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At least 57 dead, dozens more injured in Greek train derailment

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(TEMPI, Greece) — At least 57 people were killed and more than 80 others were injured in a head-on collision between a freight train and a passenger train in Greece late Tuesday, which officials said was mainly due to human error.

The crash occurred shortly before midnight in the town of Tempi along the Athens-Thessaloniki route at the entrance to the Vale of Tempe, a tree-lined gorge that separates the northern Greek regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. The two trains were running toward each other on the same track and the force of the high-speed collision derailed multiple cars, with some bursting into flames, according to Greece’s Hellenic Fire Service.

The passenger train was traveling at a speed of about 103 miles per hour when it collided with the freight train, according to the Hellenic Fire Service. Greek state TV reported that the two trains were running on the same line for 12 minutes, or a distance of about 11 miles.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Wednesday that the incident was “mainly due to tragic human error.”

About 350 people were on board the northbound passenger train, which was traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki, according to the Greek rail operator Hellenic Train.

Roubini Leontari, chief coroner of the general hospital in the nearby city of Larissa, told Greek state TV that the majority of those killed were between the ages of 20 and 30 years old

At least 150 firefighters, including some from specialized units, and 40 ambulances responded to the scene with the assistance of 32 police officers and 15 patrol vehicles, according to the Hellenic Fire Service. The next morning, rescuers were still searching for survivors in the smoking wreckage, using cranes to lift the derailed carriages. Their efforts were initially focused on the first two cars, which had “overturned” and were “the most difficult to extricate,” a Hellenic Fire Service spokesperson said in a statement early Wednesday.

The impact of the collision left the passenger train’s restaurant car on top of two other cars. A blaze broke out in that carriage, with temperatures reaching as high as 1,300 degrees Celsius (2,372 degrees Fahrenheit), which “makes it difficult to identify the people inside,” the Hellenic Fire Service spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

The search and rescue operation at the site of the train collision will continue overnight into Thursday, according to the Hellenic Fire Service. Rescuers “will continue” the search “until the last stone is turned,” a Hellenic Fire Service spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday evening.

A 59-year-old Greek citizen has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the deadly crash, according to Greece’s Hellenic Police.

Meanwhile, authorities are still working to identify the dead, whose bodies were taken to the general hospital in the nearby city of Larissa, a Hellenic Police spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

As for the injured, 72 remain hospitalized, including six in critical condition, while the rest have been treated and released, according to the Hellenic Fire Service.

The Greek government has declared three days of national mourning in the wake of the tragedy.

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis said in a video statement on Wednesday that the government “will stand by the families of the victims” and “work so that this ‘never again’ that I heard in Larissa will not be a hollow word.”

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price offered condolences to the people of Greece during Wednesday’s press briefing in Washington, D.C.

“As we continue to see the death toll rise, I want to offer our sincere condolences to the people of Greece for the tragic loss of life in the train collision that happened overnight in the town of Tempi,” Price said. “The United States stands with our friend Greece, and we commend the incredible dedication of first responders who are working tirelessly to save lives and attend to the injured.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Greek Foreign Minister Nikolaos Dendias on Wednesday, extending condolences and said the United States stands with the people of Greece.

Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced his resignation on Wednesday after visiting the crash site in Tempi, saying he felt it was his “duty” to do so “as a minimum sign of respect” to the victims.

“When something this tragic happens, it is impossible to go on as if it didn’t happen,” Karamanlis wrote in a post on Facebook. “This is called political responsibility.”

Mitsotakis said he has appointed a new interim transport minister, George Gerapetritis, to hold the office until national elections. The prime minister asked Gerapetritis to establish an “independent and non-partisan committee of experts” to investigate the cause of the accident and investigate the “long-standing delays” in the implementation of railway projects.

Meanwhile, Mitsotakis said two rail executives have resigned: Spyros Pateras, president of the Hellenic Railways Association, and Christos Vinis, president and managing director of the national railway subsidiary ERGOSE.

ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Daphne Tolis contributed to this report.

California declares emergency in counties buried by snow as latest storm moves east

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in more than a dozen counties as the typically warm state digs out from rare snowstorms.

Wednesday’s emergency proclamation in the counties of Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma and Tulare will free up state resources to support the disaster response and relief. The governor also activated the California National Guard to be ready to support the operations.

A series of severe winter storms struck the West Coast over the last week, burying Southern California’s mountain communities under mounds of snow and stranding thousands of residents. Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains and Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, both in California’s San Bernardino County, accumulated 106 inches of snow. Since Saturday, Soda Springs in California’s Nevada County has received 114 inches of snow, or 9.5 feet.

