(rock music) - Coming up next on NewsDepth.

How has inflation affected holiday shopping?

What does winter have in store for us this year?

A university uses AI to check in on its students.

And a world renowned ice artist carves out his own niche in Medina.

NewsDepth is now.

(rock music) With holiday shopping in full swing, the US economy is top of mind for millions in America.

Hello, I'm Ygal Kaufman in for Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

Key reports on inflation consumer spending and wages indicate that the interest rate is moving closer to the Federal reserve's long held target of 2%.

Wage is the amount of money that is paid to an employee.

And as Laura Aguirre reports, this could be good news for credit card holders.

- We will return inflation to 2%.

- [Laura] That was Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in May, and a new Commerce Department report out this morning shows the needle hovering just a hair above that long held goal.

The personal consumption expenditures price index, which tracks the prices, we as consumers pay, slowed in September from the previous month.

Coming in at 2.1% down from August 2.3.

The PCE as it's called, is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge and one it primarily uses to make decisions about interest rate cuts.

Other notes, personal income, up .3%, an uptick from August and people are spending that money at a rate up to .5% over the previous month.

A separate labor department report out today shows companies are mostly hanging on to their workers.

Initial unemployment claims dropped by 12,000 new filings the week of October 26th over the prior week.

- It is critical to many parts of the government.

This is a key piece of the US economy.

- Thank you, Laura.

Retailers are looking ahead to the winter holidays and hoping to muster up some magic.

Retailers are the businesses that sell goods to the public.

Leigh Waldman explains the high expectations for big box stores.

- [Leigh] Retailers are working to get ready for the holiday shopping season.

- We have always seen that the winter holidays have been central to both consumers and to the retail industry.

This year is certainly no exception.

- [Leigh] Katherine Cullen with the National Retail Federation says they expect shoppers to spend a record $902 per person on average this year on seasonal items like gifts, food, decorations, and cards.

That's up $27 from last year.

- Celebrations and these special moments throughout the year have really become a priority for them, even when things are tough.

- [Leigh] Meanwhile, retailers themselves are up against a shorter time clock with five fewer calendar days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas to entice customers.

- We know that many consumers will have started browsing or buying at least doing some of their research even before November, while the bulk of spending really does still kick off in November or December.

- [Leigh] Even with the shortened timeframe, the NRF expects holiday shopping to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% from last year, totaling between a whopping $979.5 billion and $989 billion.

- Thank you, Leigh.

Oh, that reminds me, I still need to finish my holiday shopping.

Anyway, let's get back to the show.

Winter is coming.

At least that's according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's winter outlook projections.

The Climate Prediction Center at the National Weather Service is giving us an idea of what we can expect to see in the season through their winter outlook projections.

Marybel Gonzalez spoke to their experts.

- [Marybel] This winter could look a little different than the last one.

- Overall, we are expecting a warmer than normal temperatures across the southern tier of the country.

- [Marybel] Last year, the natural climate pattern known as El Nino, in addition to warming due to fossil fuel pollution, brought warmer winters in the south and cooler ones in the north with less snow in much of the Northeast and Midwest.

This year, its counterpart, La Nina, could bring a warmer and drier south and a wetter north.

- Above normal temperatures are more likely across the southern tier of the country, also northward along the eastern seaboard with below normal temperatures favored for parts of the Northern Rockies and northern plains.

- [Marybel] But no two La Nina winters are the same, and their strength matters.

The Climate Prediction Center forecasts this one to be a weaker event.

- We would expect more variable weather pattern so you could go from warm and wet to cold and dry in a matter of two or three weeks.

- [Marybel] And while El Nino and La Nina climate patterns help give us a good idea of what to expect, experts like Peter Goble, climatologist at Colorado State University says Mother Nature will have the ultimate say.

- I like to use the analogy with El Nino, La Nina of it's like playing a game of cards or poker with a few extra aces in the deck.

You might have an idea of how the deck is stacked, but it doesn't mean you know exactly what hand you're gonna get.

- Thank you, Marybel.

In some parts of the country, winter has already started.

For example, the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, Sierra Nevada's annual average snowfall total is 226 inches.

Compared to Cleveland, 64 inches of average yearly snowfall, that sounds like a lot of snow.

Carolina Estrada spoke with locals about how they prepare for snow.

