Since May 7, 2025, non‑compliant state driver’s licenses are no longer valid for domestic flights, certain federal buildings, or nuclear facilities—so travelers and visitors need to check their wallets fast. The nationwide rollout of the REAL ID Act has finally arrived. Congress first approved the measure in 2005, but the key provision kicked in on May 7 of this … Read more
Congress weighs wider relief for retirees even as a handful of states keep levies in place. Millions of Social Security recipients may soon pay less to the IRS, yet state tax bills could still bite. Lawmakers are debating the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cleared the House by a single vote and now faces the Senate’s gavel. Its … Read more
Are you planning to travel to a European country? Larger on‑screen text, audio prompts, and tactile layouts aim to make cash withdrawals’ barrier‑free for millions—including older adults and customers with disabilities. The long-awaited European Union Accessibility Act, passed in May 2023, will officially come into force on June 28, 2025, and banks in EU countries … Read more
Rooftop panels installed in 2019 prove their worth as federal incentives—and utility bills—move in opposite directions. A single electricity bill doesn’t tell the whole story, but this one comes close. A Reddit user shared a May‑June 2024 statement totaling only $10.68 after five years with rooftop solar. At a time when the average U.S. household … Read more
Critics say a Trump‑era directive could let clinicians deny treatment based on politics or marital status, but the agency insists veterans’ protections remain intact. The Department of Veterans Affairs is facing a firestorm after quietly revising its employee conduct code this spring. The update, rooted in a January 30 executive order titled “Defending Women from … Read more
Construction is underway on a plus‑shaped, self‑filtering pool at Pier 35 that will let New Yorkers swim safely in river water as soon as next summer. New York City is finally getting a chance to dip a toe—then an entire lap—into the East River. After more than a decade of planning, the 9,000‑square‑foot +POOL has left … Read more
Beloved Tremont bar offers discounts, DJs and a fresh start for the space. After more than a quarter‑century in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, Lava Lounge will pour its final round this weekend. Owners Ricardo Sandoval and Jack Anfang are saying goodbye with a two‑night celebration that mixes bargain bites, cheap drinks and a dash of nostalgia … Read more
Beloved South Jersey steakhouse announces a June 30–Sept 18 hiatus, promises September 19 comeback. The Pub, the 74‑year‑old Tudor‑style steakhouse on Kaighn Avenue, will again pause service for the warm months, keeping its charcoal hearth dark from June 30 through September 18 before firing back up on Friday, September 19. Regulars who count on its towering prime rib platters will have … Read more
Old handsets gathering dust may crunch data instead of wasting space, thanks to an ingenious modular frame dreamed up by two University of Tartu students. Each year manufacturers ship over 1.2 billion new phones, and millions of functional devices slide straight into junk drawers. Engineering whizzes Huber Flores and Zhigang Yin offer a smarter ending: snap several phones … Read more
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) will close its North Whitehall Township distribution center this summer, a move that triggers a cascade of layoffs affecting hundreds of Pennsylvania workers. The Rhode‑Island‑based wholesaler has filed a federal WARN notice confirming the 4255 E. Independence Drive facility will wind down between Aug. 12 and Oct. 18, with 717 employees — including 172 truck … Read more
Chapter 11 will slash $2 billion in debt and inject $200 million in fresh cash, but 26 locations will vanish by September. Plano‑based At Home, once branded Garden Ridge Pottery, confirmed the filing Monday after missing a May 15 interest payment. The popular décor warehouse still runs more than 200 stores, yet executives say shrinking the least‑profitable sites is … Read more
Smartphone and tablet chargers may look harmless, yet energy experts warn they can silently double a home’s overnight electricity costs and even spark safety hazards. Leaving one tiny charger connected around the clock seems trivial, right? Unfortunately, that humble plug is often the hidden culprit behind soaring utility statements, costing the average U.S. household up … Read more
Millions of future retirees will find that hitting the magic birthday for 100 percent benefits is shifting again, and the clock is already ticking. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed a new full‑retirement benchmark that starts on January 1, 2026. Anyone born in 1960 or later must now wait a little longer to claim their benefit in full—bad news … Read more
Will your next COLA really cover climbing costs? Advocates say a modest 2.5 percent boost is on the horizon, but cracks in the data‑collection system could trim that raise before it ever reaches your wallet. Millions of retirees count on the annual cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) to keep pace with rising prices. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) … Read more
Millions of low‑income Americans can look forward to a timely boost next month: the Social Security Administration (SSA) has locked in Tuesday, July 1 as pay‑day for the July Supplemental Security Income (SSI) installment, worth up to $967 for single filers. The extra cash matters because SSI is the safety net reserved for people with very limited … Read more
One lucky bargain hunter uncovered a luxury timepiece during an ordinary browse, reminding thrifters that true treasure can appear when—and where—you least expect it. A quick stop at a local secondhand shop turned into the score of a lifetime when a Reddit user slipped on a pre‑owned coat, reached into the lining, and brushed against … Read more
Century‑old relics emerge as North Carolina community dredges its storied lake. A routine cleanup turned time‑machine this week when crews lowering Lake Lure for post‑hurricane repairs exposed a rust‑caked Model T truck and a 32‑foot wooden boat nicknamed “Pooh Bear,” both believed lost since the 1920s. Who stands to gain from the surprise? History buffs, local officials and—perhaps—thousands … Read more
The Everglades site would house up to 1,000 migrants and lean on the 287(g) program to let local deputies act like ICE agents. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is floating a plan that sounds straight out of a thriller: convert a remote 100‑square‑kilometer training ground in the Everglades into an immigration lock‑up surrounded by alligators and … Read more
Millions of households have already seen their June benefits, but some Floridians and Texans still have a week to go. Here’s who should mark the calendar — and why a mid‑week Social Security deposit and a fresh $2,000 child tax credit could stretch family budgets even further. The clock is ticking. Eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance … Read more
Demographers say a Spanish‑speaking plurality could arrive by mid‑century, reshaping daily life from classrooms to campaign trails. The possibility that Spanish will outnumber English within a generation is no longer dismissed as science fiction. Linguists and census analysts see Hispanic population growth, bilingual households, and media demand converging so quickly that the nation’s linguistic balance … Read more