Americans are getting more trigger-happy by the day. In 2016, there were 37,077 deaths attributed to firearms. In the first quarter of this year, 13,386 lives were taken by a small object weighing around 8 grams. The country is on track to nearly double the number of casualties seven years ago.
This year alone, there have been 172 mass shootings. That number is 8% higher than the same period last year. As I type this, 13,386 have lost their lives to gun violence in 2023.
Two weeks ago, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot twice, with bullets striking him in the left forehead and right arm, according to the Kansas City police department, by homeowner Andrew Lester. Lester, who is 84 years old, opened fire through a glass door with a .32 caliber revolver and is now facing two felony charges.
While Yarl survived the shooting and is recovering, 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis lost her life when 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, fired two shots from his front porch at a vehicle with three others in it in his driveway. Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder in the rural upstate New York incident.
In both cases, the shooters let lead fly without first saying a word to the victims.
Four days ago, an Instacart driver and her boyfriend were shot at 9 p.m. on Saturday in Southwest Ranches, Florida, while making their last delivery of the evening. Luckily, it was not the two teens were not injured by Anthonio Caccavale, who stated that he fired three times at the delivery car after the vehicle struck him.
Like the two earlier shootings, Diamond D'arville and Waldes Thomas were at the wrong address. Unlike the first two examples, the shooter will not be charged. NBC6 in Miami wrote the police said each party appeared "justified in their actions based on the circumstances they perceived."
Up in Lake County, Illinois, police charged 79-year-old Ettore Lacchei with murder after allegedly shot his neighbor, who was doing yard work on his own property. William Martys was using his leaf blower in his yard when he was fatally shot by Lacchei.
We are all for the right to bear arms. How about we work toward exercising it more responsibly as a country? It is time for America to figure it out.
Who knows? The next door you knock on might just get you killed.
Editorial | Knock, Knock - Pew, Pew
I miss the 80s and 90s. You could knock on anyone's door during reasonable hours and not get shot at. You could pull into a driveway without worrying about someone stepping outside ready to put you in the ground.
In the 80s and 90s, we didn't shoot the pizza guy either. Other than an occasional Diet Pepsi, no one spilled blood or anything else at the front door.
Americans are getting more trigger-happy by the day. In 2016, there were 37,077 deaths attributed to firearms. In the first quarter of this year, 13,386 lives were taken by a small object weighing around 8 grams. The country is on track to nearly double the number of casualties seven years ago.
This year alone, there have been 172 mass shootings. That number is 8% higher than the same period last year. As I type this, 13,386 have lost their lives to gun violence in 2023.
Two weeks ago, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot twice, with bullets striking him in the left forehead and right arm, according to the Kansas City police department, by homeowner Andrew Lester. Lester, who is 84 years old, opened fire through a glass door with a .32 caliber revolver and is now facing two felony charges.
While Yarl survived the shooting and is recovering, 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis lost her life when 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, fired two shots from his front porch at a vehicle with three others in it in his driveway. Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder in the rural upstate New York incident.
In both cases, the shooters let lead fly without first saying a word to the victims.
Four days ago, an Instacart driver and her boyfriend were shot at 9 p.m. on Saturday in Southwest Ranches, Florida, while making their last delivery of the evening. Luckily, it was not the two teens were not injured by Anthonio Caccavale, who stated that he fired three times at the delivery car after the vehicle struck him.
Like the two earlier shootings, Diamond D'arville and Waldes Thomas were at the wrong address. Unlike the first two examples, the shooter will not be charged. NBC6 in Miami wrote the police said each party appeared "justified in their actions based on the circumstances they perceived."
Up in Lake County, Illinois, police charged 79-year-old Ettore Lacchei with murder after allegedly shot his neighbor, who was doing yard work on his own property. William Martys was using his leaf blower in his yard when he was fatally shot by Lacchei.
We are all for the right to bear arms. How about we work toward exercising it more responsibly as a country? It is time for America to figure it out.
Who knows? The next door you knock on might just get you killed.
Americans are getting more trigger-happy by the day. In 2016, there were 37,077 deaths attributed to firearms. In the first quarter of this year, 13,386 lives were taken by a small object weighing around 8 grams. The country is on track to nearly double the number of casualties seven years ago.
This year alone, there have been 172 mass shootings. That number is 8% higher than the same period last year. As I type this, 13,386 have lost their lives to gun violence in 2023.
Two weeks ago, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot twice, with bullets striking him in the left forehead and right arm, according to the Kansas City police department, by homeowner Andrew Lester. Lester, who is 84 years old, opened fire through a glass door with a .32 caliber revolver and is now facing two felony charges.
