North American Community Hub Statistics
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released its latest Consumer Price Index report for June 2026, showing that prices fell 0.4% from May as gasoline and other energy costs dropped sharply. It was the largest monthly decline in consumer prices since April 2020. The annual inflation rate fell to 3.5%, down from 4.2% … Read more
An invasive Manila clam prized in seafood markets has established breeding populations along the Massachusetts coast, ending the Northeast’s status as the last major part of the Northern Hemisphere where the species had not taken hold. Scientists have confirmed live Manila clams in Boston Harbor, on Cape Cod and as far north as Salem Sound. … Read more
Effective July 1, 2026, Illinois immediate family members can report relatives whose cognitive decline, physical limitations, vision problems, or medical conditions may affect safe driving. House Bill 1226, known as the Road Safety and Fairness Act, created the reporting process. Lawmakers passed it in May 2025, and Gov. JB Pritzker signed it in August 2025. … Read more
The United States has 1,349,597 active-duty military members across its six armed services. That figure includes full-time members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. It is the clearest answer to the question of how many people are serving full-time in the U.S. military in 2026. The number becomes … Read more
Another round of Social Security payments is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The deposit is intended for beneficiaries whose birthdays fall between the 11th and the 20th of any month and who started receiving benefits after May 1997. We continue to follow the monthly Social Security schedule so beneficiaries can see when payments are … Read more
A second known US citizen has tested positive for Ebola after working with a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, federal health officials said. The patient contracted the Bundibugyo strain during the rapidly growing outbreak in eastern Congo. Medical teams transferred the person to a specialist isolation unit at Frankfurt University Hospital … Read more
The San Mateo story is that a driverless car saw two teenagers behaving badly and called the police. That is not what happened. The Waymo drove itself, but people working for the company made the important decisions. Employees reviewed live video from inside the cabin, believed they were watching passengers fire a real gun from … Read more
Delivery robots in Atlanta gained a higher legal speed limit on July 1, 2026. Georgia House Bill 986 raises the maximum speed for a personal delivery device on sidewalks, shared-use paths, safety zones, and crosswalks from 4 mph to 7 mph. The statewide change will be especially visible in Atlanta, where Serve Robotics delivers Uber … Read more
CNBC released its 2026 America’s Top States for Business ranking on July 9, and Ohio took first place for the first time since the study began in 2007. The result marks a major shift in the annual business climate ranking. Recent winners and top contenders have often come from the South, including North Carolina, Texas, … Read more
The United States is using more electricity again after years of slow growth, and the power grid may not be upgraded fast enough to handle what is coming before 2030. Bank of America analysts warned that the country could face a generation shortfall of more than 100 gigawatts between 2026 and 2030. Their estimate points … Read more