September 21, 2026

World

A New Jersey couple spent more than 40 years protecting their 90-acre property from development; after ultimately giving away the entire estate, the land is now a free public preserve with a 201-year-old tree

A New Jersey couple spent more than 40 years protecting their 90-acre property from development; after ultimately giving away the entire estate, the land is now a free public preserve with a 201-year-old tree

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Monmouth County residents have recently received a wonderful gift, one that is going to make the coming autumn a season worth looking forward to. The 90-acre Scudder Preserve, in the Navesink section of Middletown, was officially accredited in July as a Level I Arboretum by ArbNet. Among its many treasures are a state-designated 201-year-old tulip…

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A new Oregon bill would transfer 18,626 acres of national forest to the Grand Ronde tribes; the land would remain open to the public while helping rebuild a reservation lost through federal termination

A new Oregon bill would transfer 18,626 acres of national forest to the Grand Ronde tribes; the land would remain open to the public while helping rebuild a reservation lost through federal termination

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More than 18,000 acres of federal forest land in Oregon could be transferred into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde under new legislation introduced in the US Congress, in a move the tribe says would help rebuild part of its land base after decades of federal termination.The Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act, introduced…

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​Meet Apollin Lu, the 17-year-old British Columbia student who mobilised 140+ volunteers to rescue nearly 9,000 pounds of farm produce

​Meet Apollin Lu, the 17-year-old British Columbia student who mobilised 140+ volunteers to rescue nearly 9,000 pounds of farm produce

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Apollin Lu is only 17, but she is already leading a growing youth network that is helping tackle food waste across British Columbia. She founded the Food Recovery Alliance, which has mobilised more than 140 young volunteers who have saved 9,000 pounds of fresh produce from going to waste. Together, they collected surplus produce from…

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A Florida woman spent 18 months turning a simple idea into a permanent Rainbow Bridge pet memorial; the community-built space in Fort Myers is now opening for families to leave collars and tags

Rainbow Bridge: A Florida woman spent 18 months turning a simple idea into a permanent Rainbow Bridge pet memorial; the community-built space in Fort Myers is now opening for families to leave collars and tags

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Bolen, a lifelong dog lover, had been working on the project for more than a year before it became a reality (Photo: Wgcu news) Florida resident Gabrielle Bolen has opened a permanent Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers, giving families a place to remember pets they have lost,…

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In 1942, a 24-year-old WWII pilot vanished over Egypt; 84 years later, his family finally buries him beside his parents in North Carolina

In 1942, a 24-year-old WWII pilot vanished over Egypt; 84 years later, his family finally buries him beside his parents in North Carolina

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More than eight decades after his death during World War II, Captain Marvin Lancaster has been laid to rest in Vanceboro, North Carolina alongside his parents. Family, friends and fellow service members gathered in Epworth Methodist Church to lay Lancaster to rest on Friday. “Right now, oddly enough, I’m feeling relief,” Lancaster’s nephew Jerry Brown…

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10-year-old Seattle boy lived in a tent while his mother battled fentanyl addiction; after an 11-month rescue effort, he entered school for the first time and said, 'I want to go back'

10-year-old Seattle boy lived in a tent while his mother battled fentanyl addiction; after an 11-month rescue effort, he entered school for the first time and said, ‘I want to go back’

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The boy had been living in difficult conditions and had never experienced school before. (Representational photo. Credit: The Seattle Times) A 10-year-old boy in Seattle walked into a school for the first time last week after spending much of his childhood living in a tent in a North Seattle park. His first day of school…

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A Tennessee farmer spent 4 years trying to return a mistaken $20,000 IRS refund. Instead, he faced $4,000 in penalties; then country singer John Rich stepped in and ended the dispute

A Tennessee farmer spent 4 years trying to return a mistaken $20,000 IRS refund. Instead, he faced $4,000 in penalties; then country singer John Rich stepped in and ended the dispute

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After a four-year battle with the IRS, Wilson Perry Kirby, a Middle Tennessee farmer, finally got an acknowledgement that the government had indeed made a mistake. In 2022, Kirby received a $20,000 tax refund he knew wasn’t meant for him. Instead of cashing it, he immediately tried to return the money. But instead, the IRS…

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A California retiree began picking up litter alone on daily walks in 2020; six years later, her volunteer group has removed about 750,000 pounds of trash and now organises valley-wide cleanups

A California retiree began picking up litter alone on daily walks in 2020; six years later, her volunteer group has removed about 750,000 pounds of trash and now organises valley-wide cleanups

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Life always has a purpose, and the fun part is that you get to decide it. You can spend a fine morning sleeping through it or volunteering your time for a purpose. For Jill Mather her retirement wasn’t going as planned. After decades of working 80-hour weeks in the restaurant business, she had dreamt of…

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An 82-year-old California tea importer spent 53 years on a 2-acre compound with 36+ structures; after decades of permit disputes and a 2024 National Register listing, a court ordered him to leave

An 82-year-old California tea importer spent 53 years on a 2-acre compound with 36+ structures; after decades of permit disputes and a 2024 National Register listing, a court ordered him to leave

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Hoffman has acknowledged that the buildings lacked proper permits but has maintained that they were not unsafe. Enforcement actions and fines did little to prevent continued activity at the property. For more than half a century, two acres in the hills of Lagunitas became the home, workplace and personal vision of California tea importer David…

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In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

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There are 14 islands totaling 2,674 square feet. Each island is a miniature replica of the natural archipelagos of the Mississippi River. Before the islands were placed in the creek, four prototype designs in a variety of shapes and sizes were developed. Sometimes the answer for a city that has fought floodwaters for years isn’t…

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