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Melton given clean bill of health, ready to lead Tigers' rotation in '27
DETROIT -- Hot Stove season doesn’t begin until next month, but the Tigers already got a big addition to their rotation entering next year. Right-hander Troy Melton, given a clean bill of health, looms large again as a potential frontline starter in a group of talented young arms. Melton, whose
Blondie to return with the new album 'High Noon' next year and you can have a taste of it now
Blondie is set to release a new album, “High Noon,” early next year, a decade after their last outing. The band dropped the first single, “Spectral Eyes,” on Thursday, written
Blondie to return with the new album 'High Noon' next year and you can have a taste of it now
Blondie is set to release a new album, “High Noon,” early next year, a decade after their last outing. The band dropped the first single, “Spectral Eyes,” on Thursday, written by Johnny Marr,...
SPECIAL REPORT: Tough Business
A string of vacant restaurant buildings shows that many restaurants in the region are struggling — and several are closing By Stefan Yablonski [caption id=attachment_11132 align=alignright width=401] Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill on Route 31 in Clay closed its doors in April. It had been in operation since at least 2008.[/caption] By their nature, most restaurants have a limited life. An astonishing 60% go out of business within three years of opening, largely due to fundamental flaws in the planning of the operation. But even restaurants that experience years of success almost always face eventual closure. The restaurant business is very hard and because of both personal factors and external factors beyond anyone’s control, restaurants don’t last forever. For many restaurants, age is a big factor, according to Kenneth Walsleben, professor of practice, entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises at Syracuse University. “The owners have been at it for 20 or 25 years, if not longer, they want some time to themselves,” he said. Such was the case for Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner in Oswego. Jocko Reitz bought the building in the late 1970s from Robert Shapiro. However, when he stepped away from the business, it eventually closed. [caption id=attachment_11142 align=alignright width=402] For nearly 80 years, Vona’s Restaurant passed through three generations of family in Oswego. It closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2025.[/caption] For nearly 80 years, Vona’s passed through three generations of family in Oswego. Vona’s Restaurant officially closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2025, when no family member wanted to take over. It is on the market. The Ruby Tuesday in Oswego operated for about two decades before permanently closing in April 2026. The restaurant faced multiple temporary health department closures in 2024 and 2025 due to persistent fruit fly and foundation pest issues. Management posted a final closure notice on the doors in mid-April 2026 and the building was put up for sale. The same pattern has been happening in Onondaga County. The big building once used by Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill on Route 31 in Clay remains empty, more than six months after the restaurant closed its doors in April. It had been in operation since at least 2008. [caption id=attachment_11130 align=alignright width=401] Ruby Tuesday in Oswego operated for about two decades before permanently closing in April 2026.[/caption] Just down the road from Smokey Bones, the popular Outback Steakhouse closed in August 2024. Another restaurant took its place, La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, but it closed shortly after. The building sits empty. Other very popular restaurants in the northern suburbs of Syracuse have recently closed. Among them, Fireside by the River in Baldwinsville and Primo Nestico’s Bistro Bar in North Syracuse. “I haven’t really paid attention to the Syracuse area. There has always been some turnover, but there probably has never been a tougher time to be a restauranter than now. It’s just brutal,” Walsleben said. In the first year, roughly 20% to 25% of restaurants close or change hands, according to the National Restaurant Association. [caption id=attachment_11122 align=alignright width=401] Outback Steakhouse closed in August 2024. Another restaurant took its place, La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, but it closed shortly after. The building sits empty.[/caption] “Depending on what statistics you look at, you’ll find that any business has a high mortality rate in the first year. That is just the nature of entrepreneurship,” Walsleben said. “There are certain ones that are getting hit hard while others are more fruitful. “And when you look at the restaurant industry you have to factor in labor which is a large part — typically a third of your expenses — and those costs are going up. And there is always turnover which means investing money to train people. Then you’ve got food costs, which is also a third of the typical restaurant budget. Since the pandemic labor has gone up 41%, food costs have gone up 35%. That’s a big tight squeeze righty there. That’s two-thirds of your budget that has gone up 35% to 40% in the last few years. And then the only way you can make that work is to raise the prices.” The National Restaurant Association reports menu prices are up 36% since February of 2020. In a survey released by the association, more than eight in 10 restaurant owners reported that their food, beverage and labor costs are now higher than before the pandemic. You have to deal with the reality of are the customers willing to pay for that? Walsleben added. Restaurants historically have very thin margins; their profit margin is about 5%. “You have a third that goes into food, a third that goes into labor and about 28%, 29% that goes into everything else — overhead, insurance etc. So that brings you down to your 5% leftover,” he said. “Everything is going up. Customer expectations are going up and people aren’t going to spend that much more. So, you have a tight squeeze here,” Walsleben continued. “Restaurants who use delivery apps, they pay a fee to those guys. Those guys don’t work for free. So, you can kind of see where the squeeze comes from.” Stuck in the middle There are pockets of opportunity; the two extremes of the market can make a profit. But the middle gets squeezed out. “If you are a low-end fast-food kind of place, there is room for that. People have changed their budgets. They are still going out, but they are not spending more,” according to Walsleben. “The high end remains positive. If you have a restaurant that brings a specific experience … a great food product or you are catering to high end customers who aren’t so budget conscious, those patrons are going to expect a high-end experience. They expect excellent food every time. They are expecting excellent service. If you can meet those expectations there is room for you at the top. It’s just the guys in the middle are getting the squeeze from both ends. Tough competition, customer expectations, costs are up. Menu items, you can’t raise the prices as much as you need to. That is why you are seeing a lot of restaurants baling out.” The ones that can adapt quickly are the ones who are doing OK. “Success is heavily dependent on the strength of a restaurant’s concept development and the planning of its execution. Eventually things aren’t always new. Things change. So, if you are in the restaurant business you have got to change your menu — keep things new, fresh and update your meals. It is very fickle industry. One year carbs are out, the next year berries are out. Everybody’s diet changes — constantly chasing the latest phase. You have got to adjust your menu and move with those modifications. If you have a static menu that you have used the last couple years that hasn’t changed except for the pricing, you’ve got a problem,” he said. A lot of times these buildings are singular purpose, he added. “You have a commercially viable kitchen and you got a seating area. There is not a lot of other businesses that cater to that type of a layout. So, it’s pretty common to see another restaurant slide in,” he said. One of the things a banker learns early on is you don’t lend money to restaurants … because they fail so quickly. It is very hard to predict who the winners will be. So, if you are a restaurant in addition to all the other challenges, it is very difficult to get loans, according to Walsleben. “You might work really well in