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Prices in the West region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.5 percent in May 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The increase was influenced by higher prices for shelter and gasoline. Excluding food and energy, the index was up 0.3 percent in May.

The CPI-U rose 3.5 percent in the West region from May 2017 to May 2018. Energy costs advanced 12.7 percent, largely the result of higher prices for gasoline. The index for all items less food and energy rose 3.1 percent over the year.

·       Overview and detailed CPI data tables for the current month for the West region and other selected areas are typically available for you to view online by 8:00 a.m. (MT).

·       The full West region CPI news release for the current month will be available online after 10:00 a.m. (MT).

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 With teens obtaining driver’s licenses during the summer more than any other season and an average of six teens dying every day from motor vehicle injuries, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst States for Teen Drivers.

 
In order to determine the safest and least costly driving environments for U.S. teenagers, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from number of teen driver fatalities to average cost of car repairs to presence of impaired-driving laws.
 

Best States for Teen Drivers

Worst States for Teen Drivers

1

New York

41

Arizona

2

Washington

42

Alabama

3

Maryland

43

Mississippi

4

Illinois

44

Idaho

5

Delaware

45

North Dakota

6

Louisiana

46

Nebraska

7

Oregon

47

Missouri

8

California

48

Montana

9

Hawaii

49

South Dakota

10

Texas

50

Wyoming

 
Best vs. Worst

• Vermont has the fewest teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens, 1.83, which is 10.5 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 19.30.
   
• Nebraska has the lowest share of major roads in poor condition, 5.00 percent, which is 8.8 times lower than in Connecticut, the state with the highest at 44.00 percent.
   
• Hawaii has the lowest premium increase after adding a teen driver to a parent’s auto-insurance policy, 8.10 percent, which is 18.9 times lower than in Rhode Island, the state with the highest at 152.70 percent.
   
• Alaska has the fewest vehicle miles traveled per capita, 6,826, which is 2.4 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 16,457.

 
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-for-teen-drivers/4598/

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3 Ways A Smile Can Shape A Child’s Outlook And Brighten The Future

The idiom “Don’t judge a book by its cover”  means you shouldn’t form an opinion about someone based on appearance or personality. Yet the reality is, much of society – from school to the business world – does just that.

This tendency can be particularly rough on a young person’s psyche – and future development – when classmates tease them about their looks. One of the top reasons students give for being bullied is physical appearance, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Studies show victims of this type of ridicule are often withdrawn and lack self-confidence, which can affect them well into adulthood.

“Children can be cruel to each other about appearance, and being the target of mockery or bullying leaves a real mark on on a child’s psyche,” says Dr. Kerry White Brown (www.whitebrownsmiles.com), an orthodontist and author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics. “The pressure only gets worse as they get older; they’re less likely to participate, and that holds them back from realizing their true potential, both in school and out.”

Conversely, making improvements can enhance the story of one’s life. For example, losing weight or making cosmetic changes like straightening teeth often alters how we’re perceived and feel about ourselves. A Penn State University study found that people who smile more tend to be seen as more likeable and more competent, and an article in The Washington Post cited statistics that attractive smiles lead to higher-paying jobs and greater satisfaction in life.

"When you look at the research, a child that has a confident and consistent smile makes them a healthier person overall,” White Brown says. “They’re seen in a more positive light, versus someone who never smiles, and this can carry into their future prospects.”

White Brown gives three ways a smile makes your child healthier, which can lead to a happier adult:

• Lowers stress and anxiety. Smiling releases endorphins, the chemicals in your body that make you feel happier. “Kids with crooked teeth hide their smile or never smile, and often they’re bottling up stress,” White Brown says. “They become introverts. Being confident to smile relaxes them and gives them a new lease on life.”
• Strengthens the immune system. “The physical effects can’t be understated, and are all the more reason parents should make sure they have happy children who aren’t overly self-conscious or down about their appearance,” White Brown says. “It’s been proven that smiling helps your body produce white blood cells to help fight illnesses.” Hungarian health research teams studying smiles published evidence that sick children who were made to smile significantly increased their white blood cell count.
• Makes you more self-confident. “It starts with the fact that when you smile, others are more likely to smile back at you,” White Brown says. “It makes you more approachable, more likely to engage with others and grow in the process. That’s one reason some business people think a winning smile is as important to leadership as management technique.”

“How you feel about yourself isn’t just important when you’re a child,” White Brown says. “How you saw yourself then and how you see yourself as an adult can be linked, and it can impact your choices and options throughout your life.”

About Dr. Kerry White Brown

Dr. Kerry White Brown (www.whitebrownsmiles.com) is a 5-star rated orthodontist and the author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics. A graduate of the Howard University College of Dentistry, she operates an orthodontics practice, White Brown Smiles, in South Carolina with five locations. Dr. White Brown is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontists, and the South Carolina Association of Orthodontists