Category: News
A Market Crash And Recession Are Bullish, Not Bearish
A Market Crash And Recession Are Bullish, Not Bearish
Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,
This isn’t “Capitalism,” it’s Model Collapse ushering in the inevitable conflagration.
One of the most peculiar hyper-normalized hallucinations about “Capitalism” is that markets and the economy “should always go up” and if they don’t, something is terribly wrong and somebody better do something to fix it.
Remarkably, this hyper-normalized hallucination is the exact opposite of real-world “Capitalism,” which relies on the periodic clearing of excesses of debt, leverage and speculation as its essential mechanism of self-correction and adaptation. If these are stripped out, “Capitalism” fails as a system.
The two charts of the NASDAQ stock index below illustrate the astounding divide between a real-world understanding of “Capitalism” and the hyper-normalized hallucination of always goes up “Capitalism.”
Various justifications are trotted out to support the “markets and GDP should always go up” narrative:
1. There’s always a Bull Market somewhere. In other words, the market and “growth” are always going up somewhere, and so rotating out of flat sectors into growing sectors enables markets to always go up.
2. The economy can no longer survive a market crash or recession, and so we can’t allow either to happen. Spoiler alert: If the market and economy cannot survive self-correction, then “Capitalism” as a system has already failed.
3. The Federal Reserve has mastered the art of manipulating–oops, I mean managing–the market and economy via adjusting the dials of liquidity, stimulus, money supply, cost of credit, etc. As a happy result of their god-like financial powers, markets and GDP will never go down again, barring an alien invasion or asteroid strike.
These justifications overlook the need for systems to self-correct self-reinforcing excesses that reflect the inevitable self-reinforcing human emotions: greed / confidence and doubt / fear: soaring markets generate demand for more credit and leverage to boost higher risk gambles which in the euphoria of the bubble are perceived as guaranteed to win rather than guaranteed to fail.
Given that the core functions of capitalism require feedback that correct / clear excesses, these justifications are incoherent. Dynamic systems such as capitalism don’t remain in a steady state; they are constantly in motion, and humanity’s herd instinct and built-in attraction to windfalls will inevitably generate the madness of crowds which then generate excesses of borrowing, leverage, risk and speculation, all of which must be reset via market crashes and recessions.
If corrective market crashes and recessions are not allowed (via ever higher stimulus, moral-hazard backstops of the biggest gamblers, etc.), then the system becomes increasingly brittle and dependent on hallucinations such as “markets can always go up, and so they should always go up.”
Actually, excesses must be wiped out to enable markets and economies to reset organically rather than kept aloft by centrally organized manipulation. The forest fire analogy explains this: routine, periodic fires burn off the deadwood that piles up in a forest, clearing space for new growth. If these healthy fires are suppressed, the deadwood (debt, leverage, speculation, moral hazard) reach dangerous extremes: when a fire finally ignites, the conflagration consumes the entire forest.
This is how markets clear excesses of speculation and risk: they crash 80% and reset over a period of years. Though the crash is naturally viewed as disastrously bearish by those absorbing the losses, it’s ultimately bullish for the economy and market, as suppressing the self-correction generates system collapse.
This is how the incoherent, system-failure hallucination views this bullish process: quick, do more of what crippled the system to maintain the illusion that “Capitalism” is “markets always go up.”
This isn’t “Capitalism,” it’s Model Collapse ushering in the inevitable conflagration.
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Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 14:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/market-crash-and-recession-are-bullish-not-bearish
Three injured in two separate stabbings in Aurora over the weekend, police say
Three people were injured in two separate stabbing incidents in Aurora over the weekend, the Aurora Police Department said on Tuesday.
On Saturday at around 5:30 p.m., Aurora police responded to a reported stabbing inside a home in the 500 block of Glenview Avenue in Aurora, a Facebook post from the police department said. Officers found a man with stab wounds, providing emergency aid until he was taken to a local hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
The investigation indicated that the incident resulted from an altercation between two acquaintances inside the home, the police department said.
