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Opinion: Will you need the latest COVID booster? It depends

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

As the Biden administration prepares for the federal COVID-19 public health emergency to end on May 11, the new normal is markedly better than the earlier phase of the pandemic in which we lost more than a million American lives. We’ve gone from the 2021 peak of an estimated 3,000 Americans dying daily from the infection to about 250 a day now. But this “normal” still includes more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of 2023, and the virus remains a leading cause of fatality in the United States. This is not acceptable.We face confusing realities: The pandemic’s acute phase is over, but COVID remains a significant cause of death. New variants always loom. Any long-term approach to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 will require periodic boosters — yet as of March, fewer than 1 in 5 eligible Americans got the booster that was made available in September, suggesting that interest in the shots has dipped alongside the virus’ toll.The newest available mRNA vaccine is the bivale...

2 men from Oxon Hill killed hours apart in separate Prince George’s Co. crashes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

Two men from Oxon Hill died hours apart after separate crashes in Prince George’s County, Maryland, on Tuesday, police say.Several others, including children, were also injured in the crashes and taken to area hospitals, according to Maryland State Police — the agency leading both investigations.The first two-vehicle crash happened just before 6 a.m. at the intersection of southbound Crain Highway and Brandywine Road, police said in a news release.A Lexus traveling east on Brandywine Road entered the intersection at the same time as a Honda that was traveling south on Crain Highway.The driver of the Lexus, Aaron Lewis Johnson of Oxon Hill, was taken to the hospital, where he later died.The driver in the Honda was also taken to the hospital. Two girls, ages 5 and 3, inside the car were taken to a children’s hospital to be treated for their injuries.The road was closed for roughly two hours after the crash.The second two-car crash happened a few hours later at 12:45 ...

Malibu Boats: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

LOUDON, Tenn. (AP) — LOUDON, Tenn. (AP) — Malibu Boats Inc. (MBUU) on Wednesday reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $51.9 million.On a per-share basis, the Loudon, Tennessee-based company said it had net income of $2.51. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and non-recurring costs, were $2.59 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.37 per share.The maker of performance sports boats posted revenue of $375.1 million in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $345.2 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MBUU at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MBUUSource

McDonald’s franchisee employed 10-year-olds, US Labor Department says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

A McDonald’s franchisee in Kentucky employed two 10-year-old children in violation of federal labor laws, the Department of Labor said Tuesday.Bauer Food, LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald’s franchise locations across two states, employed the children, the DOL said in a news release.Officials said the children were not paid, yet sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m. and they “prepared and distributed food orders, cleaned the store, worked at the drive-thru window and operated a register.” Investigators learned that “one of the two children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, a prohibited task for workers under 16 years old.”Bauer Food franchise owner Sean Bauer told CBS News that the children were visiting their parent, who works as a night manager. He said the kids were not approved to be in that part of restaurant by franchisee organization management and that any work the children did was at the direction of, and in the presence of,...

Neurocrine: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NBIX) on Wednesday reported a loss of $76.6 million in its first quarter.On a per-share basis, the San Diego-based company said it had a loss of 79 cents.The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 26 cents per share.The biopharmaceutical company posted revenue of $420.4 million in the period, exceeding Street forecasts. Eleven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $413 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NBIX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NBIXSource

Horizon Therapeutics: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

DUBLIN (AP) — DUBLIN (AP) — Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company (HZNP) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $54.7 million.On a per-share basis, the Dublin-based company said it had profit of 23 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 83 cents per share.The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.17 per share.The drugmaker posted revenue of $832.1 million in the period, which also missed Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $896.2 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on HZNP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/HZNPSource

Phillips 66: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Phillips 66 (PSX) on Wednesday reported first-quarter net income of $1.96 billion.On a per-share basis, the Houston-based company said it had net income of $4.20. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to $4.21 per share.The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $3.58 per share.The oil refiner posted revenue of $35.09 billion in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $29.76 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PSX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PSXSource

Verisk: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) on Wednesday reported first-quarter net income of $56.3 million.On a per-share basis, the Jersey City, New Jersey-based company said it had profit of 37 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1.29 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.18 per share.The insurance data provider posted revenue of $651.6 million in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $631.9 million.Verisk expects full-year earnings in the range of $5.20 to $5.50 per share, with revenue in the range of $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VRSK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VRSKSource

HanesBrands: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — HanesBrands Inc. (HBI) on Wednesday reported a loss of $34.4 million in its first quarter.The Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company said it had a loss of 10 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 6 cents per share.The results matched Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for a loss of 6 cents per share.The underwear, T-shirt and sock maker posted revenue of $1.39 billion in the period, exceeding Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.38 billion.For the current quarter ending in June, HanesBrands said it expects revenue in the range of $1.42 billion to $1.47 billion.The company expects full-year earnings in the range of 31 cents to 42 cents per share, with revenue ranging from $6.05 billion to $6.2 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using da...

Denver metro home prices continue rising

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:53 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Spring has sprung, and with it the return of record Denver metro housing prices. Denver metro home prices have reached levels approaching their record highs from 2022 before the Federal Reserve's series of interest rate hikes cooled off rising prices. The Denver Metro Association of Realtor's May housing report shows a rebound in some of the market signs from last summer. Typically, homes get scarcer and more expensive in the spring as more buyers look to purchase. Colorado is dropping in US News and World Report’s best states rankings Buyers had been rushing to purchase Denver area and Colorado real estate during the COVID pandemic's national housing space race. In April 2022, the median sales price of a Denver metro detached single-family home grew to $680,000. This April, the median single-family home price was $640,000, which is around the listing price from last July and August. Prices had been falling since April 2022, dropping to $595,000 by January. Since ...