US

Dec 21 2025BUSINESS

A Montclair Favorite Says Goodbye

A beloved local spot, Butler and the Board, is shutting down at the end of December. The owners, Jeff and Cathy Butler, shared the news on Instagram, mentioning their lease is up and they are ready for a new chapter. This small business, located at 103 Forest St. , was known for its handcrafted cha

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Dec 21 2025TECHNOLOGY

Springfield's Straw-Tastic Job Boom: A Green Building Revolution

In Springfield, an innovative plan is brewing. A company named Durra Panel USA is eyeing the city for a new factory. This factory won't just make any old building materials. It will turn leftover wheat straw into strong, eco-friendly panels. The technology comes from Sweden, but it's been perfected

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Dec 21 2025ENTERTAINMENT

A Christmas Story That Almost Wasn't

In 1965, CBS executives were not happy with the first cut of "A Charlie Brown Christmas. " They thought it was too slow, not funny enough, and too religious. The producers agreed, feeling they had ruined Peanuts. The special had been made quickly and on a tight budget, and the executives were worrie

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Dec 21 2025RELIGION

Belief: Why Is It So Hard to Grasp?

Faith isn't easy for everyone. Some people find it naturally, while others struggle, even when they see strong signs. This isn't just a problem during Christmas; it's something people deal with all the time. The story of Jesus' birth is a big part of many people's beliefs. It's a story that has chan

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Dec 21 2025FINANCE

Klarna and Coinbase Join Forces for Stablecoin Funding

Klarna, a Swedish fintech firm famous for its "Buy Now, Pay Later" service, has teamed up with Coinbase, a major crypto exchange. This partnership aims to introduce stablecoins into Klarna's methods for raising funds from big investors. The plan involves using USDC, a type of stablecoin, to secure

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Dec 21 2025POLITICS

Senate Rules and Political Games: Why Some of Trump's Picks Are Stuck

Senate rules are causing trouble for some of Trump's choices for important legal jobs. The "blue slip" rule, which has been around for a long time, is being used by Democrats and some Republicans to block these picks. This rule lets senators from a state veto nominees for certain legal jobs in their

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Dec 21 2025POLITICS

Money Matters: The Ups and Downs of Republican and Democrat Campaigns

House Republicans are in a tough spot. They have more seats to defend, and their main fundraising group is behind in cash compared to the Democrats. At the end of October, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had more money saved up than the National Republican Congressional Committee. I

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Dec 21 2025TECHNOLOGY

AI Ambitions Might Be Hurting Your Next Laptop Purchase

The tech world is in a bit of a pickle. Microsoft's big push for AI-powered PCs, called Copilot+ PCs, might be making laptops more expensive and harder to find. These AI PCs need special parts, like a lot of RAM and a specific chip called an NPU. But there's a problem: RAM is in short supply, and pr

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Dec 21 2025TECHNOLOGY

Tech Giants Ditch AGI: What's in a Name?

Big tech companies are stepping away from the term AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence. They once saw it as the ultimate goal for AI. Now, they're using new terms instead. Why the change? AGI was supposed to mean AI that matches or beats human intelligence. But the definition was always vague.

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Dec 21 2025TECHNOLOGY

Windows 11's Hidden Gems: Why You Should Care

Windows 11 has a secret folder called GodMode. It's not a mode, but a collection of important settings. To use it, create a new folder and rename it to a specific string. This folder gives access to settings that are usually hard to find. One useful setting is the option to change from double-click

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