GARY, Ind. (WLS) — Efforts to restore electricity are underway across Northwest Indiana, yet officials warn that some areas may remain powerless for several more days.

It’s been over a week since severe storms wreaked havoc, cutting off power and leaving several counties in a precarious situation.

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NIPSCO has announced that areas including Gary should see their power restored by Tuesday.

The utility company reassures that they are diligently working to restore electricity as quickly as possible.

Yet, this offers little consolation to the thousands who have endured days without power, growing increasingly frustrated with the situation.

“We have no gas, no restaurants, no power. Now, we had to throw away everything at all refrigerators. And night is like Gotham City. You can’t see anything,” Gary resident Brittany Bankhead said.

SEE ALSO: Track power outages in your area with the ABC7 Chicago Power Outage Tracker

If there’s one thing more puzzling than the enigma of the Trawler in FX’s The Shards, it’s cracking the code of the show’s release schedule!

Seriously, here’s the deal: The first two episodes of The Shards debuted simultaneously on Wednesday, August 5. A week later, episodes 3 and 4 appeared on FX and Hulu. Naturally, you’d expect another two episodes last night, right? Wrong. Instead, just a single episode — The Shards Episode 5, ominously titled “Murder on the Dancefloor,” aired at 9 PM ET on FX and Hulu on Wednesday, August 19.

So, what’s going on? Honestly, your guess is as good as ours. Unlike the fictional Bret Easton Ellis (played by Igby Rigney) in The Shards, we aren’t cut out for detective work, even if Joan Didion’s The White Album is always on our reading list.

That said, we do have the scoop on the upcoming episodes. Wondering when to catch the next installment of The Shards on FX and Hulu? We’ve got you covered…

How Many Episodes are in The Shards?

The Shards consists of 9 episodes in total, with fresh episodes premiering each Wednesday from now until September 9.

When Does The Shards Episode 6 Come Out? The Shards Episode 6 Release Date:

The Shards Episode 6 “Homecoming Part One” will come out on FX and Hulu on Wednesday, August 26.

Fun fact! The Shards Episode 7 “Homecoming Part Two” will also come out next week, Wednesday, August 26, on FX and Hulu.

What Time Do New Episodes of The Shards Come Out?

New episodes of The Shards come out at 9 PM ET (or 6 PM PT) on FX and Hulu.

That means both The Shards Episodes 6 and 7 will be available to stream on Hulu at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, August 26.

When Do New Episodes of The Shards Come Out? The Shards Episode Guide

Utterly confused by when new episodes of The Shards come out on FX and Hulu? Here’s your Shards episode guide, so you don’t miss a second of the seedy action:

• The Shards Episode 1 “Pilot”: Wednesday, August 5

How to Watch The Shards:

Don’t have FX or cable? No problem! You can stream The Shards on Hulu. Don’t have Hulu?

If you’re new to Hulu, the basic (with ads) price is $11.99/month. If you want to upgrade to Hulu ad-free, it costs $18.99/month.

If you want to stream even more and save a few bucks a month while you’re at it, we recommend subscribing to one of the Disney+ Bundles, all of which include Hulu. These bundles start at $12.99/month for ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu and goes up to $32.99/month for Disney+, Hulu, and Max, all ad-free.

The Shards Cast Guide: Kaia Gerber, Homer Gere, and More

The cast of The Shards includes Vogue cover models, Tony award-winning producers, and actors you’ve seen before in projects like Midnight Mass, Yellowstone, Wednesday, The English Teacher, and Westworld.

Who plays who in The Shards? Here’s your Shards cast guide:

• Igby Rigney as Bret Easton Ellis

Experts suggest that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might need to part with their Montecito estate following the announcement of their plans to return to the UK.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are making headlines again with their decision to move back to Britain, having moved to California in 2020 after stepping away from their royal responsibilities.

In a surprising twist, reminiscent of their original royal departure, they intend to settle in a private residence outside of London. Importantly, their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are expected to start attending a school in the UK.

