The News Journal
Multilingual educator takes top honor
Jessica Liu Elementary teacher of multilingual learners at Etta J. Wilson Elementary There could only be one. Delaware school districts and charter school network recognized 20 local educators as their 2027 Teacher of the Year nominees before this...
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West End chief passes torch after 35 years
After 35 years leading West End Neighborhood House, Paul Calistro could have stayed. Instead, the longest-serving executive director in the organization’s history is stepping away, arguing that effective leadership means knowing when to hand the reins...
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Cafe Riviera riding out Concord Mall’s uncertainty
When it was revealed over the summer that the owners of the Concord Mall had applied to demolish the 47year-old generational hub, a wave of nostalgia washed over many Delawareans. While most began reminiscing about the past, many had one big question...
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4 homes on Indian Beach lack any dune protection
Before Pearl Harbor, Indian Beach was “the mecca of all social life throughout the resort season at the Delaware capes,” according to a 1941 News Journal article. But when blackout laws hit, the Rehoboth-Indian Beach Club, with its popular beachfront...
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The AI of the storm
Artificial intelligence has revolutionized weather forecasting in just a few years, with global AI weather models now able to produce forecasts that rival some of the world’s best physics-based prediction systems. This remarkable progress has been...
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‘Street Fighter’ actor was in Dover. How that fits into a bigger story
Did you know one of the stars of the new live-action “Street Fighter” movie once roamed the same dusty trails in The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway as thousands of other revelers at Firefly Music Festival? It’s a little-known detail that’s part of...
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Dover plantation to open $14.5 million visitor center
At the former estate of one of the “founding fathers” of the United States near Dover, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will cut the ribbon at the new John Dickinson Plantation Visitor Center at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10. The...
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How a closing sports store changed with the trends
After nearly a century selling sporting goods in downtown Wilmington, Al’s is closing up shop in December. Owner Bob Hart is retiring after 58 years and has worked there for six days every week for 40 of those, he said. Hart said he hopes the store...
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Redner’s sets sights beyond groceries at Milltown food hall
A Redner’s Fresh Market grocery store is opening on Kirkwood Highway Oct. 8 as the Pennsylvania supermarket chain is expanding its presence into northern Delaware. The grocery store will open in the 52,000square-foot former Acme at the Kirkwood Plaza...
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Little League, motels among sites rebuilding
A tornado ripped through Dover more than a month ago, but the recovery will take much longer and the costs keep mounting. No injuries were reported in the Aug. 20 storm, but one motel was condemned and another has closed. The city’s electric power...
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Safe space helps teens focus on mental health Putting student mental health at the forefront
Hodgson Vocational Technical High School is the latest Delaware school construction project to dedicate square footage to student mental health. The newly opened, 286,896-squarefoot, $211 million building in Glasgow features one of the SL24: UnLocke...
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Meet more of state’s newest school leaders
Some of Delaware’s newest public school leaders remember what it was like to struggle. Lost in math, relegated to remedial reading courses, undecided in university – these scholastic challenges never turned educators away from long careers in the...
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DELAWARE’S STAR POWER
From Hollywood and hit TV shows to sports arenas and music stages, they have Delaware ties and have made a name for themselves.
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Relocating park’s homeless people has mixed results
It has been three months since a city-sanctioned tent village in Wilmington’s Christina Park was fenced off and closed. The city pledged to connect the people who lived there with resources. Those who called the park home had mixed feelings about...
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Officers escort shelter dogs to honor fallen lieutenant
A pack of shelter dogs got an unconventional police escort Sept. 29 when New Castle County officers loaded them into cruisers and headed to Delcastle Recreational Park for an afternoon walk. The outing isn’t just about exercise. It’s part of an annual...
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Weekend nor’easter hits area businesses differently
With floodwaters that surpassed Superstorm Sandy levels in some areas, beach businesses weathered the weekend’s nor’easter. Some restaurants were forced to close because of flooding and street closures. Others served locals and tourists who came to...
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Nor’easter moves out
A nor’easter brought more than 3 inches of rain, riptides and heavy flooding to the Delaware coast between Sept. 25 and 27. The National Weather Service reported the storm was weakening Monday night and early Tuesday morning, easing beach conditions...
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Family seeks justice in hunter’s shooting case
Family of Santos Maria Chilel Soto, including her 4-year-old son, were at the Sussex County Courthouse for Walter Moorhead’s preliminary Sept. 25 hearing. Moorhead, a 74-year-old Salisbury, Maryland, resident, was hunting in an open field in Ellendale...
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7 SANDWICHES WORTH A BITE
The Delaware spots serving the most memorable sandwiches. One made a national list.
