By Abby Badach Doyle, NerdWallet It won’t be impossible to buy a house in 2025 — just be prepared to play on hard mode. According to a November 2024 report from ICE Mortgage Technology, the monthly principal and interest payment on an average-priced home is $2,385. While that’s not the highest it’s ever been, it’s still a sharp increase — nearly 80% — from just three years ago. In November 2021, when mortgage rates averaged 3%, the monthly principal and interest on an average-priced home was $1,327 per month. So here’s the key to buying in 2025: Look ahead, not back. Regret won’t help you budget for today’s new normal. And with this year’s election also in the rearview mirror, so is some uncertainty among buyers and sellers that historically slows the market during every presidential election cycle. “People have just been kind of sitting waiting to see what’s going to happen,” says Courtney Johnson Rose, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, an industry group for Black real estate agents. “I’m hopeful that the new year will bring more attention to real estate, more excitement to real estate, and more opportunities for first-time home owners to get in the game.” Preparing to buy a house is a lot like dressing for the weather. It’s easier when the outlook is sunny — but with some planning, you can gear up to face any condition. Here’s what housing market experts are forecasting for the upcoming year. Related Articles Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances For some FSA dollars, it’s use it or lose it at year’s end A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Savings rates stay strong despite dips: A 2024 recap and what’s next for 2025 Are religious people more generous than non-religious people? What new study finds First, home prices: We’ll likely see more modest growth in 2025, a change from skyrocketing prices in recent years. After 16 consecutive months of year-over-year price increases, the median existing-home sales price hit $407,200 in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. In 2025, with more supply trickling in to temper price increases, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun forecasts a median existing-home sales price of $410,700, up just 2% over this year. Next, housing inventory: Demand still outpaces supply. While we don’t expect a return to a buyer’s market, competition should be less cutthroat. Realtor.com forecasts a balanced market in 2025 with an average 4.1-month supply of homes for sale, up from an average 3.7-month supply so far in 2024. That would make 2025 the friendliest market for buyers since 2016, which had an average 4.4-month supply. Finally, mortgage rates: After topping 8% in October 2023, the 30-year mortgage rate has slowly eased into the 6.5%-7% range this year. Rate cuts from the Federal Reserve have helped nudge that downward. Despite earlier optimism, forecasters’ latest consensus is for rates to effectively plateau above 6% throughout 2025. That said, every year has its wild cards. In 2025, it’s still uncertain how President-elect Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress might shake up regulations and tax policies that affect the U.S. housing market. National forecasts don’t analyze what matters most: Your personal cash flow. To get ready to buy, first meet with a financial advisor or use an online calculator to determine how much house you can afford . You can also get free or low-cost advice from a housing counselor sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Next, look into down payment and closing cost assistance from state housing finance agencies, local governments, nonprofits and mortgage lenders. Your employer or labor union might offer assistance, too. First-time buyers with income below their area median have the most options, but repeat or higher-income borrowers can qualify for some programs as well. “I think that there’s a lot of free money being left out there,” Rose says. Your not-so-secret weapon for buying in 2025 just might be an experienced buyer’s agent. “Anybody can write a contract,” says Sharon Parker, associate broker with Tate & Foss Sotheby’s International Realty in Rye, New Hampshire. “But you need somebody who’s seen the market, the ups and downs, who knows how to get creative because every transaction is different.” Following a settlement with the NAR , buyers can now negotiate their agent’s compensation up front. (Previously, home sellers took on that task.) While new norms are still shaking out, Rose says she hasn’t seen too much drama since the change took effect in August. “So as long as buyers remember that we have to talk about this in the beginning of our relationship, everything typically works out fine,” she says. Finally, it’s time to shop for a mortgage. To get the best interest rate, get a quote with at least three different lenders. You could also delegate the shopping to a mortgage broker, who can compare quotes and even negotiate a lower rate on your behalf. Though brokers charge a fee, their access to more mortgage options and lower rates can often mean net savings overall. With a mortgage preapproval in hand, it’s go time. And you don’t have to wait until spring: If you’re ready to buy now, buyers have less competition and more negotiating power from December through February, so you could snag a deal. “The people who are selling and the people who are buying in the off season are very serious,” Parker says. “They’re not just lookie-loos.” However, lower inventory means fewer choices for buyers. So start your search prepared to compromise — a “good enough” house will still help you build equity. If a down payment or monthly mortgage payment is financially out of reach, there’s no shame in postponing your search to pad your savings. And owning a home isn’t the right lifestyle choice for everyone, with the ongoing commitment of money and time. But once you’re ready to buy — whether for the first time, or to upgrade or downsize — avoid the trap of waiting for a dip in mortgage rates. “Nobody can predict what the market, or the world, is going to do,” Parker says. “There is no better time than right now.” Mortgage rates will always fluctuate, and if they drop significantly, you can refinance. For first-time buyers, homeownership is a major financial glow-up — and the sooner you jump in, the longer you’ll have to build home equity. “Time value of money is really, really critical when it comes to real estate,” Rose says. “So I would always encourage somebody to buy as soon as you can and get the clock ticking.” More From NerdWallet Abby Badach Doyle writes for NerdWallet. Email: abadachdoyle@nerdwallet.com. The article Buying a House in 2025: Your How-To Guide originally appeared on NerdWallet .
This week will bring major updates for crypto users interested in earning more on top of their trading profits. Bitget Wallet news shows that the wallet has teamed up with Morph to introduce a rewards campaign, enabling users to earn Morph Points and USDT by completing tasks on the Morph network. However, Plus Wallet is soon becoming one of the leading online crypto wallets for active traders. It not only merges rewards into basic wallet features but is also the only wallet that rewards both personal swaps of a trader and their referral swaps. Aleo has also brought in the staking reward system in the form of a timestamp to fight inflation and, in the long term, make the network sustainable. Bitget Wallet News: New Campaign of Rewards with Morph The new Bitget Wallet news reported that the wallet has formed a partnership with Morph, a Layer-2 blockchain, to launch a new rewards campaign from December 20, 2024 to January 20, 2025. Users are going to earn rewards from this campaign by completing their tasks on the Morph mainnet, such as making swaps or bridging through Bitget Swap to Morph. For every $100 USDT trade, the users will be able to receive 0.3 Morph Points, and they can claim these either in tokens or future benefits. According to Alvin Kan, COO at Bitget