Amtrak train strikes, kills person in Northeast D.C.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

A person was struck and killed Monday evening by an Amtrak train in Northeast Washington, authorities said.

The train struck the unnamed person at around 6:37 p.m. Monday, according to an Amtrak alert on X. The collision occurred near 2200 Adams Place NE, D.C. Fire and EMS said in a post.

The victim was found in the 2000 block of Bladensburg Road NE and was declared dead at the scene, D.C. firefighters said in an update.

The victim was a trespasser, Amtrak said, and the response to the strike left train traffic delayed for hours.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jun/25/amtrak-train-strikes-kills-person-in-northeast-dc/

Hooters abruptly shuts dozens of ‘underperforming stores’ as inflation hammers diners

June 24, 2024, 4:39 p.m. ET

Hooters abruptly closed dozens of “underperforming stores” – the latest chain to shutter restaurants as inflation batters US consumers.

The famed chicken wings brand, known for its skimpy uniforms, cited “pressure from current market conditions” for its decision to close an unspecified number of stores.

“Like many restaurants under pressure from current market conditions, Hooters has made the difficult decision” to close select locations, a spokesperson told The Post on Monday.

Roughly 40 of the 300 restaurants worldwide were shut, including in Florida, Kentucky, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.

The number of Hooters locations has declined by 12% since 2018, according to restaurant consulting firm Technomic. Meanwhile, competitors Twin Peaks and Dave & Busters have all seen increases since then, CNN reported.

The Hooters rep maintained that the “brand of 41 years” is still “highly resilient and relevant.”

The company has been opening new locations both in the US and internationally, as well as adding Hooters-branded frozen food to grocery stores.

“We look forward to continuing to serve our guests at home, on the go and at our restaurants here in the US and around the globe,” the spokesperson told the Post.

Hooters’ closures come as other popular chains close their doors.

Seafood chain Red Lobster shuttered 93 locations last month before filing for bankruptcy, while Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, Boston Market and California Pizza Kitchen also recently closed restaurants.

Cracker Barrel’s CEO recently admitted the chain is “just not as relevant” as it used to be as its stock has been in freefall.

Overall, restaurant spending has slowed amid high dining costs, falling in four of the past six months, according to Census data as reported by NBC.

Sales totaled $93.6 billion in May, the lowest monthly sales volume since October 2023, according to the Nation’s Restaurant Association.

Meanwhile, 41% of consumers said they plan to spend less on restaurants this year, according to a survey from consultant group KPMG.

That’s a stark contrast from last year, when consumers said they planned to spend more on restaurants.

https://nypost.com/2024/06/24/business/hooters-abruptly-shuts-dozens-of-underperforming-stores-as-inflation-hammers-diners/

‘Sopranos’ Star Suggests Hollywood Celebrities Are Getting Paid to Support Biden

June 25, 2024 - 11:50 am

“The Sopranos” actress Drea de Matteo has suggested that Hollywood stars and other celebrities are being paid to publicly support President Joe Biden and the Democrats.

During a Monday interview on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Matteo claimed that Hollywood is full of “quiet” Trump supporters.

She argues that actors throwing their weight behind Biden are being paid to do so.

Matteo appeared on the show to discuss the recent lineup of Hollywood stars that have come forward to speak about their support of Biden in this upcoming election.

Host Jesse Watters played a montage of the actors who claim to support Biden.

Watters then asked the actress if there were supporters of Trump in the deep-blue entertainment industry.

“Hello there, first of all. And I think there is a lot of them. I think there are a lot of — that was a hard intro to watch. I’m sorry,” Matteo laughed.

“Was it Jack Black’s legs?” Watters teased. “No, it’s the Italian, man,” Matteo said.

“We’re talking about Fauci, we’re talking about De Niro. “I am mortified right now by my people.

“I don’t know understand what we’re doing here. “Anyhow, yes. There are a lot of quiet Trump supporters.

https://slaynews.com/news/sopranos-star-suggests-hollywood-celebrities-getting-paid-support-biden/