What’s open and closed for Thanksgiving

Thursday is Thanksgiving. Here is a list of what’s open and closed for the holiday on Thursday and Friday.

Federal offices: Closed Thursday

State offices: Closed Thursday and Friday

Miami-Dade and Broward county offices: Closed Thursday and Friday

Miami-Dade and Broward courts: Closed Thursday and Friday

Public schools: Closed Thursday and Friday

Post offices: Closed Thursday

Stock markets: Closed Thursday, closing early Friday

Banks: Closed Thursday

Tri-Rail: Will run a weekend schedule Thursday

Miami-Dade and Broward transit: Will run a Sunday schedule on Thursday

Garbage collection: Normal schedule in most cities

Malls: Closed Thursday, many opening very early Friday

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TSX hits one-week high as RIM surges

TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada‘s main stock index hit a one-week high on Thursday as higher commodity prices boosted mining stocks and as Research In Motion Ltd shares jumped 11 percent on growing hopes for its new devices.

The market was also supported by data that showed China’s manufacturing sector was picking up steam, a signal of increased demand for Canadian resources.

Research In Motion was up 11.1 percent at C$ 11.36 after National Bank Financial raised its price target on the stock to $ 15, citing “positive sentiment building in the industry” ahead of the launch of its BlackBerry 10 devices.

The stock played the second-biggest role of any single company in leading the market higher.

“The dominant news today is the performance of RIM,” said John Ing, president of Maison Placements Canada.

“The company has had nothing but bad news over the past year, and the stock has been oversold,” he said.

At midmorning, the Toronto Stock Exchange‘s S&P/TSX composite index <.GSPTSE> was up 63.94 points, or 0.53 percent, at 12,164. Earlier in the session, the index hit 12,171.20, its highest level since November 13.

The index’s materials sector, which includes mining stocks, rose 0.7 percent, extending gains made in the previous session on higher prices for gold and other commodities.

Miner Barrick Gold Corp was up 1.2 percent at C$ 35.04. Fertilizer producer Potash Corp gained 1.4 percent to C$ 38.77, while Silver Wheaton Corp was up 1.18 percent at C$ 36.74.

The financial sector rallied for the fifth day, with investors optimistic about quarterly results from Canadian banks, which start reporting next week. The group was up 0.4 percent. Royal Bank of Canada , the country’s biggest bank, was up 0.5 percent at C$ 59.90.

In China, data showed expansion in the manufacturing sector accelerated in November for the first time in 13 months, a sign that the pace of economic growth has revived after seven consecutive quarters of slowdown.

(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Peter Galloway)

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Gobble, Gobble! Stars Go Domestic for Thanksgiving

Some celebs are putting on an apron and cooking a smorgasbord of traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Meanwhile, others are just bringing their appetite to gobble up the feast.

Jennifer Garner's dutiful husband Ben Affleck told ET's Chris Jacobs, "My wife is going to be doing a movie and I will be Mr. Mom, making a turkey, that kind of thing. The baster, the apron. The whole deal."

RELATED: Larry David Recounts Hilarious Thanksgiving

Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet echoed, "I love cooking, so I'm gonna do the turkey."

The X Factor judge Britney Spears took a different approach, telling Chris, "I think [my sister] should cook."

To hear what the stars will be eating this holiday, watch the video and indulge.

RELATED: The Beekman Boys Share Holiday Survival Tips

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Seaside Heights roller coaster submerged by Sandy may be left there

AP

A man walks on the beach as a rollercoaster that once sat on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ rests in the ocean.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — The remains of a roller coaster that was knocked off a New Jersey amusement pier by Superstorm Sandy and partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean may be left there as a tourist attraction.

Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers tells WNBC-TV in New York that officials have not made a decision on whether to tear down the coaster. But the mayor says he's working with the Coast Guard to see if the coaster is stable enough to leave it alone, because he believes it would make "a great tourist attraction."

Meanwhile, efforts to rebuild the storm-ravaged town are continuing.

Demolition crews have removed the resort's damaged boardwalk. And Akers says construction on a new boardwalk should begin in January and be ready by Memorial Day.

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Black Friday is creeping into Thanksgiving evening

Marling Sequeira has her Thanksgiving all planned: turkey, trimmings and pumpkin pie at her boyfriend’s in Miami, then a moonlit drive to Walmart to snag a 72-inch Samsung TV on sale for $800.

“It’s more exciting at midnight,” said Sequeira, 22, a medical assistant who is moving into a new Brickell-area apartment with her boyfriend on Friday. “Besides that, the specials are more convenient.”

All over South Florida on Thursday, bargain-hungry shoppers will be gobbling down their Thanksgiving meals with an eye on heading to the mall.

Thursday is becoming the new Black Thursday, as the old-fashioned kickoff day of the holiday, Black Friday, creeps into Thanksgiving dessert.

“Retailers are now commercializing Thanksgiving, giving the opportunity to the consumer who doesn’t want to watch 12 hours of football,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at the NPD Group, a consumer and retail market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y.

The stores’ goal, he said, is to compete more vigorously with online sites for those valuable early holiday dollars.