While Yarl survived the shooting and is recovering, 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis lost her life when 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, fired two shots from his front porch at a vehicle with three others in it in his driveway. Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder in the rural upstate New York incident.
In both cases, the shooters let lead fly without first saying a word to the victims.
Four days ago, an Instacart driver and her boyfriend were shot at 9 p.m. on Saturday in Southwest Ranches, Florida, while making their last delivery of the evening. Luckily, it was not the two teens were not injured by Anthonio Caccavale, who stated that he fired three times at the delivery car after the vehicle struck him.
Like the two earlier shootings, Diamond D'arville and Waldes Thomas were at the wrong address. Unlike the first two examples, the shooter will not be charged. NBC6 in Miami wrote the police said each party appeared "justified in their actions based on the circumstances they perceived."
Up in Lake County, Illinois, police charged 79-year-old Ettore Lacchei with murder after allegedly shot his neighbor, who was doing yard work on his own property. William Martys was using his leaf blower in his yard when he was fatally shot by Lacchei.
We are all for the right to bear arms. How about we work toward exercising it more responsibly as a country? It is time for America to figure it out.
Who knows? The next door you knock on might just get you killed.
Resistance isn't futile - "BORG" drinking is not healthy for the brain
But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.
by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare
OSF Healthcare
Gallon jugs are oftentimes used for daily necessities like milk and water. But
a new trend on social media could be a mixture for disaster.
Dr. Deepak Nair
Blackout rage gallon, or "BORG" drinking, is the newest TikTok take on binge drinking.
College students can be seen on social media mixing alcohol, water, sweet flavorings and hangover remedies like Pedialyte. But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.
In Amherst, Massachusetts – home of UMass Amherst – the local fire department handled nearly 30 ambulance transport requests due to significant alcohol intoxication.
Deepak Nair, MD, a neurologist with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, says blacking out from drinking is very harmful.
"High quantities of alcohol can cause direct damage to the brain," says Dr. Nair. "In single settings of drinking where you’re having enough alcohol to blackout, the reason you’re blacking out is because there’s a toxic effect of that alcohol on the brain."
Dr. Nair says binge drinking is something "fairly unique" to American culture. But he also calls it the most risky form of drinking.
"We know it’s dangerous to both the nervous system and the brain, but also in terms of other long-term health effects," Dr. Nair says. "Even those who have stopped engaging in binge drinking, there are long-term lingering effects. Everything from mild cognitive impairment that’s permanent, to more severe forms of what are called ‘alcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy’ where specific parts of the brain are being damaged permanently. This can cause permanent disability."
So what about this new form of binge drinking? Does diluting the alcohol with water and electrolytes provide any benefits at all? Dr. Nair says a basic chemistry class will give you the answer.
"All you’re doing is slightly diluting the amount of alcohol. But you’re still talking about a very high percentage of alcohol by volume, and a very high overall volume of alcoholic liquid. That’s not a good way to think about it," Dr. Nair says.
In the short term, blacking out from alcohol may just cause you to not be able to remember the night before. But Dr. Nair says continued binge drinking and blacking out can cause your memory, in general, to worsen.
“High quantities of alcohol have a tendency to impact the memory centers of our brain. When those parts of the brain are damaged, it can permanently impair our ability to store memories. At the end stage when we meet patients like this, not only can they not store new memories and recall memories effectively, their brain starts to make up details about their own life,” Dr. Nair adds.
Dr. Nair says this is called Korsakoff psychosis, which is a later stage complication of persistent Wernicke encephalopathy. He says this brain disorder is incredibly disabling, and alcohol abuse contributes to this problem.
Photo Gallery | Third inning rally powers SJO past visiting Westville
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Spartan baserunner Jack Robertson is tagged out by Westville catcher Drew Wichtowski on a play at home plate. The St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team earned their 20th victory of the season after 7-3 victory over the visiting Tigers. SJO, now 21-4 after yesterday's come-from-behind win over Charleston, has lost just one contest out of the 17 played during the month April.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
SJO catcher Braxton Waller gives pitcher Nolan Earley a fist bump after a quick conference on the mound. Earley, who pitched 6 innings, threw 54 strikes in the 98 pitches he tossed on Wednesday.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
SJO's Maddux Carter watches his ball go past the infield as he heads to first base. The senior went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored twice for the Spartans.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Nolan Early winds up to throw heat at a waiting Westville batter. Fifteen of his first pitches to the 27 batters he faced were strikes.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
SJO senior Maddux Carter safely slides to second base in the bottom of the 6th inning on a passed ball.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Lefty Adam Price puts the ball in play for the Spartans in the bottom of the sixth inning. The tap went directly to the Westville second baseman producing the third out of the game. After four trips to the plate, Price finished the non-conference contest two hits, including a double, and three RBIs.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Mr. Utility Luke Landrus hurls a pitch in the top of the seventh innning. Not giving up a hit in the final inning, the junior tossed 21 pitches walking two batters to close out win number 20 for the Spartans.