the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you are a great businessperson,” he said. “Restaurants can fail because the owner didn’t know how to manage things properly. There are a lot of challenges. “There is opportunity at the high end and the low end. But in the middle, that’s the death valley. There are just so many things working against you. You really need to have something that will pull people in and continue to pull people in because you to constantly have to change. Think about a theme and a product that is unique to the area people don’t travel that far these days you have to be able to deliver it in an innovative fashion and keep updating to keep people coming in the door.” Out of Business? How Fast? Do nine out of 10 restaurants fail in their first year, as commonly claimed? No. Survival analysis of 1.9 million longitudinal microdata for 81,000 full-service restaurants in a 20-year U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics non public census of business establishments in the western US shows that only 17% of independently owned full-service restaurant startups failed in their first year, compared with 19% for all other service-providing startups, according to ResearchGate. The median lifespan of restaurants is about 4.5 years, slightly longer than that of other service businesses (4.25 years). However, the median lifespan of a restaurant startup with 5 or fewer employees is 3.75 years, slightly shorter than that of other service businesses of the same startup size (4.0 years). What Makes a Restaurant Successful? Opening and maintaining a successful restaurant is not as easy as creating a great menu and serving excellent food. It takes more than that, according to local restaurant owners who have been in business for decades in the region. They all agree that there are some guidelines to running a successful restaurant. • Quality food: Successful restaurants know exactly what they serve and who they serve it to. Delivering the same great taste every single time builds loyal customers. • Smooth operations: Friendly greetings and attentive staff make guests feel welcome from the moment they walk in. Hiring staff for personality and training for skill ensures reliable, caring service. • Smart marketing: Exceptional food and experiences naturally get people talking and sharing online. Word of mouth can help entice customers. Consistent social media and targeted advertising brings in new and repeat guests also. The menu is what keeps patrons coming back to Mimi’s Diner in Fulton, located at 201 N. Second St. “We locally source our produce and our meats. Our chicken and biscuits is a popular, popular special,” said Richard Tagliareni, the third-generation owner and general manager. “It’s all homemade. We have consistently served quality food.” His grandfather started the business more than 55 years ago. Mimi’s is engrained in the community. They cater to the community and are very involved in everything from the schools to local events. The first Mimi’s Drive-In opened in Mexico. Then a second in Oswego and then Fulton. Fulton’s Mimi’s is the only one left. “The last couple of weeks have been kind of slower than normal. October is usually a busier month for us People will start coming back around again. Also, the price of gas is affecting some things,” Tagliareni added. “We try to keep our prices in line. You go out to eat, you’re going to spend about a hundred bucks or so for two people for dinner. You come here to Mimi’s you are probably for two people for dinner it’s between $50 and $60. We are trying to keep our prices in line. We did have to increase our prices a little bit but things are looking OK.” For the Press Box, 29 E. First St., Oswego, it’s also about great food and a family atmosphere. “Our sports bar and restaurant was established in 1984,” said Alison Canale Scanlon, manager. “I think putting the time into everything makes a big difference and treating people like family when they walk into your restaurant. That’s how we have always operated since 1984.” “It’s the family oriented aspect,” she added. “Consistency, quality and presentation of our food — that’s the secret to a successful restaurant. We try to be very consistent with it. We treat people like family when they come in; because we know how we want to be treated when we go to a restaurant. We treat people the same or better.”
N. Syracuse Manufacturer Marks Milestone, Plans for the Future
Air Innovations has grown from a small local manufacturer into a global business, selling its products in 74 countries organizations. Some of its clients include NASA, Blue Origin and SpaceX. By Stefan Yablonski [caption id=attachment_11117 align=alignright width=450] Michael Wetzel, president and CEO, and his father, Larry, who currently is an adviser to the board of directors. Larry served as the chairman of the board until 2024, when the company was acquired by Altus Capital Partners, a private equity firm.[/caption] Air Innovations in North Syracuse hopes to add more employees and possibly even expand its facility in the near future. The company is a global leader in designing and building environmental process control systems for applications that can’t be addressed with standard HVAC equipment, according to Michael Wetzel, president and CEO. “We customize solutions for temperature, humidity, filtration and pressurization, with additional capabilities in direct-expansion, chilled-water and thermoelectric technologies. Our business now is entirely focused on specialty or niche markets.” Air Innovations celebrated its 40th anniversary on Sept. 18, marking four decades of doing business, manufacturing products and growing in Central New York. In the beginning [caption id=attachment_11138 align=alignright width=451] A worker, Ezzy Salehi, tests a Wine Guardian condenser unit at Air Innovations.[/caption] “A guy by the name of Jim Kelley started the business [known as Floratech] in 1986. It was focused on refrigerated display cases for supermarket fresh flowers,” Wetzel said. “My father [Larry] started Clean Room Technology in the early 1980s, then sold that to a French company called Clestra Cleanroom. “My father and I bought Floratech in 1996 — 30 years ago, 10 years after it was started. Then in 1999, Floratech bought a portion of Clestra and their building. At that point everything was still called Floratech. But, as that was not reflective of the diversity of the business, we rebranded as Air Innovations in 2001.” The company rebranded to pursue a strategy of diversification in specialty HVAC systems. Wetzel explained that since then, it has become a trusted global partner, earning the President’s “E” Award for Exports and securing contracts in the most demanding fields, including aerospace, defense and semiconductor manufacturing. Air Innovations has grown from a small local manufacturer into a global business, selling nearly 70,000 units in 74 countries and territories and developing custom environmental control systems for companies and organizations including NASA, Blue Origin and SpaceX. “We work with all the big names you ever heard of and some you never heard of,” Wetzel added. The Wetzels sold the business two years ago to Altus Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on control investments in lower middle-market, niche manufacturing companies in North America. Founded in 2003, Altus Capital Partners’ headquarters is in Wilton, Connecticut, with an additional office in Lincolnshire, Illinois. “They are an equity firm. Both my father and I both maintain a small minority share. I am going to continue to be involved. I call myself a part-time CEO. I will continue that role for the foreseeable future; I don’t see any change there.” Building to the future “We are at 58 employees right now, which is a little bit down. We had a high of 70. That moves along with the activity we have,” Wetzel said. “We’ll start ramping up here in the fourth quarter into next year. More than 20% of our employees have been with the company for more than a decade. “I am fairly certain that sometime in the next several years we are going to have to enlarge the footprint of our facility and for sure we are going to have to add employees. We already are. We are probably going to have to add five or six people next year. We are always in the market for HVAC technicians; we always need those.” Air Innovations will remain in Central New York, with its current workforce staying in place, he added. “I believe the primary driver of our success over time is the diversity of our business which is a direct result of our willingness to tackle new challenges,” Wetzel said.
Delta unveils its upgraded business class. Take a look.
