James Bernal for The Hechinger Report

When Edgar Rosales Jr. uses the word “home,” the second-year college student with a linebacker’s build isn’t referring to the house he plans to buy after becoming a nurse or getting a job in public health. Rather, the student at California’s Long Beach City College is talking about the parking lot he slept in every night for more than a year. With Oprah-esque enthusiasm, Rosales calls the other students who use LBCC’s Safe Parking Program his “roommates” or “neighbors.”

Between 8 and 10:30 p.m., those neighbors drive onto the lot, where staff park during the day. Nearby showers open at 6 a.m. Sleeping in a car may not sound like a step up, but for Rosales — who dropped out of a Compton high school more than 20 years ago to become a truck driver — being handed a key fob to a bathroom stocked with toilet paper and hand soap was life-altering. He kept the plastic tab on his key ring, even though he was supposed to place it in a drop box each morning, because the sight of it brought comfort; the sense of it between his fingers, hard and slick, felt like peace.

When Rosales and his son’s mother called it off again in the fall of 2024, just after he’d finished a GED program and enrolled at LBCC, he stayed with his brother for a week or so. But he didn’t want to be a burden. So one day after work at the trucking company — he’d gone part-time since enrolling, though he’d still regularly clock 40 hours a week — he circled the block in his beat-up sedan and parked on the side of the road, near some RVs and an encampment. The scariest part of sleeping in his car was the noises, Rosales told The Hechinger Report: “I heard a dog barking or I heard somebody running around or you see cop lights going down the street. You see people looking in your car.” He couldn’t sleep, let alone focus. Without the ability to bathe regularly, he began to avoid people to spare them the smell. The car became his sanctuary, but also, a prison. As he put it, “It starts messing with your mental health.”

First, Rosales dropped a class. A few weeks later, he told his LBCC peer navigator he couldn’t do it anymore and needed her help to withdraw. Instead, she got Rosales signed up for the college’s Safe Parking Program, and everything flipped on its head. With the LBCC lot’s outlets and WiFi, the back seat of his car morphed into a study carrel. Campus security was there to watch over him, not threaten him like the police had, telling him to move along or issuing a citation that cost him a day’s pay. For the first time in a month, Rosales said, “I could just sleep with my eyes closed the whole night.”

Forty-eight percent of college students experience housing insecurity, meaning “challenges that prevent them from having a safe, affordable, and consistent place to live,” suggests the most recent Read more

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The real estate investment arena hasn’t exactly been rolling out the red carpet for new investors, but things are about to change. According to industry insiders, we’re stepping into a Goldilocks zone over the next six to 12 months. For the last few years, you couldn’t breathe on a property without ten cash offers beating you. That frenzy has finally cooled (at least for the moment).

Interest rates have settled in the mid-6% range and are projected to dip slightly into 2026. This will push sellers who were holding onto their 3% rates to realize that life goes on, and they have to sell. As a result, more distressed inventory is about to hit the market.

But to turn a profit, you need to buy deep (at a discount) and move fast. Speed is the currency of this market, which is why finding proper financing for first-time fix-and-flip is of utmost importance, The Investor’s Edge reports.

The Investor’s Edge

Why a Hard Money Loan?

Conventional mortgages typically require a property to be habitable, meaning it must have a functioning HVAC system, a roof, and a kitchen.

Not to mention that a bank loan takes 30 to 45 days to close … few investors have that much time to throw around. In this market, good deals last about 48 hours, and then they’re gone. You’re either ready to act or not.

This is why the best fix-and-flip loans for first-time investors need to be speedy, without worrying too much about the property’s current condition. A hard money lender doesn’t care if there’s a hole in the roof; they care about the house’s future value. Plus, a hard money loan can close in seven to 10 days, making it much easier to negotiate against cash offers.

Financing for First-Time Fix-And-Flip

Hard money lenders want to lend, so they won’t look for reasons to say “no” like a bank would. However, this doesn’t mean it’s something anyone can get.

When you’re looking for money for your first fix-and-flip, you’ll notice lenders want to know three things:

Can you pay me back if you fail?

This is the biggest hurdle. You need skin in the game (so to speak). For a first-timer, expect to bring 20% to 25% of the purchase price plus closing costs.

If you don’t have that cash, bring a money partner who provides the capital in exchange for a share of the profits. The lender doesn’t care whose money it is, as long as it’s there.

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New year, new calendar, and new opportunities for your business.

But first comes the cleanup. The weeks before January are when all the loose ends show up — invoices that need collecting, payroll that needs double-checking, and plans that need to be set in motion before another busy year begins.

It’s tempting to push financial details to January, but taking a few hours now can make the difference between a smooth start and a stressful one. The more accurate your numbers and organized your systems are, the more ready you’ll be for what’s next.

According to the Federal Reserve Banks’ Small Business Credit Survey, 59% of small businesses report being in “fair or poor” financial condition.

Comerica created a short checklist of five practical financial moves to help you close out the year with confidence and step into the new one prepared.

Key takeaways:

• Year-end gives you the cleanest snapshot of your business. Use this as an opportunity to review your numbers and data-backed decisions.
• To keep your business running smoothly into the new year, update payment systems, payroll records, and fraud protections.
• Set clear goals and plan for financing needs to turn year-end clarity into next-year momentum.

1. Review Your Finances

Year-end tells you the financial truth. You’ll see which months carried the business, which expenses crept up, and where the cash went. Before the calendar turns, look at the patterns in your financials, and use them to shape decisions in January and beyond.