Jose Antonio Perez-Leon, 25, of Aurora, was taken into custody at the scene and charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the department. Kane County court records indicate that Perez-Leon was released pre-trial, and the name of the public defender representing him was not listed. His next court date is set for March 20.
The following day, at around 8 p.m., police were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of Hammond Avenue on the city’s West Side for a reported stabbing, the Facebook post from the police department said. Officers found two adults with stabbing-related injuries and coordinated medical care until both were taken to area hospitals, officials said.
The investigation of the incident indicated that it had resulted from a domestic-related situation, according to the police department.
Dayton Paul Craig, 23, of Aurora, was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted first-degree murder, as well as several counts of aggravated battery and domestic battery in connection with the incident, the department said. As of Tuesday morning, Craig did not have an attorney listed on the 16th Judicial Circuit’s website. Craig was listed as in custody at the Kane County Jail as of Tuesday morning.
The police department said there were no updates available on the victims’ conditions as of Tuesday morning.
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
Photos: The best images from Day 4 of the 2026 Winter Olympics
Germany’s Julia Taubitz kisses the gold medal after the women’s single luge competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Aijaz Rahi/AP)
Kyrylo Marsak of Ukraine reacts to his scores after competing during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Francisco Seco/AP)
Athletes from Team France take a selfie with Olympic macot Tina prior to the Women’s Preliminary Group A match between United States and Canada on day four of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Maja Hitij/Getty)
Korey Dropkin of the United States competes against Sweden during the curling mix doubles gold medal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Bernat Armangue/AP)
United States’ Breezy Johnson celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, downhill portion of a women’s team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Andy Wong/AP)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, from right, Ben Ogden, of the United States, and Oskar Opstad Vike, of Norway, compete in the final of the cross-country skiing men’s sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Corinne Stoddard, right, of the United States crashes as Courtney Sarault of Canada avoids her while competing in the team mixed relay short track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP)
Oskar Opstad Vike, of Norway, celebrates with fans after winning the bronze medal in the cross-country skiing men’s sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Arianna Fontana of Italy celebrates after Team Italy takes the gold medal in the team mixed relay short track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
Japan’s Rei Halloran makes a save during a preliminary round match of women’s ice hockey between Japan and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Petr David Josek/AP)
Gold medalist Linn Svahn, of Sweden, center, hugs silver medalist Jonna Sundling, right, and bronze medalist Maja Dahlqvist, both also of Sweden, after the cross-country skiing women’s sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Matthias Schrader/AP)
Italy’s Sofia Goggia crashes as she speeds down the course during an alpine ski, downhill portion of a women’s team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)
Corinne Stoddard of the United States wipes out as Xinran Wang of the People’s Republic of China moves past to win while competing in the women’s 500 meter short track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Francisco Seco/AP)
Nika Prevc, of Slovenia, soars through the air during the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Matthias Schrader/AP)
Germany’s Julia Taubitz celebrates winning the gold medal during the women’s single luge competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 10, 2026. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)
Goldman Says Off-Price Retailers “Structurally Well-Positioned” To Benefit As Trade-Down Behavior Persists
Goldman Says Off-Price Retailers “Structurally Well-Positioned” To Benefit As Trade-Down Behavior Persists
Building on Goldman analyst Scott Feiler’s note last week that consumer trends remain resilient despite ongoing K-shaped concerns, Brooke Roach, a Managing Director in Equity Research at Goldman covering the U.S. retail sector, published a consumer note on Tuesday analyzing recent store-traffic trends across income and ethnicity cohorts.
“We remain constructive on the off-price sector, and believe the industry is structurally well-positioned to benefit from trade down activity, a healthier middle-income consumer, and modest AUR growth as a result of tariff-related pricing increases at full-price retail,” Roach told clients.
She said, “Our checks indicate trends remain solid across the group, though we do note relatively more muted momentum at BURL.” She added, “We see the strongest momentum for ROST and TJX into F4Q results.”
A key chart Roach highlighted showed that off-price store traffic was primarily driven by low-income consumers, but that shifted sharply as trade-down activity accelerated among higher-income shoppers through late 2025.
