AJ Smith
- Podcaster, Hot Pink the Podcast
Cleveland
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Articles by AJ Smith
All Hallows' Eve
A look at how the U.K. and the Yukon celebrate Halloween A.J.’s homemade parrot outfit for his first Halloween in the Yukon A.J. and his partner—a pirate and a parrot As a millennial growing up in England, Halloween wasn’t celebrated the same way that it is today. I wasn’t into trick-or-treating but I loved to dress up and watch spooky films or Halloween episodes of my favourite shows. Not much has changed for me since then, but the way the day is celebrated in my home country has.
Gardner-Webb Falls on the Road at Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Gardner-Webb men's soccer team suffered a 4-0 non-conference loss on the road at Virginia on Tuesday night. The Runnin' Bulldogs fell to 6-4-1 overall and saw its five-match win streak come to an end while Virginia improved to 7-5-1 overall. Virginia opened the scoring in the fifth minute with an early strike and the Cavaliers added another goal in the 23rd minute to take a 2-0 advantage into halftime after recording eight shots in the opening 45 minutes.
Issue: 2026 October 28
Halloween in the Yukon and the U.K. couldn’t be more different. A.J. Smith looks at his traditions from his old country and the new.
From Cottages To Log Cabins
Preheat oven to 400℉. Peel and chop the squash and add to a pot with water (optionally, you can add salt to the water). Bring the water to a boil and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop and fry the onion in the pan until soft, then add the garlic and ground meat. Cook the meat until browned, then add the beans and corn and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the stock, along with any seasoning, and cook until it starts to thicken into gravy.
Cycling To Carcross
I like to cycle and I like to camp, so I combined the two Our group on the road PHOTO: Ritsuko Imai Fixing the flat tire PHOTO: Seth Brown A group of happy campers Our cycling group Arriving at the campground A porcupine I found along the way Stopping on our bikes at Emerald Lake . PHOTOS: A.J. Smith One of the reasons I moved to the Yukon was to go on outdoor adventures such as bikepacking. I recently bought myself a new gravel bike and a bunch of bike bags and was desperate to try them out.
Founding of The Faro Golf Club
Golfing is a long-standing and proud community tradition in the Town of Faro. PHOTO: Pixabay Golf, as we recognize it today, was invented in Scotland during the 15th century. The first written record of golf was from King James II of Scotland, who banned the sport as he felt it was distracting young men from learning archery. Eventually, King James IV lifted the ban, as he was an avid fan of the sport and is the first recognized monarch to play the game.
Is Automated Tax-Loss Harvesting a Good Idea?
Automated tax-loss harvesting can be a tool for tax-efficient investing because it involves using an algorithm to sell securities at a loss so as to offset capital gains and potentially lower an investor’s tax bill. Standard tax-loss harvesting uses the same principle, but the process is complicated and an advisor might only harvest losses once or twice a year versus automated tax-loss harvesting which can be done more frequently.
Pros & Cons of the Averaging Down Investment Strategy
By AJ Smith. September 05, 2023 · 7 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. Averaging down stocks refers to a strategy of buying more shares of a stock you already own after that stock has lost value — effectively buying the same stock, but at a discount. In other words, it’s a way of lowering the average cost of a stock you already own.
How Many Different Stocks Should I Own in My Portfolio?
By AJ Smith. May 23, 2025 · 13 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. One rule of thumb is to own between 20 to 30 stocks, but this number can change depending on how diverse you want your portfolio to be, and how much time you have to manage your investments.
Guide to Automatic Investment Plans
By AJ Smith. February 24, 2025 · 8 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. An automatic investment plan (or AIP) can refer to various options: an automatic investment plan might be part of a retirement account, or it could be an investing platform, like a robo advisor, that enables you to make regular investments, automatically.
Automated portfolios have become a common option offered by financial companies, providing many people with a cost-efficient way to invest for retirement and other goals — while helping to manage certain market and behavioral risks via automated features.
Roth IRA vs 401(k)—What is the Difference?
