Erie County Technical School hosts sign-on day for graduating seniors
There are multiple paths to success, and the Erie County Technical School hosted its sign-on day for graduating seniors on Wednesday.
There are 306 students in the graduating class, and 60 students were recognized.
State officials emphasize National Safe Boating Week ahead of Memoral Day
All have completed nearly 1,500 hours of training and are going straight into the military or the workforce.
Students were celebrated along with local business people who provided them with training, co-ops and ultimately employment.
From blight to bright — Erie Land Bank showcases newly rehabilitated home
'Some of them are going to apprenticeship programs and workforce and some of them are going straight into the workforce. And we're celebrating the three years of their time at the career technical institution,' said Matthew Laverde, executive director of the Erie County Technical School.
'It's a pretty good feeling to know I got to come to a school that gives me a lot of opportunity to explore a lot of different career fields, see things I'm interested in and I'm walking out of it with a job and I got to learn things and make some money so it's a good feeling,' said James Farrar, a graduating senior.
At the ceremony, Toyota of Erie provided the program with a $25,000 check to be used for tools and equipment and upgrading the school's lab.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNBC
4 hours ago
- CNBC
36-year-old sold her childhood home in Wisconsin to live and travel in a truck she spent $50,000 renovating: 'I don't have a single regret'
Ashley Kaye's father passed away in 2015 and she inherited her childhood home — a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house in Waterford, Wisconsin. "I started thinking, 'Did I really want to live here forever?' Of course, because I didn't really want to let go of that huge chapter of my life," Kaye, 36, tells CNBC Make It. "But I had already been traveling a bit and knew that I wanted to keep traveling more and more." At the time, Kaye was working in corporate healthcare and then transitioned to a consulting job, where she worked 80 to 100 hours a week. "I worked from home so I just walked from my bedroom to my office to the kitchen and repeat," Kaye says. "I was a zombie in those times," While on a scuba diving trip in Honduras, Kaye met someone who travels full-time and realized she wanted to leave her career behind and keep traveling, too. "We just hit it off and chatted the whole time I was there. We spoke about the worst of the worst, the best of the best, and financials, too," Kaye says. "He told me he wished he had done it sooner because it's so much easier and cheaper than you think. That changed everything for me. I went home and worked more and more until I quit the next year." When Kaye quit her job, she says she had about $37,000 in savings. But she struggled with not having a job to fill the time anymore. "I didn't know how to just do nothing. The first few months were really hard and I wasn't sure if I was making the right decision," she says. "Once I got into my rhythm of traveling and growing my confidence through that experience, I've never looked back and don't have a single regret about leaving." Kaye spent the next three years traveling during the covid-19 pandemic. While on a trip to South Africa, she received unexpected news that her aunt was ill and she'd need to fly back home to Wisconsin. "That flight was probably the moment where not a single ounce of my being was like 'Yay, I'm going home.' It was like, 'I don't want to be here. This isn't it for me.'," she says. "I love being on the islands. I love having the ocean near me. That took away the hesitation I had in previous years about selling the house." While Kaye was back home caring for her aunt, she prepared the house for sale and considered her next move. She thought a lot about trying van life and living and traveling with her dog. "Traveling by plane with a dog just sounded like a terrible idea," she says. "I do a lot of photography, so I knew I wanted something where I could reach tougher destinations." Kaye found the perfect van — it had four-wheel drive and had been recently renovated and upgraded. But it sold before she was able to buy it. The very next day, she got a cash offer on her house for $320,000. While waiting for the sale of her home to close, a couple reached out to Kaye on Instagram to ask about her time in South Africa. They shared their experience overlanding in a Toyota truck with a camper in the truck bed. Overlanding is a form of self-reliant travel that involves adventuring to remote destinations, typically in a vehicle of some type. After doing a bit of her own research, Kaye was all-in and purchased a Toyota Tacoma truck for $42,934, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Even while traveling, Kaye still wanted to maintain a permanent residence in the U.S.. She decided to move to South Dakota — a state that allows for permanent residence without requiring a physical presence. That same week Kaye bought the truck, she flew to South Dakota and had her new home delivered there. She then drove the truck back to Wisconsin to finish packing up. The house officially sold in March 2023. "I was like 'Ok, cool. We'll figure out all of the rest of the pieces later.' I closed on my house about three weeks after that, got the truck and drove to Baja [California], Mexico," she says. On her drive down, Kaye lived in a tent that was specifically made to fit in the truck bed. Kaye stayed in Baja California for three months and planned out the renovations she would need to make the truck more livable. "My life is kind of like 'the plan is there is no plan.' Most people plan this type of adventure for years. I didn't even have a truck when I accepted the offer on my house," she says. "It was very spur of the moment, so I needed to take a pause and figure things out." In Mexico, Kaye found an American company that made truck bed replacements that would provide external storage and make it easier for her to live and travel in the truck, but the installation couldn't happen until September. In the meantime, Kaye learned as much as she could about the truck and the kind of camper she would need. She estimates that she has spent over $50,000 on the renovations. Costs included purchasing a camper, adding solar power, replacing the truck bed, upgrading the suspension, new tires, customizing a bumper, and installing an electric cooler. When the truck was ready, Kaye decided to journey the Pan-American Highway, starting in Denver. The highway stretches from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. "It's really an incredible way to travel because you get to set your own pace and if you find somewhere that's beautiful and peaceful you can stay as long as you want," Kaye says. "But there's pros and cons to every mode of travel and a lot of red tape and logistics crossing borders. It can be exhausting, especially when you're alone. You have to find a balance that works for you, but overall, it's definitely one of the coolest adventures of my lifetime." Since living and traveling in the truck full-time, Kaye has visited Mexico, every country in Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and parts of Argentina. In total, she's been to over 20 countries so far. "I don't want to be a cliché and say it's a dream life because it's a lot of work and there are a lot of things that you need to take care of and maintain," she says. "But it's really incredible to be able to wake up and just look at the map and say, 'Should I go sleep inside this volcano or go to the jungle or go to the beach?' You have a lot of really beautiful options, so I can't really complain." Kaye stays for the entirety of her visa in each country she visits, which is usually around 90 days. She's learned one key thing about herself, Kaye says: She is capable of anything. "I grew up with my dad raising me and telling me every day 'You can be anything you want when you grow up and you can do anything,'" she says. "He was 57 when he passed away, so he never even got to retire. His passing taught me how to live life because you never know how much time you have in life." After traveling the world for a few years now, Kaye doesn't think she will ever move back to the United States. "I'm just not interested in living in the U.S. I'm kind of used to a different quality of life," she says. "I like being able to live in towns where I can walk to get my groceries or walk to go to the doctor and just have an affordable cost of rent, food, entertainment, health care and the U.S. doesn't check any of those boxes for me anymore." Kaye is currently on a break from overlanding and has stored her truck in Argentina, where it's currently winter. She plans to spend the summer in Bermuda, a country she considers home since she first visited at the age of 25. "Everybody [in Bermuda] is so friendly and being social is a key part of life," Kaye says. "I just love living on an island and being able to go free diving or scuba diving. Bermuda is only 21 miles long and anywhere from end to end you can find a beautiful white sand beach. It's just a great place."

Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
New Car Buyers in 2025 Still Face Delays and Missing Features Due to Chip Shortages
Even in mid-2025, automakers in the U.S. are scrambling for mature-node chips (28 nm/40 nm) that power safety cameras, infotainment screens, and hybrid systems. Many U.S. factories can't get enough of these parts to build fully equipped vehicles. The result for you? Cars that roll off the lot without key features-then sit in dealer yards until the "free retrofit" parts arrive weeks or months later. What Features Are Missing From New Vehicles ADAS cameras and radar modules (lane-keep, blind-spot, adaptive cruise).Infotainment processors and digital-cluster ICs (touchscreens, digital gauges).Hybrid inverter and power-management chips (unique to hybrid/EV models). Because most U.S. automakers delayed new fab investments until 2027+, tight supplies remain the norm. When electronics aren't available at assembly, U.S. dealers often deliver "placeholder" vehicles: Blank or Disabled Panels at Delivery You drive home with dark instrument clusters or taped-off camera safety functions (blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise) aren't active until parts arrive. Sticker Shock & Unexpected Charges Features that were once standard are now "optional." If you skip an upgrade, you might think you're saving money, only to find out later you have to pay $1,000–$3,000 for a retrofit or wait U.S. dealers levy "placeholder" or "expediting" fees ($500–$2,000) for ordering scarce modules without guaranteeing a firm delivery date. According to a May 2025 Toyota press release, the company pre-ordered