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  • Every business needs a strong brand-here's how to create yours

    Stacker, Dayna Winter|Mar 2, 2025

    A brand is more than what you sell. It's a blend of your business' values, aesthetic, and unique personality. Your brand is what connects you to customers—and keeps them coming back. Every time you present your business to the world, whether through a website landing page, product packaging, social media posts, or email marketing, it's an opportunity to reinforce your brand identity—or dilute it. "It builds trust in your customers if they feel like you have a clear, consistent point of vie...

  • Oh, great: Rat populations are surging as cities heat up

    Stacker, Matt Simon for Grist|Mar 2, 2025

    Rats are, in many ways, better adapted to cities than the humans that built them. While urbanites struggle with crowds, sparse parking spaces, and their upstairs neighbors stomping around at 4 a.m., rats are living their best lives. Huddled safely underground, they pop up at night to chew through heaps of food waste in dumpsters and hot dogs left on stoops. Now, scientists have found yet another gnawing advantage for rats, Grist reports. A study published in January in the journal Science...

  • Bird flu is on the rise across the US. Are cats at risk?

    Stacker, Jennifer Huizen, Data Work By Emma Rubin|Mar 2, 2025

    If you've been shopping for eggs lately, you're probably aware that prices are rising as the latest bird flu outbreak takes its toll on the nation's chickens. The most prevalent strain of the disease, H5N1, has been identified in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and more than 157 million birds have been affected by the disease since the outbreak began in January 2022. While avian influenza, aka bird flu, is ravaging wild and farmed bird populations, its transmission to nonavian...

  • 'Alarming' national data: Teens use cellphones for quarter of school day

    Stacker, Marianna McMurdock - The 74|Mar 2, 2025

    As districts and government officials nationwide consider curbing smartphones' reach, new research has revealed teens miss at least one and a half hours of school because they are on their phones. A quarter of the 13-18-year-olds in the study used devices for two hours each school day, which lasts around seven hours. The averages outnumber minutes allotted for lunch and period breaks combined, showing youth are distracted by phones throughout huge chunks of class time. Teen Phone Use in School...

  • Retirement survey: Are Americans ready for retirement? See how you compare.

    Stacker, Kate Maier|Mar 2, 2025

    Despite concerns about inflation and overall preparedness, Americans are looking forward to retirement, according to new survey research Wealth Enhancement conducted this year. 77% of Americans expressed positive emotions such as happiness (45%) and gratitude (37%) when asked how they feel when they think about retirement, according to the study of 1,000 U.S. adults. For those already in their golden years, 90% don't regret retiring when they did and 33% say it's even better than expected. Key...

  • Most Democrat-leaning states

    Stacker, Cu Fleshman|Mar 2, 2025

    Considering a Republican candidate won the United States presidential election in November 2024, it's easy to assume most Americans identify as Republicans. The data, however, tells a different story. According to Gallup, 28% of Americans considered themselves Democrats in 2024, the same percentage who identified as Republicans. A far greater number (43%) identified as Independents. When choosing between the two major parties, Gallup's data shows that 45% of Americans lean toward Democratic valu...

  • How gas prices have changed in Alabama in the last week

    Stacker|Mar 2, 2025

    Gasoline prices have remained relatively flat compared to this time last month, but the cost to fill up the tank has declined by more than 25 cents per gallon since last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.11, with Mississippi seeing the cheapest state-level prices at $2.65 and California with the most expensive at $4.75. After a monthlong pause on tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, the Trump administration proceeded this week to impose 25% tariffs on the two neighboring...

  • How gas prices have changed in Montgomery in the last week

    Stacker|Mar 2, 2025

    Gasoline prices have remained relatively flat compared to this time last month, but the cost to fill up the tank has declined by more than 25 cents per gallon since last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.11, with McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, seeing the cheapest metro-area prices at $2.41 and Lihue, Hawaii, with the most expensive at $5.17. After a monthlong pause on tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, the Trump administration proceeded this week to impose 25% tariffs on...

