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Critics fear tall towers turning downtown Boston into Manhattan
BOSTON — Critics of a proposed Boston zoning plan are fuming over new regulations that they say will “Manhattanize” the city’s historic downtown with shadow-casting 700-foot skyscrapers.
Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association representatives say the administration of Mayor Michelle Wu “blindsided” them with the final draft of a ...Read more

Insomnia Cookies plans to open 1,500 stores in the next 10 years
Insomnia Cookies plans to add 1,500 new stores across the country in the next decade, according to its founder.
Seth Berkowitz, who founded the late-night cookie delivery business in 2003 as a student at the University of Pennsylvania, said in a recent interview that Insomnia’s presence in the United Kingdom and Canada was also growing with ...Read more

General Mills launching Blue Buffalo fresh pet food nationwide
General Mills learned some valuable lessons about fresh dog food after Blue Buffalo tested the concept a few years ago at a handful of retailers.
First, the good boys and girls love it.
“They literally will stand in front of a refrigerator and ask for the food again,” CEO Jeff Harmening said.
Second, it would take some effort to make it ...Read more

Tesla shares jump most in two months on robotaxi service launch
Tesla Inc. shares climbed after the automaker rolled out its long-promised driverless taxi service to a handful of riders, a modest debut for what Elon Musk sees as a transformative new business line.
The first robotaxi trips were limited to a narrow portion of Tesla’s hometown of Austin on Sunday, with an employee sitting in the front ...Read more

Ford to 'stick behind' Michigan battery plant as budget bill threatens tax credit
MARSHALL, Michigan — Lisa Drake, Ford Motor Co.'s vice president of Technology Platform Programs and EV Systems, said the automaker is sticking behind its $3 billion investment in south-central Michigan for a new battery plant that's 60% completed, after the company's leaders said a proposed federal budget could put the site "in peril."
...Read more

Jewel-Osco pharmacy division argues National Labor Relations Act unconstitutional
Jewel-Osco’s pharmacy division argued this month that the structure of the National Labor Relations Board, the body that enforces federal labor law in the U.S., is unconstitutional.
The company joins a lengthy and growing list of employers including SpaceX, Amazon, Trader Joe’s, the University of Southern California, the dating app Grindr ...Read more
Tesla shares jump most in two months on robotaxi service launch
Tesla Inc. shares climbed after the automaker rolled out its long-promised driverless taxi service to a handful of riders, a modest debut for what Elon Musk sees as a transformative new business line.
The first robotaxi trips were limited to a narrow portion of Tesla’s hometown of Austin on Sunday, with an employee sitting in the front ...Read more

Why long-term CDs can be a smart choice in any rate environment
Whether interest rates are rising, falling, or holding steady, long-term certificates of deposit (CDs) can play a valuable role in your financial strategy. While timing the market perfectly is impossible, understanding the benefits of long-term CDs can help you make better decisions about when and how to incorporate them into your savings plan. ...Read more

Bitcoin mining: A beginner's guide to how it works
Bitcoin mining is the process of creating new bitcoins by solving extremely complicated math problems that verify transactions in the currency. When a bitcoin is successfully mined, the miner receives a predetermined amount of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin is one of the most popular types of cryptocurrencies, which are digital mediums of exchange that exist...Read more

About 78% of Americans say they're uncomfortable investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Here's why
Despite all the hype around cryptocurrency, the vast majority of Americans say they’re uncomfortable investing in it, according to Bankrate’s 2025 Long-Term Investment Survey. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (78%) say they’re not comfortable putting their investment dollars in crypto.
So, what might be making Americans uncomfortable with ...Read more

Motormouth: What is that chime?
Q: R.K. from Chicago mentioned their 2025 CX-50 chimes when going over railroad tracks. I don't have that vehicle, but I know our Prius makes a beeping noise when the car encounters situations that seem like it is losing contact with the road (slipping on snow, big bumps, etc.). I'm not technical, but I've assumed it's the ESC (electronic ...Read more

Tesla readies robotaxis in overdue step toward Musk dream
Tesla Inc. plans to roll out its first robotaxis on the streets of Austin Sunday afternoon after almost a decade of hype from Elon Musk, kicking off a precarious new era for the carmaker.
The chief executive officer said initial users would pay a $4.20 flat rate for the driverless trips, which will be limited to certain areas of the city. Tesla...Read more

NYC sets smaller driver pay bump after Uber, Lyft pushback
New York City on Friday announced new minimum-pay rules for rideshare drivers, settling on a smaller-than-proposed 5% increase following pushback from Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc.
An earlier proposal called for a 6.1% pay boost. The finalized regulations from the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, or TLC, are also designed to ...Read more

Econometer: Should the US ban drug advertising to consumers?
The U.S. is rare among Western nations because it allows pharmaceutical advertising. But a new effort aims to stop it.
A bill was introduced in Congress recently that would ban pharmaceutical manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising, from TV to social media, to promote their products.
Prescription drug advertising employs a lot ...Read more

How Five Below used AI to target tweens and cut costs
Five Below, the Philadelphia-based chain with 1,800 stores that target middle schoolers and other young people, is in recovery, with sales growth and share price rebounding after a tough year.
Invent.ai, a 200-person Philadelphia software developer that uses artificial intelligence to automate product and inventory strategies, is taking some of...Read more

Michael Hiltzik: Social Security is still in good shape but faces challenges -- from Trump
The annual reports of the Social Security and Medicare trustees provide yearly opportunities for misunderstandings by politicians, the media, and the general public about the health of these programs. This year is no exception.
A case in point is the response by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, to the Social Security ...Read more

Boeing 'ready to listen' as world waits to hear Air India crash cause
Le BOURGET, France — Boeing kept a low profile at this year's Paris Air Show, an industry event where aerospace giants gather to discuss, showcase and strategize the future of flying.
But the airplane manufacturer was still top of mind. A 787 crash that left hundreds dead just days before the trade show was a solemn reminder of safety's ...Read more

Tesla to launch robotaxi service as Detroit moves on
Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk says the electric vehicle maker tentatively plans this weekend to launch its robotaxi service — a business Detroit basically abandoned.
Proving the ability of its vehicles to become driverless cabs is critical to Tesla's high-valuation future, according to experts, as its automotive business faces challenges from ...Read more

Union presses California's key bird flu testing lab for records
The union representing workers at a University of California-Davis lab that tests and tracks bird flu infections in livestock has sued the university, demanding that records showing staffing levels and other information about the lab's operations be released to the public.
Workers in the lab's small biotechnology department had raised concerns ...Read more

Auto review: 2025 Cadillac Optiq is the optimal luxury electric SUV
There’s a perception that everything is bigger in America, and it's hard to dispute. Generous proportions have always been an American automotive hallmark. Large size is certainly embedded in Cadillac’s DNA, and that's how its devotees like it — mostly. There are those abhor massiveness yet still desire the luxury, options and agility that...Read more