SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " gan " 11,891 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Three Years on, What Have We Learned From the Vogue Business Size Inclusivity Report?
Vogue Business began recording size inclusivity on the runway three years ago. Today, mid and plus-size representation is at an all-time low.
Funding for populist-right ‘media-political complex’ exceeded £170m in five years, research finds
Handful of billionaires gave huge sums in particular to media organisations that boosted rightwing politicians, says Liam Byrne MP
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
Michigan State basketball time, TV channel set for Sweet 16
Michigan State basketball knows when it will be playing, even before it knows its opponent in the Sweet 16 in Washington on Friday night.
These Michigan U.S. Senate candidates took money from ICE contractors
Anti-ICE messaging is expected to be featured prominently in Michigan's hotly contested U.S. Senate Democratic primary.
Jerry Hanlon, longtime Michigan football coach, dies at 96
"Michigan Athletics has lost one of the finest ambassadors and mentors our football program has ever known," U-M AD Warde Manuel said in a statement.
Spring Health Fair delivers commitment to student wellness
The Student Wellness Advisory Committee hosted their annual Spring Health Fair on Friday afternoon where students were able to gain free tote bags, learn from live simulations and gain insight on new clubs and organizations centered on wellness.
Arizona vs Utah State live updates: Prediction, how to watch March Madness Round 2 game
Folks were gushing about Jerrod Calhoun and Utah State's offense in Round 1. Arizona is a whole different obstacle. Follow March Madness Round 2 game.
Florida vs Iowa live updates: Prediction, how to watch March Madness Round 2 game
Defending national champion Florida didn't need a warm-up to get going in their NCAA title defense. Will Iowa provide any resistance in March Madness?
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.
Are spring temperature swings hurting your health? Yes, here's how
Weather swings affect your physical health in a variety of ways.
US, Iran threaten more energy strikes as gas prices surge. What to know
As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran enters its fourth week, the economic consequences continue to rattle markets.
Team USA flag football team should consider these 12 NFL stars ... but not Tom Brady
These NFL players should consider making a run at Team USA inclusion in order to earn the first football gold medal in Olympics history.
The Cincinnati's Favorite Beer 2026 winner is ... (drumroll please)
Our new beer bracket champ had a difficult path to the crown. The final suds match was Vlad (Fretboard) vs. Dunkel (Hofbrauhaus). So, who won!?
Purdue vs Miami live updates: Prediction, how to watch March Madness Round 2 game
Braden Smith has the NCAA assists record, now he can focus on his main goal: a championship. Miami stands in Purdue's way in Round 2 of March Madness.
Owners of Peoria business are selling it. Here's why
This Manual graduate has been trying to sell his Peoria business for about two years. Now, he has found a prospective buyer.
Former, current NBA players sound off on NBA expansion as vote looms
The NBA is moving closer towards expanding to Las Vegas and Seattle. Here's what players think about the move.
Duke vs Baylor predictions, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament Second Round
Our March Madness experts pick the winner for No. 3 Duke vs No. 6 Baylor in the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament on March 22
Where to watch Oklahoma vs. Michigan State in March Madness Second Round: Time, TV Channel
The No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners face the 5 Michigan State Spartans in the Second Round of the women's NCAA Tournament. Here's how to see all the action.
What time is Michigan women's basketball's second round game?
Michigan cruised to a blowout victory over Holy Cross in their opening NCAA Women's Tournament matchup. See who they play next.
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 […]
Teaching Health Through Food: Kayla’s Passion for Nutrition
In celebration of National Nutrition Month, Renee Dease met with Special Olympics Michigan staff member, Health Messenger, and athlete, Kayla Cornell, to talk about how she empowers Special Olympics athletes to build healthier habits through practical cooking skills and nutrition education. Check out their conversation below.
Black Family Wellness Expo returns to Wichita, promotes health awareness for second year
Organizers say more than 40 different vendors participated in the expo.
March Madness live updates, scores: No. 3 Gonzaga battling No. 11 Texas; No. 3 Illinois facing No. 11 VCU; Duke, Michigan, MSU bound for Sweet 16
Clemson's Mia Moore and USC's Kara Dunn renew rivalry in overtime thriller
Moore and Dunn both grew up near Atlanta, and first matched up in middle school. They also played AAU together in high school.
