Gas Prices Hold Steady Amid Declining Oil Costs, AAA Reports | Small Biz Trends

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The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline edged up slightly this week to $3.18, according to AAA. While this time of year often sees seasonal increases in prices due to rising demand, a drop in crude oil prices is helping to stabilize prices at the pump.

AAA attributed the downward pressure on prices to economic concerns and a decision by OPEC+ to increase oil output despite sluggish global demand. The agency noted that “the lower the price of oil, the less drivers pay at the pump.” Compared to this time last year, the national average is nearly 50 cents lower.

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SBA Reminds Pennsylvania Small Businesses of Upcoming Deadline for Drought Relief Loans | Small Biz Trends

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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is urging small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia affected by the September 2024 drought to apply for federal disaster loans before the June 2, 2025 deadline.

The assistance comes under a disaster declaration for Greene, Fayette, and Washington counties in Pennsylvania and Marshall, Monongalia, and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. Eligible applicants include small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture enterprises, and private nonprofits (PNPs) that experienced financial losses due to the drought that began on September 24, 2024.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

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Benefits and Risks of Corporate Wellness Programs | Business.com

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Offering employee benefits packages that go beyond health insurance and retirement plans is a great way for smaller businesses to attract and hold on to top-level employees. However, setting up flexible benefits offerings like corporate wellness programs isn’t as simple as organizing a walking group or offering yoga class discounts. You must recognize the potential legal implications and issues when you start participating actively in your employees’ personal lives.

Here’s what you need to know about corporate wellness programs, including how they can aid companies and their employees, and the rules and legal aspects to consider when you launch these programs.

What are corporate wellness programs?

Corporate wellness programs are initiatives led by a company to boost or sustain the health of employees, with consideration for factors both inside and outside the workplace.

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What Is Employee Job Rotation? | Business.com

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The practice of job rotations in the workplace is a popular way to allocate staffing where it is needed most. It also cycles employees through different roles throughout a team, department or organization with the principal objective of cross-training. If you’re considering job rotations within your business, it is essential to understand what this practice entails and the pros and cons of this type of program.

What is a job rotation?

Job rotation is the practice of exposing employees to multiple roles within the organization. In addition to owning and mastering their own role, employees get to experience (and often train in) other positions within the company. “Job rotation can be a smart strategy when used with a clear purpose,” said Vikrant Bhalodia, head of marketing and people ops at WeblineIndia. “It helps employees achieve new skills, keeps them busy, and prepares them for leadership roles. For employers, it creates a more adaptable task force, reduces skills gaps, and strengthens the succession plan.”

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This Android redesign looks smashing, but I wish it came sooner | Digital Trends

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Every year, Google adds a potpourri of features to Android. Visually, however, it changes only once a few years. The last time Google made significant visual changes, it was with Android 12 over three years ago. In the coming months, Google is expected to kick off another cycle of aesthetic overhaul, with significant changes sprinkled across the UI. These appear right before Google is set to launch Android 16, and has ignites new expectations — but I’m afraid this comes too little, too late.

The redesigned Android interface brings a breath of freshness, with visually engaging colors and completely refreshed sliders across the interface. Even smaller elements, including icons in the status bar, are going under the knife, and coming out slightly more detailed than were in the previous iterations. Many aspects of the interface appear to have adopted a translucent cloak, giving it a more modern look. While the visual impact is undeniable, the timing is rather odd.

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3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (May 2-4) | Digital Trends

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Although the streaming revolution has many benefits, it’s hard to pick something to watch because of the multitude of options. As the weather gets warmer, you might be looking for an ideal way to pass a lazy evening on Amazon Prime Video.

Thankfully, that’s where we come in. We’ve pulled together a list of three excellent movies that are all quite different and worth your time this weekend.

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The Secret to Staying Booked as a Handyman in the DIY Era | The Startup Magazine

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If you think about it, there’s a strange confidence that hits people after watching a five-minute YouTube tutorial. Suddenly, they’re experts in drywall patching, garbage disposal installation, and electrical work. Pretty much, they treat that one short tutorial as if they’re now officially a repair technician when they’re the furthest thing from it. So yeah, basically, wrench in one hand, a phone in the other, and somehow, it’ll all work out, well, until it doesn’t.

These days, being a handyman comes with a new challenge: convincing people they actually need help. The rise of DIY culture has made it look easy to fix everything solo. But behind the camera cuts and upbeat background music, there’s a big difference between “it looks simple” and “it’s done right.” So, how does a handyman stand out when everyone thinks they’ve got it covered on their own? Yeah, it’s a good question, but there are some answers!

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How to Improve Your Digital Marketing Strategy Long-Term | The Startup Magazine

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You’ll already know you’ll need a digital marketing strategy to help bring in leads for your business. It’ll expand your brand awareness and help you generate more sales. This only happens when everything’s going as well as possible. That doesn’t always happen.

You could need to improve your digital marketing strategy to see better results. Countless businesses end up in this position. Getting through it doesn’t need to be complicated. Focusing on the right steps could make this more straightforward than you’d expect. Three of these could help quite a bit.

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Trump eases tariffs on US car makers | BBC News

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US President Donald Trump has signed an order to ease the impact of new tariffs on the auto industry, which had sparked warnings about higher prices and the potential for significant hits to sales and production.

The change will allow carmakers with US factories to reduce the amount they pay in import taxes on foreign parts, using a formula tied to how many cars they sell and the price.

The provision is intended to provide relief to businesses for two years as they rework their supply chains, White House officials said.

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Trump congratulates Canada’s Carney as they agree to meet in ‘near future’ | BBC News

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US President Donald Trump has called Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to congratulate him on his victory in the country’s general election, and the two have agreed to meet in the near future.

The two countries were expected to enter talks about a new economic and security relationship after Monday’s vote.

Trump’s trade tariffs and repeated comments undermining Canada’s sovereignty overshadowed the race, which ended with Carney’s Liberals projected to win a minority government, according to public broadcaster CBC.

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