By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS (AP Business Writer)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin has hit an all-time high less than two years after the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX severely damaged faith in digital currencies and sent prices plunging.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency briefly surpassed $68,800 Tuesday, according to CoinMarketCap. That’s just above bitcoin’s previous record set back in November 2021.

The price for the volatile asset is up almost 200% from one year ago, fueled by the anticipation and eventual regulatory approval of spot bitcoin exchange traded funds earlier this year, which provided access to a much broader class of investors.

The price for bitcoin has surged about 60% since the approval of bitcoin ETFs in January, an easy way to invest in assets or a group of assets, like gold, junk bonds or bitcoins, without having to directly buy the assets themselves.

Also driving prices is what is known as bitcoin “halving” which is anticipated in April. Halvings trim the rate at which new coins are mined and created, lowering the supply.

Bitcoin has a history of drastic swings in price — which can come suddenly and happen over the weekend or overnight in trading that continues at all hours, every day.

Bitcoin rocketed from just over $5,000 at the start of the pandemic to its November 2021 peak of nearly $69,000, in a period marked by a surge in demand for technology products. Prices crashed during an aggressive series of Federal Reserve rate hikes intended to cool inflation, slow money flows and make risky investments potentially riskier. Then came the 2022 collapse of FTX, which left a significant scar on confidence in crypto.

At the start of last year, a single bitcoin could be had for less than $17,000. Investors, however, began returning in large numbers as inflation started to cool. And 2023’s collapse of prominent tech-focused banks actually led more investors to turn to crypto as they bailed out of positions in Silicon Valley start-ups and other risky bets.

Despite the recent excitement around bitcoin, experts still maintain that crypto is a risky bet with wildly unpredictable fluctuations in value. In short, investors can lose money as quickly as they make it.

The Chicago Bears are working on a deal to hire Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator, multiple league sources confirmed Monday morning.

Waldron has been the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator for the last three seasons and helped quarterback Geno Smith to a comeback season in 2022. Before that, Waldron spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams as the passing game coordinator, quarterbacks coach and tight ends coach.

He is well-respected inside league circles as a young, energetic coach on the rise and a strong teacher with a creative mind and — especially important to the Bears — three seasons of play-calling experience.

NFL Network first reported the Bears are planning to hire Waldron.

The Bears reportedly interviewed at least nine candidates for the opening, including San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak, former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Waldron would replace Luke Getsy, whom coach Matt Eberflus fired earlier this month after two seasons at the helm of the Bears offense. In the search for Getsy’s replacement, Eberflus emphasized his desire to find a new offensive coordinator who is a “great teacher.”

“That’s important because you know he has to coach the coaches to coach the position, and I think that’s the No. 1 trait of any great coach,” Eberflus said. “You have to be able to have the innovation to really look at the players you have and be able to help enhance and put those guys in position to succeed and to get explosive (plays) and to move the ball down the field.”

Waldron would take over a Bears offense that has major decisions ahead this offseason at quarterback. General manager Ryan Poles must decide whether to use the No. 1 draft pick to select a quarterback — potentially USC’s Caleb Williams — or to stick with Justin Fields, the Bears starter for the last three seasons.

Poles said he expected to ask candidates for their plans to coach different kinds of quarterbacks.

“I love it because what are you going to do for these four different types of quarterbacks,” Poles said. “I want to hear that, and I think it’s really important to hear the versatility and adaptability in their teaching, in the way they implement a plan, scheme, adjust. It actually makes it pretty dynamic in terms of the interview process.”

Waldron called plays in 2021 for a Seahawks offense piloted by Russell Wilson. In 2022, after Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, the Seahawks pivoted to Smith and won nine games while earning a wild-card berth.

Smith, in his 10th NFL season, was honored as the league’s Comeback Player of the Year after throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns. Both marks would be single-season franchise records for the Bears.

This season the Seahawks ranked 21st in total offense (322.9 yards per game) and 14th in passing (230 ypg). They averaged 21.4 points, ranked 17th. That was down from 2022, when they averaged 351.5 yards (13th) and 23.9 points (ninth).

The Seahawks staff is looking for new jobs after the organization and coach Pete Carroll parted ways after a 14-year union.

In addition to working closely with Wilson and Smith, Waldron worked with quarterback Jared Goff for three seasons with the Rams.

Waldron served as an offensive assistant with the New England Patriots (2008-09) and Washington (2016) and worked in operations with the Patriots early in his career. He also has coached in college, high school and the UFL.

Waldron and the Bears must hire assistants to coach the quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs after the team dismissed Andrew Janocko, Tyke Tolbert and Omar Young earlier this month. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan and tight ends coach Jim Dray remain on the staff.

The Bears also are seeking a defensive coordinator, and NFL Network reported Monday they will interview Tennessee Titans defensive pass game coordinator Chris Harris. Harris played safety in the NFL for eight seasons, including two stints with the Bears, and started for the 2006 Bears team that went to the Super Bowl.

