Dealership group employee killed in shooting at Kia store in South Carolina
A pregnant woman was killed in a crash after the shooting as police looked for the suspect.
Outdoor gear industry facing challenges after “insane” post-pandemic growth
Across 30 years in downtown Golden, Colo., Bent Gate Mountaineering has withstood three economic downturns including the Great Recession of 2008 and the pandemic recession of 2020.
The store, at 1313 Washington Ave., attracts customers ranging from serious mountaineers to tourists who buy T-shirts and rain ponchos for shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, but it’s facing increasing competition in the outdoor retail world.
A banner that hangs out front hints at the market pressures confronting it and other independent outdoor retail stores: “HUGE HUGE HUGE SALE” it says in big letters and vibrant colors.
That sign, a semi-permanent fixture, is an example of fallout from turbulence the outdoor industry experienced during the pandemic and its aftermath. Following boom years in 2021 and 2022, outdoor retail sales saw a 3% decline last year to $27.5 billion, and independent specialty shops got hit hardest. Half of them endured double-digit declines, according to the Outdoor Industry Association’s annual retail sales trends report, and on average they declined 9.7%.
Apply by April 19 to be considered for expanded Automotive News Best Dealerships To Work For
Apply by April 19 to be considered for Automotive News’ expanded Best Dealerships To Work For program in 2024, with new categories and more winners.
Pictures: Grand opening of affordable housing complex in Sanford
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Richard Monocchio, elected officials and community leaders gather for the grand opening of Sanford Housing Authority’s Somerset Landings Phase 2, in Sanford, Thursday, April 11, 2024. The $16 million, 84-unit affordable-housing complex is located in Sanford’s historic Goldsboro neighborhood. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
How to get student loan forgiveness in 2024
By Eliza Haverstock | NerdWallet
Student loan forgiveness has a mixed track record. Last summer, the Supreme Court struck down a broad plan that would’ve erased up to $20,000 per borrower. Still, student loan forgiveness is more accessible now than ever before. A handful of existing federal student loan forgiveness programs have erased $143.6 billion in student debt for 3.96 million borrowers as of March 21, according to the Education Department, with more to come this year.
The White House is currently trying to push through a narrower forgiveness ‘Plan B’ version of its failed broad forgiveness plan. The proven paths to forgiveness, however, include programs that range from income-driven repayment (IDR) plans — which cap monthly bills at a percentage of your income and forgive your remaining balance after 10 to 25 years — to niche programs for borrowers with certain loan types, jobs or school circumstances.
Here’s how to get student loan forgiveness in 2024 — and what you need to know before pursuing this path.