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Manor Township Democratic committee person kicked off May 19 primary ballot
Kirk Barrett, a candidate for a Manor Township seat on the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, has successfully kicked the incumbent’s name off the ballot for the upcoming May 19 primary.
Meet Three Sagehens Playing Spring Sports in 2026 | Pomona College in Claremont, California
The spring sports season offers a smorgasbord of options for Sagehens fans, with teams taking to the diamond, track, pool, field and golf course to test their mettle against Division III athletes from across the country.
Top business leader demands end to stalemate over City Council's pick for zoning chair
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lavin said more than 40 development projects have been stalled by City Council's failure to agree on new permanent chair for the powerful Zoning Committee. He wants Mayor Brandon Johnson to forge a compromise to break the stalemate.
Californians may need to mail ballots early as Supreme Court signals support for new election day deadline
California counts mail-in ballots that arrive up to seven days after election day, but that option may be deemed illegal
LIVE AT 3:30 P.M.: Ewing to announce entertainment for Omaha’s Memorial Park concert
On Monday, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. is expected to announce details for the Memorial Park concert.
Melton Little lands Jack May's endorsement in open HD 71 race
'I know he will fight for conservative principles.'
Rahm Emanuel proposes banning all federal employees from betting on prediction markets
Supreme Court hears arguments in mail-in voting case
The Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in a case about whether states may count mail-in ballots received after Election Day. Follow here for live updates.
Emmanuel Grégoire, Socialist long involved in local politics, voted new Paris mayor; AP explains
Grégoire won over 50% of the votes, beating out prominent conservative contender Rachida Dati who reached 41% while hard-left contender Sophia Chikirou got about 8%.
Sony Is Said to Near $1 Billion Home Entertainment Deal With TCL
Sony Group Corp. is nearing a binding agreement to sell a majority stake in its home entertainment business to Chinese rival TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. in a deal that may be valued at about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
New York approves cannabis for anxiety. Science says it may not help
A Lancet Psychiatry study found no evidence cannabinoids treat anxiety, PTSD. In NY, any practitioner can certify a patient for medical cannabis for any condition they deem appropriate.
How AI therapies are changing health care
It may become harder to tell whether a compound or an algorithm is doing the healing.
When Voters Worry About ‘Affordability,’ Many Point to Health Care
Democrats have had limited political success running on the Affordable Care Act, even with its relative popularity. Now President Trump’s health care cuts may have given the issue new resonance.
As mayoral election looms, D.C.’s business class worries about what’s next
A potential leftward shift in the wake of the pandemic and the Trump administration’s cutting of thousands of federal jobs has sparked unease in the city’s business community.
Coeur d'Alene's science guy
Ahead of his retirement in May from the teaching staff at Arizona State University, behavioral neuroscientist Brian Smith has put his focus into making science more accessible to more people. “There's a lot of misunderstanding what science is,” Smith said.
‘Anyone but Labour’ or ‘anyone but Reform’? Clash of animosities likely to define May local elections
While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectations
What’s at stake for UK in May’s local elections: six key questions
Reform, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens are all banking on big gains and nationwide repercussions
Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist long involved in local politics, becomes Paris' new mayor
Emmanuel Grégoire has won the Paris mayoral race and takes over from fellow Socialist Anne Hidalgo
Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected Paris mayor in runoff vote
Emmanuel Grégoire has won the Paris mayoral race and takes over from fellow Socialist Anne Hidalgo. On Sunday, he sealed the moment by riding a city bike to City Hall.
St. Louis Blues Weekly Prospect Report (March 22)
Jiricek has big scoring week; McIsaac announces future plans; Ralph, Michigan State head to NCAA Tournament with Mayich, Clarkson University eliminated; Peterson scored pair, including a SH beauty for Springfield
Galaxy S27 Ultra may not bring major S Pen reforms
It was rumored that the Galaxy S27 Ultra could bring a major S Pen change, but that doesn't seem to be happening.
