Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
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As the nice weather facilitates more people out on the water, the deaths continue for Lake Lanier. Georgia officials confirm that an Atlanta man died while swimming in Lake Lanier over the weekend.
Edgar Steven Cruz Martinez, 23, visited the lake on Saturday, August 26, 2023 and went under the water for a swim. About 3 p.m. that day, first responders with the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office arrived after receiving a call about a possible drowning at Lake Lanier.
When they arrived, observers said that Martinez never resurfaced after going for a swim. Officials found his body in about 10 feet of water.
Martinez is the seventh person to drown in Lake Lanier this year.
Why Do So Many People Drown In Lake Lanier?
One of the reasons Lake Lanier has so many fatalities year in and year out is that people fail to follow safe boating practices, according to safety officials. Boating under the influence continues to be an issue on the man-made lake. People boating without safety vests on also has been frequently observed.
There are also some curious incidents that have occurred on the lake that have raised questions about its past. Read our Untold History of Lake Lanier.
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If you’re a virtual assistant, this is the perfect time to find a local entrepreneur or small business to help out.
With so many people working from home it’s easier than ever to become a virtual assistant to another person or company. The position pays well and comes with plenty of flexibility — if that’s what you want.
In this article, we’re going to discuss some ways you can find virtual assistant jobs, including some jobs sites with companies that are hiring people to help them.
6 Websites To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs
If you’re looking to learn more about the occupation, read our Ultimate Guide on How To Become A Virtual Assistant.
First, lets’ talk about some commone requirements of a virtual assistant job. These are things that most employers will expect you to have.
- Good communications skills
- High-speed internet
- Ability to return calls and emails promptly
- Deadline awareness
- Good writing skills
If you have those qualities, more likely than not you will make a fine virtual assistant. Now let’s get into some great sites to find virtual assistant jobs.
99 Dollar Social
If you can write engagement content for small businesses, 99 Dollar Social, has virtual assistant jobs for you. One of the requirements is that you must be able to submit quality content on a weekly basis.
Indeed.com
Indeed has listed virtual assistants jobs as its own category, so they’re easy to find.
Fancy Hands
At FancyHands.com, you can get hired to do internet research for clients of the website. All you need is a fast internet connection and computer to get started.
O Deskwork
O Desk connects freelancers to business owners who need tasks down for their operations. Sign up to get started.
Time Etc.
Designed specifically for virtual assistants with an average of 12 years experience, Time Etc. matches experienced workers with some name-brand companies that need administrative work done.
Zirtual
At Zirtual, you get to sign up with the site and lock in a set number of work hours based on which plan the client chooses. For example, the Entrepreneur Plan is $449 a month, while the Team Plan is around $1,500 a month.
Who Hires A Virtual Assistant?
You may be wondering what type of business can benefit from a virtual assistant. Actually the question is what kind of business can’t use one?
A client that needs clerical work done, such as bookkeeping, payroll and even HR can use a virtual assistant. Not only can the business save money by hiring a virtual assistant on a project-by-project basis, but they can also use them to perform different tasks for the business.
Do Virtual Assistants Work From Home?
You may be surprised to know that the term “virtual” in virtual assistant is relative. You may find a client that requires you to make occasional appearances in the office while some businesses are 100% remote.
The truth is that virtual assistants have a flexibility that many jobs simply don’t have. Best of all, you typically are able to work from home and pick a schedule that works for you.
There’s so much more to know about the role of virtual assistants and how to hire one.
Ultimate Guide on How To Become A Virtual Assistant.
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Freelancing can be a very rewarding experience if you know how to take care of business. The truth is that if you can’t find a full-time job, there are several ways to make money today as a freelancer. Freelancing is one of the best ways to make money online. Now on to the burning question…How Can I Start As A Freelancer?
I actually have several years of experience as a freelancer for CNN, where I wrote about various subjects, including breaking news.Because of the COVID pandemic, the definition of the traditional job has stretched a bit due to the circumstances. The reason why this is important is because it means that freelancing has also changed.Is It Easy To Get A Job As A Freelancer?