The new Delta One business class rolls out next year.
Delta's business-class revamp: New seats, menus, plates and more Porsches
Delta is upgrading its top-tier Delta One cabin with new suites for its largest A350 plane, starting next year.
This Is What Padres Rotation Could Look Like Next Year
The San Diego Padres have plenty of questions in their rotation, but this could be a look at next year's rotation.
Why award shows are leaving network TV for streaming
The Emmys move to Prime Video next year and the Oscars to YouTube in 2029. Shrinking ratings and rising rights fees made awards shows money losers for TV.
Detour ahead: Restaurants, shops strategize for coming Magnolia Avenue construction
Business owners along Magnolia Avenue are concerned about road construction planned to start next year.
US maternity wards face wave of closures as Medicaid cuts kick in
Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ spending cuts will be fully felt next year, but hospitals are already feeling the squeeze
AI Driving Game Demo Already Putting Developers Into Debt
Hoping to launch next year, Teach My Little Sister How To Drive is prematurely sending its creators into the red over exhaustive token use
Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra rumors: Pricing, features, and leaks
The new Samsung flagship is coming early next year.
Time for term limits? Dems in majority could have familiar faces in key roles
Democrats hope to bring a new agenda to the House next year if they take the majority, but they will most likely do so with many of the same faces that have steered their party's legislative work for a decade or more.
GIGABYTE confirms Intel will launch DDR4-compatible CPUs next year
GIGABYTE prepares existing motherboards for Intel's upcoming CPUs. The early 2027 launch matches previous reports about Core 200 Raptor Lake Next.
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Gives Updated Timeline For Jimmy Butler Return
The Golden State Warriors could be seeing their secondary star outside Stephen Curry return as early as the first two months of next year. According to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Jimmy Butler could be returning to action for the team in February, one year after tearing his ACL. “No idea. I’m just throwing February […] The post Warriors’ Steve Kerr Gives Updated Timeline For Jimmy Butler Return appeared first on HEAVY.
Def Leppard, Goo Goo Dolls coming to Wichita next year
“Known for their high-energy performances, rock fans can expect a thrilling ride on this upcoming tour from some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential bands.”
Cosmic Baseball brings Neon Night to Gwinnett Field in 2027
Gwinnett baseball fans will get a chance to see the ballpark in a whole new light next year when Cosmic Baseball brings its blacklight baseball experience to Gwinnett Field as
2 famous bands to rock out at PPL Center next year
Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m.
Democrats, with House majority, would go big on healthcare
House Democrats are promising immediate action on healthcare next year if they flip control of the chamber in the midterm elections. Party leaders say health costs are a foremost priority of their …
Pa. election 2026: Where Josh Shapiro and Stacy Garrity stand on health care, abortion, trans rights and more
Pennsylvania’s governor will face a challenging health care environment next year as hundreds of thousands lose coverage.
Who Won August and September: Original Films or Franchises?
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) I just heard someone say that if you’re reading a pundit or data analyst, and they don’t tell you that they got anything wrong, they’re not a pundit but an “influencer”. I agree with that. You have to tell your audience when you get things wrong, or they won’t (or shouldn’t) trust you as much. Today, we’ve got another edition of “What I Got Right, What I Got Wrong”. In general, I’m patting myself on the back (and patting very hard) about a few things like IP at the box office, LIV golf, horror films, crowdfunding movies, superheroes, and old people going to the theaters. That said, I also made a couple of data mistakes on the streaming bubble popping and HBO’s datecdotes, so I’m not perfect. But first, I need your feedback... Subscribe Follow-Ups: What Should We Call Mid-Budget Movies Which Aren’t Cinematic Enough for Theaters But Are Too Expensive to Make Money on Streaming? After I asked for feedback on what we should call straight-to-streaming films that are too big to pencil out on streaming but not really big enough to resonate in theaters, I got some great suggestions from you all, including... “Moldilocks” from John Aboud “Little Big Indie” from Travis Frick1 “Midflicks” from Jonathan Funke. “Extra-Medium” from Jona Nwuke. (Read the explanation in the footnote.) Between these and Brandon Katz—who suggested “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”—we’ve got some excellent suggestions. And they’re better than my suggestion, the “Streaming Budget Dead Zone”, so let’s take a poll! The winning entry becomes the new term. Loading... RIGHT: LIV Golf is Fully Bankrupt…Is Anyone Else Next? A few years ago, I was always a bit perplexed at all the articles I’d read praising LIV Golf and their strategy to disrupt the PGA. LIV Golf, a brand new professional golf league, offered PGA stars ten times what they made on the PGA Tour to join their new league. And folks praised this strategy for its initial “success” in that a lot of big names did indeed leave the PGA. Yeah, of course the players came over. LIV Golf paid them so, so, so much more! But LIV Golf hadn’t discovered a way to increase potential revenue. So think about this in basic business terms… They paid much more in costs… …but had no real way to increase revenue. That’s not a strategy! That’s deficit financing. It won’t work unless you bankrupt the competition (and then turn around and pay those same golfers much, much less). It’s not a sustainable strategy and only lasts as long as the company/person/nation backing it decides they’re cool with losing money. For LIV Golf, that meant Middle East oil wealth, in particular Saudi Arabian money. Clearly, the current Iran War has hurt Middle East finances, so they need to trim their more exorbitant spending. And LIV Golf was part of that trimming. This should be a major warning for others. TGL’s parent company, TMRW Sports, just got a $1 billion valuation, despite TGL’s (the indoor golf league) horrible TV viewership of less than half a million viewers per match. Unrivaled, the women’s basketball league, just secured a $650 valuation, despite its horrible TV viewership and a new rival (Project B) entering the scene next year. To relate this to streaming, Hollywood should ask which streamers may have wealthy patrons funding their losses. (Let’s be clear: Google, Amazon and Apple.) Could those patrons lose their appetite? For Amazon, probably not. But Apple has a new boss, so maybe! WRONG: My Analysis of the Streaming Bubble Was Missing a Week I’m going to be congratulating myself a lot today, but I make mistakes too, like this data goof. When I last compiled the data on the decline in TV shows, I was missing one week at the end of June. If you look at the first image, you can see that one week was mislabelled as “July”. Mainly, this image got updated to show a 27% decline, not 29%: This change doesn’t really impact the overall analysis, but it is two percent better. By the way, through the third quarter, the decline increased and it’s now a 30% decrease since 2022. (I’ll write/visualize this in an upcoming article.) But I want you to trust me and my data. Especially these days, when many people are using LLMs that I know are inserting faulty data into their charts, I want to keep earning my audience’s faith. So that’s the accurate data. RIGHT: IP Remains Very, Very Popular In July, I wrote a giant (and I mean