FILE – A shopper carries bags down Fifth Avenue on Black Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in New York.  (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File )

NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday may no longer be the retail bacchanalia of years past, when the promise of one-time bargains caused people to leave Thanksgiving tables for malls where some customers got into fistfights over toys or TVs. But the event still has enough enthusiasts to make it the biggest shopping day in the U.S.

For that reason, the day retains its crown as the official start of the holiday shopping season. This year’s kickoff comes as companies navigate an uncertain economic environment and wrestle with the volatility of President Donald Trump ‘s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods.

Many have absorbed some of the costs and pulled back on hiring instead of raising prices for customers. Consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month to the lowest since April — when Trump announced his tariffs — in the aftermath of the government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

Shoppers nonetheless have remained resilient and willing to spend, at least judging by the solid quarterly sales reports from Walmart, Best Buy and other retailers. But many retail executives also say customers are focusing on deals and have been selective in what they’re buying.

Aron Boxer, 50, from Greenwich, Connecticut, said he delayed buying a car this year amid worries about tariffs. He said he’ll be looking for deals on toys on Cyber Monday but is also willing to wait to the end for the best discount.

“The tariffs definitely are not behind me, and I am concerned about it,” the founder of an educational services company and a life coaching service said. “I did consider buying earlier this year, but I feel like some people made some pretty bad business decisions anticipating tariffs to have a bigger impact than they did.”

Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week.

“We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” said Jill Renslow, chief business development and marketing officer at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, which plans to give gift cards and other giveaways to the first 250 customers who show up at 7 a.m. on Friday. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

Mall traffic heading into Black Friday surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, Renslow said.

A forecast from the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, predicted a healthy increase in holiday sales. The group estimated that shoppers would collectively spend between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion in November and December, or 3.7% to 4.2% more than last year.

Retailers rung up $976 billion in holiday sales last year, or a 4.3% increase from 2023, the group said.

Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods including cash, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

“Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

Online sales have been strong so far. From Nov. 1 to Sunday, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

Tariffs have played a role in stores’ merchandising and pricing strategies. Many retailers accelerated shipments of some holiday merchandise before the tariffs took effect while also absorbing some of the extra import costs. But stores still have passed on some of the expense for items like toys, which are largely sourced in China.

Market research firm Circana’s retail tracking service examined various subcategories of general merchandise and found 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said.

That number was up from 32% in June and will go even higher in coming months, according to Marshal Cohen, the firm’s chief industry advisor.

Some executives have noticed retailers advertising tamer holiday discounts. Mall of America’s Renslow said deals didn’t show up at the mall as early as she anticipated. But she estimated store tenants had ramped up this week with discounts in the range of 30% to 50%. She thinks they’ll likely go deeper for the weekend.

Stephen Lebovitz, CEO of CBL Properties, which operates 85 shopping properties, also noted unimpressive holiday discounting.

“I think one of the benefits of the tariffs or the silver lining is that the inventory levels for the retailers are leaner, and they’ve tried to allow themselves to keep pricing power,” he said.

Traffic going eastbound on the Pennsylvania Turnpike proceeds through the electronic toll booths in Cranberry Township, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers are questioning the legality of a U.S. Border Patrol program that uses predictive intelligence to detain drivers for suspicious travel. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts sent a letter Monday to Border Patrol’s parent agency, calling the license plate reader program an “invasive surveillance network.” An Associated Press investigation revealed that the program monitors millions of American drivers to identify and detain people based on travel patterns. Courts have generally upheld license plate reader collection on public roads, but scholars argue it might be unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. Other lawmakers echoed Markey’s concerns about the program’s legality.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published December 1, 2025 8:16 A.M.

(Ambridge, PA) The congregation of St. John’s Lutheran Church will present a live outdoor Nativity on Saturday, December 6, 2025. The event begins a 5:00pm, and repeats every 20 minutes until the last presentation which starts at 7:20pm.

The cast includes live animals including donkeys, camel, sheep, goats, and cattle.

The dining room, serving authentic German food, will be open from 3:00pm to 7:30pm.

Christmas cookies will be available for purchase. The public is cordially invited to celebrate.

The historic church building will be open to the public and guided tours will be offered from 2:00pm to 7:20pm.

In addition, Old Economy Village will be hosting Christmas at the Village. The event takes place at the beautifully decorated, candlelit 19th century village.

It will feature local musical performances and holiday lights, along with kids crafts and activities, and the opportunity to meet Belsnickel, the Pennsylvania Dutch Santa Claus.

St. John’s, the historic Harmonist church, is located at 1320 Church Street, Ambridge, across from Old Economy Village.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published December 1, 2025 7:49 A.M.

(Cranberry Township, Pa) Prize winners for the 2025 Holiday Art Show of the Cranberry Artists Network have been announced.

Brandie Cranshaw won first place for her piece, “Reflection”.

Lynda Kirby came in second place with, “Moonlighting”, and Larry Brandstetter in Third for “Winter Moon”.

The show will remain open until January 2 at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would release the results of his MRI test that he received in October.

“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” the president said during an exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Florida.

He said the results of the MRI were “perfect.”

The White House has so far declined to detail why Trump had an MRI during his physical last month, or on what part of his body.

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has said that the president received “advanced imaging” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center “as part of his routine physical examination” and that the results showed Trump remains in “exceptional physical health.”

Trump added Sunday that he has “no idea” on what part of his body he got the MRI.

