>>Weekly Jobless Claims Are Up
(Washington, DC) -- More Americans are applying for unemployment but not as many as expected. The Labor Department says initial claims for unemployment benefits for the week ending September 23rd came in at 204-thousand. That's an increase of just around three thousand from the previous week's revised total. Most analysts had been expecting today's numbers to land at right around 214-thousand.
>>Biden: Shutdown Isn't Inevitable
(San Francisco, CA) -- President Biden is calling on House Republicans to "do their job" and fund the government. While speaking to reporters in San Francisco yesterday, Biden added he doesn't believe a shutdown is inevitable. This comes as Congress needs to pass a government funding bill by the end of the week. The House and Senate, however, are pushing forward with separate government funding plans. The Senate is advancing a short-term spending bill that extends funding through mid-November and provides money for Ukraine and disaster relief. Speaker McCarthy told members of his conference Wednesday he will not bring the bipartisan bill to the House floor for a vote. Conservatives in the House are pushing for deep spending cuts.
>>SAG-AFTRA To Resume Talks Next Week
(Los Angeles, CA) -- The writer's strike is over, but Hollywood's actors are still picketing, demanding better pay and protections. On Wednesday, SAG-AFTRA announced they'll begin negotiations again next week. The talks will be attended by "several executives," from the actors union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. SAG-AFTRA members are asking for a bigger cut of the revenue from steaming shows, and more protections against the use of artificial intelligence.
>>UAW President To Make Expanded Strike Announcement Tomorrow
(Detroit, MI) -- United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain will make an announcement Friday morning on the union's next possible expansion of their strike against the Detroit three automakers. Fain last Friday expanded it from three plants, one from each automaker, to add 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts plants. Ford did not see any additional plants affected by the strike due to the progress made in the contract talks.
>>Man Suspected Of Killing Tech CEO Arrested After Massive Manhunt
(Baltimore, MD) -- The convicted felon suspected of murdering tech CEO Pava LaPere [[ PAH-va Lah-Pare ]] in her Baltimore apartment earlier this week is now in custody. Authorities arrested Jason Billingsley late Wednesday night at a train station in Bowie, Maryland, about 30 miles southeast of Baltimore. The 32-year-old Billingsley was the only suspect in the murder of LaPere. The body of the 26-year-old founder of EcoMap Technologies was found Monday night on the rooftop of her upscale apartment building.
>>Marijuana Banking Bill Advances In Senate
(Washington, DC) -- A groundbreaking marijuana bill has advanced in the Senate. The Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday gave their approval to the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act, which allows legal marijuana businesses to use banks and financial institutions. Current law prohibits banks from providing services to the cannabis industry. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for full consideration. The bill's sponsor, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, called it a "historical moment," and said he's "committed to building bipartisan momentum" for the bill.
>>Judge Awards Stone Brewing 56M in Coors Settlement
(San Diego, CA) -- Coors owes California' Stone Brewing some beer money. This week a federal judge upheld a jury ruling against Molson Coors over trademark infringement. The lawsuit resulted in Stone Brewing Company receiving 56-million dollars resulting from the Molson Coors' Keystone Light rebrand in 2017. On Monday, attorneys from Molson Coors were denied the request to overturn the jury ruling and a new trial.
>>60% Of U.S. Living Paycheck To Paycheck
(Undated) -- Roughly 60-percent of U.S. consumers across all income levels are living paycheck to paycheck. Thats according to new reports from Pymnts and Lending Club, who found that those living paycheck to paycheck include 45-percent of high-income consumers who make more than 100-thousand-dollars a year. About 76-percent of people making less than 50-thousand-dollars a year reported they're barely making ends meet. The numbers are almost unchanged from last year, and in line with a CNBC study that also found six in ten Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
