Virginia Focus

More than six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease and by 2050, that number is expected to skyrocket to 13 million. The FDA approved two new treatments that slow the progression of the disease, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, also known as CMS, is setting a dangerous precedent by requiring consent from patients in a way that's never been demanded before. Now many doctors, elected leaders, and families are afraid patients will face health disparities and that the move could be expanded to limit access to other medications. Let's hear more from the Chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and Chairman of Health Policy and Management at Emory University, Dr. Kenneth Thorpe.

New proposed rules from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service require brokers of digital assets to provide clarity to taxpayers on tax requirements. They say the move is an effort to crack down on tax cheats while helping law-abiding taxpayers know how much they owe on the sale or exchange of digital assets. On this episode, we're talking to the Director of Government Solutions for TaxBit, Miles Fuller.

High food costs creating more food insecurity coupled with gas prices that are dollars away from the price four years ago - families making over $100-thousand dollars a year living paycheck to paycheck - these are the headlines that affect Americans in 2023. As well, about 362-thousand workers have gone on strike so far in 2023, compared with just 36-thousand over the same period two years ago. The average American feels financially unstable. Can anything be done to fix this mess? On this episode we're discussing financial current events with Alex Caldarone, the President of Calderone Advisory Group.

When you want to hear the inclusive story of Virginia's history, some people hope you turn to Encyclopedia Virginia. The mission of the site is to provide a free, reliable, multimedia resource for students, teachers, and communities who seek to understand how the past informs the present and the future. On this episode, we're focusing on the story of Thomas Fuller, an enslaved man born in the 1700's who earned renown at the end of his life for his ability to calculate numbers in his head and we'll learn more about Encyclopedia Virginia. Specifically, let's talk to Brendan Wolfe, the author of the Fuller biography and the former editor of Encyclopedia Virginia.

During Green Career Week, participating businesses and organizations will connect with local schools, colleges and universities to showcase the various career paths at their business. Seed Your Future started the movement to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. They hope to introduce students to vital horticultural, agricultural, and floriculture jobs - including STEM, business, design, logistics, marketing, and more. Let's learn more from Seed Your Future's Executive Director Jazmin Albarran.

Since 1 in 3 children in the United States deal with food allergies, it's imperative that parents be prepared and help their children and their classmates learn about the possible consequences of allergic reactions. On this episode, we are discussing innovative treatments, that latest guidance for epi devices, legislation to increase research funding, and more. Let's get more information from FARE Senior Director of Education and Support Dr. Kelly Cleary.

New groundbreaking investments hope to create jobs, improve graduation rates, and support thousands of students in over a thousand schools in America. Communities in Schools hopes to also help students in Virginia and across the nation overcome nonacademic challenges like poverty and health concerns by providing mentors, counseling, and access to essential resources. To learn more about this initiative, we're talking to CIS President and CEO Rey Saldaña.

Soon borrowers who are out of college will have to resume paying back their federal student loans after more than three years. Some parents may prioritize their child's financial needs over their own need to prepare for retirement, which is not recommended. As federal student loan repayments restart, many who owe will wonder how best to prepare their budget for this returning expense. We're talking to SoFi's Manager of Financial Planning and Student Loan Expert Brian Walsh to get some answers to your most common questions.

Cybersecurity statistics from Astra Security indicate that there are 2,200 cyber attacks per day, with a cyber attack happening every 39 seconds on average. In the US, a data breach costs an average of $9.44M, and cybercrime is predicted to cost $8 trillion by 2023. As a result, there is a growing demand for skilled technology talent. In a 2021 survey of chief information officers from federal agencies and contractors, results show 32% of respondents say fewer graduates with IT skills is having an impact on their ability to deliver services effectively. On today's episode we're talking about this situation with Federal Practices Lead at Revature John Dow.

Debt is the real factor that drives both economic growth and financial crises from recessions to extreme inequality. In order to understand this paradox, we need to address why a certain amount of private debt is vital to the economy. On this episode, we're talking to Richard Vague, an author, Former Secretary of Banking for Pennsylvania, and former CEO of two banks. His new book "Paradox of Debt" reveals the role that debt plays in our lives, and how we can make better use of it without leading to crisis.