The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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A series of death cases raises questions about safety and oversight at detox centers Trust is the first thing families hand over when they walk a loved one through the doors of a detox or residential treatment center, and the decision is almost never made calmly. It tends to come within hours of an overdose or a phone call no family ever wants to take, with parents and spouses operating on the belief that medical oversight is already built into what is being provided. And the country is leaning...
fast-stock // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Dothan in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become...
fast-stock // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Florence in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become...
Nin2530 // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Gadsden in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become the...
fizkes // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Huntsville in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become...
Nin2530 // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Mobile in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become the...
Ivanko80 // Shutterstock Are homes selling in Montgomery in 2026? The U.S. housing market has been uncharacteristically slow since the pandemic, when buyers and sellers jumped on ultra-low mortgage rates. Since then, high prices and economic uncertainty have scared many consumers off, leading to multiple years with home sales near 30-year lows. This slowdown hasn't played out evenly across the country, though. As buyers searched for affordability, some lower-cost areas heated up and have become...
Jeff Couch Food Images // Shutterstock Stars, stripes and shopping carts: What Americans buy for the Fourth of July in Alabama Few holidays show up in Instacart orders quite like the Fourth of July. Fire up the grill, open that bag of chips, and pack the cooler because Independence Day is summer at its peak, filled with plenty of food and festive traditions. Instacart looked at what Americans in Alabama buy across thousands of grocery categories and the result is a primo backyard cookout shoppin...
Google’s AI search era could leave businesses fighting for fewer clicks Generative AI has rearranged how people find what they want online, and many businesses are learning that the search tactics they relied on for years no longer behave the way they expect. For nearly three decades, the arrangement between Google and the companies that depended on it was relatively simple. Businesses climbed the rankings, Google sent visitors to their websites, and those visitors often became customers. But G...
US new home sales outlook: Housing market trends and what the latest data signals for 2026 A SoFi analysis of new home sales data suggests the U.S. housing market may be showing early signs of stabilization. Current indicators, including steadying interest rates and a gradual softening of new home sales prices, point to a potentially more consistent environment in 2026. New home sales provide critical insight into the overall U.S. housing market. The data is telling of real estate market...
Cutting costs to move forward: SoFi State of Small business 2026 survey How are America’s small businesses faring? In SoFi’s State of Small Business survey, 86% of small business owners report their business has grown or remained stable over the past 12 months, and 88% say they’re optimistic about success in 2026. At the same time, survey respondents are keenly aware of this year’s unusually strong economic headwinds. Two-thirds of them say high costs are the biggest external factors affecting t...
The role customer relationship management plays in small business growth and efficiency Small businesses (those with less than 500 employees) make up 99% of businesses in the U.S. and employ almost half of the country’s workforce. Unfortunately, most rely on outdated systems like spreadsheets for managing customer relationships. As a result, there’s a measurable difference in the cost and efficacy of customer data management between small and larger businesses. Customer relationship man...
How controlled burns can help save taxpayers billions For decades, the U.S. Forest Service has actively managed public lands to reduce wildfire risks by clearing underbrush and trees, or employing prescribed burns — something Indigenous nations have practiced for centuries. Scientists have generally lauded the ecological benefits of what is also known as “fuel treatment.” Now, they say there’s another reason to support this approach: It saves money. According to a study published today in the...
Now rural communities are connecting, rather than just preserving, wildlife habitats One of the best things about rural living is sharing the landscape with wildlife. Peering out the window and seeing a moose in the yard. Walking in the woods and catching a fleeting glimpse of a bobcat. Prowling ponds after dark to view the spring salamander migration. Sometimes their presence is taken for granted, but keeping wildlife as visitors, especially for a developing area, can require knowledge and...
What is the difference between credit unions and traditional financial institutions? When you're choosing where to keep your money, the options can feel overwhelming. Should you go with a traditional financial institution or a credit union? At first glance, they seem nearly identical. Both offer checking accounts, savings accounts, loans and credit cards. But there's one fundamental difference that impacts everything from the rates you pay to the service you receive, and it's worth...