- [Carolina] It's an exciting time in the Sierra.

As residents expect the first impactful snowfall of this season.

- People can start planning to come up over the holidays and enjoy the snow.

- [Carolina] With the temperatures arriving Wednesday night, businesses and Truckee hope to see more customers.

They're gearing up by stocking up their inventory.

- We've been getting tons of shipments in and getting it on the shelves and making sure that we have plenty of stock and we're ready.

- [Carolina] At hardware stores, snow shovels, tire chains, and winter tools are already out.

- I'm getting some chains and chain tensioners for my tractor.

Just getting it ready for winter, getting the chains and the snowblower mounted onto it.

- [Carolina] Scott Ruzich says he likes to get ahead of the winter weather.

- Don't wait.

You know, winter's here and you never know what it's gonna be like, but go ahead and take advantage of it.

Get it done early.

- [Carolina] In Truckee, getting ready for the winter also means one of the most exciting times of the year is coming.

- It just looks like a hallmark postcard in the winter when it's snow and the lights are up.

- We want to have a good winter and see the people come into town and you know, enjoy what's here.

- Thank you, Carolina.

Of course, Ohio is no stranger to snow.

We experience what we call lake effect snow.

Lake effect snow is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs when cold air moves over a warm body of water, causing snow.

Margaret has this week spot on science explaining exactly how that happens.

(techno music) - Ever wonder why some schools in Ohio seem to get more snow days than others?

Turns out, old man winter serves a bigger helping of the frosty flakes to areas in the northeast corner of the state.

We call it lake effect snow and its recipe with just two ingredients, a warm lake and cold air.

The lake needs to be somewhere over 35 degrees and the air needs to be around 10 degrees or cooler.

When the cold air from the north and west moves across the lake, it catches water vapor rising off the lake and turns it into clouds, piles of snow, and maybe a snow day or two for some lucky kids.

Sometimes, the lake effects snow is so powerful and sudden it can look like a wall of clouds moving in.

So yeah, the lake makes those of us living nearby keep our shovels close.

These areas of Ohio that are snowier than others have a unique name.

The snowbelt.

Ohio has a primary and secondary snow belt centered around the northeastern part of the state.

What's impressive about lake effect snow is that one part of a county can get pummeled with snow while a neighboring community only a few miles away gets barely a snowflake.

Here in Cleveland, we see it all the time.

The southeast side of the city is a winter wonderland, while the northwest side gets only a dusting.

Lake effect snow is also responsible for some of the most fantastic winter weather nightmares like this house disguised as a snow mound, or this house turned into an igloo encased by ice on the shores of Lake Ontario.

So if you get a hefty helping of old man winter's lake effect entree, be sure to add lots of salt.

Rock salt, that is.

- Thank you, Margaret.

I love watching the snowfall, but I hate driving on a slippery winter road.

For our poll this week, we want to know, do you like winter?

Jump over to our poll page to vote.

You can choose between, yes, winter is my favorite season, or no, I prefer warmer weather.

And come back next week to see the results of this poll as well as the poll from our previous episode.

Wild animals adapt to the harsh winter conditions by hibernating, migrating, or insulating by growing thicker coats.

But I know one pup that still prefers to put on a sweater when it starts to get chilly.

It's time for petting zoo.

(upbeat music) (dog barking) Hey, I have a question for you.

With the weather changing, what do you wear when it's chilly out?

Oh, how about when it's raining?

Oh, how nice, a rain jacket.

And what do you wear when it's snowing?

Of course, you have a winter jacket.

You're so prepared.

Well, what did you prepare for this week's Petting Zoo?

Oh, it's a story about shelters creating outdoor housing for community cats to ensure their safety and warmth during the colder months.

- [Narrator] Ben Clark is a community cat caretaker who says they do this because not every cat is meant for the indoors.

- They don't do well in captivity.

They have a tendency to either stop eating, stop drinking, stop using the litter box.

You have to keep in mind that cats naturally have lived outdoors for a long time, a very, very long time, and they're very resilient.

- You can check out the full story on our website and YouTube channel.

Thanks, NewsHound.

Okay, if you're a tech head like me, you're gonna find this next story very interesting.

The University of Wisconsin Green Bay is reaching out to its students in a new way by using artificial intelligence.

It's the first school in the state to use new technology in this way.

