Tess

COTATI, Calif. (KGO) -- It was a big problem during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployed workers received their Employment Development Department benefits on Bank of America debit cards -- but they were targets of fraudsters who drained millions of dollars from workers' accounts. Many could not get reimbursed. This year, BofA was fined $225 million for automatically denying their claims. The problem seemed to go away. But now, a North Bay man says thieves drained his EDD debit account, too. Banks are required by law to investigate every claim of fraud on a customer's account. Bank regulators ruled that Bank of America instead used fraud filters to automatically deny claims during the pandemic. BofA says it stopped that practice -- but this viewer says someone hijacked his EDD account, took thousands of dollars -- and the bank shut down his claim. Alfredo Mancilla of Cotati was recovering from surgery when it happened. "It was a shock to me to find out close to $15,000 was ta...

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Before the Covid pandemic, most people caught respiratory syncytial virus before the age of 2. Now things have changed. You may have seen respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., in the news recently, as rates of the virus have ticked up across the United States. R.S.V. usually circulates from late December to mid-February. But this year, an early spike in cases is resulting in markedly higher numbers of infections and hospitalizations. As rising R.S.V. rates coincide with the expected wintertime surge in Covid-19 as well as an early flu season, experts are worried about a "tripledemic" and the strain it could place on hospitals and emergency departments that are already stretched thin. Here's what to know about R.S.V., who is most at risk and what you can do to avoid getting sick. What is R.S.V. and why is it on the rise? R.S.V. is a common winter virus that typically causes mild cold-like illness in most people, but can occasionally be very dangerous for young children a...

The handful of local nonprofits trying to help extended-stay motel residents find stable, affordable housing is "overwhelmed" by the huge number of appeals, St. Vincent de Paul Georgia's new housing director, Mariel Risner Sivley, told Atlanta Civic Circle on Friday. In metro Atlanta alone, more than 25,000 lower-income people, often with families, are using motel rooms as permanent or semi-permanent residences, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.  Risner Sivley said St. Vincent de Paul's "motel-to-home" program—like those of United Way of Greater Atlanta, New Life Community Ministries, and other nonprofits—faces a herculean task in trying to rehouse even a fraction of these motel-dwellers in affordable apartments.  Since St. Vincent de Paul launched its motel-to-home program in 2020, it's rehoused nearly 200 people, she said. United Way is on track to relocate one household a day this ...

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Most banks make it simple to find answers to common questions on their websites, often through a robust FAQ section. But there's no substitute for live communication with a real person — whether you're having login trouble or need to order checks, correct a banking error or report fraudulent activity. Customer service hours vary among banks, with many only offering the ability to speak with a representative during business hours. If you prefer wider access to customer service, you might want a bank that allows you to communicate with a live person anytime. These 12 popular banks, presented alphabetically, offer live 24/7 customer support over the phone or through live online chat. Axos Bank Axos Bank is an online-only bank that provides access to a large network of fee-free ATMs plus unlimited ATM fee reimbursement for some accounts. Over-the-phone customer service is available 24/7 except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Alliant Credit Union Membership in Al...

But shouldn't we attempt to reform the system to better serve us now, while continuing our pursuit of abolition as a long-term goal? This commonly asked question came up on The Takeaway 's episode Deep Dive: Police Abolition, on which Andrea J. Ritchie was featured as an "abolitionist teacher." Other guests argued for the importance of shoring up the police force with further training and better pay as a final or interim solution. But these solutions, and in fact the question itself, convey an inability to imagine a world without police. Taking to Twitter to respond to other guests, Ritchie states that "the bridge to the future we want lies in where we invest resources now, not in continuing to shackle our imaginations to the violence of policing or the failed idea that we can somehow contain it." She and Kaba argue in "Why We Don't Say 'Reform the Police,'" an excerpt published in The Nation , that policing in the United States, ...

