• Global temperatures continue to increase, with 2023 recording the warmest numbers on record.
• In 2021, Oregon, Utah, and Washington broke heat records.
• The hottest temperature recorded in US history was 134 degrees Fahrenheit in California in 1913.

2023 was the hottest year on record, and 2024 is shaping up to be a scorcher too, with temperature records being shattered from Nevada to North Carolina. However, many of the highest recorded temperatures in each state happened decades ago.

According to the official climate government website, Earth's temperature has risen by an average of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, and 2023 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850.

But global temperature rise doesn't mean it just gets hotter everywhere at the same rate. In fact, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), some states in the US reached their all-time toastiest temperatures hundreds of years ago.

Here's a list of every state and its hottest day on record, from the high 90s to above 130 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NOAA.

ALABAMA: 112 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: September 6, 1925

Location: Centreville

 

ALASKA: 100 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 27, 1915

Location: Fort Yukon

ARIZONA: 128 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 1994

Location: Lake Havasu City

 

ARKANSAS: 120 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 10, 1936

Location: Ozark

 

CALIFORNIA: 134 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 1913

Location: Furnace Creek (formerly Greenland Ranch)

COLORADO: 115 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 2019

Location: John Martin Dam

CONNECTICUT: 106 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 15, 1995

Location: Danbury

Torrington, Connecticut, also reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit on August 23, 1916.

DELAWARE: 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 21, 1930

Location: Millsboro

FLORIDA: 109 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 1931

Location: Monticello

GEORGIA: 112 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 20, 1983

Location: Greenville

Louisville, Georgia, also reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit on July 24, 1952.

HAWAII: 100 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: April 27, 1931

Location: Pahala

IDAHO: 118 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 28, 1934

Location: Orofino

ILLINOIS: 117 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 14, 1954

Location: East St. Louis

INDIANA: 116 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 14, 1936

Location: Collegeville

IOWA: 118 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 20, 1934

Location: Keokuk

KANSAS: 121 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 24, 1936

Location: Alton

Fredonia, Kansas, also reached 121 degrees Fahrenheit on July 18, 1936.

KENTUCKY: 114 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 28, 1930

Location: Greensburg

LOUISIANA: 114 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 10, 1936

Location: Plain Dealing

MAINE: 105 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 1911

Location: North Bridgton

North Bridgton, Maine, also reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit on July 4, 1911.

MARYLAND: 109 degrees Fahrenheit

Dates: July 10, 1936

Location: Cumberland

Frederick, Maryland, also reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1936. Cumberland, Maryland, reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit on August 7, 1918, and August 6, 1918. Keedysville, Maryland, reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit on August 6, 1918. Boettcherville, Maryland, reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit on July 3, 1898.

 

MASSACHUSETTS: 107 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 2, 1975

Location: New Bedford

Chester, Massachusetts, also reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit on August 2, 1975.

MICHIGAN: 112 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 13, 1936

Location: Mio

Stanwood, Michigan, also reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit on July 13, 1936.

MINNESOTA: 115 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 29, 1917

Location: Beardsley

MISSISSIPPI: 115 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 29, 1930

Location: Holly Springs

MISSOURI: 118 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 14, 1954

Location: Union

Warsaw, Missouri, also hit 118 degrees Fahrenheit on July 14, 1954.

MONTANA: 117 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 5, 1937

Location: Medicine Lake

Glendive, Montana, also reached 117 degrees Fahrenheit on July 20, 1893.

NEBRASKA: 118 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 24, 1936

Location: Minden

Hartington, Nebraska, also reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit on July 17, 1936. Geneva, Nebraska, reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit on July 15, 1934.

 

NEVADA: 125 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 1994

Location: Laughlin

NEW HAMPSHIRE: 106 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 4, 1911

Location: Nashua

NEW JERSEY: 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 1936

Location: Runyon (near Sayreville)

NEW MEXICO: 122 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 27, 1994

Location: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (near Loving)

NEW YORK: 108 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 22, 1926

Location: Troy

NORTH CAROLINA: 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 21, 1983

Location: Fayetteville

NORTH DAKOTA: 121 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 6, 1936

Location: Steele

OHIO: 113 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 21, 1934

Location: Gallipolis

OKLAHOMA: 120 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 12, 1936

Location: Altus

Altus, Oklahoma, first hit the record on July 19, 1936. Poteau, Oklahoma, also reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit on August 10, 1936. Alva, Oklahoma, reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit on July 18, 1936.

OREGON: 119 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 2021

Location: Pelton Dam

Moody Farms Agrimet, Oregon, also reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit on June 29, 2021. Pendleton, Oregon, reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit on August 10, 1898.