Precision Nutrition: Tufts University Expert Q&A On How Personalized Diet Science May Transform Health - Where The Food Comes From
Tufts expert José Ordovás explains precision nutrition and how personalized diet science could transform health and prevent disease.
A DNA test ruled him out. He was convicted of murder anyway.
Forensics has its share of high-profile problems. There’s phony “junk science,” like bogus bite-mark and blood spatter analyses that have sent innocent people to jail. And there’s the steady drumbeat of lab scandals, where analysts make up results. But there’s a subtler and more pervasive problem at work in many cases: lab analysts and lawyers who take perfectly legitimate science and twist it. Globe Opinion is exploring these distortions with a series we’re calling “Twisted Science.” And there may be no better place to start than with the case of Terrel Barros.
Vermont may look across borders to help bring in business
House passes bill to create sister state program for economic development.
A promising fatty liver treatment may raise cancer risk
A surprising new study reveals that blocking a supposedly protective enzyme, Caspase-2, could actually backfire—raising the risk of chronic liver damage and cancer over time. Researchers found that without this enzyme, liver cells grow abnormally large and accumulate genetic damage, leading to inflammation, scarring, and eventually tumors, especially with age. While inhibiting Caspase-2 may offer short-term benefits, such as reducing fatty liver disease, the long-term consequences appear dangerous.
French Local Elections Are Yardstick for Far Right. Initial Results Are Mixed.
France’s municipal elections ended on Sunday evening. Full results were not expected for hours, but the first projections suggested the far right may not have made major gains.
The FBI Just Issued A Warning About A Hidden Threat In Your Home Wi-Fi Network
The FBI is warning that criminals may hijack your home Wi-Fi through residential proxies, using your IP address to hide illegal online activity.
Nasal swab may catch Alzheimer's disease earlier — here's how it works
Does walking after a meal improve gut health?
If you’re looking for ways to improve your digestion and gut health, doctors say walking after a meal may help.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
LISTEN LIVE: Supreme Court considers late-arriving mail ballot laws in case that may affect midterms
Bucs facing a tough decision with Baker Mayfield in 2026
The Bucs have to get the contract situation with Baker Mayfield solved sooner rather than later.
Third-generation cafeteria owner won't force his 4 sons to take over
Michael Greene, who runs Matthews Cafeteria, shares the highs and lows of managing a family business, and why his kids may not take over one day.
Scientists twisted a mysterious superconductor and got a shocking result
A decades-old superconducting mystery just took a surprising turn. Strontium ruthenate, a material that conducts electricity with zero resistance at low temperatures, has long puzzled scientists with hints of an exotic, complex superconducting state. But by carefully twisting and distorting ultra-thin crystals, researchers found something unexpected: the material barely reacted at all. This challenges years of assumptions and suggests its behavior may be far simpler—or far stranger—than previously thought.
Column: Republicans fearing a midterm rout revive Islamophobia as political strategy
The latest twist on replacement theory is the idea that white Americans are in need of saving from dark-skinned "others."
AI may be helping more people start their own businesses, but without many employees
The 21-year-old cofounders of one startup said they are bringing in $1 million per month with 13 employees thanks to AI.
Flexitarian and the MIND included in top diets for a healthy brain, according to U.S. News
Discover four top diets that may support sharper focus, steadier mood, and long-term brain resilience
David Suzuki at 90: A life in science, and a warning still unheard
With ninety laps around the sun, David Suzuki reflects on a lifetime of science advocacy and environmental work. Despite decades of effort, he warns that humanity may have already crossed a tipping point on climate change.
Are AI tokens the new signing bonus or just a cost of doing business?
Maybe tokens really will become the fourth pillar of engineering compensation. But engineers might want to hold the line before embracing this as a straightforward win.
Arizona softball walks off ASU to even series
Arizona softball earned a walk-off win over ASU Saturday night, though not the kind the Wildcats may have been expecting through the first part of the game. Arizona jumped out to an 8-0 lead, then allowed the Sun Devils to claw all the way back before Regan Shockey delivered a walk-off single in the seventh […]
France Is Voting for Thousands of New Mayors. Here’s Why It Matters.
