24

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Job Openings Matches Number Of Unemployed For First Time In Decades

WASHINGTON, DC (CBS Local) – The U.S. job market reached a historic marker in March as the number of available jobs reportedly equaled the number of unemployed workers for the first time in two decades.

According to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers were advertising openings for 6.55 million positions in March. The May 8 release adds that 6.59 million Americans were unemployed at that time, meaning that there was 1.01 open jobs per unemployed worker in the country.

The Department of Labor said the nearly 6.6. million openings represented the most since the agency started tracking job advertisements in December 2000. The parity of jobs and job seekers is being called a historic oddity as the number of unemployed Americans is usually far above what’s currently available.

According to Market Watch, there were about 6.6 unemployed workers for every job available just after the Great Recession in 2009. Since that point, the gap has steadily shrunk until finally reaching this point in March.

Some economists are now saying that with all of the open positions available, the next number to rise in the job market will be salaries. “Employers beware,” Chris Rupkey of MUFG Bank said, via KBTX. “Wages have nowhere to go but up; it’s just a matter of time.”

While employers may have many spots to fill, the news isn’t as great for the 6.59 million people currently unemployed. A separate survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that 88 percent of businesses said they couldn’t find workers who were qualified for the jobs they were applying for.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2wBjLaX

Chris Paul Not Celebrating Western Conference Finals Appearance

By Matt Citak

Heading into the 2017-18 season, there were not many ways one could criticize the career of Chris Paul.

The recently turned 33-year-old was the fourth overall selection of the 2005 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, Paul averaged 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. His performance earned him the 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, as well as a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team.

This was an amazing way to start a career. But for Paul, things would only go up from there.

Now playing in his 13th season, the veteran point guard has put together quite an impressive resume over the years.

9x NBA All-Star. 4x All-NBA First Team. 3x All-NBA Second Team. 1x All-NBA Third Team. 7x NBA All-Defensive First Team. 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team. 4x NBA assists leader. 6x NBA steals leader. Not to mention career averages of 18.6 points, 9.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game, with a career-shooting percentage of 47.2 percent.

>>MORE: NBA Coverage

Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets drives past the defense of Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in the second half during Game Three of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on May 4, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rockets beat the Jazz 113-92.

Chris Paul (Photo Credit: Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)

There’s no denying that Paul will one day be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon has proved to be not only one of the best point guards in the NBA over the last 13 years, but also one of the greatest all-around players during that span.

For as great as Paul has been since taking the NBA by storm in 2005, all of his accomplishments have been on the personal side of the game.

The point guard had made four trips to the second round of the playoffs prior to this season, once with the New Orleans Hornets and three times with the Los Angeles Clippers. In two of those postseason appearances, Paul came within a game of reaching the conference finals.

Despite his domination on the court, Paul never got over the hump, falling short of the conference finals in each of those four tries. His nine All-Star Game appearances tied him with Dominique Wilkins for the most in NBA history for a player without a trip to a conference finals.

Knowing all of this, one would imagine that with the Houston Rockets up three games to one over the Utah Jazz heading into Tuesday night’s Game 5, Paul might feel a bit nervous. As close as he’s been to making the conference finals in the past, he’s always fallen just short.

Instead, what we witnessed was one of the greatest playoff performances in NBA history. With the taste of the Western Conference Finals on his tongue, the future Hall of Famer put together a jaw-dropping display of basketball genius.

Paul scored a career-playoff-high 41 points while dishing out 10 assists and picking up seven rebounds. He recorded zero turnovers throughout his 38 minutes, making it the first 40-point, 10-assist, no-turnover playoff line since turnovers became an official stat 40 years ago, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Paul was simply unworldly. He shot 13-of-22 from the field, including 8-of-10 from the three-point line (matching his career playoff high for made 3s) and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. With the veteran on the court, Houston outscored Utah by 20 points.

But the 13-year vet seemed to save his best for the fourth quarter, where he scored 20 points while playing the entire 12 minutes. His 20 points set a career-high for points in a quarter, regular season or postseason. He either scored or assisted on 26 of Houston’s 37 points in the final frame, which included all 18 of the team’s points over the last six minutes of the game.

To say he was saving his best for last would be an understatement. The Rockets entered the fourth quarter trailing by three points, and Paul was clearly not about to risk having the series go back to Utah for a Game 6.