Covid-19 declaration ends on May 11, testing and treatment coverage costs will be passed on to patients
Alexandra Koch/Pixabay
Before the PHE ends, people are encouraged to order free COVID-19 tests from the government and get up to date on vaccinations. COVID-19 healthcare costs, insurance coverage, and benefits set to change dramatically.
by Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
Champaign – On May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) will officially end, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the pandemic. The declaration of the PHE was initially made on January 31, 2020 to mobilize and coordinate a nationwide response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The state of Illinois followed on March 9, 2020. Since then, Illinois residents could collect additional SNAP benefits, more than 1.4 million children received pandemic EBT (nutrition) support, and Medicaid benefits expanded so residents could access telehealth and additional resources.
Before the PHE ends, people are encouraged to order free COVID-19 tests from the government (four tests per residential address) and get up to date on vaccinations. Individuals can check if they are up to date by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html and can find where to receive vaccines by visiting vaccines.gov for pharmacy locations or by visiting https://www.c-uphd.org/covid-vaccinations.html. Individuals with healthcare facilities should call their provider’s office for more information or to set up an appointment. Free at-home COVID tests can be ordered at https://special.usps.com/testkits or by calling 1-800-232-0233.
Beginning May 11, coverage for COVID-19 testing will change. The requirement for private insurance companies to cover COVID-19 tests without cost sharing, both over-the-counter (OTC) and laboratory tests, will end and individuals should reach out to their insurance provider for details. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program will continue no-cost testing for uninsured persons, though there may be a reduction in testing locations after the PHE ends. Individuals can find a no-cost testing location by visiting https://testinglocator.cdc.gov/Search.
From OSF spokesperson Tim Ditman, "The end of the Public Health Emergency declaration means that most waivers enacted during the pandemic which allowed flexibilities in providing and billing for services also end. The main exception is telehealth services for Medicare enrollees. Those waivers have been extended until the end of calendar year 2024, so services and billing for telehealth services for Medicare enrollees will not change. We will be making necessary adjustments in other areas. Find more information at osfhealthcare.org."
SHIELD Illinois testing at the University of Illinois’ Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE) will close on May 26, with the option to relocate to another location until June 30. Additional information will be provided if announced.
Additionally, the CDC has stated there will be reduced reporting of negative laboratory tests for SARS-CoV-2. The change will impact the percent positivity metric used for transmission level reporting. Transmission levels have been used in healthcare settings to determine prevention measures and mitigation strategies. Champaign-Urbana Public Health will continue to report transmission levels for as long as the data is available. The CDC is currently determining how to address healthcare guidance without the use of transmission levels.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District would like to remind residents of steps they can take after the PHE ends to protect themselves and the community:
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. The FDA has recently authorized the bivalent booster for all doses starting at six months of age, as well as a second bivalent booster for individuals aged 65 and older who have had their primary vaccination series and are at least four months out from a previous bivalent booster shot.
Immunocompromised individuals may receive a single additional dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine at least two months following a dose of a bivalent vaccine. Additional doses may be administered at the discretion of, and at intervals determined by, their healthcare provider. Those who might qualify should reach out to their medical provider for further discussion.
The monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use in the United States.
Alternatives to mRNA vaccines (Novavax or Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen) remain available for individuals who cannot or will not receive an mRNA vaccine.
If a person tests positive for COVID-19 after May 11, they should not delay treatment. Staying home when sick, frequent hand washing, mask-wearing, and social distancing are still the most effective ways to keep COVID-19 transmission low.
Administrator Julie Pryde says, "The public health emergency declaration is ending, but COVID is still out there making people sick and taking lives. Please stay current on vaccinations. If you develop symptoms of COVID, local healthcare providers can test for COVID, influenza, and RSV at the same visit. Determining which virus you have can help get treatment early when it is most effective."
