News and Issues

"JN.1 continues to increase in proportion. CDC has been tracking JN.1 for months, since it first split from its parent, BA.2.86. JN.1 is similar to BA.2.86 but has an additional mutation (L455S) in the spike protein. JN.1 continues to cause an increasing share of infections and is now the most widely circulating variant in the United States. For the two weeks ending on December 23, 2023, JN.1 is expected to account for 39-50% of all SARS-CoV-2 variants. That’s an increase from the projected prevalence two weeks ago of 15-29%. We’re also seeing an increasing share of infections caused by JN.1 in travelers, wastewater, and most regions around the globe. Help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Improving your indoor air is one of the best ways to prevent spread. This can be as simple as using a portable air cleaner or opening windows (for those with pleasant winter weather). And if your home thermostat offers a FAN option, turn it from AUTO to ON when you have visitors to keep air running continuously. Learn more about other ways to help reduce spread, including testing for COVID-19, wearing masks, and increasing space and distancing."   more »

Rose Madeline Mula Writes: "It was with considerable trepidation, therefore, that I entered the kitchen of my hostess, the legendary actress, Joan Fontaine, one long-ago Thanksgiving morning, to offer my assistance. Acting was not Miss Fontaine's only talent. Not by a long shot. She was also a hole-in-one golfer, a prize-winning fisherwoman, a hot air balloonist, an accomplished horsewoman, and a pilot. 'When you've had as many husbands as I've had, Darling,' she'd quips, 'you learn all their hobbies.' And one hobby all hubbies shared in common was a love of good food. No problem. Joan was also a gourmet cook who studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. No wonder I was intimidated that day. more »

Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, are amounts that many retirement plan and IRA account owners must withdraw each year. RMDs are taxable income and may be subject to penalties if not timely taken. For individuals born before 1951, RMDs from IRAs and retirement plans should, for the most part, already have begun and are required for 2023. New for 2023: The Secure 2.0 Act raised the age that account owners must begin taking RMDs. For 2023, the age at which account owners must start taking required minimum distributions goes up from age 72 to age 73, so individuals born in 1951 must receive their first required minimum distribution by April 1, 2025. more »

"Many consumers do not expect overdraft fees: Among consumers in households charged an overdraft fee in the past year, 43% were surprised by their most recent account overdraft, 35% thought it was possible, and only 22% expected it. Consumers who overdraft infrequently are more likely to be surprised by a fee: 15% of consumers from households charged 1 to 3 overdraft fees expected their most recent transaction to overdraft; among households charged more than 10 overdraft fees, 56% expected their most recent overdraft. Most households incurring overdraft fees had available credit on a credit card: Among households charged 1-3 overdraft fees in the past year, 68% had credit available on a credit card, while 62% of households charged 3-10 overdraft fees had credit available on a credit card. In households charged more than 10 fees in the past year, 51% still had credit available on a credit card."  more »