Just graduated with debt? Here's what you need to know before you consolidate If you’ve just finished school and find yourself in debt, take a deep breath—you’re in good company. So many people start this chapter the same way. It’s a season of transition, and that debt is often part of the bigger picture of investing in yourself, building your career, and stepping into adult life. Paying off that debt can definitely feel overwhelming. Fortunately, debt consolidation could make the process...
How many Americans own stock? The top 1% own more than the bottom 90% combined Roughly 156 million U.S. adults, or 58% of the population, owned stock as of April 2026, according to Gallup — down from 62% a year earlier and the first decline since 2016. The Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making found that only 37% of adults hold stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, or mutual funds outside a retirement account, meaning most stock owners hold them through a 4...
Alpha-gal syndrome red meat allergy from ticks Alpha-gal syndrome represents one of the most unusual allergic conditions in modern medicine. A tick bite that fundamentally changes how your immune system responds to red meat, creating delayed allergic reactions that can range from mild hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis. This tick-borne condition has emerged as a growing health concern across the southeastern United States, where outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and hikers face increased risk of...
15% of people in the US eat in their cars. Here are the 10 states where mealtimes happen behind the wheel the most The majority of Americans eat meals in their car multiple times a week — despite the risk of stained seats and greasy steering wheels. A poll of 2,000 American adults conducted by bakery brand St Pierre from June 5-15 found that 87% of respondents eat in their car, with Georgians eating the highest percentage of drive-through dinners, gridlock-lunches and bumper-to-bumper b...
The ultimate dog food ingredient guide: How much do ingredients actually matter? You know the feeling. You’re standing in the pet food aisle, or endlessly scrolling online, staring at a dog food label that reads more like a chemistry textbook than a recipe. You just want what’s best for your pup. Deciphering dog food labels, navigating marketing buzzwords, and figuring out what the top three ingredients actually mean can feel overwhelming. So, how much do ingredients really matter in dog foo...
Rising costs are moving buyers to used vehicles, and public fleets are feeling it first When money gets tight at home, people get predictable. They buy the used car instead of the new one, they keep the old one running another year or two, and they trade down to whatever covers the daily drive and skip the extras. No one needs a degree in economics to understand when a monthly payment no longer fits the budget. But you may be surprised that school districts do the same thing. So do transit...
Tailgate theft prevention: How to keep your tailgate from being stolen Truck tailgate theft is on the rise in the U.S., especially in urban settings and high-traffic areas. What was once a rare nuisance has become a frequent and frustrating crime—often occurring in broad daylight, in your own driveway, and taking less than a minute to pull off. Why, you may ask, is this crime becoming increasingly common? The answer is simple—modern truck tailgates are valuable, easy to remove, and dif...
School budgets are under pressure nationwide. Here’s what’s driving the cuts. School districts are under pressure this year. Some of the largest in the country are handing out pink slips. Canceling technology contracts. And even slashing specific medications from employee health plans. As many school boards debate their budgets for the upcoming school year, a Chalkbeat analysis found a common thread: More than half of the country’s 50 largest school districts are poised to or already have made...
How government fines of over $1M are increasingly targeting immigrants First came the fines: Last year, the Trump administration began aggressively fining immigrants who allegedly stayed in the country past a deportation order. The law allowing these fines had been on the books since 1996, but was rarely used before 2025 — and the original fines were much lower. The Marshall Project dug into how the federal government is imposing steep fines on immigrants while pushing for them to s...
SNAP is how millions of Americans afford food. Cuts to the program have thrown it into chaos. A missing zero put Sarah’s grocery money in jeopardy. Every month, Sarah receives $219 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for her and her 9-year-old. Sarah works two jobs in food service, one at a senior center and one at a banquet hall, and has relied on SNAP for support ever since her husband died unexpectedly about six years ago. But last year during her annual benefits renewal, o...
