Black Friday sales are everywhere. Judging by retailers' advertisements stuffed with language like "must-have deals" and "can't-miss epic finds," you'd be led to believe that every deal is too good to pass up.

But what actually makes a Black Friday deal worth pursuing? An item's reduced price, availability and affordability are key elements.

Local governments in Ohio and Illinois are using American Rescue Plan Act money to relieve residents struggling with medical debt by partnering with an organization that buys debt and wipes the slate clean for debtors.

It’s a strategy advocates say could be duplicated across the country to help erase a multibillion-dollar problem.

OMAHA — While remote workers have multiplied since the pandemic hit, a new survey of Nebraska businesses signals that the trend locally might have leveled off.

“Remote working has grown, but managers don’t expect it will grow further in the next year,” said economist Eric Thompson, who led the study. “The flip side is they don’t think it’s a temporary thing. They’re expecting this increase to hold.”