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☆ These 10 retail brands are the fastest growing in the U.S., Yelp says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Chains owned by publicly traded restaurant companies accounted for half of the top 10 fastest-growing retail brands in the U.S. last year, according to a new Yelp report. Of the 50 fastest-growing chains in Yelp's report, 35 were restaurant brands. Jack in the Box, First Watch and Dutch Bros were among the public restaurant chains included in the report, but they didn't crack the top 10. Popeyes' higher sales have encouraged franchisees to open more locations and led new operators to join the brand, Restaurant Brands executives have previously said. In 2023, Popeyes surpassed KFC as the second-most popular chicken chain in the U.S. by sales, trailing only Chick-fil-A.

Persons: Jack, Levi Strauss, Cava CAVA, Cava, Zachary Lucy, Scott Olson, Darden, Yum, Stephanie Dhue, Tim Hortons, Burger King, Randy Risling, Popeyes, Michael Siluk, Freddy's, Kyle Rivas, It's, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Dutch Bros, Publicly, Nordstrom, Costco, New York Stock Exchange, Pacific Coast League, Omaha Storm, Memphis Redbirds, AP, LongHorn, Getty, Darden, steakhouse, Parent, Yum Brands, Taco Bell, KFC, East, CNBC, Wawa, Toronto Star, Brands, Restaurant Brands, UCG, Thompson, Capital Partners, Rally House, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Subs Locations: U.S, Cava, Werner, Omaha , Nebraska, Nebraska, Skokie , Illinois, California, West, Wawa, Bethany Beach , Delaware, Philadelphia, It's, Louisiana, Lansing , Kansas, Kansas City , Missouri, Midwest, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Olive, Lincolnwood , Illinois, Jersey, Petaluma , California

Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItShe first learned about the program from her husband, who'd read about it online. Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItRubia Daniels says her background in construction is helpful to envision what her final space will look like. On one recent visit to Mussomeli, Daniels brought along two fellow Californians, Alfredo Ramirez and his mother, Elena, to tour the houses. Meredith Tabbone 1-euro homeowner from ChicagoTabbone flew to see her new home for the first time in June 2019. Mussomeli, Sicily, has seen its population decline from roughly 16,000 in the 1950s to less than 10,000 today.

Persons: Rubia Daniels, Daniels, who've, Vittorio Sgarbi, Mickey Todiwala, Toti, who'd, didn't, she's, Alfredo Ramirez, Elena, Meredith Tabbone, Tabbone, Chicago Tabbone, I've, Danny McCubbin, who's, Jamie Oliver, McCubbin, Mussomeli, Prezioso, Natalie Milazzo, Milazzo, Nigrelli, Martina Giracello, Gianluca Militello, Giracello, It's, Meredith Tabbone Tabbone Organizations: CNBC, realtors, U.S Locations: Sicily, Berkeley, Calif, Italy, Salemi, Towns, Sicily's, Palermo, Belgian, Mussomeli, California, Petaluma , Calif, Sambuca, Sicilia, Chicago, United States, Australia, London, Mussomeli's, Milan, Cammarata, Caltanissetta, Europe, Africa, Airbnbs

California poultry farms are implementing strict biosecurity measures to curb the spread of the disease. So we’ve got to be as vigilant as possible to protect our birds,” said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation. Climate change is increasing the risk of outbreaks as changing weather patterns disrupt the migratory patterns of wild birds, Pitesky said. For example, exceptional rainfall last year created new waterfowl habitat throughout California, including areas close to poultry farms. “I’m very concerned because this avian flu is transmitted by wild birds, and there’s no way I can stop the wild birds from coming through and leaving the disease behind,” Peterson said.

Persons: Mike Weber, “, ”, Weber, Annette Jones, we’ve, Bill Mattos, Maurice Pitesky, Pitesky, Rodrigo Gallardo, Gallardo, Ettamarie Peterson, I’m, ” Peterson, Weber’s, ” Weber, they’ve, “ We’re Organizations: —, Sunrise, California Poultry Federation, San Francisco Bay Area, U.S . Department of Agriculture, University of California, USDA . Industry, UC Davis Locations: PETALUMA, Calif, Sonoma County, San Francisco, Petaluma, California, Midwest, Merced County, Central California, San Francisco Bay, U.S, Turkey, Australia, Davis, North Coast, Central Valley

☆ 15 cities where U.S. homebuyers make the largest down payments—the top 5 are in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Homebuyers put down an average of 13.8% of the home price in 2023, according to a Realtor.com analysis of the 150 largest real estate markets for the quarter ending in September. Here's a look at the 15 most expensive real estate markets, based on the median cost for a typical down payment on a home. In Killeen, Texas, median down payment is only $2,182. This includes Fayetteville, North Carolina; Shreveport, Louisiana; and El Paso, Texas, where median down payments are $5,000 or less. U.S. Department of Agriculture loans also require no down payment, which might lead to low down payments in relatively rural areas.