Wallet, this is an excellent opportunity for the users as it would give them the chance to experiment with and enjoy blockchain technologies. New Staking Rewards System at Aleo Explained ALEO, which is one of the Layer 1 blockchains, publicly disclosed its switch to staking reward on December 20. It changed its former method of awarding a staking reward through the length of a block to an award through the time timestamp. That change of decision happened after the shocking increase of block generation came with high inflation more than expected. In the newly designed reward system, prizes will be given according to blocks time spacing rather than according to block numbers generated in the chain. Aleo explained the reason for implementing the adjustment was that people in the community decided the change that will be more beneficial in the long-run for maintaining the network Plus Wallet: The Crypto Wallet That Pays Users to Trade! Plus Wallet is built on the motto of "more is more," showing the commitment to offering more to the users. It truly does this with its special rewards program, unlocking for the users a continuous source of income and not a promotion like in other wallets which will last only for the short term. The Swap to Earn program allows users to earn USDT rewards just for swapping tokens. It's a pretty simple way of earning from their transactions. The Refer to Earn program takes it further, allowing users to earn rewards every time their referrals swap crypto on the app. Users have unlimited income potential with no limit on the number of swaps or referrals. This is one of the most unique continuous earning models on the market since Plus Wallet essentially pays users to do what they were already doing—trading. Plus Wallet is also pretty strong in cross-chain support, allowing its users access to a good variety of trading options, not just limited to but including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance, Solana, and the list goes on. This flexibility opens more avenues for users to get involved and trade in promising projects, with greater financial freedom. With features including smart tracking and top-of-the-line security, Plus Wallet stands among the best crypto online wallets available today. Its all-in-one easy-to-use app provides a myriad of powerful tools to anyone-from novices to seasoned traders-and is therefore ideal for getting the most out of a person's investment. Conclusion Bitget Wallet announced its limited-time partnership with Morph, enabling users to receive rewards by completing a series of tasks during the campaign. Aleo, meanwhile, switched to a timestamp-based staking reward system to support long-term sustainability as it fears inflation. However, Plus Wallet's unique reward system far outshines the competition by a mile, as it offers maximum gains with minimal effort. The system gives users full control—the more they trade, the more they earn. This way, the reward potential grows exponentially once users begin to create their network and start swapping their referrals among themselves. All these rewards, advanced features, and a user-centric approach make Plus Wallet the most valuable online crypto wallet for traders who look for the maximum value from their trading. Website: https://pluswallet.app/ Download: https://pluswallet.onelink.me/8QWS/install Twitter: https://x.com/pluswalletapp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pluswallet.app/ Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.Socmed users warned to disclose deepfakes in posts or face chargesTrump has promised again to release the last JFK files. 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Renowned visionary English physician William Harvey wrote in 1651 about how our blood contains all the secrets of life. “And so I conclude that blood lives and is nourished of itself and in no way depends on any other part of the body as being prior to it or more excellent,” he wrote. “So that from this we may perceive the causes not only of life in general ... but also of longer or shorter life, of sleeping and waking, of skill, of strength and so forth.” Dr. Kevin Watt, team leader of the Heart Regeneration and Disease Laboratory at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia, understands this concept deeply. He lives it every day, as he and his fellow researchers study and reprogram the potential of the blood to treat disease, specifically heart failure in children. Building on the work of Dr. Shinya Yamanaka of Japan, who discovered that specialized cells could be reprogrammed back to immature stem cells, Watt and his collaborators have taken this work several steps further. They have used small molecules to turn these new stem cells from the blood into heart cells. Small heart organoids are developed in the lab — which can then be injected into the failing hearts of children. Relying on the philanthropic support of the Murdoch Institute, the work is progressing rapidly and has been shown to be effective already in mice, pigs and sheep. Clinical trials in humans will be starting soon, and as Dr. Watt told me in an interview from Australia, “Large sheets of heart tissue will be stitched into the failing heart.” Congenital heart failure as well as side effects of chemotherapy in children will be targets for this miracle therapy. Millions of children around the world suffer daily from these conditions. Watt said that certain chemotherapy (anthracyclines) have a higher risk of heart failure – up to 15% of the time – and this treatment may be useful to protect the heart. Watt said, “Heart failure remains an urgent, unmet clinical challenge across the world. While we have made significant advances over several decades in managing the disease, we lack targeted therapies to treat these devastating conditions.” He added, “More than 500,000 children around the world live with advanced heart failure that requires transplantation. The vision of our research is to develop new therapies that can transform the lives of children with heart failure.” To achieve this, he said, “we use a technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, where we can convert blood or skin cells of patients with heart failure into stem cells that we then turn into heart cells ... or even make engineered heart tissues that can be stitched onto the patient’s heart to help it pump.” The cells that are targeted in the blood are known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). They are “pushed back in time to an earlier time before they became differentiated into heart or kidney cells,” he said. Then they can be pushed forward to become healthy heart cells or mutations — or other abnormalities can be corrected. While the team at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is making heart cells from stem cells in the blood for clinical use, it’s also using these stem cells to figure out new drugs to treat heart failure directly. Said Watt, “Using stem cells from patients with heart failure caused by chemo, we are actively developing new drugs and cell-based treatments that we believe will transform the lives of patients with these conditions ... Our research group has pioneered methods to turn these stem cells into miniature heart tissues that can be used to model disease-in-a-dish, to identify new drug targets for the development of new therapies.” These treatments are personalized and highly expensive, but they’re also highly effective. Correcting heart failure in young children is only a few years away from becoming a reality. It’s a Christmas miracle that relies on the kind of philanthropic support that MCRI is famous for arranging. “Philanthropic support plays a critical role in accelerating the development of these new, transformative treatments,” said Watt, “and this support will be essential as we work toward bringing stem cell-based precision therapies for heart failure to every child who needs it.”Cavco Industries, Inc. ( NASDAQ:CVCO – Get Free Report )’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $486.73 and last traded at $486.52, with a volume of 6433 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $475.41. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have commented on CVCO shares. Craig Hallum lifted their target price on shares of Cavco Industries from $422.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. StockNews.com raised shares of Cavco Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Wedbush boosted their price objective on shares of Cavco Industries from $425.00 to $455.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Read Our Latest Report on CVCO Cavco Industries Stock Performance Cavco Industries ( NASDAQ:CVCO – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The construction company reported $5.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.70 by $0.58. The business had revenue of $507.46 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $480.10 million. Cavco Industries had a net margin of 8.00% and a return on equity of 14.38%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.76 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Cavco Industries, Inc. will post 18 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Cavco Industries In other news, CAO Paul Bigbee sold 88 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $401.40, for a total transaction of $35,323.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,081 shares in the company, valued at $433,913.40. This represents a 7.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, Director Steven G. Bunger sold 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $409.20, for a total transaction of $1,636,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 6,547 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,679,032.40. The trade was a 37.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 4,213 shares of company stock worth $1,729,458. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Verus Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Cavco Industries by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Verus Capital Partners LLC now owns 653 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $226,000 after buying an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank increased its holdings in shares of Cavco Industries by 1.2% in the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 2,428 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,040,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Cavco Industries by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,791 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $767,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its position in Cavco Industries by 0.4% during the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 9,493 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $4,066,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in Cavco Industries by 1.9% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 2,103 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $728,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. 95.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Cavco Industries ( Get Free Report ) Cavco Industries, Inc designs, produces, and retails factory-built homes primarily in the United States. It operates in two segments, Factory-Built Housing and Financial Services. The company markets its factory-built homes under the Cavco, Fleetwood, Palm Harbor, Nationwide, Fairmont, Friendship, Chariot Eagle, Destiny, Commodore, Colony, Pennwest, R-Anell, Manorwood, MidCountry, and Solitaire brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Cavco Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cavco Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Electrical infrastructure stocks: Downside risks if Trump repeals EV tax creditCRTC consulting on potential internet, cellphone account changes OTTAWA — Canada's telecoms regulator says it's looking for feedback on how to give consumers more control over their internet and cellphone services. The Canadian Press Nov 22, 2024 11:47 AM Nov 22, 2024 12:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message A person navigates to the on-line social media pages of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on a cell phone in Ottawa on May 17, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — Canada's telecoms regulator says it's looking for feedback on how to give consumers more control over their internet and cellphone services. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says the three consultations will run until Jan. 9, seeking feedback on potential changes around notifications, fees and self-serve options. For fees, the CRTC says it is considering preventing providers from charging customers when their cancel or change plans, making it easier for Canadians to switch. On notifications, it's looking into measures to ensure people know when their plans or discounts are about to end to avoid bill shocks. The CRTC is also exploring potential self-serve options for when customers need to change or cancel their plans to make those actions easier. It says it also soon plans to launch more consultations, including on making it easier to compare plans when shopping for internet services. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix Report of razor blade found in child's Halloween candy is 'unfounded': OPP Nov 22, 2024 1:02 PM Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020 Nov 22, 2024 12:57 PM U.S. court tosses hostile workplace, pay discrimination claims against BlackBerry Nov 22, 2024 12:54 PM Featured Flyer
Motown fans gain new appreciation of Temptations hit 'My Girl' on its 60th anniversaryYOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — EJ Farmer scored 20 points as Youngstown State beat Toledo 93-87 on Saturday. Farmer went 8 of 15 from the field (3 for 8 from 3-point range) for the Penguins (6-5). Nico Galette scored 17 points while shooting 5 for 13 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line and added 11 rebounds and seven assists. Juwan Maxey shot 4 for 9 (3 for 7 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 16 points. Sam Lewis led the Rockets (6-4) in scoring, finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds. Sonny Wilson added 17 points, six rebounds and four assists for Toledo. Seth Hubbard had 14 points. Farmer put up 13 points in the first half for Youngstown State, who led 44-39 at halftime. Youngstown State used a 7-0 second-half run to break a 76-76 tie and take the lead at 83-76 with 3:14 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory. Galette scored 12 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
CHICAGO — With a wave of her bangled brown fingertips to the melody of flutes and chimes, artist, theologian and academic Tricia Hersey enchanted a crowd into a dreamlike state of rest at Semicolon Books on North Michigan Avenue. “The systems can’t have you,” Hersey said into the microphone, reading mantras while leading the crowd in a group daydreaming exercise on a recent Tuesday night. The South Side native tackles many of society’s ills — racism, patriarchy, aggressive capitalism and ableism — through an undervalued yet impactful action: rest. Hersey, the founder of a movement called the Nap Ministry, dubs herself the Nap Bishop and spreads her message to over half a million followers on her Instagram account, @thenapministry . Her first book, “Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto,” became a New York Times bestseller in 2022, but Hersey has been talking about rest online and through her art for nearly a decade. Hersey, who has degrees in public health and divinity, originated the “rest as resistance” and “rest as reparations” frameworks after experimenting with rest as an exhausted graduate student in seminary. Once she started napping, she felt happier and her grades improved. But she also felt more connected to her ancestors; her work was informed by the cultural trauma of slavery that she was studying as an archivist. Hersey described the transformation as “life-changing.” The Nap Ministry began as performance art in 2017, with a small installation where 40 people joined Hersey in a collective nap. Since then, her message has morphed into multiple mediums and forms. Hersey, who now lives in Atlanta, has hosted over 100 collective naps, given lectures and facilitated meditations across the country. She’s even led a rest ritual in the bedroom of Jane Addams , and encourages her followers to dial in at her “Rest Hotline.” At Semicolon, some of those followers and newcomers came out to see Hersey in discussion with journalist Natalie Moore on Hersey’s latest book, “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape,” released this month, and to learn what it means to take a moment to rest in community. Moore recalled a time when she was trying to get ahead of chores on a weeknight. “I was like, ‘If I do this, then I’ll have less to do tomorrow.’ But then I was really tired,” Moore said. “I thought, ‘What would my Nap Bishop say? She would say go lay down.’ Tricia is in my head a lot.” At the event, Al Kelly, 33, of Rogers Park, said some of those seated in the crowd of mostly Black women woke up in tears — possibly because, for the first time, someone permitted them to rest. “It was so emotional and allowed me to think creatively about things that I want to work on and achieve,” Kelly said. Shortly after the program, Juliette Viassy, 33, a program manager who lives in the South Loop and is new to Hersey’s work, said this was her first time meditating after never being able to do it on her own. Therapist Lyndsei Howze, 33, of Printers Row, who was also seated at the book talk, said she recommends Hersey’s work “to everybody who will listen” — from her clients to her own friends. “A lot of mental health conditions come from lack of rest,” she said. “They come from exhaustion.” Before discovering Hersey’s work this spring, Howze said she and her friends sporadically napped together in one friend’s apartment after an exhausting workweek. “It felt so good just to rest in community,” she said. On Hersey’s book tour, she is leading exercises like this across the country. “I think we need to collectively do this,” Hersey explained. “We need to learn again how to daydream because we’ve been told not to do it. I don’t think most people even have a daydreaming practice.” Daydreaming, Hersey said, allows people to imagine a new world. Hersey tells her followers that yes, you can rest, even when your agenda is packed, even between caregiving, commuting, jobs, bills, emails and other daily demands. And you don’t have to do it alone. There is a community of escape artists, she said of the people who opt out of grind and hustle culture, waiting to embrace you. The book is part pocket prayer book, part instruction manual, with art and handmade typography by San Francisco-based artist George McCalman inspired by 19th-century abolitionist pamphlets, urging readers to reclaim their divine right to rest. Hersey directs her readers like an operative with instructions for a classified mission. “Let grind culture know you are not playing around,” she wrote in her book. “This is not a game or time to shrink. Your thriving depends on the art of escape.” The reluctance to rest can be rooted in capitalist culture presenting rest as a reward for productivity instead of a physical and mental necessity. Hersey deconstructs this idea of grind culture, which she says is rooted in the combined effects of white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism that “look at the body as not human.” American culture encourages grind culture, Hersey said, but slowing down and building a ritual of rest can offset its toxicity. The author eschews the ballooning billion-dollar self-care industry that encourages people to “save enough money and time off from work to fly away to an expensive retreat,” she wrote. Instead, she says rest can happen anywhere you have a place to be comfortable: in nature, on a yoga mat, in the car between shifts, on a cozy couch after work. Resting isn’t just napping either. She praises long showers, sipping warm tea, playing music, praying or numerous other relaxing activities that slow down the body. “We’re in a crisis mode of deep sleep deprivation, deep lack of self-worth, (and) mental health,” said Hersey. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2022 , in Illinois about 37% of adults aren’t getting the rest they need at night. If ignored, the effects of sleep deprivation can have bigger implications later, Hersey said. In October, she lectured at a sleep conference at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, where her humanities work was featured alongside research from the world’s top neuroscientists. Jennifer Mundt, a Northwestern clinician and professor of sleep medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, praises Hersey for bringing the issue of sleep and rest to the public. In a Tribune op-ed last year, Mundt argued that our culture focuses too heavily on sleep as something that must be earned rather than a vital aspect of health and that linking sleep to productivity is harmful and stigmatizing. “Linking sleep and productivity is harmful because it overshadows the bevy of other reasons to prioritize sleep as an essential component of health,” Mundt wrote. “It also stigmatizes groups that are affected by sleep disparities and certain chronic sleep disorders.” In a 30-year longitudinal study released in the spring by the New York University School of Social Work, people who worked long hours and late shifts reported the lowest sleep quality and lowest physical and mental functions, and the highest likelihood of reporting poor health and depression at age 50. The study also showed that Black men and women with limited education “were more likely than others to shoulder the harmful links between nonstandard work schedules and sleep and health, worsening their probability of maintaining and nurturing their health as they approach middle adulthood.” The CDC links sleeping fewer than seven hours a day to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and more. Although the Nap Ministry movement is new for her followers, Hersey’s written about her family’s practice of prioritizing rest, which informs her work. Her dad was a community organizer, a yardmaster for the Union Pacific Railroad Co. and an assistant pastor. Before long hours of work, he would dedicate hours each day to self-care. Hersey also grew up observing her grandma meditate for 30 minutes daily. Through rest, Hersey said she honors her ancestors who were enslaved and confronts generational trauma. When “Rest Is Resistance” was released in 2022, Americans were navigating a pandemic and conversations on glaring racial disparities. “We Will Rest!” comes on the heels of a historic presidential election where Black women fundraised for Vice President Kamala Harris and registered voters in a dizzying three-month campaign. Following Harris’ defeat, many of those women are finding self-care and preservation even more important. “There are a lot of Black women announcing how exhausted they are,” Moore said. “This could be their entry point to get to know (Hersey’s) work, which is bigger than whatever political wind is blowing right now.” Hersey said Chicagoans can meet kindred spirits in her environment of rest. Haji Healing Salon, a wellness center, and the social justice-focused Free Street Theater are sites where Hersey honed her craft and found community. In the fall, the theater put on “Rest/Reposo,” a performance featuring a community naptime outdoors in McKinley Park and in its Back of the Yards space. Haji is also an apothecary and hosts community healing activities, sound meditations and yoga classes. “It is in Bronzeville; it’s a beautiful space owned by my friend Aya,” Hersey said, explaining how her community has helped her build the Nap Ministry. “When I first started the Nap Ministry, before I was even understanding what it was, she was like, come do your work here.” “We Will Rest!” is a collection of poems, drawings and short passages. In contrast to her first book, Hersey said she leaned more into her artistic background; the art process alone took 18 months to complete. After a tough year for many, she considers it medicine for a “sick and exhausted” world. “It’s its own sacred document,” Hersey said. “It’s something that, if you have it in your library and you have it with you, you may feel more human.” lazu@chicagotribune.comAs Americans are beyond burned out, Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry preaches the right to rest