Feiler recently noted, “It seems like consumer trends are still solid. It’s not a clean sweep, but we’re seeing January growth as strong, or stronger than December for most companies we have heard from.”
On Friday, the latest data from the Federal Reserve showed 2025 closed with a surprising surge in consumer credit. However, retail sales data for December, released on Tuesday, disappointed, as fears about a fragile consumer economy returned.
Roach’s key takeaway: off-price retailers should remain solidly performing this year as consumer trade-down behavior persists and K-shaped fears mount.
Read more about Feiler’s consumer spending trends (here). And of course, Professional subscribers can learn more about the consumer trends on our new Marketdesk.ai portal.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 14:25
District 5 Dem candidates for the DuPage board discuss county’s biggest issue
With the March 17 primary election right around the corner, Democrats in the Naperville area will be narrowing the field of DuPage County Board District 5 candidates from three to one.
Incumbent Sadia Covert is facing challengers Ian Holzhauer, a Naperville City Council member, and Marylee Leu, president of the DuPage County Regional Office of Education Board of School Trustees. The winner will face Republican nominee Chris Jacks, a Naperville Park Board member, in the Nov. 3 general election to fill a single four-year board seat.
Democratic incumbent board member Dawn DeSart and Republican challenger Daniel Lomeli will face off in the general election for a two-year District 5 seat.
District 5 encompasses a large portion of Naperville in addition to sections of Aurora, Warrenville, Lisle and Woodridge.
The Naperville Sun asked the contested Democratic candidates for their biographical information and four questions on where they stand on issues facing DuPage County. This is the first in a series of articles on the race.
DuPage County Board District 5 incumbent candidate Sadia Covert. (Sadia Covert)
Sadia Covert
Age: Declined to answer
Marital status: Married
Children’s ages (if applicable): Declined to answer
Hometown: Naperville
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Benedictine University, law degree from Western Michigan University
Occupation: Attorney
Employer: Covert Marrero Covert law firm
Current elected office: DuPage County Board member for District 5 since 2018
Civic or social service group membership or community volunteer work:
Former secretary for the Family Support Services Board, an organization helping victims of domestic violence;
Panelist for the United Nations’ 62nd Commission on the Status of Women;
Advisory board member for Muslim American Leadership Alliance;
Member of Naperville Interfaith Leadership Alliance;
Co-authored amendment to the Illinois hate crime law, which unanimously passed in 2017;
Former chair of the women and minority committee for the Democratic Party of DuPage County;
Recipient of the Barack Obama Presidential Service Award.
Naperville City Councilman Ian Holzhauer, who was re-elected to the Naperville City Council in April 2025, is a candidate in the 2026 Democratic primary election for DuPage County Board District 5. (Ian Holzhauer)
Ian Holzhauer
Age: 43
Marital status: Divorced
Children’s ages: 17, 15, 14, 10
Hometown: Naperville
Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, law degree from Georgetown University
Occupation: Attorney
Employer: Campbell Holzhauer Concierge law firm
Current elected office: Naperville City Council member since April 2021
Civic or social service group membership or community volunteer work:
Member of the Downtown Naperville Alliance;
Member of the Naperville Riverwalk Commission;
Former board chair for the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce;
Former board member for NCTV17;
Former member of the DuPage Children’s Museum Next Generation Board;
Former chair of the Trustees for First Congregational United Church of Christ in Naperville;
Served in the U.S. Air Force from 2007 to 2014.
Marylee Leu is a candidate in the 2026 Democratic primary election for the DuPage County Board District 5 seat. (Marylee Leu)
Marylee Leu
Age: 54
Marital status: Divorced
Children’s ages: 21, 17
Hometown: Aurora
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Excelsior University
Occupation: Project manager
Employer: Self-employed, currently doing contract work for Accelerate Climate Solutions
Current elected office: President of the DuPage County Regional Office of Education Board of School Trustees since 2023
Civic or social service group membership or community volunteer work:
Executive board member for Indivisible Naperville;
Board member for OLI Gardens;
Campaign manager for Aurora Ward Seven Alderman Javier Bañuelos;
Campaign treasurer for Aurora Mayor John Laesch;
Volunteer escort for Planned Parenthood;
Worked for Illinois 3rd District Appellate Court Justice Linda Davenport;
Served as a U.S. Navy Hospital corpsman in Naples, Italy, and Portsmouth, Virginia, from 1996 to 2001.