• Check cash flow and reserves. Compare your last few months of revenue against costs. If December was strong, move some funds into savings to help cover slower weeks in January. For many owners, the first quarter slows down while fixed costs like rent and payroll still come due.
• Reconcile accounts and clear outstanding payments. Match your receivables, payables and bank balances. If an invoice is overdue, follow up now instead of carrying it into the new year. Catching a missed payment before year-end avoids messy surprises during tax prep.
• Meet with your CPA or tax advisor. Review how new rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could affect you. Ask if there are smart year-end moves — like prepaying expenses or making retirement contributions — that could help lower your taxable income.

2. Check Payments and Payroll

How are payments working for you? Look at how customers paid this year and how easy it was for you to pay others. If you’re juggling paper checks or slow deposits, small upgrades can save you hours each month.

• Evaluate payment systems. If your customers couldn’t use their preferred payment methods, fix it before the next busy stretch. Add digital wallets, tap-to-pay, or online invoicing. Shoppers often abandon purchases when chec

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Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications for reducing high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke. People searching for popular statin medications are often trying to understand the differences between the drugs, how they work, and which one might be the best fit for their health needs. They may also be curious about side effects, cost comparisons, alternatives, and long-term benefits.

This guide from SaveHealth, a prescription discount/savings card website, breaks down 10 of the most widely used statins, how they compare, and what to consider when discussing options with a healthcare provider.

How Statins Work

Statins reduce cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver called HMG CoA reductase. This mechanism helps lower LDL cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol, and can also modestly increase HDL, often referred to as good cholesterol. Statins can also help lower triglyceride formation, often referred to as fatty cholesterol, by reducing the fat in the blood. Lastly, statins slow the growth of fatty plaque formation, thus stabilizing the arteries, which helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Due to their dynamic effects on the body, statins are the gold standard for better cholesterol.

Core benefits of statins

• Lower LDL cholesterol
• Reduce triglycerides
• Increase HDL cholesterol
• Lower the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries
• Reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke

Top 10 Popular Statin Medications

Below is a list of the most frequently prescribed statins, including both brand name and generic options.

1. Atorvastatin: Atorvastatin, the generic for Lipitor, is one of the most widely prescribed cholesterol medications. It is known for its potency and strong LDL-lowering ability.

2. Rosuvastatin: Rosuvastatin, the generic version of Crestor, is another high-intensity statin. It may be more effective for people needing substantial LDL reduction.

3. Simvastatin: Simvastatin, the generic for Zocor, is widely used due to its affordability and long history. It is usually prescribed for moderate cholesterol lowering.

4. Pravastatin: Pravastatin, the generic for Pravachol, is often chosen for people who are sensitive to stronger statins. It has fewer drug interactions and fewer muscle-related side effects, making it a good option for beginners.

5. Lovastatin: Lovastatin, the generic for Mevacor, is one of the earliest statins and remains popular today. It is often taken with food to improve absorption.

6. Pitavastatin: Pitavastatin, the generic for Livalo, is known for having fewer drug interactions and may be suitable for people who cannot tolerate other statins.

7. Fluvastatin: Fluvastatin, the generic for Lescol, is considered one of the milder statins and is another good option for those with muscle-related side effects.

8. Ezetimibe and Simvastatin Combination: This combination, often known by the brand Vytorin, pairs simvastati

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Every year, millions of Americans head into stores and restaurants expecting warmth, efficiency, and holiday magic. But behind the counters, another reality is unfolding—one marked by rising stress, intensifying customer aggression, and a workforce pushed beyond its limits.

CaterCow reports that 2025 holiday season is shaping up to be one of the most stressful in recent memory for retail and restaurant staff. Customer behavior is deteriorating, and the people who make the holidays possible are bearing the weight.

Customer Rudeness Has Become a Daily Experience

Workers across retail and food service have reported growing incivility for years—and 2025 continues the trend. The Workplace Incivility Institute found a 48% rise in verbal aggression toward customer-facing workers since before 2020. In 2025, a survey of restaurant workers from Steer revealed that 41% report customer incivility has increased since last year.

This is not a handful of bad days. It’s the lived reality of an entire profession.

The Holidays Intensify the Crisis

The holidays are often framed as a time of joy, but for retail workers, they also bring a predictable surge in stress and confrontation.

“Hospitality professionals are often the recipients of guests’ frustrations and outsized reactions to situations that frequently have less to do with an actual issue and more to do with what is going on in the guests’ lives outside of the restaurant,” notes SA Hospitality Group Director of Operations Abigail Khaishgi.

A 2024 American Psychological Association poll found 65% of Americans feel more stressed during the holidays, often resulting in misplaced frustration toward service workers. Cornell University’s 2025 hospitality research showed restaurant workers experience a 30% rise in emotional exhaustion during November and December, corroborating the Steer survey which showed 53% of workers say customer rudeness increases during Nov–Dec.

As one worker put it, “The same customer who was polite in October will scream at you in December for being out of peppermint syrup.”

Violence, Threats Now Shockingly Common

While national headlines often spotlight isolated incidents, data shows that workplace aggression is becoming an everyday risk.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 17% increase in violent incidents in retail in 2024. A 2025 Service Workers Safety Coalition report found 20% of workers faced physical intimidation last year.

When food and hunger are involved, the stakes are heightened. Steer’s data suggests 40% of restaurant workers were physically assaulted by customers during the year.

One worker reported: “A customer threatened to come back with a gun because we ran out of chicken.”

Most common forms of aggression include items violently pulled from restaurant workers’ hands (17%), objects thrown at workers (15%), and pushed, shoved, or grabbed (12%)

Sexual Harassment Is a Reality for Nearly 4 in 10 Workers

Sexual misconduct is another layer of risk that disprop