Richest Man in Idaho Gives Away Millions
I am writing a series of articles on the wealthiest people in America and what they are doing with their income. The richest man in Idaho is Frank VanderSloot. VanderSloot founded Melaleuca, a wellness products company that specializes in dietary supplements, personal care, and household cleaning products. The company is based in Idaho, and operates in several countries worldwide. He currently has a net worth of $3.2 billion at time of publishing. (source)
Read full storyCalifornia homeowners can still get up to $80,000 for their mortgage
If you have a home in California, did you know that you can still qualify to get up to $80,000 for your mortgage? Well, you can. Here's how the program works. The California Homeowner Assistance Fund was established through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, displacements and foreclosures for homeowners experiencing financial difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic. Assistance of up to $80,000 per household is available. (source)
Read full storySenators want to give Washington residents additional $2,400 in Social Security income
Did you know about the introduction of the Social Security Expansion Act by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)? This proposed bill by these Senators has the potential to significantly impact the financial situation for many Washington residents. It aims to expand Social Security benefits by $200 per month or $2,400 annually. The bill's proponents assure that it won't raise taxes for more than 93 percent of American households (source).
Read full storyUnconstitutional capital gains tax is being collected by the state
A new state capital gains tax has been ruled unconstitutional but has been collected since late January of this year. Here is a brief overview of what happened. Last year, the legislature passed a 7% tax on the sale of stocks, bonds, businesses and other investments, if the profits exceed $250,000. The exceptions to this new law include the sale of real estate, livestock and family-owned businesses. (source)
Read full storyWhere to get the best comfort food in Coeur d'Alene
There's nothing quite like comfort food. It's filling, it tastes good and it reminds you of meals you've had in the past or if you're eating it now, meals that you know you'll remember. So here are the three best places in Coeur d'Alene to get some comfort food.
Read full storyWalmart to ban plastic bags starting next week
You might want to prepare yourself now to pay even more at checkout when you go to Walmart. That is, unless you start bringing your own bags. Starting on April 18th, single-use bags are no longer free in Washington. This follows retailers’ Beyond the Bag Consortium in 2020 and the 2021 Washington state law that banned single-use plastic bags (source)
Read full storyWhere to find great Italian food in Spokane
Wanting some amazing Italian food? There are some great choices right here in Spokane. Here are the best of the best for you to enjoy. In July of 2010, Chef Anna Vogel and Operations Manager Bethe Bowman opened Italia Trattoria, a lively, regionally inspired, 50 seat Italian restaurant in historic Browne's Addition just west of downtown Spokane. One of the best dishes is the polenta lasagna which features cremini mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onions, fontina cheese, and tomato basil butter. The menu is extensive here and even has a brunch menu. The only potential issue for customers is the kid's menu only features spaghetti. You can find this restaurant's website here.
Read full storyThe best burger you'll find in Coeur d'Alene
It's hard to come by a delicious burger. While there are a lot of places to go for a burger in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, or the surrounding area. I have found it's better to start with what I don't want.
Read full storyOne-time payment up to $1,200 coming to Hawaii residents
For the past few months, the state of Hawaii has been sending tax refund payments back to individuals who live in the state. While many residents have already received their payment, if you filed late in 2022, you could receive your payment as late as March. Individuals who file their returns between July 31 and December 31 should receive their check up to 12 weeks or direct deposit up to 10 weeks after their return is accepted by the tax department. (source)
Read full storySome Alaska residents are getting $3,284 this month. Here's how to find out when you'll get your payment
Did you know that many qualifying individuals in the state of Alaska will be receiving a payment of $3,284? Governor Mike Dunleavy has shared that the 2022 Permanent Fund Dividend will be $3,284.00, which is the largest payment in the program’s 41-year history.
Read full storyWalmart closing all locations in Portland this month. Crime major factor in the decision
If you live in the Portland area, Walmart just made an announcement that the stores in the Portland area are permanently closing all of its locations later this month. "We have nearly 5,000 stores across the U.S. and unfortunately some do not meet our financial expectations," Walmart said in its announcement. "While our underlying business is strong, these specific stores haven’t performed as well as we hoped."
Read full storyWhere can you find the most affordable homes in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is a very expensive city to live in, but there is some good news if you would like to live in the City of Angels. There are still a few more affordable neighborhoods and areas to consider. Here are some of the most affordable places to live in Los Angeles.
Read full storyWalmart now wants customers to notify them of wrong prices
Over the past few months, Walmart has been facing a variety of legal problems due to incorrect pricing. I shared this story in a recent post here on NewsBreak here. For example, in the bay area of California, ABC 7 news did an analysis revealing they found overcharges of roughly 10% at Walmart within a smaller sample of only 50 items.
Read full storyMike Rowe says that 7 million American men simply refuse to work. But is that true?
Mike Rowe says that around 7 million “prime age” men between the ages of 25 and 54 are reportedly sitting it out.“They are affirmatively not looking for work. They've punched out. They're done,” TV host Mike Rowe said on The Brian Kilmeade Show, citing research from economist Nick Eberstadt.
Read full story5 unique bookstores you'll want to visit in Spokane
Spokane has some incredible bookstores. So here are five that you can visit to find something wonderful to read whenever you're in Spokane. Located on West Main in downtown Spokane, this bookstore touts a wide variety of books to read with multiple levels to find just the book you want. They have both new and used books, special events, and local authors. This is probably one of the best bookstores around town and by far my favorite to visit.
Read full storyWhere is the most affordable place to live in San Francisco?
San Francisco is a very expensive city to live in, but the good news is that there are some areas of the city are generally more affordable than others. One of these areas is Outer Sunset. Outer Sunset is a neighborhood found on the western side of San Francisco. It is by the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park and has the neighborhoods of Parkside and Inner Sunset nearby as well.
Read full storyWhere are the three most affordable places to live in California?
California is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. But what can you do if you want to live in the state and you don't make a ton of money? Here are the three most affordable places to live in California.
Read full storyYour $1,050 payment from the state should come by today
Originally, all of the payments from the state were supposed to go out during the month of January, but there were some delays. Debit card recipients whose address has changed since filing their 2020 tax return should get their payment between 01/30/2023 through 02/14/2023. (source)
Read full storyMysterious sea creature found off the coast of California
A paddle boarder recently found an interesting creature in the water off of the coast of California and didn't know what it was. All he knew is that it was long--at least several feet in length--and translucent. He shared his discovery on Instagram below.
Read full storyRecent minimum wage increase doesn't keep up with high cost of living (opinion)
Recently, Senate Bill (SB) 3 raised the California minimum wage to $15.50 per hour, with this change made effective at the start of 2023. (source) The Economic Policy Institute estimates that 3.2 million workers in California, almost a fifth of the state’s workforce, will see an increase in their wages, making up over a third of all workers nationally who will be affected by hikes in the minimum wage this year.
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