Last year was an eye-opening year for me, when it comes to Jamesbrittenia. I’m sure you are like Microsoft Word, and underlining in red already and asking, "Who is Jamesbrittenia?" I still struggle with it too.

Jamesbrittenia is a genus with about 83 species of plants, mostly from South Africa, Sudan and Egypt. James Briton, for whom the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Shaadee Ighanian didn't lose her home in the Eaton fire, but when her close friends with a baby did, the former children's apparel designer wanted to help by making a quilt for 7-month-old Luna.

As Ighanian started piecing together the linen quilt, she thought of all the people who had been displaced. "I wanted to make a quilt ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- When her teen with autism suddenly became angry, depressed and violent, the mother searched his phone for answers.

She found her son had been exchanging messages with chatbots on Character.AI, an artificial intelligence app that allows users to create and interact with virtual characters that mimic celebrities, historical figures...Read more

One by one, descendants of people who were enslaved on the Brattonsville plantation grabbed a wreath and placed it at the foot of the only headstone in the cemetery.

At least 481 bodies were buried, mostly in unmarked graves across the forested five-acre plot, making it one of the largest enslaved burial grounds in the region, according to the ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- No one expected Patricia Leach to lead the Catawba Nation one day.

She grew up with a dirt floor on the old side of the reservation, which she said housed “the poorest of the poor.” Everybody over there was in the same situation, she said, “just trying to make it.”

Another obstacle stood in her way that nobody else ...Read more

I work with a lot of amazing, successful women. A lot. And I am constantly impressed by these women’s tenacity, drive and achievements. Most have made their financial wealth on their own and are very proud of that, as they should be. But with this success sometimes comes difficulty in finding a partner. Why is this?

As a recent example, I ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As anti-violence activist, Alvin Brooks, entered Pilgrims Rest Missionary Baptist Church, memories from his many years spent growing up in this Kansas City house of worship flooded his mind.

The old stone building located in the heart of the Dunbar neighborhood was the site for baptisms, Easter services, and gatherings that...Read more

Dear Anna,

I've been with my boyfriend for a little over a year and recently found that he has been sexting strangers (single women and couples) on an app the entire time we’ve been together. When I found out I felt hurt, not just from the sexting but also because he has refused to sext with me ever. And he rarely initiates sex with me, and ...Read more

I came home the other day and my hubby was not home. His car was here, so I figured he had gone for a walk.

He didn’t come home and didn’t come home, so I was concerned he was collapsed on a sidewalk somewhere.

He has never collapsed on a sidewalk before, but when you reach a certain age, and have an active imagination, the possibilities ...Read more

We could all use a little extra money, and a good side hustle is one way to get it. A side hustle could help you save enough for a down payment on a car or house, fund that vacation you’ve always wanted, boost your investment portfolio, help you pay down debt or whatever you need some spare cash for.

In an ideal world, you could put your ...Read more

Dear Kid Whisperer,

Should my kids have to pay for a game they broke?

Answer: Yep.

…

…

I’ve been informed by my editor that I have not reached my minimum word count.

Hmm. Perhaps I can use the remainder of the space to explain my answer and to answer what is usually the next question that many parents ask: How do I make it so that my...Read more

Q. My wife and I have been doing our best to get along with her ex and his partner. We all have kids and have decided we will all be the first to call each other if there is an emergency for the kids. Because of this, we all exchanged keys to our homes in case of emergency. The kids go back and forth on a weekly basis. Yesterday I came home to ...Read more

When you’re a grandparent, you want only the best for the newest addition to the family. That’s why my wife, Sue, and I went shopping in anticipation of baby’s first visit and came home with everything the little one needs, including a bowl for food, one for water, a stick for teething, a bag of treats for snacks, toys for playing, a leash...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Juan Villegas' community was still burning on the afternoon of Jan. 8. But there was one place he had to get to: Eliot Arts Magnet Academy, his alma mater.

The Pasadena middle school had welcomed Villegas as a 12-year-old from Mexico. It's where he found his footing in a strange new country, connecting with other Latino ...Read more

On Valentine’s Day, the Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to schools across the country giving them two weeks to stop taking race into consideration for admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies “and all other ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Dan Coulter was 12 years old when he bought his first jukebox.

The Bloomington kid wasn’t very good in academics but he liked music and he was good with his hands.

When he heard that a friend had a busted jukebox from the 1940s sitting in his family’s basement, he bought it for $25.

He took the 300-pound machine apart to ...Read more

Dear Anna,

I've been dating a coworker (we're both in our early 30s) for two months, and for the past month, I've been trying to end things. Every time I attempt to break up, he argues until I'm exhausted and emotionally shut down, then convinces me to stay by promising he'll change or telling me I'm misinterpreting his behavior. Things have ...Read more

CHICAGO — April Noga had two days to prepare for this rescue mission — save 18 pigs from a petting zoo in northeastern Illinois.

The 36-year-old had a pet pig of her own and had rescued pigs before, but she had never done a rescue mission of this scale.

“I was like, ‘OK, if I’m gonna work on this case, no pigs left behind. I’m ...Read more

Once all of the polar vortices run their course, I assure you our gardens have the possibility of becoming like a beautiful Fairytrail this year. Some of you no doubt think I just misspelled fairy tale (Microsoft Word does). I am talking about a hot new series of hydrangeas. Those of you in the know may have just gone on alert when I said ...Read more

NEW YORK — Outside the Washington Heights branch of the New York Public Library in Manhattan stands a metal post topped with an unassuming blue plaque bearing golden letters — an easily overlooked marker that’s actually a window into Harlem’s storied past.

Bearing the name Regina Anderson Andrews, it memorializes the librarian, ...Read more