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Briefcase: Tourism campaign begins

BEDFORD The Bedford County Visitors Bureau has officially launched its most comprehensive and targeted tourism campaign to date. “For the first time in our history, we’re executing a truly regional, digital-first strategy that brings Bedford County to the forefront of the traveler’s experience,” said Brooke Kelly, executive director of the Visitors Bureau. “This isn’t just more exposure. It’s a more targeted and strategic approach to reaching the right audiences at the right time.” The 2026 Bedford County Visitor Guide is being distributed across five key states ...

Anthropic, OpenAI rivalry spills into new Super Bowl ads

The two artificial intelligence startups behind rival chatbots ChatGPT and Claude are bracing for an existential showdown this year as both need to prove they can grow a business that will make more money than they’re losing. The fiercest competition between the two AI developers, along ...

Ticker: Falling tech stocks hit Wall Street

Sharp drops hit Wall Street as technology stocks sank and bitcoin plunged again to roughly half its record price set in the fall. Several discouraging reports on the U.S. job market also knocked down yields in the bond market on Thursday. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% for its sixth loss in the seven days since it set an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%. Amazon’s shares fall, but posts strong 4Q sales Amazon sales surged 14% during the fourth quarter, helped by strong holiday spending and a better-than-expected growth in its ...

Briefcase: Sheetz raises $2.4M for kids

Sheetz announced that Sheetz For the Kidz, its employee-driven charity supporting underprivileged children, raised more than $2.4 million for local children in need in 2025, surpassing totals from previous years. This total amount includes a record-breaking $1.1 million raised in December alone. During July and December of last year, Sheetz customers were invited to support Sheetz For the Kidz by donating at checkout in Sheetz’s 800-plus stores, either through in-store donation boxes or by adding a contribution at the point of sale. These funds helped provide clothing, toys, and other ...

‘Rent now, pay later’ services rise despite fees

NEW YORK — Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price. So-called “rent now, pay later” services have emerged over the past few years as housing costs climb and paychecks grow less predictable, particularly for lower-income and gig-economy workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents have jumped nearly 28% in past five years. Companies such as Flex, Livble and, more recently, Affirm, say breaking rent into multiple ...

China to ban hidden car door handles

HONG KONG — China will ban hidden door handles on cars, commonly used on Tesla's electric vehicles and many other EV models, starting next year. All car doors must include a mechanical release function for handles, except for the tailgate, according to details released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday. Officials said the policy aims to address safety concerns after fatal EV accidents where electronic doors reportedly failed to operate and trapped passengers inside vehicles. The new requirement for both internal and external door handles will take ...