Current Events in December 2020

Walmart is dropping its $35 minimum order requirement for Walmart+ members to receive free shipping, a move that is seen as ratcheting up the competition with Amazon.

Starting Friday, Walmart+ members can get free next-day and two-day delivery on all orders from the company’s website, regardless of how much they spend. Company officials hope the perk will attract more consumers to Walmart+.

“Customers have been clear, they want this benefit,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer at Walmart. “Being able to toss an item into your cart, regardless the total, and check out right away lets them knock little things off their to-do list in no time.”

Deliveries from Walmart stores still carry a $35 minimum. Walmart+ members currently get unlimited free grocery deliveries, fuel discounts, and the ability to use Scan and Go in stores, which lets customers shop and check out with their phone.

The move matches Amazon Prime’s policy of offering members free delivery regardless of the size of the order. While the two programs have different costs and benefits, Walmart has now leveled the playing field in one area that consumers appear to value.

More places to use fuel discounts

Walmart said it is also expanding the number of locations where members can use their fuel discounts. They will now include Sam’s Club fuel stations across the country. The discounts are already available at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express fuel stations.

Walmart+ launched earlier this year with an annual membership just under $100 a year, making it slightly less costly than Amazon Prime. The rollout included same-day grocery delivery and reserved delivery windows. 

A report cited by CNBC put total Walmart+ membership in mid-November at 19 million U.S. households, based on a survey. The same report puts Amazon Prime membership at an estimated 126 million people.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 690 model year 2021 Lincoln Aviators.

The steering knuckles may have been manufactured improperly.

The improperly manufactured knuckle may fracture, reducing steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front knuckle, and replace it -- if necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 14, 2020.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S69.

A bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday unveiled a $908 billion stimulus proposal with the aim of putting an end to a partisan impasse that has now spanned several months. 

The proposal doesn’t include another direct payment to most Americans. However, it would address issues such as the need to extend major economic aid programs. Programs set to expire at the end of this month include an unemployment insurance extension, a federal student loan payment moratorium, and eviction protections.

The draft bill outlined on Tuesday includes $288 billion in small business aid, $160 billion in state and local government relief, and $180 billion to funnel into a $300 per week supplemental unemployment benefits through March.

Additionally, $16 billion would go towards vaccine distribution, testing, and contact tracing; $82 billion would be put towards education; and $45 billion would be carved out for transportation. It would also designate funds for rental assistance, child care, and broadband.

Second wave straining economy 

The proposal was unveiled at a news conference on Tuesday. It was drafted by Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the Senate, including Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Susan Collins (R-Maine). 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the two main negotiators on a stimulus package, are reportedly set to speak on the phone later on Tuesday. The two will primarily discuss a spending bill that Congress needs to pass before December 11 to keep the government running. Mnuchin told reporters that they may talk “a little bit” about new coronavirus relief. 

The proposal of a new stimulus bill comes amid a second wave of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. The surge in cases threatens to further strain the nation’s economy and hospitals.

“It is absolutely essential that we pass emergency relief,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) at the news conference.

This year, Cyber Monday spending was widely expected to smash records -- and it did just that. 

According to a report from Adobe Analytics, consumers spent $10.8 billion online on Monday, setting a record for the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history and beating last year’s $9.4 billion Cyber Monday record. 

Adobe, which analyzes website transactions from 80 of the top 100 U.S. online retailers, said consumers got some of the biggest discounts on computers (28 percent), sporting goods (20 percent), toys (19 percent), appliances (20 percent), and electronics (27 percent). 

With the pandemic still keeping people at home, many consumers purchased toys and electronics to keep family members entertained. Some of the top sellers in the toy category included Lego Sets, vTech Toys, and scooters. In the electronics category, top sellers included Apple AirPods, Apple Watches, HP & Dell Computers, and Chromecast.     

Key insights

Adobe said it expects online shopping and curbside pickup to continue to be used more often this holiday season compared to years past. On Monday, Adobe said the number of orders placed online and picked up curbside was up 30 percent from a year ago.

“Throughout the remainder of the holiday season, we expect to see record sales continue and curbside pickup to gain even more momentum as shoppers avoid crowds and potential shipping delays,” said Taylor Schreiner, a director at Adobe Digital Insights.

The firm said a significant percentage of Cyber Monday purchases (37 percent) were made on smartphones, continuing a trend that has emerged over the past few years. Researchers noted that early discounts offered by retailers during the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday didn’t have a major impact on the day’s spending totals. 

