Heres

Here’s Exactly Where to Buy Face Masks Online

By Gertrude Aziz 14 hours ago

Practicing social distancing is the best thing you can do to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises you to wear a cloth face covering in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, like protests, grocery stores, and pharmacies—especially with virus cases on the rise in states across the nation. With this recommendation, everyone wants to know where to buy face masks. We rounded up some options below—including face masks for kids, breathable face masks, face masks for glasses, and the best face masks on Amazon and Etsy—and we’ll update this list as companies go in and out of stock.

Cloth face masks don’t guarantee you won’t contract the virus or pass it on, but they’re a public health measure we should all take seriously, whether your city is slowly reopening or experiencing a new wave of cases. If you’re

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Florida voters have to fill dozens of judgeships. Here’s how people in the know make their picks.

By Gertrude Aziz 2 days ago

Bailey, Logan and Odom sounds as if it might be the name of a prestigious law firm — or the kind that runs TV ads urging people to file lawsuits.

It’s neither one. Dennis Daniel Bailey, Abbe Sheila Rifkin Logan and George Odom Jr. are all candidates running for one circuit judgeship in Broward County.

Like the other 10 races for judge in Broward and Palm Beach counties, voting is open to everyone, regardless of party affiliation, in the Aug. 18 elections.

For the vast majority of voters it’s exceedingly difficult to make an informed decision.

“It’s very difficult,” said Steve Geller — who knows many of the judges and candidates after 38 years practicing law. He’s also a Broward County commissioner and former Florida Senate Democratic leader.

Fred Hadley, who interviews candidates and publishes endorsements in the Village Sentry, his 1,300-subscriber newsletter in the Century Village condominium community west

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I’m a 19-year-old TikTok influencer. Here’s how I turned social media into a job

By Gertrude Aziz 3 days ago

Parker James, 19, is a social media creator based in Dallas, Texas, who has made a name for himself on TikTok through his family-friendly comedic character “StEvEn.” His character is the endearing and curious CEO of the Dino Club, a fictitious club he created for dinosaur lovers. Below James shares in his own words how he went from being an average high schooler to a TikTok powerhouse with over 6 million followers, a talent agent and making a living from creating videos.

I’ve always enjoyed making others happy.

When I was younger, I started making funny videos in hopes of making my friends and family laugh. Their reactions always made me so proud and motivated me to continue to come up with new jokes and skits.

However, as I grew older I got more into sports than my previous comedy passions. Unfortunately, while trying out a new trick on my

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Here’s what you need to know about unemployment benefits eligibility

By Gertrude Aziz 3 days ago

Some of the requirements for unemployment insurance have changed and the more than 30 million Americans receiving benefits will have to check more boxes to stay eligible.

When applying for unemployment benefits you have to file a claim with your state’s unemployment insurance program as soon as possible after losing your job or getting hours cut.

Many Americans who are ineligible for unemployment insurance (UI) may qualify for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) that covers self-employed individuals, contractors, and others and is available until the end of January 2021.

Employment insurance claims in Canada during the Coronavirus pandemic
Employment insurance claims in Canada during the Coronavirus pandemic

What are the requirements for UI?

The first requirement is that you should have lost your job through no fault of your own and you lost your job because of a lack of available work.

The second requirement is to meet the criteria for wages earned or time worked. In most states,

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Here’s how your small business can be the next ‘Big Find’ brand on QVC

By Gertrude Aziz 3 days ago

QVC and HSN — two of the biggest shopping destinations —  have helped entrepreneurs achieve their dreams for over 30 years. Now, they’re on a mission to help a new crop of hopefuls have a chance to shine through their new The Big Find initiative. Now through Wednesday, August 19, you can apply here by submitting an application with a video.

Small businesses, like the ones chosen for The Big Find, are the backbone of America. They make our world a better place. Through the initiative, the mega retailers have given these brands — ranging from beauty, apparel and footwear to accessories, jewelry and homeware  — a chance to share their stories and offerings with customers across their digital and broadcast platforms. Even more: QVC and HSN, known for fostering a culture of entrepreneurship, will continue to nurture these companies and support them in their growth. 

