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Taco Bell’s battle to free the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark is officially over

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

New York (CNN) — Taco Bell has won its fight over the “Taco Tuesday” trademark in all 50 states now that lone holdout — a restaurant in New Jersey — has “parted ways” with the term.The chain’s months-long efforts to cancel usage of the trademark ended Tuesday, with Taco Bell saying that its “ambitious goal has been met” after Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar in Somers Point, New Jersey, forfeited its trademark this week after more than four decades of owning it. Taco Bell didn’t reveal if a financial settlement was involved.“The response we’ve seen over the last six months since taking action to free ‘Taco Tuesday’ is the exact reason we felt it was worth freeing it in the first place,” Taco Bell’s chief marketing officer Taylor Montgomery told CNN.Taco Bell scored a significant win in July when Taco John’s, a smaller regional chain, abandoned its trademark registration in the other 49 states because it didn’t want to pay the legal fees that come with ...

State Leaders Have “Discussions,” Few Details, On Outlook For Unhoused Families

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

Massachusetts could begin turning away unhoused families next week, and the state’s top elected officials did not seem to have an understanding Monday about what will happen once the state shelter system reaches capacity.Gov. Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano were in agreement after a private sit-down that the state’s shelter system is being pushed to its limit by a steady influx of immigrant families arriving from other countries and that something needs to be done. But firm answers about what will happen to families in need of shelter and whether Massachusetts will be violating its right-to-shelter law if it turns a family away were elusive.“Well, I know that we’re looking with it. We had some discussions about it. The concern is that the space is at a premium, there just seems to be no more space and I believe that options are being looked at right now. So we’ll be continuing discussing this and working with th...

Authorities in Gardner locate murder suspect’s car in wooded area

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

Investigators have located the vehicle belonging to the Gardner man accused of killing his wife in their home Sunday.Police were looking for 33-year-old Aaron Pennington, who is wanted in connection with Sunday’s homicide of 30-year-old Breanne Pennington in Gardner. (Massachusetts State Police photo)A bow hunter on Monday night located a white BMW abandoned in a wooded area at Camp Collier, a camp that according to the Boy Scouts Troop 54 website serves Boy Scouts expeditions. Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. confirmed the vehicle belonged to Aaron Pennington, 33, who is accused of killing his wife, Breanne Pennington, 30, in their Cherry Street home in Gardner Sunday.“The vehicle was located by a hunter. So we’re asking anyone with trail cams, any hunters, any people with video cameras at their houses, please give it to the police,” Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “It’s incredible how often th...

31 cities, regions selected as federal tech hubs for AI and biotechnology

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

By Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore SunThirty-one cities and regions have been awarded federal designation as national tech hubs. President Joe Biden announced the hubs Monday, part of a program designed to invest in high-potential U.S. regions and make them globally competitive in emerging technologies.The $10 billion federal initiative, approved as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, aims to spur technology-related manufacturing and commercialization in parts of the U.S. with potential to become globally competitive and create jobs in 10 years.The program aims to diversify technology investment and development beyond Silicon Valley, Boston and New York, which currently attract 80% of tech funding.The 31 hubs — located across 32 states and Puerto Rico in urban and rural regions — were selected from nearly 400 applications. Hubs are organized around eight general categories, such as autonomous systems, quantum computing, biotechnology, precision medicine, clean energy advancemen...

How to plan for a potential inheritance

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

The amount of wealth millennials and Gen Xers stand to inherit from their parents and grandparents almost defies comprehension: According to Cerulli Associates, a Boston-based research and consulting firm, $84.4 trillion in wealth will be transferred between 2021 and 2045, primarily from baby boomer households to younger generations.Inheritances aren’t just for the rich: Less than half of the total volume of transfers is expected to come from high-net-worth households.“It’s a really unique point in history because of the amount of wealth,” says Chayce Horton, senior analyst on the wealth management team at Cerulli. “It’s something we haven’t seen before.”As a result of that magnitude, inheritance recipients might not know what to do with one, and whether to count on the windfall before it arrives.If you’re wondering whether to broach the topic of a potential inheritance with your own parents or grandparents, here are some guidelines financial experts recommend:Talk about inheritance...