PENNSYLVANIA: 111 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 1936

Location: Phoenixville

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, also hit 111 degrees Fahrenheit on July 9, 1936.

RHODE ISLAND: 104 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 2, 1975

Location: Providence

SOUTH CAROLINA: 113 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 2012

Location: Columbia

SOUTH DAKOTA: 120 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 15, 2006

Location: Fort Pierre

Gann Valley, South Dakota, also hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit on July 5, 1936.

TENNESSEE: 113 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: August 9, 1930

Location: Perryville

Perryville, Tennessee, also hit 113 degrees Fahrenheit on July 29, 1930.

TEXAS: 120 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 28, 1994

Location: Monahans

Seymour, Texas, also hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit on August 12, 1936.

UTAH: 117 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 2021

Location: St. George

St. George, Utah, also hit 117 degrees Fahrenheit on July 5, 1985.

VERMONT: 107 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 7, 1912

Location: Vernon

VIRGINIA: 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 15, 1954

Location: Balcony Falls

Columbia, Virginia, also hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit on July 7, 1900, and July 5, 1900.

WASHINGTON: 118 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: June 29, 2021

Location: Hanford

WEST VIRGINIA: 112 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 10, 1936

Location: Martinsburg

Moorefield, West Virginia, also hit 112 degrees Fahrenheit on August 4, 1930.

WISCONSIN: 114 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 13, 1936

Location: Wisconsin Dells

WYOMING: 115 degrees Fahrenheit

Date: July 15, 1988

Location: Diversion Dam

Basin, Wyoming, also hit 115 degrees Fahrenheit on August 8, 1983.

Sara Kiley Watson contributed to an earlier version of this article. 

• The British diver Tom Daley is preparing to compete at his fifth Olympics.
• Daley described the "20-20-20" post-workout nutrition rule he follows to support his training.
• This story is part of "Road to Paris," a series chronicling athletes' and spectators' experiences at the Olympic Games.

With four Olympics and a gold medal under his belt, Tom Daley was set on retiring. Then, less than a year before the 2024 Paris Games, the British diver changed his mind; his 5-year-old son had said he wanted to see his father compete.

Thanks to that push from his son, Daley — one of his country's most celebrated and popular athletes — will become the first British diver to compete at five Olympic Games.

While juggling childcare, the 30-year-old is training hard and eating well to defend his title in the 10-meter synchronized diving event, in which he won gold in Tokyo in 2021.

He told Business Insider the nutrition principles he follows and how he deals with pressure ahead of the Olympics.

Post-workout protein and carbs

Speaking with BI as part of his partnership with the travel app Trainline, Daley said the way he fuels himself depends on his training, whether he's diving or weightlifting.

No matter the workout, though, he follows what he calls the 20-20-20 rule: consuming 20 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein within 20 minutes of finishing a session.

"It's the best way of being able to restore you and get you ready to recover for the next training session," Daley said.

Nutrition experts recommend eating protein and carbohydrates after a workout. Carbs help replenish glycogen stores, while protein helps repair and rebuild muscle fibers. How much a person needs varies, though.

A large body of research has found it's unnecessary to eat protein within the hour following a workout to achieve muscle gains. Dietitians previously told BI that overall protein intake is more important and spreading it out over the course of the day, including after a workout, is effective for muscle growth and recovery.

He prioritizes prepping meals and snacks

Daley said that to hit his 20-20-20 target, he eats convenient snacks, like protein bars or shakes, and whole foods, such as Greek yogurt and an apple. Sometimes he grabs boiled eggs or a tuna sandwich.

Daley said he's a fan of simple recipes that don't take too long to prepare and that his husband — the screenwriter, producer, and director Dustin Lance Black — and their two children will also enjoy.

"I do like to prep salads for the week every Monday," Daley said. "So I go to the store, and I have mason jars that I fill up with a salad for each day when I'm training, just to make it super easy to stick to that routine and stay consistent."

He likes to cook enough for the family to have leftovers to eat the next day, and he meal preps to support his training and schedule.

"If you're able to just spend a couple of hours preparing what you might need for the rest of the week so you don't have to do it every day, it's those little things that, in the long run, will make it easier to stick to what you need to do," Daley said.

Daley juggles training and childcare

Daley said that when he decided he'd compete in Paris, "there was a big ramp up from nothing to training again."

As a dad of two young boys, Daley, like many parents, is constantly juggling tasks. While in his younger years he trained twice a day, he now does one 3 1/2-hour session six days a week to fit in childcare and school drop-offs.

At the Paris Games, Daley is set to compete in only the synchronized diving event, whereas previously he competed in the synchronized and individual events. He said that maintaining a consistent training routine helps him stay motivated, determined, and committed.