The Ledger LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH Imad Dibo, M.D., joined Lakeland Regional Health as an infectious disease specialist. He has substantial experience working in both clinic and hospital settings. Dibo is board certified in infectious diseases and internal medicine. He earned his medical degree and Diploma of Public Health from Damascus University in Damascus, Syria. He completed the Categorical Residency Program in Internal Medicine and Fellowship Program in Infectious Diseases at Suny at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. He cares for patients at the Medical Center. Marines Acevedo Rodriguez, M.D., provides holistic geriatrics care. She has extensive experience in palliative care, hospice and internal medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez is board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. She earned her medical degree from...

The handful of local nonprofits trying to help extended-stay motel residents find stable, affordable housing is "overwhelmed" by the huge number of appeals, St. Vincent de Paul Georgia's new housing director, Mariel Risner Sivley, told Atlanta Civic Circle on Friday. In metro Atlanta alone, more than 25,000 lower-income people, often with families, are using motel rooms as permanent or semi-permanent residences, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.  Risner Sivley said St. Vincent de Paul's "motel-to-home" program—like those of United Way of Greater Atlanta, New Life Community Ministries, and other nonprofits—faces a herculean task in trying to rehouse even a fraction of these motel-dwellers in affordable apartments.  Since St. Vincent de Paul launched its motel-to-home program in 2020, it's rehoused nearly 200 people, she said. United Way is on track to relocate one household a day this ...

The boa constrictor after it was found on a canal path near Chasewater. Photo: Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue - Midlands The boa constrictor, which was said to be sunning itself in a bid to try and keep warm, was found on the path in Chasewater, near Cannock, on Thursday. Volunteers from Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue - Midlands were called to collect the snake. The charity is now housing the snake and monitoring its health while waiting to see if anyone comes forward to claim ownership. Founder Lindsay Newell said there's a chance the snake could have escaped, which was found in a spot not near any houses, but nobody has so far come forward. "The lady and gentleman who came across it on the canal path, they were shocked, she said. "I'm not sure what it was doing where it was, it was in the middle of nowhere. "We've had a few offers to rehome it, but we won't do it straight away. Until we know its eating OK. It's now in a vivarium." V...

Most banks make it simple to find answers to common questions on their websites, often through a robust FAQ section. But there's no substitute for live communication with a real person — whether you're having login trouble or need to order checks, correct a banking error or report fraudulent activity. Customer service hours vary among banks, with many only offering the ability to speak with a representative during business hours. If you prefer wider access to customer service, you might want a bank that allows you to communicate with a live person anytime. These 12 popular banks, presented alphabetically, offer live 24/7 customer support over the phone or through live online chat. Axos Bank Axos Bank is an online-only bank that provides access to a large network of fee-free ATMs plus unlimited ATM fee reimbursement for some accounts. Over-the-phone customer service is available 24/7 except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Alliant Credit Union Membership in Al...

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The Ledger LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH Imad Dibo, M.D., joined Lakeland Regional Health as an infectious disease specialist. He has substantial experience working in both clinic and hospital settings. Dibo is board certified in infectious diseases and internal medicine. He earned his medical degree and Diploma of Public Health from Damascus University in Damascus, Syria. He completed the Categorical Residency Program in Internal Medicine and Fellowship Program in Infectious Diseases at Suny at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. He cares for patients at the Medical Center. Marines Acevedo Rodriguez, M.D., provides holistic geriatrics care. She has extensive experience in palliative care, hospice and internal medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez is board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. She earned her medical degree from...

Climate researchers say Hurricane Ian is exactly the type of monster hurricane to expect in the future as global heat-trapping pollution keeps rising. On a thermometer, a tenth of a degree seems tiny, barely noticeable. But small changes in average temperature can reverberate in a global climate to turn into big disasters as weather gets wilder and more extreme in a warmer world. In 2015, countries around the world agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and pursue a goal of curbing warming to 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) as part of the Paris Agreement. Two degrees of difference might not be noticeable if you're gauging the weather outside, but for global average temperatures, these small numbers make a big difference. "Every tenth of a degree matters," is a phrase that climate scientists around the world keep repeating....