“Cyber Monday continued to dominate the holiday shopping season, becoming the biggest online shopping day in US history, despite early discounts from retailers,” Schreiner said.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 13,566,283 (13,399,855)

Total U.S. deaths: 268,262 (266,986)

Total global cases: 63,478,019 (62,924,259)

Total global deaths: 1,472,917 (1,462,989)

Deaths rise 63 percent in November

The number of deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) rose sharply in November as the nation recorded more than 4 million new cases of the virus.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University shows there were approximately 39,000 deaths in the last month attributed to the virus, a 63 percent increase over the approximately 24,000 deaths in October.

But November was far from America’s deadliest month. In April, the second month of the pandemic, there were approximately 57,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Spike linked to shopping at big retail stores

Your chances of avoiding the coronavirus are a lot better if you stay out of big-box retail stores. That’s the assessment of El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, who leads a city where cases of the virus have spiked in recent weeks.

“We did a deep dive in our contact tracing for the week of November the 10th through the 16th and found that 55 percent of the positives were coming from shopping at large retailers, what we’d term as the big box stores,” Margo told CBS News. 

While state and local officials have wide leeway over restaurants and small retailers, big-box retailers are classified as “essential” under federal guidelines. Margo said local officials don’t have any control over whether these retailers are open or how they operate.

Hospitalizations approach 100,000

A measure of how quickly the coronavirus is spreading is the increasing burden on the nation’s hospitals. The COVID-19 Tracking project at Johns Hopkins University reported a record 93,000 people were being treated for the virus in U.S. hospitals as of Monday.

In the early days of the pandemic, hospitals in New York and New Jersey were nearly overwhelmed. In November, it was hospitals all over the country, particularly in the Midwest, that were bearing a heavy load. Nearly four million of the nation’s 13 million cases were reported last month.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo took the unusual step this week of asking doctors and nurses to come out of retirement to help handle the caseload.

Study suggests COVID-19 arrived last year

The first documented case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was diagnosed in late January, but a new study suggests the virus was present in the U.S. no later than December 2019.

Researchers writing in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases based their findings on a study of blood samples collected by the American Red Cross last December. 

The study analyzed residual archived samples from 7,389 routine blood donations from December 13, 2019 to January 17, 2020, from donors in California, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. The study found COVID-19 antibodies in a small number of the samples.

Fed chairman says pandemic-slammed economy needs help

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has told Congress that it needs to act soon to provide more relief for an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

In prepared remarks to the Senate Finance Committee, Powell urged Congress to renew some of the provisions of the CARES Act set to expire at the end of the month. He said the economy is only as strong as it is because of the stimulus enacted in the early days of the pandemic.

Powell told lawmakers that the outlook for the economy is “extraordinarily uncertain.” He also said a full economic recovery is unlikely until Americans are confident that it is safe to reengage in a broad range of activities.

Around the nation

• Connecticut: Dozens of doctors around the state have signed a letter to Gov. Ted Lamont asking him to take additional steps to slow the coronavirus. Specifically, they’re asking that he close gyms and prohibit indoor dining in the state.

• Nevada: Sixteen counties, making up nearly the entire state, have now been flagged as areas where virus cases are rising at a rapid rate. State health officials say the current surge in cases probably does not include the cases that will be reported in the aftermath of the Thanksgiving holiday.

• Kentucky: Gov. Andy Beshear said his state is expected to receive its first shipment of a coronavirus vaccine by mid-December. However, the FDA has yet to clear any vaccine for distribution.

If you’re wondering why Congress and the Trump administration haven’t been able to enact another round of stimulus to help struggling Americans, you aren’t alone. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is on the same page.

In prepared remarks made to a Senate committee on Tuesday, Powell said the economy needs more help, and it needs it soon. Focusing primarily on the money Congress appropriated for the Fed’s lending programs, Powell credited that move with keeping the economy afloat during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“These programs serve as a backstop to key credit markets and have helped restore the flow of credit from private lenders through normal channels,” Powell told the Senate Finance Committee. “We have deployed these lending powers to an unprecedented extent.”

There’s $455 billion of CARES Act funds that have not been spent. Powell has asked that it be released for the Fed’s lending efforts, but Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the Trump administration thinks it would be better spent in providing aid directly to Americans and small businesses.

Partisan deadlock

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have not been able to agree on another round of stimulus help, even though both sides agree on several basic principles -- direct payments to Americans and help for small businesses.

