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This is one of the worst times to buy a car in decades. Here’s why

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

(CNN) — It has rarely been as hard to buy a new or used car in the United States as it is today, despite improving supply issues and inflation beginning to steady.Vehicle transaction prices — the price you end up paying after any dealer discounts or markups — have been climbing higher and faster since 2020 than any other point in more than 35 years, according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.The consumer price indexes for both new and used cars — the average changes in vehicle transaction price over time — are much higher than they were four years ago in 2019.There is a silver lining. BLS data shows inflation for used cars has been cooling down just as dramatically since December 2022 as it increased in the months before that. But used cars have a long way to go before approaching 2019 sales prices and new car prices have yet to slow down.The average transaction price of a new car has jumped nearly $12,000 in the past five years, according to data from the au...

Caught on camera: California woman arrested after violent carjacking

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (WSVN) — A California woman has been arrested after a violent carjacking incident that left witnesses screaming for help and in complete panic. The incident occurred at an Agoura shopping center on Friday afternoon, where Rose Mercer witnessed a woman attempting to steal from another woman’s purse. When she was unsuccessful, the perpetrator got into the victim’s car and attempted to steal it.A good Samaritan attempted to hold the woman back, but the situation quickly escalated as the stolen car crashed into multiple vehicles in the parking lot. Witnesses recall the woman violently trying to drive away, despite the anti-theft device on the steering wheel. “She was so determined to get out of here, out of the parking lot that she just kept trying to angle the car,” said Mercer.The woman eventually abandoned the stolen vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by three individuals who tied her hands and shoes until pol...

Petteri Orpo defeats Sanna Marin in Finland election. Now what?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

Finland’s Petteri Orpo, the leader of the center-right National Coalition Party, is set to launch tricky negotiations with potential partners on the right and left on Monday after his party’s narrow election win over Social Democrat incumbent premier Sanna Marin. The National Coalition Party (NCP) secured 48 of 200 parliamentary seats versus 43 for the Social Democrats, with the anti-immigration Finns Party securing second place with 46 seats. Marin’s former junior partners the Center Party, the Greens and Left Alliance all lost seats, while the Swedish People’s Party held steady. Orpo must now decide with whom to team up as the basis for a majority coalition — although all options entail a challenge. For a potential tie-up with the Social Democrats, a compromise would have to be met between the two sides’ sharply different strategies on economic policy. The NCP campaigned on cuts to welfare in order to balance the budget, while the ...

Emergency crews search water near Boston Seaport after car drives off dock

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

Emergency crews are searching the water near Boston Seaport Monday morning after a car drove off a dock.Firefighters, police, and the Coast Guard began the search for survivors overnight and remain on scene as of 7 a.m.Officials say the car hit multiple things in the shipyard off Summer Street when it went into the water.Several search boats are assisting and a crane was brought in to help with the search. No additional information has been released. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Boston City Council set to discuss potential ban on ‘nips’ this week

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

The Boston City Council is set to discuss a possible ban on small liquor bottles known as “nips” this week. Councilor Ricardo Arroyo brought the idea before the council, saying the bottles are too small to be recycled and therefore add to a large amount of litter in the city. Arroyo noted other cities and towns across Massachusetts including Chelsea, Newton, Falmouth, Wareham and Mashpee that have banned the sale of nips locally. He also said nips have a “detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of Boston residents,” also pointing to a drop in public intoxication incidents and alcohol related ambulance responses in communities that have implemented bans.City councilors are scheduled to discuss the ban on Wednesday.

Police: Man stabbed during fight at Ashmont MBTA station

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

A man was stabbed during a fight at the Ashmont MBTA station in Dorchester Sunday morning, according to police.The victim was stabbed in the shoulder and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police arrested the suspect as he was leaving the station. No additional information has been released.

Tornado-ravaged communities look to rebuild after storms level homes and leave 32 dead

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

(CNN) — Tornado-ravaged towns in the American South and Midwest are already facing a long road to recovery after a multi-state storm outbreak leveled homes and left at least 32 people dead — and another round of damaging storms is still on the way.An onslaught of tornado-spawning storms reduced homes into piles of wood, ripped roofs off buildings, splintered trees, knocked out power, injured dozens of people across several states and prompted governors to announce disaster declarations.Now, as the focus shifts to clean-up efforts and those who lost their homes try to salvage what they can, some of the same areas walloped by tornadoes Friday — including central Arkansas, eastern Iowa, and northern Illinois — will see a new round of storms Tuesday that threaten to bring more tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds.In one of the hardest hit areas, Wynne, Arkansas, a lengthy process of cleaning up lies ahead, and it’ll take “resou...

Mid Week Roller Coaster

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

Brrr…. a little bit of a chilly start to the new workweek with temps running in the low to mid 20s for most early this morning. With clear skies, light winds and a lot of sunshine this morning, the recovery will be nice as highs head up into the 50s. The breeze does pick up the pace this afternoon, gusting 20-30mph out of the south. The gusty southerly breeze will keep in coolest along the south coast. It’ll be cool, but dry for baseball at Fenway Park tonight. Clouds increase tonight and a few spotty showers developing past midnight. It won’t be as cold tonight with temps staying in the 40s. Clouds and a few spotty showers are around tomorrow, more so in the morning vs. the afternoon as we’ll likely get the game in at Fenway tomorrow night too. Temps tomorrow run 55-65 in the early afternoon, warmest inland, especially south of the Pike. Those numbers fade fast near sunset as winds turn east to northeast. We’re back into the upper 40s by first pitch at...

Christopher Morel was sent to Iowa to get more playing time. But a laid-back Chicago Cubs clubhouse misses his exuberance.

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

Christopher Morel brought something to the Chicago Cubs last year that couldn’t be measured with numbers.From a bat-flipping celebration after homering in his first at-bat to hugging opposing players and fist-bumping umpires, Morel’s exuberance was impossible to ignore.“He’s such a positive guy, and I do think with any team, bringing up guys like that really energizes the group,” Cubs President Jed Hoyer said last May.The Cubs gave Morel playing time in center field and at second base, shortstop and third base — his preferred position — after calling him up from Double-A Tennessee. The super-utility role suited him, and he quickly became a fan favorite.But with Cody Bellinger signed to play center, Nico Hoerner moving over to second and Morel having a difficult time defensively at third in an extended audition last September, the Cubs decided to send him to Triple-A Iowa to start the season instead of playing him sporadically off the bench.M...

Ravens draft preview: If quarterback is in play, there are plenty of intriguing options

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:54:16 GMT

The calendar has officially flipped to April, which can only mean one thing: It’s time to get ready for the NFL draft.The first round begins April 27 in Kansas City, but until then, the Ravens have plenty to figure out. Most notably, their contract stalemate with star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has requested a trade while under the $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag. If he gets his wish, the Ravens’ draft could look a lot different.Baltimore owns five picks: Nos. 22 (first round), 86 (third round), 124 (fourth round), 157 (fifth round) and 199 (sixth round). A blockbuster deal for Jackson would significantly increase the size of that haul, but the Ravens are guaranteed at least one additional first-rounder this year if Jackson signs an offer with another team before the draft and Baltimore declines to match it.As we get closer to the draft, The Baltimore Sun will examine which players at each position of need (quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback, edge rusher...