Author: Carole Feldman
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CDC head sticking to school-opening guides Trump criticized
ATLANTA • Federal health officials won’t revise their coronavirus guidelines for reopening schools despite criticism from President Donald Trump, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. What they will do, he said, is provide additional information to help states, communities and parents decide what to do and when. “Our guidelines…
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Poll: Amid strikes, Americans back teacher raises
WASHINGTON — Americans overwhelmingly believe teachers don’t make enough money, and half say they’d support paying higher taxes to give educators a raise. The findings of the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research come amid recent teacher strikes and other protests over low pay, tough classroom conditions and the amount…
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Extended warranties a big sell. Are they worth it?
Offers of extended warranties or service contracts are becoming the norm, whether you buy a big- ticket item such as a car or kitchen appliance or a less expensive one such as a television or phone. The plans basically are insurance policies in case something goes wrong, but they come at a price. Federal Trade Commission…
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Control bathroom mold, mildew before it spreads
It might start with a couple of small dark spots on the grout where the shower stall meets the tiled wall. A few days later, they multiply. Mildew. ‘For most people, it’s just kind of an ugly pain. Their bathroom gets these black stains, ‘ said Ken Collier, editor in chief of The Family Handyman.…
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High schools slow to move to new grading system
Those A’s, B’s, C’s and, yes, even F’s are still coming home on most high school report cards, despite moves to scrap the grading system in favor of one that gives parents more information about a student’s progress. Numerous elementary schools around the country have moved to so-called standards-based grading and report cards. Many middle…
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Building birdhouses cheap way to help native birds
For these tenants, a wood shack is as good as a palace.A bird’s demands are simple: walls, a floor, a roof over its head and a round door just large enough to squeeze through.“You put it up and they’ll find it,” said Stephen Kress, vice president for bird conservation at the National Audubon Society. “The…
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Get crafty with candles
Dave Stedman got into trouble when he tried to make his first candle at age 10; he spilled wax all over the kitchen. Years later, he’s a candle-maker by trade, having turned a hobby into a career after receiving a candle-making kit one Christmas. “We just started messing around with it. We made some candles…
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You can’t afford to blow taxes off
WASHINGTON • You’ve lost your job and your mortgage company is threatening foreclosure. Then, when it seems like things can’t get any worse, the tax man comes calling. What’s a person to do? Don’t ignore the Internal Revenue Service. “The most important thing for people to do even if they owe money is to go…
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Even in hard times, don’t ignore the IRS
WASHINGTON – You’ve lost your job and your mortgage company is threatening foreclosure. Then, when it seems that things can’t get any worse, the tax man comes calling. What’s a person to do?Don’t ignore the Internal Revenue Service.”The most important thing for people to do even if they owe money is to go ahead and…