The issue has taken on greater urgency with the arrival of December since several key provisions of the CARES Act expire at the end of this month. They include:

• A moratorium on evictions for renters;

• Suspended payments on student loans;

• A tax credit for companies that retain their workforce;

• $150 billion in aid to state and local government cannot be rolled into 2021;

• A 13-week extension of unemployment benefits; and

• Unemployment benefits for freelancers and contract workers.

‘Everything gets worse’

When these provisions expire at the end of the month, renters who are behind on their payments can be evicted, student loan borrowers must resume payments, businesses rewarded by the government for not laying off employees will no longer have that benefit, and millions of Americans could lose their unemployment benefits.

“Everything gets much worse on Dec. 31, with a lot of money running out and a lot of people in desperate straits,” Rep. David Price (D-N.C.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, told the Wall Street Journal.

A vaccine may be in sight, but it could be months before a significant portion of the population is inoculated. In the meantime, Powell says the outlook for the economy is “extraordinarily uncertain.” He says a full economic recovery is unlikely until Americans are confident that it is safe to reengage in a broad range of activities.

For people looking for something unique to add to their Christmas wish lists, analysts and financial managers say they should consider shares of stock -- a gift that has the potential to keep on giving.

“Gifting stocks can be a great way to teach children or grandchildren about saving and investing, or a fun way of creating interest in the stock market, a company, or a particular industry,” says Eva Victor, director of wealth planning at Girard, a wealth management firm in the Philadelphia area.

One of the greatest advantages of gifting stock to a child is the tax benefit. Under the annual gift exclusion, individuals are allowed to give up to $15,000 annually (for 2020 and 2021) to any number of recipients without incurring a gift tax.

How to buy and gift stock

Giving stock isn’t something that requires a master’s degree, but there are some rules to pay attention to so you stay on the right side of the law.

If you’re thinking of giving stock to a child, Bankrate turned ConsumerAffairs onto a few options for how to make things as easy as possible:

• Purchase stock specifically for a child. That can be done simply by using a custodial account over which you have control. A minor child should have a custodial account, while an of-age child may have a regular account. “While you could transfer the stock as physical certificates, it’s merely a novelty and pricey to do so, too,” said James Royal, Bankrate.com analyst and author of “The Zen of Thrift Conversions.”

• Give stock from an existing investment account. Bankrate suggests contacting your broker to help make the transfer electronically or by stock certificate. Again, the recipient should have a brokerage account to receive the stock.

• Give stock with an app. Many online brokers offer apps that allow you to give stock.

The sky is NOT the limit

If you’re sitting on a pile of cash and looking for the tax break of the century, there are some definite upsides, but you need to get a hold of yourself because there are legal thresholds that could cause tax headaches if you go over the limit. 

Under the annual gift exclusion, you can safely give stock to any number of children (or anyone for that matter) without incurring a gift tax as long as you don’t go over the $15,000 limit per year. 

“A couple (meaning a husband and wife separately) could gift up to $30,000 to every child and grandchild under this exclusion,” says Victor. “Any unused annual gift exclusion doesn’t carry over to later years.”

The IRS offers a full set of FAQs on gift taxes. If you’d like to find out more, those answers are available here.

Federal Communications Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he’s stepping down on January 20, the day President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office. 

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Chairman of the FCC over the past four years,” Pai said in a statement. “To be the first Asian-American to chair the FCC has been a particular privilege. As I often say: only in America.”

Pai, a Trump-appointee, oversaw the rollback of net neutrality regulations and the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. Pai called the latter “a unique opportunity to speed up the deployment of 5G throughout the United States.” He also introduced new measures to fight robocalls.

“It’s also been an honor to work with my fellow Commissioners to execute a strong and broad agenda,” Pai’s statement continued. “Together, we’ve delivered for the American people over the past four years: closing the digital divide; promoting innovation and competition, from 5G on the ground to broadband from space; protecting consumers; and advancing public safety.”

Additionally, Pai noted that he helped make the agency’s decision-making process more transparent to the public. 

“For the first time ever, we’ve made public drafts of the proposals and orders slated for a vote three weeks before the agency’s monthly meetings,” Pai said, “making this the most transparent FCC in history.”

Restoring net neutrality

Once Biden is inaugurated, his administration will be in charge of filling the void left by Pai. The Biden administration has said its goals for the FCC include making the internet more affordable and accessible to consumers. 

The incoming administration also wants to restore Obama-era net neutrality rules and reclassify broadband internet as a Title II service, which would give the FCC more authority over carriers. On Twitter, Sen. Ed Markey suggested that Pai’s departure will be good for consumers. 

