In the dark about your stimulus payment? You can find out more through the IRS website tracker.  Are you still waiting for your third stimulus check to arrive? Before you get too worried, check your bank account to see if it's pending a deposit. If you're waiting on a paper check, it could be stuck en route…

We're likely going to get an in-depth look at the latest version of Google's Android operating system, Android 12, at Google's I/O developer conference on Tuesday. First unveiled in February and currently available as a developer preview, Android 12 appears to be similar in many ways to Android 11, with a few big new features and…

Hempstead Foodservice of Hempstead, N.Y., is recalling approximately 972 pounds of pork chops.
The product contains hydrolyzed soy protein, an allergen not declared on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following heat-treated fresh item, produced between April 6, 2021, and April 30, 2021, is being recalled:

• 10-41 lb. carboard boxes containing the product in clear plastic bags with “Hempstead Foodservice” on the box and “PORK CHOPS” marked from the list on the side of the box.

The recalled product, bearing establishment number “EST. 47142” inside the USDA mark of inspection, was shipped to grocery stores and restaurants in New York, cooked at these retailers and then further sold to consumers.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Edgar Puello at (516) 385-1212 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The room at the top of the streaming world just got a little more crowded. AT&T and Discovery have announced a decision to take WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports, and news assets and combine them with Discovery's nonfiction and sports businesses to create a premier, stand-alone global entertainment company.

This news may sound vaguely familiar to some. And it is. Less than three years ago, AT&T's WarnerMedia announced its intent to launch a new streaming service by late 2019. But if the key addition of Discovery doesn’t give Disney and NBC/Universal a run for their money, nothing will. The result will be a massive “pure play” content portfolio containing more than 100 brands: HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet, and more. 

It’s a heavy price for the two companies to pay, but one that could have a huge payoff. In an announcement, Discovery CEO David Zaslav -- who will run the new venture -- said the new company will start with $55 billion in debt and that the company revenue goal for its first full year of business -- 2023 -- is budgeted at $52 billion. 

Investors who own stock in either company will also see some shifting around. If you’re an investor in AT&T, your new stock will represent 71% of the new company whereas Discovery shareholders will own 29% of the new company. 

What consumers can hope to gain

The new company starts out with a lot of shareable content -- some 200,000 hours of “iconic programming,” according to the companies. While Zazlav didn’t show all his cards, he suggested that consumers should see more original content from “under-represented storytellers and independent creators,” as well as a sizable investment in family-friendly nonfiction video content.

"During my many conversations with [AT&T’s CEO John Stankey], we always come back to the same simple and powerful strategic principle: these assets are better and more valuable together. We believe everyone wins... [including] consumers with more diverse choices,” Zaslav said. 

“We will build a new chapter together with the creative and talented WarnerMedia team and these incredible assets built on a nearly 100-year legacy of the most wonderful storytelling in the world. That will be our singular mission: to focus on telling the most amazing stories and have a ton of fun doing it.”

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gave Americans an extra month to file their federal income taxes, and that deadline has finally arrived. Returns must be postmarked with today’s date in order to be filed on time.

The extra time was granted because of the pandemic, and many people needed it. If even more time is needed, taxpayers can file Form 4868 for an automatic extension. The extension gives you until October 15 to file your federal return. However, it does not give you more time to pay any taxes you owe. 

When you file Form 4868 for an extension, you are required to send the IRS an estimated amount of the taxes you owe by using the information available to you. Failure to send the required money will result in penalties and interest charges.

There is an exception to today’s deadline. The IRS announced last week that victims of spring storms in Tennessee will have until August 2 to file their returns.

Taxes paid on unemployment benefits are being refunded

Meanwhile, the IRS this week could be sending you some money. The agency said it will begin sending out refunds on unemployment insurance taxes that millions of Americans paid last year.

Under current tax law, you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. Normally, people estimate and pay those taxes on a quarterly basis. But the latest stimulus law, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) that was enacted in March, did more than just send most Americans $1,400. It excluded the first $10,200 in unemployment benefits received in 2020 from federal taxes. About 10 million taxpayers fall into that category.

Starting this week, the IRS will begin sending out the refunds. The agency says single taxpayers will probably be the first to receive a refund, while married couples filing jointly will get their money later. The agency says it expects to complete the process by the end of the summer.