Over the past week, Palisade Tahoe ski resort in California’s Placer County in the Sierra Nevada mountain range got a whopping 146 inches snow, or more than 12 feet. That brings the cumulative total for the season to 500 inches, or nearly 42 feet, making it the snowiest October through February period since 1970. Palisade Tahoe, the largest skiing complex in the Lake Tahoe region, was shut down on Tuesday due to the amount of snowfall. Other ski resorts in the area have also had to temporarily close.

The latest storm system to hit the West Coast was expected to move out of the region on Thursday and bring severe weather across the South. More than 90 million people across 36 states were on alert for heavy snow, avalanches, flash flooding, strong winds and tornadoes. The cities of Dallas, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Little Rock, Arkansas, were in the storm’s forecasted path for Thursday.

The system is expected to move into the Southeast and up to the Ohio Valley region on Friday, hitting a number major cities along the way such as Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Lexington, Kentucky. The main threat will be damaging winds and possibly several tornadoes.

Meanwhile, heavy rain could trigger flash flooding from Oklahoma to Ohio, with local rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches.

The same system could also bring the biggest snowstorm of the season to Chicago on Friday. The city in Illinois could get more than 6 inches of snow.

The whiteout is forecast to spread into the Northeast on Friday evening, bringing a wintry mix from New York City to Boston, with heavy snow more inland from upstate New York to Maine. Locally, parts of the inland Northeast could see more than 6 inches of snow.

South and Heartland brace for dangerous tornadoes

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A cross-country storm that first brought blizzard conditions to the West is now taking aim on the Heartland and the South, where a dangerous severe weather outbreak is expected on Thursday.

Cities in the in the bull’s-eye Thursday afternoon and evening are Dallas, Shreveport, Louisiana and Little Rock, Arkansas. The storms will also move through Memphis Tennessee; Austin, Texas and Houston.

The forecast calls for intense tornadoes, huge hail and powerful winds topping 75 mph.

On Friday, the damaging winds and tornadoes will move into the Southeast and up to the Ohio Valley.

Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, will be in the bull’s-eye.

Very heavy rain — up to 5 inches — is also possible with these severe storms. Flash flooding is a threat from Oklahoma to Ohio.

To the north, that same system could bring the biggest snowstorm of the season to Chicago on Friday. More than 6 inches of snow is possible in the Windy City.

Friday evening, the heavy snow will spread into the Northeast, bringing a wintry mix to the Interstate 95 corridor from New York City to Boston. Heavy snow — possibly topping 1 foot — is forecast for the inland Northeast from upstate New York to Maine.

Pregnant passenger aboard Lufthansa flight that injured seven describes ‘”Final Destination” situation’

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Susan Zimmerman was in the middle of dinner service aboard Lufthansa Flight 469 when turbulence hit.

“It was all of a sudden we lifted up, and then we started dropping down really fast. It felt like about five seconds of freefall,” she said.

The Germany-bound flight to Frankfurt landed at Virginia’s Dulles International Airport at 9:10 p.m. after the Airbus A330 experienced “severe turbulence” 37,000 feet above Tennessee, according to Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration. Seven people aboard the flight were sent to the hospital after the incident.

“While it was happening, the plates were up, and the ceiling glass was up in the ceiling,” Zimmerman said. “My bag was flown back behind me, and it was kind of like you’re in slow motion.”

According to Flight Aware, the flight descended roughly 10,000 feet over 10 minutes, including a one-minute, 1,000-foot drop at one point.

Zimmerman, who is pregnant, said in those intense moments, her mind went towards her unborn daughter and husband, thinking, “God, just let me out of this.”

“I’m five months pregnant, so I was honestly thinking I’m never going to meet my daughter,” she said. “I was trying to just keep myself calm so as to not put any further undue stress on her.”

After the sudden turbulence, she described the scene as if “a food fight had erupted in the plane,” with broken glassware, trays, and food everywhere following the disrupted dinner service.

She added that passengers toward the back of the plane appeared to be impacted by the turbulence more severely, as well as the flight crew who were in the middle of serving dinner.

She said the flight experienced intermittent turbulence after the main drop before stabilizing and eventually landing at Dulles.

“Once we were passed the storm, there was nothing else that we had to really worry about,” she said.

Once the turbulence subsided, the flight crew checked on the passengers multiple times, eventually carrying one injured woman to the front of the plane before landing, according to Zimmerman.

Roughly 15 paramedics were waiting at the jet bridge, according to Zimmerman. About six boarded the plane to assist the injured passengers before the passengers fully deplaned.