The far-right party had first-round successes in several cities, but so did the far left. Sunday’s second round may clarify who has real momentum.
Scientists Propose a Radical New Way To Detect Gravitational Waves Using Atomic Light
A new theoretical study suggests that gravitational waves may leave subtle signatures not in giant detectors, but in the light emitted by atoms.
Webb Telescope spots “impossible” atmosphere on ancient super Earth
Astronomers have uncovered surprising evidence of a thick atmosphere surrounding TOI-561 b, a scorching, fast-orbiting rocky planet once thought too extreme to hold onto any gas. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers found the planet is far cooler than expected for a bare rock, hinting at a heat-distributing atmosphere above a churning magma ocean. This strange world—where a year lasts just over 10 hours and one side is locked in eternal daylight—may even be rich in volatile materials, behaving like a “wet lava ball.”
Uber's Advertising Business May Be Bigger Than Investors Think
Uber is best known for moving people and delivering food. However, something small but potentially profitable is growing at the company.
47th annual Utica University science fair shows area students are smarter than ever
Four dozen science projects from 60 students from eight area schools competed for the top prizes at the Donohue Concourse underneath the Frank Gannett Library. Some of the topics may have changed over the years — there were no baking soda volcanoes — but the students still displayed their projects on decorated posterboard for staff, family and the judges to see. The projects were split between the junior division — 7th and 8th grades — and the senior division — 9th through 12th grades.
Should you try the 75 Hard challenge? Experts warn the risks may outweigh the benefits
The 75 Hard regimen demands 75 days of strict rules covering diet, exercise and reading. Experts explain what helps, what harms and smarter, sustainable alternatives.
Refund checks coming for former Boston Sports Club members, AG says
Former members of Boston Sports Clubs in Massachusetts may be eligible for a refund if they were wrongfully charged by the company during the COVID-19 pandemic.
iPhone 18 Pro camera may come with pro software, Apple considered buying Halide
Two months ago, Halide cofounder and designer Sebastiaan de With made a surprise announcement that he was joining Apple’s design...
Giant Study May Have Found The Ideal Amount of Coffee to Lower Stress
There's actually a sweet spot.
Giant Study May Have Found The Ideal Amount of Coffee to Lower Stress
There's actually a sweet spot.
6 Supplements That May Support Heart Health
Supplements that may support heart health include garlic, fiber, and red yeast rice. They may lower cholesterol levels and improve blood pressure.
Ole Miss eyes May decision on VaughtHemingway entertainment district partner
Athletics director Keith Carter provided an update and timeline to the Vaught-Hemingway entertainment district project that plans to utilize a public-private partnership.
You’ve Lost Your Health Insurance. It Shouldn’t Have Been a Surprise.
You would think you’d get texts, emails, phone calls and letters if your insurer was about to drop you. But you may be wrong.
Combating youth suicide tilts increasingly toward early intervention
A suicidal child or teenager may never talk of taking their life. Parents, peers and teachers might not even know they’re living with mental illness. Despite younger generations showing greater openness to discussing mental health struggles, fears of punishment or social exclusion remain, experts say. Even at medical appointments, minors
Vaz and Tsimikas to start vs Lecce
Good attacking depth and a knack for jostling opponents. Plus, an assist and a penalty won. It may not have been enough to eliminate Bologna from the Europa League, but it might have been enough to co...
