Latest news with #MonroeCounty
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Honor Flight Mission 89 celebrates veterans' return to Rochester
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – Honor Flight Rochester welcomed back 62 veterans to Rochester on Sunday afternoon from their weekend trip to Washington, D.C. Mission 89 left early Saturday morning. This was the second mission this year. Mission 89 has flown more than 4,500 veterans since it began in 2008. Honor Flight is funded through hundreds of volunteers and the generosity of organizations, individuals, corporations, and testamentary bequests. Sunday's Mission 89 included: 3 Cold War veterans, 7 Cold War/Vietnam War veterans and 52 Vietnam War veterans. Their branches of service are: Army (34), Navy (9), Air Force (9), Marines (8) Army/Marines (1) and Coast Guard (1). The welcome-home celebration took place at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. Christian Garzone with 13WHAM News was the emcee, and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello was the keynote speaker. Soloist Peter Pirro sang the National Anthem with the Pittsford Fire Department Band. U.S. Naval Sea Cadets also took part in the ceremony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
47% of Florida households don't make enough to cover the basics — and a growing number are now 65 and up
A new report from the United Way's ALICE project reveals a troubling 47% of Florida households don't earn enough to cover basic living expenses. ALICE stands for 'asset-limited, income-constrained and employed' and refers to households that are above the poverty line but earn less than what the organization says is needed to afford the basics depending on household composition and location. This includes housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology, plus taxes and a contingency fund that equals 10% of a household's budget. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) The report, which focuses on data from 2023, says the average 'survival budget' in Florida ranged from $33,804 for a single adult up to $86,688 for a family of four with two adults and two children in child care. Of the state's nearly 9 million households, 13% lived below the federal poverty line while 34% were considered ALICE. The poverty line in 2023 was $14,580 for individuals and $30,000 for a family of four. In some areas, the 'survival budget' was much higher. Monroe County, for example, was among the most expensive places, with necessities costing single adults $45,948 and two adults with two kids in child care $106,608. The ALICE classification shines a spotlight on households who may earn too much to qualify for traditional aid programs but not enough to meet the rising cost of living. This includes Florida's senior households, which make up the largest portion of this group by age. 'More and more households 65 and older are now classified as ALICE,' Ernest Hooper, Chief Communications Officer at United Way Suncoast, told ABC Action News in a story published May 19. 'They're living paycheck to paycheck and not saving money.' That includes people like Leonora Gaspar, who's disabled and on a fixed income. She relies on organizations like Feeding Tampa Bay for some free meals. 'It helps a lot,' she told ABC Action News. 'The rent, it's more expensive.' Other residents in need pointed to skyrocketing food costs. 'I'm spending at least $300 to $400 just on food,' Felicia Acosta told ABC Action News. She says her husband died last year and she provides for her three grandchildren. Florida's high cost of living compounds the issue. As of May 9, ranked Florida's cost of living at 9.35% higher than the national average. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it Compared to other states, Florida's cost of living is on the higher end. For families struggling to close the gap, here are some practical steps: Call 211 for local help: United Way operates a free 211 hotline that connects people to local nonprofits, food assistance, childcare programs, rent relief and more. Apply for benefits: ALICE households may still qualify for support like SNAP, Medicaid for children or subsidized child care. Don't assume you're ineligible or that others need it more — these programs exist to help families. Revisit your housing options: If you're renting, consider renegotiating your lease or exploring income-based housing programs. Housing is often a family's single biggest expense — and the hardest to change — so start there. If possible, consider sharing housing with extended family or friends to reduce expenses. Cut food costs without sacrificing nutrition: Shop at local markets, consider bulk stores and use community food pantries as a supplement when needed. If you have children in public school, ask the school social worker about additional food and support programs. Build toward financial security: Even saving $10 or $20 a week in a high-yield savings account can provide a buffer. You can also track your spending and find areas to trim. Connect with mutual aid groups: Some neighborhoods have hyper-local support networks where community members share resources like gently used clothing, extra food, school supplies or household goods. Search online or on social media for a group near you. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. 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
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘Credible' new Bigfoot sighting wows experts after 6ft tall beast covered in hair targets father and son in woods
A BIGFOOT group has hailed a 'credible' new sighting after a dad and son saw a mystery creature's 'hairy back and big butt cheeks.' The pair were out fishing in the woods - when all of a sudden they 'heard rustling in a tree and a huge thud hitting the ground.' 