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Vet Fest brings mental health support to service members
Former President Joe Biden returned to his Claymont hometown on the night of Sept. 24, delivering a rousing speech as he accepted a Planned Parenthood of Delaware award named for a close friend and longtime supporter of his political career. “It’s no...
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Monument honors Revolution’s soldiers
Before Sept. 23, an unassuming patch of grass in a Wilmington cemetery bore no more public importance than any other nearby grassy plot. But underneath lay undiscovered history for more than 200 years. Officials from Delaware, Rhode Island, the United...
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Coalition launches push to fund Delaware schools
When it comes to school funding reform, one question has always been in the room: “How are we going to pay for it?” A new campaign built around answering this core question and more kicked off on Sept. 22 with familiar names in the scaffolding. The...
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GHOST GUN CASE HEADS ONWARD
A week after Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed a new law regulating so-called ghost guns, a federal judge struck down much of the state’s law banning those weapons. The issue now appears headed for further litigation, joining similar cases nationwide as...
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The progressive, grassroots party focuses on issues affecting blue-collar Delawareans
Seven Democratic incumbents lost their seats in Delaware’s Sept. 15 primary election to challengers backed by the Working Families Party, underscoring the growing influence of the progressive group. With roots dating back two decades, the progressive,...
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Telehealth abortion services scrutinized
Telehealth access to abortion care in Delaware may be under threat. Since the landmark case Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, telehealth requests for abortion medication have doubled across the country, according to the Center for Reproductive...
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These northern Delaware coffee shops are a lifeline
For many reporters, coffee is a lifeline. Whether it’s an early morning ribbon-cutting ceremony or a public meeting stretching long into the night, coffee helps us reporters stay alert for some of the community’s most exciting events. Furthermore,...
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U.S. human rights scores plummet
In the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, how is the U.S. government performing in terms of human rights? Listening to politicians, it can be difficult to know. On one hand, some have pointed to a number of potential human rights abuses committed...
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Residents protest but county OKs solar facility
Drawing protests from the audience, including some shouts, the Kent County Levy Court voted to approve a solar facility near Kenton on Sept. 15. After a public hearing, Commissioners Jody Sweeney, Jeffrey Hall, Robert Scott and Paul Hertz voted for...
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Primary shakes up DE political picture
Delaware’s Sept. 15 primary reshaped parts of the General Assembly, ousted several veteran lawmakers and set the stage for November’s major statewide races, including contests for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general and state treasurer. Several...
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Edgemoor terminal work gets underway along river
Three months ago, the site of the future Edgemoor container terminal was not much more than an empty field of concrete along the Delaware River. Today, the Port of Wilmington’s sister site is busy with construction crews and heavy equipment as work on...
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UD STAR Campus company testing cosmetic procedure
As celebrities are opening up about their cosmetic work and plastic surgery is a common topic among social media influencers, the demand for cosmetic procedures is booming. And as demand surges, a Delaware-based biotechnology company is looking to...
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Mail-in ballot rules sparking confusion
Midterm ballots are already being mailed to voters even as the courts continue to consider whether the U.S. Postal Service can be involved in deciding who gets a mail-in ballot. Twenty states will soon send mail-in ballots to voters or already have,...
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Got a tip? Let’s kick off Delaware’s school year with your stories
Andrew Ellis called to give a piece of his mind. Last fall, the Brandywine High School paraprofessional was busy spending late nights studying for a high schoollevel certification exam, whenever he wasn’t coaching or taking on teacher duties in...
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GOP event attendees pledge allegiance to Trump
DALLAS – President Donald Trump had his supporters recite a pledge of allegiance to himself – and promise to vote in November – as he teamed with Vice President JD Vance on Sept. 10, the second and final night of the first Republican midterm...
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Energy drink sales banned at DE schools
Energy drink sales are no longer allowed on Delaware school grounds. Rep. DeShanna Neal’s legislation banning the sale of these beverages on public, middle and high school campuses during school hours became Delaware law on Sept. 8 with Gov. Matt...
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Delmarva Power ramps up battle over Delaware rates
Delmarva Power has added to its rate increase proposal while simultaneously filing an appeal in Delaware Superior Court against the state’s top utility regulator. Delaware’s most-used electric and gas utility proposed a rate increase in December 2025...
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Fans line up for farewell ride on Haunted Mansion
Funland’s Haunted Mansion will close at the end of the summer season for its first full renovation in over 45 years, so nearly everyone in line for the ride on Sept. 4 had a story. Josh Knapp, 22, grew up in the area but now returns to Rehoboth Beach...
