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Headlines

Red Tide Killing Fish And Beach Vibes

Toxic algae blooms are burning eyes and causing breathing problems for residents and vacationers in southwest Florida. Fish and wildlife have also been affected.

What is it/what causes it? Red tide occurs when algae become so numerous, they discolor the coastal waters. Their numbers are affected by a couple of things:

• Warm ocean surface temperatures

• Low salinity

• High nutrient content

• Rain followed by sunny days during summer months

Why it matters: This year’s red tide has occurred much earlier and will likely remain an issue into the fall. Residents and tourists will have to deal with consequences, which can include skin rashes/irritation, respiratory issues, and odor from dead wildlife.

Zoom out: The economic impact can be devastating to local businesses that rely on income from tourists to make ends meet. 2018’s red tide accounted for $184 million in losses in the tourism sector.

Business & Economy

* US regulators bail out Silicon Valley Bank customers. Depositors will have full access to their money — even over the insured limit of $250,000. This comes after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that the US Government wouldn’t bail out Silicon Valley Bank — citing reforms put in place in response to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

*Saudi Aramco post a record profit of $161.1 billion for 2022 — the largest ever for an oil and gas company.

*First Republic Bank is feeling the effects of the Silicon Valley Bank meltdown. Depositors have been lining up to withdraw their cash as share price falls 15%. 

Politics

*Pence burns Trump again. Former Vice President Mike Pence says “history will hold Trump accountable” for January 6 Capitol attack.

*US denies Iranian claims of prisoner swap.

Sports

*Team USA cruises to a 6-2 win over Great Britain in game 1 of the World Baseball Classic.

*NCAA March Madness brackets were announced last night. Fill yours out before the first round begins on March 16!

*NBA scuffle ends in ejection. Celtics guard Marcus Smart gets ejected after he wrestles Hawks star Trey Young to the ground during the Celtics 134-125 victory.

Extras

*Have an erosion problem? Try coconuts.

*Quit wasting food! Use these storage hacks to get the most out of your foods shelf life.

*Genius or evil — booking loophole allows airplane passengers to have entire row to themselves.