Lifestyle News

Head Start preschools aim to fight poverty, but their teachers struggle to make ends meet
March 02, 2024 - 9:09 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — In some ways, Doris Milton is a Head Start success story. She was a student in one of Chicago’s inaugural Head Start classes, when the antipoverty program, which aimed to help children succeed by providing them a first-rate preschool education, was in its infancy.
2 things pet insurance will cover (and 3 it won’t)
February 21, 2024 - 7:13 AM

If you’ve ever spent a fortune at the emergency vet, pet insurance might sound appealing. By paying some of your vet expenses, these policies can save you money and help you make care decisions based on what’s best for your pet rather than what you can afford.
What to do if you’re concerned you might be laid off - or if you’ve lost your job
February 16, 2024 - 11:31 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Recent mass layoffs from technology and media companies, including eBay, Riot Games and the Los Angeles Times, might have you thinking about your job security.
SmileDirectClub is shutting down. Where does that leave its customers?
December 29, 2023 - 6:07 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Just months after filing for bankruptcy, SmileDirectClub announced it was shutting down its global operations and halting its teeth-aligner treatments.
These kids want to go to school. The main obstacle? Paperwork
December 18, 2023 - 10:18 PM

ATLANTA (AP) — It’s unclear to Tameka how — or even when — her children became unenrolled from Atlanta Public Schools. But it was traumatic when, in fall 2021, they figured out it had happened.
Watch for these 3 Medigap shopping surprises to avoid overpaying
October 25, 2023 - 6:36 AM

Medicare beneficiaries can buy Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, to help cover certain out-of-pocket costs associated with Medicare Part A and/or Part B. (If you’re shopping during open enrollment, Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, remember that people with Medicare Advantage can’t buy Medigap plans.)
Adopting a rescue dog? Here's what to know about pet insurance
October 18, 2023 - 7:15 AM

Adopting a rescue or shelter dog doesn’t just give a needy animal a home. It can provide a playmate for your kids, a jogging buddy for you and a loyal companion for everyone to cuddle with on the couch. But a new pet can also come with unexpected vet bills, which is why you might want to consider pet insurance.
Shopping for Medicare Advantage: 6 pitfalls to avoid
September 27, 2023 - 5:53 AM

Only 3 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries shop around during open enrollment, according to a 2022 analysis from KFF, a health policy nonprofit — and only 1 in 10 Medicare Advantage enrollees voluntarily switch plans. But a 2020 analysis of Medicare Advantage plan choices by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that more than half of beneficiaries overspent by more than $1,000 due to the plan they selected.
Community colleges are reeling. 'The reckoning is here.’
April 04, 2023 - 10:44 AM

When Santos Enrique Camara arrived at Shoreline Community College in Washington state to study audio engineering, he quickly felt lost.
Anti-racism policies in health care should be led by Indigenous staff: report
April 04, 2023 - 9:45 AM

More Indigenous practitioners are needed to address systemic racism, but that can't happen without a supportive education system that also envisions them in leadership roles, says a report commissioned by Health Canada and touted as the first comprehensive review of the health-care workforce.
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iN RESPONSE: Readers have their say
Following are emailed reader responses to stories or letters to the editor for the third week of April 2024. They have been edited slightly for readability. Got something you want to add? Send an email to editor Marshall Jones at mjo

As Okanagan cherry trees begin to bloom, cold snap damage becomes visible
Cherry growers are seeing the damage this winter’s cold snap has done to their trees as the buds begin to bloom, but one farmer said it’s still too early to tell exactly how bad the damage is. Mike Dickinson from Dickinson Famil

No weed, just beer: Bavaria bans smoking cannabis at Oktoberfest and beer gardens
BERLIN (AP) — You can get drunk at Bavaria's world-famous Oktoberfest, but don't get high. The southern German state will ban smoking cannabis at public festivals, inside beer gardens, and even at the Oktoberfest, the world

Thousands of short-term rentals in B.C. go back to long-term May 1
LANGLEY, B.C. - British Columbia Premier David Eby is warning real estate investors and speculators that his government is tilting the rules towards families seeking homes as it tightens the rules on short-term rentals. Eby said Thursday th

Lifestyle News

Head Start preschools aim to fight poverty, but their teachers struggle to make ends meet

2 things pet insurance will cover (and 3 it won’t)

What to do if you’re concerned you might be laid off - or if you’ve lost your job

SmileDirectClub is shutting down. Where does that leave its customers?

These kids want to go to school. The main obstacle? Paperwork

Watch for these 3 Medigap shopping surprises to avoid overpaying

Adopting a rescue dog? Here's what to know about pet insurance

Shopping for Medicare Advantage: 6 pitfalls to avoid

Community colleges are reeling. 'The reckoning is here.’

Anti-racism policies in health care should be led by Indigenous staff: report

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