New Rochelle, NY
On Your Side
Shake Shack Launching Foods Based On Hearty Soup: See What's On The Menu Shake Shack Launching Foods Based On Hearty Soup: See What's On The Menu Shake Shack Launching Foods Based On Hearty Soup: See What's On The Menu
Shake Shack Launching Foods Based On Hearty Soup: See What's On The Menu The newest burger at Shake Shack is inspired by a hearty soup just in time for fall. Shake Shack is launching a new line of foods based on French onion soup on Friday, Sept. 12. Shack App users gained early access to the menu on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The quarter-pound French Onion Soup Burger will feature Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions, crispy sweet onions, and roasted garlic parmesan aioli on a toasted potato bun. Fans can order it as a single, double, or triple patty. Other new offerings include the French Onion 'Shroom Burger, a crisp-fried portobello stuffed with melted Muens…

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by Chris Spiker
Arlington, VA
On Your Side
Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High, Inflation Jumps As Labor Market Weakens Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High, Inflation Jumps As Labor Market Weakens Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High, Inflation Jumps As Labor Market Weakens
Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High, Inflation Jumps As Labor Market Weakens Inflation rose faster in August while jobless claims spiked to their highest level since 2021, signaling a weakening job market as President Donald Trump's tariffs shake the economy. Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and reached a yearly rate of 2.9%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Thursday, Sept. 11. That's the biggest monthly jump since January, when yearly inflation was 3.0%. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, climbed 0.3% in August and 3.1% over 12 months. Shelter, which makes up about one-third of the Consumer Pric…

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by Chris Spiker
Arlington, VA
On Your Side
Job Growth Stalls In August As Trump Tariffs Strain Labor Market Job Growth Stalls In August As Trump Tariffs Strain Labor Market Job Growth Stalls In August As Trump Tariffs Strain Labor Market
Job Growth Stalls In August As Trump Tariffs Strain Labor Market The US labor market slowed sharply in August, as President Donald Trump's tariffs, inflation, and lower consumer confidence grip the nation's economy. There were 22,000 jobs added nationwide in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a news release on Friday, Sept. 5. The weak numbers mark one of the softest hiring months in recent years, falling well below the Dow Jones estimate of 75,000 new jobs, CNBC reported. Unemployment also ticked up to 4.3%, its highest level since July 2024. A broader metric, which includes discouraged workers and those with part-time jobs fo…

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by Chris Spiker
Fairfield, CT
Breaking News
CT Minimum Wage Increasing In January 2026, Boosting Pay For Thousands Of Workers CT Minimum Wage Increasing In January 2026, Boosting Pay For Thousands Of Workers CT Minimum Wage Increasing In January 2026, Boosting Pay For Thousands Of Workers
CT Minimum Wage Increasing In January 2026, Boosting Pay For Thousands Of Workers Connecticut’s lowest-paid workers are getting a boost, as the state’s minimum wage will rise to $16.94 per hour at the start of 2026. Gov. Ned Lamont announced the hike on Wednesday, Sept. 3.  “Nobody who works full-time should have to live in poverty,” Lamont said. “This is a fair, modest increase, and the money earned will go right back into our own economy, supporting local businesses in our communities.” The change comes from a 2019 state law that ties the minimum wage to the federal employment cost index, ensuring yearly adjustments based on inflation and labor costs. …

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by Josh Lanier
Hartford, CT
On Your Side
Most Americans Strained Financially From Trump Tariffs, Inflation On Labor Day: Survey Most Americans Strained Financially From Trump Tariffs, Inflation On Labor Day: Survey Most Americans Strained Financially From Trump Tariffs, Inflation On Labor Day: Survey
Most Americans Strained Financially From Trump Tariffs, Inflation On Labor Day: Survey Rising costs due to inflation and President Donald Trump's tariffs are putting a strain on many Labor Day celebrations in the US. WalletHub just released its Labor Day Survey for 2025. The personal finance website also released a list of Labor Day facts based on travel, finances, and ways Americans will celebrate the holiday weekend. According to the survey, 55% of Americans believe Trump's sweeping tariffs and inflation are erasing their hard work. That's up from WalletHub's Fourth of July survey, when about half of respondents said the duties and inflation would affect their Ind…

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by Chris Spiker
Waterbury, CT
On Your Side
Claire’s To Close Waterbury Store As Bankruptcy Restructuring Expands Claire’s To Close Waterbury Store As Bankruptcy Restructuring Expands Claire’s To Close Waterbury Store As Bankruptcy Restructuring Expands
Claire’s To Close Waterbury Store As Bankruptcy Restructuring Expands The future of Claire’s in Connecticut is becoming clearer as the jewelry retailer works through bankruptcy and a new ownership deal. A list released in federal court shows that two Claire’s stores in the state will not survive the latest round of closures. Claire's announced this week it would close 290 locations, which include the company's jewelry and fashion store, Icing.  The Icing store at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills in Manchester will shut its doors, though the Claire’s at the same mall will remain open. Claire’s locations at Brass Mill Center & Commons in Waterbury an…

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by Josh Lanier
Hartford, CT
On Your Side
Americans With Strongest Credit Scores Struggling As Trump Tariffs, Inflation Raise Costs Americans With Strongest Credit Scores Struggling As Trump Tariffs, Inflation Raise Costs Americans With Strongest Credit Scores Struggling As Trump Tariffs, Inflation Raise Costs
Americans With Strongest Credit Scores Struggling As Trump Tariffs, Inflation Raise Costs Americans with the strongest credit scores are falling behind on payments as inflation and President Donald Trump's tariffs drive up household costs throughout 2025, according to new data. Late-stage delinquencies, which are accounts more than 90 days past due, surged 109% year-over-year among superprime borrowers in July, VantageScore said in a report released on Monday, Aug. 25. Those delinquencies rose 47% among prime borrowers. Superprime and prime borrowers are typically considered the most financially secure. "Consumers in the highest VantageScore credit tiers are showing i…

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by Chris Spiker
Northampton, MA
On Your Side
Electricity, Gas Bills Surge Nationwide: Here's Why Electricity, Gas Bills Surge Nationwide: Here's Why Electricity, Gas Bills Surge Nationwide: Here's Why
Electricity, Gas Bills Surge Nationwide: Here's Why If your latest utility bill made you do a double take, you are far from alone.  Across the country, Americans are seeing their electricity and natural gas costs soar, squeezing household budgets just as summer temperatures peak. Several key factors are fueling these price hikes.  Experts say the combination of increased energy demand, supply chain disruptions, and decades of underinvestment that have left the US grid with aging infrastructure are all contributing to the higher bills.  In addition, the growing need for power from AI-driven data centers, expanded oil and gas …

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by Joe Lombardi
Newark, NJ
On Your Side
NJ Spends Least On Hair Care In Nation, New Study Finds NJ Spends Least On Hair Care In Nation, New Study Finds NJ Spends Least On Hair Care In Nation, New Study Finds
NJ Spends Least On Hair Care In Nation, New Study Finds The rising cost of a haircut is hitting wallets harder in some Northeast states than others, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Hair Care on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The personal finance website compared the average price of men's barbershop visits and women's salon services in all 50 states to median household incomes. The study found Pennsylvanians spend about 1.42% of their income on hair care, ranking 11th nationwide. New York followed close behind at 17th (1.34%), while Massachusetts placed 20th (1.31%). …

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by Chris Spiker
Manchester, CT
On Your Side
'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' Returns To Olive Garden Despite Soaring Food Prices: Here's When 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' Returns To Olive Garden Despite Soaring Food Prices: Here's When 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' Returns To Olive Garden Despite Soaring Food Prices: Here's When
'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' Returns To Olive Garden Despite Soaring Food Prices: Here's When Despite inflation and President Donald Trump's tariffs, Olive Garden isn't budging on the price of its most popular deal. Olive Garden's fan-favorite "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" will return on Monday, Aug. 25. The deal includes unlimited pasta, soup or salad, and signature breadsticks for the same $13.99 price since 2022. The promotion stands out as menu prices nationwide climb to record highs. "In a time when prices seem to rise with every season, Olive Garden is keeping the price of its most beloved offer exactly the same," the Italian restaurant chain said in a news release. Early a…

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by Chris Spiker
National Interest
99-Cent No More? Keasbey Made AriZona Iced Tea May Finally Cave To Trump Tariffs 99-Cent No More? Keasbey Made AriZona Iced Tea May Finally Cave To Trump Tariffs 99-Cent No More? Keasbey Made AriZona Iced Tea May Finally Cave To Trump Tariffs
99-Cent No More? Keasbey Made AriZona Iced Tea May Finally Cave To Trump Tariffs For the first time in more than 30 years, AriZona iced tea’s sacred 99-cent price tag may be on the chopping block. The company’s Brooklyn-born founder Don Vultaggio told The New York Times that President Donald Trump’s 50% steel and aluminum tariffs, enacted in June, are hitting the brand where it hurts: the can.  AriZona’s headquarters sit on Long Island in Woodbury, with a massive production plant, AriZonaLand, in Keasbey, NJ, churning out the iconic tallboys that have stayed the same price since 1997. AriZona burns through more than 100 million pounds of aluminum every year, 20% o…

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by Cecilia Levine
National Interest
School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why
School Lunches Are Costing Families More Than Ever: Here's Why As the new school year gets closer, parents are preparing to pay more to pack a lunch, with many changing what will be in their kids' lunchboxes to save money. Nearly half of parents and caregivers (48%) expect to pay more for school-day lunches this year than last, according to Deloitte's 2025 Back-to-School Survey. The study also found that grocery prices are 23% higher than they were in 2020. The increase comes as many everyday staples are getting more expensive under President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on imports, which economists say are raising costs on a variety of foods f…

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by Chris Spiker