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — The New York architect facing murder charges in a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach killings was charged on Tuesday in the death of a seventh woman. Rex Heuermann pleaded not guilty to killing Valerie Mack, whose remains were first found on Long Island in 2000. Mack, 24, had been working as an escort in Philadelphia and was last seen by her family that year in New Jersey. Some of Mack’s skeletal remains were initially discovered in Manorville, New York; authorities found more of her remains about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west, in Gilgo Beach, more than 10 years later. They were unidentified until genetic testing revealed her identity in 2020. Human hair found with Mack’s remains was sent for testing earlier this year and found to be a likely match with the genetic profile of Heuermann’s daughter, prosecutors said in court papers. His daughter is not accused of any wrongdoing and would have been 3 or 4 years old when Mack died. Heuermann, 61, is charged with killing six other women whose remains were found on Long Island. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. “The lives of these women matter,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said at a news conference with Mack's parents and other victims' relatives. “No one understands that more than the families.” Mack's parents didn't speak. Four other victims' relatives gave the Macks roses and hugs and, through an attorney, expressed their sadness and solidarity. “They were, and they are, loved. And they are missed every day by those who knew them and who had a strong bond with them,” said Gloria Allred, who represents the families of Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman. Outside of court, Heuermann’s lawyer Michael Brown disputed evidence presented in Mack’s death, saying the DNA technology used to connect her and other victims to Heuermann has never been deemed reliable in a New York case. He also argued that Tierney’s office has yet to produce proof any victims’ DNA was found in Heuermann’s home, including the many weapons and tools seized during recent searches of the property. “There’s something a little weird about these allegations,” Brown said. “Something that doesn’t sit right.” The investigation into the Gilgo Beach killings dates back to 2010, when police searching for a missing woman found 10 sets of human remains in the scrub along a barrier island parkway, prompting fears of a serial killer. Over the years, investigators used DNA analysis and other clues to identify the victims, many of whom were sex workers. Police also began reexamining other unsolved killings of women on Long Island. The case has dragged on through five police commissioners, more than 1,000 tips, and doubts about whether there was a serial killer at all. Heuermann, who lived with his wife and two children in Massapequa Park on Long Island and commuted to a Manhattan architecture office, was arrested on July 13, 2023. At that point, he was charged with murdering Barthelemy, Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello. Earlier this year, he was charged in the deaths of three other women — Brainard-Barnes , Taylor and Sandra Costilla . In a June court filing, prosecutors said they had recovered a file on a hard drive in Heuermann’s basement that he used to “methodically blueprint” his killings — including checklists with tasks for before, during and after, as well as lessons for “next time.” In court papers on Tuesday, prosecutors said the document, which was created the same year as Mack’s murder, includes details that align with her case. For example, it names “Mill Road” — a road near where Mack’s first remains were found — under the heading “DS,” which investigators believe stands for “dump site.” The document also lists “foam drain cleaner” under “Supplies.” Prosecutors say that on Oct. 3, 2000, Heuermann’s phone records appear to show him making two calls to a Long Island plumbing company, and he paid another company the following month to check his mainline drain. In recent searches of Heuermann’s home and office, authorities say they found old magazines and newspapers with articles about the Gilgo Beach killings and investigation that prosecutors believe he kept as “souvenirs” or “mementos.” Among them was a July 29, 2003, copy of the New York Post that included an article about the investigation into Mack and Taylor’s remains. Tierney said Tuesday that evidence points to Heuermann’s home as the scene of the killings — in most cases, when his family was out of town. Heuermann’s estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, said in a statement that she still does not believe her husband was capable of committing the crimes he’s accused of. The couple’s now grown children said in a separate statement they remain “steadfast in observing the legal process play itself out, no matter how long it takes or how difficult it is.” Authorities have still not charged anyone in the deaths of some other people whose remains were found on Long Island. Among them is an unidentified male victim who died in 2006 and likely presented outwardly as a female, and Karen Vergata , whose remains were discovered in 1996 but only identified through new DNA analysis in 2022. ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York.In an age where visual images flood our daily existence and cameras are embedded into nearly every mobile device, the notion of intentionality is of renewed importance. The instantaneous availability of photographic tools, combined with the unrelenting flow of images shared on social media, can lull photographers into a state of passive capture. Intentionality in photography can be understood as the purposeful shaping of one’s image-making process, guided by a defined conceptual framework or aesthetic goal. It involves not only the conscious selection of subjects, compositions, color palettes, and lighting conditions, but also a deeper reflective process: the consideration of what one wishes to communicate and why. This marks a stark contrast with photography undertaken purely at whim—snaps seized without forethought, captured only because the camera happened to be at hand. To appreciate the significance of intentionality, one must situate it in a broader framework of artistic creation and philosophical thought. Since at least the early twentieth century, thinkers and artists have probed the nature of intention: what does it mean to act with purpose, and how does that purpose shape the object created? In the visual arts, and photography especially, intention can distinguish the expressive photographer (to borrow a term from the fantastic Alister Benn) from the mere recorder of facts. By slowing down and centering their practice on a deliberate vision, photographers transform their medium from a mechanical means of reproduction into a tool for personal expression, emotional resonance, and meaningful cultural commentary. In philosophical terms, “intentionality” often refers to the directedness of the mind toward something—an idea, an object, a goal. In aesthetics and visual art, intentionality can be understood as the clarity of purpose with which an artist approaches creation. For photographers, intentionality involves making conscious choices at every stage of the photographic