Daley said he was in the "home stretch" of preparations and had learned to train smarter, not harder, to avoid injury now that he's older.

"If you need to make a training session a little bit easier because you're not feeling it today, that's totally fine," he said.

Perspective helps Daley deal with pressure

Looking back at his first Olympics, in 2008, Daley said he felt he didn't really know what he was doing and so simply enjoyed the experience.

He said that in 2016 and 2021, competing felt more "intense," and he felt anxious about making mistakes.

"I spent lots of my youth really figuring out how to be able to deal with the pressure of a competition when you only get one shot every four years," Daley said. "I was almost torturing myself through the whole experience rather than being able to enjoy the moment that I had worked so hard for."

The roller coaster that was Tokyo 2020 — the events were postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic — helped Daley realize there's only so much he can control.

"I think the way that I was able to then perform at my best was to realize that I'm more than just a diver," he said. "I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm a son, a brother, a friend.

"I like to knit, I like to crochet, I like to try and do as much as I can in the LGBTQ+ activism space, all of those things. When you realize that you're more than just what you do, I think it allows you to be content with whatever happens in the competition."

Additional reporting by Mykenna Maniece.

• Business Insider asked stylists and designers which purse trends are in and out this season.
• Nontraditional shapes and beaded bags are taking center stage right now.
• But the experts said to stay away from impractical transparent purses and micro bags.

The handbag market is a nearly $60 billion industry, so it's no wonder there are so many different trends and styles available right now.

To help you parse through what's actually in and out this summer, Business Insider asked designers and stylists to share the best and worst purse trends.

Here's what the experts said.

Denim accents are essential this season.

According to fashion designer David Tlale, denim is exploding regarding purse trends.

The versatile material can be incorporated into a wide range of stylish bags, including medallion envelope clutches and deconstructed handbags.

Woven bags scream summer.

Woven textures, especially those made from natural materials like straw and raffia, are ideal for vacation and beyond.

Melony Huber, designer, founder, and design director of ethical lifestyle collection La Peony, told BI, "Textures are always a good idea when it comes to styling, as they add depth and a level of chic to any wardrobe."

Bucket bags are making a major comeback.

From mini and oversized, Tlale said bucket bags are making a comeback in a big way this season.

Huber added that bucket bags strike the perfect balance between casual and fun, making them ideal for summer activities and outings.

Incorporate a pop of color into your summer purse collection.

According to Huber, people are adding pops of color to their summer purse looks to make a statement.

"Something that makes a statement and catches your eye is a great add to any summer outfit, especially if the rest of your outfit features neutrals," the designer told BI.

Beaded bags can offer a touch of sophistication to any outfit.

Bags that are either fully beaded or embellished with beaded accents are also trending this summer, according to celebrity wardrobe stylist Pilar Scratch.

"Beaded bags offer a vintage, artisanal vibe and bring a touch of sophistication to summer ensembles," she told BI.

Nontraditional shapes can make a big statement.

Try a nontraditional shape to make your purse stand out from the crowd this summer, according to Abby Young, lead stylist and CEO of Abby Young Styling.

"Crescent shapes and asymmetrical angles are just some of the ways that purses are standing out this season," she said.

On the other hand, see-through bags are no longer trending.

According to Scratch, clear or semitransparent bags — often crafted from plastic and decked out with vibrant trims — are officially out.

The trend was fun for a moment. But the plastic materials the purses are often made of aren't great for the environment, and it's not always practical for people to see all your possessions.

The stylist recommended substituting it with a sustainable canvas or organic-cotton tote.

Fanny packs had their day in the sun.

Fanny packs may be perfect for festivals and traveling, but they've had their time in the spotlight for everyday wear. According to Young, they're just too casual.

"Instead, opt for a crossbody purse with a thin- to medium-width strap for similar functionality," she told BI.

Swap heavy embellishments for more minimalist styles.

Bags decorated with an abundance of studs, sequins, and other heavy adornments are giving way to minimalist trends.

Instead, Scratch recommended opting for sleek, structured bags with simple lines and understated hardware.

Massive logos are being replaced by the quiet-luxury aesthetic.

Quiet luxury is in, according to Huber, and it's all about having the "it" bag without flaunting it. That means no big logos or recognizable icons.

"If your bag is chic and trending, people will notice without you having to scream it," the designer told BI.

Micro purses lack the room for essentials.

"As practicality takes precedence this summer, micro bags lack sufficient room for everyday essentials," Scratch told BI.

Instead, consider a medium-sized crossbody bag that offers generous space without being overly bulky.