Wednesday’s incident follows a string of injuries related to flights that have hit severe turbulence.

On Dec. 18, 20 passengers were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight about 30 minutes from Honolulu. Seven suffered serious injuries. Five passengers were hospitalized the next day when a United Airlines flight to Houston hit turbulence. At least three passengers were injured on Feb. 9 when a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey to Tampa, Florida hit turbulence.

“You think you’re never going to be in a quote-unquote ‘Final Destination’ situation,” Zimmerman said. “And then here you are.”

Egypt unveils hidden tunnel inside Great Pyramid of Giza

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(CAIRO) — A nine-meter long hidden passageway was discovered inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Egyptian tourism and antiquities minister announced on Thursday.

The function of corridor inside the Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the Great Pyramids of Giza, was not immediately known but officials said it could lead to further discoveries.

The finding was made by researchers from the Scan Pyramid project, an international mission that since 2015 has been using modern methods — including scanners and infrared thermography — to probe the internal structure of the pyramid.

The gabled ceiling of the secret tunnel suggests it was built to lighten the load on the structure, Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities told reporters at the pyramid site.

“But a big question mark hangs over whether this corridor was created to relieve the weight on the [main] entrance or lighten the load on a space yet to be discovered,” he added. “Scanning work will continue to uncover more secrets.”

The Great Pyramid is the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. It was built as a royal tomb some 4,500 years ago during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu.

Egypt aims to tap into new ancient discoveries to draw in tourists, a major source of foreign currency and jobs that has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as political instability following the 2011 revolution.

Jay Leno shows off his “brand-new face” on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

NBCUniversal/Weiss Eubanks

Jay Leno made an appearance on Wednesday’s installment of The Kelly Clarkson Show and talked about his recovery from that fiery garage accident in November of last year that left him with serious burns to his face, and body.

“You look great, though,” Kelly said, to which the 72-year-old comic replied, “Well, this is a brand new face.”

Leno explained, “I was working on a car and I got a face full of gasoline. It caught fire,” Leno explained, recalling the November, 2022 freak accident. “I had been eating a Flamin’ Hot Dorito, and when I bit into it, it set my face [on fire],” the former Doritos pitchman joked.

“It was all third-degree burns, it was pretty bad. It was pretty bad,” Leno said, getting serious for a moment, to which Clarkson added that “you can’t even tell” anything had happened.

“Yeah, you’d think there’d be a zipper here or something, but no,” Leno said, pointing to his famously large chin.

“Only for the second time in my career am I the new face of comedy,” Leno said, cracking Kelly up. “I got in once in the ’80s and now I get it again,” before pointing to the left side of his head and his “brand-new ear.”

Jay underwent skin graft surgery and other therapies during a 10-day stay at the Grossman Burn Center after the accident, which occurred when he was working on a vintage car in his collection.

In January, the former Tonight Show host suffered multiple broken bones in a motorcycle accident, to boot.

Michigan attorney general says she was target of plot to kill Jewish state officials

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LANSING, Mich.) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says she was the target of a plot to kill Jewish state officials, she tweeted Wednesday.

“The FBI has confirmed I was a target of the heavily armed defendant in this matter. It is my sincere hope that the federal authorities take this offense just as seriously as my Hate Crimes & Domestic Terrorism Unit takes plots to murder elected officials,” Nessel said in the tweet.

Court documents allege that Jack Carpenter III used the Twitter handle @TemperedReason to lodge his threats against Michigan state officials who are Jewish.

The FBI did not identify who else was the target in court documents unsealed Wednesday.

“I’m heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is jewish in the Michigan govt if they don’t leave, or confess, and now that kind of problem,” Carpenter allegedly wrote on Twitter on Feb. 17. “Because I can Legally do that, right?”

He also claimed that “new Israel” was located in a nine-mile radius of Tipton, Michigan, where he lived, court documents said.

The FBI said it had uncovered that Carpenter is being investigated for the theft in December 2022 of a firearm, which, according to the Justice Department, he currently had in his possession.

According to a complaint, at the time he allegedly made the threats, Carpenter was in Texas and requested money from his mother to return to Michigan but became angry that she wouldn’t give it to him and she then she called police.

His mother told police, “CARPENTER has three handguns, a 12 gauge shotgun, and two hunting rifles, one of which is an MIA, military style weapon,” the complaint said.

He also allegedly wrote that anyone who tried to stop him would be “met with deadly self-defense.”

Carpenter is charged with making interstate threats and a lawyer for Carpenter did not respond to ABC News request for comment.

Javed Ali, the former senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, told ABC News, the alleged threats “underscore the persistent threat from racially-motivated extremists in the United States.”

