Stuff YOU Should Know
Deadly Shooting in California It was supposed to be just a fun night out. But for a dozen people at a California bar, the evening ended in tragedy. Last Wednesday evening at about 11:20 pm, during “College Country Night,” Ian David Long entered the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, dressed all in […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Voter Controversy in Georgia A new development in the hotly-contested Georgia governor’s race has led to accusations of voter suppression. To review: in November, Brian Kemp, the Republican secretary of state, will face off against Stacey Abrams, the Democratic former state House minority leader. If Abrams wins, she will become the first black governor in […]
Kroger Bans Plastic Bags
In June, btw brought you the story of how many businesses, and even cities, are banning plastic drinking straws in an effort to eliminate some of the plastic waste in our oceans and waterways. Now, one U.S. grocery store chain is taking another important anti-plastic measure, and banning single-use plastic bags as well. The Kroger […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Fight Fire with . . . a Bill? You can’t stop wildfires with a law. Or can you? California state legislators, facing a second year of record-level wildfire destruction, are trying to do just that. One proposal is to pass laws requiring a more rigorous emergency alert system, to give more people time to evacuate. […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
A Champion Promise LeBron James may be the best basketball player in the world. But now he’s contributing something to society that’s arguably even more meaningful: a school. Situated in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, James’s school–called “I Promise”–is no ordinary educational facility. Focusing on academically “at-risk” youth, the program seeks to do more than […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Soccer Team Rescued from Thailand Caves Last week, btw brought you the story of the boys soccer team that was trapped in a vast cave system in Thailand. Now, after a staggering seventeen days underground, all twelve of the boys and their coach have been rescued and brought to safety. The boys initially became trapped […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Hungarian Hard Line The United States isn’t the only country that’s divided right now over the controversial issue of immigration. Hungary has taken the debate a step further, by passing a law making it illegal even to help undocumented immigrants. Like Donald Trump, Prime Minister Viktor Orban believes that immigrants are a threat to his […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Can Bees Do Math? Have you ever wondered if animals can count? What about insects? If that sounds like a crazy idea, you’ll be surprised to hear that honeybees can count to four. Even more impressively, Australian scientists have recently discovered that they may also understand the concept of zero. Here’s what happened. Scientists in […]
Women Win Big in June Primaries
This week’s story update on the Election Central Web site examines women’s victories in recent primaries. You may not have realized it, but June 5 was a pretty big day. Why? Because eight states held primary elections: Alabama, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota. In fact, it was the year’s […]
Stop Sipping to Save the Earth
When you order your favorite soft drink or milkshake, how do you drink it? If you said “With a straw,” you’re not alone. In fact, Americans use an estimated 500 million plastic straws every day. But this is about to change. Across the country, universities, food service companies, and even entire cities are banning plastic […]