What do you see as the biggest issue facing DuPage County right now? (Answers edited lightly for clarity.)
Covert: I feel like there are three issues facing our county right now. Not in this particular order, they would be housing, food insecurity and mental health.
I’ve been working with the board on these three issues. We’re in the middle of projects regarding housing. We need more housing and we need to make housing affordable and accessible.
I supported accessory dwelling units, ADUs, in the county, unincorporated, to be rented out to nonfamily members under the age of 62. I also supported down payment assistance for new homebuyers. And also there’s a tax deferment program for retired seniors, property tax permit programs for retired seniors that qualify, so that should help.
But we do need to fill the middle gap because there’s no reason why families, firefighters and teachers … shouldn’t be able to afford a home so we need to get more housing.
Food insecurity: I know that SNAP benefits were cut in November and I know they were reinstated, but I just don’t trust the administration right now with that issue. I think food insecurity is going to get worse … and we do need to have a more sustainable option for our food pantries. I gave a portion of my ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to Loaves and Fishes. I supported them, and I always have supported every food pantry and looking for more sustainable options, like indoor, outdoor gardens, so we could have fresh produce all year round. So that’s something we’re working on.
And then mental health is really an issue. We just built the (DuPage County) Crisis Recovery Center (CRC), and I also donated a part of my ARPA funds to the CRC, and we’re doing great. We have buy-ins, and we’re helping children, adults with mental health and substance abuse. We need to continue that work.
Holzhauer: I think, and this applies to many counties, but we have this national climate right now where there have been drastic cuts to county governments, and the areas that have seen the most drastic cuts are support for human services, which is unconscionable. And when you layer this on top of the cuts that are happening to SNAP and Medicaid, what you’re being left with is the county is taking on more social service responsibilities with far fewer federal resources in a very short period of time. So being able to nimbly adjust to that is extraordinarily challenging, and it’s unfortunate the position that many counties are in right now, through no fault of their own.
Leu: I would say the cost of living and affordable housing. For example … my 21-year-old daughter is a mechanical engineering major and when she does graduate in about a year and a half, her expected salary will be around $70,000 to $80,000 a year, which is a respectable graduating salary. However, that’s very near low to moderate income for DuPage County and the ability for her to purchase her own home will be quite challenging on that salary. So there’s a great likelihood that she’ll need to move home with me, which she’d be welcome to do. However, I don’t know that she wants to. I think that even the price of my own home isn’t even affordable for the people who live in it anymore with the current cost of living so I would like to help address some of the property tax pressure, the capital planning, through the board.
cstein@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/dupage-democratic-candidates-primary-district-5/
Fetterman Breaks Ranks With Democrats, Supports Federal Voter ID Measure
Fetterman Breaks Ranks With Democrats, Supports Federal Voter ID Measure
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has broken ranks with Democratic leadership and has come out in favor of requiring photo ID for voting in elections across the nation.
Fetterman appeared on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures” yesterday and told host Maria Bartiromo that voter ID wasn’t an “unreasonable” requirement, saying, “It’s not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote.”
Fetterman’s right
Who agrees? https://t.co/vFUfyQgFPQ
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 9, 2026
Fetterman pointed to states like Wisconsin that have similar protections requiring proof of citizenship for federal voter registration and photo ID at the polls.
He noted that 60% of voters in Wisconsin support such safeguards, despite having elected liberal justice Susan Crawford in 2025 to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
House Republicans plan to vote this week on the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act with national polls showing 83% of Americans support the measure, including 71% of Democrats.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continued to decry the SAVE America Act as “voter suppression” and accused President Trump and GOP leadership of trying to steal the upcoming midterm elections by nationalizing them.
Dana Bash: 71% of your fellow Democrats support requiring an ID to vote. Why are they wrong?
