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US home prices rose in July after 5 months of declines

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Washington, DC (CNN) — US home buyers have a new challenge in addition to mortgage rates above 7%: Prices are rising again, reversing five months of year-over-year declines, according to a National Association of Realtors report released Tuesday.The median existing home price was $406,700 last month, up 1.9% from a year ago when the median home price was $399,000. It was the highest price for the month of July on record. Prices rose in the Northeast, Midwest and South but were unchanged in the West, the NAR report found.Prices were pushed up by the stubbornly low inventory of homes on the market — just 1.11 million existing homes were available to buy at the end of July, down 14.6% from a year ago. It was the lowest number of homes for sale on record for the month of July, which is typically one of the busiest months for home buying and selling in the year.Current homeowners are refusing to sell and are hunkering down with their ultra-low mortgage rates that are at least h...

Teamster members ratify deal at UPS, putting strike threat to rest

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

New York (CNN) — Rank-and-file members of the Teamsters union have overwhelmingly ratified a five-year deal with UPS, putting an end to the threat of a crippling strike.The union said 86% of members had voted for the five-year contract, which will now be in effect retroactive to August 1. It was the largest margin in favor of a contract ever at the company, the Teamsters said. The deal was reached on July 25, a week before the union had been set to go on strike. The ratification process has taken the four weeks since then.The deal had overwhelming support among union leadership, who voted 161-1 in favor of the deal. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien called it “the best contract in the history of UPS.”“This is the template for how workers should be paid and protected nationwide, and nonunion companies like Amazon better pay attention,” said O’Brien in a statement on Tuesday.But some groups of part-time UPS workers opposed the deal. The outcome of the vote had been uncertain ...

Wegmans working to reverse charges after some customers charged twice on orders

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Some customers at the Wegmans grocery store chain were recently charged twice for some in-store and online orders as part of a credit card issue, officials said in a statement this week. Wegmans in its statement said the issue impacted credit card transactions on Aug. 16. Wegmans said the issue did not affect EBT and debit cards transactions unless those transactions were processed as credit transactions at a customer’s request. There are currently five Wegmans stores in Massachusetts, including locations in Burlington, Chestnut Hill, Medford, Northborough and Westwood. The chain this week said it is working with its processor to reverse the inadvertent charges from Aug. 16, adding “Customers who have not already seen the charges reversed should see the duplicate charges refunded in the upcoming days.”

Northeastern reassigns some incoming students to new housing after discovering major water damage in dorm 

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Some incoming students at Northeastern University are dealing with a last-minute change to their plans after the university announced it discovered major water damage inside a residence hall. Some incoming freshmen were slated to move into White Hall next week. Now, those students have been reassigned to other campus locations.“If that happened to me, I’d be pretty upset,” said area resident Ethan Spitalney. “A lot of kids are international too, especially at our school, so pretty big shame that they have to deal with all this,” said Northeastern junior Neil Isaac.In a statement, a spokesperson for Northeastern said officials found the water damage  “impacting the structure of the interior and exterior brick walls of the building” as part of a planned building improvement project at White Hall.“Structural engineering experts are currently evaluating the problem and we expect to have their report and recommendations within the next couple of weeks,” the spokesperson sa...

Column: Chicago Cubs need the bullpen to weather the storm in the stretch run

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Some fans might have been wondering where Chicago Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay was Monday night when Mark Leiter Jr. came out in the ninth inning with a two-run lead over the Detroit Tigers.The games matter more as September looms, and Alzolay had converted 14 straight saves.A few hours earlier, Alzolay had gone into manager David Ross’s office at Comerica Park and said he didn’t “feel great” after back-to-back outings the previous two games against the Kansas City Royals.“That was an easy ‘no,’” Ross said Tuesday of his decision to not use Alzolay. Leiter gave up an infield hit and a run-scoring single, but managed to close out a 7-6 win in the opener of the three-game series.Ross’s bullpen decisions have been the topic of great debate this season, though the foursome of Alzolay, Leiter, Julian Merryweather and Michael Fulmer have been instrumental in the team’s rise from mediocrity to realistic postseason contender.The Cubs...