More Bears news

Bears Q&A: Did GM Ryan Poles miss a chance at a big-name coach? How desirable are the coordinator openings?
Column: Keeping Jaylon Johnson is paramount for the Bears — but will they make him the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback?
5 player decisions besides QB facing the Bears, including Jaylon Johnson’s contract and Darnell Mooney’s future
Bears GM Ryan Poles staying ‘open-minded’ as he evaluates whether to keep Justin Fields or draft a QB at No. 1
Caleb Williams declares for the NFL draft — and the Bears, picking No. 1, ‘can’t be scared of the unknown,’ analyst says
Column: How can GM Ryan Poles fix the cycle that has plagued the Bears forever? Pick the right quarterback.
Bears President Kevin Warren says building a ‘magnificent’ downtown stadium remains a possibility

By Ruth Sarreal | NerdWallet

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your closets or attic. It can apply to your finances, too. Taking the time to do a deep clean of your spending and deposits can help ensure you’re using minimal effort throughout the year to meet your saving and budgeting goals. Here are a few steps to take when you’re ready to spring clean your bank accounts.

1. Review account transactions from your bank

Look through your statements from the past few months for any penalties or charges that have been assessed by your bank. While some banks and credit unions have eliminated overdraft fees, yours might still be charging them. Some banks also charge an inactivity fee if you haven’t used your account in a while. Or your account might charge a monthly service fee.

If you’ve been charged an overdraft recently, try asking for a refund and consider what you can do to avoid those fees next time. Find an account that doesn’t penalize overdrawing your funds or charge any monthly or other fees. There are plenty of FDIC-insured banks that offer competitive accounts with no fees and no minimum requirements.

2. Hit ‘unsubscribe’

Scanning your bank account can be an effective way to see your subscription payments in one place. The cost of your subscription services can be much higher than you estimate. A survey done by market research firm C+R in 2022 of 1,000 consumers found that consumers, on average, estimated their subscription spending to be $86 per month. Their actual average monthly spending on subscription services was $219. So it’s a good idea to audit your subscription charges.

“One of the things I recommend that people do when it comes to subscriptions is to make sure you’re at the right level,” says Mical Jeanlys-White, CEO and founder of WealthMore, a firm that aims to provide accessible and affordable financial advisors for investment and financial planning services. She says to consider whether you need the subscription, and if you do, to see whether a cheaper plan might be enough. “Are you keeping a premium level where you may just need the basic?” she asks.

3. Take a holistic view

As you review your subscriptions, take time to look at all your transactions and expenses, including ones from your credit cards. Consider whether they all align with your money goals. “The biggest transfer of your wealth is your day-to-day spending. So be intentional,” says Jeanlys-White. “Do I want to transfer my wealth to this vacation? This retailer? This restaurant here? This wine bar?”

4. Go paperless

If you receive paper bank statements, consider switching to electronic statements. Some financial institutions charge a fee for paper statements, so it could be an opportunity to save a few dollars each month. If you’re not already receiving and paying bills online rather than by mail, you can set this up for yourself as part of your spring cleaning.

Anora Gaudiano, a certified financial planner and assistant vice president at Wealthspire Advisors in New York City, recommends also ditching paper checks, if possible. “Checks get lost and checks get stolen,” she says. “People can use online payment systems and wires to avoid this.” You can set up online bill pay or, in some cases, use peer-to-peer payment apps such as Zelle or Venmo if you’re paying someone you know and trust.

5. Automate your accounts to meet your goals

There’s a lot you can automate to make it easy to manage money in your bank accounts. You can set up automatic bill payments from your bank account for recurring expenses such as utilities, and set up direct deposit for your paychecks. You can even split your direct deposits so that a certain amount goes straight to your savings, for example; or you can set up recurring auto transfers from a checking account into savings. Jeanlys-White recommends turning that discipline of good financial habits to autopilot mode so you don’t have to think about it.

6. Streamline your bank accounts

Review the bank accounts you have open. For each, ask yourself, “Does this serve me? Is this aligned with my lifestyle and the goals that I want to accomplish?” says Lea Landaverde, Founder of Riqueza Collective, which makes bilingual financial education accessible to underrepresented communities.

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The best time for high CD rates might be right now

Investigate if your savings accounts still have competitive rates. The best rates right now are around 5% annual percentage yield, while the national average savings rate is just 0.46% as of February 2024. If you’re not earning as much as you could be, consider moving your money to a high-yield savings account or, for funds you won’t need in the near future, to a high-rate certificate of deposit.

Comb through to see if there are any accounts that you aren’t really using. Consider consolidating or closing accounts and moving funds where they can earn more interest.

Alternatively, you may find that you want to open another account in order to get streamlined. You can open two checking accounts, for example: one for paying bills and another for your spending money. Or you may find it helpful to have multiple bank accounts at different banks or credit unions to keep your savings at a different place than your checking account, so your funds aren’t easy to dip into when you’re tempted to spend more. “You can have multiple accounts,” says Landaverde. “There is no right or wrong with having 10 accounts versus two accounts.”

Don’t limit yourself to springtime to clean up your bank accounts

“I would suggest that you do a financial spring cleaning, summer cleaning, fall cleaning and winter cleaning,” says Jeanlys-White. Landaverde agrees that it’s a good idea to review your bank accounts more regularly. “You can set up a monthly reoccurring date with yourself on a Sunday or on a Friday when you get paid, to organize your finances to ensure that you kind of know where your paycheck is going,” says Landaverde. This way, reviewing your finances is less overwhelming, she says.