Now that he has the monkey off of his back, so to speak, Paul still has a lot left to prove.

Following Tuesday’s win, the point guard was asked if he would be celebrating his first trip to a Conference Finals. His response?

“Not at all. Who plays for just that?”

Despite finishing the regular season with the NBA’s best record, and seven games ahead of the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets still find themselves as underdogs heading into their Western Conference Finals matchup. Houston won two of the three regular-season meetings between the two teams, and will also have home-court advantage, yet Vegas still believes the defending champions will make their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

So while Paul may feel slightly relieved to finally get over the hump, don’t believe for a second that he is satisfied.

Because he, along with the rest of the Houston Rockets, have only one goal in mind.

“We’ve got eight more wins to get…” said Paul following the final buzzer Tuesday.

Vegas may not believe in Houston, but if Paul can put together more performances like his Game 5 gem, then the future Hall of Famer may make his first appearance in the NBA Finals this postseason as well.

Matt Citak is a contributor for CBS Local Sports and a proud Vanderbilt alum. Follow him on Twitter.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2G1iwkp

Capitals Finally End Their Eastern Conference Finals Drought

By Steve Silverman

At the start of the playoffs, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Nashville Predators and the Winnipeg Jets were on a second-round collision course.

The Jets finished with the second-best record in the league, and since both were situated in the NHL’s Central Division, they were destined to meet in the second round as long as they didn’t slip on a banana peel in the first round.

While the Preds had a bit of a problem with the Colorado Avalanche, they survived and advanced. The Jets looked overpowering in dismissing the Minnesota Wild.

This second-round series between the two Western Conference powers has been a classic, worthy of being played in the Conference Final, or, gasp, the Stanley Cup Final.

That would require the NHL powers-that-be to change the Stanley Cup format, and there may not be enough support for that to happen any time soon.

So enjoy Nashville and Winnipeg for what it is. These two teams will meet in a seventh-game finale Thursday night in Nashville, and winning on the road has been a regular occurrence in this series. The Jets trounced the Preds in Games 1 and 5 in Nashville, while the Predators had their two best performances in Games 4 and 6 before the wild-eyed fans at the MTS Center in Winnipeg.

gettyimages 956289938 Capitals Finally End Their Eastern Conference Finals Drought

Credit: Jason Halstead /Getty Images

Neither team has won consecutive games in this series, and if that pattern holds, the Jets will survive Game 7 and advance to the Western Conference Final against the no-longer-surprising Vegas Golden Knights.

The Jets can string goals together in abundance when they are on their game, and they have a powerful foursome in Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and Paul Stastny leading the way. Scheifele has 14 points (nine goals and five assists), but Wheeler (13), Byfuglien (12) an Stastny (11) are right behind.

In addition to those primary scorers, the Jets have explosive Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor in supporting roles – at least for now.

Laine may have the second hardest shot in the league behind Alex Ovechkin and Connor showed off his magic with his three-point night (two goals, one assist) in Game 5.

The Preds got a shutout from Pekka Rinne in Game 6, and that was an admirable performance for last year’s Stanley Cup Finalists.

They had just been taken apart at home, and they needed to come up with a superior effort to stay alive. Head coach Peter Laviolette got just that as the Preds played brilliant defensive hockey and two goals each from Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg.

You can easily see either team winning this game. The Predators seem to be a bit better at the all-around game, have home ice and are motivated by getting to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago and losing.

The Jets are explosive, hungry and have proven they can win big games on the road.

The prediction here is that the upstart Jets throw the hockey world on its ear and win the seventh game on the road. It may take overtime, but the Jets will survive and advance.

Misery finally ends for Ovechkin, Capitals

The fate of the franchise was Evgeny Kuzentsov’s stick Monday night.

He had just taken a pass from Alex Ovechkin in overtime, split the Penguins defense and was in alone on Matt Murray. This was the opportunity that the Caps had waited on for so many years as they had a chance to get to the Eastern Conference Final and eliminate Pittsburgh.

All Kuznetsov had to do was make one move to his backhand, and then bring the puck to his forehand. He slid the disc past Murray and into the back of the cage for the 2-1 overtime winner that allowed the long-beleaguered Caps to win the series in six games.

gettyimages 955789576 Capitals Finally End Their Eastern Conference Finals Drought

Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

There were howls of primordial joy emanating from the Washington lockerroom after climbing Mount Everest, and the loudest came from Ovechkin. The Stanley Cup playoffs have always been a tortured journey for this franchise, but there is true relief for Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson and head coach Barry Trotz.