Ben Krumholz reports - [Ben] Some students on the UW Green Bay campus weren't sure what to think when they first received a text message asking how they were doing with classes.

- There was people posting on the Snapchat story saying like, "Is this real?

Like are other people getting this?

Is it a scam?"

And I still honestly don't even know.

- [Ben] The messages are from an AI chatbot the university is calling Flash, the name of the school's mascot.

- I think people think the AI bot is the answer.

It's actually not.

It's the way that we open the doors to the university resources.

- [Ben] The goal is to help students with everything they need academically, emotionally, or perhaps something much more simple.

- So questions about, "What's for dinner in the cafeteria tonight?"

To, "I'm bored.

What's going on tonight?"

Which will connect them to our events on campus.

To, "I need help with a class."

- In the first 24 hours, students sent the service more than 2,000 messages.

In the first month, more than 7,000 messages.

And the number that really has university officials excited is just 4% of students have opted out of the service, which exceeds the expectation that was set.

- What we're finding in the early weeks of its usage is that students who haven't reached out to anyone on campus to ask a question are reaching out to Flash.

- [Ben] And if Flash doesn't have the answer or perhaps someone needs help with something that would be better suited for a human, Flash will help make that connection.

- I haven't asked any questions, but if it can give you help, give you resources like that for your mental health, I think that would be very useful.

- So the students can just send a text and find out what's for lunch in the cafeteria?

Neat.

Thanks, Ben.

Now, a grade school also in Wisconsin is using a different approach to engage with their students.

Gamification.

That's the buzzword in some classrooms and schools these days.

It's a method that incorporates a game-like approach to teaching.

Teachers at some schools in Wisconsin seem to like the way it's working out so far.

Lucas Kihmm reports - [Alyssa] They can also sort of move at their own pace and see what do others know?

What do I not know yet and what can I keep working on?

- [Lucas] Teachers at St. Dennis Catholic School in Madison are starting off the new school year with some lessons in game form.

It's called Gamification.

Educational learning that involves using game elements in a non-game context.

Instead of long lectures and worksheets, teachers adjusted their curriculum to incorporate these game elements to motivate students to learn and interact with one another.

Fifth grade teacher Rustie Prechel says that using these game programs in the classroom has boosted participation.

- When they're involved and they're excited and they've brought their emotions into it, then they're retaining the information, they're memorizing things faster and better than ever.

- Teachers I talk to say gamification is a staple in the classroom, and they think it will evolve quickly as long as students feel the need to compete and learn.

Third grade teacher Alyssa Brush says she enjoys incorporating games in her curriculum because it brings a competitive side out of her kids.

- It gives them some sort of competition.

It's not just them trying to figure things out on their own.

They can see how their friends are doing and push themselves to do better.

- [Lucas] And this educational technology has continued to evolve.

- [Rustie] Since COVID, it really has amped up.

The designers are making things much better and so, because things are getting much better, it's easier for kids to use and easier for teachers to use as well.

- Thanks, Lucas.

And that brings us to our Write To Us for this week.

What do you think classrooms will be like in the future?

Will we have robots sharpening our pencils?

Or maybe teachers will be able to use holograms to present lessons across the country?

Well, what do you think?

Students can use our inbox form online or send us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org to share their answers.

A recent study found making arts and crafts improves your mental health as much as having a job.

Creating art has previously been shown to reduce the body's stress hormone, but this new research goes further showing it can boost your overall wellbeing.

Reporter Mike Yoshida joins us with more on the study and how you can incorporate its findings into your own life.

- [Mike] A new study in the United Kingdom finds making arts and crafts improves your wellbeing even more than having a job.

- They were more satisfied with their lives, they were happier, and they had more of a sense that their lives were worthwhile.

- [Mike] The study analyzed answers for more than 7,000 people who took part in a national survey in the UK between 2019 and 2020.

When researchers factored in things like gender, age, financial stability, and even employment, creative activities still boosted wellbeing to a greater degree.

- This initially surprised us because we would think, you know, being in employment is really linked to your sense that your life is worthwhile.

For a lot of us anyway.

So when you're crafting you're often engaged in quite kind of mindful activity, you really have this sense of mastery or control.

- [Mike] Arts and crafts have been a part of the healthcare world for decades.

In Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida, Mayo Clinic offers humanities and medicine programs for enjoyment and inpatient care.