• Microsoft mandated China staff to use iPhones for work starting in September, Bloomberg reported.
• The move is reportedly due to security changes and Google Play's unavailability in China.
• Microsoft employees without an Apple device will be issued a free iPhone 15, the report said.

Microsoft is reportedly requiring all China-based staff to use only iPhones for work, effective September.

Bloomberg reported Monday, citing an internal memo, that the tech giant informed hundreds of employees that they must soon verify their identities through the Microsoft Authenticator password manager and Identity Pass app, which is available on Apple devices.

The change is happening as the company seeks to boost its internal security under Microsoft's global Secure Future Initiative (SFI), announced last November.

So why aren't Androids acceptable in the workplace? It boils down to apps.

Microsoft has reportedly decided to block employees from using Android devices to access its corporate platforms because Google's mobile services, including its Google Play app store, are unavailable in China. That leaves Apple's app ecosystem as the only place for Microsoft employees in China to download and use the Microsoft Authenticator and Identity Pass apps, according to the report.

But the company isn't leaving Android fans within the company completely out to dry: They can continue using their Android devices for personal use, and the company will provide them with a free iPhone 15, Bloomberg reported.

Microsoft's efforts to tighten its security practices follow cyber attacks from Russian and Chinese hackers. The company found itself in hot water for recent security failures, with a US Cyber Safety Review Board report in March detailing a "cascade" of "avoidable errors" at the company.

The review board revealed that hackers were able to access the Microsoft Exchange Online mailboxes of individuals across 22 organizations and download roughly 60,000 emails from the State Department alone.

A Microsoft spokesperson previously told Business Insider that "recent events have demonstrated a need to adopt a new culture of engineering security in our own networks."

The expected overhaul manifested in May when Microsoft announced that it would be expanding the scope of SFI to include recommendations from the CSRB. Actions included protecting accounts with phishing-resistant multifactor authentication.

Microsoft's executive vice president, Charlie Bell, wrote, "We are making security our top priority at Microsoft, above all else—over all other features."

A Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on the reported iPhone mandate.

• My friend and I booked a last-minute vacation to Hilton Head Island, a beach town in South Carolina.
• The area was abundant with natural beauty and reminded me of a nature preserve.
• Hilton Head Island's beaches were clean and beautiful, and I loved the food scene.

Last July, when my best friend and I suddenly found some free time and a yearning for sun and sand, we laid out our options for a trip.

As a resident of South Carolina, I considered plenty of places to visit, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. But in the end, we ultimately settled on Hilton Head Island.

The beautiful South Carolina town has several white-sand beaches and world-class golf courses. The area, which Condé Nast Traveler named the best island in the US in 2023, is also known for nature and a small-town vibe.

I'd been to Hilton Head Island decades earlier but was eager to see how it had changed over the years. Here's what my experience on the island was like.

The entire area reminded me of a nature preserve.

We rented a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with pool access and a lagoon view through Whimstay — a vacation-rental website for last-minute trips.

Our house had plenty of space for my friend and me to relax — but the real beauty of the home was the gorgeous lagoon in the backyard. I could have easily spent the rest of our getaway staring out at that water without visiting the beach.

It was so peaceful to be surrounded by beautiful greenery and trees.

I loved hearing the sound of frogs and other animals at night.

We soon learned the lagoon in our backyard was bristling with wildlife, including all kinds of birds, different-sized turtles, and a wide variety of frogs.

When nighttime came, the frogs surrounding our house piped up with quite the chorus. It almost seemed like we were camping — but without the hassle of sleeping outside.

When it got dark, I cracked open the sliding-glass doors connecting the main bedroom to the spacious back deck so I could do some stargazing — Hilton Head Island, known for its low light pollution, was the perfect place for this activity.

Sea Pines Beach was beautiful, clean, and easy to get to.

One Saturday during our trip, my friend and I left our car at a shopping center and boarded a trolley to Sea Pines Beach Club, where we reserved chairs from Shore Beach Services.

Our first day at the beach was fairly quiet — I assume this was because it was changeover day for most of the rental properties.

Still, it was a diverse crowd, with families, singles, couples, and people of all ages splayed across the sand. We had plenty of room to spread out but didn't really venture from our chairs.

The next day brought more folks out to the beach. But even with more people around, the beach didn't feel too crowded — there was a completely relaxed vibe.

The wide array of food was unmatched, too.

Everything we ate on the island was enjoyable, from the delicious first-night, too-tired-to-go-out pizza from Giuseppi's to the pre-beach pastries and fresh-squeezed juice we grabbed at the Harbour Town Bakery and Café.