Hakeem Jeffries (D): Republicans are engaging in voter suppression!.. Trump is trying to steal the election!
Elected Dems oppose the will of Americans.pic.twitter.com/tFoNR5Kv2T
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 8, 2026
Fetterman rejected comparisons of the SAVE America Act to resurrecting Jim Crow laws as Democratic leaders have claimed.
The Pennsylvania Senator also broke with his party leadership on the issue of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which is expected to run out on Friday unless lawmakers can break a deadlock.
Fetterman came down on the side of border enforcement and said he does not support shutting down the government, saying, “I don’t ever want to vote to shut our government down again.”
Fetterman told Bartiromo that he expects Democrats and Republicans to remain divided beyond Friday’s funding deadline.
🚨 HOLY SH*T! Senator John Fetterman just WENT ROGUE on his own party and DROPPED TRUTH BOMBS about voter ID!
On Fox with Maria Bartiromo, Fetterman straight-up said:
“And now me, as a Democrat, I do not believe that it’s unreasonable to show I.D. just to vote.”
He kept… pic.twitter.com/AR9P2AZLEx
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 8, 2026
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 14:05
Waukegan High co-principal leaving for Des Plaines: ‘This will expand my experiences’
Waukegan High School’s lead Co-Principal Daniel Hill began thinking about eventually becoming a district-wide administrator, or even a superintendent, earlier this school year.
For the past 24 years — his entire academic career — Hill has been a math teacher, a dean, an assistant principal and principal at Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 schools. He decided now was the time to broaden his horizons.
Hill was chosen out of 24 applicants as the new principal of Maine West High School in Des Plaines on Feb. 2 by the Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education, giving him the opportunity to learn how a different district operates.
With his youngest son graduating from Waukegan High School in May, Hill said the time is right to explore other opportunities outside of District 60. His local tenure ends June 30. He will start at Maine West on July 1, according to a press release from District 207.
“As I thought about the future of my career, possibly being a central district (administrator) or a superintendent, I need new experiences,” Hill said Monday. “Not every district does things the way Waukegan does. This will expand my experiences.”
District 207 Superintendent Tatiana Bonuma said in a news release that everything she, her cabinet and the Board of Education learned from an extensive interview process was “overwhelmingly positive.”
“Daniel (Hill) is an educator who is a learner, leader and coach,” Bonuma said. “He is eager to immerse himself in the traditions at Maine West and focus on academic excellence and a sense of belonging for every student.”
District 60 Superintendent Theresa Plascencia expressed several of the same feelings articulated by Bonuma in an email on Monday, praising Hill’s talents as a leader and his connection to the students under his charge.
“Dan’s leadership, care for students and staff, and his strong connection to the Waukegan community have made a meaningful difference in the lives of so many,” Plascencia said. “While we will miss him in Waukegan Public Schools, we are grateful for his service and wish him continued success in his next chapter.”
Currently earning approximately $156,000 annually, Hill’s salary will climb 25% to $208,000. He said he knew about the difference in compensation, but professional growth, not remuneration, was his main focus.
“I was aware of the difference in pay for high school principals, but that was not the driving force; it was the opportunity for professional growth,” Hill said. “I want to expand my base of knowledge.”
Reflecting on his District 60 career, Hill said he is glad he had the opportunity to work at the elementary, middle and high school levels. He started as a math teacher at Jack Benny Middle School, was a middle school assistant principal, as well as a principal at the elementary and high school level.
“I increased student outcomes everywhere,” Hill said. “It helped me to develop my leadership by being at all levels.”
Between Hill’s initial virtual interview at Maine West and his final meeting with Bonuma and her cabinet, he said there were extensive interviews with all parts of the school community, including students, teachers and administrators. He toured the building with board member Dana Jaime.
In between the initial and final interviews, Hill had two more. He spent nearly a day touring the Maine West campus, meeting with 14 teachers and staff, 11 school administrators as well as 18 students and parents and students, according to the release.
Current Maine West Principal Eileen McMahon was promoted to a district-wide position — director of educator performance and development, according to the release.