It includes things like arts at the bedside with musicians, artists, writers, and more.

- Really, any type of creative outlet that you can think of, that will be a benefit to the patient.

But also we find that it provides a lot of value and benefit to their visitors and their loved ones who are with them as well.

- Thank you, Michael.

Are you as inspired to learn a new craft as I am?

I've always wanted to learn how to knit.

That sounds pretty relaxing to me.

This next story is about an artist from Medina, Ohio, but I wouldn't recommend you try this as your new hobby.

It can be dangerous.

Aaron Costic is a renowned ice sculptor.

He uses chainsaws to create stunning ice sculptures, including many featured at the Medina Ice Festival.

In 1991, he founded Elegant Ice Creations, a custom ice sculpting business, and eventually took over hosting the Medina Ice Festival.

Let's take a look at his cool body of work in today's sketchbook.

- [Jean-Marie] Ice Carver Aaron Costic wasn't exactly drawn to the arts as a kid growing up in Medina.

- I kind of shunned art class.

It really wasn't for me.

I got my counselor to let me skip art class, the required credits, and take extra industrial arts class, which we know is wood shop.

That got me used to power tools and being comfortable, not being afraid of things like that.

It wasn't until I found ice carving that I started nurturing the art side of my brain and doing thinking more classes and practicing drawing and things like that.

(bright music) - Now there's a little story we tell.

Aaron came home to tell us that this is what he was going to do.

And his father looked at him and said, "How are you gonna make any money making ice cubes?"

And I knew since Aaron was very young, always maintained several jobs.

Always since he was like 13.

I said, "Aaron, if anybody can do this, you can."

And I guess he did.

(chuckles) - [Jean-Marie] Costic began practicing and learning the craft of ice sculpture through competing.

- And his competitions were all over the place and I went to a lot of them.

I would go like to 18 competitions a year.

And through all the practice and preparation and execution and also seeing what everybody else was doing, I was able to make mistakes faster.

When you make mistakes faster, you learn quickly.

You learn quickly.

(bright music) - [Jean-Marie] Costic is an eight time winner of the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

He's also shown off his sculpting skills at three different Winter Olympic games.

Costic started his own business, Elegant Ice Creations, and has been creating custom ice sculptures for weddings and corporate events across Northeast Ohio for more than 30 years.

He also offers ice carving classes where future sculptors learn from his seven-step process.

- Well, first is design.

You have to have a design.

So you can either draw the design on or you can put it on paper and stick the paper on the ice and draw it that way.

The next thing you do is you cut out the silhouette or the profile.

So essentially, you're like, if you were to stamp it with like a cookie cutter, that's what you're doing.

You're cutting the exact silhouette out.

After you cut out the silhouette, then this is the hardest step is blocking in.

Pushing levels back and leaving levels out.

And that is the part that takes the most amount of experience.

Once you're done blocking in it, it kinda looks like a robot, like a square robot.

And then you'll round it, sand it, detail it, and clean it.

- [Jean-Marie] Inside the expansive facility in Broadview Heights, all of the ice is created in-house.

34 tanks can freeze 68 300-pound blocks over the course of three days.

During the winter months, Costic and his team are busy preparing for ice festivals around the state, including in his hometown.

The Medina Ice Festival is one of Ohio's largest and longest running ice-centered events.

About 100 sculptures are on view during the Medina Ice Festival.

Some created from one 300-pound block.

Others may consist of 10 to 16 blocks put together.

Though he now mainly competes in friendly speed carving competitions with friends, Costic continues to delight audiences with his favorite art form.

- But it's so unique because the light passes through it and as the light passes through it, it catches the refractive angles.

Like on this either right here, you can see the light is getting caught in each of those lines, but that doesn't happen in any other material.

(bright music) - Special thanks to arts producer Jean-Marie Papoi for sharing that story with us.

Texas is known for their barbecue and high schools across the state are now creating barbecue teams where the students are learning skills behind the grills.

One of those high schools is located in Southlake and they are now gearing up for competition.

Lacey Beasley shows us how they're trying to risk it for the brisket.

- [Lacey] Gloves, knives, and brisket.

Not your typical ingredients for a high school team, but for the Carroll High Dragons, Competition Barbecue is their Super Bowl.

- Win state.

That's what we're after.