“It was just an MRI,” he said. “What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”

Baggage waits to be claimed at the Southwest Airlines baggage claim Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City.  (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

NEW YORK (AP) — Chain stores have Black Friday. Online marketplaces have Cyber Monday. For local businesses, it’s Small Business Saturday.

In the last 20 years, more segments of the retail industry have vied for their own piece of the holiday shopping season. The travel trade has firmly joined the trend with another post-Thanksgiving sales push: Travel Tuesday.

On the same day as the nonprofit world’s Giving Tuesday, airlines, hotels, cruise ship companies, travel booking platforms and tour operators get in on the annual spirit to spend by promoting one-day deals. Consumer advocates say there are legitimate savings to be had but also chances to be misled by marketing that conveys a false sense of urgency.

“People see ‘40 percent off’ and assume it’s a once-in-a-lifetime steal, without recognizing that the underlying price may have been inflated or that the same itinerary was cheaper last month.” Sally French, a travel expert at personal finance site NerdWallet, said.

She and other seasoned travelers advised consumers who want to see if they can save money by booking trips on Travel Tuesday to do research in advance and to pay especially close attention to the fine print attached to offers.

People hoping to score last-minute deals for Christmas or New Year’s should double-check for blackout dates or other restrictions, recommended Lindsay Schwimer, a consumer expert for the online travel site Hopper.

It’s also wise to to keep an eye out for nonrefundable fares, resort fees, double occupancy requirements or upgrade conditions that may be hidden within advertised discounts, according to French.

Shoppers should be wary of travel packages with extra transportation options or add-on offers, French said. Instead of lowering fares or room rates, some companies use statement credits, extra points, included amenities and bundled extras as a way to tempt potential customers, she said.

“Many travel brands want to keep sticker prices high to maintain an aura of luxury, but they still need to fill planes, ships and hotel rooms,” French said. “Add-on perks are their workaround.”

Consumers who are prepared rather than impulsive and on the lookout for the up-sell are in a much better position to identify authentic bargains, consumer experts stressed. Knowing what a specific trip would typically cost and comparison shopping can help expose offers based on inflated underlying costs and whether the same itinerary might have been cheaper at other times, they said.

“Compare prices, check your calendar and make sure the trip you’re booking is something you genuinely want, not something you bought because a countdown timer pressured you,” French said. “What gets glossed over is that the best deal might be not booking anything at all if it doesn’t align with your plans.”

Travel Tuesday came about based on existing industry trends. In 2017, Hopper analyzed historical pricing data and found that in each of the nine previous years, the biggest day for post-Thanksgiving travel discounts was the day after Cyber Monday.

The site named the day Travel Tuesday. The number of offers within that time-targeted window and the number of travelers looking for them has since expanded.

“Nearly three times as many trips were planned on Travel Tuesday last year compared to Black Friday,” Hopper’s Schwimer said. “We continue to see growth in the day, year over year, as more travel brands and categories offer deals.”

The event’s origin story is in line with the National Retail Federation coining Cyber Monday in 2005 as a response to the emerging e-commerce era. American Express came up with Small Business Saturday in 2010 to direct buyers and their dollars to smaller retailers, credit card fees and all.

A report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company last year noted that November and December tend to be slow months for travel bookings, making Travel Tuesday a “marketing moment” that could help boost revenue.

Hotel, cruise and and airline bookings by U.S. travelers increased significantly on Travel Tuesday 2023 compared with the two weeks before and after the day, the report’s authors wrote, citing data provided by the travel marketing platform Sojern.

While Travel Tuesday so far has been mostly confined to the United States and Canada, “European travel companies can anticipate the possibility that Travel Tuesday will become a growing phenomenon in their region, given that other shopping days such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday have spread beyond North America,” the report stated.

Vivek Pandya, lead insights analyst for Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending, said consumers have more tools than ever this holiday season to help them determine if deals hold up to scrutiny.

“Social journeys, influencers providing promo codes and values, and generative AI platforms taking all that in – the prices, the social conversation, the reviews – and giving guidance to the consumer, that’s a very different, dynamic kind of journey consumers are taking than they have in previous seasons,” Pandya said.

Both he and French emphasized that prices rise and fall based on multiple factors, and that the winter holidays are not the only major promotional period of the year.

“We now have dozens of consumer spending ‘holidays,’” French said. “Amazon alone keeps adding new versions of Prime Day. So if you don’t buy on Travel Tuesday, you haven’t missed your moment.”

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published December 1, 2025 7:37 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, Pa) State Police in Beaver have released details regarding a crash that took place in Hopewell on Friday. A two vehicle crash occurred on I-376 East near mile marker 46.5.

The operator of a Dodge Ram 2500 lost control due to ice on the roadway. The Ram struck a Hyundai Elantra at it’s 11 o’clock position, sending the Elantra into the guide rail.

Neither operator needed to be transported by EMS.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published December 1, 2025 7:27 A.M.

(Darlington Township, Pa) Looking for something to do? The Little Beaver Historical Society John Ridings Christmas train display is now open at The McCarl Museum located in Darlington.

There are numerous Lionel trains being featured in the display, as well as a Chinese auction, a kids scavenger hunt, and more.

The Museums will be open weekends through Sunday, December 28th on Saturdays 10:00am to 4:00pm and Sundays 1:0pm0 to 4:00pm.

Santa will be on site Saturday December 6th and Saturday December 13th at the McCoy Log Cabin from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and he will be doing photo-ops.

The McCarl Museum is located at 803 Plum Street in Darlington and is free to the public.