If you’re in the

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Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend

By Gertrude Aziz 4 days ago

Trump signs executive orders for coronavirus relief

With stimulus talks at an impasse in Congress, President Donald Trump on Saturday signed a series of executive orders to provide temporary relief to Americans suffering from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “We’ve had it,” he said. “We’re going to save American jobs and provide relief to the American worker.”

The four executive orders will …

  • provide an additional $400 per week in unemployment benefits,

  • suspend payments on some student loans through the end of the year,

  • protect renters from being evicted from their homes, and

  • instruct employers to defer certain payroll taxes through the end of the year for Americans who earn less than $100,000 annually. 

But questions remain as to whether Trump has the legal authority to take these actions — or the money to pay for them.

A scramble for unemployment aid

It’s unclear whether Trump has the

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Tax-free shopping coming to 10 states with sales tax holidays this weekend. Here’s where to save.

By Gertrude Aziz 1 week ago

Shoppers in 10 states should file this away: This weekend, you can pick up clothes and school supplies tax-free.

Sales tax holidays kick off Friday in nine states – Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia – and Maryland’s tax holiday begins Sunday.

Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee already held their tax holidays. Maryland and Connecticut will offer tax breaks later in August. 

The back-to-school shopping season, the second-biggest period for retailers, behind the holidays, usually kicks off in mid-July and peaks in mid-August. This year, it’s off to a slow start amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts predict the shopping season will peak in late August and spill into most of September.

Need Clorox wipes?: Disinfecting wipes shortage could last into 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic

Drive-in movies at Walmart: Walmart launching drive-in movie theaters at 160 stores amid COVID-19. Here’s how to reserve a parking

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Biden dominates the electoral map, but here’s how the race could tighten

By Gertrude Aziz 1 week ago

WASHINGTON — When you’re leading a presidential race nationally by double digits, you’re set to exceed 300 electoral votes.

And that’s where we have Joe Biden in our first battleground map of 2020, where the Democrat is ahead in states like Arizona, Florida and Wisconsin, and where the race is essentially tied in Georgia, Iowa and Texas.

Our map— based on public and private polling, as well as conversations with Democratic and Republican strategists watching the race — shows Biden standing at 334 electoral votes, President Trump is at 125 electoral votes, and 79 electoral votes are in the Toss up category.

But an important caveat: This is where the Biden-versus Trump race stands right now, and if/when the contest begins to tighten, we’ll readjust our map. (And see below on exactly how the race can get closer.)

Solid D: California, Delaware, D.C., Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and

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Here’s where the 2020 Senate map stands right now

By Gertrude Aziz 1 week ago

WASHINGTON — For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, yesterday produced good news and bad news for him.

We’ll start with the good news: Establishment-backed Roger Marshall last night defeated Kris Kobach in Kansas’ Senate GOP primary — after Democrats spent more than $4 million to prop up Kobach’s candidacy.

And Marshall’s win gives Republicans a much better chance of holding on to Kansas’ Senate seat. (After all, we saw how Kobach on the ticket fared for the GOP back in 2018.)

So the Senate table is mostly set for 2020, and here is where the map stands on our inaugural Senate Takeover List for 2020, based on the likelihood of the Senate seat switching parties, according to polling and our conversations with Democratic and Republican strategists. (The party listed in parenthesis is the incumbent party.)

  1. Alabama (D)

  2. Colorado (R)

  3. Arizona (R)

  4. North Carolina (R)

  5. Maine (R)

  6. Montana (R)

  7. Iowa (R)

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Here’s Where You Can Pay For Groceries Online With an EBT Card

By Gertrude Aziz 1 week ago

Shopping for groceries online has become a growing preference during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whether you’re ordering ahead to pick up your food from the store or getting your order delivered to your doorstep, online grocery shopping eliminates the need to go up and down aisles, potentially rubbing elbows with dozens of shoppers.

A June consumer behavior study of 3,000 adults found that 37% plan to shop more online and 23% will rely more on same-day curbside pickup as a result of the pandemic.

While online grocery shopping has its benefits, one drawback is that it typically requires you to pay with a debit or credit card. If you’re enrolled in the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, you can’t always use your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card online.

We investigated whether it’s possible to pay for groceries online with EBT and found several grocery chains that provide the accommodation.

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