large quantities of critical chips for its U.S. plants. As a result, Camry Hybrid (2025) carries a 0-day wait for fully installed ADAS, digital dash, and infotainment. As a result, if you need a fully loaded, drive-away-ready hybrid today, Toyota's U.S. stockpile strategy keeps you clear of blank screens and taped-over sensors. Demand Written Delivery Commitments for Each Feature Example: "Blind-spot camera module must arrive by July 15," or "Digital gauge retrofit scheduled by August 1." If a dealer only offers "we'll let you know," treat it as a red flag and consider another dealership or brand. Inspect In-Stock Cars Thoroughly Even if a dealer claims to "have ID.4s on the lot," confirm every must-have feature (backup camera, touchscreen nav, adaptive cruise) is active. If any cameras are taped or screens read "System Inactive," demand a precise retrofit date before you sign. Be Flexible on Color or Minor Options Forego a premium paint or special wheel package to cut weeks off your wait. Dealers often have baseline inventory; skipping non-essential options can get you a complete vehicle sooner. Watch for Hidden "Placeholder" FeesAccording to CarEdge, many U.S. dealers deliver "placeholder" builds with taped-off camera housings, inactive instrument clusters, or deactivated infotainment; buyers drive home without blind-spot reminders, digital gauges, or connected-car features-then wait for a "free retrofit."Prioritize Brands with Proven Supply BuffersAccording to Edmunds' recent delivery‐tracking data, Toyota and Tesla (for base Model 3/Model Y) remain the most reliable bets in the U.S. They consistently deliver fully equipped cars-Toyota via its chip stockpile and Tesla via vertical integration. For U.S. buyers, "order-now, drive-later" remains a reality for many 2024–2025 models. You may face blank dashboards, disabled safety functions, and surprise retrofit fees. Protect yourself by insisting on written feature-by-feature delivery dates, inspecting any "in-stock" vehicle for missing components, and prioritizing automakers (like Toyota and Tesla) that secured their chip supply early. That way, you'll avoid hidden costs and months of frustration before finally getting every safety and infotainment feature you paid for. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Ford's Model e Business Dragging Down its Overall Results?
US Legacy automaker Ford Motor Company F operates a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) segment, Model e, to focus and strategize its efforts toward EVs. The company's Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning EVs have been received well by customers. The segment, however, has failed to generate profits for the company despite continued improvements. After having incurred losses of $4.7 billion in its EV business in 2023, Ford's loss from Model e widened to $5.07 billion in 2024, exacerbated by ongoing pricing pressure and increased investments in next-generation EVs. The segment incurred losses of $849 million in the first quarter of 2025, owing to stiff competition, pricing pressure and significant costs associated with new-generation EV development. The company is expected to incur huge losses in its EV business this year as well. The persisting pricing pressures caused by stiff competition in the industry are significantly ailing margins. China's markets, led by BYD, have been slashing prices, forcing others to follow. The industry also remains prone to supply-chain disruptions. To keep up with the contemporary developments in the industry, Ford has to consistently invest ample amounts. Although the investments are weighing down cash flows, these remain indispensable. Ford is working to improve charging infrastructure throughthe Ford Power Promise campaign, the success of which has already provided customers with a home charger in standard installation. Further plans to drive volumes in the upcoming quarters with recent launches are in place. Toyota Motor Corporation TM, a Japanese auto giant, also remains cautious in its approach toward fully electric vehicles. Toyota's EVs did not constitute more than 1% of its sales globally in fiscal 2025. This has led Toyota to plan on cutting down its EV production target by 20%, reducing from 1.5 million to 1 million units by 2026. However, the company has started to unveil several new EVs. In China, Toyota launched its most affordable EV, the bZ3X, in March, starting at just over $15,000, to regain the market. Honda HMC, TM's closest peer, is also cutting down its EV production as global demand remains stunted. Honda rather seems to shift its focus toward hybrid cars, aiming to launch 13 new hybrid models globally between 2027 and 2030. With rising pressure in China and loosened emission targets in the United States, Honda is expecting a rise in hybrids' popularity, leading to a 30% lowered investment target in EVs. Shares of Ford have lost around 10% year to date against the industry's growth of 11%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, F trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.25, below the industry average. It carries a Value Score of A. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Take a look at how Ford's EPS estimates have been revised over the past 30 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Ford stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (HMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data