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Texas utility officials won't reverse $16 billion in electricity overcharges
AUSTIN, Texas — About $16 billion in overcharges for wholesale electricity racked up because of a pricing error during the massive failure of the state's power grid last month won't be reversed, after Texas utility regulators rejected a recommendation that they make the change. “It's just nearly impossible to unscramble this sort of egg," Arthur D'Andrea, the new chair of the Public Utility Commission, said during a commission meeting Friday. Potomac Economics, a Virginia-based firm that's paid by the state to provide an arm's-length assessment of the Texas power grid, recommended Thursday in ...
Austin American-Statesman
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Stellantis UAW workers will get $8,010 profit-sharing checks
Stellantis UAW workers are to receive profit-sharing checks this year of $8,010. The announcement of the payouts to about 43,000 UAW-represented workers came early Wednesday, the same day the company released its first earnings report since it was created in January from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot-maker PSA Group. The checks represent an increase from the $7,280 checks FCA workers received last year. The Free Press reported earlier that Ford workers are getting $3,625 and those at General Motors are receiving $9,000 this year. Workers should get their payments on March...
Detroit Free Press
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Scott Fowler: The inside story of the 'SNL' sketch about Charlotte and LaMelo Ball that went viral
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The uproarious "Saturday Night Live" sketch that skewered Charlotte, Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball and his proud papa LaVar Ball Saturday night went from conception to performance in 36 hours. It also left a hilarious line about LaMelo Ball and Cracker Barrel on the cutting-room floor — but don't worry, we've resurrected it at the bottom of this story. The SNL sketch everyone in Charlotte has been talking about was co-written by UNC graduate Bryan Tucker, a senior writer for the NBC comedy staple. He explained Monday in our interview how it was created, and also why it included ...
The Charlotte Observer
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Will Bunch: President Biden didn't show strength bombing Syria, or on MBS. He made America look weak
There are some American traditions that really need to go away. Like Tom Brady (nearly) always winning the Super Bowl. Or, perhaps more importantly, our insane yet deeply entrenched notion that a new U.S. president earns his wings that first time he drops some bombs on the Middle East or in South Asia, just like the string of commanders in chief before him. Even Donald Trump. Remember in April 2017 when the still newish 45th president — having seen grim video of a chemical attack in Syria on Fox News — decided to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an airstrip to send a message to dictator B...
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Mavs star Luka Doncic autographed NBA rookie card nets $4.6 million
While the basketball world has been swooning over the cryptocurrency, virtual card phenomenon “NBA Top Shot,” a one-of-a-kind deal involving Dallas Mavericks wunderkind Luka Doncic quietly went down on Sunday ... which happened to be the guard’s 22nd birthday. A Doncic National Treasures Auto Logoman 1/1 autographed rookie card sold for $4.6 million according to collector Bolillo Lajan San, and was reportedly the highest-priced NBA card ever sold. “Today is a big day in the hobby. Also, it just happens to be @lukadoncic birthday as well which was pure coincidence,” an Instagram post read. “Bei...
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Kelly Loeffler’s tenure with Atlanta Dream over; franchise sold to real estate investor
ATLANTA — Kelly Loeffler’s ownership tenure — tumultuous in the past year — of the Dream is over. The sale of the team was completed with the announcement that the WNBA franchise has been sold to majority owner Larry Gottesdiener, chairman of the national real estate firm Northland, on Friday. He is joined in a three-member investor group with former Dream player Renee Montgomery and Northland President and Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Abair. The owners and the league declined to disclose the ownership percentages. The sale of the WNBA franchise was described as “imminent” to The Atlanta Jo...
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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G20 finance chiefs to talk Covid recovery, aid to poor countries
Milan (AFP) - G20 finance ministers and central bankers will gather for a video conference led by Italy Friday, hoping to align plans for relaunching the global economy after the coronavirus pandemic and to limit harm to the worst-off nations shut out of the race for vaccines. Beginning at 12:30 pm local time (1130 GMT), the meeting is the first in post for US President Joe Biden's new Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, expected to be far less confrontational than Donald Trump's representatives at past gatherings. "With the new American administration, it will certainly be easier to reach a deal...
AFP
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Rocket Companies reports record $9 billion profit for 2020
Quicken Loans' parent Rocket Companies reported Thursday that it did a record amount of mortgage business in 2020 and likely had the most profitable year ever for the 36-year-old mortgage lender. Boosted by the boom in mortgage refinancing activity, the Detroit-based company had $15.7 billion in total revenue, or more than triple its $5.1 billion revenue in 2019. Its net income, or profit, skyrocketed to $9.4 billion from just under $1 billion the year before. And the company increased its closely watched gain on sale margin by 127 basis points year-over-year to 4.46%. In just the fourth quart...
Detroit Free Press
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PPP changes helping small minority-owned businesses land loans: ‘I’m glad somebody saw the light’
When President Joe Biden announced changes this week to the Paycheck Protection Program designed to provide more equitable relief to smaller and minority-owned businesses, the benefits quickly made a difference for Barbara Wright. A high school teacher whose $30,000-a-year side gig as a Lyft driver was stalled by the pandemic, Wright learned Tuesday she was now eligible for a $6,336 forgivable PPP loan — a nearly sixfold increase over the $1,085 she received through the program last year. “I’m glad somebody saw the light somewhere,” said Wright, 59, who lives in the Englewood neighborhood on C...
Chicago Tribune
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Hong Kong Budget 2021: Public satisfaction lowest yet, survey says, as spending coupons slammed as ‘impractical’
Hong Kong people’s net satisfaction rate with the budget dropped to -36 per cent – the lowest since the handover – according to a public survey. The electronic spending coupons announced in Wednesday’s 2021 budget were also slammed as “impractical” by citizens. According to the latest poll conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI), only 20 per cent of the 859 respondents said they were satisfied with finance chief Paul Chan’s budget. The survey showed that 56 per cent of the respondents were dissatisfied, meaning that the budget had a net satisfaction rate of -36 pe...
Hong Kong Free Press
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