JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Thousands of drivers in Missouri could be driving cars that have been previously totaled in an accident, and never even know it. That's because current law says if the car is more than six years old, the title does not have to be stamped as salvage.

This week, a proposed new law that would change that - SB 369 - is expected to get a hearing in the state Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Jason Levine, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety, said drivers have a right to know what they're buying - no matter how many years the vehicle has been on the road.

"People should know that a car has been beyond 80 percent or more damaged,” Levine said. “And this is particularly of concern when things like flooded cars are at risk. It's really a consumer education bill."

SB 369 would remove the age limit on salvage vehicles so any car that has been totaled will forever have "salvage" on its title. Levine said some salvage cars can be repaired so they are safe to drive, but many can have invisible damage to the sensors and rot from the inside out.

Opponents of the bill say consumers already can get the necessary information with a title search, and note the change could hurt sales of pre-owned cars.

Levine said after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, lots of cars that had been flooded ended up for sale in states with weak salvage title rules.

"After there's a flood somewhere else in the country, and we certainly saw this the summer before last in Houston, Texas, a lot of those vehicles unfortunately get shipped around the country,” he said. “Some of them are fine, but some of them should probably never be driven again."

Missouri just declared a state of emergency because of flooding, and the spring rainy season is just getting under way. So there will likely be a lot of salvage vehicles coming out of the Show-Me State and across the Midwest in the coming months. Experts advise consumers to buy a report showing a vehicle's entire history and to get the car checked out by a mechanic before purchasing a used vehicle.


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The holiday shopping season is here, and people are being reminded about the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses, in Wisconsin and elsewhere.

A recent Global State of Small Business Report, issued by social media company Meta, notes the closure rate for minority-led small firms was 7% higher than other operations. And more than half led by Black owners reported lower sales than the previous year.

Trinity Rush, assistant event coordinator with the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce, said there's still an uneven recovery from the pandemic. She said by helping these businesses, they can have stronger communities and inspire others to follow suit.

"When you talk to people, [or] you do business with people as the same background as you," said Rush, "you can have that moment to educate them in the way that can relate, that you can more get in tune with them."

Rush has her own business called Trin-setter, which sells beanies and hats designed to protect a person's hairstyle.

She said her product has cultural significance for the Black community, although it's useful for other customers as well.

Since the racial reckoning, there are calls for consumers and larger companies to be more inclusive in retail and other forms of business.

Rush said stronger support for Black-owned businesses, especially those still struggling, coincides with any progress in making their communities more vibrant, such as better access to health coverage.

She said she hopes shoppers keep this in mind when they're planning their purchases.

"Now would be a time to come back and support them and help them," said Rush, "you know, get back up and running and just, you know, feed their dreams."

Just 2.5% of businesses in the U.S. are Black-owned, even though nearly 13% of the country's population is Black.

A bill passed by the New York State Legislature would provide ratepayers with a voice in utility rate increases.

The utility intervenor bill would provide for funding to allow individuals or not-for-profit groups to have a seat at the table when utility companies go before the state's Public Service Commission for a rate increase.

High inflation and rising costs have been prompting rate increases across the U.S.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, energy prices in October were up 17.6% from the previous year.

Bill Ferris, legislative representative for AARP New York, said increasing rates adds to an ongoing cycle of owed payments by ratepayers.

"The end result of ever-increasing energy rates in New York is people, when they can't pay their bill, are given the opportunities to try and make up what they owe," said Ferris. "But the arrears just pile up, and here in New York, we had and continue to have an arrears crisis where people are terminated from their utility services."

Much of the opposition to the bill has come from utility companies, particularly about the way the bill is written.

Analysis by AARP New York found ratepayers were billed almost $19 million for utility company's representation in these negotiations.

Although the bill has been passed by the Legislature, it's still awaiting the governor's signature.

Currently, people can call the Public Service Commission during rate increases - but Ferris said he feels this provides a more effective way to participate, allowing ratepayers to counter rate increases made by utility companies.

He said he doesn't want high rate hikes being approved without further examination.

"We believe that this legislation becomes law," said Ferris. "Residential ratepayers should have solid representation at the table and hopefully will push down residential rates in the state of New York."

With winter approaching, people will be consuming more energy to heat their homes. A report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association finds families will be paying 17.2% more to heat their homes this winter.

Since rates have been on the rise, Ferris said he hopes people have an even playing field for voicing concerns about rate hikes.

With Thanksgiving over, the holiday shopping season has the full attention of many Americans. But in Minnesota and elsewhere, people are being asked to be responsible when buying lottery tickets as gifts.

The Minnesota Lottery and the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling are again taking part in an annual campaign to discourage giving scratch-off tickets and related games to kids under 18.

The Alliance's Executive Director Susan Sheridan Tucker said while giving one or two tickets as a stocking stuffer might seem harmless, a child can misconstrue how often someone can win.

"So," said Tucker, "if they happen to get a ticket that gives them money, it sends a message that, 'Oh, well, this is pretty easy. Every time I do this, I'm going to get a reward.'"

She said most young people aren't familiar with the actual odds of winning.

Tucker added that there's growing concern about gambling trends among teens. The most recent Minnesota Student Survey found roughly 10,000 students reported having gambling-related problems.

The broader campaign is led by the National Council on Problem Gambling.

The Minnesota Lottery's Public Affairs Strategist Marie Hinton said in addition to sending the wrong message, adults need to remember that it's a matter of following the law.

"By law, in Minnesota," said Hinton, "a person must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a lottery ticket or to redeem a lottery prize, that's very clear. And it's also clearly stated in the contract that all of our retailers sign."

She said that message is also reinforced in newsletters and training information retailers receive.

And this should stick with adults not only during the holidays but year-round, as it can be a concern for graduation season and other milestone celebrations.

The Alliance says parents should also pay close attention to built-in gambling components in online video games, to see if any troubling patterns emerge.