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Meet some of New Castle County’s new principals, heads
Legacy can take many shapes. Some Delaware educators discussed family history drawing them to the field, while others cited a passion carried since their own time in grade school. Some find motivation in empowering students and children, while others...
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OpenAI agents hijacked German site
SAN FRANCISCO – A swarm of rogue OpenAI agents hijacked a German website this spring and transformed it into a bulletin board for other AI agents, according to new research published on Sept. 4 and two people familiar with the matter. OpenAI officials...
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MOST INFLUENTIAL AND INSPIRING DELAWAREANS UNDER 30
Honorees shine in the final installment of this year’s series.
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Job gains in August easily top forecasts
The U.S. economy added a surprising 162,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department estimated Sept. 4, even as economists said a “low-hire, low-fire” dynamic made it difficult for unemployed Americans to find work. The 162,000 estimate for August far...
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Court’s ruling undercuts Delaware open records law
A recent Delaware Supreme Court ruling undercuts a deterrent for state agencies breaking open government transparency laws. Delawareans who successfully take state agencies to court to enforce open government laws cannot recover the attorney fees and...
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U.S. pounds Iran; Tehran hits bases
WASHINGTON – Iranians and their Arab neighbors feared a return of war on Sept. 2 after the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July, with U.S. forces striking Iran’s southern coast and Iran firing at American bases across the...
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RIGHT: Students walk to their classrooms.
LEFT: Students get off the bus for the first day of the school year.
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August Quarterly draws thousands in wake of fire
The August Quarterly is one of the oldest African American church festivals in the United States, and the tradition continued with extra enthusiasm this year. The live gospel performances echoed around the Riverfront as thousands of people from...
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East Side investment has been hard to see
Wilmington Mayor John Carney stood by a window on the top floor of the Louis L. Redding City/County Building along French Street downtown that provides a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the city’s East Side. He used the perspective to point out the old...
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Our Open Call column offers a platform for arts, cultural groups to get word out
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” — Last summer, as the season’s music scene was just heating up along with the weather, I sat in a beautiful South Jersey park, listening to Sug Daniels open for Low Cut...
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‘ISOLATED’
Severe storms, heat waves and wildfires can shut down the social life of a community, flooding out festivals, canceling community events and keeping people indoors. They’re also evidence of how climate change isn’t just changing the environments we...
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Glacier collapse may have triggered flood
The volume and speed of the wall of mud, boulders and debris that rushed more than 60 miles down a river through Nepal on Aug. 26 shocked even experienced researchers who study mountains, glaciers and waterways in the Himalayas. “The force of this...
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Development across DE: A status report on projects
Development has become synonymous with Delaware. New shopping centers and warehouses are clearing farmland below the canal and housing developments are squeezing in wherever they can find room in New Castle County. The landscape of the state is...
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Super Lyte so popular in DE, it’s now rationed
How popular is Super Lyte, a canned cocktail that hit the market only a few months ago? h Go into any bar statewide, and you’re likely to see the slim can of vodka and “ade” in the hands of plenty of bargoers, drawn to it by its sweet, Gatorade-type...
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Developer plans redevelopment of Concord Mall
Concord Mall could be transformed into a smaller retail center under new development plans that would demolish Delaware’s second-largest mall. Opened in 1969, the 846,896square-foot Brandywine Hundred mall could see its last days as Pennsylvania...
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Advocate shares his ‘Walking Testimony’
After nearly five years and more than 12,000 miles on foot, Kyndal Ray Edwards is nearing the end of “A Walking Testimony,” his one-man movement to raise awareness about mental health and substance abuse while spreading one simple message: You...
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INSPIRATION COMES FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
Winners of the 12th installment of this year’s Most Influential & Inspiring Delawareans series.
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Trees downed, buildings damaged across the city
The city of Dover and surrounding areas were cleaning up from a slate of storms on Aug. 20 that brought heavy rain, winds and at least one tornado touchdown to Kent County. The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado formed over Hartly in...
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Nemours Estate upgrading playhouse for visitors
Tucked deep inside the majestic Nemours Estate in Rockland, Wren’s Nest, a quaint storybook cottage that was used by two of owner Alfred I. duPont’s daughters, as well as the children of estate workers, has survived for more than 110 years. The...
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Most Delaware bridges rated as ‘fair,’ not ‘poor’
Around 100,000 vehicles cross the two-mile stretch of the bridge connecting Delaware and New Jersey on a daily basis. The Delaware Memorial Bridge has carried almost two billion commuters and travelers since it opened in 1951, making it a vital part...
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Inmate scores Xbox after suing for medical neglect
Devin Coleman has been in and out of prison since he was teen, and he’s spent a lot of time reading about case law. “Repeatedly, religiously,” he said. “Until I got an understanding of it.” All that reading has helped him file several lawsuits...