Persons: Homebuyers, That's, Freddie Mac, Warren Buffett Organizations: PMI, Santa, Thousand Oaks, Seattle, Boston, Cambridge, Fort, Stamford -, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S . Department Locations: California, U.S, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara , California, Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley , California, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara , California, Angeles, Long, Anaheim , California, Santa Rosa, Petaluma , California, Oxnard, Ventura , California, Tacoma, Bellevue , Washington, Diego, Chula Vista, Carlsbad , California, Newton , Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Fort Collins , Colorado, Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom , California, Naples, Marco Island, Florida, York, Newark, Jersey City , New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Portland, Vancouver, Hillsboro , Oregon, Washington, Bridgeport, Stamford, Stamford - Norwalk , Connecticut, U.S . California, Killeen , Texas, Killeen, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Shreveport , Louisiana, El Paso , Texas

NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of Americans must start repaying their federal student loans again in October, with monthly payments averaging hundreds of dollars a month. She'll put the $235 she was spending on her car payment toward her student loan, but that still leaves another $270 or so she'll have to reallocate or earn. “If they were forgiven out of the blue, I'd be ecstatic.”The Supreme Court in July rejected a plan by President Joe Biden's administration to wipe away $400 billion in student loan debt. According to credit bureau TransUnion, more than half of student loan holders added credit card debt during the pandemic. The program erases remaining debts for federal student loan holders who work in public service while making 10 years of payments.

Persons: Megan McClelland, She'll, “, ” Justin Cole, Cole, ”, I'd, Joe Biden's, McClelland, She's, It's, —, — McClelland, ” McClelland, Charles Schwab Organizations: Petaluma High School, Valuable, Target, Public, White, Sonoma, Associated Press, Charles, Charles Schwab Foundation, Inc, AP Locations: Petaluma, California, Rock , Arkansas, Boston, Sonoma State

The Energy Department has announced a $325 million investment in new battery types that can help turn solar and wind energy into 24-hour power. Batteries are increasingly being used to store surplus renewable energy so that it can be used later, during times when there is no sunlight or wind. The department says the projects will protect more communities from blackouts and make energy more reliable and affordable. “Long-duration battery storage is like a rainy-day savings account for energy storage,” said Jodie Lutkenhaus, professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University. This one is led by the California Energy Commission in collaboration with Faraday Microgrids.

Persons: ”, Christopher Rahn, “, Jodie Lutkenhaus, ” Lutkenhaus, Amanda Smith, Faraday, Rejoule, Infrastructure David Crane, Elisabeth Moyer, ” Rahn Organizations: Energy Department, Pennsylvania State University, Texas, M University, “, Law, Xcel Energy, Energy, Children's, California Energy Commission, Smart Systems, EV, Canada . Energy, Infrastructure, University of Chicago, AP Locations: Lake, American, Minnesota, U.S, California , New York, Hawaii, Becker , Minnesota, Pueblo , Colorado, California's, Madera, Georgia , California, South Carolina, Louisiana, Petaluma , California, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Canada

The directive to present the optimistic range estimates came from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this person said. The lawsuit's three plaintiffs cite occasions when their Teslas didn't achieve close to their advertised ranges and said they had complained to the company without success. The lawsuit states: "Had Tesla honestly advertised its electric vehicle ranges, consumers either would not have purchased Tesla model vehicles, or else would have paid substantially less for them." The complaint seeks class-action status to represent "all persons in California who purchased a new Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model Y, and Model X vehicle." A California Tesla owner also filed a proposed consumer class action in April after Reuters reported that Tesla employees had shared on an internal messaging system sensitive images and videos captured by cars' cameras.