St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team notch 20th win
St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Robertson tries to beat a throw to home plate in the bottom of the third inning. Robertson was called out on the play.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
ST. JOSEPH - Maddux Carter went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored twice in St. Joseph-Ogden's home game against Westville on Wednesday. The Tigers led for two and a half innings before Carter and the SJO bats ignited and fueled a 7-3 non-conference victory at Meier Field. After Carter reached first on a grounder to left field, Luke Landrus followed up with a line drive to the same outfielder putting runners on first and second for the Spartans. With no outs, Jared Altenbaumer stood his ground against Westville pitcher Cade Schaumburg on a 3-2 count and walked. Bases loaded, first baseman Adam Price put Schaumburg's third pitch in center field scoring Carter and Landrus for two of his three RBIs on the day. Price scored the team's third run after Braxton Waller doubles out to right field for the go-ahead run. Two batters later, Coy Taylor drove in Waller and Taylor Voorhees to pad the score at 5-2. The Spartans picked up two more runs, one in the bottom of the 4th and another in the bottom of the 6th to secure the squad's 20th win of the season.
Sophomore Nolan Earley hurls a pitch in the fourth inning for the Spartans. Earley threw 54 strike while on the bump giving up five hits and three runs after 98 pitches across six frames. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden - 7
Luke Landrus 4-1-2-0-0
Jared Altenbaumer 2-1-0-1-2
Adam Price 4-1-2-3-0
Taylor Voorhees 3-1-0-0-0
Braxton Waller 2-1-1-1-1
Nolan Earley 2-0-0-0-1
Coy Taylor 3-0-1-2-0
Tanner Jacob 3-0-0-0-0
Maddux Carter 3-2-3-0-0
ab-r-h-rbi-bb
Total 26-7-9-7-4
Westville - 3 AB-R-H-RBI-BB
Mcmasters 4-1-0-0-0
Russell 4-1-1-0-0
Wichtowski 2-0-0-0-1
Haurez 4-1-2-1-0
Schaumburg 3-0-2-1-1
Barney 3-0-0-0-1
Maddox 3-0-0-0-0
Darling 2-0-0-1-1
Smith 3-0-0-0-0
ab-r-h-rbi-bb
Total 28-3-5-3-4
Jared Altenbaumer 2-1-0-1-2
Adam Price 4-1-2-3-0
Taylor Voorhees 3-1-0-0-0
Braxton Waller 2-1-1-1-1
Nolan Earley 2-0-0-0-1
Coy Taylor 3-0-1-2-0
Tanner Jacob 3-0-0-0-0
Maddux Carter 3-2-3-0-0
ab-r-h-rbi-bb
Total 26-7-9-7-4
Westville - 3 AB-R-H-RBI-BB
Mcmasters 4-1-0-0-0
Russell 4-1-1-0-0
Wichtowski 2-0-0-0-1
Haurez 4-1-2-1-0
Schaumburg 3-0-2-1-1
Barney 3-0-0-0-1
Maddox 3-0-0-0-0
Darling 2-0-0-1-1
Smith 3-0-0-0-0
ab-r-h-rbi-bb
Total 28-3-5-3-4
Recipe | Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken
Photo provided
Family Features - As you plan your summer fun, think also about adopting healthy habits that can help keep your blood pressure under control. When your blood pressure is consistently high - a condition called hypertension - blood flows through arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. This can cause serious health problems not just for your heart, but also for your blood vessels, kidneys, eyes and brain.
Hypertension affects women and men of all ages but making small lifestyle changes can go a long way toward prevention. Start with updating your summer menu with delicious, heart-healthy recipes, like Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken.
Following a heart-healthy eating plan, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), which emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy and healthy oils, can help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Developed through research by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), DASH focuses on reducing sodium and limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, including fatty meats, full-fat dairy and tropical oils.
Along with adding healthy recipes to your summer menu, NHLBI's The Heart Truth program encourages these healthy habits that can help you control blood pressure:
Move more: Aim for at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of physical activity each week. Try keeping yourself on pace each week by shooting for 30 daily minutes of activity over five days.
Aim for a healthy weight: Research shows adults with overweight and obesity can lower their blood pressure by losing just 3-5% of their weight. Ask a friend or family member to join a weight loss program with you; social support can help you both stay motivated.
Manage stress: Reduce stress - which can increase blood pressure - with meditation, relaxing activities or support from a counselor or online group.
Quit smoking: Smoking damages your heart and blood vessels. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or find other resources available online.
Get your summer off to a heart-healthy start by talking to your health care provider about your blood pressure numbers and what they mean. To learn more about heart health and blood pressure, visit hearttruth.gov and find DASH-friendly recipes at healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov.
Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken
Recipe courtesy of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Prep time: 10 minutesCook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Sauce:
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 teaspoon garlic (about 1 clove), minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
-
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 large breasts), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 24 cubes)
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced (about 24 pieces)
8 wooden skewers (6 inches each), soaked in water
To make sauce: Combine ketchup, soy sauce, honey, orange juice, garlic and ginger; mix well. Separate into two bowls and set aside. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 350 F. Alternately thread three chicken cubes and three pineapple chunks on each skewer. Grill skewers 3-5 minutes on each side. Brush or spoon sauce from one bowl onto chicken and pineapple every other minute. Discard remaining sauce from first bowl. To prevent chicken from drying out, finish cooking to minimum internal temperature of 165 F in oven. Using clean brush or spoon, coat with sauce from remaining bowl before serving.
How to spot Medicare scams and protect yourself
Medicare fraud occurs when someone makes false claims for health care services, procedures and equipment to obtain Medicare payments.
Family Features - More than 65 million people in the United States were enrolled in Medicare as of February 2023, with more people becoming eligible and enrolling each year. Anyone on Medicare is at risk of Medicare-related fraud, and the Medicare program continues to warn people to watch out for scammers who steal Medicare Numbers and other personal information to exploit beneficiaries' benefits.
Broadly speaking, Medicare fraud occurs when someone makes false claims for health care services, procedures and equipment to obtain Medicare payments. Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions of dollars and puts the health and welfare of beneficiaries at risk.
"Anyone on Medicare can be a target of Medicare fraud," said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. "But there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones by using CMS' fraud tips to recognize and report potential scammers. Let's all work together to make sure you're not a victim of Medicare fraud."
How to Spot Medicare Scams
There are many types of Medicare scams, taking the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages, social media posts and phony websites. Scammers often claim to be from the Medicare office, an insurance company or a government office. They'll ask for your personal and financial information, such as your Medicare or Social Security Number, so that they can submit false claims for payment. Remember that Medicare will never call, text, email or contact you through social media asking for your Medicare Number. How to Protect Yourself
You'll also need to know how to protect yourself from potential fraudsters. Remember to:* Guard your Medicare Number just like your Social Security card and credit card
* Share your Medicare Number only with trusted health care providers
* Review your Medicare statements, watch for services billed that look suspicious and ask questions if something looks wrong
How to Report Scammers
Reporting Medicare fraud protects you and millions of other people with Medicare and those with disabilities. If you or someone you know have experienced Medicare fraud or suspect an offer you've received is a scam, report it as soon as possible. To learn more about Medicare fraud, visit Medicare.gov/fraud. To report potential Medicare fraud, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
There are many types of Medicare scams, taking the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages, social media posts and phony websites. Scammers often claim to be from the Medicare office, an insurance company or a government office. They'll ask for your personal and financial information, such as your Medicare or Social Security Number, so that they can submit false claims for payment. Remember that Medicare will never call, text, email or contact you through social media asking for your Medicare Number. How to Protect Yourself
You'll also need to know how to protect yourself from potential fraudsters. Remember to:
Reporting Medicare fraud protects you and millions of other people with Medicare and those with disabilities. If you or someone you know have experienced Medicare fraud or suspect an offer you've received is a scam, report it as soon as possible. To learn more about Medicare fraud, visit Medicare.gov/fraud. To report potential Medicare fraud, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The perfect side gigs to get you through the next pandemic or economic downturn
Some side gigs are better than others. There are five that standout for people who need or want to work from home.
Photo:Bruce Mars/Unsplash
Night deliveries can be a perfect solution for people who work long shifts at home and need something past bedtime.
SNS - As much as we would like to think it is, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, even though most countries and aspects of life are returning back to normal. Facing the facts, the way we work and live has changed forever. In many respects, the pandemic has brought a new level of financial insecurity that might never ever fully go away.
Thousands of people were laid off in the last couple of years thanks to the global pandemic. For many, their earnings have been significantly reduced or put on pause. This increased the need to look for alternatives to full-time jobs and ways to earn money from home.
If you are looking for a side hustle rake in extra cash when you can’t go to the office, here are five pandemic-proof side gigs that will inspire you to jump into multiple income streams and make ends meet during the next pandemic outbreak.
Step up the delivery game
With people staying at and doing more from home than ever, the number deliveries on a daily basis has increased drastically. Nearly everything - food, drinks, medicines, and even building supplies - can be delivered to
the customer's front door.