NFL power rankings, Week 8: Ravens join the elite after thrashing Lions

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, injuries and roster depth, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders.Here are the rankings heading into Week 8:1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-1, No. 1 last week)Last week: Win vs. Chargers, 31-17Up next: at BroncosPerhaps flying under the radar is the fact that, in addition to having the best passing duo in the league in Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs also have one of the league’s best defenses. In fact, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks Kansas City second behind only the Browns, citing improved depth under longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. That makes the Chiefs the clear favorites nearly halfway through the regular season.2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-1, No. 4)Last week: Win vs. Dolphins, 31-17Up next: at CommandersBased on their record and past performance, the Eagles certainly have the resume of a Supe...

Israeli flyers dropped on Gaza offer cash for intel on hostages

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

By Alisa Odenheimer and Fadwa Hodali, Bloomberg NewsThe Israeli military began offering cash and protection for anyone who shares accurate information on the whereabouts of hostages held by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.Gazans found the leaflets on the streets across Gaza on Tuesday after they’ve been dropped from Israeli aircraft, the latest in a slew of steps by Israel to locate some of the people Hamas is holding captive.“If your will is to live in peace and to have a better future for your children, do the humanitarian deed immediately and share verified and valuable information about hostages being held in your area,” read the leaflets, written in Arabic and shared by the Israel Defense Forces.“The Israeli military assures you that it will invest maximum effort in providing security for you and your home, and you will receive a financial reward. We guarantee you complete confidentiality,” they said.More than two w...

Google Maps disables live traffic data in Israel, Gaza at Israeli military’s request

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

By Marissa Newman, Bloomberg NewsAlphabet Inc.’s Google is disabling live traffic conditions in Israel and the Gaza Strip for its Maps and Waze apps at the request of the Israeli military, ahead of a potential ground invasion into Gaza.“As we have done previously in conflict situations and in response to the evolving situation in the region, we have temporarily disabled the ability to see live traffic conditions and busyness information out of consideration for the safety of local communities,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.Google is removing real-time crowding data in Israel and Gaza at the request of the Israel Defense Forces, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified to discuss internal matters. Live traffic information could reveal Israeli troop movements.Related ArticlesWorld | Israeli flyers dropped on Gaza offer cash for intel on hostages World | Israel launches 400 strikes across Gaza, where healt...

GOP picks Tom Emmer as its nominee for House speaker but there’s no guarantee he can win the gavel

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

By Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri and Kevin Freking, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans picked Rep. Tom Emmer as their nominee for House speaker Tuesday as they try again to fill the top position, but the choice quickly ran into familiar resistance from hard-liners and allies of Donald Trump leaving no guarantee the latest hopeful can win the gavel.Three weeks after Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy in a historic first, they appear no closer to choosing a new speaker who can credibly unite the GOP majority, lead the party and reopen the House.As the GOP Whip, Emmer of Minnesota jumped out front during private balloting among a hodge-podge list of mostly lesser-known congressmen for speaker, a powerful position second in line to the presidency. While he won a simple majority, he lost more than two dozen Republicans, far short of what will be needed during a House floor vote ahead.“We’re going to have to figure out how to get our act together — I mean, big bo...

How safe are cockpits? Aviation experts weigh in after security scare

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:19:51 GMT

The attempt by an off-duty pilot to shut down the engines of a U.S. airliner in midflight highlights the threat that insiders pose to aviation safety with their ability to go where passengers are prohibited.Events like the one Sunday on a Horizon Air jetliner are very rare, but they are potentially devastating.The captain and co-pilot prevented disaster by subduing the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who — from his perfect vantage point in the cockpit jump seat — tried to cut fuel to the engines.“We’re just lucky he wasn’t flying the plane when he decided to do this. What’s going to stop that?” said Jon Loffi, a longtime law enforcement officer who teaches aviation security at Oklahoma State University and wrote a paper on identifying insider threats.There is something of a see-something, say-something mindset in aviation, where employees are encouraged to voluntarily report anything that raises a safety concern, including suspicious behavior of colleagues. It’s not clear how o...