Mary Ellen Cagnassola

What to do if OMNY derails your commute and sanity

The MetroCard is over and OMNY is glitchy as hell; here's what you can do about it

The 53-Year-Old Boutique Keeping SoHo's Bohemian Spirit Alive

Jeffrey Norfolk, who's been here since the neighborhood was flourishing with artists, has kept Paracelso's doors open through decades of change.

Black Taxpayers Are Audited 3 Times More Often Than Other Taxpayers: Study

A collaboration between Stanford analysts and the Treasury Department found IRS audit decisions disproportionately target Black Americans.

The Personal Loan Industry Is Booming - Here's Why

More Americans are taking out unsecured personal loans than ever before. Here's why - and what it means for the future.

Why Vacancies Are Up for Summer Rentals in Some Classic Beach Destinations

Buyers flocked to purchase vacation homes during the pandemic, and that's led to a glut of vacation rentals in classic beach destinations.

AARP Says Social Security's Customer Service Is Dangerously Inadequate

The Social Security Security Administration is in dire need of more funding to improve customer service and support, AARP says.

The Gender Pay Gap Won't Close for Another 33 Years (at Least): Report

Despite significant improvement in earnings since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women in the U.S. are decades away from full pay equity.

This Map Shows How Much Couples in Every State Spend on Weddings

How much does a wedding cost? Couples spend $30,000 on average for their wedding, but our map shows prices vary widely from state to state.

Some Adults Have an Extra Retirement to Pay for: Their Parents'

As more Americans lack sufficient retirement savings, adult children of retirees are getting stuck with the bill.

Lawmakers Want to Boost Social Security Payments by Changing the Way COLA Is Calculated

On paper, an index known as the CPI-E may seem better poised to shield retirees from inflation. Economists argue that it's flawed.

Employers Have a New Way to Help Student Loan Borrowers Save for Retirement. Will They Use It?

Student loan matching could be the relief borrowers need to save for the future - if their companies decide to offer it, that is.

Retirement Is Broken - Is a 'Pension Renaissance' Coming to Save Us?

Research shows that the vast majority of Americans favor pension benefits - but can this retirement-planning relic ever make a comeback?

Why the 'Right' Retirement Age Doesn't Actually Exist

The traditional retirement age isn't ideal for every worker, and researchers say it would impose negative consequences for older Americans.

Why Keeping Your 401(k) After Retiring Could Be a Smart Savings Decision

Recent research shows many retirees are better off keeping their savings in a workplace plan like a 401(k) than rolling them into an IRA.

This Map Shows Which States Still Charge Sales Tax on Groceries, Diapers and Period Products

More than half of U.S. states still charge sales tax on essentials like groceries, diapers, period products or all of the above.

How Your College Major Affects Whether You Have Enough Money for Retirement

New research shows the degree to which choice of college major and student loan debt levels at graduation affect your retirement savings.

Working at the Office Costs Twice as Much as Working Remote: Survey

Employees who returned to the office are probably spending far more compared to working from home. How much more? According to recently released data, working at the office can cost twice as much - adding up to an extra $5,000 a year - even if employees are only commuting a couple days a week.

Student Loan Payments Resume in January, but Most Borrowers Say They Can't Afford to Pay

Many companies featured on Money advertise with us. Opinions are our own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Learn more about how we make money. The U.S. government's student loan payment pause doesn't end for another few months, but financial anxiety is already setting in for borrowers - most of whom who say they won't be able to handle the bill.

Your Next 401(k) Statement Will Show How Far Your Savings Will Actually Go in Retirement -...

Your next 401(k) statement may look like a scary Halloween prank, but don't spit out your pumpkin spice latte just yet. Changes are expected to Americans' retirement plan statements thanks to federal legislation, and one act in particular - the 2019 SECURE Act - will require 401(k) savings to be presented as a monthly income stream in addition to the usual lump sum.

N.J.'s Indigenous groups preserve their piece by carrying on the past

Throughout much of his childhood in Mahwah, Steve Burton carried a creeping feeling that something about him, about his family, was different. He would come to learn years later - well into his 30s, in fact - that this feeling was one his family has carried for generations.

Uprooted Docuseries Investigates Case of Keith Warren, a Black Maryland Teenager Found Hanging...

Sherri Warren remembers her older brother, Keith Warren, as a quiet but confident introvert - the yin to her yang. "He was on the left, I was on the right. Normally, what's on my mind comes out of my mouth," she told PEOPLE. "He, on the other hand, was quiet.

New Jersey Archdiocese Agrees to Pay $87.5 Million Settlement to Survivors of Sexual Abuse

A Roman Catholic Archdiocese in New Jersey reached a multi-million dollar settlement with victims of sexual abuse by clergy members, the diocese and survivors' committee announced Wednesday. The trust will be funded with the payout from the diocese and other related Catholic entities over four years, according to the statements.

https://bushwickdaily.com/news/con-ed-price-hike-bushwick-north-brooklyn/

New Jersey parent coalitions are organizing lawsuits to reopen school districts

Remote learning is tough on students, but for children like the daughter of attorney Keri Avellini Donohue, the pandemic-imposed classroom alternative has proven nothing short of an ordeal. The 11-year-old has an Individual Education Program (IEP), an alternative learning plan for students in special education.