Downtown Chico business owner voices concerns over street closures for events
A DOWNTOWN CHICO MERCHANT IS EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE IMPACT OF STREET CLOSURES FOR EVENTS -- ON THEIR BUSINESS. ACTION NEWS NOW REPORTER BELLA BARBOSA REPORTS FROM DOWNTOWN CHICO { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "VideoObject", "name": "Downtown Road Closure Dilemma", "description": "A DOWNTOWN CHICO MERCHANT IS EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE IMPACT OF STREET CLOSURES FOR EVENTS -- ON THEIR BUSINESS. ACTION NEWS NOW REPORTER BELLA BARBOSA REPORTS FROM DOWNTOWN CHICO", "thumbnailUrl": "https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/actionnewsnow.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/47/c47e26d6-03c3-5f35-bf49-37925ab603d7/69bdedc4eb57d.image.jpg", "uploadDate": "2026-03-20T17:45:00-07:00", "contentUrl": "https://cdn.field59.com/KHSL/1774053903-6e1ef36dd09fbebf020833aee86b60da3b3cca3f_fl9-720p.mp4" } CHICO, Calif. - A downtown Chico business owner is voicing concerns about the impact of street closures for events on local shops. Leann Powell, owner of The Peddler’s Closet, expressed concern about events closing down streets downtown and bringing in food trucks and other shops’ products that directly compete with the brick-and-mortar stores in downtown Chico.Powell said an upcoming event held on a Saturday has brought up concerns for her and other business owners downtown, due to it being a busy day for businesses. "We're already struggling, and then to bring in more businesses on top of our businesses and shut our streets down is absolutely devastating," said Powell.Powell noted a decline in business during events like the Thursday Night Market, where street closures allow outside vendors to set up shop. She shared that while organizers for these types of events often offer booths to local businesses, it does not alleviate the burden."I don't really feel like that's a solution because you're bringing in other businesses, you're shutting the streets down. Yes, we can go down and set up a space, but then you've gotta pay somebody to run that space, plus run your own business for the day, and it's really not, it's really not helpful for us," said Powell.Applying for a street closure permit in Chico involves approval from the Public Works Department, the Chief of Police, and the Fire Chief. Permits can be denied only under a handful of circumstances, such as interference with first responders, previously scheduled construction, or existing permits for the same space.Mayor Kasey Reynolds addressed the issue, saying the city council has tasked staff with reviewing the municipal code for street closure permits with the goal of finding ways to minimize negative impacts on local businesses during events.Reynolds mentioned that any recommended changes might require further direction from the city council, depending on the extent of any changes recommended. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1514992'); });
Tectonic shift: Earth was already moving 3.5 billion years ago
Scientists have uncovered the oldest direct evidence yet that Earth’s tectonic plates were on the move 3.5 billion years ago. By analyzing magnetic fingerprints in ancient rocks, they reconstructed how parts of the planet slowly drifted and even rotated over time. This challenges long-standing ideas that early Earth may have had a rigid, unmoving surface. Instead, it suggests the planet was already dynamic—and possibly setting the stage for life—much earlier than expected.
Business owners meet with Nashville mayor over high property taxes
Nashville business owners met with the mayor this week after he said will "figure something out" for property tax relief.
Human Consciousness Is an Illusion, Scientists Say
The entire universe may have an internal mind—or the whole idea of consciousness could be a sham. Here’s why scientists still can’t agree.
Whitman School Announces Alumnus, Business Leader as 2026 Convocation Speaker
Steven W. Barnes ’82, H’19, a senior advisor at Bain Capital and former Board of Trustees chair, will address graduates at the May 9 ceremony.
Microsoft's 7-point plan to fix Windows 11 makes macOS Tahoe look golden
macOS Tahoe may have its critics, but even Microsoft is struggling to find things to like about Windows 11. The...
Chuck Norris Death: Why Politics May Overshadow His Legacy
During his movie career and work on "Walker, Texas Ranger," Chuck Norris was a great screen presence. But his roles were always dark American tales.
Chicago's teetering debt is stark warning left-wing mayor is fueling 'pay later' doom cycle: expert
Expert Austin Berg warns Chicago's "pay later" debt culture under Mayor Brandon Johnson is alarming markets with a $1 billion budget gap and risky bond deals.
More Subnautica 2 legal trouble brewing amid claims Krafton "intentionally leaked" May release without consulting reinstated CEO
Lawyers for Subnautica 2 studio's newly reinstated CEO are reportedly pushing for Krafton to be found in contempt of court after it "leaked" a May release.