If you don’t have any experience or very little, it may be difficult to get a job as a freelancer, but you can do it. The key is to expose yourself to jobs, gigs and hustles that pay money.As with anything, it helps tremendously if you know someone within the company or organization you’re applying for.If you don’t happen to know a current employee or have another inside track, that’s OK. You just have to apply for the job and have some patience.What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing involves working for a company on an as-needed basis or as a contractor rather than an employee. Contrary to popular opinion, many freelancers have full-time schedules with their clients.In some cases, freelancers may even qualify for insurance and other benefits that are typically only eligible for full-time workers.You may want to know how you can become a successful freelancer so that you can work at a pace that works for you. Let’s go over some steps you need to do.1. Brand Yourself Or Your Business
Because you’re a free agent when it comes to business, you will need to brand yourself by investing in some marketing tools that will help you.Some things you can do to help your business include creating a website, compiling a portfolio and getting some business cards. No matter if you choose to go all in on advertising yourself or just marketing yourself passively, it’s always good to invest in yourself and your abilities.2. Network Among Your Friends
To get started as a freelancer, you need to tap into your network so that you can get exposed to some job opportunities. Contact your former co-workers and others in your circle to see if the company they’re with has some work for you.And don’t forget about social media. Other networking opportunities may exist on sites like LinkedIn, Alignable or Facebook.3. Find Jobs That Pay
At this point, it’s time to find work to fund your freelance career. There are several freelance-friendly websites that make it worth your while to join.Here are some online resources that frequently post and hire freelance jobs.- Alignable
- Amazon Mechanical Turk
- Fiverr
- Freelancermap.com
- Freelance Writing Gigs
- PeoplePerHour
- Toptal
- Upwork
- Wingspan
4. Over-Deliver
Once you land some freelance gigs under your belt, you want to make a great impression. One way to do that is to over-deliver on the things you do best.
Not only will your work speak for itself, but the extra mile you go could lead to more jobs and — more importantly — invaluable word-of-mouth references to keep your business afloat.
Final Word
When you think of the term “freelance,” you may get the idea that it refers to people who work for less or for free. That is totally wrong.
You can make some really great money as a freelancer, especially after you earn the trust of your client.As a freelancer, you can control how you want to receive payment, either by electronic payment, direct deposit or cash. Metro Atlanta’s hot economy has slowed of late due to the COVID-19, but that’s OK. Check out our Coronavirus Resource Guide and find out how to make and save money.We currently have job articles that show you high-paying jobs, those close to downtown and even side hustles you might like.If you’re looking to get hired in Atlanta right now, there’s a very real possibility that you can land your dream job. -
Morris Brown College in southwest Atlanta has mandated masks in light of an increase of COVID-19 cases in the city.
On its Instagram page, the historically black college posted that a mask mandate will be in effect for the next 14 days.
The mask mandate extends to students and employees and includes social distancing, contact tracing, and other health protocols.
What Are The New COVID Variants?
Some new COVID variants, including the EG.5, or “Eris,” as it’s been called, has emerged in some nations. The EG.5 has been identified as the dominate strain in the United States with 20% of new cases, according to the Centers of Disease and Control (CDC).
The new variants all can be traced to the XBB strains that were dominant in late 2022, according to health officials.
Scientists are also trying to ascertain the new highly mutated coronavirus variant spotted by scientists in Israel. The Ba.2.86 variant is in four countries, including America.
The new variant, called BA.2.86 and nicknamed Pirola, is an ancestor of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron.
If you’ve had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and catch the new variant, you’re likely to experience the following symptoms:
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Muscle pain
If you’ve had the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you’re like to experience the following symptoms:
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
How To Protect Yourself Against COVID
- Wear a Mask
- Wash Your Hands for At Least 20 Seconds
- Avoid High-Exposure Events and People
- Getting Tested for COVID-19
- Staying Home When You Have Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
- Seeking Treatment If You Have COVID-19 and Are at High Risk of Getting Very Sick
Atlanta has a lot of cool things to do and places to eat, including some of the top soul food joints and remarkable Thai food spots. Explore the city.
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We all love to go out to eat from time to time, but there’s nothing like cooking at home. What’s for dinner? Homemade tacos!
Have you ever thought about creating tacos yourself? It’s not hard! You can make them just like your favorite Atlanta restaurant that serves Mexican fare. In this article, we’re going to show you how from the best taco recipe we have.