Kindel Media/PEXELS
Use this opportunity to step up the delivery game, and instead of joining big companies such as Uber Eats or Door Dash, go for something out of the ordinary.
Carefully research local delivery trends in your city. Look to see if there is a need for something else. Night deliveries can be a perfect solution for people who work long shifts at home and need something past bedtime. Plus, after hour deliveries are billed at a premium, too, so you can earn quite a bit of cash this way.
Sell and rent things you don’t need
Spending more time at home probably gave you time to clean up your home and eliminate the items you no longer need. You should consider selling some of these items and earn some extra money.
Also, renting excess stuff or space in your home is a great way to earn more without making a big commitment.
For example, people living in big cities often have storage issues in their homes. City dewellers are always looking for more space, and renting out space in your storage unit, shed, garage, or basement might be a low-stress way to bring in extra cash without having to really work at it .
Have an RV? Rent by the day, week or even month to people who love to travel. If you have a truck, you might rent out for a day to someone is moving to a new apartment or home.
Renting is a great side hustle because it is a relatively passive income, makes money from things you don’t use, and is incredibly versatile. You can rent almost anything – just be sure to market it correctly.
Become a content writer
Put those good grades in English grammar and information from all the books you have read for school or pleasure to work. It has never been a better time to be bookworm.
All sorts of websites and companies are looking for good writers to develop and provide content for their online platform. Writers who are creative, good with words, and can produce work on deadline will find no shortage of opportunites. Even working part-time, you can earn hundreds of dollars creating online content.
Photo: Alexander Grey/Unsplash
Concentrate on niches you are familiar with to make it easier to do research for you articles and write pieces quickly. And, who knows, this might become your full-time job!
On top of that, content writing is a career you can easily work from home at your own pace. It is one of the best pandemic-proof side gigs! All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
You will also need a place to work where you can focus. Create a writing nook or home office to help you stay away from noise and other distractions.
Virtual assistant – helps others be organized and efficient
If your old job was not the right place to show your organizational skills, punctuality, and creativity, this one might be the right for you. Working as a virtual assistant is a perfect way to demonstrate superior multi-tasking and problem-solving skills while helping others run their businesses smoothly or deal with significant life events organization.
While you can help a business owner deal with time-consuming, repetitive tasks such as managing calls and emails, you can also help people organize events such as weddings or even relocating to new cities.
Let’s say someone needs to move a big household without taking a break at work – you can step in and assist them with the packing organization, hiring a moving team, and other tasks, and show them they can stay productive during the move even when there is a lot on their plate.
Remote tutoring
Another pandemic-proof side-gig you can do with almost any skill you are good at is online tutoring.
The internet has given us the power of live communication, making it easy to teach someone the same way you would in person, so use this to your advantage and earn some money. You can teach kids, older students, and adults – just pick a skill or subject you are really good at and be ready to share your knowledge.
However, tutoring is not something everyone can do. You will need a lot of patience and excellent communication skills, not to mention the ability to adapt to different styles and paces of learning for your students. If you have a skill that is ready to share with others, this is the right side gig for you.
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has caught the business world off guard, and many people struggled to make ends meet. A lot of Americans still have not recovered to pre-pandemic financial health.
This era brought many financial, physical, and mental health issues that we must deal with for years to come. With these pandemic-proof side gigs you can continue to earn money, explore your creativity, skills, and possibilities and feel better about yourself.
Staying at home during a pandemic can be challenging. Finding a way to keep moving forward and working is essential to your mental health and helps to keep anxiety and depression at bay. Throwing yourself into a new opportunity is a great way to develop an always-adapting mindset that will help you overcome hard times, such as job loss, and use your skill set to take advantage of the situation.
Photo: Brooke Cagle/Unsplash
Tutoring online or in-person to help others succeed is a fun and rewarding way to earn money during a pandemic or whenever you need to make extra cash.
Ruby Tarr hits homer, leads Rockets in 14-4 win over Prairie Central
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
FAIRBURY - Ruby Tarr swings at a Cissna Park pitch on Tuesday, April 11. The senior led the Rockets' offense in their Illini Prairie Conference road game last Friday at Prairie Central with two hits, including a home run, and four RBI in a 14-4 drubbing. The league victory extends the Unity softball team's current win streak to nine games. Tarr and Rockets (18-1 overall, 5-1 conference) are back on the home turf on Tuesday in a make-up contest against St. Anthony.