Unilever Has $40 Billion in Tasty M&A Options
Options have value. And it’s become clear this week that Fernando Fernandez has more than one when it comes to setting a new course for Unilever Plc’s food business, owner of Hellmann’s mayo and Knorr stock cubes. How the consumer giant’s still relatively new chief executive officer plays his hand will likely define his tenure.
Unilever in talks to sell food business to smaller rival McCormick
Unilever, which owns Hellmann's mayonnaise and Knorr stock cubes, seeks to focus on higher-growth businesses.
Science center: New seats are latest stage of CineDome reno
Museum’s domed theater expected to reopen in late May.
Men are losing a key chromosome with age and it may be deadly
Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells—and it may be far more dangerous than once believed. This loss has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and shorter lifespans. Researchers suspect Y-less cells may grow faster and disrupt normal body functions. What seemed like a minor genetic quirk could actually be a major driver of age-related disease.
Welcome 2 New Restaurants to East Carson Street Business District
Mayor O'Connor and South Side Chamber of Commerce Welcome 2 New Restaurants to East Carson Street Business District
Regularly Playing This 1 Online Game May Reduce Dementia Risk by 25%
In TODAY.com's Expert Tip of The Day, a neurologist explains how playing games that build cognitive speed can protect against dementia for decades.
Why Mamdani’s faith matters
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani takes his Muslim identity seriously — so should we.
Can Fungi Control the Weather? Scientists Say It’s Possible
Fungi may hold a little-known key to ice formation in clouds.
A Grip on Sports: The Zags survive a first-round rock fight in Portland, one that also caused contusions for those watching from home
A GRIP ON SPORTS • There was one thing I was certain of when I began writing this column almost 15 years ago. The day Chuck Norris died, I would share my story of the lone interaction I had with the “Walker, Texas Ranger” star. It has everything. High school football. A rickety press box. Family. Sports writing. But, alas, it may have to wait. Today is just not the day.
Unilever Confirms Talks on McCormick Offer for Food Business
Unilever Plc said it’s in discussions to sell its food business to McCormick & Co. in a major shift for the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise.
Unilever in takeover talks with McCormick for food business
Unilever said on Friday it was in talks with U.S.-based McCormick & Company about selling its foods business, which includes brands such as Hellmann's mayonnaise and Knorr soups and seasonings.
Scientists Finally Locate the Sun’s Hidden Magnetic Engine Deep Beneath Its Surface
New observations are helping scientists peer beneath the Sun’s surface, revealing where its magnetic activity may truly begin.
China's Bank of Ningbo readies digital yuan business as Beijing expands e-CNY
China's Bank of Ningbo said it is inviting suppliers to help build a system to handle the digital yuan, in a sign that the country's central bank may soon hand out more licenses as it tries to broaden the use of its e-CNY.
Unilever in Talks to Combine Food Business With McCormick, Report Says
Unilever Plc, the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, is in talks to combine its food business with McCormick & Co., according to a report in the Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter.
Sense of belonging predicts who stays in science
New research shows that feeling connected to a scientific community may be key to reducing attrition, with professional societies positioned to strengthen belonging across disciplines.
