T-Mobile announces prices are going up starting next month on some of its plans

T-Mobile is reportedly sending out notifications this week to customers whose charges will increase. (T-Mobile | MGN)

Some T-Mobile customers will be noticing higher prices on their next bill.

According to multiple reports, the company will start sending out notifications on Wednesday to those customers whose charges will increase, starting as early as next month.

CNET reports that customers with older plans can expect a $2 or $5 per line increase.

T-Mobile representatives cited the price hikes were to “keep up with rising inflation and costs.”

The Verge reports that some of the older plans expected to see a price increase include One, Magenta, Magenta 55 Plus / Military, Simple Choice, and Go5G 55 plans for seniors.

This is the first time in nearly a decade that T-Mobile has raised its rates, according to the company.

The company did not share exactly how many customers the increases will affect but those consumers can expect to see their new monthly price on their first bill after June 5.

Boy, 7, battling through rare skin conditions that prevent him from closing his eyes

Carter, 7, was born with two rare skin conditions called lamellar ichthyosis and ectropion. (GoFundMe)

Las Vegas

We can sometimes take the little things for granted in life but for a little boy in Las Vegas, some of those more simpler things can be a challenge.

Carter is 7 years old and is your average child, but he is dealing with a couple of rare skin conditions that he was born with.

“My skin was hurting super bad when I woke up,” he said.

Carter’s family says he was born with two rare skin conditions called lamellar ichthyosis and ectropion. He has also been diagnosed with autism.

“His body overproduces skin at a rapid rate but his skin cell turnover isn’t up to par to release the dead skin cells,” Carter’s mother Shai Bresee said.

Carter’s skin condition is far beyond just severe dry skin. His mom said she has to moisturize him up to seven times a day with special products.

“We have to be very careful because we can cause more damage than good over-exfoliating,” Bresee said.

Even if his skin is soothed, Carter has another challenge that his mom can’t make better.

“His skin is so dry and tight that it pulls his upper lids basically flat,” Bresee said.

Carter has not been able to close his eyelids since he was born. He has to sleep with his eyes open.

“Why does such a great kid have to go through all of these everyday struggles just to experience these normal day-to-day things,” Bresee said.

This summer Carter will get skin graft surgery on his eyelids so he can hopefully close them for the very first time.

“I’m going through a lot. It hurts, but I have to go through it until I get surgery and then it won’t really hurt anymore.” Carter said.

For it to not hurt anymore, the family will have to travel to San Diego for surgery, but it will get costly for the family which is why they are asking for help through a GoFundMe account.

“He will struggle no matter what we do so all we can do is help him struggle with fewer things,” Bresee said.

Even through the pain, Carter says he still likes to play video games and watch the Vegas Golden Knights.

‘Leave me, just get out’: Son helps father escape fire after car they were fixing explodes

Darrell and Reese Tucker survived catching fire after the car they were working on exploded. (GoFundMe)

Yamhill, Ore.

A father and son in Oregon are recovering after they caught on fire while fixing a car last Thursday evening.

The family says they have been in survival mode since the incident.

“They are alive and that’s all that matters right now,” family member Marsay Garner said. “She [my sister] called and said there was an accident, a fire, an explosion at mom and dad’s.”

Garner’s father Darrell Tucker and her brother Reese Tucker were fixing an old Chevrolet Nova - a common sight on their property in Yamhill – when it suddenly caught fire.

Reese Tucker is a mechanic, and Garner said the family has enjoyed working on anything with a motor for generations.

But this time there was a fuel leak they discovered too late.

“When he turned the key off it wouldn’t shut off. That sparked, and ignited … then an explosion,” Garner said.

According to Garner, the motor wouldn’t turn off and her brother had pulled out the distributor cap.

“I think he realized he was on fire, so he ran out of the shop first, then he realized that dad was lying on the ground, next to the car, so he patted himself out and ran back in,” she said.

Reese Tucker’s father couldn’t move. Garner said he already had a boot on one leg from a recent surgery and ended up breaking his other leg trying to escape the flames.

“Dad just kept telling him to go, ‘leave me, just get out.’ Obviously, he [Reese Tucker] was not going to just leave his dad there,” Garner said. “Dad told him after the fact, ‘I told you to go because I was just watching the skin melt off of you.’”

Reese Tucker was airlifted to the nearest burn unit and his father joined him Tuesday after another surgery on his broken leg.

Through it all, Garner said the father, son duo has remained their normal, happy selves.

Darrell Tucker may come home later this week, while Reese Tucker will have a few more weeks in the hospital.

One thing they do know: they aren’t giving up on the Chevy.

“They are already talking about rebuilding and how to fix it,” Garner said.

The family has started a GoFundMe to help cover medical bills and lost wages.

Home prices in US are up 47% since start of 2020

A combination of factors including inflation has caused skyrocketing home prices. (Nicholas J Klein via Canva)

Home prices have been surging this decade.

According to an analysis by ResiClub of the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, prices of homes have increased 47.1% just since the start of 2020.

The current housing boom has even outpaced the growth seen in the 1990s and 2010s which saw 30.1% and 44.7%.

Additionally, home prices this decade are reported to be on track to surpass the growth seen in the 2000s, along with possibly surpassing numbers seen in 2007 before the housing market collapse.

Housing experts say prices have climbed thanks to a shortage of available homes and many homeowners not wanting to sell after locking in historically low rates during the pandemic.

“Because the Fed kept rates too low for too long during the pandemic, listing inventory was essentially wiped off the map, keeping prices rising sharply despite the surge in mortgage rates,” appraiser Jonathan Miller told the New York Post. “Would-be home sellers that bought or refinanced at a 2.5% to 4% rate during the pandemic became reluctant to list their homes because, as new buyers, they would get a lot less for their money because of the much higher mortgage rates.”

According to The Associated Press, the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate moved above 7% just last month as homebuyers are facing higher costs to finance a home.

The National Association of Realtors reported that home prices continued to rise in the first quarter of 2024 with median prices rising 5% year over year to $389,400.

The Federal Reserve has talked about lowering rates this year, but CNN reports it still remains a mystery if the Fed will cut interest rates this year if at all.

First responders find puppies left in hot car while owner visits Disney

Three puppies now have new homes after first responders rescued them from a hot car at Disney last Saturday. (Source: Orange County Animal Services)

Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

A pet owner could be facing felony charges for leaving four puppies inside a hot car at Disney Springs over the weekend.

WFLA reports that a security guard spotted the puppies in the hot vehicle that was parked in a parking garage at Disney Springs last Saturday.

According to the Orange County Animal Services in Florida, first responders were called to the scene but one of the puppies was already unresponsive and despite life-saving measures, the puppy died.

“We cannot stress this enough: It is never a good idea to leave your pets inside a parked car,” Orange County Animal Services shared. “The temperatures inside a parked vehicle can easily climb to well over 120 degrees in just a few minutes.”

Animal services said the three other pups were able to survive with care at an area veterinary emergency clinic.

According to the animal service team, the puppies’ owner had just picked them up from a breeder and stopped to have dinner with family at Disney Springs.

The owner shared that they assumed that since the puppies were in a covered parking garage and had the windows cracked the animals would be OK.

“Every year we find ourselves working heartbreaking cases like this one. Fortunately, our first responder and law enforcement partners are well trained and well aware of the law, and they will not hesitate to take action against such neglect,” representatives with animal services said.

Firefighters ended up adopting the puppies that were saved.

As for the person who left the dogs behind, WOFL reports that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office says investigators believe they have probable cause for felony animal cruelty charges.