Currently, there appear to be no hints of Harry and Meghan resuming their duties as working royals, implying they will continue to live as ‘financially independent’ private citizens.

Their move from the US has left many speculating about the fate of their luxurious $14.65 million Montecito home. Additionally, they own a stunning villa worth £6.3 million along Portugal’s serene Melides coast.

Harry and Meghan bought their sprawling nine-bedroom home in Montecito from Russian tycoon Sergey Grishin on June 18, 2020.

The 14,563-square-foot home, known as ‘The Chateau’, sits on 5.4 acres of land and boasts a swimming pool, a tennis court and immaculate gardens.

But a Santa Barbara real estate source has told the New York Post there ‘have been rumblings’ the couple will now sell it. Astonishingly, it costs more than $650,000-a-year in mortgage costs and taxes alone, the US outlet reports.

The Daily Mail previously reported that Harry and Meghan bought the luxury property after securing a $9.5million mortgage, implying that they made a down-payment of more than $5million.

At typical interest rates, the couple would likely be paying around $40,000 a month or $480,000 a year in order to repay the mortgage on a standard 30-year term.

County tax history obtained by The Post shows that the bill has increased every year the Sussexes have lived there, from $138,629 to $141,645, then $144,229, $146,930 before this year’s $149,668.

That means Harry and Meghan have spent around $721,000 in property taxes alone.

Adding insurance and maintenance of the grounds, the couple are said to be spending more than $650,000 a year before taking into account the cost of security.

The Daily Mail previously reported that the Sussexes had hired $9,000-a-day security firm GDBA to protect them in Los Angeles.

If GDBA were hired for 365 days a year at that rate, Harry and Meghan would be left with a $3.3million bill for security alone.

‘I cannot imagine ever wanting to let go of this beautiful piece of property, but hanging onto it comes at a steep cost, so they might have to,’ a source told the Post.

‘It likely will be a few months before they list, or maybe they will give the UK a year first to see how that plays out,’ the source added. ‘But if they do decide to plant roots in the UK, I don’t see a world where they will keep this home.’

When Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals, they became ‘members of the Royal Family with financial independence’. 

Before doing so, 95 per cent of their income was generated through the Duchy of Cornwall, with the other 5 per cent covered by the Sovereign Grant. They are no longer entitled to this and they must fund their security themselves. 

The Sussexes and other high-profile claimants also face paying millions towards the legal costs of the Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers after they lost their doomed phone hacking case.

Associated said its costs are around £34million.

Leading luxury real estate broker Jason Streatfield has estimated that Harry and Meghan could list the mansion for as much as $75million.

He said there have been three sales in Montecito above $50million this year. 

When the Sussexes bought it for $14.75million in 2020, it had been on the market for five years at an original listing of $34.5million.

After getting a cut-price deal on it, they could now rake in millions, according to Mr Streatfield. He expects it to be sold for somewhere between $65 and $75million. 

The house has nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms and sits on 5.4 acres of land with immaculately clipped hedges bordering the estate’s stone-pillared entry gates.

Property listings say the home took nearly five years to build and included a library, office, spa with a separate dry and wet sauna, a gym with a stripper pole, game room, arcade, theatre, wine cellar and five-car garage.

The estate has sweeping lawns, tiered rose gardens, tall Italian cypress trees, blooming lavender, century-old olive trees, a tennis court, tea house, children’s cottage and a pool. It also boasts a two-bedroom, two-bath guest house.

Since becoming ‘financially independent’ from the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan have tried multiple ways of forging their own brands and income.

In 2020, they signed a reported $100million deal with Netflix through their Archewell brand. This included With Love, Meghan, the lifestyle series where the Duchess of Sussex cooked with her celebrity friends.

Meghan also launched her Archetypes podcast with Spotify, but their $20million deal ended on bad terms when the royal couple were called f***ing grifters’ by an executive at the streaming service.

