7 mins read

Adults relive the musical camaraderie of their youth at band camps reprised for grown-ups

CONCORD, N.H. | As a high school student in the 1970s, Lori Guess looked forward to packing up her oboe for a summer music camp in Sidney, Maine. The lakeside location and loon calls appealed to her, and it was a chance to connect with kindred spirits. Decades later, she’s still going to camp there. […]

4 mins read

Pediatricians group finds kids of all ages need regular recess for physical and mental health

Recess isn’t just a fun break for grade schoolers. It’s crucial to good health and good grades for kids of all ages. That’s the message from a leading pediatricians group, which just released the first new guidance in 13 years about this unstructured time at school and how it needs to be protected. The updated […]

3 mins read

Microgardening means getting a surprisingly big harvest from a windowsill or balcony garden

Short on space? Consider microgardening. Although the term might conjure thoughts of minuscule garden gnomes and fairies, the reality is quite the opposite. You can get a surprisingly high yield from a small space, even a windowsill or balcony, if you plant it right. One way to maximize your harvest is to grow plants that […]

8 mins read

From Taylor Swift to the Oscars, 400-year-old ‘Hamlet’ flourishes in the age of TikTok

NEW YORK | He’s on screen, onstage, on tour, online and in song. “Hamlet” — William Shakespeare’s masterpiece about a moody Danish prince — seems to be having a moment. A National Theatre production has landed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music starring Hiran Abeysekera. There’s a movie version set in London’s South Asian community […]

2 mins read

Olivia and Liam top the list of most popular US baby names for the seventh year running

WASHINGTON | Olivia and Liam for a seventh year in a row topped the list of names for babies born in the United States in 2025. The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, with lists dating back to 1880. And just in time for Mother’s Day, […]

4 mins read

Call for artists: Colfax Canvas 2026 to showcase new murals and music

AURORA |  The Colfax Canvas mural festival will return to Aurora this summer, bringing a week-long celebration of public art, music and community events to the Aurora Cultural Arts District as city leaders push for renewed investment along the East Colfax corridor. “Colfax Canvas is more than a mural festival, it’s a reflection of Aurora’s […]

2 mins read

Olivia and Liam top the list of most popular US baby names for the seventh year running

WASHINGTON | Olivia and Liam for a seventh year in a row topped the list of names for babies born in the United States in 2025. The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, with lists dating back to 1880. And just in time for Mother’s Day, […]

7 mins read

How a 3,400-year-old ballgame survives in Mexico against all odds

LOS LLANITOS, México | On a dirt field on Mexico’s Pacific coast, five cousins between the ages of 8 and 13 strip down and kick off their shoes. Nearby, adults help them fasten the pre-Hispanic-style “fajado,” securing loincloths and leather belts that wrap around their hips. The Osuna children grab the rubber ball, all 3.2 […]