By AJ Smith. February 27, 2024 · 14 minute read This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature. The biggest difference between an IRA vs. a 401(k) is the amount you can save. You can save over three times as much in a 401(k) vs. an IRA — $23,000 versus $7,000 for tax year 2024, and $22,500 versus $6,500 for tax year 2023.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Explained
By AJ Smith. December 11, 2024 · 7 minute read SoFi does not currently offer all the products and services in this article. Our content covers a variety of financial topics for educational purposes only. For many people, cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid assets that can help offset risk in a financial plan or investing portfolio. Cash equivalents are low-risk, low-yield investments that can be converted to cash quickly and are thus considered relatively stable in value.
Portfolio Diversification: What It Is and Why It's Important
By AJ Smith · June 18, 2024 · 12 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
9 Common Social Security Myths You Need to Know About
By AJ Smith · May 23, 2024 · 14 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
Reading a Profit & Loss Statement as an Investor
By AJ Smith · January 28, 2022 · 9 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
How To Make Changes to Your 401(k) Contributions
April 28, 2024 at 6:57 AM Vadym Pastukh/istockphoto Whether you just set up your 401(k) plan or you established one long ago, you may want to change the amount of your contributions — or even how they’re invested. Fortunately, it’s usually a fairly straightforward process to change 401(k) contributions. How often can you change your 401(k) contributions? You may be able to make changes at any time, depending on your plan. After all, the point of a 401(k) plan is to help you save for your retirement.
How Much Should I Contribute to My 401(k)?
April 23, 2024 at 6:57 AM Drs Producoes/istockphoto How Much Should I Contribute to My 401(k)? Once you set up your retirement plan at work, the next natural question is: How much to contribute to a 401(k)?
How To Make Changes to Your 401(k) Contributions
By AJ Smith. July 16, 2026 · 11 minute read SoFi does not currently offer all the products and services in this article. Our content covers a variety of financial topics for educational purposes only. Whether you just set up your 401(k) plan or you established one long ago, you may want to change the amount of your contributions — or even how they’re invested. Fortunately, it’s usually a fairly straightforward process to change 401(k) contributions. How often can you change your 401(k) contributions?
Roth 401(k) vs Traditional 401(k): Which is Best for You?
By AJ Smith · April 08, 2024 · 10 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
How Much Should I Contribute to My 401(k)?
By AJ Smith · April 08, 2024 · 10 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
Which Should I Pick: Active or Passive Investing?
Active investing vs. passive investing generally refers to the two main approaches to structuring mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) portfolios. Active investing is a strategy where human portfolio managers pick investments they believe will outperform the market — whereas passive investing relies on a formula to mirror the performance of certain market sectors. Which approach is better, active investing vs. passive?
Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA): Definition, Formula, Examples
By AJ Smith · March 21, 2024 · 7 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
What Is a Roth IRA & How Does It Work?
A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account that allows you to contribute after-tax dollars, and then withdraw the money tax free in retirement. A Roth IRA is different from a traditional IRA, which is a tax-deferred account: meaning, you contribute pre-tax dollars — but you owe tax on the money you withdraw later. Many people wonder what a Roth IRA is because, although it’s similar to a traditional IRA, the two accounts have many features and restrictions that are distinct from each other.
Want to know the difference between active and passive investing? Keep reading!
By AJ Smith · March 07, 2024 · 8 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
Overweight Stock: What It Means and Examples
By AJ Smith · February 22, 2024 · 8 minute read We’re here to help! First and foremost, SoFi Learn strives to be a beneficial resource to you as you navigate your financial journey. Read more We develop content that covers a variety of financial topics. Sometimes, that content may include information about products, features, or services that SoFi does not provide.
'Mental illness is not a crime'
CLEVELAND — It’s been nearly a year and a half since a Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority police officer shot and killed Maalik Amir Roquemore. We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here. Roquemore’s mother, Kimberly, said her son’s death should have never happened and wants justice and accountability in the case.
Biden in East Palestine: 'This was an act of greed that was 100% preventable'
President Joe Biden visited East Palestine Friday afternoon, just one year after the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Biden received an operational briefing from officials in East Palestine at about 4:20 p.m. and at 4:45 p.m., he delivered remarks on what his administration is doing to hold train company Norfolk Southern accountable for the disaster.
City of Akron's 'Tumble Together Thursday' provides free laundry for Akron residents
This Thursday, Akron residents will be able to wash two loads of laundry for free. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik announced "Tumble Together Thursdays" on Facebook. The event provides free washing and drying for up to two loads per person and will take place at the Super Clean Laundromat from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is only for residents of Akron. We Follow Through Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know. What story do you want us to follow through on? What questions do you have?