process: conceptualizing a project, selecting equipment, choosing a subject, determining when and where to shoot, shaping the composition, adjusting exposure settings, and eventually processing and presenting the final images. In other words, it is not merely the physical act of photographing that matters, but the ideas and motivations that precede and inform it. In a philosophical sense, figures like Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger have explored intentionality as a fundamental quality of consciousness—consciousness is always about something, always directed. In photography, this philosophical idea translates into ensuring that each photograph is “about” something specific, even if that something is subtle, ambiguous, or emotionally charged rather than narratively explicit. Instead of passive reception, the photographer imposes structure on the visual world, selecting and emphasizing certain elements while omitting others. This transformation of raw perception into a meaningful image lies at the heart of photographic intentionality. To distinguish an intentional photographer from one who merely reacts to external stimuli, consider the difference between a painter and a casual tourist with a camera. The painter faces a blank canvas, compelled to envision the subject before rendering it. The tourist, by contrast, is confronted with a fully formed scene and simply clicks the shutter. Photography’s unique nature as a medium—instantaneous, mechanical, and indexical—often obscures the importance of intention, making it appear that the photographer is a passive observer. Yet truly impactful photographs often arise from deep conceptual foundations. The intentional photographer does not just capture what is there; they shape what we see, and in doing so, direct our interpretation and emotional response. While any photograph is evidence of a moment in front of the camera, not all photographs emerge from the same mindset. Consider two different photographers walking down the same bustling street. The first raises their camera whenever something visually interesting crosses their path—a splash of color here, a curious gesture there—reacting instinctively to external stimuli. Their images may be spontaneous and, at times, serendipitously beautiful, but these images are often disconnected from a larger conceptual framework. They risk becoming a haphazard collection of interesting “moments” rather than part of a coherent body of work. The second photographer might approach the same scene having already defined a theme or intention: to document the quiet persistence of human labor or to reflect on the interplay of old architecture with new technologies. Equipped with this conceptual lens, they do not just react; they actively seek out subjects that align with their vision. Where the reactive photographer might randomly capture a passerby or a storefront, the intentional photographer watches for specific gestures of work, patterns of urban decay, or subtle juxtapositions that convey their chosen theme. Each exposure is shaped by prior thought and directed at expressing something more profound than the sum of its visual parts. This difference can also manifest technically. The reactive photographer might leave their camera on automatic settings, snapping quickly with minimal adjustments. The intentional photographer, by contrast, is likely to take control of aperture, shutter speed, or focal length to ensure each image fulfills a previously considered idea. The result is not necessarily better photography in a purely formal sense—reactive photographers can capture magnificent images too—but the intentional approach more consistently yields photographs that cohere into a meaningful, personal statement. Over time, this approach leads to the development of a distinct photographic identity and an artistic voice that resonates across multiple projects. From the earliest days of the camera, intention has influenced photographic practice. In the 19th century, pioneering practitioners recognized that composition and purpose mattered despite photography’s mechanical nature. Julia Margaret Cameron, for instance, approached portraiture with a Romantic sensibility, carefully posing her subjects to embody allegorical figures or evoke literary themes. Her soft-focus technique, often criticized at the time, was not a technical failing but a deliberate choice: a manifestation of intentionality meant to transform the photographic portrait from a static record into a poetic statement. The Kiss of Peace, by Julia Margaret Cameron (public domain) Philosophers and theorists of photography—such as Susan Sontag in and Roland Barthes in —have highlighted that photography is never just a neutral record. Even seemingly objective documentary images reflect the photographer’s choices: what to include, what to exclude, when to press the shutter. Barthes described the photograph as a “message without a code,” yet it is still filtered through intention. In the documentary tradition, W. Eugene Smith’s curated photo essays for magazine, for instance, were not mere reportage. Through careful sequencing, composition, and thematic emphasis, Smith shaped viewers’ understanding, revealing his moral and aesthetic intentions. Such work underscores that conscious intention is integral not just to fine art photography, but to all photographic genres. Developing an artistic voice in photography requires more than technical skill; it demands introspection, conceptual clarity, and deliberate choice-making. Intentionality is the mechanism through which an artist’s internal vision finds consistent external expression. Without intention, the photographic portfolio can devolve into a series of unrelated experiments—images may be aesthetically pleasing but lack the coherence that transforms a collection of pictures into a body of work with a discernible voice. When a photographer invests time in cultivating their intentions, they inevitably begin to recognize patterns in their work: recurring themes, preferred subjects, favored lighting conditions, or signature compositional styles. By identifying these patterns, photographers can push themselves to refine or challenge them, moving closer to the core of what they wish to say. This ongoing process creates a feedback loop: the more the photographer acts with intention, the clearer their artistic voice becomes, and the clearer their voice becomes, the more natural it feels to shoot with even greater intention. Throughout the history of photography, numerous practitioners have exemplified the power of intention. Ansel Adams’s pre-visualization concept is a prime example. Adams insisted that a photographer should be able to see the final print in their mind’s eye before making an exposure. In doing so, Adams transformed the landscape photograph from a casual depiction of scenery into a meticulously crafted statement of tonal beauty and environmental reverence. His photographs of Yosemite are not merely documents of a place; they are expressions of a personal spiritual bond with nature. Adams’s approach to exposure and darkroom technique—checking brightness values, using filters to adjust the sky, fine-tuning development times—demonstrates a relentless pursuit of aesthetic intention. Henri Cartier-Bresson, though often associated with the spontaneous “decisive moment,” also engaged deeply with intention, albeit in a different way. While Cartier-Bresson’s street photography appears reactive, he did not merely wander aimlessly. He studied geometry, composition, and form, setting mental parameters for what constituted a meaningful image. His intentional approach lay in understanding human gesture, predicting the convergence of elements, and anticipating emotional resonance. Though he worked quickly and seemingly by instinct, Cartier-Bresson’s preparedness and conceptual framework allowed him to seize “decisive moments” that conveyed layered significance rather than random occurrences. The Tetons and the Snake River, by Ansel Adams