los Angeles, but the winner has not yet come forward. Winners must claim their prize in person at a California Lottery office or by mailing a claim postmarked by the closing date. If there are no claimants, the $197 million will go to support public education in California.It is almost expected that you will not win the jackpot by playing the lottery. However, it is unfathomable to win a grand prize and then leave it unreceived.Last year, someone bought a Mega Millions ticket in Los Angeles but has yet…

Xcel Energy using AI to detect wildfires in Panhandle, plans include more than 50 camera stationsXcel Energy is increasing its wildfire detection and mitigation efforts in the Texas Panhandle by introducing artificial intelligence to spot fires early. The utility company announced it is partnering with Pano AI to install more than 50 camera stations across the region, with Carson, Gray, Roberts, Hutchinson, Wheeler, Hemphill, Garza, Cochran, Moore, Potter and Yoakum counties currently under consideration.The company said first responders and firefighters will have immediate access to this data, shortening response times. “We want to better safeguard our neighbors and reduce the…

If your Chipotle order seems a little expensive, it’s not your fault.The fast-casual Mexican chain announced it has increased menu prices by 2% to combat the effects of inflation.”For the first time in over a year, we have implemented modest price increases of approximately 2% nationwide to offset inflation,” Chipotle Chief Executive Officer Lori Sharrow said in a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Thursday. He said this in a statement:Chipotle said in its third-quarter earnings report in October that food, beverage and packaging costs accounted for 30.6% of total revenue in the third quarter of 2024, up from 29.7%…

Cinco’s Cantina concludes month-long fundraiser, raising $4,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalDOVER — Cinco’s Cantina, a family-owned restaurant known for its vibrant atmosphere and commitment to the community, announced the successful conclusion of a month-long fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Throughout the month of November, Cinco’s Cantina’s three locations came together to support St. Jude’s lifesaving efforts, donating $4,000 to advance childhood cancer research and treatment.The fundraiser will be propelled by the restaurant’s popular “Fiesta Fundraiser” night, where 20 percent of sales from all three locations will go to St. Jude throughout the day and night, along…

If your checking account is typically empty by payday, does that mean you’re living paycheck to paycheck? After all, “paycheck to paycheck” means different things to different people. Nearly half of Americans believe they live paycheck to paycheck, according to a recent report from the Bank of America Research Institute. But when the think tank applied the strict definition of “paycheck to paycheck” to real-world bank accounts, researchers found that it’s the households that are actually making ends meet from one payday to the next. They found that only about a quarter of What does “paycheck to paycheck” actually mean?Strictly…