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Wall Street rises to records; unemployment rate improves

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks hit records Friday following a mixed report on the U.S. job market, one that may delay another cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve but does not slam the door on it. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% and topped its prior all-time high set earlier in the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 237 points, or 0.5%, and likewise set a record, while the Nasdaq composite led the market with a 0.8% gain. The moves came after the U.S. Labor Department said employers hired fewer workers during December than economists expected, though the unemployment rate ...

Meeting set for sheep and goat producers

Penn State Extension will host a small group gathering for sheep and goat producers to focus on nutrition from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Penn State Extension Office in Bedford County. Melanie Barkley, Penn State livestock educator in Bedford County, will answer questions and share information about balancing rations for sheep and goats. The meeting will allow local producers to network with one another and provide valuable input on the nutritional needs of small ruminants. The meeting will conclude with an open discussion, providing an opportunity to learn from peers, gain ...

In CES’ ‘Worst in Show,’ AI products center stage

The promise of artificial intelligence was front and center at this year’s CES gadget show. But spicing up a simple machine like a refrigerator with unnecessary AI was also a surefire way to win the “Worst in Show.” The annual contest that no tech company wants to win announced its decisions Thursday. Among those getting the notorious “anti-awards” for invasive, wasteful or fragile products were an eye-tracking AI “soulmate” companion for combating loneliness, a musical lollipop and new AI features for Amazon’s widely used doorbell cameras. Samsung’s “Bespoke AI ...

Early birds can begin filing their taxes Jan. 26

The IRS will start accepting 2025 tax returns on Jan. 26, marking the official start of the 2026 tax filing season. The filing deadline is April 15. The IRS has faced challenges, including losing tens of thousands of workers through planned layoffs and buyouts spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. It also needs to implement major provisions from President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ tax package. The IRS expects to receive about 164 million individual tax returns this year, roughly on par with last year. Most of Street drifts as defense companies ...

Giant’s Feeding School Kids initiative returns

CARLISLE The Giant Co., known locally as Giant and Martin’s, has announced the return of its annual Feeding School Kids initiative. Marking its sixth year, customers at Giant, Martin’s and Giant Heirloom Market stores can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar or convert their choice points into a donation for their local public school districts’ food programs now through March 31. To launch the program, The Giant Co. will donate $100,000. Through Feeding School Kids, public school districts have been able to support meal programs and address food insecurity from ...

Trump proposes 2027 defense spending increase

President Donald Trump is proposing setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.” Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea. The 2026 military budget is set at $901 billion. Trump in recent days has also called for taking over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security reasons and has ...