DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea, including additional 10% taxes on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday on Truth Social threatening the tariffs on his first day in office could just be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. High food prices were a major issue in voters picking Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris, but tariffs almost certainly would push those costs up even further. For instance, the Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said Tuesday that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when other countries retaliate. “Tariffs distort the marketplace and will raise prices along the supply chain, resulting in the consumer paying more at the checkout line,” said Alan Siger, association president. Mexico and Canada are two of the biggest exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables to the U.S. In 2022, Mexico supplied 51% of fresh fruit and 69% of fresh vegetables imported by value into the U.S., while Canada supplied 2% of fresh fruit and 20% of fresh vegetables. Before the election, about 7 in 10 voters said they were very concerned about the cost of food, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. “We’ll get them down,” Trump told shoppers during a September visit to a Pennsylvania grocery store. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. People looking to buy a new vehicle likely would see big price increases as well, at a time when costs have gone up so much they are out of reach for many. The average price of a new vehicle now runs around $48,000. About 15% of the 15.6 million new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year came from Mexico, while 8% crossed the border from Canada, according to Global Data. Much of the tariffs would get passed along to consumers, unless automakers can somehow quickly find productivity improvements to offset them, said C.J. Finn, U.S. automotive sector leader for PwC, a consulting firm. That means even more consumers “would potentially get priced out,” Finn said. Hardest hit would be Volkswagen, Stellantis, General Motors and Ford, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska wrote Tuesday in a note to investors. “A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada would severely cripple the U.S. auto industry,” he said. The tariffs would hurt U.S. industrial production so much that “we expect this is unlikely to happen in practice,” Roeska said. The tariff threat hit auto stocks on Tuesday, particularly shares of GM, which imports about 30% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and Stellantis, which imports about 40% from the two countries. For both companies, about 55% of their lucrative pickup trucks come from Mexico and Canada. GM shares were down more than 8% and Stellantis was off over 5%. It's not clear how long the tariffs would last if implemented, but they could force auto executives to move production to the U.S., which could create more jobs in the long run. But Morningstar analyst David Whiston said in the short term automakers probably won't make any moves because they can't quickly change where they build vehicles. Millions of dollars worth of auto parts flow across the borders with Mexico and Canada, and that could raise prices for already costly automobile repairs, Finn said. The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. said tariffs on tequila or Canadian whisky won’t boost American jobs because they are distinctive products that can only be made in their country of origin. In 2023, the U.S. imported $4.6 billion worth of tequila and $108 million worth of mezcal from Mexico and $537 million worth of spirits from Canada, the council said. “At the end of the day, tariffs on spirits products from our neighbors to the north and south are going to hurt U.S. consumers and lead to job losses across the U.S. hospitality industry,” the council said. Electronics retailer Best Buy said on its third-quarter earnings conference call that it runs on thin profit margins, so while vendors and the company will shoulder some increases, Best Buy will have to pass tariffs to customers. “These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” CEO Corie Barry said. Walmart also warned this week that tariffs could force it to raise prices, as did Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who talked with Trump after his call for tariffs, said they had a good conversation about how the countries can work together. "This is something that we can do, laying out the facts and moving forward in constructive ways. This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on and that’s what we’ll do,” Trudeau said. Trump's threats come as arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico have been falling . The most recent U.S. numbers for October show arrests remain near four-year lows. But arrests for illegally crossing the border from Canada have been rising over the past two years. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico, and seizures have increased. Trump has sound legal justification to impose the tariffs, even though they conflict with a 2020 trade deal brokered in large part by Trump with Canada and Mexico, said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former trade official in the Clinton administration. The treaty, known as the USMCA, is up for review in 2026. In China’s case, he could simply declare Beijing hasn't met its obligations under an agreement he negotiated in his first term. For Canada and Mexico, he could say the influx of migrants and drugs represent a national security threat, and turn to a section of trade law he used in his first term to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum. The law he would most likely use for Canada and Mexico sets out a legal process that often takes as long as nine months, during which time Trump would likely seek a deal. If talks failed and the duties were imposed, all three countries would likely retaliate by putting tariffs on U.S. exports, said Reinsch, who believes Trump's tariffs threat is a negotiating ploy. U.S. companies would lobby the Trump administration intensively against tariffs, and would seek to have products exempted. Some of the biggest exporters from Mexico are U.S. firms that make parts there. “Our economies really are integrated,” Reinsch said. Longer term, Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the threat of tariffs could make the U.S. an “unstable partner” in international trade. “It is an incentive to move activity outside the United States to avoid all this uncertainty,” she said. Trump transition team officials did not immediately respond to questions about what he would need to see to prevent the tariffs from being implemented and how they would impact prices in the U.S. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own. Sheinbaum said she was willing to talk about the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem. ___ Rugaber reported from Washington. AP reporters Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stan Choe and Anne D'Innocenzio in New York, and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.Pure Storage, Inc. ( NYSE:PSTG – Get Free Report ) CRO Dan Fitzsimons sold 8,895 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.11, for a total transaction of $570,258.45. Following the sale, the executive now directly owns 72,927 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,675,349.97. This represents a 10.87 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Pure Storage Stock Performance NYSE:PSTG opened at $63.65 on Friday. Pure Storage, Inc. has a 52 week low of $34.32 and a 52 week high of $70.41. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $56.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $57.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The company has a market cap of $20.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 167.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.69 and a beta of 1.13. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Pure Storage by 210.2% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,553,402 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $137,628,000 after buying an additional 1,730,123 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. lifted its stake in Pure Storage by 22.5% in the third quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 4,063,776 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $204,163,000 after acquiring an additional 747,034 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Pure Storage by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,262,666 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $515,596,000 after acquiring an additional 626,427 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pure Storage in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $20,470,000. Finally, FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pure Storage by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 49,153,797 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $2,469,487,000 after purchasing an additional 368,643 shares in the last quarter. 83.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Analyst Ratings Changes Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on PSTG About Pure Storage ( Get Free Report ) Pure Storage, Inc engages in the provision of data storage and management technologies, products, and services in the United States and internationally. Its Purity software is shared across its products and provides enterprise-class data services, such as always-on data reduction, data protection, and encryption, as well as storage protocols, including block, file, and object. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Pure Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pure Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. High rents make it difficult to save up, even when applying for a VA loan—a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that typically has more favorable terms. While the VA does not require a downpayment, some lenders, who ultimately provide the loan, do. They're not entirely risk-free either, and veterans can still lose their homes if they are unable to keep up with their mortgages. In November 2023, the VA put a six-month pause on foreclosures when an NPR investigation found thousands of veterans were in danger of losing their homes after a COVID forbearance program ended. Biden officials pointed to high rents and the end of COVID-era housing restrictions like eviction moratoriums to explain the spike in Americans experiencing homelessness. In the last year, homelessness rose 12%—to more than 650,000 people—the highest level since data began being collected in 2007. Overall, more than half of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 live in states with high living costs. Most were in California, followed by New York and Florida. Western states, including Montana and Utah, experienced massive population growth during the pandemic, becoming hubs for remote workers who drove home prices and rents even further. For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. 