Markiplier to Microdramas: The Ankler x NAB Show’s Future of Entertainment
Share Subscribe Vegas, baby! The Ankler is heading back to NAB Show for a second year in a row — and doubling down on conversations with the smartest people in the industry. From April 18–22, we’re partnering again with the industry’s biggest media and tech gathering to break down the Business of Media and Entertainment as it’s actually evolving: faster, riskier and increasingly driven by new formats, new audiences and new power players. This curated series will bring together top creators, executives and innovators to tackle the forces reshaping the industry — from the AI disruption of Hollywood’s creative ecosystem to the rise of the creator economy, shifting audience behavior and the changing economics of production. We’ll be rolling out more programming in the coming weeks — including top speakers from leading AI studios, prediction markets and beyond — so keep an eye on the Business of Media and Entertainment hub. But first up, we’re announcing two panels about what’s actually working in Hollywood: The Scary-Smart Business of Horror A good scare has become one of the entertainment economy’s most reliable engines. With disciplined budgets, built-in fandoms and global box office upside, horror consistently outperforms. From theatrical releases to streaming-first originals and creator-driven IP, the genre is artistically flexible and financially durable — and one of the last truly communal experiences for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Join YouTube creator Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, whose independent feature Iron Lung earned more than $50 million at the global box office, Atomic Monster president Michael Clear and screenwriter Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant) for a conversation moderated by Like & Subscribe’s Natalie Jarvey about why horror travels so effectively across platforms and borders, how studios and independents are building sustainable genre pipelines and why the next wave of breakout franchises may emerge from unexpected sources. Inside the Microdrama Boom Short-form serialized storytelling is having a major moment. Microdramas, social-native series and creator-led narratives are capturing massive audiences with low-cost, rapid production cycles and direct-to-fan distribution. What was once dismissed as niche or experimental is now attracting major platform investment. Moderated by Jarvey, this panel of microdrama creators and executives — including one of the format’s top stars and producers, Kasey Esser, and Dhar Mann Studios’ head of vertical content, Erin McFarlane — examines how format innovation, fandom dynamics and algorithmic discovery are reshaping the economics of scripted storytelling and what traditional studios can learn from these agile models. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Lynne@theankler.com Share
Justice Department probe of Powell could backfire on Trump and keep Fed chair in office
President Donald Trump has for months wanted to remove Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve. But instead, an investigation by one of his own officials could end up extending Powell's time at the top of the central bank even after his term formally ends May 15.
New dispute emerges around Subnautica 2’s early access release
Lawyers for the ousted—and now partially reinstated—leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica 2, are crying foul over news that the game will be released into early access in May. The release announcement earlier this week was made improperly, potentially “damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community,” the lawyers said in a letter sent on Tuesday to Vice Chancellor Lori Will of Delaware’s Court of Chancery. In their letter, the lawyers also floated the idea of asking Will to find Krafton in contempt of the court’s ruling. The letter was sent just one day after Will’s bombshell ruling that publisher Krafton had breached its contract with Unknown Worlds’ executive team, when it fired them last June. The new issue isn’t necessarily the May early access timeframe, but how the news was announced. The letter and Krafton’s response have not been previously reported. A quick recap of prior events: Subnautica 2 is an unreleased, underwater survival adventure and the most-wishlisted game on Steam. Last year, longtime Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, along with studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were fired by Krafton. They swiftly sued, saying the publisher had terminated them to avoid paying out up to $250 million in potential performance-based bonuses. The studio leaders had hoped to earn that with an early access release of the game, which Krafton had blocked. The publisher argued in court that Subnautica 2 wasn’t ready, which the ousted execs disputed. On Monday, Will ruled that Krafton had violated its contract, firing the execs to avoid the performance payouts, and that it had to reinstate Gill and give him full authority over any early access release for Subnautica 2. On Tuesday, IGN reported on a new memo issued that day to Unknown Worlds staff by Steve Papoutsis, the executive Krafton had put in charge of Unknown Worlds after the 2025 firings. In the note, Papoutsis said that Subnautica 2 had passed a key development milestone “last week” and that he and Krafton had determined the game “is ready for Early Access release in May.” This news appeared to catch the lawyers for Gill, Cleveland and McGuire by surprise. On Tuesday night, they sent a letter to