Before we show you how to create a taco that rocks, let’s get into what makes a perfect taco.
How To Make A Taco
A taco consists of a tortilla made of wheat or corn. If you cook it just a bit, you’ll have the right consistency and texture you need to fill the taco with ground beef, chicken or some other meat.
Speaking of meat, you may be wondering what you can put inside of a taco. Here are just some of the fillings you can use for a taco:
- Ground beef
- Pork
- Chicken
- Fish (salmon, catfish, halibut, etc.)
- Cheese
- Vegetable medley
There is so much you can do with a taco and so many ways to create one. Because it is a dish that lends itself to so much diversity and variety, the taco is truly a global food.
Along with the meat filling, you want to add some other things, such as some type of greenery and spices, sauces and other condiments.
Here Is The Best Taco Recipe
To make this awesome taco, you’re going to need several ingredients, including cheese and other toppings. We’re going to go over everything, but first, let’s talk about the meat you need to use.
What kind of beef should you use?
It’s best to use 100% lean ground beef in your taco, but even 90% will work. You don’t want a lot of grease to be in your tortilla. So, you don’t want your beef to be too fatty.
I personally use Pace Taco mild seasoning and sprinkle it over my beef.
As an alternative, you can also use Yoders Canned Taco Seasoned Beef if you want everything already done for you.
Instructions
- Turn your stove’s heat up to medium high
- Add your ground beef in a skillet
- Add garlic pepper, salt, oregano, garlic powder and chili powder
- Cook the beef while tossing it periodically
- Once the beef is about done, add tomato sauce
- Add water if you want to stretch the sauce, but if not, no water
- Once the sauce is brought to a boil, set oven to low
Here are just some of the non-meat fillings you can use in a taco:
- Salsa
- Shredded cheese
- guacamole
- sour cream
- vegetables
- lettuce
- onion
- tomatoes
- chiles
Now let’s get into the measurements of the ingredients you need the best taco recipe to take shape:
Taco Ingredients
- Taco shells (hard shells or soft tortillas)
- 1 lb. 90% to 100% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 white onion cut in 1/2 inch rounds
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- 1/4 cup water (optional)
Nutrition Information
524 calories; 44 g protein; 12 g fat(1 g sat); 90 mg cholesterol; 10 g fiber; 60 g carbohydrates; 60 mcg folate; 19 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 2,435 IU vitamin A; 20 mg vitamin C; 240 mg calcium; 4 mg iron; 1,250 mg sodium; 508 mg potassium
Once you prepare your ingredients for a taco this way, it will take about 30 minutes and the yield should be four servings. Make your plate and enjoy the best taco recipe you’ve ever had!
To make it official, you can get some taco tools as well:
Bonus: How To Make A Fish Tacos What kind of fish to use Cod Haddock Catfish Tilapia Grouper What to put on fish tacos Chopped cabbage Diced tomatoes Salsa Diced onion Shredded lettuce Coleslaw Shredded Cheese Instructions Cook fish in oven or on stovetop for 10-13 minutes or until brown Heat up your tortillas Break up fish into tortillas and proceed to add toppings Ready to serve Final Word
You might not realize it, but tacos are one of those dishes that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Taco may be a Spanish word and a traditional Mexican dish, but Americans have fallen in love with it.
If you’ve had success with making tacos after reading this article, post a pic in the comments so we can see what you’re working with!
Tacos aren’t the only things you can make at home with great success. Burritos, tostadas and even chalupas can be make pretty easy from your own kitchen.
Atlanta restaurant are one of the hottest things happening right now. Hot chicken is the rage in Atlanta’s dining scene right now. But so are chicken and waffles.
Here are the best new restaurants in Atlanta
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A good credit score is essential to keeping the purchasing power to buy the things you need and want.
A lot of people no less than zero about their credit scores, so i”m going to break down all you need to know about them, including where to get them and what’s a good credit score range.
What Is A Credit Score?
A credit score is a three-digit number assigned to consumers who borrow money. The higher the score, the lower your credit risk.
If you’re under 18, you may not have a credit score yet.
As soon as you turn 18, you may notice a bunch of credit card offers in the mail. That’s because by law you’re fair game to be solicited to get a credit card.