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For your eyes onlyThe Dolphins' improbable path to the playoffs isn't in their hands, but they must do their part(The Center Square) – The U.S. Government Accountability Office says leadership is needed to fully define quantum threat mitigation strategy. A new report released by the agency emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive federal leadership to address the emerging cybersecurity risks posed by quantum computing, warning that without prompt and coordinated action, adversarial nations might exploit quantum technology to undermine national security. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Don recommends 4Rs framework for nation’s teacher, education developmentFORT WAYNE, Ind., Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Do it Best announces the successful acquisition of True Value, a long-time competitor with a legacy brand that benefits both organizations. This monumental transaction represents a transformative milestone for Do it Best, True Value, and the entire independent hardware industry. The acquisition brings significant assets to Do it Best, including inventory, brand rights, and paint manufacturing facilities. By acquiring these key resources, Do it Best is poised for substantial growth and increased capability to support independent retailers and bring operational stability to current True Value retailers, along with investment in the iconic brand. Reflecting on the accelerated journey that began on October 14, Do it Best CEO Dan Starr acknowledged the hard work and dedication required to complete the acquisition. "This has been a challenging process," said Starr. "However, the shared commitment from our team and the True Value team has made today possible. We are now proud to be the world's largest cooperative in our space, and that positions us to make a real difference for all our store owners." Starr confirmed that True Value will operate as a separate subsidiary, allowing Do it Best to maintain high-quality service while carefully integrating True Value's operations. He emphasized this approach ensures a smooth transition and continued reliability for both Do it Best members and the newly welcomed True Value retailers. "We're excited to welcome True Value retailers and associates into the Do it Best family," Starr added. "Our commitment to championing the independent retailer is at the heart of everything we do, and I know our True Value team joins us in this mission. This acquisition is about ensuring our collective success, now and in the future." To support this transformation, Do it Best has established a new leadership team dedicated to stabilizing and growing the True Value business while maintaining a focus on Do it Best member growth. Starr appointed Nick Talarico as President of Do it Best and Dent Johnson as President of True Value. Johnson's True Value leadership team includes: Bill Habegger, Vice President of Information Technology Justin Hanford, Vice President of Merchandising Eric Lane, Senior Vice President of Marketing Tim Miller, Senior Vice President of Logistics & Distribution Chris Okapal, Vice President of Sales & Business Development Steve Rose, Vice President of Distribution Matt Saines, Vice President of Finance Rob Schmiedel, Vice President of Operations & Sales Enablement Ken Sorg, Vice President of Supply Chain Celeste Stevens, Vice President of Human Resources John Vanderpool, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Jenna Grannan, Director of Marketing Randy Rusk, Director of Communications The acquisition is expected to be transformational for Do it Best, with a long-term vision that goes beyond growth for its own sake. By leveraging new efficiencies, deepening vendor relationships, and integrating key assets, Do it Best aims to position the expanded cooperative for long-term success. "This is a generational opportunity that will shape the future of our cooperative and our industry," said Starr. "We're focused on taking our time to get it right. We ask for patience as we integrate True Value and help everyone grow and achieve their dreams." For additional updates and information, Do it Best will continue sharing developments with its store owners and vendors, ensuring transparency and clear communication as the stabilization and integration process moves forward. Attachments Do it Best President and CEO Dan Starr Do it Best Champions Independent Home Improvement Stores © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL) ( TollBrothers.com ), the nation's leading builder of luxury homes, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend to shareholders. The dividend of $0.23 per share will be paid on January 24, 2025 to shareholders of record on the close of business on January 10, 2025. ABOUT TOLL BROTHERS Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, insurance, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company’s Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron’s magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com. Toll Brothers discloses information about its business and financial performance and other matters, and provides links to its securities filings, notices of investor events, and earnings and other news releases, on the Investor Relations section of its website (investors.TollBrothers.com). From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. CONTACT: Gregg Ziegler (215) 478-3820 gziegler@tollbrothers.com
