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People

Sweet Success

April 16, 2021

North Duke Street in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, smells like dessert. The scent comes from a small, locally owned business that sells ice cream, homemade chocolates, and stroopies—thin, cinnamon waffle-sandwich cookies with a caramel center. The treats are popular in Europe,…

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Animals

The Butterfly Problem

April 7, 2021

For 23 years, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has held an annual monarch butterfly count. Each autumn, volunteers visit spots on the West Coast where monarchs are known to gather. They count the colorful insects to learn about the…

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Earth Science

Return of the Cicadas

April 7, 2021

Parts of the eastern United States and Midwest will witness an extraordinary natural event this spring. Trillions of Brood 10 cicadas are expected to emerge in mid-May after 17 years underground. They'll likely be around until late June or July.…

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Government

Relief Bill Passed

March 19, 2021

Americans began receiving direct payments from the United States government on March 12. The payments are part of a plan by President Joe Biden. The money will go to people who have been struggling during the pandemic. Biden signed…

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Government

Advancing Equality

March 12, 2021

March 8 was International Women’s Day. President Joe Biden marked the occasion by signing an executive order that promotes gender equity and equal rights for women and girls. The order establishes the White House Gender Policy Council. Its job is…

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Weather

After the Storm

March 5, 2021

Texas residents are still recovering from a winter storm that hit several states in mid-February. Extreme cold caused much of the state’s power grid to fail. “We were woefully unprepared for this kind of cold,” said Texas state representative Ron…

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Weather

Winter Storm Woes

February 19, 2021

A series of winter storms began a sweep across the United States on February 11, slowing distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in many parts of the country. Severe weather hit everywhere from Washington State to the southern U.S. Snow and…

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Holidays

Celebrating Safely

February 18, 2021

A house in New Orleans, Louisiana, is decked out for Mardi Gras. The city is known for its over-the-top Mardi Gras celebration. This year, the event took place on February 16. Typically, the festival fills the streets with crowds, parades,…

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Sports

Big Win

February 9, 2021

Quarterback Tom Brady, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, celebrates his team’s Super Bowl win on February 7. Tampa Bay beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31–9. This was Tampa Bay’s second victory in the big game. And it was Brady’s seventh…

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Sports

Super Bowl Preview

February 3, 2021

The Super Bowl is the National Football League’s championship game. It’s played each year on the first Sunday in February. The host stadium is usually packed with tens of thousands of fans. But this year’s game—between the Kansas City Chiefs…

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