Black Friday Deals growing few and far between
Original Reporting by Seth O’Neil
Due to both the increase in tariffs and the government shutdown… we could be seeing a reduction in Black Friday deals this year.
With recent turmoil in the government, you may see a difference in your usual Black Friday deals. Chief Commercial Officer for the toy company Slumberkins, Kelsey Knight, explains the effect tariffs are having on holiday shopping.
“The higher tariffs are definitely raising product costs across brands, especially in categories like toys, electronics, and home goods. So in addition to raising the costs, the tariffs have also created some tricky ordering situations.”
Although the shutdown is over, economists say we could still see some big changes. USF Director of Strategy and Partnership Kristi Hoskinson says she expects Black Friday spending to be lower than in previous years.
“I do think and predict that the pocketbooks will be a little bit tighter. I think consumers are going to be more mindful about what brand they want to support based on their own value system.
Federal workers and those receiving SNAP benefits are expected to be more affected as they recover from the shutdown.
Local Pet Shelter Faces Wave of Cats
Original Reporting by Emma Brockman
Staff at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center say they’re dealing with a record number of
cats – more than the shelter was designed to hold.
The center’s cat capacity is usually just 56. Last month they housed 352… putting them at 628 percent capacity. It’s more than the shelter has seen in over a decade.
Division Director Chelsea Waldeck says there wasn’t just one reason for the spike.
“And it came down to a couple of large animal control cases that came in to us. It also has to do with the fact that we didn’t see any big storms this season. So, a lot of times the storms rolling through will have an impact on the cat population.”
Last month, the shelter rescued 60 cats from just one home. Here it’s open admission, meaning they take in any stray regardless of age, breed, or size.
“If anybody is interested in adopting a cat, I would look into it a little bit,” says Senior Program Coordinator Lauryn Marshall. “Do your research, see what are good items to have in the home. Maybe ways to kind of cat-proof your home, ’cause you never know. It’s a new animal in a new environment.”
All adoptions must be done in person during shelter operation hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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