giant) article on Backrooms, Obsession, and the box office, going over what we know, what we don’t know about what works in theaters, looking at YouTubers, IP, the horror genre, comic book movies, and a whole lot more. The month of August really tested a lot of my theses and, being honest, mostly supported my arguments. Let’s start with IP. Looking at 8-Aug (the weekend after Spider-Man: Brand New Day came out) to 18-Sep (the weekend that Resident Evil came out, which I think provides a nice bookend to this time period), there were seven films based on pre-existing IP: Resident Evil (2026) ($126 million) Practical Magic 2 ($65 million) _Insidious: Out of the Furthe_r ($65 million) Coyote Vs. Acme ($59 million) Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie ($53 million) Tony ($15 million) Super Troopers 3 ($7 million) Compare those to the notable original films from the past month—I actually could have included more movies, but here are just thirteen, bringing us to an even twenty films—including.... The End of Oak Street ($54 million) Buddy ($26 million) Mutiny ($15 million) By Any Means ($15 million) The Dog Stars ($14 million) Runner ($14 million) One Night Only ($11 million) Hope ($8 million) Spa Weekend ($7 million) The Uprising ($6 million) Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma ($6 million) Onslaught ($3 million) Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man ($2.8 million) Here’s that in chart form: Five of the top six films in this time period were all based on IP. I made a big chart of films that grossed over $200 million at the box office before Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey hit theaters. Let’s update that chart! By the way, if you want to see how I categorized each film—so another bar chart—here it is: I know that many of my fellow critics/pundits/analysts dislike films based on IP and how Hollywood is making so many of them. And I’m sympathetic to this point of view. As I’ve written many, many times before, you need a balance between existing franchises, new IP, and original films. And Hollywood clearly needs to make more films like Resident Evil (a well-made film from a visionary director) and fewer Practical Magic 2’s (which didn’t get critical or customer buzz). But at some point, critics and pundits need to contend with what audiences are telling them: Movie-goers aren’t showing up to original films. Audiences are speaking with their dollars, telling you they want more IP and franchises. You can try to convince studio heads to make fewer IP-based films and franchises, but the data and numbers aren’t there. Instead, critics need to work harder to convince audiences to show up for original films. Aim your ire/concern at the average person, not studio heads.2 Because they’re just making the films that audiences are telling them to make. WRONG: Original Horror Films Didn’t Break Out I’ll be honest, even though I wrote an article casting some skepticism on the horror genre in July, if you asked me to make a prediction, I would have predicted that, in August, a new, original horror film would have blown up. No, seriously, I just assumed that Obsession and Backrooms presaged a change in audience behavior. But none of the buzzy new original horror films from August—Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Onslaught (not an action film in spite of the ads), The End of Oak Street, Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man, or _Buddy—_broke out. To be clear, exactly one of those films (Buddy) had good “ROI”, but again—I try to be specific in my language—none were “popular” in any broad sense of the word. None of them will be “saving” movies theaters like Backrooms or _Obsession_helped save the summer. The new Insidious film and Resident Evil, both based on IP, were far and away the biggest horror films since July. (We’ll see if this changes in October/Halloween season.) RIGHT: Stay Skeptical about Crowdfunding... I’ve long been skeptical about crowd-investing platforms as one of Hollywood’s saviors, mainly because there’s so much hype/buzz. People need to stay more skeptical about more things, explaining both the potential upside but also the downsides. In particular, the media often hypes crowdfunding at the start and never checks in on the actual results after they’ve come in later. And August gave us our first update! _Ice Cream Man—_directed by Eli Roth—grossed $6 million off of a $5.5 million budget. This is a production of The Horror Section, which was one of the first “crowd investing” studios with 2,400 investors, which means that 2,400 investors probably lost money. They certainly aren’t getting as great of returns as if they had just invested their dollars in the stock market. Hopefully Stiletto (Tagline: “Someone’s Going to Make it Rain Blood!”) does better next month. WRONG: Another Data Goof Here’s another data error. When the first episode of House of the Dragon came out, HBO put out that it had 21.5 million viewers in the first three days, and I read that to mean in the US…but no, it was global. So my US-only datecdotes charts shouldn’t have included it. We never got US-only numbers for the first episode, but for the final episode, HBO put out that it had 11 million US viewers. (And that global dropped to 21 million viewers.) Here’s the updated chart (which I’ve since used in the Streaming Ratings Report): Still, this show is absolutely huge. RIGHT: Superhero Films Remain Very, Very Popular After Supergirl flopped, I read a few takes that “comic book movies are going the way of the Western”. Post-Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that take didn’t age well. To be fair, I have a very nuanced take on the superhero genre right now; it’s down right now, for a lot of reasons. But it’s not “dead”. Maybe _Spider-_Man is just a really popular character? I saw that take, and it’s a fair counter-argument. (But pundits arguing that superhero movies were dead should have mentioned this $1.5 billion counter-argument…) But is it just Spider-Man? The next Avengers film already has $50 million in pre-sales (and I was skeptical that that film would do well) and the Avengers: End Game re-release topped the box office two weekends ago (over three original films). And I wouldn’t bet against Batman or Superman. So maybe it’s just Spider-Man, Batman, Superman and the Avengers. Oh, and Deadpool, of course. And Black Panther. And Wolverine. And probably the X-Men. Plus a well-made Wonder Woman or the Hulk film could break out. But that’s it! It’s just those ten characters/teams. Oh, what’s that? Lanterns is also doing well on HBO? (See previous section…) To be fair, I’m actually pretty sympathetic to the argument that more popular characters—like Spider-Man and Batman—anchor more popular films. In fact, I made that exact argument three years ago when I first wrote about the “Marvel-cession”. In many ways, you can blame The Guardians of the Galaxy for fooling Marvel Studios (and the rest of us) into believing that any character could pop. It turns out, the list of iconic characters is probably smaller than most people think. But it’s probably too early to say that superhero films and comic book movies are dead unless “death” means a slight decline over a longtime. RIGHT: Who Killed Theaters? Old People I get frustrated whenever I see headlines or analysis about how young people are “returning” to theaters. As I’ve detailed(for years), young people have always powered the US box office, despite narratives about “kids these days” and their “phones”. Really, what’s changed post-2020/pandemic is that old people aren’t going to the movies nearly as much. This summer, I saw a movie (from an older director) in a theater near a retirement community, and multiple older people at the theater were talking about how this was their first time seeing a movie in years. I dislike personal anecdotes, so YouGov can fill in the data, best summarized by this headline: “Who killed movie theaters? Not the youths”. According to them, 64% of people aged 18-29 have seen a movie in the last year, but only 30% of 65-and-older. 20% of 18-29 have seen a movie in theaters in the last week and 42% in the last month. Here’s the polling data: Most concerning? Many Americans (17%) think theaters are a worse or much worse experience than watching films at home. Slight WRONG: Hadestown Opens Big A live theater capture of the Broadway musical, Hadestown, made $20 million at the US box office, which begs the question: was I wrong to be skeptical about musicals a few years ago? Yes and no. On the one hand, $20 million is a far cry from being “popular”, so yeah, the genre isn’t that popular overall and Hadestown is one of the more popular musicals from recent years (i.e. the “Taylor Swift Data Fallacy” in action). On the other, I doubt filming this cost all that much, and I don’t think that they spent much on marketing, so this is a good source of ancillary revenue. Smaller Updates WRONG: As I mentioned in a Streaming Ratings Report, I underestimated the budget for Enola Holmes 3. It probably cost more like $50 million, if not more. But... I’m not sure that it really matters? At sub-10 million hours, prices have to come down to make this work. WRONG: Netflix is giving Ink a 27-day in theaters! To quote the kids/YouTubers these days, let’s go! Now I might actually have a chance to see Danny Boyle’s latest in theaters. I’d complained about this in a “Coming Soon” section, but I was heartened to read that Netflix is giving multiple films longer theatrical windows this year. RIGHT: Netflix is sending 4-5 films per year to theaters. Netflix is slowly but surely sending more and more films to theaters, as I cautiously predicted earlier this year. For now, it’s just three big films and a number of awards contenders, but still, this is great news. And they’ll be releasing box office grosses! Just this week, Ted Sarandos confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters 2 will come to theaters (and my guess is it performs in the box office top ten at a minimum). WRONG: Angel has 3 million subscribers! How do I know this? Well, they told Deadline, who reported it. I marked this as “wrong”, since they’ve doubled their subscribers in one year but, you know, they don’t really have a hit film to speak of and they’re still losing money. WRONG: Furious was only renewed for one more season. I accidentally wrote “two more seasons” in my latest “Renewals, Cancellations, Un-Orders and Removals Update”. RIGHT: House of David is ending with its third season. In July, Prime Video renewed House of David for a third season, as I just wrote in my latest “Renewals and Cancellations” report. Well, now it’s ending after that third season. Why? As I’ve been writing, its viewership wasn’t great. I got feedback that this show didn’t cost very much, but it cost enough that its limited viewership didn’t save it. WRONG: Adults was a Hulu original! So I missed Adults when it first came out last year; I saw that it aired on FX and just assumed that it was a linear-first program. Turns out, it aired three episodes on FX, but binge-released the rest of its episodes the next day on Hulu. Huh. So I should have covered it last year! But I just wrote about it. 1 “When I was a kid in the 90s, if you wore a t-shirt to school that wasn’t too big and also wasn’t too small, but somehow didn’t quite fit, we’d say you were wearing an “extra-medium” shirt.” 2 As always, a huge exception is Disney, which barely makes anything original anymore.
Novant Health reduces retirement match amid cost pressures
Novant Health announced changes to its retirement benefits Tuesday that will take effect starting next year.
Task force ditches Wyoming-run health insurance plan idea, mulls unorthodox service models
Legislature-assigned panel studying healthcare affordability in Wyoming examines several alternative pricing structures. The task force hopes to continue work next year.
PlayStation's PS5 to Launch New Crunchyroll Anime Hub
Sony's PlayStation will launch a new Crunchyroll anime hub within its PlayStation 5 gaming console's home screen next year.
This Halos Hustle Player Deserves A Role Next Year
The Los Angeles Angels picked up Wade Meckler early in the season, and he became a great story.
Novant Health reduces retirement match amid cost pressures
Novant Health announced changes to its retirement benefits Tuesday that will take effect starting next year.
Life sciences firm Danaher to launch AI-powered autonomous research lab in 2027
Oct 7 (Reuters) - Life sciences company Danaher said on Wednesday it plans to launch its first AI-powered autonomous research lab early next year to make drug discovery and development faster and more efficient.
Life sciences firm Danaher to launch AI-powered autonomous research lab in 2027
Life sciences company Danaher said on Wednesday it plans to launch its first AI-powered autonomous research lab early next year to make drug discovery and development faster and more efficient.
Resident Evil Requiem Writer Accidentally Reveals DLC Plans
We finally have a story direction to latch onto for Capcom's in-development Resident Evil Requiem DLC, expected to release next year.
Ohio’s largest school district faces health cost hike
Teachers and administrators will pay 8% more for health insurance next year, while classified staff will pay 10% more.
'Dirty Dancing' is coming to Broadway
Believe it or not, “Dirty Dancing” turns 40 next year. To mark the occasion, a stage musical adaptation of the film is coming to Broadway.
Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit coming to Denver Museum of Nature and Science
In 2026, the exhibit of life-sized fossil Pokémon models made its North American debut in Chicago, and it will make a stop in Denver next year.
‘Dirty Dancing’ musical is coming to Broadway next year
NEW YORK — A stage version of the 1987 movie “Dirty Dancing” is coming to Broadway for the first time. “Dirty Dancing: The Musical” waltzes into the Lena Horne Theatre
And the Emmy Awards go to Amazon Prime Video
LOS ANGELES — Breaking with more than 70 years of tradition, the Emmy Awards show will move to Amazon Prime Video from broadcast TV beginning next year. The Television Academy
Ubisoft Will Reportedly Try Relaunching Watch Dogs: Legion With a Director's Cut
Ubisoft will attempt to relaunch Watch Dogs: Legion next year via a revamped Director's Cut, it's been reported.
State leaders detail plans to support HUSKY Health D recipients ahead of new rules
State leaders shared plans today to support people who get their health insurance through HUSKY Health before new rules start next year.
US services sector activity slows in September; price pressures mount
US services sector activity slowed in September as supply chain strains and rising input prices signal persistent inflation risks into next year.
58,000 Hoosiers not in compliance with new HIP work rules
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration shared internal estimates Monday showing 58,000 Hoosiers insured through the Healthy Indiana Plan are not in compliance with federal work requirements set to take effect next year.
US services sector activity slows in September; price pressures mount
US services sector activity slowed in September, with strong domestic demand stretching supply chains and raising prices paid by businesses for inputs, indicating that inflation could remain high into next year.
Democrats project a party milestone in Congress: 100 women in the House
Democrats are projecting they could have as many as 113 women in their ranks next year.
Orioles news: How will the O’s solve their infield logjam?
With Jordan Westburg returning next year, how will the O’s make room in the infield for him?
Minnesota health insurance premiums set to soar 17% next year
Minnesota health insurance rates will rise 17% in 2027 as hospital consolidation drives up medical costs.