“We beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. They’re a hell of a hockey team,” Trotz said. “We’re only halfway. We haven’t done anything yet. It’s a good feeling getting by the Penguins but there’s more to do.”

The Caps begin a fresh climb Friday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While the Caps have already been through the emotional ringer in winning two six-game series against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pens, the Lightning have cruised in five-game wins over the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins.

The Lightning have pointed to their own deficiencies in suffering the only losses in both series, and they have not been beaten in any game where they have played well.

Will the emotionally relieved Caps keep on riding their crest and get to the Stanley Cup Final, or are sharp and efficient Lightning prepared to continue their ride by dispatching the Caps?

Look for Washington to stumble early in this series, but raise their game when they return home for Game 3. They will find a way to engage the Bolts the way neither the Devils nor the Bruins could.

Washington gets to the Stanley Cup Final, and prepares for even more drama.

The tongue wags no more

Brad Marchand is one of the best left wings in the league, and he excels at agitating opponents and putting the puck in the net.

He has scored 110 goals in the last three season along with 121 assists, he kills penalties and is featured on the Bruins power play. When it comes to scoring game-winning goals, he had eight in each of the last two seasons.

gettyimages 955428840 Capitals Finally End Their Eastern Conference Finals Drought

Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

He is also an agitator of the first order. Non-stop trash-talking is his signature, and that’s fine.

However, the league has suspended him six times for offenses like elbowing, clipping, low-bridging and spearing. He was suspended five games earlier this year for delivering an elbow to the head of New Jersey’s Marcus Johansson.

Then came this year’s playoffs and a pair of licking incidents involving Toronto’s Leo Komarov and Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan.

He wasn’t suspended for either, but the league issued a cease-and-desist order prior to the latter part of the Boston-Tampa Bay series.

The question is why the Bruins didn’t act on this one themselves. The leadership in the lockerroom – meaning captain Zdeno Chara and superb center Patrice Bergeron – needed to quash Marchand’s lick-first tendencies.

If those two couldn’t have done it, it was up to head coach Bruce Cassidy and general manager Don Sweeney to quit the wet-willy maneuver.

This is supposed to be one of the league’s flagship franchises, the team that was graced by Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, Gerry Cheevers and Ray Bourque. There are literally dozens of other classy players to mention, and Marchand did not bring glory to any of them. He pretty much disgraced them.

Marchand appeared contrite as the Bruins held their exit interviews following their series defeat to the Lightning. Perhaps he means it, or perhaps he doesn’t. However, he needs to take a long look in the mirror and realize that great players produce in the biggest games, and don’t spend their energy trying to give their opponents a tongue bath.

It’s time for Marchand to walk the walk of a superstar, and put his weasel ways behind him.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2rvN1La

Mom Warns About ‘Deodorant Challenge’ After Teen Is Badly Burned

YATE, ENGLAND (CBS Local) – A mother in England is warning parents on social media about a dangerous fad that left her daughter with severe burns. Jamie Prescott says the “Deodorant Challenge” is to blame for wounds on her 15-year-old’s arm that are so bad they may require surgery.

The Details:

  • The Deodorant Challenge left a teen in England with severe burns to her arm
  • The teen’s mother posted pictures of the stunt to warn other parents
  • The prank is one of several dangerous acts teens have engaged in to get attention on social media

Like the Tide Pod, cinnamon, condom snorting, and fire challenges, the Deodorant Challenge is another in a long line of stunts teens and young adults have started in an attempt to gain attention on social media. Prescott posted a graphic warning on Facebook after her daughter Ellie participated in the challenge – which involves spraying aerosol deodorant on your bare skin for as long as possible.

Warning: The images below may be disturbing to some viewers

“She [daughter Ellie] still regularly has to see a practice nurse and go to the surgery once a week,” Prescott told Somerset Live“The incident happened on Tuesday (April 18), but I did not notice anything until she came home from school on the Wednesday as it had blistered up a lot by that stage.”

The injured teen added that she went to meet some friends in a park when they told her to put her arm out and take the Deodorant Challenge. “It seems fairly common, a lot of people have showed me their arms after doing it a while ago,” Ellie Prescott added.