How To Get Your Credit Score
Let’s say you apply for that credit card and get it. Then, you’ll be assigned a credit score. It will be used by lenders to access your credit risk.
Here’s How To Get Your Credit Score:
Every year, you have the right to request one free copy of your credit report from three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
You can can request your free credit report online at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228.
If you have any discrepancies on your credit report, you can dispute it.
When you get your credit report, here’s what you should do:
- Go over your credit reports with a fine tooth comb
- Make sure you know which open accounts you have
- Make sure you know which closed accounts you have
Credit Score Ranges: What They Mean
Once you receive your credit report, you’ll see scores ranging from 300 to 850. Here are the credit score ranges for a consumer:
- Excellent Credit: 850-800
- Very Good Credit: 799-750
- Good Credit: 749-700
- Fair Credit: 699-650
- Bad Credit: 649-600
- Poor Credit: 599-300
What Is A Good Credit Score Range?
A good credit score range is one that is between 700 to 749. The credit scores are determined by he Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), which created the scores that lenders use to issue credit.
What Is A Good Credit Score To Buy A House?
If you have fair credit, you can still get credit, it just will be at a higher interest rate. Lenders will generally let you qualify for a mortgage with a credit score above 650.
What Is A Good Credit Score To Buy A Car?
If you want to buy a car, you can typically qualify with a credit score around 650, which is again in the fair range.
The truth is that there’s no uniform, agreed-upon minimum that lenders abide by. There’s just so many other factors at play, like how much your downpayment is.
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Britt Stewart of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars is hosting a series of free dance classes this weekend In Atlanta.
The classes are a part of a partnership between Stewart’s Share the Movement nonprofit and Band-AId’s OurTone brand.
The three Band-Aid OurTone Dance Clinics will provide free dance classes and resources to local communities.
The first event will be held on Sunday, August 20th hosted in partnership with The Black Artists Dance Collective.
Attendees will have the opportunity to…
- participate in a class with some of the top professionals in the dance industry including Stewart
- attend a Q&A panel with leading industry veterans
- watch incredible performances from our dance partners
- create a new TikTok dance
- participate in a dance battle with scholarship prizes
- receive a BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® gift bag and more!
ATLANTA | RSVP HERE
- Hosted by: Share the Movement and The Black Artists Dance Collective
- Where: Westside Cultural Arts Center, 760 10th Street NW, Atlanta, GA, 30318
- When: Sunday, August 20 at 1-5pm
If you want to take care of your body, check out these exercises for beginners led by an acclaimed Atlanta fitness expert.
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Atlanta is home to a countless number of small businesses and entrepreneurs, which is why its tech scene is growing so much. Now comes an initiative that focuses on one of its most underserved communities: black people.
The first-ever ForbesBLK Summit aims to gather the world’s top Black business leaders, entrepreneurs, entertainers and creators to focus on equity across all segments.
What Is The ForbesBLK Summit?
The ForbesBLK Summit has as its goal to convene the world’s top black changemakers and set policies, structures and initiatives in place to achieve a more equitable world.
Atlanta, being an innovation hub like no other place in the United States, is the ideal city for such a creative venture.
“Welcome to the Black mecca, welcome to the birthplace of the Black Middle Class, welcome to the place of Black success,” Kelly Beaty English, ForbesBLK Advisory Council Member, said in a news release.
“We are thrilled to announce Forbes is hosting its first-ever Forbes BLK Summit in Atlanta. We are the city that’s synonymous with Black excellence,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “Atlanta is the perfect place to host an inaugural event that is so timely, progressive and connected to culture.
When Is The ForbesBLK Summit?
The ForbesBLK Summit is planned for November 5-6, 2023 in Atlanta.