However, my meal at Chez Georges Bistro and Bar blew my taste buds away. Known for its "French cuisine with a Lowcountry accent," this family-owned and -operated restaurant has a traditional French-bistro menu without any kind of intimidating vibe.

When we walked in, we were greeted as if we were regulars. The menu was packed with classically French cuisine, from escargot and bouillabaisse to cassoulet.

I was thrilled to see moules frites (mussels with fries) on the menu. I opted for the classic Provençal preparation, with white-wine-butter sauce, tomatoes, capers, olives, and herbs de Provence. The dish did not disappoint, and I used the fries to mop up every last drop of sauce.

We also ordered steak frites, and my friend tried the boeuf Bourguignon (short ribs), which were fall-off-the-bone tender.

Hilton Head was a great spot for a last-minute vacation, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

When I first experienced Hilton Head Island decades ago, I perceived it as kind of stuffy. Later, I dismissed it as just a place for golfers and bachelor parties.

But on my most recent, last-minute vacation, Hilton Head Island proved to be the perfect low-key vacation retreat for everyone — beachgoers, nature enthusiasts, and food lovers alike.

From the beaches to the delicious restaurant scene, I had a great time. I'd recommend this island to anyone in need of a beach getaway.

• Summer camps and care cost parents thousands, pushing many into debt or altered work schedules.
• Parents are facing rising childcare costs, exacerbated by post-pandemic economic pressures.
• Despite financial strain, parents view summer activities as essential for their children's wellbeing.

Between taekwondo, time at the local community center, and other types of camp and summer programs, Paige Connell and her husband will end up spending over $6,000 for her two oldest kids to stay busy this summer.

Connell created a spreadsheet to keep track of the varying costs, times, and weeks for these programs. It shows that the family paid $360 per week for one of the children and $345 for the other for recreation department programs. One of her children is attending taekwondo, which costs $300. One child will partake in a music camp for several days, which costs over $500.

Camp is not the only summer expense for Connell's family. They also took a week-long family vacation at a beach house.

The 34-year-old mom of four said most of these summer camps were already paid up front earlier this year. Connell, who also has two younger kids who attend daycare, said of the older children's camps, "that's kind of our childcare for the summer" given she and her husband work full time.

"It is something that we budget for, so we try to plan accordingly for how we're going to pay for it, and obviously in combination with paying for our other childcare throughout the year," she said.

Summer fun may be priceless for kids, but it's increasingly costly for their parents. Some go into debt to pay off a summer; others adjust their work hours, scramble to find care, or have to deal with their children feeling left behind by peers headed to pricey summer programs.

It's a function of a system parents say isn't cohesive with the needs of working caretakers, like how school ends before many professionals' workday or how daycares sometimes have sporadic schedules. And, like other facets of the economy, it's something where costs are only growing.

For parents, "it's such a hard dichotomy because obviously summer's exciting, kids are out of school, they're excited for the opportunity to spend more time with them," Courtney Alev, Credit Karma's consumer financial advocate, told BI. "But this need to continue to find additional childcare — and often more expensive — can just add a lot of stress to parents."

Why summer camps are so expensive, and what it means for families

Tom Rosenberg, president and CEO of the American Camp Association, is well aware of camps' costs and demands.

"The price of camp has gone up as the costs of operating a camp have gone up, but the camp operators in general are not able to raise their prices sufficiently to cover the increase in their costs," Rosenberg said. Camp directors, like childcare providers, have struggled to staff up and boosted wages to try to lure in young adults in a competitive market.

"Kids need more today, so we need more staff to manage to take care of the children," Rosenberg said, comparing needs to pre-pandemic times. "Camp experiences are unique opportunities for them to learn and grow undistracted by social media and technology and with a measure of independence from their parents and family."

Camps are also coming up against an expensive — yet quiet — headwind that's eating away at wallets: Skyrocketing insurance costs.

"Both on the property and casualty side of things, insurance costs for youth programs like this are through the roof, frankly, if they can get coverage," Rosenberg said. "There's food and transportation, the cost of capital to expand their facility to be able to take additional campers in or to just operate their program; everything has gone up."

Rosenberg said the challenge "is to be able to serve more kids in an affordable way given the inflationary environment that we are currently in."

For Alex Mnatsakanov, summer is worth going into debt.

The 45-year-old single dad, who shares custody of his daughter, describes her as creative and extroverted. Summer is a chance for the pre-teen who dreams of being on Broadway to hit the stage at theater camp and star in at least three different shows.

"It's great seeing her be confident on stage — and she is very confident on stage — but it's also, I feel like, has been tremendous for her mental health as an outlet to support her through things that have gone on in her life," he said.

