A major fabric and craft retailer is shuttering hundreds of stores. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially sworn in to lead the government's primary health agency. And love is in the air, right? |
👋 Hi all! Rebecca Morin here. The sun was shining briefly here in Washington. The weekend is almost here. Let's get moving to Thursday's news. |
Hundreds of Joann stores to close |
It's a crafter's worst nightmare. Joann, a go-to for many looking for fabric, sewing and other art equipment, is preparing to close about 500 of its roughly 850 locations across the U.S. Stores will close in 49 of the 50 states. |
Why are they closing? In January, the company filed for bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year. The retailer first filed for bankruptcy in March 2024 after securing $132 million in new financing to put toward its $1 billion debt, allowing it to go private. 🧶 See the full list of Joann closures. | Joann, the fabric and craft retailer, has announced plans to close more than 500 of its locations across 49 states. Andrew Carter | Marion Star / USA TODAY NETWORK |
RFK Jr. confirmed as HHS secretary |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, was confirmed by the Senate as Health and Human Services secretary on Thursday. He was later sworn in at the White House. Kennedy, a longtime environmental lawyer who has no academic background in medicine or health care, got the support of nearly every Republican in the Senate – except for Sen. Mitch McConnell, who survived polio before the breakthrough vaccine in the 1950s. 👉 How RFK Jr. got confirmed | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shows his commission certificate with his wife Cheryl Hines and President Donald Trump on Wednesday after being sworn in as secretary of Health and Human Services. Nathan Howard, REUTERS |
Time for chocolate, flowers and a full heart |
It's that time of the year where love is in the air. For me and my longtime boyfriend, we often exchange cards before having a nice dinner out on the town (this year it will be at a Brazilian steakhouse). But Valentine's Day hasn't always been about the cards and the dates. In fact, ancient Romans celebrated the day with a fertility festival with animal sacrifices and drunken merrymaking. ❤️ The history of Valentine's Day |
A 'Sleepless in Seattle' date: USA TODAY reporter Erin Jensen held a nationwide search to have an (early) Valentine's Day with one lucky man. And on Tuesday, she finally had her dream date at the Empire State Building. 💘 How the date went. | Erin Jensen and her date, Casey Johnson, look out on the 86th observation deck of the Empire State Building. Emma Rose Milligan for USA TODAY |
After wildfires ravaged Southern California last month, the area is now bracing for life-threatening flooding and mudslides due to an atmospheric river hitting the region Thursday. Several counties in the region, including Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties, had orders or warnings to evacuate. |
What to know: The atmospheric river will bring torrential downpours to the area, up to 6 feet of snow to California's mountains, as well as high winds that are already knocking out power and disrupting airports. 👉 More on the forecast. |
Rebecca Morin is a senior national news reporter at USA TODAY. Got thoughts or feedback? Reach out to her at rdmorin@usatoday.com. | | | | The number of infants dying after states enact abortion bans is even higher than expected, a new study found. | | | | With Oscars backlash over AI, racism and intimacy coordinators, this has been the most scandal-filled Academy Awards in recent memory. What gives? | | | | Layoffs are underway at multiple federal departments, according to union sources and termination notices reviewed by USA TODAY, | | | | Rosemary Farms in Santa Maria is donating hundreds of thousands of eggs, even as prices spike because of bird flu and other factors. | | | | Fernanda Torres is a Brazilian national treasure. Now, the actress has come full circle with her famous mom and Oscar-nominated film "I'm Still Here." | | | | Prosecutors said Daniel Sikkema sent multiple payments to the man who killed his estranged husband in Brazil last year. | | | | Experts agree that relationships and heartbreaks can feel more intense as people transition from adolescence to adulthood. | | | | Best-selling author Colleen Hoover returned to Instagram this week, scrubbing her account of "It Ends With Us" content amid the Lively-Baldoni feud. | | | | Kingsley Wright's dad is facing charges after a dog killed the toddler Dec. 27. Dogs have bitten and killed more and more people in recent years. | | | | Colin Gray's son, Colt, is charged in the Apalachee High shootings that claimed four lives. The elder Gray faces charges for giving his son the gun. | | | | | | | Brighten your day with one of our games. | | | | | |
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