Harry, meanwhile, signed a major book deal for his memoir Spare, where he sparked a major backlash for revealing explosive details about his family, and Meghan continues to sell jams and other lifestyle products through her As Ever brand.

Tom Garcia-Bridgeman, a PR consultant at Rhizome Media Group, told the Daily Mail: ‘The book deals, Netflix documentaries and product launches were supposed to establish the couple as a global brand independent of the royals, but their return to the UK may suggest that approach hasn’t worked, or at least a rethink has happened.

‘The American dream promised an opportunity to forge an entirely new identity outside the Royal Family, yet years later it is still their connection to the monarchy that generates the greatest global interest.

‘Meghan still needs to use her Duchess of Sussex branding to sell blackberry jam and candles.’

He added: ‘The biggest PR risk is appearing to want the benefits of royalty without the sacrifices. If they lean on royal associations heavily while remaining commercially independent, critics will revive the “half-in, half-out” argument.

With Harry and Meghan’s finances under scrutiny, tax experts have weighed in on the timing of their move back to the UK.

Nimesh Shah, CEO of Blick Rothenberg, said: ‘Good to see Harry and Meghan achieve 6 full tax years of non-UK residency to manage the “temporary non-resident” rules for capital gains tax. They have clearly had some good tax advice and the timing of their move back to the UK is immaculate.’

Dhana Sabanathan, a leading partner at law firm Michelmores, added that ‘staying away a bit longer would have given them a much better tax result’.

‘If they had remained non-UK tax resident for 10 consecutive tax years before returning, they could have enjoyed relief on their non-UK income and gains for the first four years of their return. Staying away for 10 years could have also enabled Harry to protect his non-UK assets from inheritance tax.

‘The pattern we are seeing are expats who have been long term in the US, raised families, and established successful businesses there, relishing the opportunity to return or spend more time in the UK without bearing the full brunt of UK tax on their worldwide assets for a period of time.

‘US citizens remain subject to subject to worldwide US taxation even when they leave the US. There have been no public reports of Harry obtaining US citizenship, so his tax affairs are likely to be simpler than Meghan’s on his return.’

It comes as it emerged King Charles was only told by his son on Sunday that he plans to move back to the UK later this month, while the Prince and Princess of Wales have also been informed.

It is understood that while he ‘welcomes’ the chance to see Harry and his family in a private and personal capacity, the King is clear that there will be ‘no alteration’ to the Duke and Duchess’s role and status as private individuals and non-working members of the Royal Family in keeping with their ‘clearly expressed wishes and agreement over past years’.

Sources insist, however, it is not in the Sussexes’ ‘plan’ to return to the royal fold. The Daily Mail also understands that no mention of the family’s return was raised or discussed when Harry, Meghan and their children met with the King at Highgrove earlier this summer.

Last night Harry was pictured broadly smiling at a roundtable event in Washington discussing increased support for veterans.

Harry was already scheduled to visit Britain to attend a WellChild Awards event next month and was set to stay in a room at Buckingham Palace.

But the Duke, 41, and Duchess, 45, no longer require accommodation for their stay with the whole family believed to be returning for an extended period within the next two weeks.

Archie and Lilibet will be enrolling at a school in September but it is not yet known whether the move will be a permanent one. The location of Harry and Meghan’s new home has not been revealed for privacy reasons.

Harry and Meghan’s representatives have been approached for comment. 

In a distressing incident in Colorado, a black bear met a tragic end after spending several days trapped inside a vehicle. In its desperate attempt to break free, the bear wreaked havoc on the car’s interior before it was discovered lifeless.

Weighing approximately 300 pounds, the bear likely endured its ordeal for multiple days before being found in Colorado Springs. This unfortunate discovery was reported by The Denver Gazette, shedding light on the challenges wildlife face in developed areas. Read more here.

Travis Sauder, a wildlife officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), explained to The Gazette that bears often have the intelligence and nimbleness required to open unlocked car doors during their search for food. However, they can frequently find themselves in a predicament if the door shuts behind them.

