Zeros

SNAP Benefits and Walmart: Separating Fact from Fear If you've been hearing whispers that, " Walmart is closing November 1st," take a breath. This isn't exactly what's happening, though I completely understand why the confusion feels so real— and so frightening . What's actually at stake is SNAP benefits potentially being suspended on November 1st due to the government shutdown. Somehow, in the way information travels these days, "SNAP benefits suspended," has morphed into "Walmart is closing." It's like a game of telephone, except the stakes are people's ability to feed their families and access essential goods. Why This Rumor Hits Different For those of us who've already lost our local Walmart, this fear isn't abstract. Our store closed during COVID — in November, no less —after a series of violent robberies that made national news. One day we had a one-stop shop for groceries, prescriptions, har...

The Empty Echo : What Happens When Our Malls Disappear? You're pulling the Halloween decorations down from the closet, and right behind them, there's the box marked,  Christmas . In a few weeks, you'll be shopping for gifts—probably clicking through Amazon at midnight, maybe making a quick Walmart run between errands. It's efficient. It's convenient. But something has been quietly vanishing while we've been adding items to our digital carts. Across America, the malls that once anchored our communities are being demolished. Eastland Mall in Columbus, Ohio—once a bustling center of commerce and community—began its demolition this year. The Outlets at Hillsboro in Texas, Jamestown Mall in Missouri, and dozens of others have met the same fate or are scheduled for the wrecking ball. These aren't just buildings coming down. They're town centers disappearing. The numbers tell a sobering story. Between 2016 and 2024, a net 18,730 ma...