19-year-old wanted for hitting Bedford High School student with a gun on school grounds, police say
Bedford Police are searching for a 19-year-old man for allegedly assaulting a Bedford High School student on school grounds Monday afternoon. According to Bedford Police, the student says he was hit in the back of the head with a gun by 19-year-old Laquan Evans, causing a laceration. The incident happened near the school's stadium building. Evans reportedly left in a dark-colored SUV. The student's mother reported to the scene. The student refused transport.
30-year-old man arrested after screencasting pornography onto a TV at a restaurant, police say
A 30-year-old Canton man has been arrested after he allegedly screencasted pornography onto a TV at a restaurant. According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, officers responded to a restaurant in the city of Green on Sunday, Feb. 4, around 8:30 p.m. after families visiting the restaurant saw pornography on a television and called authorities. The three families had a total of six children between them, ages nine to 12 and went to the restaurant after a youth basketball tournament, police said.
Donovan Mitchell named NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week
CLEVELAND — On Monday, the NBA announced its Eastern Conference Player of the Week was given to Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan 'Spida' Mitchell. The week included games played from Monday, Feb. 5 through Sunday, Feb. 11. "Mitchell led the Cavaliers to an Eastern Conference-best 4-0 record this past week, averaging 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.0 assist, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 33.0 minutes per contest.
Wrong-way driver arrested after fleeing officers and crashing into cruiser, police say
A 31-year-old Canton woman was arrested Saturday night after refusing to pull over, taking police on a chase and crashing into an Ohio State Highway Patrol Cruiser. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Strasburg Police Department received a call regarding a wrong-way driver driving south in the northbound lanes of Interstate 77 from Canton. Upon identifying the car, a 2009 Chevrolet Impala, officers attempted a traffic stop. The car did not stop, and a pursuit ensued.
Large fire engulfs Vermilion Country Club Saturday night
A large fire broke out and badly damaged the Vermilion County Club Saturday night. According to the Vermilion Fire Department, they responded to a call for a fire just before 9 p.m., and they arrived to everyone evacuated safely from the building as it became fully engulfed in flames. It took six fire departments a few hours to extinguish the flames. "We had flames showing on the east end of the building, which was attached to the residence.
Residents on Cleveland's west side without power after a car crashed into a pole
CLEVELAND — Residents on Cleveland's west side are without power Saturday after a car crashed into a pole overnight. The crash happened at the intersection of W. 73rd Street and Clark Avenue. Cleveland Public Power confirmed that residents are without power, although they did not specify how many were impacted. The entire pole has to be replaced, which means it could be sometime before those without power have power restored, the electric company said. No further information has been provided.
38-year-old woman dead in single car crash on I-71 N near I-480 W early Saturday morning
CLEVELAND — A 38-year-old woman is dead after being involved in a single-car crash early Saturday morning. According to Cleveland police, the rollover crash happened on the Interstate 71 North ramp that leads to Interstate 480 West. The woman was pronounced dead on the scene. A 33-year-old woman was transported to the hospital. Her condition is unknown. No further information has been provided. We Follow Through Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know.
Symphany is Cleveland Animal Protective League's Pet of the Week
In an effort to support pet adoption, News 5 partners with the Cleveland Animal Protective League to bring our viewers the Pet of the Week! Meet Symphany: Symphany is an 8-year-old retriever mix that absolutely adores everyone she meets. She was brought to the APL when her owner had to be hospitalized. Since being with us, she has quickly won over the hearts of all staff and volunteers. This girl still has plenty of energy, like a true retriever.
Elyria police investigating after body found in woods
A body was found in the 1100 block of Ford Road Thursday afternoon. According to Elyria police, the individual was found near a wooded area. Elyria police and the Lorain County Coroner's office are conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death. The identity of the deceased has not been released. News 5 will update this story as information becomes available. We Follow Through Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know.
Car crashes into Cleveland fire truck early Friday morning
A car crashed into a Cleveland Fire Department fire truck early Friday morning. The crash closed the Lee Road and Harvard Avenue intersection. The intersection has since reopened. It is unknown if there were any injuries. The fire truck did not sustain any damage. The crash is under investigation. We Follow Through Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know. What story do you want us to follow through on? What questions do you have?
