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What the Fed rate increase means for your credit card bill

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve raised its key rate by another quarter point Wednesday, bringing it to the highest level in 15 years as part of an ongoing effort to ease inflation by making borrowing more expensive.If you have money to save, you’ll probably earn a bit more interest on it, but the increase will make it even costlier to borrow for homes, autos and other purchases. The interest rate increase comes at a time when credit card debt is at record levels.Here's what the increase means for your credit card bill and what you can do if you're carrying debt:HOW DOES THE FED DECISION AFFECT CREDIT CARD DEBT?The Federal Reserve doesn't directly dictate how much interest you pay on your credit card debt. But the Fed's rate is the basis for your bank’s “prime rate." In combination with other factors, such as your credit score, the prime rate helps determine the Annual Percentage Rate, or APR, on your credit card. The latest increase will likely raise the APR on your credit card ...

90-year-old endangered turtle becomes a new dad at Houston Zoo

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — Apparently, turtles can become fathers well into old age. That's what happened recently with a 90-year-old radiated tortoise at the Houston Zoo.Mr. Pickles has become the father of three hatchlings after a surprise egg-laying. A zoo resident for 36 years, Mr. Pickles is the oldest animal there and the newest dad.According to a statement from the zoo, a herpetology keeper happened upon Mrs. Pickles, the companion of Mr. Pickles, as she was laying eggs at closing time. Lollapalooza 2023 official lineup revealed Houston’s soil isn’t friendly to the Madagascar tortoises, so the zoo’s animal care team quickly uncovered the eggs and got them to safety."It’s unlikely the eggs would have hatched on their own if the keeper hadn’t been in the right place at the right time," the zoo said in a press release. Mr. and Mrs. Pickles have been together since the new mom's arrival in 1996, the zoo said. They have had only one other little Pickle, and that was in 1997. Dick Van ...

SCO Expands Jordan’s Principle To 7 More School Divisions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

UT basketball player cements Dunkin' NIL deal in latest student-athlete partnership

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — America runs on Dunkin' and so, too, does Dillon Mitchell, a University of Texas at Austin basketball player.Mitchell is one of 38 student-athletes collaborating with the national coffee chain via its Team Dunkin name, image and likeness (NIL) partnership. Dylan Disu peaking at the right time for Longhorns during March Madness run As part of the deal, Mitchell will participate in Dunkin's social media posts and debut Team Dunkin'-themed merch on and off the court. Mitchell's favorite Dunkin' drink will also be highlighted at a participating Dunkin' shop in Austin, per a Dunkin' news release.“College sports fans are as passionate about their teams as they are about Dunkin’. That’s why the brand is supporting college athletes on and off the field through Team Dunkin’,” Dunkin' field marketing manager Shannon Durkin said in the release.The coffee chain first began student-athlete p...

White Sox broadcaster Jason Benetti encourages audience to “inspire and have an impact”

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

Jason Benetti, a nationally recognized play-by-play sports announcer for Fox network and the Chicago White Sox, is a confident and familiar voice, peppered with wit.Benetti, 39, is also matter-of-fact, both personally and professionally, about his own medical journey of self-discovery and acceptance while sharing his life and career as an intertwined story.“I’m not normal and I wasn’t born normal,” said Benetti, the keynote speaker Tuesday before more than 200 guests in the auditorium on the Ivy Tech campus in Valparaiso.“Normal is boring. It’s like unsalted French fries.”Benetti spoke for 50 minutes and answered questions of an eager audience for 30 minutes, as part of the City of Valparaiso’s event marking Disability Awareness Month.Benetti has cerebral palsy, a factor for his balance and ability to walk. But as evidenced by the success of his on-air talent, he describes himself as “proof of not judging a book by its cover,R...