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Trump orders South Korea drill cuts
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Aug. 16 instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with long-term Asian ally South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against...
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Residents across East Side grapple with shootings of 5 in 2 days
Five people were shot in two incidents on adjacent blocks within a 48-hour period in Wilmington’s East Side on Aug. 11 and 12. Neighborhood residents still walked around, sat on stoops and ran errands as usual in the rising heat of a late summer...
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INSIDE THE NEWSROOM Delaware Online’s mobile newsroom is coming to a community near you
Feedback is invaluable to an industry that prides itself on communications and community illumination. That is why we at Delaware Online/The News Journal who work in newsgathering love hearing from you. This is the most meaningful way to learn about...
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Military bases delay toxic PFAS cleanup
It’s been almost five years since Brandi and Brad Hyatt found out the well at their home next to an Army base in Washington is contaminated with “forever chemicals.” They started using bottled water for everything from making coffee to rinsing off...
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Safety buttons provided to Beebe Healthcare workers
Beebe Healthcare is the first health care system in the state to provide staff members with Canopy Protect safety buttons that instantly alert security when help is needed. The rollout of 1,500 wearable duress buttons began July 28 in Beebe’s Lewes...
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Concord Mall site could be cleared for new retail use
Concord Mall could be seeing its last days. A major redevelopment application has been filed in New Castle County to demolish the 846,896-square-foot Brandywine Hundred mall. Plans call for a 233,100-square-foot “general retail building” to be...
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Fort DuPont RV park project again on track
Officials say a long-planned RV park on 135 acres of former state open space in the Fort DuPont redevelopment project is back on track after the property appeared to be headed toward a potential sheriff sale. Todd Burbage, an RV Park developer who...
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Sussex lifeguards national champs for 3rd year in row
For the third year in a row, Sussex County lifeguards are national champions. The Sussex County Lifesaving Association again won the United States Lifesaving Association National Championship, held this year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Aug....
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Beloved Wilmington diner goes up for sale
Eight months from its 60th anniversary, a beloved vintage diner tucked away in Wilmington’s Forty Acres neighborhood is up for sale. h Angelo’s Luncheontte, where 77-year-old August Muzzi has been making Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes and intricately...
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Summer vacation learning inspired by Harriet Tubman’s life and legacy
When I travel, I enjoy seeking out funky coffee and book shops. I like to try a few restaurants the locals swear by. I usually hit the farmers market, I often kayak or birdwatch or find the live music. And I nearly always check out one brewery. But...
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John Lewis Voting Rights Act enacted in Delaware
Despite carrying a cane following a recent knee replacement, Newark Delaware NAACP President Dr. Freeman Williams was not going to miss this ceremony. On Aug. 6, fellow state officials, community members and advocates packed the pews of the Shiloh...
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14 new cabins now under construction at Lums Pond
One of the most popular parks in Delaware will offer visitors a new place to stay next spring, but until then, parts of the campground may be a little messy. Fourteen cabins are being built at Lums Pond State Park between Glagow and the Summit Bridge...
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Guilty plea fight keeps grieving dad waiting
Jeff Trnka had largely given up hope that his son’s killer would be arrested. Fourteen years had passed since 19year-old Justin Trnka was found slumped over the wheel of his still-running car near the Newark-area BJ’s Wholesale Club on St. Patrick’s...
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Tale of two shootings
In the span of one week, two Delaware men were fatally shot by law enforcement officers. One death brought protesters into the streets, intensified calls for the release of body-camera footage and put Wilmington officials under growing pressure to...
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New solar farm near Dover part of DE’s discount program
A new 32-acre solar farm near Dover will serve more than 700 homes with clean, renewable electricity at a discount to regular rates. That’s because it’s part of Delaware’s community solar program, which includes 34 providers. The new provider on Fast...
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Exceptional Care’s Bridge Unit now serves ages 21 and older
Synseer Foster was born at 25 weeks, weighing just 1 pound and 4.2 ounces. His early arrival came by way of his mother’s HELLP syndrome, or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets, which is considered a life-threatening variant of...
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Driven by journalism: a summer intern’s story
Every few months, individual reporters, editors and photographers have the opportunity to introduce themselves to readers. There are many different ways the team chooses to share who they are. As a summer intern, I thought it would be best to answer a...
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‘THE DECLINE IS SIGNIFICANT’
When Ashton Reed voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, he was drawn by Trump’s vow to recharge the economy and curb the inflation that many around his hometown of Jackson, Missouri, blamed on then-President Joe Biden. Reed, 22, who has worked at...
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