Business, education groups file challenge to proposed ballot question to end MCAS graduation requirement

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Education and business leaders are backing a letter to the Attorney General opposing the proposed ballot question to end the MCAS graduation requirement, claiming the drafted language is unconstitutional.“The elimination of the passing of MCAS as a statewide graduation requirement would amount to a huge setback for ensuring that all graduates have acquired basic mastery of subject areas to be college or career ready,” said Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios in a release. “But the (MTA) goes further in its proposed ballot question, by prohibiting local school districts from choosing to use the MCAS in assessing student competence.”The anti-MCAS ballot initiative in question, filed with the AG’s office ahead of the Aug. 2 deadline, would eliminate the standardized test as a graduation requirement and require districts to instead assess students based on their performance in school.The initiative petition must be approved by the AG and then ...

Patriots training camp Day 28: Mike Gesicki returns to the field, Mac Jones feeds JuJu Smith-Schuster

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

FOXBORO — Here comes the calvary.Patriots tight end Mike Gesicki returned to practice Tuesday after missing eight days with a hurt shoulder. On a day where players wore shells and shorts, Gesicki participated in positional drills and team periods, but was not contacted and didn’t catch a pass during 11-on-11s. He did, however, run well and otherwise look unbothered by his injury.Three other players also returned to practice: running back/wide receiver Ty Montgomery (left leg), running back Pierre Strong (reported concussion) and linebacker Ronnie Perkins. Montgomery ran through positional drills for the first time since the second day of training camp. Perkins earned a sack in his return.Elsewhere, JuJu Smith-Schuster inhaled targets, Mac Jones spoiled his hot start with an interception, two rookies saw brief promotions and Ezekiel Elliott keeps adding more onto his plate.Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.AttendanceReturned: TE Mike Gesicki, RB/WR Ty M...

Saucy: Winning tomatoes in 38th Massachusetts Tomato Contest

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

Boil the pasta!The state’s 38th annual Tomato Contest yesterday featured some impressive beefsteak-to-Valencia varieties.In the heavyweight division, Verrill Farm in Concord took home the top prize for their Aussie variety weighing in at 2.370 pounds.In the Slicing Category, Langwater Farm in North Easton was the champ for their BHN 589 variety.The Cherry Category went to Red Fire Farm in Montague for their Starlor tomato.Heirloom Category was won by Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon for their Valencia.Of the 7,241 farms in Massachusetts, 517 farms annually produce more than 5.9 million pounds of tomatoes on 569 acres with a value of approximately $10.9 million, the state says. Get out the salt!Rose Arruda arranges some of the contestants on the tasting table as the city of Boston holds it’s 38th annual Tomato Contest at Boston Public Market on August 22, 2023 in , BOSTON, MA. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

As theft hurts Dick’s Sporting Goods, Massachusetts retailers losing $2 billion a year to ‘organized criminal theft activity’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

With Dick’s Sporting Goods on Tuesday saying rampant theft is seriously impacting its bottom line, a leading retail advocate for Massachusetts estimated that local businesses are losing about $2 billion a year to “organized criminal theft activity.”Dick’s Sporting Goods reporting that its profit slipped in its second quarter and blaming theft at its stores “is not surprising,” Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst told the Herald.“A number of companies have reported the effect of this organized criminal theft activity on their bottom line,” Hurst added. “We’ve certainly seen more of this organized stealing, and this smash-and-grab.“Stores have actually closed,” he said. “You can only keep a store open for so long when you’re losing money on it.”For the second quarter that ended July 29, Dick’s earned $244 million, or $2.82 per share. A year earlier, the company earned...

Chicago White Sox clean house in front office, firing GM Rick Hahn and executive VP Ken Williams

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:52 GMT

The Chicago White Sox have relieved executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn of their responsibilities effective immediately, the team announced Tuesday.“This is an incredibly difficult decision for me to make because they are both talented individuals with long-term relationships at the White Sox,” Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Ken is like a son to me, and I will always consider him a member of my family. I want to personally thank Ken and Rick for all they have done for the Chicago White Sox, winning the 2005 World Series and reaching the postseason multiple times during their tenures. I have nothing but the greatest respect for them as people and appreciate the commitment and passion for the White Sox they exhibited over the years.“Ultimately, the well-worn cliche that professional sports is results-oriented is correct. While we have enjoyed successes as an organization and were optimistic heading into the co...