Guest Commentary | Getting shot at because you knocked on the wrong door is beyond insane
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Knocking on doors is as American as apple pie. Politicians, sales persons, clergy, girl scouts, federal census workers, and the list goes on of persons and professions who have depended on knocking on doors.
When I was a child, I sold Grit newspapers. I needed to knock on a lot of doors to sell 20 papers which made me a cool $1. Serving churches for years, I have probably knocked on over a thousand plus doors to invite people to church. I’m so glad no one shot me.
The recent shooting of a 16-year-old teenager in Kansas City, mistakenly knocking on the wrong door, is beyond insane. The teenage boy was at the wrong house to pick up his brothers who were a block away. Who shoots through a door without reason unless the individual is crazy or on drugs or perhaps both? The problem is, we do have a severe mental illness epidemic in America and a drug crisis. Throw in America’s growing gun violence issues and therefore knocking on strange doors becomes a scary scenario.
I admit hearing someone knock on the door at dinner time is a bit aggravating. Usually for me, it’s a high school band member selling mulch to raise money for the band. Or, it’s someone raising money for another school project. You can’t be irritated with a 15-year-old kid is out trying to raise money for his school. Unless, you are crazy or on drugs. Then anything might tick you off. By all means, don’t be this person.
For the most part, more and more industrious people are relying on social media to try to gain new business. It’s true you can reach more people more efficiently via Internet advertising, social media and other media sources than by taking all day to knock on a few doors. If people want it, they will respond to your advertising.
People have rightfully withdrawn from knocking on doors because they are paranoid of disturbing someone’s favorite television program, meal or nap. This is never a good environment for making a sale or making a friend.
Maybe the day of selling magazine subscriptions, brushes, vacuum cleaners, and stuff like that door-to-door is in the past. Do any ministers ever knock on your door and invite you to church?
If someone does knock on your door, don’t immediately invite them into your house. They should have a picture identification badge for you to see. They also should talk to you about a future appointment when you can make time for the pitch. In addition, they should present you with some information containing a phone number so you can call them if you have further interest. You can always say “no thank you,” and shut your door. If you have a chain lock on your door or a glass locked door you can talk through then you are even better off.
Give consideration to the hard work some people put into knocking on doors. Give careful consideration to how you answer the door.
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Knocking on doors is as American as apple pie. Politicians, sales persons, clergy, girl scouts, federal census workers, and the list goes on of persons and professions who have depended on knocking on doors.
When I was a child, I sold Grit newspapers. I needed to knock on a lot of doors to sell 20 papers which made me a cool $1. Serving churches for years, I have probably knocked on over a thousand plus doors to invite people to church. I’m so glad no one shot me.
The recent shooting of a 16-year-old teenager in Kansas City, mistakenly knocking on the wrong door, is beyond insane. The teenage boy was at the wrong house to pick up his brothers who were a block away. Who shoots through a door without reason unless the individual is crazy or on drugs or perhaps both? The problem is, we do have a severe mental illness epidemic in America and a drug crisis. Throw in America’s growing gun violence issues and therefore knocking on strange doors becomes a scary scenario.
I admit hearing someone knock on the door at dinner time is a bit aggravating. Usually for me, it’s a high school band member selling mulch to raise money for the band. Or, it’s someone raising money for another school project. You can’t be irritated with a 15-year-old kid is out trying to raise money for his school. Unless, you are crazy or on drugs. Then anything might tick you off. By all means, don’t be this person.
For the most part, more and more industrious people are relying on social media to try to gain new business. It’s true you can reach more people more efficiently via Internet advertising, social media and other media sources than by taking all day to knock on a few doors. If people want it, they will respond to your advertising.
People have rightfully withdrawn from knocking on doors because they are paranoid of disturbing someone’s favorite television program, meal or nap. This is never a good environment for making a sale or making a friend.
Maybe the day of selling magazine subscriptions, brushes, vacuum cleaners, and stuff like that door-to-door is in the past. Do any ministers ever knock on your door and invite you to church?
If someone does knock on your door, don’t immediately invite them into your house. They should have a picture identification badge for you to see. They also should talk to you about a future appointment when you can make time for the pitch. In addition, they should present you with some information containing a phone number so you can call them if you have further interest. You can always say “no thank you,” and shut your door. If you have a chain lock on your door or a glass locked door you can talk through then you are even better off.
Give consideration to the hard work some people put into knocking on doors. Give careful consideration to how you answer the door.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
As gun violence is rises to epidemic levels, many traumatized Americans now live in fear
Photo: Kerttu/Pixabay
by Liz Szabo
KFF Health News
KFF Health News
A majority of Americans say they or a family member has experienced gun violence, such as witnessing a shooting, being threatened by a person with a gun, or being shot, according to a sweeping new survey.