  • How gas prices have changed in Huntsville in the last week

    Stacker|Mar 2, 2025

    Gasoline prices have remained relatively flat compared to this time last month, but the cost to fill up the tank has declined by more than 25 cents per gallon since last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.11, with McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, seeing the cheapest metro-area prices at $2.41 and Lihue, Hawaii, with the most expensive at $5.17. After a monthlong pause on tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, the Trump administration proceeded this week to impose 25% tariffs on...

  • How gas prices have changed in Gadsden in the last week

    Stacker|Mar 2, 2025

    Gasoline prices have remained relatively flat compared to this time last month, but the cost to fill up the tank has declined by more than 25 cents per gallon since last year. The national average fuel price is about $3.11, with McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, seeing the cheapest metro-area prices at $2.41 and Lihue, Hawaii, with the most expensive at $5.17. After a monthlong pause on tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, the Trump administration proceeded this week to impose 25% tariffs on...

  • Movies and TV shows casting in Birmingham

    Stacker, Backstage

    March 5, 2025 - The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you....

  • Slicing into Pi Day: These are America's favorite pies

    Stacker, Alex Orellana|Mar 2, 2025

    In celebration of Pi Day on March 14 (3/14)—a food holiday savored for making math just a little sweeter—Instacart serves up a healthy slice of its ordering data to determine which pies win Americans' hearts and stomachs, uncovering surprising regional favorites and unexpected sweet trends. America's Most Popular Pies When it comes to the most popular pies nationwide, apple pie earns the blue ribbon, accounting for nearly a third (29%) of all pie sales in 2024. Coming in second and third, res...

  • Age-related illnesses and treatment options

    Stacker, Nima Mehran|Mar 2, 2025

    For a variety of reasons, from telomere attrition to epigenetics, our bodies and minds can become less agile over time. This can increase our risk for many diseases and ailments, including Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, cancer, and bone loss, reports SaveHealth, a prescription savings website. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and results in a continuous decline of cognition, social skills, and behavior. Alzheimer's is associated in part with age, and is much more common...

  • How spring cleaning also declutters emotional and mental health

    Stacker, Kim Sheffield-Chang|Mar 2, 2025

    As winter's last shadows recede and the first hints of spring emerge, a time-honored tradition begins to take shape across American homes: spring cleaning. While it may involve scrubbing corners, organizing closets, and clearing the accumulation of winter's dust and clutter from your home, Blueprint, a therapist-enablement technology platform, explains how research has revealed that your physical environment is deeply connected to your mental state, and that this annual ritual is doing more...

  • Top 10 horse races around the world

    Stacker, Dan Tracey|Mar 2, 2025

    A pastime that has captured the hearts and imaginations of people around the globe for centuries is horse racing. The Melbourne Cup, the Kentucky Derby and the Cheltenham Gold Cup are just three examples of great races being staged worldwide. Whether it be the thundering hooves of the thoroughbreds or the vibrant atmospheres of the racecourses, these events offer an unparalleled combination of three elements—speed, strategy, and tradition. OLBG delves into prestigious and celebrated horse racing...

  • Can tracking your blood sugar make you fitter, stronger, and healthier?

    Stacker, Stephanie Anderson Witmer|Mar 2, 2025

    Almost 2.4 million Americans wear continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, to track their blood sugar—and not all of them have diabetes. More and more healthy people are wearing them to understand how food, exercise, and other factors impact blood sugar levels—and, by extension, the rest of their bodies. But are they worth the cost, or just another trendy health gadget? Hone Health investigates. A randomized controlled trial published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition fou...

  • Processing deer to eliminate food insecurity

    Stacker, Katie Hill for The Daily Yonder|Mar 2, 2025

    It's been 48 years since Kip Padgelek and his dad launched their custom deer processing business. After a career revolving around all things meat, including an education at the Culinary Institute of America, Padgelek, now almost 70, has no plans to retire, The Daily Yonder reports. That's good news for the many customers of his business, which is located in a suburb west of Pittsburgh (his shop's specialty is a Philly cheesesteak brat). But it's even better news for those who rely on the 40,000...

