Maui Wildfire Relief Efforts
The wildfires on Maui that began on August 8, 2023, have caused extensive damage on this Hawaiian island. Severe drought and high winds from Hurricane Dora created conditions that fueled several fires on the island. Precise causes of the fires are still under investigation. A rapidly moving fire destroyed the town of Lahaina, Maui. […]
Investing in Community
Banks help people save money for things they might want in the future. They also provide loans to help people get money to buy a car or a house, or to start a small business. Banks help businesses and communities grow. However, not everyone has the same access to banks. The lack of access to […]
Women in Afghanistan Being Erased from Public Life
Women in Afghanistan no longer have a voice or a public presence. In the two years since the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan, women’s rights have been disappearing. The Taliban is a fundamentalist group that follows a strict conservative and religious set of Islamic principles. It has banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth […]
Ada Deer: A Woman of Firsts
Ada Deer, a highly respected Native American leader from northern Wisconsin, died on August 15, 2023, at the age of 88. Deer was a woman of firsts. She was the first woman from her Menominee (Muh·naa·muh·nee) Tribe to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Deer was the first Native American to obtain a master’s degree […]
YOU DECIDE: Businesses at a Tipping Point
Imagine you’re buying a cup of coffee at a local cafe. A server brings the coffee to you. When you pay for it, you give an extra amount, called a gratuity or a tip, to the server. This is a common practice in places like restaurants. But lately, consumers have noticed greater expectations for tips. […]
Lost Maya City Found Using Laser Technology
It may seem unusual to look for a lost city from the sky, but that’s how scientists first detected clues that uncovered an ancient Maya city. More than 1,000 years ago the Maya civilization thrived. When the civilization collapsed, the dense tropical forest of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula hid several Maya cities for centuries. Recently, with […]
Help Wanted: Citizen Transcribers
The 250th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain is approaching in 2026. The National Park Service and the National Archives and Record Administration are calling for volunteers to help with a memorial project. These organizations need volunteers to transcribe, or type, millions of handwritten documents from Revolutionary War veterans and their families. This is […]
Supreme Court Eliminates Race as College Admissions Consideration
In two important decisions issued on June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the use of race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) are unconstitutional. These rulings have effectively ended the practice of affirmative action in college admissions. Affirmative action is a policy that considers race […]
Discovery of Nero’s Theater
Archeologists in Rome believe they have discovered the theater of Roman Emperor Nero. Nero ruled between 54 C.E. and 68 C.E. While Nero’s theater is mentioned by writers of his time, its location was a modern mystery. The discovery came as part of a reconstruction project. A portion of the Palazzo Della Rovere, a Renaissance-era […]
Hotel Industry Joins Taylor Swift’s Fanbase
The famous musician Taylor Swift is not the only one feeling the success of her Eras concert tour in the United States this summer. In cities where she performed, local economies got a boost. That was especially true of the hotel industry. Fans came from all over the world to see her perform, which increased […]