Older people often feel a strong bond with their pets. A recent survey shows that 83 % of adults over 50 say their animals give them a reason to get up. This is higher than the 73 % recorded seven years ago. Pets also help seniors stay connected. Seventy percent of owners said their animal
A California woman is set to speak in court this Wednesday about how growing up on Instagram and YouTube hurt her mental health. She started using the apps at ages six and nine, and later blamed them for depression and body image worries. Her lawyers argue that the companies profited by targeting ki
In child care, teachers often decide when a child should eat, even if the child is already full or hungry. This study looked at whether coaching could help teachers better notice and respond to kids’ real hunger cues. The program, called CELEBRATE Feeding, ran for six months in eight centers locat
A new study shows that gold films only a few nanometers thick can be turned into tiny mechanical sensors. These devices vibrate at very high frequencies, in the range of millions of cycles per second. When a laser shines on them, their vibration frequency shifts in a predictable way, allowing the se
The state’s plan to end extra child‑care payments for foster families on Jan. 1, 2026 has sparked a fierce response from those who care for children in crisis. When the pandemic hit, Alaska covered every dollar of foster child‑care costs. Now it will pay only a small state rate that falls far below
In most classrooms, teachers rely on pictures and written words to teach. Studies show that about eighty percent of what children learn comes from seeing things. When a child’s sight is weak, learning suffers early on. A state program that helps low‑income families with health care is not keeping u
A blaze erupted early Wednesday morning at a commercial building in Lake in the Hills that stored snowmobiles, boats and personal watercraft. Firefighters were summoned just before 1 a. m. to the address 8913 South Route 31, where they discovered heavy smoke and flames coming from a metal pole barn.
In Rome, a solemn Mass began the Lenten season with ashes that symbolised more than mortality. The leader of the Catholic Church spoke about a planet “on fire” from war and environmental loss. He described the ash as a reminder of cities destroyed, broken law, and ruined ecosystems. The message w
The sky turned orange over Oklahoma and Kansas when the Ranger Road Fire erupted on Tuesday afternoon, quickly expanding to a size that rivals Chicago. In just eight hours the blaze consumed an area equivalent to three or four football fields every second, leaving over 145, 000 acres scorched and no
A teacher at Lower Richland High School, Eric Marshall Favor Jr. , 29, faces serious accusations in Marion County. The charges include second- and third‑degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, conspiracy, and aiding prostitution involving a child. The case began on Feb. 10 when the sheriff’s of
