Cook County's penny-per-ounce sugary drink tax is one final step away from being repealed. Despite threats from County Board President that a repeal would leave the county without enough money to pay for basic services, the County Board's Finance Committee, which is made up of all 17 board members, voted overwhelmingly - 15 to 1 - to recommend eliminating the tax, with one member absent.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson recently doubled as a security guard at the University of Washington in a mission to "locate grooming violators." In the marketing campaign for Braun, Wilson dresses as a security guard, and drives around the University of Washington Seattle campus handing out Braun electric-razors to students.

With the NBA season just a week off, Turner Sports said it has expanded and enhanced its partnership with American Express, with the financial firm set to have more play on NBA on TNT, Inside the NBA and other Turner hoops-related programming and activation. American Express has been the exclusive presenting sponsor for the NBA on TNT and NBA TV halftime shows, the American Express Halftime Report, since 2015.

The wildfires surging through California are cutting off residents' wireless links to one another and to the outside world. Spokespeople for Sprint, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile US Inc. said their repair crews are unable to tend to affected towers because of extensive power failures caused by the fires, as well as roadblocks cutting off areas under mandatory evacuation orders.

Wildfires in California continue to rage for a third day Tuesday, with flames devouring Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties, also known as Wine Country. Since the blazes began Sunday, 17 large fires have burned more than 115,000 acres, killing at least 11 people. Sourced from various media outlets and social media posts, there are many vineyards and wineries that have sustained damage.

Terror attacks in Istanbul have made if hard for Turkey to attract foreign tourists. Turkish tourism officials together with Turkish Airlines have been trying desperately to convince foreign tourists to visit. Now Turkey's quasi-dictator/president has reacted to anti-Turkey statements made by President Donald Trump and both countries have stopped issuing non-immigrant tourist and business visas.

Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne confirmed speculation that Ferrari NV will make its first sport utility vehicle model while tamping down rumors that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV may part ways with Jeep. Ferrari is beyond just considering an SUV and will take about 30 months to decide on production, which will be limited to preserve exclusivity, Marchionne told reporters Monday at the New York Stock Exchange.

Alphabet Inc's self-driving car unit Waymo and several groups are launching a campaign aimed at convincing skeptical Americans of what they say is the value and safety of driverless cars. The company said on Monday that it was teaming up with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, and the Federation for Blind Children in a campaign called "Let's Talk Self-Driving."

Some Uber riders in Charlotte, N.C., got a surprise when their wheels pulled up curbside. Former NASCAR driver and current NBC Sports analyst Kyle Petty and analyst Rutledge Wood were behind the wheel of the Toyota Camry. The Uber activation offered the option for "Racecar" and was available in Charlotte's trendy Uptown area from 2:30-5 p.m. ET - was ordered more than 300 times.

The Banana Republic manager who suspended a black employee for wearing box braids has been fired. The unidentified supervisor at the White Plains, N.Y., store suspended Destiny Tompkins, 19, saying the braids were unkempt and too "urban" for the store's image. He also said he wouldn't schedule her if she didn't remove the braids. Tompkins' Facebook post has been shared more than 52,000 times since it was posted on Oct. 4.