VA

May 25 2026OPINION

Protecting Farmland with Horse Power

Massachusetts is losing farmland fast—about 83% of what existed a century ago has vanished. But one program quietly helping to fight that loss has been the Race Horse Development Fund. Started 15 years ago as part of the state's casino law, this fund gives a small slice of casino revenue to breeding

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May 25 2026SPORTS

A different approach to MMA: What a top fighter thinks about the new league plan

Scott Coker is trying to launch a new MMA league by 2027 with $60 million behind it. The league will focus on just one weight class at first, running a big tournament-style event. But Aljamain Sterling, a former UFC champion, isn’t convinced this is the best way to grab fans’ attention. Tournaments

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May 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

Solar Farms: More Than Just Energy Factories

Solar farms often grab attention for their sheer size and power output, but many in the U. S. are quietly doing extra work. In California, solar panels now sit above irrigation canals, shading them to cut down on water evaporation while generating electricity. This clever setup, first tried in Calif

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May 25 2026FINANCE

Private loans hit hard as risk rises in quiet finance world

A quiet corner of finance called private credit just hit its roughest patch in years. This $2 trillion market grew fast after 2008 by lending to tech startups, healthcare chains, and factories without strict rules. Low interest rates made risky loans look safe—until they weren’t. Now rates are near

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May 25 2026HEALTH

Unvaccinated dating events face backlash as measles cases rise in Colorado

A plan to set up a dating event for people opposed to vaccination in Denver ran into serious trouble before it even started. The organizer of the "Unjected" singles meetup chose a local beer garden as the venue, only for the owner to cancel the booking after hearing what the event was about. Communi

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May 25 2026TECHNOLOGY

Tech Wonders That Feel Like Science Fiction—But Aren’t

Ever used an app to erase a person from a photo in seconds? That’s generative AI in action, trained on endless images to mimic human editing skills at lightning speed. It’s not magic—just math doing what humans would take hours to finish. Facial recognition on phones uses biometrics to unlock devic

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May 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

Bears and Tourists: How Yellowstone Handles Close Encounters

Every summer, Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks teem with visitors—around 4. 76 million in 2025 alone—while an estimated 1, 055 grizzlies roam freely. These bears, weighing up to 600 pounds and capable of sprinting 35 mph, are the largest land predators in the Lower 48. Yet despite their size, confl

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May 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

Extra eyes on a risky chemical tank in California

Fire crews in Orange County got lucky over the weekend when they spotted what looks like a narrow split in the side of a big storage tank holding 7, 000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. That flammable goop is used to make the clear plastic windows you see in airplane canopies and TV screens. The spli

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May 24 2026ENVIRONMENT

How food and festivals keep indigenous communities in central India connected to nature

The people living in the forests of central India have a lifestyle deeply tied to the land. Their daily routines and special celebrations aren’t just about tradition—they’re about survival, respect, and passing down knowledge. For these groups, food isn’t just something you eat; it’s a way to honor

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May 24 2026ENVIRONMENT

A New Spot to See a Rare Flower and Walk Among Rocks

A hidden gem in Franklin County just opened its doors to the public. Bald Knob Natural Area Preserve now welcomes visitors to explore a one-of-a-kind landscape filled with exposed rocks and a special flower found nowhere else in the world. The rocky terrain isn’t just for looks—it’s a rare habitat t

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