The Black Box Theatre presents “PUFFS or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic”

Parasite Cyclospora spreads through raw produce and water in 18 states, including Virginia

The US Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 400 cases of parasitic cyclospora that has spread across 18 states, including Virginia where this writer lives. Of those cases, 20 resulted in hospitalization.

Virginia · 29d

ChefManiac

user · 18.0K followers

I Brought Cookie Salad To One Potluck—Now Nobody Lets Me Bring Anything Else

Creamy vanilla pudding, fluffy whipped topping, juicy mandarin oranges, sweet pineapple, and crunchy cookies come together in the kind of Midwestern classic that somehow lands between side dish and dessert. Every spoonful is cool, creamy, fruity, and packed with crisp cookie pieces that soften just enough without disappearing completely. The citrus keeps the mixture bright, the pudding makes it velvety, and those chocolate-striped cookies turn an ordinary bowl of fruit into the one dish everyone recognizes from church suppers and family reunions. It is playful, nostalgic, and exactly the kind of recipe that makes people smile before they even take the first bite.

19d

Eat Like No One Else

user · 11.4K followers

The One Thing I Always Check Before Buying Cherries

Learn what you always want to look for when it comes to buying cherries from the store or farmers market. Whenever I am shopping for cherries the number one thing I look for is color. This will determine whether the cherries will be sweet and flavorful or sour and bland. I want to start by talking about the bags of dark cherries that are the most commonly found cherries in grocery stores nationwide. Cherries that are sold in the stores as "dark cherries" or "red cherries", should be dark in color. They should be closer to black in color than red. Often you won't find all the cherries in the bag to be exactly the same color, but the majority of them should be dark.

27d

Thomas Smith

user · 59.1K followers

Americans Are Changing How They Grocery Shop After the Biggest Price Increase in 50 Years

For millions of Americans, a trip to the grocery store no longer begins with a shopping list. It begins with a strategy. Shoppers are comparing prices across multiple stores, replacing familiar national brands with cheaper alternatives and planning meals around weekly promotions. Some are buying less meat, avoiding impulse purchases or leaving products on the shelf when the price feels unreasonable.

intentionalhospitality

I Never Could Get Tender Pork Chops, Until I Learned To Cook Them Like This

These boneless pork chops are seasoned with a simple spice blend, seared in a hot skillet, and finished with a butter and thyme baste. From start to finish, they're ready in 20 minutes, making them an easy option for a weeknight dinner.

21d

Margaret Minnicks

Update on Mia Bieniemy's progress after being shot by her son on Sunday in her Virginia home

Mia Bieniemy, wife of Kansas City Chiefs coach Eric Bieniemy, is out of intensive care and making progress, according to a statement released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

Ashburn, VA · 4d

Margaret Minnicks

Fruits and vegetables that may be linked to the growing parasite outbreak in Virginia

This is an update on Cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasitic illness that is across 18 states, including Virginia, according to Patch. In Virginia, between one and 10 cases of Cyclosporiasis have been reported, according to Patch’s earlier report on the multistate investigation.

Virginia · 26d

Margaret Minnicks

Blueberries recalled after E. coli outbreak in 8 states, including Virginia

Twelve people in the U.S. have become ill amid a recall of frozen blueberries from Publix due to potential E. coli contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Virginia · 20h

intentionalhospitality

The Enchilada Casserole I Bring to Every Church Potluck

This crock pot enchilada casserole is a hearty slow cooker dinner layered with ground beef, beans, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and queso quesadilla cheese. It is built for feeding a crowd, which makes it a strong pick for church potlucks, family meals, or relaxed entertaining.

28d

Dianna Carney

Easy-Going 6-lb Little Dog Saved From Shelter Awaits His Happily Ever After

Argos, a 10-year-old, 6-pound senior dog rescued from a Texas shelter, is now “fully vetted and ready to find his retirement home,” according to Small Dog Rescue of New England. In its introduction of Argos, the organization emphasizes both his age and temperament, calling him “a senior guy saved from the shelter in TX” and adding that “if you are looking for an easy going guy, look no further.” The nonprofit says Argos is currently in a foster home in Texas and “doing well,” and the organization is asking the public to share his adoption post to help him find a permanent home in the Northeast.

Texas · 7d

Eat Like No One Else

user · 11.4K followers

What to Know About Buying Asparagus Right Now

Safeway - $3.99/lb. Kroger stores have it on sale this week. Overall the prices are better than some other times of year but not quite as good as when you could get U.S. grown asparagus in stores.

25d

CJ Coombs

user · 42.3K followers

The 1977 odd disappearance of Mary Stuart and her two little girls in Honeydew, California

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), on December 10, 1977, Mary Elizabeth Stuart (pictured below) and her daughters, Jessie Flo Stuart and Fannie Fawn Stuart, disappeared in Honeydew, California (Humboldt County).

