New York State

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

Money

A new federal overtime pay rule went into effect Monday, expanding the protections to and earnings potential for about 1 million salaried workers. U.S. government officials have said that the overtime expansion, one of the largest in recent history, means more workers will now be compensated for the extra hours they spend at work and away from their families. An estimated 4 million people will benefit from the changes to overtime pay once they’re fully in effect come 2025. Specifically, they'll now be entitled to one-and-a-half times pay for time they put in over the standard 40-hour week.

1 Million More Workers Just Became Eligible for Overtime Pay

Oregon State

California State

California is about to pass the state’s first rules to protect workers inside from high heat. These rules could go into effect later this summer. The new rules for the workplace were approved by a standards board at the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on Thursday. That means they will be sent to the state’s Office of Administrative Law for a quick final review. If all goes well, the standards could be in place by the beginning of August.

California is Going to Be the Third State to Require Indoor Workers to Wear Heat-protecting Gear

Massachusetts State

If you're thinking of living on your own, you'll need to make about $45,000 per year in most states just to get by. That's roughly the median income needed to cover basic expenses, according to a new analysis by SmartAsset, which looked at estimates for housing, transportation, health care, taxes and other common expenses, as tracked by the MIT Living Wage calculator.

The salary a single person needs to make ends meet in every U.S. state

You'll need to earn nearly $60,000 annually to live alone in Massachusetts, the most expensive state in the U.S. when it comes to basic costs, according to a recent SmartAsset analysis. That figure includes estimates for how much a single-person household needs to cover housing, transportation, health care, taxes and...

The 15 U.S. states with the highest cost of living for single people—No. 1 isn't California, New York or Hawaii

South Bend, IN

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Michigan City, IN

The Bendr Daily

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. — A South Bend woman is facing serious charges after allegedly smuggling marijuana into the Indiana State Prison on Michigan City's west side. According to court documents, 38-year-old Janise Clark was apprehended on Sunday while reporting for her shift as a correctional officer. A fellow staff member noticed her plastic-wrapped sandwich looked suspicious, prompting further inspection. When the sandwich was placed in an X-Ray machine, it revealed two vacuum-sealed plastic bags containing nearly a half pound of marijuana hidden between the slices of bread.

Prison Guard Arrested for Smuggling Marijuana Sandwich into Jail

Newark, NJ

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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

Coconut Creek, FL

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Alamogordo Conservative Daily

Admiral Robert Burke is indicted and was arrested on Friday May 31, 2024 per a release from the DOJ. Admiral Burke is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples from 17 July 2020 to 27 June 2022. He was the 58th Chief of Naval Personnel from 27 May 2016 to 23 May 2019 and Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 10 June 2019 until 29 May 2020. He assumed duties as the Navy’s 40th vice chief of naval operations, June 10, 2019. He was a senior naval advisor to the secretary of the Navy and the chief of naval operations.

Admiral Robert Burke Arrested on Federal Bribery Charges, Faces 30 Years in Prison

Houston, TX

Insurance premiums are rising in many states following multiple climate disasters. The crisis is altering both the residential and commercial real estate markets, as deals fall apart over the cost and availability of insurance. Because the impact varies from state to state, insurance issues are changing the competitive landscape. An...

Insurance crisis that started in Florida, California is spreading. Your state could be next

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released its final rule, updating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)’s overtime pay requirements. The rule increases the minimum salary threshold to US$43,888 on July 1 and then to $58,656 on January 1, 2025. This significant change will profoundly impact both business...

Employers Face Major Changes with New Overtime Pay Requirements

Total Apex Sports & Entertainment

People have different levels of maturity. An individual’s age or upbringing can make them possess certain traits. Yet, most people believe that one matures as they grow old. On the contrary, some zodiac signs appear childish in old age. They are jumpy and careless. This strains their relationships with signs who misunderstand them. Air and fire signs are temperamental and some people refer to them as being childish. How can you identify an immature sign?

3 Zodiac Signs Who Are Immature

Kentucky State

Northern Kentucky Tribune

Kentucky’s medical cannabis program has taken significant steps toward ensuring those with qualifying conditions have access to medical cannabis as soon as possible, said Gov. Andy Beshear this week.

State to open licensing applications for medical cannabis businesses beginning July 1

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

Georgia State

Coffee County, GA

Douglas, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A 49-year-old woman from Douglas was recently arrested for allegedly submitting a life insurance policy for her ex-husband without his knowledge. According to a Coffee County Sheriff’s Office incident report, detectives met with a man on May 7 at the Coffee County Law Enforcement Center concerning a reported case of insurance fraud.

Georgia woman charged for allegedly filing life insurance policy application on ex-husband

Josue Torres

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a collaborative effort with the state legislature to restrict students’ use of smartphones during school hours. This initiative follows a warning issued on Monday from Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy about the detrimental effects of social media on children’s mental health.

California governor moves to ban smartphone use in schools

Utica, NY

The Mirror US

Nyah Mway, 13, was fatally shot by police in Utica, New York, on Friday after he allegedly pointed a BB gun at them during a foot chase - his family are now demanding justice

Family demand Utica police who shot dead boy, 13, after he pointed BB gun be jailed 'forever'

Maryland State

Kianna Writes

Maryland is feeling the pinch this year as layoffs surge across the state, affecting thousands of workers. Recent data from the state's Department of Labor, along with WARN reports, paint a stark picture of the job market. For those unfamiliar, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires businesses with over 100 full-time employees to give a 60-day heads-up before laying off 50 or more staff at a single site. And, it seems quite a few companies are hitting that threshold.

New numbers show a lot more people are losing their jobs in Maryland

Washington State

An unexpected company is now laying off hundreds in Washington, part of its latest effort to cut costs and streamline operations. It’s important to note that under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, an employer with more than 100 full-time workers must provide a 60-day notice before laying off 50 or more people at a single site.

An Unexpected Company is Now Laying Off Hundreds in Washington

It's mid-morning and business is brisk at the butchers in Ellesmere Port's central market. N&N Meats is run by husband and wife Bill and Nikki Ferguson who've been in the trade for more than 30 years. Bill says, while trade's remained steady, the last couple of years have seen people...

Cost of living: 'You get less and less for your money'

NEWARK, N.J. — Thomas Manzo, the ex-husband of a star from Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," was convicted today of planning an assault on his ex-wife’s current husband in exchange for a lavish wedding reception, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. The 59-year-old Franklin Lakes resident was found guilty after a two-and-a-half-week trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court.

Real Housewives Star's Ex Convicted of Violent Assault

NewsBreak

A failed paid medical leave bill leaves cancer patients struggling

ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--CANCER ADVOCATES ARE FEELING DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED AFTER WATCHING LAWMAKERS ADJOURN FOR THE SUMMER WITHOUT PASSING LEGISLATION TO EXPAND PAID LEAVE BENEFITS....

A failed paid medical leave bill leaves cancer patients struggling

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