“This challenge really needs to be made as public as possible. It’s just horrendous and needs stopping,” Ellie’s mother declared.

According to reports, the Deodorant Challenge has actually been around for at least four years. However, Mrs. Prescott’s graphic message is restarting the conversation about the foolish act.

In the United States, young adults have found other ways to burn their arms. In a video posted to YouTube on Feb. 4, an unidentified man tried to start the “Hot Coil Challenge” by intentionally burning his flesh on a red-hot stove. That has been viewed over 500,000 times.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2KPjN1O

Satellite Photos Show Lava-Oozing Volcano Fissures On Hawaii’s Big Island

CHICAGO (CBS) — Images taken on NASA’s Terra satellite show volcano fissures that have oozed lava and gas in recent days on Hawaii’s Big Island. The fissures are located in the East Riff Zone of the Kilauea volcano, which began erupting last week.

One image shows hot spots — fissures and new lava flow as of Sunday — in yellow. The red areas in the image, taken from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on the Terra satellite, depict vegetation.

The grey and black areas show old lava flows, according to NASA.

nasa3 Satellite Photos Show Lava Oozing Volcano Fissures On Hawaiis Big Island

Image acquired May 6 shows fissures and lava flows, in yellow. NASA/METI/AIST/JAPAN SPACE SYSTEMS, AND U.S./JAPAN ASTER SCIENCE TEAM

Another image, also from Sunday, shows yellow and green streaks depicting sulfur dioxide gas, which can be dangerous at high levels.

The images were taken before two new vents opened up Tuesday on Hawaii’s Big Island. Those vents prompted Hawaii County to issue a cellphone alert ordering stragglers in Lanipuna Gardens to leave immediately.

nasa4 Satellite Photos Show Lava Oozing Volcano Fissures On Hawaiis Big Island

Sulfur dioxide plumes shown in green and yellow. CREDITS: NASA/METI/AIST/JAPAN SPACE SYSTEMS, AND U.S./JAPAN ASTER SCIENCE TEAM

Authorities had previously ordered nearly 2,000 residents to leave the community and the neighboring Leilani Estates, both located in the mostly rural district of Puna on Hawaii’s Big Island. But some had ignored the order and stayed to watch over their property.

“There were a number of people at their residences,” Talmadge Magno, the administrator for Hawaii County Civil Defense, said at a news briefing. There was no sign of holdouts in Lanipuna afterward, he said.

There are 14 lava-and-gas producing fissures in Leilani Estates, after the two new ones formed Tuesday. But the flow of lava is not constant.

Edwin Montoya, 76, had planned to stay to care for animals and keep looters away from his family’s property in the community. But he was forced to evacuate after the new fissures emerged, including one just a mile away.

“I’m in my truck right now on my way up the road,” he said. “The police came down here and made me.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/buildings-in-path-of-kilauea-volcano-lava-destroyed/

Both Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens are in a forested, remote part of the Big Island on the eastern flank of Kilauea volcano, which has been erupting continuously since 1983. In recent years the volcano has mostly released lava in hard-to-reach areas inside a national park or along the coastline. But last week, vents popped open and released lava, gas and steam inside residential neighborhoods.

There is no indication when the eruption might stop, or how far the lava might spread.

Officials warn that lava could flow downhill and burn areas that are not currently in danger, and toxic volcanic gas could kill people, especially the elderly and those with breathing problems.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige told evacuees he has called the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to tell officials that he believes the state will need help to deal with the volcano on the Big Island.

A total of 36 structures, including 26 confirmed homes, have been destroyed. Aerial surveys cannot make out whether some of the structures are homes or other types of buildings.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2I9AoM2

Video: Helicopter Lifts Horse From Construction Trench

SHADOW HILLS, CA (CBS LOCAL) – Los Angeles County Fire first responders rescued a horse from a construction trench Tuesday afternoon in Shadow Hills, California.

The horse named Misty was uninjured after a fall into the trench but had to lifted with the aid of a LA County Fire helicopter.

The hours long rescue began after the horse strayed from nearby ranch property near Clybourne Avenue according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

Officials told the paper they were unclear how the horse ended up in the trench which was constructed with cinder blocks and iron bars.