“Usually, these bears open the door, get their food, and exit,” Officer Sauder noted. “But in some cases, the door closes, leaving them bewildered and unable to find their way out.”

The deadly encounter comes as Colorado experiences an unusually active year for bear sightings and conflicts.

CPW received 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts between Jan. 1 and Aug. 13, nearly double the 3,115 recorded during the same period last year, according to The Gazette.

The number has already surpassed the 5,299 reports recorded during all of 2025.

Wildlife officials have linked the increase in encounters to poor natural food conditions. Low snowpack and late freezes have reduced some of the food sources bears typically rely on, pushing the animals to travel farther and take greater risks in search of calories, Sauder told the newspaper.

The timing adds to the concern as bears enter hyperphagia, the period when they consume large amounts of food and water to build fat reserves ahead of winter.

CPW advises people living in bear country to eliminate potential food sources and other attractants that can bring bears close to homes, campsites and vehicles.

Food, trash and scented items can draw bears searching for an easy meal. CPW advises keeping vehicles clean and removing anything that could attract a bear, including food and other scented products.

“Treat your vehicle the way you would a campsite by removing any attractants,” Sauder told The Gazette. “Whether it’s pet food, a kid’s snack or even flavored bubble gum, get it out of your vehicle.”

CPW also warns against intentionally feeding bears. Bears that become accustomed to food provided by people can lose their natural fear of humans, increasing the risk of conflicts.

This year is on pace to produce the highest number of reported bear-human interactions since CPW began digitally tracking them in 2019, according to The Gazette.

CPW did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.

A new trend in higher education is emerging, as some universities have started accepting tuition payments via PayPal and Venmo, making the process potentially simpler for students and their families.

Bellarmine University, Butler University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, and Texas Tech University are among the pioneering institutions to embrace these digital payment options. More universities are anticipated to adopt this practice as the year progresses.

While these payment methods offer convenience, they may also come with transaction or processing fees. The fees can vary depending on the university and the specific funding methods employed.

These digital payment options are being integrated through several campus payment systems, including Illumia, Nelnet Campus Commerce, and TouchNet. These platforms are responsible for handling tuition payments for universities nationwide.

“A modern tuition payment experience has to work for both sides of the transaction,” stated Don Smith, Illumia’s senior vice president and general manager of integrated payments, emphasizing the need for a seamless payment process.

“Students and families want the flexibility to use payment methods that fit how they manage their money, while institutions need those options to work within the systems and processes their teams already rely on. This integration helps schools expand choice in a practical way, improving the payer experience without creating a disconnected path for campus teams,” Smith added.

PayPal and its Venmo subsidiary have aimed to further expand their presence in higher education over the last year, offering student-athletes the opportunity to receive institutional revenue-share payments through their platforms. Venmo also expanded its presence on college campuses through NIL partnerships with student athletes, college-branded cards, student ambassadors and gameday activations.

The digital payment systems are already used by many students and families for daily money transfers, including purchasing groceries, splitting rent and sending money to friends and family.

“Tuition is one of the biggest payments a family will make, and it should come with the same flexibility and security that millions of people already count on PayPal and Venmo for every day,” Frank Keller, President of Checkout Solutions and PayPal, said in a statement.

“That’s why we’re proud to bring that same choice and protection into the reliable systems schools have already built.”

The companies said PayPal and Venmo use security measures including encryption and fraud monitoring. Consumer regulators, however, have cautioned that money stored in nonbank payment apps may not carry the same deposit-insurance protections as funds held directly in a federally insured bank or credit union.

Certain eligible PayPal and Venmo balances may qualify for pass-through FDIC insurance when funds are placed at PayPal’s program banks, which currently include Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Wells Fargo Bank and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Not all PayPal or Venmo balances qualify for the coverage.

But FDIC pass-through insurance “protects against the failure of a Program Bank, not the failure of PayPal. PayPal is not a bank, does not take deposits and is not FDIC insured,” PayPal said in a statement.

