Today’s News
Many universities are having trouble hiring, retaining athletic trainers, new survey finds
Colleges and universities are having a difficult time hiring, recruiting and retaining members of their athletic training staffs because of a number of below-market conditions, a survey shows. The survey, by the National Athletics Trainers' Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, of 1,120 athletic trainers at all collegiate levels identified four areas of most common concern: compensation, organizational culture, burnout and increased work responsibility, according to a joint statement. Among the findings, more [...]
Governments navigating how to spend opioid funds
Settlement money to help stem the decades-long opioid addiction and overdose epidemic is rolling out to small towns and big cities across the country, but advocates said they’re concerned that chunks of that money may be used in ways that don't make a dent in the crisis. As state and local governments navigate how to use the money, advocates say local governments may not have the bandwidth to take the right steps to identify their [...]
Low-priced Chinese electric vehicle Seagull is a possible threat to domestic automakers
LIVONIA, Mich. (AP) — A tiny, low-priced electric car called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians concerned. The car, launched last year by Chinese automaker BYD, sells for around $12,000 in China, but analysts say it drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals American-made electric vehicles that cost three times as much. A shorter-range version costs less than $10,000. Tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles probably will keep the Seagull away from [...]
Many schools considering artificial-intelligence systems to detect firearms
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could soon offer up to $5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. The governor, however, needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet specific criteria. The AI software must be patented, "designated as qualified anti-terrorism technology," in compliance with certain security industry standards, already in use in at least 30 states and capable of detecting [...]
Increased use of smarter vehicles could mean changes for traffic light operation
As cars and trucks get smarter and more connected, the humble lights that have controlled the flow of traffic for more than a century could also be on the cusp of a transformation. Researchers are exploring ways to use features in modern cars, such as GPS, to make traffic safer and more efficient. Eventually, the upgrades could do away entirely with the red, yellow and green lights of today, ceding control to driverless cars. Henry [...]
Higher interest rates’ impact on inflation could take time
WASHINGTON — The interest rate hikes of the past two years will likely take longer than previously expected to bring down inflation, several Federal Reserve officials have said in recent comments, suggesting there may be few, if any, rate cuts this year. A concern expressed by both Fed policymakers and some economists is that higher borrowing costs aren’t having as much of an impact as economics textbooks would suggest. Americans as a whole, for example, [...]
Kavanaugh: Some unpopular rulings become ‘fabric’ of American law
AUSTIN, Texas — Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that U.S. history shows court decisions unpopular in their time later can become part of the "fabric of American constitutional law." Kavanaugh spoke last week at a conference attended by judges, attorneys and other court personnel in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and is one of the most conservative circuits. In a question-and-answer session, he was not asked [...]
Age-in-place renovations are growing in popularity among homeowners
NEW YORK — Brenda Edwards considers the four bedroom ranch-style house where she has lived for 20 years her forever home. It's where the 70-year-old retired nurse and her 79-year-old husband want to stay as their mobility becomes more limited. So she hired an interior designer for $20,000 and spent another $95,000 to retrofit their house in Oakdale, Calif. She had the kitchen aisles widened to accommodate a wheelchair in case she or her husband [...]
NBA prospects likely won’t be drafted among first few picks
Anyone watching the NCAA Tournament exclusively to get a closer look at the top prospects in the upcoming NBA draft is in for a disappointment. Only one of the top five players in last year's draft came directly from college, as the Charlotte Hornets took Alabama's Brandon Miller with the second overall pick. There are similar forecasts for this year's draft, with international players such as Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr atop most projections. Even [...]
Mortgage rate falls to 7.44%
LOS ANGELES — The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell for the third week in a row, welcome news for house hunters facing a market held back by persistently high prices and a near-historic low number of homes for sale. The latest decline brought the average rate on a 30-year mortgage down to 7.44 percent last week from 7.5 percent, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged [...]
Legal News
Bill would give grants to child-care facilities
The sponsors of legislation designed to beef up child-care capacity throughout the state recently said their bill is in response to circumstances working parents and [...]
Bill introduced would protect NCAA and conferences from legal attacks
Two Republican congressmen introduced a bill last week that would provide the NCAA, college conferences and member schools with federal protection from legal challenges that [...]
Bill designed to help public-owned airports discard abandoned planes
Senate committee members at the Ohio Statehouse recently heard from backers of a bill that addresses what aviation industry officials say is the nuisance of [...]
Business News
Disney’s streaming business turns a profit for first time
The Walt Disney Co. swung to a loss in its second quarter because of restructuring and impairment charges, but its adjusted profit topped expectations and [...]
FAA opens investigation after Boeing says workers falsified inspection records
SEATTLE — The Federal Aviation Administration said it has opened an investigation into Boeing after the beleaguered company reported that workers at a South Carolina [...]
Airbus not expected to extend its sales lead over Boeing
FRANKFURT, Germany — In the latest round of their decades-long battle for dominance in commercial aircraft, Europe's Airbus established a clear sales lead over Boeing [...]
Real Estate
Rise in all-cash buys helping drive up prices for most expensive homes
LOS ANGELES — Well-heeled home shoppers are increasingly paying cash, helping turbo-charge price gains for the most expensive U.S. homes. The median sale price of [...]
Central Ohio home sales fall 3.7 percent in March
Home sales in central Ohio last month were down 3.7 percent compared to March 2023, according to new figures from Columbus Realtors. Sales through the [...]
Kate Ashford: Selling your home could boost your nest egg – but is it worth it?
A 2023 report from investment firm Vanguard estimates that about a quarter of Americans age 60 and over could move to a cheaper housing market [...]
Politics
Federal government considering changes to donor-advised fund regulations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress and the Biden administration are considering what, if anything, should be done to tighten restrictions on donor-advised funds, an increasingly popular [...]
New sanctions target Russian weapons development, ban uranium imports
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States last week imposed new sanctions on hundreds of companies and people tied to Russia's weapons development program, more than [...]
Temporary farmworkers to have more protections under new Labor rule
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — Temporary farmworkers will have more legal protections against employer retaliation, unsafe working conditions, illegal recruitment practices and other abuses under [...]