The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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The tax breaks caregivers miss: How families leave thousands on the table every filing season Over 63 million Americans provide unpaid care for a child, aging parent, spouse, or disabled family member, and more than a third report financial hardship as a result. Yet, every year, millions of family caregivers leave significant tax savings on the table simply because they don’t know what they qualify for. QMedic dug deep to provide information from sources including AARP, the Internal Revenue Serv...
March 3, 2026 - TAMPA, Fla. (Central Command Headquarters) - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that Iran's naval presence in the Gulf of Oman has been completely eliminated, declaring that the Iranian regime went from 11 ships to none in just 48 hours. The statement, posted on X, marks one of the most sweeping U.S. military actions against Iran's maritime forces in decades. CENTCOM's Statement and Its Significance CENTCOM's message was blunt: "Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11...
The Alabama Department of Public Health's (ADPH) mission is to promote, protect, and improve Alabama's health and provide the people of Alabama with the highest quality service possible. To reach this goal, ADPH would like to hear from its residents! The 2026 Community Health Opinion Survey is part of the State Health Assessment that ADPH utilizes to identify health issues and challenges at the community level. Based on this information, the department can better serve Alabama residents by...
March 3, 2026 – MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama House of Representatives votes to pass a constitutional amendment that would allow county school systems to be folded into a multi-county system. House Bill 380 (HB380) is sponsored by State Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur). HB380 is a statewide constitutional amendment. "Currently under existing law every county is required to have a school system," Collins explained. "In some of our counties there are less than a thousand students. Wha...
With St. Patrick's Day taking place on March 17th, March was first designated as Irish-American Heritage Month in 1991 by Congress. And the President of The United States has continued to recognize the proclamation each year since 1991. While many Irish are a bit puzzled as to the USA's fascination with Ireland come St. Patrick's Day every year, it is a holiday that was first recognized early on in American history by none other than General George Washington in 1780. As The Continental Army...
March 3, 2026 – MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government voted to give a favorable report to legislation to protect worship services from disruption by protestors. House Bill 363 (HB363) is sponsored by State Representative Greg Barnes (R-Jasper). Rep. Barnes explained that the bill would serve as a deterrent to serve notice to persons who might do this In the state. The bill was motivated after a shocking protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Min...
March 3, 2026 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama veterans will soon have a new opportunity to continue their service in the state's classrooms. Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday signed Senate Bill 149 into law, creating a temporary teaching certificate designed specifically for former service members and marking one of her key legislative priorities for the 2026 session. The new law establishes the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate, a credential that allows eligible veterans to teach in Alaba...
Homelessness is rising fast among a surprising group: Infants and toddlers For months, Karian had tried to make it on her own in New York. After the birth of her second daughter, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression, major depressive disorder and anxiety. A single mother who had moved from Boston to New York about 13 years ago, she often spent days at a time on the couch, unable to do more than handle the basics for her daughters. “I wasn’t taking care of myself,” she said softly on a...
The U.S. beef cattle herd has shrunk dramatically over the past 15 years, falling from 31.7 million beef cows in 2010 to roughly 27.9 million in 2025 - a decline of about 12%. This contraction is part of a broader national trend: total cattle and calves in the U.S. have fallen to 86–87 million head, the lowest levels since the early 1950s. Why the Herd Has Declined 🌡️ Prolonged Drought and Weather Stress Drought has been the single most powerful driver of herd liquidation. Many major cattle...
Irene Miller // Shutterstock Cheapest gas stations in Anniston Anyone who drives a car understands the sting of having to fill up their tank and pulling into the gas station, only to discover that gas prices have skyrocketed. Paying extra for gas means you have less to spend on other things, which, over time, can really put a crimp in your budget. Cheap Insurance explored some of the reasons behind major changes in gas prices, and compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in Anniston using...
March 2, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the U.S.–Israel war with Iran enters a volatile new phase, the Pentagon is accelerating the largest American military buildup in the Middle East in decades. Senior defense officials now acknowledge that additional U.S. troops, aircraft, and naval assets are flowing into the region daily, reflecting Washington's expectation that the conflict will intensify and potentially widen. While the Pentagon has not deployed large-scale ground combat brigades, it has b...
PeopleImages // Shutterstock Stop doing everything: How small business leaders in Alabama can reclaim 75 workdays each year Leaders in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) operate under constant pressure to deliver results with limited time, budgets, and staff. In a volatile market, they're expected to balance immediate execution with long-term strategy, often without the layers of support available to larger organizations. As a result, many leaders step in wherever the business needs...
