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Storm scam: Don’t get swept away

Lifestyles

Valley residents experienced a taste of natural disasters earlier this month, as a powerful storm plowed through the area, leaving many with damaged homes and vehicles, uprooted trees and interrupted utility service. These situations bring out the best in people who eagerly step forward to help friends and neighbors, but bring a plague of roving scammers specializing in defrauding homeowners out of cash, insurance payments or fees for nonexistent repair grants. The Federal Trade Commission acts as a clearinghouse for scam information and has compiled a list of red flags indicating ...

Senior news

Lifestyles

RETIREES TO MEET: Howland Schools Retired Personnel will meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 4, at Shepherd of the Valley, North River Road, Warren. The cost of the meal, payable at the door, is $10. Spouses and guests of retirees are welcome to attend. Reservations for an accurate count must be in by Tuesday. Call/text/ email Mary at 330-856-0483 or mnf39@aol.com; or Sue at 330-207-7672 or sueuittoking@gmail.com. PERI TO MEET: The Public Employee Retirees (P.E.R.I.) of Mahoning County Chapter 18 will meet for a luncheon meeting at noon Aug. 4, at Avion on the Water Banquet Center, 2177 ...

Unexpected hazard on the highways

Lifestyles

For thousands of years, humans lived with minimal exposure to manmade chemicals. Today, though, we are surrounded by tens of thousands of such compounds in products we use every day. For decades, many people assumed that the pesticides put on fruits and vegetables just disappeared, especially if you rinsed them. Most individuals didn’t worry about plasticizers in intravenous tubing and food or beverage packaging. The idea that endocrine-disrupting chemicals might be absorbed into the body seemed far-fetched. Today, however, there is general recognition that PFAS forever chemicals ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: How you can keep your skin healthy

Lifestyles

DEAR HELOISE: Every skin care company claims to have the perfect solution to staying young, but the truth is that lines and wrinkles are going to show up sooner or later. For many people, plastic surgery, skin peels and $200 creams are out of reach and might not do anything to remove the lines on your face. The best thing you can do for yourself is to prevent these lines in the first place. Wear sunblock during the summer and winter; moisturize your skin (don’t forget your neck); never sleep in your makeup; and eat a healthy, balanced diet. Add to this a little exercise and try to ...

DEAR ANNIE: Your first job doesn’t have to be your last job

Lifestyles

DEAR ANNIE: I’m a recent college grad, and I’ve always wanted to be a writer like you. I’ve applied to more jobs than I can count at newspapers and magazines but haven’t landed a single offer. Everyone keeps saying “the job market is tough right now,” but knowing that doesn’t pay rent. I still live with my parents, and I’m dying to get my own place. I don’t want to give up on writing, but it’s been six months with no offer, and I need to start making some money. What do I do? —Unpublished DEAR UNPUBLISHED: Writing skills aren’t limited to bylines — ...