For the first time, the children of Mathilde Favier have spoken out about the untimely passing of their mother, who left the world at the age of 57.

Favier, who served as the public relations director for Christian Dior Couture, tragically lost her life in a car crash in Western France. The accident also claimed the life of her partner, the 61-year-old film producer Nicolas Altmayer, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, her children, Heloise Agostinelli, 27, and Carlo Agostinelli, 25, expressed their profound grief and shared touching memories of the close relationship they shared with their mother.

“Words can’t describe the agony I’m feeling. My mom was everything to me. My world shattered the moment she left us,” Heloise shared in an emotional message on her Instagram Stories.

She continued to express gratitude, “Thank you for all your beautiful and heartfelt messages. I’m feeling overwhelmed and unable to respond to everyone. I hope this nightmare ends soon. Life feels cruel and unjust.”

She added in French, ‘I love you mom, my moon, my whole life. Rest in peace, my eternal angel.’ 

Heloise also posted a childhood snap of her and her mother in a swimming pool.

Carlo shared a poignant tribute on his Instagram, writing, ‘Maman, My heart aches and my brain is foggy. None of this makes sense, and I struggle to understand how any of it ever will.’

‘You were the incarnation of life, the definition of joy, and so much more than words could ever do justice. You loved and were loved more deeply than I think any of us will ever be able to understand.’

He went on: ‘Life works in such unpredictable and mysterious ways, but as you always taught me, trust life’s plan, trust destiny, and let the rest take care of itself.’

He then thanked his mother for ‘being such an incredible role model. Thank you for instilling in me the values that will remain at the core of who I am forever.’

‘Thank you for being the definition of what a mother should be and so much more. You were our superhero, and you always will be. I am strong because you taught me to be.’

Carlo added that the close-knit family will continue to support each other.   

‘Heloise is with me, and always will be. Your beloved family, your sisters, your mother, your nephews and nieces, and all the friends who loved you so deeply are together, holding each other close, and we always will be.’ 

‘You spent your life surrounding us with love, and that love will keep us together now. You don’t need to worry about us, Maman. We will look after one another, just as you always looked after all of us. I will make sure of it.’

Carlo went on to say that he will ‘carry every lesson’ his mother taught him for the rest of his life.  

‘I’ll make it my life’s work to live in a way that will make you proud. I’ll make everything you gave me, everything you taught me, and every sacrifice you made count. That’s my promise to you and to the world.’

He wrapped up his post writing, ‘Sleep well, Mamounette. I will love you forever, until we are reunited.’

He also shared several heartwarming photos with his mother, including a beachside embrace and a few childhood memories. 

Favier had Heloise and Carlo with her first husband Robert Agostinelli, a self-made billionaire who is chairman and co-founder of private equity firm Rhône Group.

According to reports, Favier’s car collided with a ‘heavy goods vehicle’ while trying to pass another car.

On Tuesday morning, Dior released a public statement remembering Favier as an ‘exceptional woman.’

‘Dior is deeply saddened to announce the accidental death of Mathilde Favier. In her role as Director of Public Relations, Mathilde Favier made an incredible contribution to the reputation of Christian Dior Couture through her commitment and elegance,’ the statement read.

‘She was an exceptional woman whose communicative joy, talent, and loyalty were exemplary.’

The statement also included a message from Dior’s CEO, Delphine Arnault, mourning the loss of a ‘loyal friend.’

‘Mathilde loved life with a passion. With the passing of Mathilde, Dior is losing an incredible professional, and I have lost a loyal friend,’ Arnault said.

‘Her optimism and courage commanded admiration. We will sorely miss her smile and her talent. I feel deeply saddened today; my thoughts are very much with her children, her mother, her sisters, her family, her many friends and her team she loved so much.’ 

She had been at Dior for over 13 years after previously working at Glamour magazine and Prada.

Altmayer was a prominent French producer who had worked on over 80 films.