San Francisco, Amid Big Tech's Battles With City, Lost More Residents Than Anywhere Else in US

Almost every major metro area in the U.S. saw an exodus of residents in 2020, but none more so than notoriously expensive San Francisco, a new study found. The most expensive city in the U.S. saw at least twice as many residents leave for other locations last year as it did in 2019, about 18 per 1,000 people.

Texas GOP lawmaker Jared Patterson's pro-gun tweet after Austin shooting draws backlash

Representative Jared Patterson took the tragedy as an opportunity to Tweet about HB 1927, a bill approved by the House last Thursday that eliminates licenses for handguns in Texas unless they're prohibited by state or federal laws from owning a firearm.

Fact Check: Will HR-1 give taxpayer money to federal campaigns?

First introduced in 2019, the HR-1, or the For the People Act, is being hailed by some as the next Voting Rights Act, while opponents are pointing to its key provisions as precursors to election fraud and misuse of public funding.

8 arrested after climate change protesters descend on Ted Cruz's home

The action outside Cruz's home was part of Generation on Fire, a campaign by the organization Sunrise Movement. More than 600 members of the initiative set out in two groups along routes that have been devastated by climate change to demonstrate the urgency of the climate and economic crisis.

Hundreds of casualties reported in shootings across U.S. over July 4th weekend

According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), which compiled data from cities across the country showing hundreds of injuries and deaths over a 72-hour period, the Fourth of July weekend was the most violent weekend in the United States so far this year. Roughly 233 people were killed in the U.S.

Newark Family Suing Essex County Sheriff's Department After Officers Fired 74 Times Into Car

NEWARK, NJ - In the late afternoon of Sept. 26, 2018, Paul "Boink" Braswell climbed into the passenger seat of his cousin's pickup unaware that they were being followed by a multi-agency task force. The detail was investigating Braswell, 29, and his cousin Phil Belton for firearms trafficking.

This is How Newark Parents Teach Their Children About Police Brutality

NEWARK, NJ - By now, most people plugged into the Internet have seen the viral clip of 7-year-old Long Islander Wynta-Amor Rogers chanting "No justice, no peace!" alongside protesters, every ounce of her pint-sized body seething with indignation as she marches against police brutality.

Newark Ousts Christopher Columbus From Washington Park In Dark of Night

NEWARK, NJ - The clamor of djembe drums and laughter danced in the air as a small group gathered in Washington Park late Thursday night. Above them, the source of their joy swung from a crane - Christopher Columbus.

South Ward Residents, City Official Clash with Local Advocacy Group During Mutual Aid March

NEWARK, NJ - Like many local organizations looking to support the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of George Floyd, the Newark Water Coalition (NWC) organized a march in the South Ward on June 12 tied to its mission of mutual aid, a form of political participation in which communities take care of their own through the exchange of resources.

Amid Outrage Over George Floyd Killing, Organizers Advocate for Newark's Civilian Complaint...

NEWARK, NJ - Thousands of demonstrators marched through downtown Newark on Saturday, part of a nationwide show of resistance against police brutality, in response to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Newarkers Protected City from Outsiders Intent on Destruction at Saturday's George Floyd Protest

NEWARK, NJ - By Monday morning, after a weekend of nationwide protests against police brutality that turned to spasms of violence and chaos in many cities, Newark emerged with the distinction of having led a peaceful demonstration of thousands with minimal destruction.

Newark Faces $143.5M Deficit Without Federal Aid, Officials Say

NEWARK, NJ - Amid conflict between the states and federal government over additional aid for areas of the United States most crippled by the coronavirus, New Jersey's largest city is saying it could suffer a $143 million budget impact without support.

As Unemployment Mounts During COVID-19, Newark Renters Are Also Contending with Illegal Evictions

NEWARK, NJ - During the early weeks of the public health crisis, South Newark resident Rodney Codjoe watched as his job at Flying Food Group, a private provider of airline meals, slipped away from him hour by hour.

Domestic Violence is on the Rise in Newark, But Advocates Aren't Seeing More Calls. Here's Why.

NEWARK, NJ - At the Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center on Clinton Avenue, Project Manager Keesha Eure wields a phone in each hand as she takes calls and makes more, a juggling act Newark's many social workers have come to know well as they adjust to the ways of service during a pandemic.

City pulls two bodies from private nursing homes amid "disturbing" conditions

NEWARK, NJ - The city is intervening on privately-owned, state-supervised nursing homes after a series of visits this week that officials allege alarming mismanagement of coronavirus safety procedures, including two dead residents who had been left for two days.

ICE Orders Essex County to Stop Reporting Detainee Release Information, Test Results

NEWARK, NJ - Just two weeks after Essex County Correctional Facility became one of the first jails in the United States to test all ICE detainees for the coronavirus, U.S. Immigration and Customs officials are blocking Essex County Officials from reporting the results to the public.