Residents in the Danforth community are mourning a well-known homeless woman, believed to have died last weekend on one of the coldest nights of the season. The woman, who went by the names Mary and Rita, was known to frequent the area near Coxwell and Danforth Avenues . She was transported to hospital on the morning of Dec. 21 after staff at the nearby Tim Hortons found her “frozen” in the parking lot, they told the Star. Though the woman’s identity has not been made public, the Office of the Chief Coroner has confirmed it is investigating the death of a woman in hospital after she was found in “medical distress” in an east-end parking lot. On Monday night, Mary’s belongings remained in a pile by a tree in the parking lot, surrounded by a makeshift memorial — flowers and art laid to rest on the snow and ornaments hung from branches, lit by a single candle. “I just saw her here the other day,” Mary Willcott, a resident of the area, told the Star. Willcott learned of Mary’s passing moments earlier, having come across the vigil. “This is just so heartbreaking.” Danforth-area resident Mary Willcott, right, stands at a memorial for Mary, an unhoused woman who’s lived in the area for years. Mary, who locals say had lived in the parking lot for years, died on the coldest weekend in Toronto this winter. The temperatures in the city on the day she was transported to hospital dropped as low as -18 C. Two days later, with temperatures still below zero, the city closed its warming centres, drawing criticism from advocates. “I can’t imagine what that would be like for somebody to sit there (outside) for eight, ten, 12 or 24 hours,” said Victoria Tinkler, a resident who had regular interactions with Mary. Tinkler said she bundled up against the cold and went out to search for Mary on the night of Dec. 20. When she didn’t find Mary in her usual spot, Tinkler assumed she had gone to get a coffee or to use the washroom. The next morning, Tinker said she checked Facebook, and found a recent post in a neighbourhood group saying Mary had been found “frozen.” Neighbours adorned Mary’s belongings, still in the parking lot as of Monday, with flowers, art, and ornaments in her memory. Homeless people freezing or losing limbs to frostbite in the winter “is not a new thing,” said Lorraine Lam, an advocate and outreach worker. “We’ve had people freeze to death over the years ... and it’s completely unacceptable.” Warming centres and shelter spaces can offer temporary relief, but many people don’t feel safe within the system and prefer to live on the street or in encampments, said Lam, so the real “solution to homelessness is housing.” “We shouldn’t need to worry about whether someone’s going to get frostbite or have their limbs amputated in Canadian winters when we know that this is coming every year,” she said. ‘If they had $10,000, they would not be homeless,’ says a prominent homeless sector worker. The City of Toronto has a winter services plan for people experiencing homelessness in effect between Nov. 15 and April 15, which involves adding and maintaining space in the shelter system, activating warming centres, enhancing street outreach during extremely cold conditions and opening new supportive homes and social housing units. In addition to more affordable housing options, Tinkler, who has volunteered with seniors and people living in encampments in the past, said more transitional support to help people navigate the services available to them is needed. “It’s not bad to recognize (unhoused people) have additional needs,” she said. “When those needs aren’t being met, we’re setting them up to fall through every single crack.” LONDON, Ont. - Sean Horrell walked into the woods holding a basket filled with hot meals, wa... Attendees at the vigil on Monday echoed those sentiments; “I feel like we failed her,” said Willcott. “We have many people in this neighbourhood who are unhoused, but they’re still our neighbours,” she continued. “And I just think we’re all closer to Mary’s situation than we think.”
