Evanston stands near the top of a list of peer communities in the amount of outstanding debt the city is carrying.

Nonetheless, even with the city increasing its debt payments between 2013 and 2023, the city isn’t keeping pace with an inflation index — nor with its growing capital needs, staff told a city committee last week.

As a result, “less work is being done now than was the case 10 years ago,” Budget Manager Clayton Black told members of the city’s Finance and Budget Committee at their Jan. 14 meeting.

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Beauty brand The Body Shop’s New Zealand business has appointed voluntary administrators.

It comes after its UK parent company was placed into administration in February last year, with its international assets largely sold – but the sale excluded the New Zealand business.

Administrators Daniel Stoneman and Neale Jackson of Calibre Partners said a buyer had not been found for the New Zealand business, leading to the appointment of administrators.

“We are working closely with the management team to develop a strategy to sell all stock and begin to wind down the business,” they said.

The Body Shop New Zealand has 16 stores with about 70 permanent staff.

It pulled out of Dunedin last year. A Golden Centre Mall spokeswoman confirmed…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun sending more than $5 million in refunds to consumers who were harmed by a deceptive credit card debt relief scheme.

The funds in this distribution came from ACRO Services, which operated under multiple names and ran the scheme, and BlueSnap, which provided payment processing services and profited from the scheme, the FTC said in a Tuesday (Jan. 21) press release.

The FTC’s complaint against ACRO Services charged that it ran a deceptive telemarketing operation that made phony debt relief promises to consumers, charged consumers unlawful upfront enrollment fees, and charged monthly fees for “credit monitoring” services, according to the release.

ACRO Services operated under names…

(TNND) — More Americans sought help with their mounting debt last year, according to one of the country’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies.

Money Management International saw a 35% increase in new clients seeking financial counseling, according to just-released 2024 figures.

And the growing need for financial counseling was driven by young adults.

MMI saw 48% annual growth in clients in their 20s.

Millennials accounted for 43% of all clients seeking counseling, making them the largest generational group. They were followed by Gen X at 30%.

MMI financial educator Thomas Nitzsche said they saw “a really significant jump” in new clients last year, regardless of age.

It’s not just that more people reached out for help, but…

(TNND) — More Americans sought help with their mounting debt last year, according to one of the country’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies.

Money Management International saw a 35% increase in new clients seeking financial counseling, according to just-released 2024 figures.

And the growing need for financial counseling was driven by young adults.

MMI saw 48% annual growth in clients in their 20s.

Millennials accounted for 43% of all clients seeking counseling, making them the largest generational group. They were followed by Gen X at 30%.

MMI financial educator Thomas Nitzsche said they saw “a really significant jump” in new clients last year, regardless of age.

It’s not just that more people reached out for help, but…

(TNND) — More Americans sought help with their mounting debt last year, according to one of the country’s largest nonprofit credit counseling agencies.

Money Management International saw a 35% increase in new clients seeking financial counseling, according to just-released 2024 figures.

And the growing need for financial counseling was driven by young adults.

MMI saw 48% annual growth in clients in their 20s.

Millennials accounted for 43% of all clients seeking counseling, making them the largest generational group. They were followed by Gen X at 30%.

MMI financial educator Thomas Nitzsche said they saw “a really significant jump” in new clients last year, regardless of age.

It’s not just that more people reached out for help, but…