“As the ADL and other organizations have recently noted, there remains a high level of threats from individuals with white supremacist and neo-Nazi views against Jewish communities across the United States,” Ali, who is now an associate professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, said. “Twitter and other online social media platforms also continue to confront challenges with removing extremist content and identifying radicalized individuals capable of taking violent action.”

Top NFL prospect Jalen Carter surrenders to police for charges in deadly crash

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(ATHENS, Ga.) — University of Georgia football player Jalen Carter, a projected top pick in the NFL draft, has surrendered to police on charges of reckless driving and racing tied to a crash that killed a player and staff member in January, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

An investigation found that Chandler LeCroy, a member of the team’s recruiting staff, and Carter were racing shortly after leaving downtown Athens and that alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving and speed were contributing factors to the crash that killed LeCroy and Devin Willock, an offensive lineman, hours after celebrating UGA’s championship win.

Carter was booked into jail at 11:33 p.m. Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance shortly after at 11:49 p.m., according to jail records. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance April 18.

In his first statement since the charges were announced, Carter said in a statement, “It is my intention to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented. There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”

Carter is the No. 1 overall prospect in this year’s draft, according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. He is not participating in the workout portion of this week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis but was scheduled to conduct interviews with teams, undergo a physical and was scheduled to address reporters Wednesday.

LeCroy, who was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition at the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197, according to police. The Expedition was driving at 104 mph just before the fatal crash, police said.

“The evidence demonstrated that both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other,” Athens-Clarke County Police Department said in a press release.

Willock, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene. LeCroy, 24, was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries, according to Athens police.

“The charges announced today are deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said Wednesday. “We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy.”

Body camera footage obtained by ABC News shows Carter was also pulled over for speeding, driving nearly 90 mph in a 45 mph zone, on Sept. 22, 2022.

The Athens-Clarke County police officer told Carter he had recently pulled over two of his teammates for speeding, including one “just a minute ago.”

“You guys need to slow down, dude,” the officer is heard saying in the footage.

“Your break is you’re not going to jail,” he later told Carter. “Because that would make all kinds of news, right?”

Carter, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, has been a top defensive lineman for several years. He was a key part of the defense that led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.

The 21-year-old from Apopka, Florida, had six sacks and two forced fumbles in his three years with Georgia.

Nolan Smith, a linebacker for Georgia, spoke about losing Willock Wednesday morning at the combine prior to the news breaking about Carter’s involvement.

“No one should deserve to die like that,” Smith, also a top prospect, told reporters. “This is my first time talking about it. … Those are my brothers … it’s more than a game.”

Hidden dangers on Easter Island: The hunt for microplastics

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The deep blue waters, shimmering cliffs and palm tree-lined beaches of Easter Island face a growing threat: plastic.

“So now there are some things that belonged to this beach. For example, the rock belonged to this beach. The shell belonged to this beach. But the plastic, no,” said Rapa Nui native Ludo Tuki Burns.

Burns has spent most of his life preserving the island.

He organizes regular beach clean-ups at places suc as Anakena Beach, where he took ABC News’ Good Morning America to get a closer look.

“The plastic is going to float and then with this tool you are going to take [it out of the water],” said Burns. “And so you will take only the plastic.”

Ivan Hinojosa is a marine biologist who is studying plastic pollution on Easter Island. He estimates a ton of plastic washes ashore each month.

Below the surface Hinojosa hunts for microplastics — plastic that has since degraded in the ocean and carried by strong currents from all over the world.

“I can distinguish at least five different types of plastic here just with my eye, but in the microscope we’re going to find more,” said Hinojosa.

Degrading plastics also release greenhouse gasses that can interfere with the ocean’s ability to store carbon. It’s estimated that degrading plastic in the ocean releases 76 metric tons of methane per year, contributing to climate change, according to a study.

Although barely noticeable by the human eye, microplastics can take their toll through food. A study found that 80% of bait fish used to catch local tuna contain microplastics in their stomachs.

“For example, the plastic attracts all the chemicals that are in the water. So you have a higher concentration of toxins in the plastics,” said Hinojosa. “So that when the animals eat them, they’re also [eating] plastic and some poison chemicals.”

Despite the deluge, the local community is determined to fight back on behalf of future generations. Burns said when things are thrown away, they don’t just disappear. All trash ends up somewhere.

“Well, my message is that we are here in the middle of the Pacific and we receive all the things you think don’t matter. We receive it,” he said. “I believe that we can make a change.”

The economy has delivered good news. Are recession fears over?