For 13 days, this Northern California teacher hiked nearly 2 miles through snow to get to school

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

The classic “old grumpy grandpa” saying goes something like this: “Back in my day, we walked 15 miles to school in the snow! Barefoot! Uphill! Both ways! And we liked it that way!”For Eagle Peak Middle School eighth grade science teacher Paula Abajian, there is some truth in that saying for her, as she spent 13 days hiking through snow and ice to get access to a vehicle, to then drive or be driven to school. Monday evening, March 13, was the first day she could finally drive the road to her home since the snowy weather started on Feb. 22.Eagle Peak teacher Paula Abajian hiking through snow to get to school.For Abajian, the logistics were as follows. She and her husband and two young children live at 2,500 feet above sea level in the mountains above Willits. The road to their home is on a north-facing slope, with several feet of snow accumulating on it from all the storms and not melting much due to the lack of sun on the north face. Midway through the series of storms, the snow melt...

Committee seeks to put St. Paul early learning grants on November ballot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

A city-driven committee composed of two dozen educators and community advocates has asked the St. Paul City Council to put a question on the November ballot that would cover the cost of childcare and early learning programs for low-income residents.Funding for the 10-year effort would be derived from city property taxes.The Early Learning Legislative Advisory Committee recommendations submitted to the council on Wednesday generally resemble those long-supported by SPARK, a broad-based coalition of education and civic leaders, with key differences. Among them, the committee recommended that St. Paul tap an existing city department or create a new one to administer childcare grants to St. Paul-based providers, rather than leave oversight to an independent nonprofit.The committee also recommended that childcare grants be available for children from birth to age 5, rather than targeted exclusively to kids age 4 and 5. Given the projected funding source, SPARK organizers have predicted t...

New president named at MSU Moorhead

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

A former university president in South Dakota has been named the next president of Minnesota State University Moorhead.Tim Downs (courtesy of Minnesota State)Tim Downs, 63, led Northern State University in Aberdeen from 2016 to 2021 and last year was hired as interim chief of staff at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.He’ll take over for the retiring Anne Blackhurst on July 1.Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra called Downs a great communicator and strong fundraiser who is focused on student success.Related ArticlesEducation | Dean of Mitchell Hamline law school to step down in 2024 Education | Eagan parents sue Florida university, running coach after daughter died by suicide Education | Jonathan Zimmerman: The left and right are both wrong about Ron DeSantis’ ‘Western civilization’ courses Education | What is a ‘borg’? College drinking TikTok trend is ‘very concerning,’ can l...

Massachusetts man turns himself in for Bennington attempted murder charge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

POWNAL, Vt. (WWLP) — A Massachusetts man was arrested on Tuesday for an attempted murder charge in connection to a shooting in Pownal, Vermont in January 2022. Giovanni Torres, 21, of Holyoke pleaded not guilty to second degree attempted murder in Bennington Superior Court and will be held without bail. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to a Vermont State Police affidavit, officers were called to Route 7 in Pownal after 10 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2022 for a report of shots fired. They said they checked the neighborhood, finding a house with significant damage like broken windows and bullet strikes. They also said that they found a gun outside, but did not find anyone in the building. There were no reports of gunshot victims at the nearby hospital.On Jan. 27, 2022, they got a search warrant for the damaged home and troopers found a 9mm ghost gun, several spent shell casings from a 9mm and a rifle, a DVR for security cameras...

This month, Green Island students read for pizza

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:50 GMT

GREEN ISLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) - At Green Island Union Free School District, it's any kid's dream. Every book read gets a student closer to free pizza.This March, the school district is celebrating National Reading Month with the launch of Green Island Reads. In the program, students K-6 select teacher-approved books and get reading, proving their progress by discussing the plot, writing summaries, and other methods. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Students will win a coupon for every third, sixth and ninth book they read. Those coupons are good for one personal pan pizza each from Spindle City Pizza in Cohoes. Students will also be given punch cards as a way to track progress, getting a punch for each goal. Once a card is filled out with 10 punches, they'll earn a $5 gift certificate and a new punch card."Starting Green Island Reads shows a long-term commitment to building district-wide enjoyment of reading and encouraging He...