2 Edward Henry and his son, 12, shared their spooky ordeal with Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), a group in Akron, Ohio, which investigates and publishes reported sightings. Henry told the Bigfoot chasers that he and his boy had been out fishing in Monroe County, Michigan, on May 18, when all of a sudden they got the fright of their lives. They had gone out to a fishing spot behind a jail, located near a quarry in an area north of Plum Creek. His report to BFRO said, "I was bow fishing today with my son around 11:30am. "We walked down the creek [Plum Creek] past four bridges [railroad bridges] and headed into the marsh. "100 yards into the marsh the dog scared up something that was bedded there. Trees were shaking. We thought it was a group of deer." Assuming nothing was amiss, they continued a further 200 yards to the creek basin in the marsh. His report dramatically added, "All of a sudden I heard rustling in a tree to the left and a huge thud hitting the ground from the tree. "A big heavy animal hit the ground and crouched and start moving towards me through brush. I'm a Bigfoot hunter - the most shocking sightings I've encountered and what I believe is the beast's true origin story "My dog fired off from the right of me toward the creature." QUICK ESCAPE He added, "The dog almost got to it but the creature shot off extremely fast through trees and brush. "The dog chased the creature up the slope and over the train tracks. I then called for my dog to come back. "My son said 'holy s**t what was that? It was as big as a bear but it looked like a gorilla!' "We walked back, but we heard something crunching on the ground behind us. We left!" It was a large dark furred primate that ran up a slope on two legs looking like a gorilla from behind. Yes, that would be a Bigfoot. BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker said in his follow-up investigation report that he had spoken with "Edward and his son by phone, separately. "Both are credible and freshly descriptive about what happened to them this morning." Moneymaker said the dad, aged 47, "was born and raised in the area. He earns a good living working in the demolition trade." Henry was grilled on how the animal reacted. The BFRO member added, "I asked enough to discern that it was not a bear. "It was a large dark furred primate that ran up a slope on two legs looking like a gorilla from behind. Yes, that would be a Bigfoot." BIG BUM Moneymaker said the animal was reported as being "roughly 10 feet up the tree when it jumped down. "At no time was it facing the two humans. "The point at which they got the clearest look at it was when it was ascending the embankment. "They could see the hairy back and big butt cheeks pretty clearly for a few seconds." HUNCHED OVER His report said the animal had not been witnessed moving on all fours. Instead, "it raced up the slope on two legs but hunched forward. "In its hunched posture it was nearly six feet tall. The son said it would have been much taller if not hunched over." Unfortunately, the incident happened so quickly that the shocked pair didn't have time to photograph the mystery creature. The whole encounter lasted less than ten seconds from beginning to end, according to the report. Moneymaker added, "It happened totally by surprise. No one would have gotten a photo of it in that first shock interval." HUNGRY BEAST He also explained there was plenty of prey for a Bigfoot to hunt - especially deer. His report noted, "This area around the marsh for Tamarack Creek is full of deer. No hunting is allowed there. Only fishing is allowed there. "Consequently there are herds of deer in the marsh and woods year round. "There are lots of cattails around this marsh as well. Therefore, two things Bigfoots consume, especially in winter: cattails and deer. There are likely other food sources around this marsh as well. "Bigfoot look for deer so they will sometimes end up in pockets of woods near towns like Monroe when there is enough plants and animals to sustain them." More on the Bigfoot/sasquatch mystery For more than four centuries, people have reported seeing large, hair-covered, man-like animals in the wilderness areas of North America, according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) in Ohio. It adds, "Real or not, these reports are often made by people of unimpeachable character. "For over seventy years, people have been finding, photographing, and casting sets of very large human-shaped tracks. "Most are discovered by chance in remote areas. These tracks continue to be found to this day. "It is a fact that the cultural histories of many Native American and First Nation peoples include stories and beliefs about non-human 'peoples' of the wild. "Many of these descriptions bear a striking resemblance to the hairy man-like creatures reported today." An article about the alleged sighting in The Detroit News was mocked by readers. One said on social media, "Y'all, if Bigfoot did exist, no way in hell is he choosing to live in Monroe." Another joked, "I heard Elvis was there too." But one believer wrote, "There have been stories of Bigfoot sightings for many years, as well as other strange things in the downriver area." And a fellow Bigfoot fan agreed, "I have long suspected this area of having Sasquatch activity. "It's entertaining to see the comments from people who have never spoken to those who've had a life-altering encounter, never been out and found the tracks etc. Instead, they ridicule." The alleged sighting comes several months after an eerie encounter spooked a hunter in Pennsylvania.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Truck jackknifes on I-75. Monroe County officials urge caution on wet roads
Officials in Monroe County are urging caution as rain has caused unsafe driving conditions, and a tractor-trailer jackknifed on Interstate 75 Tuesday evening. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office announced the incident at around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. No injuries were reported in the incident, but the right two lanes of I-75 near mile marker 180 were blocked off. 'We urge everyone to please use caution while driving and if you do not need to be on the roads please stay at home,' the sheriff's office said in a news release. Photos of the incident showed a truck cab hauling an Amazon tractor-trailer ran off the road and was facing the wrong direction in a ditch.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- CBS News
26-year-old man arrested for DUI after driving down bike path in the Florida Keys, officials say
A 26-year-old Coral Springs man faces drug possession charges following a traffic stop in the Florida Keys over the weekend, officials said. Just before 7:35 p.m. Saturday, May 24, an officer stopped a vehicle driving on the bicycle path on US 1 near Mile Marker 84 in Islamorada, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said. The driver, identified as Michael Alejandro Lopez, was arrested for a DUI after about 2.1 grams of cocaine and 3.4 grams of marijuana were found in his possession, according to the sheriff's office. Lopez was then transported to jail. He has been charged with DUI, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the sheriff's office said.