In Protecting Homeless from Coronavirus, Social Workers Emerge as Newark's Backbone

NEWARK, NJ - Tuesday was a sunlit morning on the Raymond Plaza side of Newark Penn Station. Those who call the transit hub their home milled about sharing conversation and cigarillos. Inside, more of Newark Penn's residents stood shoulder-to-shoulder.

A Newark Salon's Last Day Open Before Being Closed by Coronavirus Measures

NEWARK, NJ - Kleen Kutz on Bergen Street is a business divided into two hemispheres: On one side, the sound of clippers collides with raucous male debate, and next door, women exchange banter while they receive any number of hair services. Usually, there is laughter handy regardless of which side one chooses.

Ironbound Shirtmaker Converts Business to Mask Manufacturing

NEWARK, NJ - If there's one skill the family behind Mel Gambert Custom Shirtmakers has become expert at since opening their first shop on Springfield Avenue in 1933, it wouldn't necessarily be drafting patterns - it's perseverance.

Acknowledging First COVID-19 Case, Newark Mayor Enacts Executive Order Providing Relief for...

Newark, NJ - Surrounded by city and county officials on Sunday afternoon, Mayor Ras Baraka confirmed the city's first confirmed case of COVID-19, putting Newark among six Essex County towns with positive cases so far. One more positive case is just under 18 hours into investigation, according to Marc Wade, Director of the Department of Health and Community Wellness.

Rookie Balvir Singh takes on freeholder role as first Sikh to hold county office in NJ

Balvir Singh, by all accounts, was not expected to win the November race for two contested seats on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders. With little political experience and the odds stacked against him as a Democrat running against two seasoned Republicans who boasted strong name recognition and years of service on the board, Singh and running mate Tom Pullion's disadvantage was not helped by their lean campaign budget.

How Palmyra's native son found himself at the forefront of civil rights history

It was not until 1991, as what seemed like the entire Palmyra community lined up for their father's viewing on a frigid January evening, that the children of Payton Flournoy fully realized he was kind of a big deal. "Good grief, Dad was police chief before Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech, before the March on Washington.

Still life: School spokesperson finds peace in her surroundings - The Sun Newspapers

After rediscovering herself through meditation, retired pro basketball star Valerie Still has forged a new legacy in Palmyra #PalmyraProud: In her office, Still works behind the scenes to rebrand Palmyra Public Schools through research into the district's past and present, which she uses to update the social media accounts she helped launch.

City Dignitaries Examine Former Mayor Kenneth Gibson's Legacy at Paul Robeson Center

NEWARK, NJ - Just three years out from under one of the largest civil rebellions the United States had ever seen, Newark was a city with needs befitting the trauma of such a pivotal moment in local and national history.

Two New Public Schools are Coming to Newark in 2020

NEWARK, NJ - Newark Students and families will have additional public school options available to them in September 2020, the Board of Education revealed Tuesday, one of which will give high schoolers the opportunity to pursue a focus in diplomacy and languages.

Murphy Visits Launch Pad Newark Ahead of Hopeful Tax Incentives Overhaul

NEWARK, NJ - As part of a push for a new tax incentives program that would overhaul the state's system of lenient corporate tax breaks, Gov. Phil Murphy toured and spoke at Launch Pad Newark on Thursday presenting optimism that reforms will yield more coworking spaces and reward local hiring across the city and state.

NJPAC's $175 million capital campaign sets stage for redevelopment, expanded programming

NEWARK, NJ -- Joined on the stage by Gov. Phil Murphy, arts supporters and Newark city officials, New Jersey Performing Arts Center President John Schreiber revealed Tuesday that the theater broke the $100 million mark in its current fundraising campaign.

Newark BOE Makes Moves to Secure Total Local Control in 2020

NEWARK, NJ - After three years of surpassing expectations set forth by the New Jersey Department of Education's monitoring system for bottom-performing schools, the Newark Board of Education is preparing to submit an application whose approval would finally restore total local control to the district.

Newark BOE Makes Moves to Secure Total Local Control in 2020

NEWARK, NJ - After three years of surpassing expectations set forth by the New Jersey Department of Education's monitoring system for bottom-performing schools, the Newark Board of Education is preparing to submit an application whose approval would finally restore total local control to the district.

Audible Treats its Employees to 'Lunch Out' at Newark Eateries 30K Times and Counting

NEWARK, NJ - Considering the appearance of coffee bars, ping pong tables and cafeterias featuring multinational cuisine in offices over the past decade, it would be fair to argue that companies are going to great lengths (and paying top dollar) to keep their employees in the building.

Newark Public Schools is Raising the Bar on Culture in Classrooms

NEWARK, NJ - This time last year, just before Newark Public Schools took back local control from the state, a conversation about implementing black and Latinx history curriculum in Newark was just that: a conversation, and one that educators, community members and advocates often felt was falling on deaf ears in light of uncertainty about the district's capacity to meet the challenge.