The national survey of 1,271 adults conducted by KFF revealed the severe physical and psychological harm exacted by firearm violence, especially in minority communities.
Nearly 1 in 5 respondents, including 34% of Black adults, 18% of Hispanic adults, and 17% of white adults, said a family member had been killed by a gun.
The survey “confirms that firearm-related injuries are ubiquitous,” said Dr. Selwyn Rogers, a surgeon and founding director of the UChicago Medicine trauma center. “For every person killed, there are two or three people harmed. These are people who have had fractures, who may have been paralyzed or disabled.”
Beyond causing physical injuries, gun violence has left many Americans living with trauma and fear, Rogers said.
Just over half of adults say gun-related crimes, injuries, and deaths are a “constant threat” or “major concern” in their communities. Black and Hispanic adults were more likely than white adults to describe gun violence as a constant threat or major concern. About 3 in 10 Black or Hispanic adults say they feel “not too safe” or “not safe at all” from gun violence in their neighborhoods. (Hispanics can be of any race or combination of races.)
Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay
Women also reported high rates of concern about firearm violence, with 58% saying gun-related crimes are a constant threat or major concern, compared with 43% of men. More than half of intimate partner homicides are committed with guns.
Parents are worried about their children as well.
About 1 in 4 parents of children under 18 say they worry daily or almost daily about gun violence, the KFF survey found, and 84% of adults report having taken at least one precaution to reduce their family’s risk from gun violence. More than one-third of adults say they have avoided large crowds, such as at music festivals or crowded bars, for example.
Gun violence surged during the pandemic. There were a record 48,830 firearm-related deaths in 2021, an increase of 23% from 2019, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. The increase among children was even sharper. Firearm deaths among Americans under 18 — which include those due to homicide, suicide, and gun-related accidents — increased 50%, from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021.
Guns have become the leading cause of death among children and adolescents ages 1 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The pandemic also coincided with a huge increase in gun purchases, which grew an estimated 64% from 2019 to 2020.
According to the KFF survey, 29% of adults have purchased a gun at some point to protect themselves or their families, with 44% of parents of children under 18 keeping a gun in the home. Yet 78% of parents in gun-owning households fail to follow safety recommendations, such as locking guns and ammunition, storing guns unloaded, and storing guns and ammunition separately, practices that have been shown to reduce the risk of thefts, accidents, and suicides.
Photo: Skitterphoto/Pixabay
Dr. Abdullah Pratt, an emergency physician at the UChicago Medicine trauma center, has lost a dozen close friends to gun violence, including his brother. His father never recovered from that loss and died about seven years later, at age 64.
“As soon as my brother got killed, he stopped taking his medications and started chain-smoking out of nowhere,” Pratt said.
Gun violence also wears away communities, Pratt said.
In neighborhoods with high crime rates, the daily drumbeat of loss can lead residents to conclude there’s no point in voting, going to school, or trying to improve their lives. “They think, ‘What am I voting for if I can’t have basic access to safety on a day-to-day basis?’” Pratt said.
And while mass shootings and homicides grab headlines, Rogers, the surgeon, noted that suicides account for more than half of firearm-related deaths in the U.S. and cause ripples of grief throughout a community. Researchers estimate that every suicide leaves at least six people in mourning.
Pratt said he feels guilty he wasn’t able to help a close friend who died by suicide with a gun several years ago. The man had recently lost a job and had his car repossessed and came to Pratt to talk about his troubles. Instead, Pratt spent the visit asking for parenting advice, without realizing how much his friend was hurting.
“There were no red flags,” Pratt said. “A couple days later, he died.”
Gun violence has also shaped the trajectory of Bernice Grisby’s life.
Grisby, now 35, was shot for the first time when she was 8, while playing on the swings at her school in Oakland, California. She was shot a second time at age 15, when she was talking to friends after school. One of her friends died that day, while another lost an eye; Grisby was shot in the hip and experiences chronic pain from the wound.
Two of her brothers were fatally shot in their 20s. Her 15-year-old daughter was recently robbed at gunpoint.
Rather than leaving Oakland, Grisby is trying to save it. She works as a street counselor to young people at high risk of gun violence through Oakland’s East Bay Asian Youth Center, which aims to help young people living in poverty, trauma, and neglect.
“My life is a gift from God,” Grisby said. “I am happy to be here to support the youth and know that I am making a difference.”
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
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