A-Town Magazine
Fishing closures are becoming routine as record heat warms rivers in the US West
LIVINGSTON, Mont. | Trout need cool water to survive, but record heat this summer has driven water temperatures to lethal levels for fish. Wildlife officials are banning fishing during certain hours on rivers and streams across the U.S. West, following an exceptionally dry winter and amid widespread drought. Lower water levels mean rivers can heat […]
At colleges, the AI boom means everyone wants to dabble in computer science
With no background in coding, Faith Maeba, a psychology major, was reluctant when her mother first suggested she enroll in classes on artificial intelligence. But the senior at Virginia Commonwealth University began to see it differently as she looked into graduate psychology programs that explore human behavior in the workplace, which is quickly being upended […]
Leave it: Dog trainers help pets avoid venomous snakes
TUCSON, Ariz. | Ripley, a medium-sized dog with a strong prey drive, curiously approached Brian, a large western diamondback rattlesnake, until she got a quick zap on the neck meant to simulate a venomous viper’s bite. Suddenly, the 2-year-old blue heeler mix wanted nothing to do with Brian’s textured brown skin or furiously rattling tail. […]
‘Sopranos’ actor Vincent Pastore, known for playing mobsters and tough guys, dead at 80
NEW YORK | Vincent Pastore, a veteran actor who played mobsters and tough guys, and was best known for portraying Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on “The Sopranos,” has died. He was 80. Bob McGowan, who managed Pastore since his run on “The Sopranos,” told The Associated Press that he learned of his death Saturday from […]
What to Stream: ‘Ted Lasso,’ Billie Eilish, Stray Kids, ‘You Me & Tuscany’ and ‘The Shards’
The return of “Ted Lasso” and Billie Eilish’s immersive concert film are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the rom-com “You, Me & Tuscany,” a new mini-album from […]
At creative reuse centers, old art supplies get a new life at a fraction of the cost
NEW YORK | Charlene Catalano was looking for a ball of green-and-white yarn to crochet this year’s winter scarf. Instead of going to a big-box retail store, she found what she needed at Brooklyn Creative Reuse, along with gently used crochet kits, hooks, labels and other bits. It all cost just $6. “Nowadays, art is […]
Of thee I sing: A guide to US patriotic songs, from ‘The Liberty Song’ to Jay-Z and Kanye West
NEW YORK | The history of American patriotic songs offers a lesson about the different ways you can say you love your country. Composers have celebrated endurance under fire ( “The Star-Spangled Banner” ) and invoked divine approval (“God Bless America”). While Toby Keith’s “Made in America” dares anyone to question American eminence, Woody Guthrie’s […]
Malls, once symbols of American consumer culture, are splitting. Some are dying as others thrive
LIVINGSTON, N.J. | I wasn’t a mall rat. Growing up in the 1970s, I didn’t hang out much with my friends at my local mall in New Jersey. The Livingston Mall, which opened in 1972 with stores including Bamberger’s, Sears and Hahne & Co., may have been a bustling social scene for my peers. But […]
Rei Ami from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and comedian Ken Jeong take a bite out of ‘Shark Week’
NEW YORK | Rei Ami, whose voice helped fuel the hit movie “KPop Demon Hunters,” recently found herself facing plenty of real hunters — watching from the ocean floor as about 16 reef sharks went on a feeding frenzy. She was scared, sure. But more than that, she was brought to tears. “I thought I’d […]
Study suggests the threat of mold-associated illnesses may be underappreciated
NEW YORK | A first-of-its-kind U.S. study suggests invasive mold infections may be an underappreciated — and potentially deadly — threat. The researchers detected about 450 cases in Atlanta-area hospitals over five years. About a third of the patients died in the hospital. The findings, published this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control […]