A small idea at a pumpkin patch turned into a traveling petting zoo that now visits schools, parties and community events across East Contra Costa County and beyond. Robert and Katy Kerling started the venture after a neighbor asked them to run a petting zoo at a local pumpkin patch in 2023. Their o
Pope Leo’s latest statement on artificial intelligence doesn’t call for rejection of technology—it just makes clear that machines aren’t humans. The document, titled “Magnifica Humanitas, ” highlights a key difference: machines don’t experience, feel, or understand the world like people do. They can
New York’s push for rapid solar energy growth has left locals and wildlife in the dark—literally. A law passed in 2019, meant to fast-track renewable projects, skipped basic environmental checks. Developers were handed a blank permit to build giant solar farms wherever land was cheap, ignoring warni
Israel has now marked another large area in southern Lebanon as a combat zone, urging civilians living south of the Zahrani River to move north immediately. Residents in this roughly 2, 000 square kilometer stretch have been told to leave, with the military stating it will respond “with great force”
Arkansas gives its people a special power—voting directly on new laws through signatures. For years, this has let citizens push for changes like better pay or healthcare, even when politicians said no. But now, those in charge are trying to make it much harder for regular folks to do this. Last year
The Alley, a landmark in Avondale that has served punk, goth, and metal fans for decades, is looking for a new leader. Mark Thomas, who opened the shop in 1976 after buying jewelry‑making gear with a savings bond, now faces health issues and doubts about how long he can keep running the store.
A 17‑year‑old from Gateway High School entered a district art contest hoping to honor her Peruvian roots. She originally planned to create her work at a local Hispanic community center, but the place was nearly empty because many staff members feared that any visit could attract immigration official
A quiet Saturday morning in Healdsburg took a sharp turn when an SUV plowed into Baci Cafe & Wine Bar, turning a 16-year-old restaurant into a scene of shattered glass and overturned furniture. The crash happened around 7:50 a. m. , leaving behind a mess that will take six to eight weeks just to cle
A sudden hospital closure in Oak Park has left a Chicago neighborhood struggling to get quick emergency help. When Rev. Ira Acree’s wife needed medical care recently, the trip to the closest hospital took 20 minutes by ambulance instead of the usual five-minute drive. That extra time can mean the di
A small but growing organization in Reading has quietly changed the game for local students by funding adventures most could never afford. The group offers things like field trips to Broadway, hydroponic gardening classes, and summer camps—all aimed at showing kids that their city is just the starti
