Author: Michael Erst

Presidents Day: what businesses are open and closed on the holidayWashington’s birthday, or Presidents Day, is the third Monday of February, so here are what businesses are open and closed on the federal holiday?USA TODAYPresidents Day is on Monday, Feb. 17, giving some employees and students the day off, while others will head in to work on the federal holiday.Grocery stores, retail stores and restaurants will largely remain open on the holiday, but that will not be the case for banks, post offices, government offices and the stock market.While the holiday is sometimes misunderstood as a celebration of the lives…

MotorTrend Staff  |  MotorTrendSaturday Night Live, the comedy sketch show that’s on its 50th season, might be more famous for its political parodies, but it has a long, strong history of some hilarious car-related skits and fake ads. With classics popping up throughout the years (SNL’s inaugural episode was way back in 1975), there’s plenty of material to draw from, and with the show’s 50th anniversary special airing this weekend on February 16 (Sunday special), what better time for our staff to highlight some of their favorites? Below you’ll find the iconic SNL car sketches that keep our editors in…

The origin and evolution of President’s DayAs the United States prepares to celebrate President’s Day, we take a look at the origins of the annual holiday.unbranded – LifestylePresidents Day is a day to honor those who have served in the Oval Office. The federal holiday is also a day to get a bargain on a mattress or to get a deal on a meal.Presidents Day originates from George Washington’s Birthday (Feb. 22), which became a federal holiday in January 1879.In June 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved the celebration of Washington’s birthday to the third Monday of February…

The Powerball jackpot rose to $172 million for Saturday’s drawing after no one won the top prize on Wednesday.If someone matches all six numbers, they can choose a one-time cash payment of $79.4 million.Although no one won the Powerball on Wednesday, a player in Mississippi managed to win a prize of $2 million, according to the lottery.A lucky player in Oregon had the first jackpot-winning Powerball ticket of 2025, according to lottery officials, winning a $328.5 million prize on Jan. 18.Check below for the winning numbers in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, which were drawn just after 11 p.m. ET.Powerball winning numbers…

Why food recalls are increasingE.Coli, metal and even a dead bat have been found in recalled food. In fact, food recalls are increasing. Yet, that might actually be a good sign. Here’s why.USA TODAYThe FDA has set a Class II risk level for a recall of over 2.4 million MadeGood granola bars due to potential metal contamination.Consumers are advised to check their pantries for recalled products and return them for a full refund.The Food and Drug Administration has made updates to a December recall of over 2.4 million cases of MadeGood granola bars, warning consumers of adverse health risks associated…

Nvidia (NVDA 2.63%) has had a forgettable start to 2025 as shares of the semiconductor giant are down more than 3% as of this writing, and multiple factors out of the company’s control have played a part in its decline. For instance, the previous Biden administration proposed wide-ranging restrictions on sales of Nvidia’s chips to foreign customers, but the impact of those restrictions was mitigated to some extent by the recent announcement of the Stargate project that could see $500 billion being poured into artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in the U.S. This development gave Nvidia stock a shot in the…

Tax Season 2024: Key dates and tips for a smooth filing experienceWhile the IRS hasn’t set the start date for tax returns, it’s likely to be late January, following recent trends.One of fast tax tip to review before filing your 2024 federal income tax return is the IRS mileage rate.It’s a much-talked-about deduction, but it’s also a tax break that stalls out for plenty of drivers.Several years ago, many people could claim an itemized deduction for unreimbursed employee travel expenses. Now, though, if you work for a company who doesn’t reimburse your mileage for travel, you’re out of luck. The…

President of Columbus Realtors breaks down homebuying and sellingColumbus Realtors President Scott Hrabcak explains how new real-estate rules impact homebuyers and sellers.Real estate experts say prospective homebuyers could catch a slight break in 2025 as inventories marginally increase, but demand will still remain high for single-family homes.Through the first 11 months of 2024, the total number of single-family homes sold in Massachusetts totaled 34,784, a 1.6% increase from the previous year’s historically low sales, according to The Warren Group, a Peabody-based provider of banking and real estate data. But last year’s statewide median sales price through Nov. 30 was $616,925,…

Adults under 25 in Reno also have a higher median mortgage loan than the rest of U.S.Young adults in Reno, Nev. are buying fewer homes compared to the rest of the nation, according to an analysis of home purchase loans.Residents younger than 25 in the Reno metro area accounted for just 3.6% of home purchase loans, according to the 2024 Construction Coverage housing study. The national average is 5%.The study uses 2023 data from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, which is the latest full year available.Reno’s homebuying rate among young adults placed the city 75th among 100 mid-size metros…

Jonathan Stempel  |  ReutersBen & Jerry’s says parent Unilever silenced it over Gaza stanceIce cream brand Ben & Jerry’s said in a lawsuit that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees.Ben & Jerry’s accused its parent Unilever ULVR.L of demanding its silence toward U.S. President Donald Trump, as it prepares to spin off the ice cream brand later this year.In a Thursday night filing in Manhattan federal court, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever ice cream chief Peter ter Kulve earlier in the day unilaterally banned it from “issuing any posts criticizing President Trump” pending further review.Ben &…