Will expressing “serious concerns” about whether it would be possible to forge an agreement with Krafton consistent with the judge’s order. Papoutsis’ memo was a problem, they wrote. He didn’t have the authority to declare anything about Subnautica 2’s release. As of 9am ET on Monday, March 16, the effective date of Will’s order, Papoutsis wasn’t CEO of Unknown Worlds. Gill was. And, per Will’s order, only Gill could make Subnautica 2 release decisions. They continued: Krafton self-servingly announced the launch without any regard to its impact on the game, the team, or the community—let alone this Court’s Opinion. Announcing the release of a game is momentous, and it is typically accompanied by significant marketing activity, fanfare, and community coordination. And most importantly, the announcement is carefully designed to maximize excitement for the game. That entire process was supposed to be driven by Mr. Gill. However, in defiance of the Court’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, further damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community. The lawyers speculated that Krafton had “intentionally leaked” Papoutsis’ memo and then issued an official statement to confirm the leak. Game File is a reader-supported publication. My reporting is only possible through support from readers like you. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe On Wednesday, lawyers for Krafton defended their client in their own letter to vice chancellor Will, saying nothing they did violated her order nor showed contempt: Papoutsis’s message was simply celebrating the UW employees’ efforts toward a past event: Krafton’s pre-Opinion determination that Subnautica 2 was ready for Early Access release. There was nothing improper about conveying the results of the milestone review or thanking the development team for their dedication and talent. They added that Gill could still make his own call about Subnautica 2’s release: In his role as CEO, Gill will be able to assess independently his views on the state of Subnautica 2 and the appropriate release schedule; nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion. Vice chancellor Will has not responded to the letters and doesn’t necessarily have to. Both parties were previously ordered by Will to confer this week and submit a proposed judgment consistent with her ruling. The letter from Gill’s attorney’s this week doesn’t indicate whether he would or would not support a May release for Subnautica 2. But it could limit his options. And, if Gill’s lawyers are right, the lack of marketing fanfare around the leak of the May date could dull the launch of the game. Any harm to Subnautica 2’s launch is an extra sensitive issue given the context of the legal dispute: millions of dollars of payouts are on the line, tethered to the scale of the game’s initial performance. In her ruling on Monday, Will noted that there was obvious “bad blood” between Gill’s side and Krafton but that the two would need to work together: “They can—and must—act in good faith to navigate their remaining contractual relationship.” Item 2: A new kind of couch co-op game A highlight of GDC each year is the Alt.Ctrl showcase that features games played with extremely experimental controllers. Perusing this year’s offerings last Friday, I found a game controlled with giant scissors, another with big toothbrushes and one that amounted to dumpster diving. My favorite was Pivot, a co-op game about collectively maneuvering a couch. It was developed by students at the University of Utah’s masters of arts and engineering games program. Players lift and tilt the physical couch in order to control the position of a virtual one. That virtual one is moving through an obstacle course on-screen, while being pursued by a giant skull. Developer Nishant Verma told me at GDC that the couch is made of styrofoam (this became more evident as I watched!) and that the name was a riff on an episode of the sitcom Friends. Item 3: In brief… 🚫 Ubisoft is laying off more than 100 workers at its Red Storm studio, as the North Carolina location known for decades for its Tom Clancy games, ceases in-house game development, VGC reports. 👀 On Monday, Nvidia’s revealed its DLSS 5 AI-driven graphics technology that purports to improve game graphics… and it has been roasted about it by the media and the online gaming public for the remainder of the week. The tech changed the faces of characters in footage from Resident Evil Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy and EA Sports FC, drawing accusations of giving carefully art-directed games the generic look of AI “slop.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had said on Monday that “DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphics—blending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in visual realism while preserving the control artists need for creative expression.” By mid-week, Huang was telling Tom’s Hardware that the new tech’s critics were “completely wrong” because game-makers could still “fine-tune the generative AI” to suit their game’s aesthetics.
The 45 planets most likely to host alien life, according to astronomers
'Project Hail Mary' may be fiction, but this list could still come in handy.
Rumor: iPhone Fold may launch months after iPhone 18 Pro
Apple is widely expected to unveil its first iPhone with a foldable display this year. However, the rumored iPhone Fold...
Providence May Sell Off Health Insurance Business
The Providence Health Plan was already outsourcing some of its core functions, but had previously denied it had plans to sell.