The hidden math of Portugal Golden Visa fund fees: Why ‘1.5%’ rarely means 1.5% If you're shopping for Portugal Golden Visa-eligible investment funds, you'll hear plenty about minimums, strategy, and timelines. You'll hear far less about the thing that silently compounds in the background: fees. Most investors can quote a management fee. Fewer can answer basic questions like: - Is there a subscription fee on entry? - Is there an exit fee on redemption? - What operating costs are charged to the...
Starter home hotspots: These metros are best for first-time buyers The American “starter home” is slipping out of reach, except in the South and Midwest, where the dream remains mostly intact. These modest boxes on hillsides once supported young families waiting for the next baby to launch them into bigger and better things. They represented not only adulthood and stability, but the promise of a lifetime of building equity. Today, the share of first-time buyers is at a record low, with 21% of ho...
January 29, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) commemorated the one-year anniversary of President Donald J. Trump (R) signing the Laken Riley Act into law. This bipartisan, landmark piece of legislation was the first bill signed into law by President Trump in his second term. The effort to pass the bill was led by Senator Britt in the United States Senate. It was the first major immigration enforcement and border security-related legislation passed since 1996. “Americans have grown accustomed to empty talk from pol...
This year, we celebrate the most significant milestone in our Nation’s history: 250 glorious years of American independence. From the very beginning, our country has been blessed with countless black American heroes. For more than two and a half centuries, these legends have made timeless contributions to our government, laws, military, economy, workforce, and culture. With their tremendous legacy in mind, as President, I proclaim that “black history” is not distinct from American history — rat...
February 10, 2026 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Governor Kay Ivey on Friday announced that the State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) has approved 21 grants totaling $15.7 million under the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) program. The grant program is designed to strengthen Alabama's competitiveness in securing large-scale economic development projects by accelerating the development of industry-ready sites. This is the third round of SEEDS, which has helped dozens of c...
During Black History Month, the Dallas County Health Department will honor a living legend and the first African American nurse to work there. The Vera Jenkins Booker Community Room will be dedicated at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026. "Mrs. Vera Booker was a trailblazer in the healthcare profession. She was the first African American nurse at the health department. She inspired many nurses, especially coming from a marginalized community, and let them know that they can be nurses and they...
February 11, 2026 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday threw her support behind a trio of Public Service Commission–related bills moving through the Alabama Legislature, including the most controversial of the package: a proposal that would end the public's ability to elect PSC commissioners and instead shift those positions to gubernatorial appointments. The House Committee on Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure is considering House Bill 403, House Bill 399, and House B...
All-wheel drive vs. front-wheel drive: Who wins when driving in winter weather? As harsh winter weather sets in, drivers in snow- and ice-prone areas of the country find themselves asking the same question: What matters more for winter performance, drivetrain or tires? For those in the market for a new winter commuter, the debate typically boils down to an all-wheel-drive (AWD) rig with all-season tires versus a front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle with winter tires. In a perfect world, every winter...
Government contracting compliance: Key challenges to overcome when pursuing federal contracts Organizations that work with the U.S. government must adhere to strict procedures covering procurement protocols, nondiscrimination policies, and rigorous cybersecurity. That’s because working with government agencies often involves handling sensitive and legally protected data, and failure to comply can result in financial and legal consequences. To effectively approach government contracting c...
Is 600 a good credit score? No matter what your finances look like today, it's never too late to make positive changes to improve them. Boosting your financial knowledge and skills will make it easier to make more informed choices that help you create the financial future you envision. Do you want to learn more about how your credit standing could impact your life? You're in the right place. Achieve explains the implications and possibilities of having a credit score of 600. Key takeaways: - A...
Black homeownership is declining. Why? Homeownership remains out of reach for many young Americans, but it’s especially elusive for Black Gen Zers and millennials. According to a Redfin Real Estate analysis, just 14% of Black Gen Zers and 32% of Black millennials own their home—about half the rate of white Americans in the same generations. In recent years, the gap has widened as homeownership declined for young Black adults while rising for young white adults. Homeownership rates have dec...
February 9, 2026 - WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass the SAVE America Act. The bill would secure elections by requiring a government-issued photo ID in order to vote. Tuberville stated that, "Four years earlier, President Trump had been forced to leave the White House after rampant voter fraud had resulted in Joe Biden being elected President." "There's been a lot of talk in the media about what Republicans need to f...
February 10, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Attorney General Steve Marshall joined an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a constitutional challenge to a California school district's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, Health Freedom Defense Fund, Inc. v. Carvalho, was filed after the Los Angeles Unified School District fired over 500 employees who refused to comply with the district's vaccine mandate in 2021. The en banc Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of the emp...