“We don’t need Ajit Pai throttling progress at the FCC and we don’t need Big Broadband throttling your internet speed for the sake of their profits,” he wrote. “Let’s put #netneutrality protections back on the books and put consumers back in charge at the FCC."

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, pets were serving an important role for consumers by helping to reduce stress levels. Since the pandemic started earlier this year, experts have found that pets’ roles have become even more important. 

According to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia, pets have provided consumers with a source of physical touch that has been lacking since the start of the pandemic. Not only has pet adoption skyrocketed in recent months, but the researchers found that consumers with pets were less lonely, had greater self-worth, and felt less isolated than those without a furry companion. 

“In the era of COVID-19, social distancing, sudden lockdowns, and societal upheavals, our pets may be the only living beings that many people are able to touch and draw comfort from,” said researcher Dr. Janette Young. 

The importance of a companion

To better understand what role pets have played during the pandemic, the researchers interviewed more than 30 pet owners and had them answer questions about their relationship with their pets since the pandemic began. The overwhelming majority of the participants revealed that having a pet as a source of physical touch was beneficial for relaxation and reducing overall stress. 

“In a year when human contact has been so limited and people have been deprived of touch, the health impacts on our quality of life have been enormous,” said Dr. Young. “Touch is an understudied sense, but existing evidence indicates it is crucial for growth, development, and health, as well as reducing the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. It is also thought that touch may be particularly important for older people as other senses decline.” 

Many of the participants also shared that their pets had an intuitive sense of their needs and would get close to them when they sensed times of stress or discomfort. Additionally, the participants reported that their pets felt just as comforted by these interactions as they did. 

Utilizing pets to improve health outcomes

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings can inspire real change for those who would benefit the most. Having a pet can make a lasting difference in consumers’ lives, and more work should be done to make that a reality for consumers. 

“Humans have an innate need to connect with others, but in the absence of human touch, pets are helping to fill this void,” Dr. Young said. “They need to be considered from a policy angle, therefore, to help mitigate some of the mental and physical stressors that people are experiencing during this time.” 

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has established a new set of standards for determining whether an airline was being unfair or deceptive in dealing with passengers. On the surface, that sounds great for the consumer, but consumer advocacy groups disagree, saying the new standards will actually make it more difficult to curtail bad behavior and create new protections going forward.

According to the Washington Post’s coverage of the policy update, the airline industry was behind the requested change. Chief among its complaints was that the Trump administration had enacted consumer protection rules which made it more difficult for airlines to do business, so the industry reportedly asked the government to pull back on those reins a bit. 

Early in 2018, airlines asked for industry-wide rule changes as part of Trump’s deregulation push, putting more than 30 flyer-oriented protections and regulations on the chopping block. This included certain regulations created under the Obama administration, such as a DOT requirement that airlines publish the entire cost of tickets, including fees and taxes; give passengers a full 24 hours to cancel a ticket after booking; and take additional steps to protect consumers from delayed or oversold flights.

“Critical” or “Disappointing”

Airlines for America, which represents the major carriers and championed the rule changes, applauded federal officials for taking action. “This reform is a critical step forward in ensuring a data-driven regulatory process, which will produce widespread and lasting benefits for air travelers, airlines and the economy,” Katherine Estep, an Airlines for America spokeswoman, told the Post.

However, the National Consumers League isn’t buying that. “The DOT’s decision, at the height of a pandemic, to kneecap its ability to protect millions of travelers from airline industry abuses is deeply disappointing. That the Department decided to do so on the Friday after Thanksgiving highlights that they hope this terrible decision will be forgotten by Monday,” said John Breyault, the League’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications, and fraud. 

“It should be clear to every member of the flying public that current DOT leadership is focused squarely on doing the airline industry’s bidding between now and January 20.”

The incoming Biden administration could seek to reverse the rule change, but it may have things it considers more important on its to-do list, and changing a rule like this doesn’t exactly come at the snap of a finger. The Biden transition team did not respond to a request for comment from the Post, but Breyault said his organization has had positive conversations with the president-elect’s team about consumer protection issues.

During the holiday season, phishing scams usually disguise themselves as delivery or credit card companies.

You know the drill: you receive an email with an official-looking logo that tells you the delivery company has been unable to deliver your package or your credit card has been revoked. The scammer hopes that just enough people who are expecting a package or have made a lot of credit card purchases will see the message and overreact.

But in this year of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, scammers have another weapon in their arsenal. So many people are using Zoom to communicate with school, the office, and family that a message saying your Zoom account is being canceled is enough to induce panic.