Hill, who was born and raised in Chicago, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota in Morris majoring in math, as well as master’s degrees in educational leadership from St. Xavier University and in educational administration from American College of Education.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/waukegan-high-school-co-principal/
“Se perdieron los enseres”: habitantes de zonas inundadas en Colombia piden ayuda al gobierno
Por FERNANDO VERGARA y ASTRID SUÁREZ
MONTERÍA, Colombia (AP) — Rodolfo Ortega navegaba el martes en una pequeña embarcación por las calles inundadas de Montería, una ciudad en el noroeste de Colombia que en los últimos días ha quedado bajo el agua por las repentinas precipitaciones que produjo un frente frío en el mar Caribe.
Su casa, ubicada en el barrio Níspero, está deteriorada por el agua, lo que lo obligó a evacuar con las pocas pertenencias que podía cargar en una pequeña maleta.
“Se deterioró bastante, se perdieron los enseres… apenas vamos con lo que va ahí: la ropa, no más”, aseguró Ortega a The Associated Press, mientras avanzaba la lancha. “(Necesitamos) una ayudita por ahí, siquiera para conseguir los electrodomésticos”, pidió al gobierno.
Su caso se repite por miles en el departamento de Córdoba, donde se ubica Montería, y también en otros como Antioquia, Sucre, Bolívar, Santander, Magdalena y Chocó.
La Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD) calcula en más de 69.000 las familias afectadas en un centenar de municipios en el país, por lo que ha movilizado toneladas de alimentos, kits de aseo y colchonetas para atenderlas. El gobierno ha reportado al menos 15 personas muertas por la emergencia.
“Desde el domingo pasado, primero empezó con unos aguaceros de todo el día, y se pensó que solamente era un aguacero. Luego se desbordó el río Sinú y ahí empezó la inundación”, relató Ortega.
El Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (Ideam) ha reportado el ingreso de dos frentes fríos al Caribe que causaron aumento de oleaje, viento y lluvias.
“Los frentes fríos son fenómenos normales dentro del invierno del hemisferio norte. Lo que sí ocurre es que no es usual que sean tan intensos y que tengan efectos sobre la región Caribe”, explicó la directora del Ideam, Ghisliane Echeverry, la víspera en un consejo de ministros televisado.
Las precipitaciones fueron “sin precedentes”, agregó la funcionaria, dado que en los primeros siete días de febrero cayó la lluvia que se esperaba para todo el mes, lo que en Córdoba causó la crecida del río Sinú. Febrero suele ser un mes de tiempo seco en Colombia.
Ortega ha visto que la inundación en las calles de Montería baja poco a poco, pero está expectante a su futuro inmediato y especialmente a la ayuda gubernamental que pueda recibir para rehacer su vida cotidiana.
La directora del Ideam aseguró que las alertas hidrológicas siguen en rojo en buena parte del país, lo que significa probabilidad de inundaciones y deslizamientos, aunque no prevén el impacto de un tercer frente frío.
“Se van a mantener estas alertas hidrológicas porque las zonas inundadas no se van a desocupar de manera inmediata y ya va a llegar la temporada de más lluvias”, indicó Echeverry.
El presidente Gustavo Petro pidió la víspera a la Corte Constitucional que levante la suspensión de la emergencia económica que él decretó desde diciembre —antes de las inundaciones— buscando recaudar mediante impuestos recursos para el funcionamiento del Estado. Petro asegura que las inundaciones que afectan a miles aumentan la necesidad de recursos expeditos.
Bremen High School’s Braves Closet offers help with discretion in a comforting space
Bremen High School has long had clothing and hygiene products available for students in need, scattered in various storage areas at the school in Midlothian.
But thanks to the school’s longtime chief custodian, Eugene Reyna, all that has changed.
“We came in over the summer and she (Principal Jessica Rucinski) said, let me show you this,” said Jessica Null, a social worker at the school.
Just off the gymnasium, a newly painted bright red door led to racks of neatly organized clothing and shelves of toiletries.
It was a far cry from the dingy closet that had been there before being upgraded by Reyna, who’s been at the school for 13 years.