Providence May Sell Off Health Insurance Business
The Providence Health Plan was already outsourcing some of its core functions, but had previously denied it had plans to sell.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Are Fulfilling Lakers’ Expectations
Here comes the Los Angeles Lakers. Don’t look now, but the Lakers are playing some incredible basketball. Not only that, but they also look GOOD doing it. Just a few weeks ago, fans were down on what the ceiling was for this team. Another first-round exit? Maybe a possible Play-In appearance even? But now, the […] The post Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Are Fulfilling Lakers’ Expectations appeared first on The Lead.
By studying muscle function, student aims to improve others’ physical health—and maybe his own | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Sam Lapp, PhD ’26, delves deep into the biology of how muscles work.
New business workshop coming to Lower Burrell
For potential entrepreneurs looking to get in on Lower Burrell’s business district, an upcoming informational session may be a great first step, said Councilwoman Carley Logan. On April 16 the Lower Burrell New Business Workshop will be held at 6:30 in Fisher Hall at Burrell Lake Park. Logan, who is
How to find your NCAA tournament bracket on Yahoo Sports Bracket Mayhem
Hermès made a $5K leather MagSafe Duo charging case for iPhone and Apple Watch
Apple may be out of the leather business for environmental reasons, but its partner Hermès is far from it. The...
Varying your exercise routine could add years to your life
Switching up your exercise routine does more than fight boredom. Engaging in varied forms of movement may significantly boost your longevity, according to research.
The Politics Hour: VA State Sen. Scott Surovell & WAMU's Alex Koma
WAMU's Alex Koma discusses the latest in D.C.'s big elections, including the mayoral race. And Virginia state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell on the General Assembly failing to make a deal on the budget.
Adobe’s AI image generator can now be trained on your own art
And maybe on other artists too.
German Health Minister Nina Warken and WHO Hub in Berlin highlight 2025 achievements
Germany’s Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken, visited the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin today to review progress and launch its 2025 Annual Report. The report highlights advances in using artificial intelligence, data science and pathogen genomics to strengthen global preparedness for future pandemics.In 2025, the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with more than 160 Member States and over 190 partners to help countries and organizations develop new systems and tools to detect and understand new public health threats as quickly as possible, whenever and wherever they occur.BMG to confirm whether they wish to contribute a quote. “Detecting outbreaks early is one of the most effective ways to save lives and prevent epidemics from becoming global crises,” said Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken. “Germany is proud to host and support the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. Its work strengthens our safety at home and helps protect people worldwide.”Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the detection of outbreaks. In 2025, the Hub launched an upgraded version of the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system, which uses enhanced AI functions to scan global online information in real time and help experts quickly identify unusual health events. The system is now used by 120 countries.To better anticipate health threats, countries need information beyond traditional health data. The Hub supports countries in implementing Collaborative Surveillance, which integrates data on climate, animals, travel, and population movement to provide a more comprehensive and real-time understanding of health threats.The Hub also expanded global access to pathogen genomics, which helps scientists detect new pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, understand how they spread and how dangerous they may become. Through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with 309 partners in 101 countries to expand access to these technologies.“We are in a new era of global health threats, and we need new tools to face tomorrow’s challenges,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “The WHO Hub in Berlin helps countries use data and technology more effectively so they can identify risks earlier and respond faster. No country can address these threats alone. Strong cooperation remains our best defence.”“Berlin offers an ideal environment for our work. We collaborate closely with world-leading institutions such as the Robert Koch Institute and the Charité Center for Global Health,” said Dr Oliver Morgan, Head of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. “Germany has supported the WHO Hub since its establishment, and we are pleased to welcome Federal Minister Nina Warken to the Hub today. This strong partnership helps us advance innovation in pandemic and epidemic intelligence and better support countries to prepare for future health threats.”The Hub is expanding the use of advanced analytics and mathematical modelling to forecast how outbreaks may develop and to assess which response measures are most effective. Through its Collaboratory, the Hub connects modelers and analysts with governments to ensure their work addresses real public health needs. In 2025, the community grew to 1300 members from 50 countries and 200 institutions. An AI-powered pandemic simulator, currently in the prototyping phase, will help decision-makers compare outbreak scenarios and help identify effective disease control measures.