Contemporary conceptual photographers, such as Jeff Wall or Gregory Crewdson, carry this theatrical intentionality even further, often investing enormous effort in constructing elaborate scenes that function like cinematic stills. Their tableaux are planned, lit, and staged with a level of intentionality that rivals film directors. In these works, intention manifests not only in composition and technique but also in the conceptual layers they invite the viewer to peel back. Nothing is left to chance; everything in the frame matters. Cultivating intention is a process that demands sustained effort. Photographers can begin by studying the work of masters, analyzing how others have imbued their images with purpose. Close examination of fine art photography monographs, museum collections, and critical essays can reveal the subtle decisions that shape a photographer’s style. Observing how a photographer approaches landscapes, or navigates intimacy and community, can inspire you to think more critically about your own goals. Deliberate practice is another key factor. Setting challenges and assignments for oneself—such as focusing on a single subject over an extended period, or working exclusively with a particular focal length—forces the photographer to approach image-making with greater care. By embracing constraints, photographers learn to operate within conceptual frameworks that sharpen their intentions. Over time, this disciplined approach can crystallize personal vision and encourage the photographer to become more selective and discerning. Reflection is equally critical. After shooting, photographers should review their images and ask: What was I trying to convey? Did I succeed? If not, why not? Journaling about one’s photographic experiences, noting the emotions and ideas behind certain images, can help clarify intentions and guide future projects. By engaging in this iterative process, photographers gradually refine their visual language. They may come to understand that certain techniques—dramatic contrasts, shallow depth of field, wide angle distortion—align well with their conceptual goals, while others do not. Thus, personal vision emerges as the cumulative result of study, experimentation, careful critique, and the conscious shaping of one’s artistic path. The digital revolution, social media proliferation, and the democratization of image-making have complicated the notion of intentionality. On the one hand, the accessibility of high-quality cameras and editing software allows photographers unprecedented control over their images. This technical empowerment can support greater intentionality, as photographers can now fine-tune their photographs with precision. They can pre-visualize images using digital sketches, manipulate color and contrast in post-production, and distribute their work widely to audiences aligned with their creative vision. On the other hand, the sheer volume of images online creates a formidable challenge. Constant exposure to others’ work can dilute one’s intentions or push photographers into trends that have no personal meaning. The seduction of “likes” and “follows” may encourage photographers to produce images that please algorithms rather than reflect their inner vision. In such an environment, maintaining intention requires discipline: photographers must protect their conceptual focus amid a barrage of external stimuli. They need to resist the urge to mimic others thoughtlessly and remember what drives their own creative impulses. Power House Mechanic Working on Steam Pump, by Lewis Hine (public domain) For photographers seeking to deepen their intentionality, a range of strategies can be put into practice: Instead of shooting aimlessly, define a clear theme or subject to explore over time. This could be as simple as documenting the interplay of light and shadow in a single neighborhood or as complex as examining the cultural significance of a particular ritual. By narrowing focus, photographers learn to approach image-making with conceptual clarity. Limiting oneself to a single lens, a single color palette, or a defined timeframe encourages resourcefulness and careful thought. Constraints force photographers to be intentional with composition and to find creative solutions within limitations. Before heading out with the camera, spend time writing about the goals for that session. What emotions do you want to evoke? What narrative do you hope to convey? By externalizing thoughts on paper, you cement them in your mind, making it easier to translate intention into visual terms. After shooting, critically assess the images. Ask what worked, what fell flat, and why. Over time, patterns emerge that guide future efforts. This iterative loop between intention, execution, and reflection drives consistent improvement. Treat your portfolio as a living document of your intentions. Curate images that share thematic or stylistic connections, and remove those that dilute your message. This process teaches you to see your work as a cohesive whole, reinforcing the importance of intentional creation and selection. Dialogue with peers, mentors, or curators can clarify your intentions. Outside perspectives can highlight strengths and weaknesses you might overlook. Such exchanges often spark new ideas, guiding you to refine your visual language and deepen your conceptual frameworks. Acting with intention also carries ethical and philosophical weight. When photographers shape a narrative through selective framing, they implicitly influence how viewers understand and interpret reality. Documentarians, for example, must recognize that their intentions affect how events are portrayed and perceived. A photographer covering social injustice who intentionally focuses on intimate moments of human resilience can inspire empathy, while one who prioritizes violent spectacle might reinforce stereotypes or desensitize viewers. Moreover, photographers must consider the power dynamics at play. Staging a scene or directing a subject raises questions about authenticity. Is it ethical to guide subjects into poses that reflect the photographer’s conceptual intentions rather than their natural behavior? These dilemmas are not new—Lewis Hine, for instance, arranged compositions of child laborers to maximize emotional impact—but the ubiquity of images today amplifies the stakes. Artistic intention also shapes emotional responses. The way an image is composed, toned, or sequenced can elicit empathy, outrage, nostalgia, or contemplation. Through intention, photographers set emotional cues for viewers. The resulting emotional experience can enlighten, comfort, challenge, or manipulate. This power underscores the responsibility inherent in intentional image-making. The photographer must weigh their desires for expression against the potential psychological impact on audiences and subjects alike. It's valuable to reflect on the role intentionality plays in elevating photography. Without intention, photography risks becoming mere documentation—an endless stream of images that record phenomena without interpreting them. While documentation has its place, the images that resonate most deeply are those charged with personal vision. These photographs move beyond simple likeness to explore meaning, identity, place, emotion, and truth. Abraham Lincoln, by Mathew Benjamin Brady (public domain) Intention also ensures that the act of photography remains an act of authorship. Just as a writer uses words to convey ideas, a photographer employs aesthetic elements to engage viewers’ minds and hearts. By controlling the message rather than allowing the environment or technology to dictate the outcome, the photographer claims authorship over their creation. This authorship confers artistic integrity and situates photography as a legitimate form of cultural production, on par with painting, sculpture, film, and literature. In a world saturated with images, the importance of intentionality in photography cannot be overstated. While anyone can click a shutter, not