March 2, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Growing recession alarm at the outset of this year warned of a coming business slowdown and significant job losses — until a government report last month showed that unemployment stands at its lowest level in more than 50 years.

A couple weeks later, in mid-February, fresh retail sales data blew past economist expectations, suggesting resilient consumer spending, the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.

The blockbuster economic performance boosted hopes that the economy would avoid a recession altogether.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, speaking to ABC News’ Good Morning America last month, rejected concern about a downturn, saying the economy remains “strong and resilient.” Goldman Sachs cut its odds of a recession in the next 12 months to 25%.

The U.S. economy is humming, at least in some key metrics, but most economists say that the nation remains on a crash course toward a likely recession within the next year. A survey conducted last month by the National Association for Business Economics found that 58% of economists expect a recession in 2023.

An aggressive series of interest rate hikes at the Federal Reserve is expected to continue cooling the economy, economists told ABC News, noting the decline of personal savings that previously fueled the pandemic recovery.

To be sure, economists often err in their forecasts and some told ABC News that the path of averting a downturn is still possible.

Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial, called the coexistence of strong economic data and persistent recession fears a “conundrum.”

“There’s so much flux in the market,” he added, acknowledging the mixed signals sent by the economy in recent weeks. “The economy is still in this massive retooling from the pandemic.”

The high prices that weigh on the economy trace back to the pandemic-induced supply bottlenecks that made it harder to access a slew of goods, including essentials like gas and food.

Meanwhile, COVID forced billions worldwide indoors, shifting demand away from concert tickets and restaurant meals and toward the exact goods in short supply. The Russia-Ukraine war has exacerbated the shortages and sent prices even higher.

The Federal Reserve has imposed a string of aggressive rate hikes since last year that aim to lower inflation by cooling the economy and choking off demand. The approach, however, risks tipping the U.S. into a recession and putting millions out of work.

The Fed’s rate hikes have helped bring inflation down significantly from a summer peak. However, the policy has failed to slow the overall economy, as evidenced by the recent strong economic data, economists told ABC News.

The combination of easing inflation and sustained economic growth have driven hope among some of a “soft landing,” in which the Fed slows the economy and brings down inflation, while preventing the U.S. from entering a recession.

But a slowdown brought about by the Fed typically lags months behind a given rate hike, Nancy Lazar, chief global economist at Piper Sandler, told ABC News.

“Just because the economy is doing OK today doesn’t mean the economy won’t go into recession,” she said. “It’s happening slowly.”

Some parts of the economy have shown signs of a slowdown. Home sales fell for the 12th consecutive month in January, reaching their lowest rate since November 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The personal savings rate fell to an all-time low in December, suggesting that U.S. consumers have spent down much of their pandemic reserves.

Tina Quigley, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, a group tasked with attracting and boosting economic activity, said the city thrived last year as leisure and travel bounced back from a pandemic lull.

By the end of last year, the average nightly rate for a hotel room in Las Vegas stood at $165, well above the pre-pandemic high of $127, she said. The Las Vegas airport saw 52.6 million passengers pass through its doors last year; a jump from 51.5 million in 2019.

“I don’t want to paint a picture of everything being sunshine and rainbows but certainly 2022 was a very good year,” she said.

Still, the organization assisted far fewer companies in establishing locations in Las Vegas last year compared to the year prior, suggesting recession fears had curtailed business plans and may foretell a further slowdown, Quigley said. The group helped 11 companies locate in Las Vegas last year, a sharp decline from 39 a year prior, it said.

“That pipeline has slowed down,” Quigley said. “We’re preparing for a recession, but not overreacting to it.”

Roach, of LPL Financial, said he expects a recession but recent strong economic indicators raise the likelihood of a mild downturn.

“Recessions are often necessary to break the back of inflation,” Roach said. “But given the fact that there’s so much fundamental stability in the economy, that recession won’t be as bad as your average recession.”

Zweli’s, a chain of three Zimbabwean restaurants in Durham, North Carolina, has enjoyed an uptick in business in recent months, said co-owner Leonardo Willliams, who runs the company with his wife.

Whereas last year a restaurant had about one or two tables occupied at a given time; now it’s four or five, he said. The company plans to hire 10 workers over the next month, increasing its workforce by 40%, he added.

“Business is slowly creeping back up,” he said.

However, rising costs have eaten away at the company’s profits, since major food purveyors charge twice as much for some products as they did before the pandemic, he said. And he fears that a recession would force corporate clients to cut back on catering, which accounts for 70% of the company’s revenue.

“It’s scary,” he said. “As small businesses, we’re equipped to be problem solvers but how much can one take?”

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