  • Is the US becoming uninsurable? How climate change affects insurance costs

    Stacker, Andrea Vale, Data Work By Emma Rubin|Mar 2, 2025

    As Southern California still reels from January's catastrophic wildfires, the economic damage has surged to $250 billion, far exceeding initial estimates. But that figure doesn't account for damage incurred by residents whose homes and businesses were reduced to rubble and ash. The Palisades and Eaton fires alone will result in up to $45 billion in insurance payouts to homeowners and businesses, according to data analytics firm CoreLogic. Of course, that only applies to residents who had...

  • Planning for spring's garden? Bees like variety and don't care about your neighbors' yards

    Stacker, Laura Russo for The Conversation|Mar 2, 2025

    In order to reproduce, most flowering plants rely on animals to move their pollen. In turn, pollinators rely on flowers for food, including both nectar and pollen. If you're a gardener, you might want to support this partnership by planting flowers. But if you live in an area without a lot of green space, you might wonder whether it's worth the effort. Writing for The Conversation, Laura Russo, a University of Tennessee assistant professor who studies bees and other pollinators, shares her new...

  • Older Black people die at higher rates than their white peers. Here's why aging is a greater risk for Black Americans.

    Stacker, Jazmin Goodwin, Data Work By Elena Cox|Mar 2, 2025

    For older Black people in America, the golden years often come with a harsh reality: They are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses, be sicker in old age, and die younger than their white counterparts. In 2018, Black Americans' average life expectancy was 74.7 years, four years less than the overall average of 78.7. However, a drop in life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated racial disparities among mortality rates: Black people were expected to live 70.8 years,...

  • How one US organization reunites military personnel with the animals they rescued overseas

    Stacker, Mallory Carra|Mar 2, 2025

    While deployed in Kosovo in May 2024, U.S. Army Reserve physical therapy assistant Elvia Azuara saw many stray cats running around one of the bases—including a sweet little black and white female kitty, known mostly as Fent. Azuara noticed her one day during lunch and she fed fries to Fent. Soon, this became a regular bonding activity for them. "I guess she knew my routine," Azuara said in an interview with Stacker. "Whenever I was there, she would just pop up out of nowhere and she would w...

  • Cheers to change: Nonalcoholic drinks inspire a new dining revolution

    Stacker, Sirisha Dinavahi|Mar 2, 2025

    Los Angeles is at the center of a beverage revolution, where craft mocktails command the same reverence as their alcoholic counterparts. With alcohol consumption dropping 10% among young adults, the city's bars and restaurants are crafting sophisticated nonalcoholic drinks that appeal to both dedicated abstainers and the "sober curious" alike, LA Post reports. A new era of drinking is being ushered in by the city's varied culinary scene and the rising desire for alcohol-free and...

  • How much does it cost to start an LLC in 2025?

    Stacker, Swara Ahluwalia|Mar 2, 2025

    Every new administration brings changes to the national economic landscape, and no one feels these changes more acutely than small businesses. In 2025's rapidly shifting economy, it's smart for entrepreneurs to be prepared so they can take advantage of favorable conditions—and avoid bad ones, as recent changes to business law may increase legal risks and create a more competitive business environment, LegalZoom notes. Forming an LLC in 2025 shields your house, car, and other personal assets agai...

  • Where the most people are about to retire

    Stacker, Jaclyn DeJohn, CFP|Mar 2, 2025

    As more people retire in a community, they change the dynamics within those local economies. This can mean that spending shifts: What was once spent on gasoline for the commute, or lunch out near the office may now be spent on more personal interests and expenses. Similarly, retirement trends can open up local jobs for younger generations. It may also shift the tax base, as retirees in some places may receive a break on their property taxes and income may move from earnings to Social Security...

  • The science behind how romantic relationships affect mental health

    Stacker, Kayla Levy|Mar 2, 2025

    With their potential for love, conflict, and vulnerability, it's no surprise that romantic relationships and mental health are deeply connected. A growing body of research shows that healthy relationships can provide emotional support and resilience, while relationship distress can be a strong predictor of mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. The link between relationships and mental health is bidirectional as well. Data shows that whether or not someone has a mental health cond...

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