Illinois State

Chicago, IL

Columbus, OH

New Jersey State

Upworthy

Public discourse about minimum wage and living wages has been ongoing for years, with people debating whether the government should mandate a minimum hourly pay for workers.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first federal minimum wage law in 1938, setting the lowest wage a worker could be paid at 25 cents per hour. Nearly a century later, the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr, holding steady since 2009, with people lobbying to raise it to at least $15/hr for over a decade. However, in addition to federal law, each state has its own laws, a handful of which establish a state minimum wage higher than $15, a handful of which don't have a set minimum wage at all and everything in between.Cost of living has also been a hot topic as inflation has squeezed everyone's wallets and certain cities and states have become utterly unaffordable, especially for people in low-wage jobs or who who are just starting out in their careers. So how do minimum wage and cost of living correlate state-by-state? Are there any sweet spots with a high(er) minimum wage and low(er) cost of living? 

6 states where the minimum wage and cost of living offer the best bang for your buck

CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The halfway point of the calendar year has arrived, and new laws have gone into effect in Illinois—including a jump in the state gasoline tax that every driver will feel.The tax is up just 2 cents compared with Sunday. But it is quite a jump compared with the Illinois gas seven years ago.Back then, in 2017, it was 19 cents a gallon. It is now 47 cents.For diesel, it is 54 cents."That is sobering. It's been a steep increase," David Greising, president and chief executive officer of the Better Government Association, "and 3 cents on July 1 doesn't...

Illinois gas tax increase now in effect will hit some drivers especially hard

Colorado State

California State

Apple Valley News Now

The price drivers pay at the gas pump — averaging $3.45 in June — includes a federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, plus state taxes that vary widely.

Heads Up, Drivers: 7 States Will Pump Up Gas Taxes on July 1

Tennessee State

Nashville, TN

The US Sun

A SINGLE mom is worried about ending up on the streets as the state claims she owes $22,000 despite her not being at fault. , applied for unemployment benefits during the pandemic after she lost her job. The expectant mother started getting payments from April 2020 until June 2021 but...

‘I didn’t break a law, it’s not my fault’ mom cries after she’s told she needs to repay $22,000 unemployment benefits

Iowa State

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community_voice

National Weather Force

Severe thunderstorms are expected across the Central Plains, bringing threats of damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes. Check below for further details, timing and much more information.

Damaging Winds, Large Hail & A Few Tornadoes Expected in the Central Plains; July 2, 2024

Contributors represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. They have also demonstrated their experience writing hard news for other outlets. Contributors are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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NewSantaAna

The FBI has seen a rise in scams targeting timeshare owners. In this kind of scam, criminals con these part-time property owners into shelling out hefty sums of cash, all under false pretenses related to their timeshare properties.

FBI warns that Mexican cartels are targeting Americans with timeshare scams

Powder

Get an early scoop on how climate scientists believe Winter '24/'25 will be affected by La Niña.

La Niña Is Coming: Winter '24/'25 Outlook

Newark, NJ

Morristown Minute

NEWARK, N.J. – Eight individuals associated with the "793 Bloods" street gang, a subset of the national Bloods gang, have been charged for their roles in a Newark-based drug trafficking organization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Eight '793 Bloods' Gang Members Charged in Newark Drug Network

The Independent

 Donald Trump says he has picked his vice president after a report revealed he was focusing on four potential candidates earlier this month. Trump has picked his running mate but ”nobody knows” who it is yet, he told reporters at a campaign event on Saturday. The former president said his pick will be attending the first presidential debate on June 27. Trump said he will likely announce his candidate at the Republican National Convention next month, where he will be named the GOP presidential nominee. Earlier this month, Trump had received vetting materials from some of his vice presidential...