Luke Littler struggled to hit top form but still did enough to ease into the last 16 of the world championship with a 4-1 win over Ian White at Alexandra Palace. The 17-year-old survived a series of errant doubles and had set darts against him in the first and fourth sets before finding his range when it mattered to sink his veteran opponent. Littler, who averaged just under 98 for the match, told Sky Sports: “It was tough, Ian threw everything at me and I had to stay switched on. It was just a case of settling into it. I know what’s gone wrong tonight – the doubles – but most importantly, I’ve won.” The No 4 seed almost suffered an early shock when White missed a dart for the first set, before more uncharacteristically loose doubles let the 54-year-old level the match at 1-1. Littler looked to have stirred when he rounded off a much more impressive third set with a finish on the bull. But he handed White another set dart in the fourth, before crucially snatching the set and moving on to complete his victory. Littler will face Ryan Joyce in the last 16 after he edged a nailbiting 4-3 win over Ryan Searle in the final match of the afternoon session. At 3-2 down in the deciding set, Searle missed a single 20 to set up a dart at tops that would have tied the set at 3-3, and Joyce duly finished the job to earn his place in the fourth round for the first time since 2019. The three-time champion Michael van Gerwen said he has plenty more to give after chiselling out a 4-2 win over last year’s quarter-finalist Brendan Dolan. Van Gerwen, who is chasing his first world title since 2019, charged through eight consecutive legs to seize control of the match at 3-1 but somewhat fell over the line after dropping a scrappy fifth set to the dogged Northern Irishman. “It was a really difficult game,” Van Gerwen told Sky Sports. “Everyone knows Brendan doesn’t give up, and I tried to punish him at the right moments and wasn’t capable of doing that. After 1-1, I think I played some really good sets but I let it slip away with a few things. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I know I’m capable of doing it.” Chris Dobey twice came from behind to beat Josh Rock 4-2 and move one win away from his third consecutive world quarter-final. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend’s action after newsletter promotion In the afternoon session, Nathan Aspinall fired a warning to his rivals after booking his place in the last 16 with a 4-0 win over Andrew Gilding. The 33-year-old did not have to be on his best form to beat his below-par opponent. Aspinall, a semi-finalist in 2019 and 2020, believes an evident improvement in one of the weaker parts of his game augurs well for the sterner tests that will face him in the later stages. “Normally I’m really bad at finishing, that’s why I lose,” Aspinall told Sky Sports. “But in the last two games I’ve scored very well. I don’t care about averages and numbers – I’m in the last 16. In the last six months I’ve been very flat when I’m playing and I’ve made a conscious effort to get that fire lit in my stomach. If I get the scoring going with that finishing, I’m tough to beat.” Aspinall will face Ricardo Pietreczko in the fourth round after the German brushed aside Scott Williams 4-1, wrapping up his victory with an impressive 121 checkout.Dailey leads No. 22 UCLA over 14th-ranked Gonzaga 65-62 in 1st college hoops game at Intuit DomeSmall SUVs continued to sell well in Australia throughout 2024, and that meant there were plenty of them for us to review. As we continue recapping our 2024, we’re compiling the highest-rated cars from across Australia’s most popular new car segments into a list to show you what we liked best. We’ve done mid-sized SUVs and utes so far, which means small SUVs are now up to bat. For this list we’ve kept it to the sub-$45,000 segment on the VFACTS sales charts, as they’re much more approachable for people wanting to simply get behind the wheel. Some of these models have been reviewed on multiple occasions this year, so we’ve only featured the variant that achieved the highest rating. Prices are based on each manufacturer’s configurators for a Victorian postcode, which should provide a representative estimate of what the average Australian buyer will end up paying. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . Click on car’s name in the table above to jump directly to its information on the page, or keep scrolling for the full article. Our top sub-$45,000 small SUV for 2024 was the Toyota Corolla Cross , which senior contributor Matt Campbell awarded a score of 8.4. That score was for the base GX Hybrid, which we said offered exceptional value, space and efficiency underneath a barebones presentation. “Basic but brilliant” was the term used to sum up the Corolla Cross, and our rating reflects that. It achieved an excellent fuel efficiency of just 4.3L/100km during our test, and with top-notch safety and interior space ratings we deemed it to be properly fit for purpose. We didn’t like how it’s fitted with halogen daytime running lights instead of LEDs. That lead us to suggest the step up to the GXL for an extra $4000-odd was worth it, especially when you consider this base spec is already more than $40,000 drive-away. Still, we found it to be a well-considered small SUV that can comfortably get the job done in a no-frills manner. You can read our full review of the Toyota Corolla Cross GX Hybrid here Interested in buying a Toyota Corolla Cross? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Toyota Corolla Cross The Skoda Kamiq received a facelift this year, and our all-encompassing review of the new two-model range by marketplace journalist Josh Nevett listed a score of 8.4. It was praised for its quality tech upgrades, while it also benefits from packing in big-car practicality into its small-car frame. Better yet, we said it was a great value proposition – especially given the base Select costs just $33,990 drive-away. We gave it high individual scores across the board, headlined by a fit-for-purpose rating of 9 and a safety rating of 8.9. The Kamiq also impressed with its low cost of ownership and fuel efficiency, the latter a product of its two quality engines; turbos with either three or four cylinders. A negative aspect was the Monte Carlo’s “polarising” interior design, while we were disappointed that the base-spec Select misses out on adaptive cruise control. As is often a complaint with dual-clutch cars, we also found the Kamiq’s DSG unit was clunky at low speed, though it did have solid performance once on the move. You can read our full review of the Skoda Kamiq here Interested in buying a Skoda Kamiq? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Skoda Kamiq As reviewed by marketplace editor James Wong, the Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Power scored a respectable 8.2 in March this year. We liked the hybrid Qashqai’s seemingly easy performance, something that comes as a result of Nissan’s unique electric motor-internal combustion engine it has over other traditional hybrids. That gives it a more electric vehicle (EV) feel, though a normal engine can still be heard. That also contributes to its refined on-road characteristics, as it’s mostly quiet at low speeds and generally very smooth. Nissan backs up those traits with an upmarket interior that punches above the Qashqai’s paygrade. It wasn’t all positive though. We don’t like how the e-Power Qashqai is only available in one top-spec Ti variant, as it seems to push it out of the realm of a lot of hybrid buyers. It’s also considerably more expensive than the non-hybrid equivalent. We also felt its ride could be somewhat firm on occasion, but none of that was enough to detract from an otherwise solid Toyota hybrid rival. You can read our full review of the Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Power here Interested in buying a Nissan Qashqai? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Nissan Qashqai We’ve published a handful of reviews for Volkswagen’s T-Roc small SUV this year, but it was senior contributor Matt Campbell’s review of the Style that scored the highest at 8.2. The Style is one rung up from the bottom of the T-Roc range, and we liked it for its easy driving characteristics and its well-laid out cabin. It’s also a considerable improvement on the features list compared to the base CityLife without being too much more expensive. We felt it was nicely fit for purpose, and it scored highly on ride comfort and infotainment technology. Under the bonnet is a simple 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo sent to the front wheels only, with higher-performance options reserved for more expensive T-Rocs. On the other hand, we felt its eight-speed automatic transmission wasn’t quite as sharp as Volkswagen’s typical dual-clutch DSG, but that did mean its low-speed drivability was improved. Its second row also isn’t terribly large as a result of the small SUV frame, and rough roads can induce a fair bit of cabin noise. Still, we found it to be a solid choice for crossover customers. You can read our full review of the Volkswagen T-Roc 110TSI Style here Interested in buying a Volkswagen T-Roc? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Volkswagen T-Roc Honda’s smallest SUV entered 2024 off the back of a fresh redesign, and news editor William Stopford found its top-spec variant to be worthy of a score of 8.1 That variant is the e:HEV L, the one hybrid in the range. We liked how refined it appeared to be, and the Magic Seats in its second row proved to be practical in the real world. Its cabin is also well-appointed and spacious, while everything is practical and easy to operate in daily use. Even those coming to the HR-V for the first time will likely find it easy to get settled. It lost marks for its price and lack of a spare wheel, and we really couldn’t get past the fact it’s only a four-seater. There’s enough space for a third seat on the second row, but the lack of a centre seatbelt means it can’t legally be used as a seat. While the HR-V may not feel as premium as its ZR-V sibling, there’s a lot that it does right to deserve a spot on this list. You can read our full review of the Honda HR-V e:HEV L here Interested in buying a Honda HR-V? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Honda HR-V There were four other small SUVs that were also rated at 8.1, and we feel they deserve a mention too. The final spot on the list above could have easily been taken by the Mazda CX-30 G25 GT SP , though the Honda comes first alphabetically. You can read the review of that CX-30 here . Our all-encompassing review of the new Toyota C-HR range could also sneak in, but because a later review of the specific GR Sport variant scored 7.9 we decided to give it an honourable mention instead. The updated MG ZS range scored 8.1 too, but because that was also a broad review of a model we’re yet to review in specifics it gets an honourable mention. Like, the new C-HR GR Sport, the outgoing MG ZST scored 7.6. Finally is the Omoda E5 , which scored 8.1 in its standalone review. We’ve given it an honourable mention because we’re yet to get our hands on one to test at home in our usual manner.
QNB (OTCMKTS:QNBC) Share Price Passes Above 50-Day Moving Average – Here’s Why