- [Lacey] The team is getting ready to serve to a crowd in the morning, already putting in hours the evening before to trim and season.

From start to finish, a brisket can take 12 hours or more, and that means on competition days, these kids are waking up at 3:00 AM.

For this practice, the briskets are smoked and ready to cut by morning, thanks to the help of their coaches.

- We did pull an all-nighter.

It takes a little while to cook some briskets, especially 18 briskets.

- [Lacey] Whereas most people have a kitchen and a backyard to grill, competitors must bring everything but the kitchen sink outside.

- I've got pictures.

You can see the kids holding big lids around food, trying to season it and trying to cut it.

We broke, popup tents were bent.

It's something being out in the elements with it.

Plus if it's cold, it affects how your food's cooking.

- [Lacey] Categories include dessert, beans, chicken, ribs, and last but not least, brisket.

The hardest part, slicing.

Pieces must be the width of a pencil.

- How you doing now?

- Pretty good.

- [Lacey] And once it all gets plated.

- [Speaker] That's the good stuff.

Taste out too.

- [Lacey] Then it's onto the final test.

- It is delicious.

- [Lacey] Barbecue has given these future chefs not only a place to fit in, but a skillset for life.

- Everyone in here is like friends with everyone you know, and that's kind of like.

- Not everybody can play football and baseball or be in the band or be in the choir or theater.

And there's spots for everybody.

And I think this fills space in that.

You're gonna play football for so long, even if you go the long way.

But you'll be able to go out and cook for your family hopefully, you know, forever.

- Thanks, Lacey.

I have the recipe you need for academic success.

You'll need clear goals, time management skills, a support system, and some healthy habits.

Preheat your academic mindset by setting clear, achievable goals.

Mix time management skills and healthy habits, and sprinkle in asking for support as needed.

These skills along with art, geography, and even history are the lessons the students participating in the culinary arts program at Dike School of the Arts are learning.

And there this week's A+ award winners.

Chef Cartwright has been working as a teaching artist for three years, but he's not just a culinary artist.

He's also an actor, singer, and makeup artist, and has taught programs for different disciplines.

Chef's classes are not about lecturing.

He thinks that hands-on learning, along with theory and ethics are a recipe for success in and outside of the classroom.

Every lesson is a friendly competition among classmates.

One of the challenges was to make the most appetizing strawberry shortcakes they could.

And Alora won with her adorable kitty cakes.

A-Sharie and Amyla learned how to write a recipe to share with other people.

They had to write up clear step-by-step instructions and list out all the ingredients for the recipe.

A-Sharie picked a delicious buffalo chicken dip recipe, and Amyla wrote about an easy-to-do orange chicken meal.

Seventh grader Sasha really likes that the school offers this elective and looks forward to class every Friday.

The program is also designed to teach the students to be self-sufficient.

Self-sufficient means being able to take care of your needs without outside help.

Chef Cartwright teaches them about home economics, but in a relatable way.

The chef also told us that knowing how to cook healthy food is important to be self-sufficient.

And sometimes it could be as easy as adjusting a recipe.

Like making fried rice with cauliflower instead of rice.

All the students said they love that recipe.

Nico, an eighth grader, wants to be a professional chef.

So it comes as no surprise that this is their favorite class.

Nico especially likes to recreate fried chicken recipes from restaurants.

Yum.

But Alyse on the other hand, wants to be a pastry chef.

That's a chef who specializes in baked goods.

Alyse's favorite part of the class is getting to try different foods.

Christine Madden, the director of programs at the Center for Arts Inspired Learning, told us that this culinary arts class is just the latest program they have partnered with the school to put together.

They also have courses that support teaching through art and music.

Students tell them that they really like the courses because they get job readiness and resume building skills.

This week's A+ award goes to the culinary arts class for learning good communication skills and home economics, all while cooking up some delicious and nutritious meals.

Great.

Now I can't stop thinking about lunch.

Well, that's it for today's episode of NewsDepth.

We'll be back next week, but until then, you can always stay in touch with us because we always wanna hear from you.

You can send a letter.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue.

That's Cleveland, Ohio.

ZIP Code here is 44115.

And you can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org.

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Hit subscribe if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Ygal Kaufman, and we'll see you right back here next week.

(bright music) - [Narrator] NewsDepth is made possible by grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

(lively music) (ambient music)