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Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Fund Homeowner Mitigation for Extreme Weather Resilience

Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Fund Homeowner Mitigation for Extreme Weather Resilience

Congressmen Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Mike Ezell (R-MS), and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) have introduced the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation FORTIFIED and Wildfire Prepared Act, also known as the STORM FORTIFIED and Wildfire Prepared Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to establish federal funding to assist states in financing homeowner mitigation projects. These projects would enable homes to achieve FORTIFIED Roof, FORTIFIED Home, and Wildfire Prepared Home certifications, which are designed to make properties more resilient to severe weather events such as hurricanes, hail, tornadoes, and wildfires. The ultimate goal is to help lower home insurance premiums for homeowners. Representative Carbajal highlighted that California, like other states, has experienced rising home insurance premiums due to natural disasters, and this bill offers support for homeowners to make their residences more resilient, thereby reducing costs and enhancing protection.
USA Today USA Today
8 South Florida cities among 'worst' real estate markets in state, says new report

8 South Florida cities among 'worst' real estate markets in state, says new report

South Florida cities are among the worst real estate markets in the state, according to a new study by WalletHub.
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Mississippi Ranks 15th in U.S. for Lowest Public School Student-to-Teacher Ratio

Mississippi Ranks 15th in U.S. for Lowest Public School Student-to-Teacher Ratio

Mississippi ranks 15th among U.S. states and the District of Columbia for having one of the lowest student-to-teacher ratios in public schools, with an average of 13.0 students per teacher. This data, compiled by Business Insider using information from the National Center for Education Statistics for the 2022-2023 school year, covers students from pre-kindergarten to high school. The state has 1,038 schools, serving 440,285 students with 33,768 teachers. Nationally, the average student-to-teacher ratio is 15.4. Vermont holds the lowest ratio at 10.5 students per teacher, while states like Arizona, California, and Florida have some of the highest ratios, approaching 23 students per teacher.
USA Today USA Today
Is your state one of America's most fun? See the list

Is your state one of America's most fun? See the list

WalletHub ranked all 50 states by entertainment, recreation and nightlife. See where your state ranks among the most fun in America.
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U.S. Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Flood Impact Reduction and Resilience Act

U.S. Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Flood Impact Reduction and Resilience Act

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and David Valadao (R-CA) have introduced the bipartisan National Flood Impact Reduction and Resilience Act. This legislation aims to establish a coordinated federal program designed to enhance the understanding of flood risks, promote more effective mitigation and resilience strategies, and ultimately reduce the loss of life and property due to flooding. The proposed act is structured similarly to the successful National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. It would create an interagency committee, led by the Army Corps of Engineers, and include key federal agencies such as FEMA, NOAA, USGS, NIST, OSTP, and OMB, to coordinate planning and implementation efforts. Additionally, the bill calls for an advisory committee comprising representatives from academia, industry standards groups, and state and local governments. This committee would be tasked with assessing advancements in flood resilience science and evaluating the program's overall effectiveness.
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California Family's $18 Million COVID Fraud Inspires Senate Bill to Combat 'Fraudster Families'

California Family's $18 Million COVID Fraud Inspires Senate Bill to Combat 'Fraudster Families'

A California family that defrauded the government of $18 million in COVID-19 relief funds has inspired a new Senate bill aimed at cracking down on 'fraudster families.' Richard Ayvazyan and his wife, Marietta Terabelian, were convicted for swindling funds, which they used to purchase luxury items such as a Harley-Davidson, diamonds, and homes. They fled the U.S. after their conviction, leaving their children, but were later apprehended in Montenegro and are now serving prison sentences. Their scheme involved using stolen identities of foreign exchange students, the elderly, and deceased individuals. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has championed the 'No Cash for Cohabitating Kins of Crooks Act,' which seeks to prevent individuals living with convicted criminals or fraudsters from receiving federal grants, loans, subawards, or reimbursements. The bill includes exceptions for spouses living separately or survivors of domestic abuse. Senator Ernst highlighted this case as part of her 'Squeal Award' series, which ...
Westchester County Journal News Westchester County Journal News
New York ranks among the best states for women's equality

New York ranks among the best states for women's equality

New York ranked No. 11 nationally for women's equality, according to a new study examining workplace, education, health and political disparities.
Nashville Tennessean Nashville Tennessean
A single person needs nearly $90K to live comfortably in Tennessee, study says

A single person needs nearly $90K to live comfortably in Tennessee, study says

A new SmartAsset study found that a single adult in Tennessee needs nearly $90,000 a year to live comfortably. See how the state's salary benchmark compares with the rest of the U.S.
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Senator Hyde-Smith Introduces Legislation to Enhance Federal Education Scholarship Tax Credit

Senator Hyde-Smith Introduces Legislation to Enhance Federal Education Scholarship Tax Credit

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has introduced S.5322, the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Improvement Act, aimed at strengthening an existing federal education scholarship tax credit. The proposed legislation seeks to make the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit, more attractive to private contributors by indexing it to inflation and allowing married couples filing jointly to claim up to twice the individual tax credit amount. Currently, individual taxpayers can claim a federal income tax credit of up to $1,700 annually for contributions to qualified K-12 scholarship-granting organizations. Senator Hyde-Smith emphasized that Mississippi is a state committed to education freedom, and her bill intends to expand educational opportunities without creating new federal spending programs. The FSTC, established under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, supports K-12 educational expenses including private school tuition, public school supplemental costs, acad...
Asheville Citizen-Times Asheville Citizen-Times
Trump claims U.S. has control of the Strait of Hormuz. See gas prices in NC

Trump claims U.S. has control of the Strait of Hormuz. See gas prices in NC

Following Trump's remarks claiming U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz, here's what to know about gas prices in North Carolina.
Palm Beach Post Palm Beach Post
Want to have fun? Study says Florida's right place for it, but not No. 1

Want to have fun? Study says Florida's right place for it, but not No. 1

Personal finance company WalletHub ranked all 50 states to determine the most fun states in America, with Florida coming in as No. 2.
Westchester County Journal News Westchester County Journal News
NY ranked one of America's most fun states. See where it landed

NY ranked one of America's most fun states. See where it landed

The Empire State scored especially well for entertainment, recreation and nightlife in new ranking of all 50 states.