And retailers have learned that if they open their doors and offer deals, shoppers will come. Last year those who extended their hours saw sales rise up to 22 percent for the Black Friday weekend, while those retailers that did not lost up to 8 percent, Cohen said.

The result: this year, more than ever, shopping is seeping into Thanksgiving festivities.

Kmart is opening at 6 a.m. and Bass Pro Shops at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Sears and Toys”R”Us are opening at 8 p.m. Target is opening at 9 p.m. Loads of stores, including Macy’s, The Gap, Old Navy and Best Buy are opening at midnight. Best Buy is promising deals on such items as TVs, laptop computers, digital cameras and more.

Walmart is open 24 hours, so it will stay open all day on Thanksgiving, with specials offered at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday and 5 a.m. on Friday.

“Whether you want to stay up late on Thursday night or get up early on Friday, at Walmart we have a Black Friday event for you,” said spokesman Steve Restivo. Walmart is offering price guarantees to shoppers who are inside a store between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., on three hot-selling items, an Apple iPad2, an Emerson 32-inch LCD TV and an LG Blu-ray player.

In South Florida, even entire malls will open on Thanksgiving. Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater and Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise will be first, each opening at 9 p.m., and staying open until 10 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, on Black Friday.

Dadeland Mall and Miami International Mall will open at midnight Thursday.

“We’re very excited to open at midnight and give our shoppers a head start to the holiday season,” said Sara Valega, director of marketing for Miami International Mall, which will stay open until 11 p.m. on Friday.

Nationwide, 17 percent of consumers, or 41 million people are expected to shop on Thanksgiving, according to the latest consumer holiday tracking survey, released Tuesday by The International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

With stores opening earlier and earlier, and some retailers launching pre-Thanksgiving sales, the retail industry has officially crossed the traditional Black Friday barrier — with no end in sight, said Kimberly Taylor, associate professor of marketing at Florida International University.

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Miami Gardens chamber has difficult first year

One year after it’s inception, The Greater Miami Gardens Chamber of Commerce is struggling to lure local businesses and make an impact.

The chamber was established to be the voice of businesses in the city, but one year later, it’s membership lags and in its short existence the executive director has change three times.

Interested businesses who may want to join the chamber are hard-pressed to find any information about it because there is no website.

The current executive director, Ula Zucker, took the helm in June. She said she hopes to bolster the chamber’s reach into the community and build its membership.

“While I’m working on relationship-building, we want to provide education to businesses especially the small mom-and-pop businesses,” she said.

Of the 3,000 businesses in Miami Gardens, the chamber currently has 35 members.

Zucker said since taking over, some members complained to her that the chamber is not meeting their expectations.

“Because of the turnover, there are businesses that have been frustrated with the chamber,” she said. “Some of them have been upset that I paid my money and I didn’t get much out of it.”

A Facebook fan page to promote the chamber and its activities has not been updated since September 2011.

For now, the chamber is largely supported by city funds.

Miami Gardens contracted with the chamber to oversee the city’s Business Incentive Program, which provides loans to local businesses for façade improvements and upgrades to a store’s physical structure.

From June to September, the city paid the chamber $19,700 to answer emails and phone calls about economic development and the business incentive program. According to an invoice provided to the city, the payment also covered supplies, postal services, advertising and receptionist services to the chamber.

A progress reports shows since Zucker took the executive director role, the chamber processed one Business Improvement Program application.

Zucker, who previously worked for the city as the media and events coordinator, said dozens of businesses have expressed interest, but some want the money for expenses that are not covered through the program.

“What some people are asking for is not feasible, they want money for payroll or to stock inventory and that’s not what this program is about,” she said.

The chamber hosts monthly events for the business community and Zucker said financial planning and other educational training sessions are in the works.

Zucker recently hosted a holiday crime prevention forum along with Miami Gardens police for members of the chamber. Before the new year, Zucker said the chamber’s website should be functioning with tools that will allow members to create mini profiles on the site about their businesses.

“There are going to be a lot of opportunities. Businesses have been very open and excited about the chamber, ” she said.

Some businesses in the city are hesitant to join the chamber.

Former Miami Gardens Councilman Andre Williams owns Liberty Tax in the city, but is not a member of the chamber.

“I understand why small businesses would not want to be a member of the chamber because they don’t see any real value,” he said. “I don’t know of any real initiative the chamber has undertaken.”

Zucker said the chamber is an advocate for businesses and is optimistic it will gain more traction in the coming year.

“We’re building a foundation right now,” she said. “This is a start-up essentially.”

Miami Herald intern Janey Tate contributed to this report.

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'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Yolanda Foster House Tour

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills added two more housewives this season to add the glitz, glamour, and inevitable drama. Although newest housewife Yolanda Foster recently opened up parts of her home to the public by signing on for the show, she invited Entertainment Tonight for a full tour of her beautiful Malibu home.

As ET's Christina McLarty stepped foot in Foster's luxurious home, she was first captured by the 16 Grammys belonging to Foster's musician husband, David, that are situated on his piano.

VIDEO: 'Housewives' Get 'Real' about Plastic Surgery

Foster and her husband were recently married in Beverly Hills on the rare numeroligically aligned date of November 11, 2011. While she signed up for Housewives, the Holland native revealed that she doesn't enjoy spending too much time in Beverly Hills.