Consumer authorities report a surge of reports of this kind of scheme. A social media message or a text includes Zoom’s logo and contains a message saying something like, “Your Zoom account has been suspended. Click here to reactivate.” 

Several different versions

Other versions of the scam use the message “You missed a meeting, click here to see the details and reschedule.” In either case, the sender wants you to click on the link in the message because doing so will download malware onto your device.

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), scammers registered more than 2,449 Zoom-related domains from late April to early May. They’ve been using them ever since to bombard unsuspecting consumers with bogus emails.

While these scammers aren’t trying to steal money or your identity -- at least not directly -- they are seeking to take control of your computer, which could actually be worse. Once inside they might be able to help themselves to your bank account or steal enough personal data to steal your identity.

A key logger would be able to watch everything you do with your device. Entering your username and password gives scammers access to your account and any other account that uses a similar login and password combination.

Dos and don’ts

To avoid this, think before you react to any unexpected email. It may say it’s from Zoom, but it probably isn’t.

Look carefully at the domain address. It should say either Zoom.com or Zoom.us. Anything else, and it’s not an official communication.

Make it a rule to never click on links contained in unsolicited emails. When in doubt, use a search engine to get to the company’s website. They all have a “contact us” page where you can ask if the communication is real. Without clicking any links, copy and paste the contents of the email into the “contact us” form.

If you think there may be a legitimate issue with your account, contact the company directly by going to its website by either typing in the URL or doing a search. Don’t click on the link in the email.

While many consumers try to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables to help improve health outcomes, a new study is focusing on the health benefits associated with eating dried fruits. 

According to researchers from Penn State, consuming more dried fruits is linked with better overall health and diet quality. However, many dried fruits contain high amounts of sugar, which means it’s important for consumers to carefully read labels and choose the healthiest options. 

“Dried fruit can be a great choice for a nutritious snack, but consumers might want to be sure they’re choosing unsweetened versions without adding sugar,” said researcher Valerie Sullivan. “Portion sizes can also be tricky, because a serving of dried fruit is smaller than a serving of fresh since the water has been taken out. But the positive is that dried fruit can help people potentially consume more fruit because it’s portable, it’s shelf-stable, and can even be cheaper.” 

Dried fruit can boost healthy habits

To understand the benefits associated with eating more dried fruit, the researchers analyzed over 25,000 responses to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants’ health vitals were taken at the start of the study, and they also reported on their diets within a 24-hour period. 

The biggest takeaway from the study was that higher dried fruit consumption was associated with healthier diets overall and better health outcomes. Participants who ate the most dried fruit had lower blood pressure and lower body mass indices (BMIs). However, the researchers also learned that eating more dried fruit was linked with eating more total calories throughout the day. To reap the most benefits from dried fruit, the researchers recommend that consumers pay more attention to the other foods they’re eating. 

“In our study, people who consumed dried fruits had a higher calorie intake but a lower BMI and waist circumference, which suggests they were more physically active,” said researcher Penny Kris-Etherton. “So, when incorporating dried fruits, pay attention to calories and be sure to substitute out calories from low-nutrient foods for dried fruits to get the greatest benefit of eating dried fruits.” 

The researchers also learned that dried fruit consumption affected the participants’ other food choices, both positively and negatively. 

“What I also found interesting was that people tended to eat more total fruit on the days they ate dried fruit than on the days they didn’t,” said Sullivan. “On days when dried fruit was not eaten, however, fresh fruit intake was not higher. So dried fruit could be a way to boost overall fruit intake in people that aren’t eating the recommended amounts.” 

More availability

While fresh fruits come in and out of season, dried fruits are always available to consumers. These findings confirm some of the health benefits associated with eating them, and the researchers encourage consumers to incorporate dried fruit into their diets. 

“Minimally processed forms of fruit, including frozen, canned, and dried, have some advantages over fresh fruits,” said researcher Kristina Petersen. “They are available year round, are relatively consistent in quality, and can be stored for far longer than fresh. Many are also less expensive per serving than their fresh counterparts.” 

Hy-Vee is recalling two Hy-Vee Short Cuts veggie mix products sold across its eight-state region.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have are reported.

The following products, with a “Best if Used By” date through December 3, 2020, are being recalled:

• Hy-Vee Short Cuts Pot Roast Mix – UPC Code 0272083305352
• Hy-Vee Short Cuts Grill/Oven Ready Veggie Mix – UPC Code 0272104105992

The recalled products were sold at Hy-Vee stores in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to their local Hy-Vee store for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Hy-Vee customer care 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (800) 772-4098.