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1. Death toll of LA wildfires rises to 10
The multiple wildfires around the Los Angeles area have killed 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other buildings since Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. Firefighters are hoping for a break in the heavy winds that have helped these fires spread and start new fires as well.
Winds have slowed, but the break may not last long, the AP reports.
“We’re looking for a little respite on Friday and Saturday from the Santa Ana winds but then they’re going to pick up again Sunday through most of next week,” meteorologist Rich Thompson said at a fire briefing Thursday evening.
2. Ace Hotel Group names new CEO
Hotel brand Ace Hotel Group and management firm Atelier Ace named Chris Penn as its new CEO, HNN's Trevor Simpson reports, citing a LinkedIn post from Brad Wilson, the companies' most recent CEO and now managing partner. Penn most recently founded Do^2, a lifestyle hospitality company and consultancy, and was previously the managing director at the now-closed Ace Hotel London.
"While automated and artificial, fake and false, hyper-connected and yet increasingly isolated are all becoming themes of the decade and cues to the future, Ace is, in my estimation, the one hotel brand that still, through independence, creativity and humanity (and a bucket load of resilience), remains true to its values," Penn said in his own LinkedIn post about his new role. "Values that not only survive the past and provide relief in the challenges of the present, but those that will become its superpowers in the future."
3. Owner of Omni Nashville refinances with $300 million loan
TRT Holdings, the owner of Omni Hotels & Resorts, has refinanced the 800-key Omni Nashville Hotel with a new $300 million loan, HNN reports. JLL's Capital Markets group helped secure the fixed-rate, seven-year loan.
"The Omni Nashville exemplifies the strength of Nashville's hospitality market, consistently ranking at the top of its competitive set for RevPAR," said Kevin Davis, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group Americas CEO. "With its irreplaceable location next to Music City Center and high-quality amenities, the property is well-positioned to continue its market-leading performance as Nashville experiences tremendous growth in both leisure and business travel demand."
4. Carolinas families may lose FEMA hotels ahead of snowstorm
Roughly 3,500 families in North and South Carolina are about to lose their Federal Emergency Management Agency vouchers for hotels this weekend as a winter storm heads their way, WBTV reports. These families have relied on FEMA to pay for their hotel stays because Hurricane Helene damaged their homes earlier this year.
FEMA had previously extended these vouchers in December, and more than 10,000 families used them, according to the article. Since then, about half had found longer-term housing.
The vouchers for the remaining families will expire because FEMA inspected their homes and found them habitable, the families declined an inspection of their home and/or FEMA was unable to contact them about their housing needs.
5. US employers added 256,000 jobs in December
The U.S. Department of Labor reports employers added 256,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.1%, according to the Wall Street Journal. Economists surveyed by the newspaper expected 155,000 jobs added and an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
The unemployment rate is near the sustainable, long-term level Federal Reserve officials have sought in their battle against inflation, the newspaper reports. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has said he doesn't believe the labor market is in need of any further cooling.