Persons: Pascal, Tesla, Elon Musk, Adam A, Edwards, Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, James Porter, Hyunjoo Jin, Mike Scarcella, Steve Stecklow, Kevin Krolicki, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Wednesday, Northern, Northern District of, Reuters, Tesla, California Tesla, Thomson Locations: Chateauvillain, France, California, U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California, Nevada, Petaluma , California

☆ 5 Scenic E.V. Road Trips
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Lauren Sloss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

travel:California: up the coast, down through wine countryCalifornia is lousy with scenic drives, from its extensive, 840-mile coastline to routes through the magnificent Sierra Nevada. The route is also the focus of a new electric vehicle-centric initiative, with eight new E.V. New Mexico: The High Road to the Enchanted CircleA road trip between Santa Fe and Taos — two standout New Mexico destinations — is a decided win. The route has beautiful scenery, a dose of history and is easily doable in an E.V. planning tool and then hit the 56-mile High Road to Taos, which passes through villages with epic views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Persons: “, ”, Cowing, Martin Ray, Mount, it’s, Worthy, that’s, Butch Cassidy Organizations: Point, Gifford, Forests, Elk Loop, Rockies, New, Sundance Locations: United States, California, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco, Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner, Mendocino ., Philo, Boonville, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Washington, Chahalis, Naches, Okanogan, Wenatchee, Mount Rainier, Colorado, Elk, Elk Loop Colorado, Carbondale, Crested, Gunnison, New Mexico, Santa Fe, Taos, —, Cristo, El, Red, Taos Ski Valley

☆ With Reversed Hind Legs and a Loose Tongue, a New Ugly Dog Champion Is Crowned
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Eduardo Medina | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Perhaps it was Scooter’s resemblance to a glossy black jelly bean that earned him the title on Friday night as champion of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest. Or maybe it was his shock-headed, mohawk-like hair — strands that stood high in defiance of gravity — that pleased the judges in Petaluma, Calif., at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. His tongue hangs loose from his mouth. His hind legs are reversed. “In the cutest way possible, he kind of reminds me of a hairy hippopotamus,” said Catherine Liang, one of the judges in the competition.

Persons: Marin Fair, ”, Catherine Liang Organizations: Sonoma, Marin, “ Locations: mohawk, Petaluma , Calif

☆ Finding the Right House Can Take a While. For One Buyer, the Process Spanned ‘91 Homes in Total.’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Robyn A. Friedman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

What is the most houses you’ve had to show before a buyer made a purchase? When I started in real estate, I worked as an assistant to a top producer. He also probably realized it was going to take a lot of work and a lot of driving around. We would go out several days a week and see an average of five houses each time. I saved every printed listing from our showings and counted them up—there were 91 homes in total.

☆ Social Media Influencer Convicted of Lying About Children’s Kidnapping
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Johnny Diaz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A California woman and Instagram influencer who reported and posted online about an attempted kidnapping of her young children in 2020 has been convicted of making a false report of a crime, prosecutors said. A jury convicted the woman, Katie Sorensen, 31, formerly of Sonoma, Calif., on one count of making a false report of a crime, a misdemeanor. She was taken into custody, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Thursday. The district attorney, Carla Rodriguez, said that the verdict would “enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children.”On Dec. 7, 2020, Ms. Sorensen went to a Michaels craft store in Petaluma, Calif., with her two young children, prosecutors said. Petaluma is about 40 miles north of San Francisco.

☆ Surge pricing is increasingly being used in restaurants and movie theaters, making everyday activities much more expensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Dynamic pricing is being used to set prices for activities beyond ridesharing and concert tickets. Experts warned businesses would most likely implement surge pricing in response to the pandemic. "This strikes me as outrageous for a pedestrian family activity," Yenni told the Journal. Insider previously reported that AI-driven dynamic pricing is making its way through business sectors like retail and grocery stores to keep up with changing market demands post-Covid. A startup meant to help restaurants set their own surge prices has also been created, and has helped some establishments double their profits, Insider's Nancy Luna reported.

☆ Bowling for $418? Surge Pricing Creeps Into Restaurants, Movies, Gym Class
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Harriet Torry | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Alex Yenni recently endeavored to take his wife and 5-year-old son bowling with another family in Petaluma, Calif., close to their home. The plan quickly went into the gutter. Mr. Yenni, a 42-year-old advertising executive, tried to book online in advance at AMF Boulevard Lanes, where he wanted to reserve two lanes for two hours at 3 p.m. on the last Thursday of the year during winter break.

☆ In California, a Race to Capture the Water Before It Escapes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PETALUMA, Calif.—Neil McIsaac has something many other dairy farmers here don’t: a storm-runoff capture system that can provide backup water for his herd when local reservoirs go dry, as they did last year. Already, he and others involved in the project say it has proven its worth. It has captured 670,000 gallons so far this winter, enough to slake the thirst of his 700 cows for a month, Mr. McIsaac said.