"I am not a city girl. I [was] born and raised on a farm, so for me, I need nature," she said, pointing toward the Pacific Ocean overlooking her backyard. "If I had to live in Beverly Hills seven days a week, my spirit would probably die."

RELATED: 'Real Housewife of NJ' Reveals Son's Autism

The new member to Beverly Hills isn't entirely new to reality television, as she starred on a similar reality show a few years ago in her native Holland. With her children getting older, Foster said she thought it was time for her to start a new chapter in her life.

Check out the video for the full house tour as well as the new housewife's one-word descriptions of her co-stars. The Real Housewives Beverly Hills airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.

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Frederick Jackson to be honored by Miami-Dade Chamber

The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce will give its top award to Frederick Jackson Jr., a long-time community advocate and leader in non-profit circles.

Jackson, who runs a consulting firm, will be honored for his “life-long contribution of community leadership and philanthropic effort to improve the quality of life for Miami-Dade County residents,’’ the chamber said in a press release. The chamber, which lists as its mission to promote economic development in the county’s black community, will honor Jackson at its annual gala on Saturday, Dec. 1. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Miami Downtown. Tickets start at $175 a piece, though the chamber’s website said Wednesday the event is sold out.

Also slated to be honored that night: Albert Dotson, of the Bilzin Sumberg law firm, and Eric Poms, CEO of the Orange Bowl Committee.

DOUGLAS HANKS

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Kendall man confesses to suffocating, raping wife and 8-year-old daughter, police say

A Kendall man confessed to suffocating his wife and raping her 8-year-old daughter inside a West Miami-Dade home, police say.

Alberto Sierra, 28, was charged early Tuesday with the murder of Gladys Machado and her two young daughters, whose bodies were found inside the bedroom closet of a home last week. Machado was also raped, according to an arrest report.

The shocking details cap a furious police investigation into a brutal killing that shocked South Florida. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of sexual battery.

Sierra, a convicted felon who was long the main focus of the investigation, confessed after hours of questioning Monday night. Also on Monday, detectives found Machado’s missing car near the Kendall apartment where Sierra was staying with his mother.

According to an arrest report, Sierra accompanied Machado and her daughters to the Mall of the Americas in West Miami-Dade. The on-again-off-again couple began to argue and Sierra, armed with a knife, stabbed her.

Then, he drove the three to the Flagami-area home where the family had lived up until recently. The home was vacant because the couple had split.

According to police, Sierra put the daughters in an adjacent bedroom and suffocated Machado in the master bedroom, then raping her. Then, Miami-Dade police said, Sierra called the oldest daughter to the master bedroom, raping and suffocating her.

Then, police say, Sierra went to the other bedroom and suffocated the youngest daughter as she slept.

The bodies were not found until Tuesday afternoon. A woman who rents an efficiency in the home found Machado and Julia and Daniela Padrino, ages 8 and 4, laid out inside a closet.

A convicted felon with a long rap sheet, Sierra walked into the Kendall substation last Wednesday. After homicide detectives questioned him for several hours, he was allowed to leave. His criminal history includes convictions for drugs and weapons.

But armed with forensic evidence, Miami-Dade homicide detectives called him in for questioning Monday and he confessed.

Sierra has a violent past. Back in 2010, Machado told police he bit her arm during a heated argument. Investigators later found him with 79 grams of Ecstasy, a stolen 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol and ammo.

After he was sentenced to one year of probation, he and Machado were married in October 2011.

That same month, Sierra was also investigated by the state’s child welfare agency after Julia told a teacher that her stepdad had bitten her on the arm.

The girls’ biological father asked for sole custody of the children, but the Department of Children and Families closed out its investigation when Sierra was again arrested in November on charges of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. At the time, he was living with Machado at the same Flagami-area house where she was later found dead.

Officers seized a rifle, a shotgun and ammo. His probation was also revoked and Sierra later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 364 days in a Miami-Dade jail.

In June, Sierra was released from a Miami-Dade jail and had returned to living with Machado. It is not known when the two separated.

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Interpublic exits Facebook

(Reuters) – Interpublic Group of Cos said it sold its remaining investment in Facebook Inc for $ 95 million in cash.

Interpublic said it expects to record a pre-tax gain of $ 94 million. It had recorded a pre-tax gain of $ 132.2 million for the third quarter of last year from the sale of half of its 0.4 percent stake in Facebook.

Interpublic paid less than $ 5 million for the stake in 2006.

Shares of Facebook, which debuted with a market value of more than $ 100 billion in May, have lost nearly half their value since then on concerns about money-making prospects.

“We decided to sell our remaining shares in Facebook as our investment was no longer strategic in nature,” Chief Executive Michael Roth said in a statement.

Interpublic also authorized an increase in its existing share repurchase program to $ 400 million from $ 300 million. The company repurchased shares worth $ 151 million, as of September 30.

Shares of the company were up 1 percent at $ 10 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

Facebook shares were marginally up at $ 23.00 on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bangalore; Editing by Joyjeet Das)

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