Honeydew, CA · 23d

Greg Wilson, CFA

user · 23.4K followers

24 Habits People Over 60 Should Stop Doing (Before It Is Too Late)

This article was originally published on ChaChingQueen.com, a site my wife and I own. AI was used for light editing, formatting, and readability. But a human (me!) wrote and edited this.

Dianna Carney

Excelsior Springs, MO · 22h

“Sweet Evie” Is Still Waiting: The 4-Year-Old Chihuahua Who Needs a Home

Small Dog Rescue of New England is asking the public to help a small Chihuahua named Evie find a home, sharing that the “sweet” dog is currently waiting in Texas for someone in the Northeast to adopt her. “How sweet is Evie taking her daily rest,” the rescue wrote in a recent post, introducing Evie as a ready-to-adopt companion and encouraging people to spread the word.

Texas · 6d

WyoFile

user · 11.8K followers

Yellowstone’s oldest wolf pack, Mollie’s Pack, leaves the park, raising fears for its future

Leslie Patten hiked into a remote reach of northwest Wyoming’s Sunlight Basin in December to post a trail camera where she’d earlier seen wolf tracks. At the time, a winter closure was fast approaching, and the Park County resident wouldn’t be able to retrieve the camera and review the footage for months. When she hiked back to fetch her equipment on May 1, the citizen scientist and author was greeted by one of nature’s most primal noises: the howls of wolves.

Wyoming · 19d

Thomas Smith

user · 59.1K followers

The Nationwide Lettuce Recall Just Got More Confusing -- What Shoppers Need to Know

A major iceberg lettuce recall connected to a multistate outbreak has taken an unusual turn: Federal officials now say the lettuce sample that initially tested positive for a diarrhea-causing parasite was actually a false positive.

11d

Excelsior Citizen

user · 1.3K followers

Excelsior Springs Weekly Horoscopes | August 3-9, 2026

Aries Aries, your leadership energy is strong this week, which means you may be first in line, first with an opinion, and first to remind everyone what time the polls close. Use that bold spirit for good. Your lucky move is taking action without turning every small decision into a campaign speech.

intentionalhospitality

I Put One Extra Thing In My Ice Tea To Make it Clear and Smooth

If a cookout table needs one drink that disappears fast, it's a classic Southern sweet tea. This version uses just five ingredients and comes together in under 15 minutes, making it an easy pick when you're already juggling a full weekend menu.

Kateable

user · 7.7K followers

10 Things I Clean Every Week (That Most People Forget)

I used to think that cleaning meant vacuuming the floors, wiping the counters, and scrubbing the bathroom. Then I started noticing all the little things I touched every single day that almost never made it onto my cleaning list. Once I added these often-forgotten spots to my weekly routine, my home felt noticeably fresher—and it only added a few extra minutes to my cleaning time.

10d

SouthernPlate

user · 9.8K followers

The Secret to the Creamiest Baked Mac and Cheese Ever

This baked Velveeta mac and cheese is exactly what you want waiting for you in the oven. It takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish, combining Velveeta and other simple ingredients you’ve already got at home into a rich, bubbling dish that tastes like a massive upgrade from anything out of a box. For the full recipe on my website click HERE.

Dianna Carney

Local Pup Looking For New Home After Owner Did Not Want to Give Proper Vet Care

A local and dedicated foster-based dog rescue in Massachusetts, Great Dog Rescue New England (GDRNE), would like you to meet Carl, a joyful young pup who recently came into their care. According to the rescue, “Poor Carl was found roaming the streets of Tennessee with a bad leg. His owner was eventually located, but didn't want to give him the vet care he needed, so they surrendered him to the pound. Carl is looking for a second chance at an active home, and he hopes you'll give it to him!”

Massachusetts · 1d

Kateable

user · 7.7K followers

10 Cleaning Tips I Wish I Learned Sooner

Cleaning my house used to feel like it took all day. No matter how much time I spent wiping, scrubbing, and vacuuming, it seemed like there was always another mess waiting for me. Over the years, I've picked up a handful of simple habits that have made cleaning faster, easier, and honestly, a little less overwhelming.

11d

intentionalhospitality

I Always Add This One Unique Thing To My Tuna Salad, and My Family Loves It

Cucumber tuna salad only turns watery for one reason: too much moisture from the cucumbers or the tuna. Mini cucumbers keep seed content low, and if regular cucumbers are used instead, scooping out the seeds first prevents the salad from getting soggy. Draining the tuna completely before mixing does the same job on the other side of the bowl.

Lincoln Square Media

user · 6.0K followers

Trump's Long, Hot, Wet, Dumb Weekend

The headline sounds like a bad 1980s movie, but in a sense, that’s a perfect summary of the absurd, dumb weekend Trump executed in place of an actual celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of this great nation.

26d

Dianna Carney