“I do think it’s nice to have everything in a centralized location where we can offer students in a discreet way,” Null said. “It’s good for them. It’s one less thing they have to worry about when they’re at school.”
Reyna worked last summer to transform the utility space into something that now resembles a pantry.
“We’re fortunate we have a very talented chief custodian — he brought this to life,” said Rucinski. “We just said we wanted a nice space where kids felt comfortable going to.”
The principal said the school has offered a micropantry for about a decade, but there was a need for something more. And as soon as the call for donations went out, many people helped fill what’s now known as The Braves Closet.
“We’re blessed to have so many generous people in the community, that we’re overflowing,” said Don Ligon, a school social worker who helped organize the project. “We did a clothing drive with staff, which really got a lot of great clothes.”
Principal Jessica Rucinski displays items available at The Braves Closet at Bremen High School in Midlothian. Chief custodian Eugene Reyna was instrumental in transforming the closet into a more welcoming space. (Janice Neumann/Daily Southtown)
Ligon said he and other social workers sometimes heard from teachers about students in need.
“If (students) request it or sometimes a teacher, who knows students the best, will say, ‘Hey can you check in with so and so, they don’t have a coat,’” Ligon said.
Students can ask for help discreetly, Ligon said, by using a student app or telling a social worker or teacher. There’s no sign on the closet door either, to avoid broadcasting who’s using it.
To ensure a good selection of items for students to choose from, Ligon said he traded extra items with other district schools that offer similar pantries.
“I know what it’s like to have a student or family ask for help and not have the resources,” he said.
The Braves Closet offers items including women’s blouses, men’s polo shirts, pants, sweaters, sweat shirts, warm jackets, shoes, as well as new socks, underwear and backpacks. Local nonprofit organizations including The Bridge Teen Center, Kabod House International, Open Arms 101 and Be Encouraged Now have donated.
Vanessa Martinez is one of the students at Bremen High School who volunteer to help with The Braves Closet at the school in Midlothian. (Janice Neumann/Daily Southtown)
Students have been involved in the efforts, too, helping organize, label and fold clothing, as well as clean the space.
“I think it is pretty important because there are many students at Bremen who struggle,” said Vanessa Martinez, a junior who volunteers at the closet. “And also it offers a sense of security, less stress and helps them focus on learning instead of what they don’t have.”
Fellow student Mary Contreras said she got involved with the Closet because she enjoys helping out with her school community “in any way I can.”
“I loved the idea of having somewhere where students could take what they needed privately and as often as they needed,” Contreras said.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/bremen-braves-closet-help/
FBI publica primeras imágenes de vigilancia de persona enmascarada en el porche de Nancy Guthrie
Por TY O’NEIL y JOHN SEEWER
TUCSON, Arizona, EE.UU. (AP) — El FBI publicó el martes por primera vez imágenes de videos de vigilancia que muestran a una persona enmascarada en el porche de la madre de la presentadora televisiva Savannah Guthrie la misma noche en que desapareció.
Las imágenes muestran a una persona enmascarada en el porche de Nancy Guthrie. Fueron difundidas en momentos en que la policía y la familia intensificaron sus pedidos de ayuda al público más de una semana después de iniciada la búsqueda.
La policía no ha identificado a ningún sospechoso o persona de interés, y no está claro si Nancy Guthrie sigue con vida. El director del FBI, Kash Patel, publicó las imágenes en X.
“El video fue recuperado de datos residuales ubicados en sistemas de respaldo”, escribió Patel, diciendo que las imágenes muestran “a un individuo armado que parece haber manipulado la cámara en la puerta principal de Nancy Guthrie la mañana de su desaparición”.
El video muestra a la persona con una mochila, mangas largas y pantalones acercándose a la puerta e intentando ocultar una cámara con un guante antes de darse la vuelta, agarrar algunas plantas y luego colocarlas frente a la cámara.