Whether you’re spring cleaning your bank accounts for the first time or you already have the kind of regular schedule that Landaverde and Jeanlys-White recommend, taking the time to consider whether you’re getting the most of your deposit accounts — and switching banks or accounts when necessary — can help you maximize your earnings and avoid fees.

 

The article 6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Bank Accounts originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Bears mascot delights students in Tinley Park

A special friend stopped by last week at the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy School for Exceptional Children in Tinley Park to help everyone shake off the winter blues.

Staley Da Bear, the official team mascot for the Chicago Bears, danced his way through a crowd of cheering students and staff, exchanging high fives with a multitude of raised hands.

“You ready to have a dance party?” his handler asked above the roar. “Let’s go!”

School administrators invited Staley to stop by the school to help motivate students as they settle into the second half of the school year.

About 70 students attend the therapeutic day school, including students from Thornton Township District 205, Thornton Fractional District 215, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Crete Monee District 201-U, Consolidated High School District 230 and Flossmoor District 161.

Oak Lawn library, Tinley book store reunite for RomCon

Fans of romantic literature will be swooning Feb. 17 as the Oak Lawn Public Library presents RomCon, an afternoon event dedicated to the genre. Independent bookstore Love’s Sweet Arrow, in Tinley Park, is teaming up with librarians to produce the free mini-convention featuring eight romance authors along with book signing, author panels, raffles, trivia and book sales.

Love’s Sweet Arrow owner Rosanne Backlin recruited a diverse group of authors to visit the library, including Danielle Jackson, Kelly Farmer, Tinia Montford, Tamara Jerée, Rien Gray, Hanna Earnest and Sara Fujimura. Author Olivia Dade will be doing a virtual visit to the event.

Dade, who lives in Sweden, is the author of Avon bestsellers “Ship Wrecked” (2022) and “Spoiler Alert” (2020) and she has a new novel coming out, “At First Spite” in 2024. Bettcher says,

“It’s a really big deal for us to have her participate in RomCon,” said fiction librarian Emily Bettcher.

Oak Lawn’s RomCon is from 1 to 4:15 p.m. Feb. 17 from 1-4:15 p.m. Register in advance for updates and a special treat on the day, at 708-422-4990 or cal.olpl.org/event/10993047.

Hidden Oaks Nature Center to close for most of 2024

The Forest Preserves of Will County’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 419 Trout Farm Road, Bolingbrook is about to be transformed, but the process will require the facility to be closed for most of the year starting Feb. 19.

FPD officials said Hidden Oaks Preserve also will close on occasion for outdoor renovations during the year, as necessary, but the renovations will not affect Hidden Lakes Trout Farm, which is in the northern part of the preserve.

The interior and exterior work at Hidden Oaks Nature Center is designed to convert the former Bolingbrook Park District site, which was purchased by the Forest Preserve in February 2022, into a nature center tailored to Forest Preserve-type exhibits and activities.

Officials said the renovation will provide new design features throughout the first floor and a new permanent live animal tank for the nature center’s resident turtles, and an elaborate indoor bird-watching lookout deck will be installed.

Oak Forest High School earns diversity award

Oak Forest High School has earned the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science A. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP computer science courses, according to a news release from the School District 228.

Oak Forest High School was one of 225 institutions in the country recognized in the category.

“We are so proud of the unique perspective our female students bring to the fields of Math and Science,” said Oak Forest principal Jane Dempsey. “This is a recognition of our belief that anyone can succeed in any field. Our graduates are a testament to the impact created by opening doors to women.”

Oak Forest Raiders chosen to lead Fleadh

The Oak Forest Raiders instructional tackle football and cheerleading program for boys and girls ages 5 to 14, which has been operating in the area for more than 50 years, was chosen as grand marshals for the 15th anniversary edition of the Oak Forest Fleadh.

Players, families and coaches will lead the parade, which steps off at 11 a.m. March 2 at 151st and Central Avenue and heads to the Oak Forest Park District. The parade will be preceded at 8:30 a.m. by the CNB Oak Forest Fleadh 5K race, which starts and finishes at 155th Street and Betty Anne Lane. More than 500 people are expected to participate. Activities also are planned before and after the race at Fire Station 1, 5620 Jame Drive. Street closures are planned for the race and for the parade. More information is at www.oak‐forest.org.

Visitor’s Bureau video highlights Southland attractions

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched its interactive destination video for visitors’ vacation and residents’ staycation ideas.

The video displays footage of Chicago Southland amenities with their corresponding logo and website link synced on the side of the screen. Users can also scroll through the vertical list of all amenities in descending order of appearance.

“This interactive video helps our tourists and residents peruse and visit many of Chicago Southland attractions in one source,” said Jim Garrett, president/CEO of the bureau. “The video includes nature centers, art galleries, restaurants, breweries, museums, sports facilities, golf courses, and performing arts centers to name a few.”

The CSCVB interactive video is available at www.visitchicagosouthland.com/#clicktivated.