403(b) vs Roth IRA: Key Differences and How to Choose
What’s the Difference Between a 403(b) and a Roth IRA? A 403(b) and a Roth IRA account are both tax-advantaged retirement plans, but they are quite different — especially regarding the amount you can contribute annually, and the tax implications for each. Generally speaking, a 403(b) allows you to save more, and your taxable income is reduced by the amount you contribute to the plan (potentially lowering your tax bill).
Elderly woman dead after fatal house fire in Forest Hills neighborhood
An elderly woman is dead after a house fire turned fatal Tuesday evening. According to the Cleveland Fire Department, they were dispatched to a home in the 900 block of Paxton Road shortly after 5 p.m. for a fire. Crews arrived at the scene to find smoke and fire coming from the house. The elderly woman, who was bound to a wheelchair, was found dead on the first floor upon arrival, the fire department said.
51-year-old woman arrested after meth and machetes found in Springfield Township motel room
Meth and machetes were both found in a woman's Springfield Township motel room Sunday. According to a Facebook post from Springfield Township Police, an officer on a drug-related investigation found the 51-year-old woman with the drugs and knives in a motel on Massillon Road. In her room, the officer found a "substantial quantity" of methamphetamine, 11 meth pipes, drug paraphernalia, and two machetes, police said.
State Route 8 southbound reopens 2 lanes after fiery crash
State Route 8 southbound has reopened to two lanes from Highland Road to Hines Hill Road after a fiery crash occurred in Macedonia on Jan. 27, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Crews have spent the last eight days cleaning and repairing the road after a tanker truck lost control and went over the bridge, resulting in an explosion. The driver died from his injuries.
Cleveland Heights police officer injured by man resisting arrest after shootout, police say
A Cleveland Heights police officer sustained injuries during the arrest of a man early Saturday morning. According to Cleveland Heights police, two men were arrested for being involved in a shootout behind an apartment building in the 2000 block of Noble Road shortly after 6 a.m. One of the men resisted arrest and tried to take the gun of one of the officers. It took several officers to detain him, causing an officer to injure his hand in the process, police said.
Wanda is Cleveland Animal Protective League's Pet of the Week
In an effort to support pet adoption, News 5 partners with the Cleveland Animal Protective League to bring our viewers the Pet of the Week! Meet Wanda: Meet Wanda! She is a great family dog! She is 10 years old and housebroken. Wanda has quite the hairstyle and a great personality. Now is a good time to visit your local shelter. As adoptions decrease, there are a lot of furry friends looking for a good home. Find out more about Wanda and the Cleveland Animal Protective League here.
AMC movie theaters offering $5 movies for Black History Month
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AMC movie theaters offering $5 movies for Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, the AMC movie theaters are offering $5 movies. According to their site, they are honoring extraordinary African American stories in film now through March 2. Select movies that celebrate representation will be $5 all month long, including The Color Purple. Get tickets here. We Follow Through Want us to continue to follow through on a story? Let us know. What story do you want us to follow through on? What questions do you have?
Canton Ohio State Highway Patrol investigating one-car fatal crash
The Canton post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a one-car fatal crash that took place Friday night. According to the OSHP, shortly before midnight, 64-year-old Eric Mallett of Strasburg was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Impala westbound on State Route 212 near Bardell Avenue SW when he traveled left of center while negotiating a curve, overcorrected, traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Mallett was pronounced dead at the scene.
Akron police searching for suspect who committed armed robbery at McDonald's
The Akron Police Department is searching for a suspect who committed armed robbery at the McDonald's in the 900 block of E. Waterloo Road. According to police, they arrived at the restaurant shortly after midnight Friday and spoke with an employee who reported that the suspect approached the counter, pointed a gun at them and demanded money from the safe. Officers determined that the suspect hid inside the bathroom until closing before committing the robbery.
56-year-old man dead after tragic accident at Lake County landfill, police say
The Lake County Sherrif's Office is investigating the death of a 56-year-old man at a landfill in Painesville Township Thursday. According to police, shortly after 11:30 a.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Lake County Solid Waste Facility on Blasé Nemeth Road for a pedestrian accident where they found the man unresponsive on the ground.
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