Los investigadores tenían la esperanza de que las cámaras en la casa proporcionaran alguna evidencia pero la cámara del timbre fue desconectada temprano el domingo. Y aunque los datos del software registraron movimiento en la casa minutos después, Nancy Guthrie no tenía una suscripción activa, por lo que no se pudo recuperar ninguna grabación, dijo el jefe policial del condado Pima, Chris Nanos.
El anuncio se produce mientras los mensajes desgarradores de Savannah Guthrie y su familia han pasado de ser esperanzadores a desesperados al suplicar a los aparentes secuestradores que entreguen a su madre.
Tampoco está claro si las notas pidiendo dinero, con plazos que ya han pasado, eran auténticas, o si la familia Guthrie ha tenido algún contacto con los secuestradores.
Guthrie y su familia han publicado una serie de videos durante la última semana, cada uno con un tono diferente. El último mensaje de Savannah Guthrie, en el que apareció sola, fue más sombrío.
“Estamos en una hora de desesperación”, dijo el lunes, diciendo al público: “Necesitamos su ayuda”.
Las autoridades creen que Nancy Guthrie fue llevada contra su voluntad de su casa en las afueras de Tucson. Fue vista por última vez allí el 31 de enero y reportada como desaparecida al día siguiente después de no asistir a la iglesia. Pruebas de ADN muestran que la sangre en el porche de Nancy Guthrie era suya, y una cámara del timbre fue desconectada en las primeras horas del domingo por la mañana, según la policía.
Las autoridades dicen que Nancy Guthrie necesita medicación diaria porque al parecer tiene presión arterial alta y problemas cardíacos, incluido un marcapasos.
Los detectives estuvieron en el vecindario varias veces en los últimos días y planean seguir trabajando el martes mientras amplían la búsqueda y siguen nuevas pistas, declaró la policía.
Tres días después de que comenzara la búsqueda la presentadora del programa “Today” y sus dos hermanos enviaron su primer llamado público a los secuestradores, diciéndoles “queremos escuchar de ustedes y estamos listos para escuchar”.
En el video grabado, Savannah Guthrie dice que la familia está al tanto de versiones de prensa sobre una carta de rescate, pero primero querían pruebas de que su madre estaba viva. “Por favor, contáctenos”, dicen.
La policía se ha negado a decir si las cartas enviadas a varios medios de comunicación eran creíbles, pero dijeron que todas las pistas se estaban investigando seriamente.
Al día siguiente, el hermano de Savannah Guthrie nuevamente dijo a los secuestradores que se comunicaran “para que podamos avanzar”.
“Quienquiera que esté ahí reteniendo a nuestra madre, queremos escuchar de ustedes. No hemos escuchado nada directamente”, indicó Camron Guthrie.
Luego, el fin de semana pasado, la familia publicó otro video, uno que fue más críptico y generó aún más especulaciones sobre el destino de Nancy Guthrie.
“Recibimos su mensaje, y entendemos. Les suplicamos ahora que nos devuelvan a nuestra madre para que podamos celebrar con ella”, señaló Savannah Guthrie, flanqueada por sus hermanos. “Esta es la única manera en que tendremos paz. Esto es muy valioso para nosotros, y pagaremos”.
Hasta ese momento, los primeros tres videos de la familia se dirigían directamente a los secuestradores.
Pero justo antes de la fecha límite del lunes establecida en una supuesta nota, Savannah Guthrie instó a las personas en todo el país a estar atentos “sin importar dónde estén, incluso si están lejos de Tucson, si ven algo, si escuchan algo”.
Su llamado al público se produce mientras gran parte del país sigue de cerca los giros dramáticos que involucran a la veterana presentadora del programa matutino de NBC.
El FBI esta semana comenzó a publicar carteles digitales en ciudades importantes desde Texas hasta California.
Connor Hagan, portavoz del FBI, apuntó el lunes que la agencia no estaba al tanto de ninguna comunicación en curso entre la familia Guthrie y los presuntos secuestradores. Las autoridades tampoco habían identificado a ningún sospechoso o persona de interés, dijo.
“Alguien tiene esa pieza de información que puede ayudarnos a traer a Nancy a casa”, aseguró.
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Seewer reportó desde Toledo, Ohio.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
