More than 1.3 million workers filed initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week ending July 4, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday, down only slightly from the previous week's tally. In New York, the number filing initial claims was up from the previous week.The Labor Department reported that 1.314 million workers filed initial claims, down 99,000 from 1.413 million, which had been revised downward from 1.427 million initially reported.As the pandemic forced the nation's economy to

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $11 million in meth at the World Trade Bridge, authorities said.
The case unfolded Friday, when a vehicle arriving from Mexico was referred for K-9 and X-ray inspections. CBP officers then discovered 570.79 pounds of meth within the consignment.
CBP said the narcotics had an estimated street value of $11,415,859.
"These drugs will not reach Main Street USA due to the efforts of the officers in our cargo facilities,” said Port Dir

How's this for a big picture? It shows a storm sitting about 50 miles east of Wilmington, North Carolina. It is becoming a little better organized, although the thunderstorms are not hanging out in the middle, rather to the east of the center. If you want a healthy, organized system (which nobody does) you want rain bands and storms spinning about the center. This low is going to move north/northeast near the Outer Banks later today and then along the mid-Atlantic coast tonight and tomorrow. The

SARATOGA — The collapse of a multi-level deck injured several people, including children, Wednesday evening at a building along Route 9P, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office.The mass-casualty event occurred at about 8:31 a.m. Deputies said eight people were standing on an upper deck when it gave way and collapsed on people on a deck below.Deputies said most of the injuries were minor but one man was taken to Saratoga Hospital for medical care and three children