Democrats Expect Record Number of Women in Party in House After Midterm Elections
Democrats are increasingly confident they will have a record number of women serving in the House next year, after backing women in competitive districts they are now positioned to win.
Honor Magic 9 series global launch scheduled for January 2027
Honor Magic 9 series is set to hit the global launch stage in January 2027. As per the company’s official announcement, the flagship smartphone is coming to overseas markets, starting in Europe early next year after a successful Chinese launch. Magic 9 series made its debut in China last week, and Honor has begun preparing […]
Saudi Arabia to cancel Joy Awards, its answer to the Grammys, amid budget cuts, sources say
By Timour Azhari Oct 4 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is set to cancel next year's Joy Awards, its star-studded answer to the Oscars or the Grammys, as financial strain and the Iran war hit the country's nascent entertainment sector, two people with knowledg...
Stray Kids follows BTS in Grammy boycott over Asian pop category
K-pop group Stray Kids is boycotting next year’s Grammys, following BTS in its decision not to submit music for consideration amid mounting controv...
Chris Bassitt Explains What Has to Change for Orioles
Bassitt may not be back next year, but he spent the end of the season pushing the Orioles to set new standards from top to bottom.
Can House Democrats stay unified next year? It may be up to one man
Internal divisions have dragged House Speaker Mike Johnson down for months. On the verge of power, can Hakeem Jeffries avoid the same fate?
Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 gives us an early look at next year’s Pixel updates
Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 is here to fix your Pixel’s worst bugs.
MultiCare Health System to launch new health plan
Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System is set to launch its own health plan next year, the organization
Double-digit health insurance increases will hit individual and small group plans in 2027, again
Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are facing significantly more expensive health insurance next year.
Double-digit health insurance increases will hit individual and small group plans in 2027, again
Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are facing significantly more expensive health insurance next year.
The Democratic Playbook for Investigating Trump
Congressional oversight committees are quietly preparing for next year.
Kenya's young voters weigh up the choices for next year as William Ruto seeks re-election
A voter mobilisation campaign has registered huge numbers of young people but it is not clear who they are backing.
Double-digit health insurance increases will hit individual and small group plans in 2027, again
Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are facing significantly more expensive health insurance next year. The average increase for individual and small group insurance plans is 17% for 2027, the state’s Department of Commerce announced Thursday, raising costs for the 203,000 and 184,000 Minnesotans covered by individual and small group plans respectively. Individuals and their families […]
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy Responds to Health Insurance Rate Increases
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – On Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Commerce announced the health insurance rate increases facing Minnesotans next year. For 203,000 consumers who purchase insurance on the individual market, rates will increase between 9.9 and 21.1 percent; for 184,000 Minnesotans who are insured on small group market plans, rates will increase between 10.6
Expected Timeline for Mental Health Coverage Rule Slips to 2027
A forthcoming proposal overhauling how the federal government regulates employers’ mental health coverage is now expected next year, according to a legal filing from the Trump administration.
More than 100,000 CT residents could lose health coverage next year
Connecticut forecasts that about 108,000 residents could be at risk of losing Medicaid as new HUSKY D eligibility requirements take effect.
Alexandria's business community gathers as AEDP tallies first results of ALX Forward
The economic development group announced a $200,000 state grant at its annual meeting, where the developer of the Old Town North power plant site said it expects to break ground next year
Axa XL to begin writing business through dedicated E&S insurer
Axa XL on Wednesday said it will begin writing business through its dedicated excess and surplus lines insurance company next year as it expands its U.S. wholesale operations.
Striker Noonan agrees to join Forest
Michael Noonan will join Nottingham Forest on 1 January next year.
County commissioners approve switch to NDPERS for employee health insurance
Some employees were disappointed that employee contributions were not decreased across the board, as the county may have excess health insurance funds budgeted for next year.
Three Biggest Takeaways From Kings Media Day
Kings Media Day took place yesterday, giving Sacramento players an early chance to talk to the media before the new season begins. Virtually all the players spoke about their offseasons, expectations, goals, and mindsets for next year. Three Biggest Takeaways From Kings Media Day Although Media Day lasts only one day and players will always …
Raleigh’s Falls Village shopping center will get a new business next year
The new business will join retailers like T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods in the shopping center by January.
Naughty Dog Will 'Fully Reveal' Intergalactic in 2027, but No Release Window Yet
Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann concluded this year's "The Last of Us Day" by giving updates on the developer's current projects, teasing two new The Last of Us projects that "will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II" without confirming whether or not either one of them is a game, as well as saying that its next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Project, will be "fully reveal[ed]" next year.
Doval Wants Giants Reunion to Extend Beyond This Season
After a whirlwind journey, Camilo Doval returns to the Bay Area determined to reclaim his command and anchor the San Francisco Giants’ bullpen next year.
As work requirements kick in for Medicaid, some states are taking a tougher stance
At least six states will require documentation that individuals are too sick to meet Medicaid work requirements kicking in next year. The rules are stricter than what the federal government is requiring.
Former MS Rep. Nick Bain shares plan to tackle state auditor backlog
After losing his state House reelection bid by two dozen votes, Nick Bain is touting that loss in his run to fill the state auditor's seat next year.
Rod Stewart confirms final tour after heart procedure and health scares
Rod Stewart announced his "Final Encore Tour," revealing next year's dates will be his last-ever tour after a coronary stent procedure and health setbacks.
Explainer-The political chess behind the ECB’s next leadership shake-up
FRANKFURT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The euro zone will choose a new European Central Bank president next year and replace up to two-thirds of the bank's six-member executive board in an intricate game of political chess among the bloc's 21 countries. The fo...
Explainer-The political chess behind the ECB’s next leadership shake-up
FRANKFURT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The euro zone will choose a new European Central Bank president next year and replace up to two-thirds of the bank's six-member executive board in an intricate game of political chess among the bloc's 21 countries. The fo...
Explainer: The political chess behind the ECB's next leadership shake-up
The euro zone will choose a new European Central Bank president next year and replace up to two-thirds of the bank's six-member executive board in an intricate game of political chess among the bloc's 21 countries.
Saturday Jays Notes
Second-to-last day of the regular season. There isn’t much news. Max Scherzer says he’ll wait until after the season to decide whether he wants to pitch next year, but he’s set to start tomorrow, in front of his kids (just in case). He hasn’t put up numbers that would make me want to re-sign him. […]
As work requirements kick in for Medicaid, some states are taking a tougher stance
At least six states will require documentation that individuals are too sick to meet Medicaid work requirements kicking in next year.
Donny Osmond keeps the music going with Vegas residency extension
Donny Osmond is staying in Las Vegas a little longer. The entertainer has extended his Harrah's residency through June of next year and says it's "probably my favorite show I've ever done."
Donny Osmond keeps the music going with Vegas residency extension
Donny Osmond is staying in Las Vegas a little longer. The entertainer has extended his Harrah's residency through June of next year and says it's "probably my favorite show I've ever done."
Colorado health insurance prices poised for another big jump in 2027
Colorado health insurance prices poised for another big jump in 2027. State and federal subsidies, though, will blunt the price increases for people with lower incomes. Prices for coverage next year will increase by an average of 10% across the state and by even more for those who live in the mountains or on the Western Slope.
Loudoun eyeing new indoor sports complex, study coming to county board
Loudoun County is studying a potential indoor sports facility, with a report coming to the Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee early next year.
Lee Health Expands Healthcare Access in Eastern Lee County with New Outpatient Center at The Forum
Residents of eastern Lee County will soon have greater access to healthcare services closer to home with Lee Health at The Forum. Scheduled to open next year, the facility will offer primary care, Lee Convenient Care, and on-site laboratory services, creating a convenient healthcare destination for patients in Lehigh Acres, East Fort Myers, and surrounding […]
Trump’s South Africa obsession upends the US refugee program
Thousands of immigrants are set to arrive next year. Almost all of them are white South Africans.
Health Care Partnership outlines workforce progress
More local nursing graduates are staying in the region, according to officials offering an update on the progress of the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership at a public forum last night. According to Jack Watson, dean of UNCW’s College of Health & Human Services, the number of UNCW nursing graduates choosing to remain in the area after graduation has climbed from 27% to the mid-40% range. The New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership aims to address the region’s healthcare worker shortage, with a key focus on nursing through strategic partnerships between UNCW, Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Each of the partners had pathway programs,” said Watson, “but they were almost at times done in a silo." One of the New Hanover Community Endowment's largest commitments to date, the collaborative received a $22.3 million grant in 2023, to be disbursed over three years, beginning in 2024. At the public forum, leadership addressed the nursing bottleneck created by the pandemic, and Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, acknowledged that Novant Health had relied heavily on travel nurses during that period, with travel nurses making up about 47% of staff and nursing turnover at 35% at the height of the pandemic. "I can say we are in a tremendously different place today,” Whalin said at the forum. The number of travel nurses employed by the Novant Health Coastal Region has dropped to around 100 today, which Whalin says accounts for less than 4% of the workforce. Roughly two years into the grant term, major stakeholders in the collaboration pointed to various accomplishments tied to the initiative. According to Stephen Hill, vice president of talent development with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, 250 more nurses live in New Hanover County in 2026 than in 2023. Whalin added that between 2021 and 2025, the Novant Health Coastal Region has hired close to 1,200 registered nurses. Additionally, according to Whalin, over the past two years, hiring and retention of nursing graduates from UNCW increased by 103%, while hiring and retention of nursing graduates from CFCC increased by 70%. Mandy Mills, director of career & technical education at New Hanover County Schools, pointed to the launch of its first Health Sciences Academy program, established across the county's four traditional high schools (Hoggard High School, Laney High School, Ashley High School and New Hanover High School), which started with 38 students last year. Mills also pointed to growth in the district’s Nursing Fundamentals course, which grew from 10 seats in 2023 to 50 in 2025-2026 and is now offered at all four traditional high schools. Watson emphasized the growing nursing class sizes and offered an update on the school’s accelerated nursing degree, which launched last year. Eleven students graduated in the first class, and all passed their boards on the first try, Watson said. This year’s class has 24 students. When the endowment announced its $22.3 million grant for the collaborative in 2023, UNCW and CFCC were each slated to receive the bulk of the funds, at about $10 million each. UNCW’s plans for the grant money included expanding its simulation lab, Watson said. He added that construction is expected to begin on the simulation lab this year and will likely extend through next year. According to Mary Ellen Naylor, dean of Health & Human Services at CFCC, the college has experienced growth in its associate degree nursing retention, rising from 59% in 2023 to 76% for the May 2026 class. CFCC used part of its endowment funding to support wraparound services, including a housing stipend, tuition assistance, exam assistance, emergency assistance, drop-in daycare and clinical and educational supplies. "We have very strong … students, but once they get into the program, there are competing priorities,” Naylor said. “They are working multiple jobs. They have children. They're single parents." According to Naylor, in 2026, 94% of students who used support services are still enrolled or have graduated. Addressing a question from an audience member about an approaching “enrollment cliff,” driven largely by dropping birth rates, Watson and Naylor said demand remains strong at both schools. “Right now … we do have more applicants than we have spots in our nursing program, and it is still a competitive process to get into,” Watson said. “I do not foresee that changing.” "(We've) doubled enrollment in our nursing programs over the last few years, but just as Dean Watson said, we still have very robust applicant pools, so it is still very competitive to get in,” Naylor said. "We have the applicant pool to support that, but again, it's not as easy as just saying, 'Okay … we're going to take another 90 students.' It's making sure all the resources and infrastructure that we need to educate the students outside the classroom is there as well." In response to a question about applying the collaborative model to other healthcare positions besides nursing, Sophie Dagenais, CEO and president of the endowment, said she sees the potential for the model to expand to other healthcare jobs and even other industries, but that the endowment hopes to learn from this model first. “This is a grant that is in year two of three years, and first we wanted to learn what is this going to demonstrate, what will we learn and then how may we scale it possibly,” she said. According to endowment spokesperson Amber Rogerson, funds for the program are set to expire after June 2027. “It's too early to discuss what happens after that,” wrote Rogerson in an email, “though we know the partners are considering the future, and some of the work supported by the grants is now built into their regular operations.”
Health Care Partnership outlines workforce progress
More local nursing graduates are staying in the region, according to officials offering an update on the progress of the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership at a public forum last night. According to Jack Watson, dean of UNCW’s College of Health & Human Services, the number of UNCW nursing graduates choosing to remain in the area after graduation has climbed from 27% to the mid-40% range. The New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership aims to address the region’s healthcare worker shortage, with a key focus on nursing through strategic partnerships between UNCW, Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Each of the partners had pathway programs,” said Watson, “but they were almost at times done in a silo." One of the New Hanover Community Endowment's largest commitments to date, the collaborative received a $22.3 million grant in 2023, to be disbursed over three years, beginning in 2024. At the public forum, leadership addressed the nursing bottleneck created by the pandemic, and Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, acknowledged that Novant Health had relied heavily on travel nurses during that period, with travel nurses making up about 47% of staff and nursing turnover at 35% at the height of the pandemic. "I can say we are in a tremendously different place today,” Whalin said at the forum. The number of travel nurses employed by the Novant Health Coastal Region has dropped to around 100 today, which Whalin says accounts for less than 4% of the workforce. Roughly two years into the grant term, major stakeholders in the collaboration pointed to various accomplishments tied to the initiative. According to Stephen Hill, vice president of talent development with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, 250 more nurses live in New Hanover County in 2026 than in 2023. Whalin added that between 2021 and 2025, the Novant Health Coastal Region has hired close to 1,200 registered nurses. Additionally, according to Whalin, over the past two years, hiring and retention of nursing graduates from UNCW increased by 103%, while hiring and retention of nursing graduates from CFCC increased by 70%. Mandy Mills, director of career & technical education at New Hanover County Schools, pointed to the launch of its first Health Sciences Academy program, established across the county's four traditional high schools (Hoggard High School, Laney High School, Ashley High School and New Hanover High School), which started with 38 students last year. Mills also pointed to growth in the district’s Nursing Fundamentals course, which grew from 10 seats in 2023 to 50 in 2025-2026 and is now offered at all four traditional high schools. Watson emphasized the growing nursing class sizes and offered an update on the school’s accelerated nursing degree, which launched last year. Eleven students graduated in the first class, and all passed their boards on the first try, Watson said. This year’s class has 24 students. When the endowment announced its $22.3 million grant for the collaborative in 2023, UNCW and CFCC were each slated to receive the bulk of the funds, at about $10 million each. UNCW’s plans for the grant money included expanding its simulation lab, Watson said. He added that construction is expected to begin on the simulation lab this year and will likely extend through next year. According to Mary Ellen Naylor, dean of Health & Human Services at CFCC, the college has experienced growth in its associate degree nursing retention, rising from 59% in 2023 to 76% for the May 2026 class. CFCC used part of its endowment funding to support wraparound services, including a housing stipend, tuition assistance, exam assistance, emergency assistance, drop-in daycare and clinical and educational supplies. "We have very strong … students, but once they get into the program, there are competing priorities,” Naylor said. “They are working multiple jobs. They have children. They're single parents." According to Naylor, in 2026, 94% of students who used support services are still enrolled or have graduated. Addressing a question from an audience member about an approaching “enrollment cliff,” driven largely by dropping birth rates, Watson and Naylor said demand remains strong at both schools. “Right now … we do have more applicants than we have spots in our nursing program, and it is still a competitive process to get into,” Watson said. “I do not foresee that changing.” "(We've) doubled enrollment in our nursing programs over the last few years, but just as Dean Watson said, we still have very robust applicant pools, so it is still very competitive to get in,” Naylor said. "We have the applicant pool to support that, but again, it's not as easy as just saying, 'Okay … we're going to take another 90 students.' It's making sure all the resources and infrastructure that we need to educate the students outside the classroom is there as well." In response to a question about applying the collaborative model to other healthcare positions besides nursing, Sophie Dagenais, CEO and president of the endowment, said she sees the potential for the model to expand to other healthcare jobs and even other industries, but that the endowment hopes to learn from this model first. “This is a grant that is in year two of three years, and first we wanted to learn what is this going to demonstrate, what will we learn and then how may we scale it possibly,” she said. According to endowment spokesperson Amber Rogerson, funds for the program are set to expire after June 2027. “It's too early to discuss what happens after that,” wrote Rogerson in an email, “though we know the partners are considering the future, and some of the work supported by the grants is now built into their regular operations.”
New 2027 Medicaid work rules mean 600K Oregon Health Plan members are getting notices
Oregon has begun sending letters to about 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members warning them about new requirements taking effect next year that potentially impact their eligibility for Medicaid benefits. For […]
Next year’s iPhone Pro models have ‘near-borderless’ design: report
Apple reportedly has a redesign coming to next year’s iPhone Pro models, here’s the latest on the “near-borderless” design and display.
Sarah Schmelzel details 15-year health battle with plans to return to LPGA in 2027
Sarah Schmelzel fought a 15-year battle for a diagnosis of Stage IV endometriosis and after multiple surgeries, the 31-year-old LPGA Tour player is looking to return to the game she loves next year.
Hilary Duff to perform in Hershey next year; here are the details
Beloved early 2000s actor and pop singer Hilary Duff recently announced that she would extend her "The Lucky Me Tour," adding a Hershey stop among 31 other dates.
The Peninsula is getting a new dining option, with a taste of Tuscany
Starting early next year, The Lobby — a fifth-floor spot that serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea — will transform each evening into Italian restaurant Comunità.
Health insurance premiums on Colorado’s individual market to rise 10% in 2027
Next year, the average cost increase for people receiving state assistance will be about $20 per month, the Division of Insurance said. If Colorado hadn’t passed that assistance, the increase would be $69.
RenCen, east riverfront project would take nearly a decade to complete. Here’s how it would unfold.
Work on the $2.24 billion development is planned to begin next year, with the third phase wrapping up in 2036.
Barcelona set to leave the Camp Nou again
La Liga champions Barcelona have put in place plans to depart the club’s beloved Spotify Camp Nou ground for the latest time next year.These plans were recently made public by Blaugrana treasurer an...
Greater Washington leaders form econ dev alliance
Greater Washington, D.C., economic development and business leaders have formed the Potomac Regional Alliance, which plans to release an economic development strategy next year.
'Arsenal game will show where we are at'
John: It's good to be ambitious, but our first target has to be survival. Qualifying for Europe would be great but could cause difficulties in the league next year as we have a pretty small panel of quality players. Pat: Unless we absolutely storm the league this season, I would be nervous of us qualifying for Europe.
Turkish military pension fund OYAK eyes foreign partnership on energy as it expands business
Turkish military pension fund OYAK is in talks with a major global energy company over a strategic partnership in fuel distributor Guzel Enerji, with the outcome expected to become clear by early next year.
Duke employee health insurance premiums to rise by 10% to 50% under new salary-based system
Duke Human Resources announced Tuesday morning that changes would be coming to employee health insurance next year. Mainly, a new five-tier, salary-based health insurance premium structure, which could cost some employees 50% more in monthly premiums.
Winamp is back and wants a piece of Spotify’s business
The beloved MP3-era music player is teaming up with Deezer to launch a subscription streaming service next year.
Private, public universities develop medical science doctoral programs
Des Moines University has launched a doctor of medical science program, with the University of Iowa set to do the same next year.
Penn State health insurance to increase by as much as $165 per month
Penn State says health insurance will cost more next year, as health care costs rise nationwide. Faculty and staff will see their monthly insurance cost go up anywhere from $4.25 to $165 per month.
HP Stock Drops After PC Maker Forecasts Industry Sales Decline
HPQ stock fell Monday after HP forecast industrywide personal computer sales will decline by mid-single digits next year.