everyone can create a photograph that resonates with viewers on a deep, conceptual level. Intentionality sets apart those who engage with photography as an art form from those who use it merely as a recording device. It challenges photographers to consider what they wish to communicate, why, and how. By doing so, it transforms photography into a medium of expression and cultural commentary. Throughout history, the photographers who left indelible marks on the medium—Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Cindy Sherman, and countless others—share a common trait: they approached their work with purposeful direction. They envisioned outcomes before pressing the shutter, refined their techniques to match their visions, and curated their images to form coherent statements. Their success was not accidental but the product of deliberate practice, reflection, and conceptual rigor. Today’s photographers, navigating an era of unprecedented visual abundance, face new challenges in maintaining intention. Yet the core principles remain the same. By setting conceptual frameworks, working within chosen constraints, journaling goals, critically evaluating one’s images, and thoughtfully curating a portfolio, a photographer can foster an artistic voice that is both personal and resonant. In doing so, they gain the power to shape how audiences perceive subjects, grapple with ideas, and experience emotion through images. Ultimately, cultivating personal intention in photography elevates it from documentation to a form of meaningful cultural contribution. Through intentionality, photography can reflect the complexities of the human condition, interrogate social realities, conjure emotional nuance, and offer new ways of seeing. By embracing intentionality, photographers honor the medium’s rich history, harness its unique expressive potential, and invite viewers into a shared space of understanding, reflection, and creative dialogue. Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.
SEO Poisoning: How Cybercriminals Are Turning Search Engines into TrapsSEATTLE , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines is proud to announce new nonstop service between San Diego International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), becoming the only airline to offer this direct route and enhance connectivity to the nation's capital. Tickets will soon be available for purchase on www.alaskaair.com . On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation approved our application as part of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 to operate roundtrip service between San Diego and DCA. For nearly 40 years, we've proudly served San Diego with the exceptional and caring service that we're known for. We've connected our guests to DCA since 2001 and today offer nonstop service from Seattle , Portland , San Francisco and Los Angeles . "We are pleased the DOT sees the value of Alaska providing direct service between San Diego and DCA, and we thank the many leaders, local businesses and organizations who supported our bid," said CEO Ben Minicucci. "This new route reflects our commitment to San Diego , home of the nation's largest military community, and offers our guests a seamless travel option to our nation's capital." "Today is a great day for the San Diego Region with the announcement of a new, nonstop flight to Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport. This flight will further connect our growing defense, research and innovation economies to our leaders in the Capitol," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria . "Securing this flight was a team effort by our partners from Alaska Airlines, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, and our congressional delegation. I especially want to thank U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker for selecting San Diego as one of the five new DCA flight slot recipients." As the carrier with the most nonstop destinations from San Diego , Alaska will offer 40 nonstop destinations and more than 70 peak-day departures when our new service to DCA begins. Together with our Global Partners, we offer one-stop service from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to more than 330 destinations.* Currently, SAN has the greatest number of passengers of any U.S. airport without service to DCA. Whether you're flying nonstop or catching a connecting a flight at SAN, www.alaskaair.com has options for what works best for you: you can book flights on 22 partner airlines or redeem Mileage Plan miles, all on our site. "We are very pleased Alaska Airlines has received approval to begin nonstop service between San Diego International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," said Kimberly J. Becker , president and CEO, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. " San Diego has been the largest origin-destination market without service to Reagan National Airport and it has significant defense, biotech, and communications technology sectors that require efficient access to the core of the national capital region. This new nonstop route will greatly enhance the connectivity between these two strategic regions for business and our leisure passengers." Alaska's elevated travel experience offers a blend of comfort and caring service for a seamless journey, including no change fees, the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class, satellite Wi-Fi and the most generous Mileage Plan with the fastest path to elite status. Savor the best of West Coast-inspired food and beverages, including complimentary snacks and chef-curated meals. With access to Alaska Lounge locations for members and First Class guests on flights more than 2,000 miles, you can unwind in ultimate comfort before take-off. Building off our newest Lounge in San Francisco , we're set to nearly double our footprint in 3 years. We recently announced a plan to continue expanding our Lounge program, including in San Diego and Honolulu , followed by a new world-class Lounge in Seattle to support international service. We'll begin with an expanded Anchorage Lounge early next year and open our new Portland Lounge in 2026. In September, we began adding more Premium Class seating across our mainline fleet, including our 900ERs, 800s and MAX9s. We plan to increase our 737-800 First Class seats from 12 to 16 to make it easy for our guests to upgrade and meet the demand for premium seating. In First Class, our new premium seating will provide a calf rest, new seatback device holder, 6-way headrest with neck support and USB-C charging capabilities. In our 737-800 Main Cabin and Premium Class, guests will continue to experience comfort and convenience at every seat with improved features, including new device holders with built in cup holders, USB-C charging and a 6-way headrest with dedicated neck support. About Alaska Air Group Alaska Air Group, Inc. is based in Seattle and comprised of subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., Horizon Air and McGee Air Services. With our recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, we now serve more than 140 destinations throughout North America , Central America, Asia and across the Pacific. We are committed to safety, remarkable customer care, operational excellence, financial performance and sustainability. Alaska Airlines is a member of the one world Alliance. With one world and our additional global partners, our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide destinations. Book travel throughout the Pacific on Hawaiian Airlines at hawaiianairlines.com . Learn more about Alaska Airlines at news.alaskaair.com and Hawaiian Airlines at newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog . Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK." View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-selected-to-connect-san-diego-and-ronald-reagan-washington-national-airport-with-nonstop-service-302334277.html SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINES