Official: Virginia’s 2025 antlerless deer lottery hunt application period opens

Virginia antlerless deer in forest during 2025 lottery hunt application period

Online entries close Sept. 5, giving residents and visiting hunters a fair shot at select public and private lands across the Mountain State. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) has begun accepting applications for its 2025 antlerless deer hunt lotteries. Hunters who secure a permit will be able to harvest does in tightly managed … Read more

These are the five ice cream shops selected as Portland’s most delicious destinations

Hand holding a vanilla soft-serve ice cream cone topped with chocolate flake outdoors in Portland area.

The Oregonian’s Readers Choice Awards reveal a tight race, just three votes apart, for the city’s favorite frozen treats—and the winners span Portland, the suburbs and Newberg. Portlanders are passionate about their scoops, and the latest Readers Choice poll proves it. Below is a quick‑glance table of the top five finishers before we dig into … Read more

Confirmed: Lone star tick spreading rapidly across the US causing thousands of meat allergies

Lone star tick crawling on human skin causing meat allergy

Alpha‑Gal Syndrome can linger for up to two years; CDC warns warming climate is pushing the aggressive tick into new states. A fast‑moving insect no bigger than a sesame seed is reshaping American dinner plates. Public‑health officials say bites from the lone star tick are now triggering Alpha‑Gal Syndrome (AGS) in an estimated 450,000 people … Read more

Government seeks small, everyday donations through Venmo and PayPal to slow ballooning debt

Donald Trump with PayPal and Venmo logos promoting small donations to reduce US national debt

New digital checkout tools aim to turn quick, smartphone‑size donations into a fresh weapon against runaway public borrowing. The Treasury Department is inviting everyday Americans to do something once reserved for policy wonks: pitch in directly to lower the national debt. Under a quiet update to its “Gift Contributions to Reduce the Public Debt” page, … Read more

Forget high rents and mortgages—Amazon delivers a customizable steel home for around $17,000

Prefabricated modular steel home sold by Amazon, customizable and affordable housing alternative for around $17,000

A compact, steel‑framed villa ships nationwide, promising a customizable living space for a fraction of traditional housing costs. Mortgage rates keep climbing, rents show no mercy, and many Americans are hunting for alternatives. Enter Amazon’s 20‑foot modular steel villa, a blank‑canvas home you can own for about $17,000 and assemble in just a few days. … Read more

New Chinese magnetic train aims to close the gap between railways and aviation at 600 km/h

Chinese magnetic levitation (maglev) train traveling at high speed, designed to reach 600 km/h

CRRC’s new demonstrator promises to bridge the gap between rail and flight, trimming intercity travel to just 2½ hours. China has lifted the curtain on a magnetic‑levitation train designed to streak along at 600 km/h (roughly 373 mph). Displayed at the 17th Beijing Modern Railway Exhibition, the prototype—developed by China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC)—could redraw the country’s busiest … Read more

A seagull may have learned to ride trucks to easily access food: a GPS tracks its route and demonstrates its intelligence

seagull standing on rocky ledge with open beak possibly calling or reacting near coastal waters

A GPS‑tracked western gull twice logged 80‑mile rides on a garbage truck in May 2018, rocketing down Bay Area freeways at 60 mph—three times its normal flying speed. The newly published study raises fresh questions about how wildlife adapts to people’s waste streams. The odd journeys, reported in Waterbirds, matter to anyone curious about seabirds, urban ecology, or … Read more

Millions of turkeys are eaten and raised in the United States: Why have most Americans never eaten an egg from this bird?

Wild turkey standing outdoors with colorful feathers and red wattle, representing the bird behind rarely eaten eggs

They’re edible, even delicious, yet most shoppers have never cracked one open. Every diner knows chicken eggs. Foodies may splurge on duck or quail eggs. But turkey eggs? They remain a curiosity—despite barns and backyards full of the birds that lay them. Turkey eggs taste a bit richer than chicken eggs and sport a speckled, … Read more

Confirmed: alert following outbreak of flesh-eating bacteria causing concern and bad news on these US beaches

Beachgoers in Florida near the water as flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus sparks health warnings

Health officials warn swimmers and seafood lovers as Vibrio vulnificus infections rise along warm Gulf waters. Florida’s Department of Health has confirmed 11 Vibrio vulnificus cases this year, four of them fatal. The rare but aggressive bacterium, nicknamed the “flesh‑eating” bug, thrives in brackish summer waters and can enter the body through tiny cuts or raw oyster … Read more

These are the four least reliable German car brands for 2025, according to experts

BMW sedan being towed on flatbed truck due to mechanical breakdown

Owners across the country report that once‑coveted German marques are racking up electrical gremlins, oil leaks and costly transmission work—often just after the warranty clock stops ticking. Who could this hit hardest, and what problems keep popping up? Read on for the key findings and what they might mean for your next car‑shopping trip. Consistent … Read more

The TSA warns millions of travelers to avoid public charging stations and WiFi at airports: your data could be stolen

airport free wifi charging station with large wifi symbols and travelers in background

TSA holiday travel alert: skip public chargers and free airport WiFiAhead of the busiest travel weeks of the year, the Transportation Security Administration urges passengers to guard their phones against juice‑jacking cables and risky networks. If you are packing your bags, the TSA wants you to pack caution too. The agency’s fresh bulletin warns that … Read more

Confirmed: Construction begins on the world’s largest hydroelectric dam in the deepest canyon on earth

People walking on top of a massive curved hydroelectric dam beside turquoise reservoir water

The $170‑billion Yarlung Zangbo cascade, billed as the world’s largest hydropower project, is expected to churn out enough electricity to match Britain’s yearly consumption and has already pushed Chinese stocks and bond yields higher. China has begun building a five‑station dam complex on the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau that will generate an estimated 300 billion kWh … Read more

A father crosses the sea every day for seven years so his children can go to school: millions of people around the world are shocked

Small motorboat used daily by a father to cross the sea taking his children to school safely

Tioman Island father Jamaludin Musa rises before dawn each day to ferry his two young children across the South China Sea, proving that distance—and rough weather—can’t sink a parent’s resolve. Jamaludin Musa has repeated the same ritual for seven straight years: wake up at 6:30 a.m., help Armin (11) and Aida Izabella (8) onto a motorbike, steer them … Read more

Goodbye to Tesla’s Cybertruck on European roads: design risks cast doubt on Elon Musk’s ambitious goals

Tesla Cybertruck driving on a city street, highlighting its sharp, angular design causing safety concerns in Europe.

Tesla’s stainless‑steel pickup keeps making headlines, and not the kind investors like. Between fresh mechanical fixes and disappointing showroom numbers, the once‑hyped Cybertruck is struggling to deliver on CEO Elon Musk’s lofty promises. In a nutshell, the vehicle has racked up eight federal recalls since its December 2023 launch, faces a de facto ban across Europe, and posted … Read more

Goodbye to Trump’s claim: Coca-Cola refuses to confirm the removal of corn syrup from US soft drinks

Donald Trump drinking Coca-Cola amid corn syrup ingredient controversy in the US

Donald Trump says future American Cokes will be sweetened with cane sugar, not corn syrup. Coca‑Cola’s brief response, however, stops short of confirming any recipe change. The former president posted on Truth Social Wednesday that conversations with Coca‑Cola ended in an agreement to replace high‑fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in sodas sold across the … Read more

Millions of Americans may have to delay retirement until age 69 under new Social Security proposal

Senior couple holding hands in front of a large Social Security card illustration, symbolizing retirement planning in the U.S.

Millions of U.S. workers may soon need to adjust their retirement game‑plan. Lawmakers are weighing a proposal to raise the full retirement age (FRA) from 67 to 69 beginning in 2026, arguing it will shore up Social Security’s finances. The change would roll out gradually through 2033, extending trust‑fund solvency past the projected depletion date … Read more

Farewell to Great Neck’s beloved burger joint: it officially closed its doors after four tasty years

Cheesy double bacon smashburger served at Great Neck’s popular burger spot Kai Burgers and Dumplings

Beloved smashburger‑and‑dumpling spot leaves a tasty legacy and a few misty eyes Great Neck’s culinary scene lost a standout on July 15, when Kai Burgers & Dumplings flipped its last patty. The cozy, pub‑style eatery earned rave reviews—landing on Newsday’s “best things we ate” list in 2023—yet owner Lei “Denny” Gao says the numbers, and life’s demands, finally caught up. Why Kai … Read more

Massive 100-foot sea serpent emerges in Golden Gate Park’s famous Rainbow Falls Pond

Waterfall flowing into Rainbow Falls Pond at Golden Gate Park, future home of the massive 100-foot sea serpent sculpture.

100‑foot Burning Man sculpture begins installation in Rainbow Falls Pond, poised to become the park’s largest artwork. A shimmering, 100‑foot‑long sea serpent named Naga is surfacing in Rainbow Falls Pond along JFK Promenade this week, bringing a dose of Burning Man magic to San Francisco. When crews finish bolting the last sections next week, the radiant … Read more

JPMorgan Chase ends free access to customer data: here’s what’s changing forever in digital banking

JPMorgan Chase headquarters building in New York City, representing new policy ending free customer data access

Millions of Americans who rely on popular payment apps may soon feel the pinch as JPMorgan Chase starts charging fintechs for banking‑data access. JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank, is ending years of free access that allowed companies like PayPal, Venmo, and Coinbase to retrieve checking‑account information for peer‑to‑peer transfers and budgeting tools. Bloomberg reports … Read more

Official: Public employees celebrate as Social Security repeals two pension-reducing rules this year

Social Security card with clock and a note indicating Social Security changes affecting payments

The repeal of WEP/GPO and a higher clawback cap roll out this year, reshaping payments for millions of retirees and disabled workers. If you rely on Social Security, two fresh policy shifts could bump your deposit up—or slice it in half—before the summer ends. One expands payments for 3.1 million public servants; the other lets the … Read more