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Why US hotels are missing more than 238,000 employees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

Augusta Saraiva | BloombergTourism is back in the US — but hotel workers are not.Hotels and resorts learned to operate with leaner staffing models during the pandemic. Three years later, Covid-era band-aids like self-service kiosks and less frequent housekeeping have now become the new normal for many firms seeking to cope with rising labor costs and perpetual vacancies.While employment in a variety of industries has now surpassed 2020 levels, the accommodation industry currently employs about 238,000 fewer workers than before the health crisis — a hole that’s likely to persist.Companies are seeing these initiatives “as a solution to the efficiency issues,” said Alexi Khajavi, president for hospitality, travel and wellness at Questex, an information services firm. But there’s “also just simply the fact that they don’t think that the labor issues are going to be fixed anytime soon.”Nowhere in the US is the fallout more apparent than in Las Vegas, where one in four people are employed...

In plea agreement, Hayward man found not guilty of killing father by reason of insanity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

OAKLAND — Three years after fatally stabbing his father inside their Hayward home, a 25-year-old man has been found not guilty of manslaughter by reason of insanity, court records show.In an agreement between prosecuting and defense attorneys, William East-McCormack first pleaded no contest to a charge of manslaughter in the death of Michael McCormack, 57, then entered a subsequent plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecutors dropped murder, attempted murder and threats charges against him in exchange for his pleas.At the same August court hearing, Judge Amy Sekany found “by a preponderance of the evidence” that East-McCormack was insane at the time of the 2020 stabbing. Prosecutors didn’t contest East-McCormack’s sanity.The father was killed on March 18, 2020, inside the family’s home in Hayward. At the time of the stabbing, police said East-McCormack had “medically documented psychiatric issues.” He also allegedly stabbed an...

Air quality updates: Bay Area schools deal with smoky air

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Plumes of smoke from wildfires in Northern California and Oregon have covered the Bay Area starting Tuesday. On Wednesday, a Spare the Air Alert was issued through Thursday due to the higher levels of particulate matter in the air, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced. Residents have been advised to avoid exposure if the smell of smoke is present by staying indoors and closing all doors and windows.Follow our live blog for the latest updates.Bay Area air quality updates:10:36 a.m. -- Oakland Zoo closed WednesdayThe Oakland Zoo announced on X that it will be closed Wednesday due to poor air quality. The zoo added that its animal care team is "making sure all of our animals are comfortable and healthy."9:57 a.m. -- Oakland school district issues "poor air quality" protocolsThe Oakland Unified School District said Wednesday the air quality in Oakland is on the edge of the Environmental Protection Agency's categories of "Unhealthy for Sensitive ...

San Jose PD investigating homicide Tuesday near Capitol Flea Market

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

(BCN) -- San Jose detectives are investigating a shooting near the Capitol Flea Market on Tuesday as a homicide, police said. The shooting occurred in the area of East Capitol Expressway and Monterey Highway around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, the San Jose Police Department said on social media Wednesday. Bay Area air quality advisory extended through Thursday Police said officers found a man suffering from at least one gunshot wound in the area. This is the 27th homicide case in San Jose this year, police said. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Alan Williams remains away from Bears; Eberflus won’t say if he’s still defensive coordinator

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams remained away from the team Wednesday after missing a game for personal reasons, and coach Matt Eberflus would not say if he still has his job.“I don’t have any update right now,” Eberflus said.He gave similar answers when asked if he anticipates Williams returning this season and if the two have spoken. Williams, in his second season as Chicago’s defensive coordinator, missed last week’s game at Tampa Bay after working the opener against the Green Bay Packers. Eberflus, a former defensive coordinator with Indianapolis, called plays against the Buccaneers and plans to do so “at this time” when the Bears (0-2) visit Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.Eberflus said the Bears can get by without a defensive coordinator and doesn’t see it becoming problematic because of the experience of his staff.“I think with the experience that we have on defense, I don’t think that’s an issu...

John Grisham, George R.R. Martin and more authors sue OpenAI for copyright infringement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — John Grisham, Jodi Picoult and George R.R. Martin are among 17 authors suing OpenAI for “systematic theft on a mass scale,” the latest in a wave of legal action by writers concerned that artificial intelligence programs are using their copyrighted works without permission. In papers filed Tuesday in federal court in New York, the authors alleged “flagrant and harmful infringements of plaintiffs’ registered copyrights” and called the ChatGPT program a “massive commercial enterprise” that is reliant upon “systematic theft on a mass scale.” The suit was organized by the Authors Guild and also includes David Baldacci, Sylvia Day, Jonathan Franzen and Elin Hilderbrand among others. “It is imperative that we stop this theft in its tracks or we will destroy our incredible literary culture, which feeds many other creative industries in the U.S.,” Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger said in a statement. “Great books are generally written by those who spend their careers ...

Lions’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Houston on injured reserve, testing depth against Falcons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions lost more than a game against Seattle, placing defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and defensive end James Houston on injured reserve.Gardner-Johnson’s torn pectoral muscle and Houston’s broken ankle will potentially keep them out for the season, coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday.The Lions (1-1) will have their depth on both sides of the ball tested against Atlanta (2-0) on Sunday at home.Lions running back David Montgomery may miss at least one game with a bruised thigh, giving rookie Jahmyr Gibbs an opportunity to have more carries and catches.Detroit’s banged-up secondary will lean on sixth-year pro Tracy Walker and rookie Brian Branch to play larger roles against the Falcons. Veteran defensive ends Charles Harris, John Cominsky and Romeo Okwara will likely get more snaps with Houston out of the lineup.Gardner-Johnson signed an $8 million, one-year deal with the Lions, who spent a lot to improve their secondary in the offseas...

Woman rescued from outhouse toilet in northern Michigan after dropping Apple Watch, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

BAGLEY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A woman was rescued Tuesday from an outhouse toilet in northern Michigan while trying to retrieve her Apple WatchThe woman, whose name was not released, lowered herself inside the toilet after dropping the watch at the Department of Natural Resources boat launch at Dixon Lake in Otsego County’s Bagley Township, state police said Wednesday in a release.First responders were called when the woman was heard yelling for help. The toilet was removed and a strap was used to haul the woman out.“If you lose an item in an outhouse toilet, do not attempt to venture inside the containment area. Serious injury may occur,” state police said in the release.Bagley Township is about 240 miles (386 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.Source

Judge dismisses two suits filed by man whose work as informant inspired the movie ‘White Boy Rick’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Two lawsuits filed by a Detroit-area man whose decades in prison for drug dealing and work as an informant inspired the movie “White Boy Rick” have been dismissed by a federal judge who found he waited too long to file them.U.S. District Court Judge Judge F. Kay Behm on Monday dismissed the pair of lawsuits Richard Wershe Jr., 54, had filed, including one filed in 2021 that sought $100 million and claimed Wershe was coerced into assisting police while just a helpless teenager, The Detroit News reported.Behm’s ruling sided with multiple federal and local government defendants who argued for the dismissal of the cases based on the statute of limitations.“The court has considered all of the arguments presented in the written motions, supplemental briefs, and oral argument, and finds that plaintiff’s claims were untimely and barred by the relevant statutes of limitations,” Behm said in the written ruling. “…Defendants’ motions to dismiss are granted.”Wershe’s ...

Denver 2024 budget: What's Mayor Johnston spending $1.74B on?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- On Sept. 14, Mayor Mike Johnston released a budget letter with his plans for the 2024 budget of $1.74 billion. If you don't want to read through almost 800 pages worth of the Mayor's 2024 Budget, here's what you need to know as outlined in the letter:The 2024 budget increased by 3.7% from 2023's revised budget of $1.68 billion.In the 2024 budget, the mayor said he is focusing on five priorities which include: affordable Denver, safe neighborhoods, a vibrant and revitalized downtown, a greener Denver, and housing for all.Affordable housingJohnston said he wants to make Denver an affordable city to live in. Here's what he plans to spend it on:Develop 3,000 affordable homes in 2024Add 25,000 units of permanently affordable housing over the next eight yearsAllocated amount: Up to $100 millionAdd three full-time inspection positions to the Affordable Housing Review TeamLaunch a reform study of building and zoning codes with procedures that will make the process quickerAl...