Trump whittles down VP picks - here’s the frontrunners

Los Angeles, CA

RadarOnline

The fatal dose of ketamine that killed Matthew Perry was sent to him via U.S. post from drug dealers whom he was introduced to online, a law enforcement source has told RadarOnline.com.As this outlet previously reported, a multi-pronged investigation into his death involving the Los Angeles Police Department, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Drug Enforcement Agency is expected to conclude soon.Detectives will recommend to the U.S. Attorney's Office multiple people be charged in his Oct. 28 death, the source said.“The investigation has been complex, detailed, and it has unraveled a complex network of drug dealers who operated online and...

Fatal Ketamine Dose That Killed Matthew Perry Was Purchased Online, Sent to 'Friends' Star Through U.S. Post: Police Source

Kansas State

Starting today in Kansas, providers are supposed to ask patients why they are getting an abortion. A Florida law goes into effect allowing people who shoot bears on their property a "Stand Your Ground" type defense. It's July 1, so states across the country are putting laws into effect. From...

July 1 laws taking effect in states across the country

Saint Johns County, FL

Hastings, FL

Jacksonville Today

Eight people have been arrested on drug charges stemming from an undercover investigation at a convenience store in Hastings, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

8 arrested in Hastings drug and gambling bust

The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A bill that had bipartisan support and is on the governor's desk would remove eligibility requirements for individuals seeking to take a nursing assistant certification exam in Spanish.
                House Bill 5218 requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer the exam and it prevents the department from implementing "impractical" eligibility requirements.
                State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, said the nursing assistant certification exam is currently...

Lawmaker fears illegal immigrants can take CNA exams, get jobs if Pritzker signs bill

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — After months of casting President Joe Biden as a shell of a man incapable of putting two sentences together, Donald Trump has changed his tune days before their first debate. “I assume he’s going to be somebody that will be a worthy debater,” the former...

Trump has spent months painting Biden as incompetent. Now he’s changing his tone before the debate

Coffee County, GA

Daily Coffee Press

Last month, more than twenty individuals were indicted on felony charges in Coffee County. Several of them have recently made local headlines, including Guillermo de la Cruz-Morales, the sole person charged in connection with the disappearance of Maria Diaz, and Cornelius Jamison, accused of cocaine trafficking.

Grand Jury Indicts Over Twenty Individuals on Felony Charges in Coffee County

Ali Carney, 46, of Newark, received a 65-month prison sentence for conspiring to distribute narcotics, including fentanyl and heroin, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Gang Member Sentenced to 65 Months for Drug Trafficking

Latin Times

Several organizations such as the NAACP and BlackPAC hit social media during and after the first 2024 election debate between President Biden and former President Trump to demand a clarification about the use of the expression "Black jobs" by the presumptive Republican candidate. The phrase was used by Trump when...

NAACP, BlackPAC among organizations demanding to know what 'Black jobs' are after Trump debate comment

The Motley Fool

Discover which states have the highest gas taxes and how it affects your wallet. Find out if your state makes the list.

10 States With the Highest Gas Tax

Massachusetts State

A SHOPPER has criticized Walmart after being left in pain due to anti-theft technology found on its shopping carts. Not only do abandoned carts become an eye-sore for communities, but they also cost retailers and therefore their customers, money. Stolen carts can cost businesses across the globe up to $800...

‘Stupidest idea they ever had,’ says Walmart shopper after cart stops her from reaching car – she was within the lines

Cicero, IL

Oak Park, IL

Berwyn, IL

Forest Park, IL

River Forest, IL

Elmwood Park, IL

Riverside, IL

Lincolnwood, IL

Hines, IL

Evanston, IL

Maywood, IL

Lyons, IL

Harwood Heights, IL

River Grove, IL

Evergreen Park, IL

NBC Chicago

NewsBreak

Illinois gas tax, minimum wage, drivers licenses: July 1 marks big changes in state

From a gas tax increase to paycheck changes for many, Monday marks several major changes across Illinois and in parts of the Chicago area. While Jan....

Illinois gas tax, minimum wage, drivers licenses: July 1 marks big changes in state

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