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Jun 12 2026TECHNOLOGY

South Shore’s New AI‑Run News Site: A Quick Look at Its Rise and Limits

South Shore News started in 2024 by local council member Alex Evans after he grew frustrated with the dwindling coverage of town meetings and community events. The site uses AI tools to transcribe public meetings, draft articles, and summarize regional happenings, delivering nearly 2, 000 stories in

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Jun 12 2026POLITICS

Michigan Proposes New Rules for Retirement Funds to Dip into Crypto

Michigan is testing waters to let retirement funds invest in cryptocurrency—but under strict conditions. A pending bill, House Bill 4510, wants to change rules for public employee retirement systems, allowing them to add digital assets to investment portfolios. So far, the bill hasn’t become law, an

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Jun 11 2026HEALTH

How Idaho plans to spend $186 million on rural moms and babies

Idaho is getting serious about fixing gaps in care for mothers and young children in rural areas. The state health department just opened its first round of grants, offering $186 million from federal funds aimed at transforming rural healthcare. Alongside that, there’s an extra $1. 3 million set asi

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Jun 11 2026WEATHER

North Jersey braces for a couple of steamy days

North Jersey won’t get much of a break this week—temperatures are climbing, and so is the humidity. The National Weather Service says the area should expect a heat advisory starting Thursday at noon, stretching until 8 p. m. Friday. That covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex coun

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Jun 10 2026POLITICS

Starbucks Korea’s joke about a dark day in South Korea

South Koreans mark May 18 every year to remember a brutal crackdown. In 1980, soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed citizens in Gwangju who were protesting a new military government. Yet when the 46th anniversary rolled around in 2026, Starbucks Korea chose to joke about the tragedy with a special tum

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Jun 10 2026POLITICS

Early vote count gives South Carolina's top education post a fresh face

South Carolina’s upcoming race for state school superintendent just got more interesting. After polls closed on June 9, newcomer Sylvia Wright had a commanding early lead with 62% of the vote in the Democratic primary. Lisa Ellis, the experienced educator who ran last time, trailed with 38%. The fin

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Jun 10 2026WEATHER

Big waves take over Southern California beaches

Southern California beaches saw some of the biggest waves in years last week, turning usually calm waters into dangerous surf zones. Orange County bore the brunt, with waves reaching up to fifteen feet in places like Newport Beach and Dana Point—so tall they crashed over protective rock barriers. Hu

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Jun 10 2026HEALTH

Smartphones and South Italy’s young adults: How much screen time is too much?

Southern Italy’s young adults are glued to their phones – just like most of the world. Since COVID-19, phone use has skyrocketed, especially among people in their late teens and twenties. Phones help with everything: staying in touch, organizing life, and endless entertainment. But too much time onl

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Jun 09 2026POLITICS

South Carolina’s top teacher race gets a rematch in 2026

South Carolina voters will pick between two education leaders this summer to challenge the current state superintendent. Sylvia Wright, a former classroom teacher, is running for the Democratic spot for the first time. Lisa Ellis, who already held the party’s nomination in 2022, returns with her own

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Jun 09 2026ENVIRONMENT

Heat waves hurt maize crops more than dry air in Northeast China

Northeast China grows a lot of corn—about a third of the country’s total. But the weather there has been getting more extreme. Scientists looked at 40 years of corn harvests, plant growth records, and weather data from local stations. Instead of blaming just rainfall or drought, they tested how heat

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