And so, he and his co-parent are shelling out around $3,000 total this year for two different day camps that add up to six weeks of activities — but that's only about half of the summer. He said those costs usually end up on a credit card. But that investment is worth it to not see his kid languish bored all summer.

"The experience, the outlet for all of that creativity, for all that interaction with peers is worth it for me to potentially grow my debt," he said.

Indeed, an Intuit Credit Karma survey of 2,006 American adults in June found that 29% of parents said they can't save money during the summer because of childcare costs, and over a third said they need to adjust their work hours because care is so expensive.

Meanwhile, 23% of parents, among those who reported they'd be paying for summer programs, expected to pay over $1,000 a month per child during the summer. Broadly, 61% of parents with kids under 18 years old said it "feels even more expensive to raise kids in the summer months." And 28%, among those who noted enrolling their kids in programs, said they planned on taking on debt to help cover the costs of summer programs.

"That — even if it's necessary for certain families — is really concerning given that credit card interest rates and debt, they're at really high levels right now," Alev said. "And so going into that debt now is likely going to end up costing you a lot more over time."

Connell, the parent with two of her children attending various camps this summer, noted that she understands how expensive it is to operate and staff camps and that the people working there "deserve to be paid well."

"I think, unfortunately, the costs are very prohibitive to parents," Connell said, adding that government subsidies and funding for camps and care "would go a long way" for workers at these places and families.

It's not just a summer problem. "I think the cost of childcare is a major infrastructure failure in our country. I think it is disproportionately impacting women who are leaving the workforce because they can't afford childcare," she said.

And other small expenses — like sending a lunch or giving kids spending money for camp excursions — add up. Dana Bowling, a mom of an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old, said she pays for a hot lunch daily for her kids' day camp, and then also for a frozen treat — she knew if she didn't pay for that one, she'd hear from her kids every day saying that everyone else got one. On top of all of that, some parents are forking over thousands for services that help their kids pack and prepare for camp.

Bowling wants to give her kids what she sees as the important cultural experience of going to camp. Bowling, who lives in LA, sends her children to a Jewish summer camp, which has long been held as an important cultural touchstone in the American Jewish community.

"I think it's a big deal, and it's kind of necessary for kids to experience those things. So it's a non-negotiable, but because of that, it's so expensive," she said. She estimates that, just for day camp, they're spending around $150 to $200 per kid a day; sleepaway camp is running them around $6,000 per kid for three weeks. To make costs manageable, she uses a payment plan to pay throughout the year for camp.

"It's kind of like highway robbery because they can charge whatever they want, and we'll have to do it," Bowling said.

While camps and other summer activities can be costly, there are some options for assistance out there.

"We do offer financial aid at all of our locations, and no family is ever turned away because of an inability to pay," Lisa Garcia, senior executive of youth programs, afterschool and day camps at the YMCA of Greater New York, said. "At the Y, we really want to make sure summer camp is accessible for all."

Garcia, who said she was a camp counselor back in the day, sees the benefits of attending camp. "It's where campers can be silly and be who they are and explore who they want to be, fine-tune their skills, develop those skills that they already have," Garcia said.

Some parents agree that summer experiences are worth the cost.

"I do feel like the experiences for her are worth it. I'm a strong believer in less about material things and more about experiences where you do create memories that last a lifetime — not to sound super cliché," Mnatsakanov said of his daughter. He added: "I want her to five, six years down the road when she's a teenager and doesn't want to do camps — because she's too cool for school — have these memories from her tweens."

How much are you spending on activities and childcare this summer or in a year? Share with these reporters at jkaplan@businessinsider.com and mhoff@businessinsider.com.

• This week is the most important yet for Biden's struggling candidacy.
• Democratic lawmakers are returning to DC, and more may go public about their concerns.
• Biden keeps insisting he won't go anywhere and is growing increasingly defiant.

President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats increasingly appear to be on a collision course.

As lawmakers return to the Capitol for votes this week, conversations among them about the president's future are going to ramp up.

Reporters are going to be asking any Democratic lawmaker in sight whether they believe Biden should remain their party's nominee against former President Donald Trump. Inevitably, some of them are likely to say that he should not, or that they continue to have grave concerns about his future.

As of Monday morning, five House Democrats have publicly called for Biden to step aside, while two have pointedly said that he can't win. In private, the situation seems more dire. According to several media reports, four more senior Democrats — including Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, Mark Takano of California, Adam Smith of Washington, and Joe Morelle of New York — have privately said that Biden should drop out. While no Democratic senator has publicly called for Biden to go, The Washington Post reported that the "consensus" among them is that he should, citing two Democratic senators. The Post also reported that Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia is among them.

With the dam teetering on the edge of breaking, Biden has remained defiant.