Los Angeles Animal Services said in a Facebook post Tuesday they were in Shadow Hills helping Misty at the time of the incident. They were called in soon after the horse was found in the trench. “Our SMART team has been giving her water and food as they await the air rescue on its way,” they posted on Facebook along with pictures of Misty.

Officials were concerned the noise that would be created while trying to dig the horse out could be detrimental to the horse so fire and animal rescue officials both determined that an air rescue was the safest.

“We’ve talked about digging a trench to walk the horse out, but she isn’t doing very well with people,” said Officer Armando Navarette, an official with the animal rescue team.

The horse was given a sedative then hoisted into the air. Misty was set down nearby to walk off the medication that was used to calm her down.



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2rCBPM7

One Year Since James Comey Fired, President Trump Still At Odds With FBI

NEW YORK (CBS Local) — A year ago today, President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey and announced “a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement.”

Since then, Trump has waged a war of words about reach and authority with the agency, especially since the launch of Robert Mueller’s special investigation into the 2016 U.S. presidential election, questions about bias around the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email servers, and character attacks on both sides.

Of course, the true impact of Comey’s ouster won’t be realized until Mueller’s investigation (and any fallout from it) concludes.

“Since we don’t yet know the outcome of the Mueller inquiry, it’s difficult to fully assess the impact of the Comey firing. But it’s already clear that Trump’s decision to dismiss the FBI director produced a wide-ranging investigation that has drained a great deal of time and energy from Trump’s presidency,” Dr. Larry Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, tells CBS Local. “There are even some similarities to Watergate, though we aren’t at that level of scandal yet, and may never get there.”

In February, Trump lashed out at the FBI, saying the agency “missed all of the many signals” sent by the suspect in the Florida school shooting and arguing they are “spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign.”

Trump said on Twitter: “This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!”

The FBI’s acknowledgment that it mishandled a tip prompted a sharp rebuke from its boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and a call from Florida’s Republican Gov. Rick Scott, a Trump ally, for FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign.

For his part since being fired, Comey has been far from quiet. During his two days of testimony before Congress, the former FBI head directly suggested push to launch the Russia investigation led to his firing.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a fair judgment, it’s my judgment, that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” he said. “The nature of the FBI and the nature of its work requires that it not be the subject of political consideration and, on top of that, you have the Russia investigation itself is vital because of the threat.”

Trump’s legal team fired back, citing documents that Trump’s campaign was not under investigation.

It got uglier.

In April, the former FBI hed suggested Trump may be “morally unfit to be president,” and revealed his assumption that Hillary Clinton was going to win the 2016 presidential election.

This assumption, Comey says, influenced his decision to send a letter to Congress in October 2016, just before the election, in which he revealed that new emails had surfaced that “appear to be pertinent” to the FBI’s closed investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server.

This disclosure is seen as a factor in Clinton’s loss.

Comey’s speaking out prompted a series of tweets from the president, labeling Comey a “slimeball” and “WORST FBI Director in history, by far,” while Trump said he “hardly even knew this guy.”

Then came Comey’s book “A Higher Loyalty,” claiming the president’s leadership was “ego driven and about personal loyalty.”

Comey said an early meeting felt like “Sammy the Bull’s Cosa Nostra induction ceremony,” referring to mobster Sammy Gravano, one of John Gotti’s old henchmen.

In his memo about the second meeting with Trump, Comey wrote how the president asked about his future, saying “so what do you want to do?” Comey said Trump told him “about 20 people” wanted Comey’s job, but the president would understand if Comey “wanted to walk away after all he had been through.”

And then Comey’s actual memos on reached Capitol Hill last month, as members of Congress sought answers about Clinton’s email servers once and for all.

Two sources told CBS News’ chief White House correspondent Major Garrett the president approved the transmission of the memos after receiving recommendations from top Justice Department officials.

The president tweeted that night saying the memos “show clearly that there was NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION.”

The animosity appears to have gone both ways, as last week FBI lawyer Lisa Page resigned in the wake of her public affair with FBI agent Peter Strzok and the revelation of the couple’s anti-Trump text messages.

As for Comey, he took to twitter to reflect on his year since leaving the agency.

“Missing the people of the FBI today,” he wrote. “Thank you for your commitment to truth and for all the good you do for this country.”



from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2I2rmEA