Speakers at the event include the following:
Ron Busby Sr., President & CEO, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
· Shelly Cayette, Chief Commercial Officer, Cleveland Cavaliers
· Tamira Chapman, President & CEO, Storehouse
· Phylicia Fant, Head of Music Industry and Culture Collaborations, Amazon
· Dr. Debra Furr-Holden, Dean of Global Public Health, NYU
· Milt Newton, Assistant General Manager, Milwaukee Bucks
· John Hope Bryant, CEO, Operation Hope
Nicole Pullen Ross, NY Region Head of Private Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs
· Isiah Thomas, Former NBA Player, Philanthropist, and Chairman & CEO of Isiah International LLC
“The ForbesBLK Summit is the larger extension of what we’re building around this Forbes platform,” said Jabari Young, ForbesBLK Editorial Lead. “It’s no secret the city of Atlanta is the core foundation of the ForbesBLK community and it’s the perfect home to host and celebrate our inaugural ForbesBLK Summit.”
Final Word
Atlanta has a lot of inspirational people and AtlantaFi.com is going to introduce you to many of them as well as cool places to go, great restaurants and other ATL happenings.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
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The skyline of West Midtown in Atlanta is going to look a lot more artful real soon.
Interlock Tower, the second phase of The Interlock mixed-use district in West Midtown, Atlanta, has hired world-renowned muralist Tristan Eaton for its property murals.
Now complete, the two Interlock Tower murals are the first works of art in Atlanta for Eaton. The artist has painted more than 100 murals all over the globe, including in cities such as Moscow, Paris and Los Angeles, among others.
“They gave me a lot of creative freedom, which was really nice, and I had two big walls to play with,” said Eaton. “I took a different approach for each one — one is a really long landscape composition where I can tell stories inside the letter forms, and I wanted to give references to the history here and about Atalanta the Greek Goddess, which hasn’t really been done before.”
One mural features Atalanta the archer and hunter goddess with a modern twist and the other piece has bright colors and designs. Both are located in the open park space of the property.
“It’s a real blessing to be able to do this kind of work. I’m an outsider wherever I go, and I try to paint something for that community, and I try to take that seriously and do a lot of research. Hopefully, I leave behind work that becomes a part of people’s identity, enriches their daily life and lifts them out of a landscape higher than just the land, bricks and concrete, and shows that there’s humanity and creativity amongst us and hopefully that inspires people.”
Final Word
The skyline of West Midtown in Atlanta is not the only cool thing in town.
To explore the city, take advantage of its healthy food choices, perhaps you’ll be interested in our Guide to Local Farmers Markets.
We also have special coverage of Black Farmers In Atlanta as well as How To Keto In Atlanta.
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It’s hard to overstate how important building your credit is in today’s economy.Many people think you have to have a lot of money to do it, but that’s not true. Actually and it’s pretty easy to do — and we’ll show you how.Millions of Americans struggle to raise their credit scores because of unwise financial decisions, but you can be different. You can build credit fast by taking a few simple steps.Let’s go over the ways so that you can begin to get financially sound. Here’s what you need to do:1. Get Added As An Authorized User On A Credit Card
Ask someone to add you to their credit card as an authorized user. Obviously this will likely be a family member, spouse or close friend. Really close friend!
You don’t even ever have to use the credit card so there’s no risk to them.
On the other hand, you will benefit from the authorized user’s wise use of credit. Over time, this will improve your credit as well.
2. Apply For A Secured Credit Card
The benefit of getting a secured credit card is that you have to pay upfront. As you wipe away your monthly debt, you begin to boost your credit history.
The key to getting fast credit is to pay for whatever you swipe at the end of the month. Pay it in full. That way, you’ll get credited with a zero balance after 30 days, which is an A1 credit practice.
3. Get Credit For Paying Your Bills
A relatively new financial product is the rise of rent-reporting services. These services report your bill payments to the credit bureaus.
That means you can get credit for psyching your light bill or other utilities.
How Long Does It Take To Build Credit?
A lot of consumers may need to build credit quickly because of a big purchase, like a house, car or even a TV.
But it’s going to take several months — figure about six months — for your credit score numbers to rise.
The reason it takes so long for your credit score to rise is because the credit agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, need to build a report on your credit history.
Also, FICO requires that at least one of your credit accounts be open for six months, so the credit bureaus like to use those six months to monitor your financial decisions.
Final Word
It’s always a good idea to get request your credit report to see where you are credit-wise. By law, you get one free credit report from each credit reporting agency.
Up Next: How To Dispute Your Credit Report
https://atlantafi.com/how-to-dispute-your-credit-score-really-easily/
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