On Monday morning, he sent a letter to congressional Democrats — which his campaign was quick to make public — insisting that he's not going anywhere, saying that the "question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now" and that "it's time for it to end."

Shortly thereafter, the president called into MSNBC's "Morning Joe," saying that if any of the "elites in the party" didn't want him to run, they should "challenge me at the convention."

That comes after days of Biden insisting that he's staying. On Friday, he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that he would only drop out if "the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me" to do so.

All of this makes the week ahead extremely important for Biden and the Democratic Party.

At this point, the best possible outcome for Biden is that Democrats on Capitol Hill simply shut up and fall in line, and that the president continues barrelling into the November election with multiple Democrats having gone on record saying that he should have stepped aside.

The worst possible outcome for Biden is that a public consensus emerges among congressional Democrats that he must go, and that party leaders follow suit by issuing calls for him to drop out. While Biden insisted that wouldn't happen during his Friday interview on ABC, it's difficult to see how he could shoulder on if it did.

Perhaps the most disastrous outcome for the Democratic Party is something in the middle: A large minority of House Democrats call for Biden to step aside, but he remains the nominee, irreparably damaged by the dissent within his own party.

It's that scenario that Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York alluded to in a statement on Monday morning, where he said that public speculation about Biden was "creating and compounding" the problem and that the "process by which we decide how to move forward matters as much as the decision itself."

"Regardless of where one stands on the question of President Biden's political future, the intra-party mixed messaging strikes me as deeply self-destructive," said Torres. "The drip, drip, drip of public statements of no confidence only serve to weaken a President who has been weakened not only by the debate but also by the debate about the debate."

• Vending machines that dispense bullets have been rolled out in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas.
• The machines use facial recognition for age and ID verification.
• One expert warned there could be hacking risks. 

The US has rolled out AI-powered vending machines that dispense bullets to customers aged over 21 who have valid IDs.

Various stores in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas have installed ammo-vending machines that use 360-degree facial recognition to check a person's age and ID.

Another machine will be installed in Colorado this week.

The vending machines, made by ammunition distribution company American Rounds, are designed to make ammo available 24/7.

The company said it aims to make the retail process "free from the constraints of store hours and long lines."

According to a promo video released earlier this year, the machines were installed in response to requests from Fresh Value stores.

"They came to us, they knew their customer base…there's a lot of hunting community in Pell City," said a representative for American Rounds.

While most of the comments under the video are celebratory, some viewers are concerned, with one commenting that this was "deeply dystopian shit."

Cybersecurity expert Andrew Whaley told Business Insider that while the technology would have had under rigorous security checks, it is not 100% hack-proof.

"The simple truth is, as retailers continue to digitize services like this and infuse them with advanced technology, they inevitably broaden the attack surface for cybercriminals, transforming each innovation into a potential vulnerability," said Whaley, who is the senior technical director at Norwegian cybersecurity firm Promon.

"An obvious concern would be that bad actors take advantage of vulnerabilities inherent in the vending machine system itself," he added.

"It's still possible that cybercriminals could exploit weaknesses in the facial recognition software to bypass security measures and purchase ammunition."

Another potential risk is the possibility of bugs, which could lead to incorrect results.

"Errors in this technology could theoretically deny legitimate transactions or, more dangerously, permit illegal ones," said Whaley.

American Rounds' CEO, Grant Magers, said the company's vending machines are the "safest, most secure method of purchasing ammo in the country."

In a statement to BI, Magers recalled witnessing open boxes of ammunition on shelves at retail locations, which he said encourages underage purchasing of ammo and a high theft rate.

"We never store, share, or sell the customer's personal data. We believe in responsible firearm ownership. We believe we are creating a better environment for all law-abiding gun owners," said Magers.

Whaley believes that there are ways to minimize the risks, recommending regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the vending machines, strict access controls, detailed access logs, and physical security measures like alarm systems and surveillance cameras.

A report published by Everytown for Gun Safety revealed that Alabama ranked fourth on a state-wise list of gun-related violence in 2024. Oklahoma was thirteenth, Colorado 19th, and Texas 26th. The company also plans to expand its presence to Louisiana, which ranked second after Mississippi.

President Joe Biden said he is committed to national gun safety and has declared it a public health crisis. His challenger, Donald Trump, has signaled that he supports the Second Amendment and has pledged to roll back gun restrictions.

• A growing list of wealthy Democrats are using their checkbooks to pressure Biden to drop out.
• Others, such as Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings, simply no longer support Biden.
• The donor uprising adds further obstacles to Biden hanging on after his disastrous debate performance.

Some of the Democratic Party's biggest donors are pressuring President Joe Biden to step aside.

