Horseshoe Chamber Blog

29Dec

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How Arizona Tax Payers can Help Needy Students

Arizona residents can spread some extra holiday cheer this season in a little-known way. With a tax credit program, they can donate funds to school children in need. The tax credit program is “one of the state’s best kept secrets,” according to AZ Central. The program allows taxpayers to give $200 each to a public school or charter school of their choice. Many public schools are running low on important resources and rely on state funding to provide them with the supplies they need. Tax credit donations are an easy way to give back at the price of a postage stamp. The benefit? Taxpayers get a dollar-for-dollar discount on their 2015 tax bill if filed by Dec. 31st. The tax credit program has existed for 18 years, but many residents are still unaware of its benefits. The money go...

17Dec

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Prevent Plumbing Problems Before They Happen This Holiday Season, Arizona

Arizona might not get much precipitation, but temperatures do go below zero, which can cause plumbing problems. Who has the time to deal with an issue like that at this time of the year with all of the holiday rushing around going on? Here are just a few of the things professionals say you can do to prevent the most common of holiday plumbing problems. Keep pipes warm. Frozen pipes aren't typically a huge issue in the Grand Canyon State, but it only takes one night of freezing weather to destroy your pipes. If you plan on going out of town this holiday, make sure you leave your heater on to keep the pipes warm. If you have an outdoor spigot, put styrofoam insulation over it. It's also a good idea to leave a drip in the faucet, since moving water is less likely to freeze. In the event that...

Phoenix Couple Face Serious Charges for Running Used Car Dealership Scam

15Dec

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Phoenix Couple Face Serious Charges for Running Used Car Dealership Scam

UPDATED 11/12/20 Salvage cars for sale are cars found unfit to drive or are considers illegal on the roads. Such cars are sold at a lower price. People then repair them and, after passing state, inspection is considered fit for driving. Although they can be found on auto sites for used cars, they are not the right choice for everybody. Things to consider before buying any used cars for sale Before purchasing any used cars for sale, ensure that you understand the cars' performance review when they were first released. Confirm that the cars are free from mechanical problems. Finally, carry out crash test ratings and features to determine its safety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7KhifVI840 A Phoenix used car dealership is in some hot water right now after admitting that i...

10Dec

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Arizona One of the Leading States for Veterans Hired

The health and well-being of military veterans should be one of the country's highest priorities. Many companies in Arizona appear to be doing their part to support such efforts as new data from WalletHub, a financial information site, shows that they rank near the top in terms of hiring numbers and standard of living metrics, according to AZCentral.com. Several businesses in particular have even implemented special policies to try and increase the number of military vets they hire with respect to the fact that many face challenges integrating back into civilian life. In total, there are 21.2 million veterans in the United States, of which 422,000 were unemployed as of October, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, four Arizona cities made the top 20 of WalletHub...

9Dec

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Popular Consumer Website Names Scottsdale as One of the Top Ten Places to Retire in 2015

While retiring to Scottsdale used to be one of the best-kept secrets of local retirees, the population is set to increase after a major website has named the city as one of the top ten best places to retire in 2015. According to local news affiliate ABC 15, Scottsdale ranked tenth on the Livability.com Top Ten Best Places to Retire list for 2015, which is no surprise to the thousands of people already spending their golden years in the city. Approximately 28% of the city's population is 60 or older, and there are a few key reasons that so many retirees flock to Scottsdale. A major factor in the city's ranking is that it's located in Arizona, one of the only states that does not tax Social Security checks. Other primary reasons for Scottsdale's showing on the list include the city'...

7Dec

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Arizona Inspectors Tangle with Testing Company Theranos for Failing to Meet Lab Regulations

A major Silicon Valley lab-testing company is in some hot water after lab inspectors in Arizona found several issues in its practices, management, and general direction. According to USA Today, lab-testing giant Theranos recently suspended use of its finger-prick blood draw technique after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised concerns with the technology. As it turns out, this decision was prompted by Arizona inspectors who questioned the company's consistent failure to meet basic lab regulations. The failed inspection centered around four main deficiencies at the lab: proficiency testing; validation of instruments used to analyze blood samples; humidity levels for lab instruments; and blood sample collection methods. Theranos currently operates retail locations in 40 diff...

4Dec

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Small Businesses Hurt By Rising Health Care Costs

Small businesses are finding it difficult to keep up with rising health insurance costs sweeping the nation. The National Small Business Association did a recent survey of over 800 small businesses and found that most of those offering health benefits saw them as necessary for recruiting and retaining workers. About 90% of those business owners reported an increase in costs in their last renewal. Only 41% of companies with zero to five employees are now offering health coverage, and the concern is that with costs on the rise, even larger small businesses will have to cut back. This survey was only "the tip of the iceberg when it comes to health-care costs for small businesses," Rick Murray, the CEO of the Arizona Small Business Association, told the East Arizona Courier. "Although...

1Dec

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Arizona’s Reservations Are Some of the Poorest Areas in the Country

Nobody expected Arizona to be the wealthiest state in the country, but it may be poorer than most people would have predicted. According to new research from the Washington-based Economic Innovation Group, 22% of Arizonans -- or more than one in five state residents -- live in poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Ten Arizona ZIP codes are on the list of America’s poorest 100 neighborhoods, according to the Phoenix Business Journal; one of these ZIP codes is located in Phoenix, while the other nine are located on Native American reservations. In fact, it’s hard to ignore the connection between Arizona’s poorest communities and its Native American communities. In Yuma and Apache counties, two out of every three residents lives at or below the poverty line. In the town of Blackwater, whic...

1Dec

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Refugees Entering Arizona Through Mexican Border Ignite Fear Over Border Security

The Nov. 13 terrorist attacks on Paris have many Americans wondering, just how safe is our country right now? Lawmakers across the country have taken sides on the refugee debate, either saying that the U.S. should welcome refugees or that it should refuse to accept any refugees for fear that terrorists would slip in undetected. After all, many people are arguing, a group like ISIS clearly isn’t afraid to get creative with its strategies for infiltrating a country. ISIS seems just as likely to use a vehicle-born improvised explosive device (VBIED) of up to 22.5 tons in weight as it is likely to win over converts through propaganda videos distributed on social media. Although immigration has always been a hot topic in Arizona, it’s not exactly commonplace to encounter immigrants fro...

25Nov

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How Apps Are Helping Businesses Thrive

From children to seniors, everyone is plugged in these days. And given the multitude of apps on the market, there are endless things to do on our smart devices. In fact, the year 2014 saw a 76% increase in app usage and engagement, totaling to more than two trillion recorded app sessions that year alone. And while a great deal of attention is given to applications that entertain us or facilitate social media engagement, new applications are bringing tech savvy convenience to small businesses, allowing to work smarter -- not harder. According to recent statistics released in September 2015 by statista.com, business apps were the second most popular downloaded apps, with more than 100 billion downloaded from the App Store. Ranging from secure payment apps to scheduling and appointment ap...