☆ Grieving women warn of TikTok scam involving sending loved ones' ashes to a fake artist who uses the remains for extortion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Three women allege they were victims of an online scam after sending ashes to a TikTok artist for memorial paintings, USA Today reported. In conversations about the project, the artist told Ide that he'd gotten a contract to work in Cambodia. "Cashapp me $1000 and get your ashes sent back to you," a message from the alleged scammer read. Portalupi, the real artist of the advertised paintings, told USA Today he was unaware of the impersonator until after the women had already been scammed. "I am mind blown by this," he said, per USA Today.

☆ Tuesday Morning says it wants to close 265 stores as part of its bankruptcy filing. See if your local store is on the list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Camarillo: Camarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste HCamarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste H Roseville: Fairway Commons Shopping Center, 5771A Five Star Blvd. San Diego: Pacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet AvenuePacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet Avenue Woodland Hills: Pride Shopping Center, 22950 Victory Blvd. Winston-Salem: Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947 Matthews: Windsor Square Shopping Center, 9945 E. Independence Blvd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 WestheimerWeslayan Plaza West Shopping Center, 5442‐A Weslayan Street; Westheimer Commons, 12568 Westheimer Rd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 Westheimer El Paso: West Towne Marketplace, 6450 N. Desert Blvd., Ste.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: JPMorgan Chase, Wendy's, Virgin Galactic, Delta Air Lines, Tesla and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The New York-based bank said profit jumped 6% from the year earlier period to $11.01 billion, or $3.57 per share. Wells Fargo - The bank stock dipped 0.1% after the firm reported shrinking profits, weighed down by a recent settlement and the need to build up reserves amid a deteriorating economy. Lockheed Martin — The defense stock slipped more than 3% after Goldman Sachs downgraded shares to sell from a neutral rating. Northrop Grumman shares also dove 5% on Goldman's downgrade to a sell from neutral rating. Copa — Shares of the Latin American airline jumped 4.9% following an upgrade to overweight from a neutral rating by analysts at JPMorgan.

☆ Gas and Electric Fireplaces Are the Future. We Asked Design Pros How to Make Them Seem Real.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Antonia Van Der Meer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

WHEN FAMILIES GATHER around the fire this holiday season, the odds are better than ever that no real kindling will be involved. Due to concerns about health and air quality, regulations against wood-burning fireplaces and stoves have grown increasingly strict—San Francisco, for example, forbids them in new construction—and homeowners drawn to flames have moved on to alternatives such as gas and electric. This doesn’t mean such new-technology adopters are willing to give up the ghost of Christmases past, however. “For generations, fire has been the center of the home,” said Julie Buckner, an interior designer in Petaluma, Calif., who often installs electric fireplaces instead of gas or wood. “It’s a light show,” she said, “but once we commit to not burn wood, it becomes easier to accept that it doesn’t look completely natural.”

☆ Ford recalls 634,000 vehicles worldwide over fire risks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 24 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) is recalling 634,000 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) worldwide over fire risks from possible cracked fuel injectors and will urge owners to have their cars inspected, it said on Thursday. Vehicles repaired under the earlier recall will still need the new recall fix, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Ford said it has 54 total reports of 1.5 liter under-hood fires, including four with cracked fuel injectors. Ford said it is not telling owners to stop driving vehicles under this recall. The company projects a low failure rate for fuel injectors experiencing external leaks.

☆ Ford recalls nearly 519,000 U.S. vehicles over fire risks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 24 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) is recalling nearly 519,000 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the United States over fire risks from possible cracked fuel injectors and will urge owners to have their cars inspected, it said on Thursday. Ford said when engines in the SUVs covered by the latest recall are operating, a cracked fuel injector could cause fuel or fuel vapor to accumulate near hot surfaces, potentially resulting in fire under the hood. Ford said it has 54 total reports of 1.5 liter under-hood fires, including four with cracked fuel injectors. Ford said it is not telling owners to stop driving vehicles under this recall. The company projects a low failure rate for fuel injectors experiencing external leaks.

☆ Pandemic or Not, Proms Are Back
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-05 | by ( Jill Cowan | Maggie Shannon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pandemic or Not, Proms Are BackFour California high schools. Four Covid-influenced proms. Some strapped themselves into rhinestone-encrusted heels while others, planning for a night on their feet, stuck with Vans or Air Force 1s. Their dates wore white tuxedos, three-piece suits, corsages. In Petaluma, dinner was prepacked sandwiches eaten picnic-style on the football field before the dancing started on the painted lines.

Persons: Fowler Organizations: Vans, Air Force Locations: California, Fresno, Petaluma

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