Some on this growing list of Hollywood titans, powerful heirs, and staunch Democratic Party supporters are pledging to cut off their support until Biden drops out.

Others are so angry about the president's standing after his disastrous debate performance that they have vowed to cut off all Democrats.

So far, only two congressional Democrats have called on Biden to drop out. The combined weight of the party's monied class could prove too much to bear.

Already, former President Donald Trump has erased Biden's cash advantage after a flood of donations spurred by Trump's felony conviction. Biden and his allies simply can't afford to lose much other ground.

Here's the list of donors who are calling for Biden to step aside

Reed Hastings

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings is one of the biggest megadonors to join the chorus calling Biden to step aside. Hastings told The New York Times the president needs to bow out "to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous."

According to The Times, Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, have given over $20 million to various Democratic causes in recent years. Last summer, Hastings gave $100,000 to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint committee that includes Biden's reelection, the Democratic National Committee, and state Democratic Parties.

Abigail Disney

Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy O. Disney, the co-founder of the entertainment giant, told CNBC that she would cut off donations to Democrats entirely until Biden steps aside.

"Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high," Disney said. "If Biden does not step down, the Democrats will lose. Of that, I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire."

Barry Diller

IAC Chairman Barry Diller told journalist Matthew Frank that he, too, is done with Biden.

"No," Diller told Frank's newsletter, the Ankler, when asked if he still supported the president.

Diller has already given the max $6,600 contribution to Biden. He also gave a $100,000 donation to the Biden Victory Fund last year.

Damon Lindelof

Damon Lindelof, "Lost creator" and legendary showrunner, wrote a column urging fellow donors to stage a "DEMbargo" and cut off all Democrats until Biden steps aside.

"When a country is not behaving how we want them to, we apply harsh economic sanctions. It's a give and take — Short term hurt for long term healing," Lindelof wrote in his Deadline column. "Is it misguided to punish the entire team for the stubbornness of the pitcher? Maybe. But it's also common sense that if he stays in, they will also lose. A rising tide lifts all boats. A falling Biden sinks them."

Gideon Stein

Gideon Stein, a donor and philanthropist whose late father founded the influential liberal donor group the Democracy Alliance, told The Times that his family is withholding $3.5 million to groups involved in the presidential race unless Biden steps aside.

"[A] new ticket is in the best interest of defeating Donald Trump," Stein told The Times.

Christy Walton

Christy Walton, an heir to the Walmart fortune, co-signed a letter that begs President Biden to drop out of the race. The letter, organized by the Leadership Now Project and signed by 168 business bigwigs, argues that "nothing short of American democracy is at stake this November," according to Bloomberg. Signatories sincerely thank Biden for his service but ask that he "pass the torch of leadership to the next generation of Democratic leaders by ending your reelection bid."

Walton, 75, is worth around $14 billion, making her the 10th-richest woman in the country.

• Paramount trio of CEOs told staff it was "business as usual" until its merger closes, Deadline reported.
• They reminded employees that layoffs loom, following a plan unveiled in June. 
• Paramount will also explore divesting assets, its CEOs said.

Paramount's CEO trio told employees it was "business as usual" until its mega merger with Skydance formally closes, while reminding them that layoffs loom.

Paramount's board approved the merger Sunday, marking the end of tumultuous talks that were nearly torpedoed in June when owner Shari Redstone walked away from the negotiations.

Skydance CEO David Ellison, the son of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, will serve as chairman and CEO of the newly combined company, and former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell will serve as its president.

Still, the deal is far from sealed — and may yet face Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scrutiny over antitrust concerns.

In a note to staff obtained by Deadline, Paramount co-CEOs George Cheeks, Brian Robbins, and Chris McCarthy said the transaction would likely close in the first half of 2025, due to "regulatory approvals" and other factors.

Until then, the execs are moving forward with a plan that includes "streamlining teams, eliminating duplicative functions and reducing the size of our workforce," they wrote. They also said Paramount would explore "divesting some of our assets."

A rep for Paramount declined to comment on who would be impacted by the layoffs.

The trio had discussed job cuts earlier this year. At an investor meeting in June, they shared plans to run Paramount as a stand-alone company.

This included $500 million in cuts, The Los Angeles Times reported, including layoffs, asset sales, and a joint venture for Paramount+.

At a town hall meeting last month, the CEOs said they'd made progress in identifying duplicative roles, Variety reported, including in the legal and corporate marketing departments, but did not provide a timeline.

In February, Paramount cut 800 jobs — about 3% of its workforce.

In terms of potential asset sales, Variety reported that BET, VidCon, and the Paramount Pictures lot could be in play.