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Small business owners balance rising costs with keeping customers happy: survey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

Almost a third of Canadian small business owners raised prices by more than 10 per cent in 2022 to offset rising costs, a survey found — and the trend is continuing this year.The survey by Ownr, a small business and legal management platform backed and operated by RBCx, found that so far in 2023, more than 23 per cent of small business owners have raised prices by more than 10 per cent. “The two major concerns for entrepreneurs right now are both cash flow issues and then the backdrop of inflation,” said Derek Hopfner, chief revenue officer at Ownr. Inflation has been moderating from last year’s highs, but remains elevated, with a reading of 4.3 per cent in March. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada is holding interest rates high in its bid to fight inflation.Some of the other pressures most acutely facing small firms right now are labour supply and cost, borrowing costs and supply chain issues, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ monthly Business Barometer...

4 fatally shot in California in latest US mass killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — Four people were found fatally shot inside an RV in a small Mojave Desert community over the weekend, authorities said, yet another act of deadly violence that keeps the U.S. on a record pace for mass killings this year.The victims were three women and a man, authorities said Monday. There were no immediate arrests, but two people were being sought for questioning as “persons of interest” and there was no ongoing threat to others in the unincorporated community of Mojave, said Lori Meza, a spokesperson for the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.It is the 19th mass killing of 2023, the most through the end of April of any year since at least 2006, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. A mass killing is defined as the slaying of four or more people other than the assailant.This year has set a record pace with roughly one a week. Among the latest violence, a 38-year-old man remai...

At least 6 dead, more than 30 hospitalized in I-55 crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

DIVERNON, Ill. (AP) — A windstorm in central Illinois kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields Monday, causing numerous crashes that killed at least six people on Interstate 55, police said.The late morning crashes involved 40 to 60 cars and multiple tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said.He said at least six people died, all in the northbound lanes, and more than 30 people on both sides of I-55 were transported to hospitals with injuries.“The only thing you could hear after we got hit was crash after crash after crash behind us,” said Tom Thomas, 43, who was traveling south to St. Louis.I-55 was shut down in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis, and likely won't reopen until Tuesday.Starrick told reporters that it was a spring version of a “whiteout situation” typically seen in winter snowstorms. Gov. J.B. Pritzker described the scene as “horrific.”“The cause of the c...

Loneliness declared an epidemic, poses risks as deadly as smoking, surgeon general says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic.About half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an 81-page report from his office.“We now know that loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience. It's like hunger or thirst. It's a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing,” Murthy told The Associated Press in an interview. “Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that's not right. That's why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing.”The declaration is intended to raise awareness around loneliness but won't unlock federal funding or programming devoted to combatting the issue.Research shows that Americans, who h...

Global company expands footprint in Round Rock

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- Toppan Photomasks Inc., a global company headquartered in Round Rock that specializes in manufacturing a key component in the semiconductor chip process, signed an agreement with the city to invest in modernizing its facility. Round Rock City Council unanimously approved to pay the company a $1.25 million incentive if Toppan meets the requirements of investing at least $185 million into its facility and creating 50 new high-paying jobs. The incentive money will be paid out in three separate payments over the course of six years. History of Toppan Photomasks in central Texas Toppan Photomasks first moved into Round Rock back in 1986 and recently moved its headquarters to the city in 2020. The company has locations in Dresden, Germany, Shanghai, China and Icheon, South Korea. "We chose Round Rock as our headquarters and pride ourselves on being a good community partner by investing in steady growth over the years, which in turn has allowed us to expand the ...

Silver Alert issued for missing San Antonio woman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety issued a Silver Alert early Tuesday morning following the disappearance of a 78-year-old San Antonio woman. Maria Mora, 78 (Courtesy: Texas Department of Public Safety)Maria Mora is described as 5'02" and 220 pounds with brown hair and eyes, and as having a cognitive impairment. She was last seen wearing a gold necklace, a white shirt with red flowers and a dark green skirt. She was walking around 9 p.m. Monday evening in the 9500 block of Gold Dust Drive in San Antonio.Anyone with information regarding her location is asked to call the San Antonio Police Department at 210-207-7660.

VOTE: Help us choose the best KXAN viewer photo of April 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month. April's picks inevitably feature lots of storm clouds, including the mammatus seen across Central Texas on April 28.Help us choose the best viewer photo of April 2023. Look through the 10 pictures below, then vote for your favorite. The winning photo will move on to represent April in the best viewer photos of the year competition once 2023 is said and done.If you’d like to submit a photo for May's competition, email it to [email protected]. Be on the lookout as KXAN may contact you to send a permission form so we can use your photo on air and online. All submissions for May's competition must be photos taken in May 2023.Here are the options for April, in no particular order.Cotton Candy CloudsSmithville, April 15. Courtesy Keep Smithville Beautiful.Storm cloud...

5 things to know this Tuesday, May 2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- We made it past the last Monday of the week, everyone. Happy Tuesday! Per Meteorologist Jill Szwed, showers will be off and on today. Like yesterday, a thundershower or two could produce gusty winds and small hail. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Jury selection has begun for the trial of Nauman Hussain. Judge Peter Lynch indicates this trial could take up to four to six weeks. Meanwhile, Kevin Monohan, the man accused of shooting and killing Kaylin Gillis, is petitioning to get released from jail. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Tuesday morning.1. Jury selection begins for Schoharie limo trialJury selection for the trial of Nauman Hussain began May 1, 2023. This trial could take 4 to 6 weeks, according to Judge Peter Lynch. But before it can get to that point in the case, lawyers from both the prosecution and defense have to interview and process a pool of 1,50...

I-55 reopened after dust storm causes fatal Illinois crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ill. - A blinding dust storm led to a deadly crash involving more than 70 vehicles along Interstate-55 in south central Illinois. Tuesday morning, I-55 has completely reopened 19 hours after shutting down.This all happened on I-55 in Montgomery County, north of Farmersville, and south of Divernon. Crews have been in the area non-stop since the crash took place. Authorities said at least six people were killed and 37 others taken to hospitals after the crash happened shortly before 11:00 a.m. A total of 72 vehicles were involved, including some 20 commercial vehicles and many passenger cars.We're told two tractor trailers exploded from the wreck. Illinois state Police shared that high winds blew dust onto 55 from nearby farm fields, creating blinding conditions leading to the pile up.Investigators explained the first crash took place on northbound 55 then at the same time numerous crashes took place southbound on the highway. The wrecks all happened between milepo...

Preliminary hearing for downtown shooting suspect, DeShawn Thomas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:25 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A man accused of shooting and killing another man, execution style in downtown St. Louis, is scheduled to appear before a judge Tuesday morning.Video of the suspect shooting and killing a homeless man got shared millions of times on social media. Police arrested 23-year-old DeShawn Thomas shortly after. He was booked on a first-degree murder charge, and is scheduled to appear in court later Tuesday morning.Back in February, St. Louis Metro Police said a homeless man named David Saldana was shot and killed execution style. It happened at the Shell station at Tucker Boulevard and Convention Plaza. I-55 reopened after dust storm causes fatal Illinois crashes The shooting, captured on cell phone video, has been shared millions of times. Police shared that Thomas first shot Saldana in the back as he ran across Tucker, and as Saldana begged for his life, Thomas shot him in the head.  All of it was captured on video by both a witness and nearby surveillance cameras.Police lat...