More school-based health clinics fill growing needs
An increase in school-based health clinics is sweeping the states of Ohio and Michigan, following research that grounds positive health outcomes for ...
March Madness live updates, scores: No. 3 Gonzaga battling No. 11 Texas; Duke, Michigan, Michigan State bound for Sweet 16
WHO verifies deadly hospital attack in war-torn Sudan
The World Health Organization (WHO) verified on Saturday a hospital attack in war-torn Sudan that killed 64 people.
Senate rejects Trump-backed measure to ban trans athletes in female sports
The Senate on Saturday rejected an amendment to a far-reaching voting bill that would have barred transgender females from playing in girls’ and women’s sports.
Michigan meeting only 40% of mental health workforce needs, report finds
A new report shows Michigan’s mental health workforce is in a crisis.
Illinois vs VCU live updates: March Madness Round 2 game highlights, how to watch
VCU's upset of North Carolina was a highlight of March Madness Round 1. What do Rams have in store for Illinois in Round 2? Follow our live updates.
March Madness live updates, scores: No. 1 Duke takes on No. 9 TCU; Michigan State, Michigan bound for Sweet 16
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.
'American people long for civility,' former VP Pence tells University of Tennessee students
In a frank discussion about America's future. Pence says \
March Madness scores: Live updates, schedule for today's NCAA Round 2
Keep up with today's Men's NCAA Tournament second round with scores, highlights, game times and how to watch March Madness Round 2.
Jaebri'an Autry ends Detroit Renaissance career with heartbreak
Muskegon beat Detroit Renaissance 34-29 in the MHSAA girls basketball Division 1 state championship game on Saturday, March 21 in East Lansing.
Fourth suspected measles case reported in Washtenaw County
Measles has not yet been confirmed with laboratory testing, according to a health department press release.
March Madness bracket live updates, scores: No. 3 Michigan State takes on No. 6 Louisville; Michigan routs Saint Louis
Roberson's Sam Maki leads Week 4 girls spring sports top performers
Roberson soccer's Sam Maki scored five goals to lead the list of Week 4 WNC high school spring sports girls top performers.
Who is Jazzy Davidson? True freshman guard leads USC into March Madness
Jazzy Davidson leads the USC women's basketball team in every major statistical category. Now, she leads the Trojans into March Madness.
Meet Delaware's 2025 Most Influential People in Arts and Entertainment
Meet Delaware's 2025 Most Influential People in Arts and Entertainment
Farmers and rural community members can access free mental health resources
KGAN CBS 2 and KFXA Fox 28 provide local news, weather forecasts, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Cedar Rapids and nearby towns and communities in the Corridor and throughout eastern Iowa, including Iowa City, Waterloo, Dubuque, North Liberty, Coralville, Marion, Morengo, Williamsburg, Washington, Tiffin, Tipton, Solon, Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Central City, Urbana, Independence, Manchester, Dyersville, Oelwein, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Evansdale, Guttenberg, West Union, New Hampton, Decorah, Waukon, Maquoketa, Sigourney, Fairfield, Grundy Center, La Porte City, Dysart, Fayette, Elkader, Strawberry Point and Belle Plaine.
Hannah Hidalgo's historic season hits March Madness. What to know about Notre Dame star
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo set several program, ACC and NCAA records this season. Here's what to know about the junior guard in March Madness.
Ranking 5 most likely March Madness upsets in NCAA Tournament second round
The second round of 2026 NCAA Tournament is underway. Here's a look at the five most likely March Madness upset predictions in the Round of 32.
Super PAC spending passes $200M, with some groups hiding their cause
Groups that include pro-Israel organizations obscured their spending in some midterm races to try to defeat candidates that oppose their cause.
NCAA tournament live bracket updates, scores: Follow men's March Madness Saturday games with Michigan, Duke back in action
What to know about Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State's star in March Madness
Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge makes her presence known in the paint and with pull-up jumpers. Here's what to know about her in the NCAA Tournament.
A massive freshwater reservoir is hiding under the Great Salt Lake
A hidden freshwater system deep beneath the Great Salt Lake has been revealed using airborne electromagnetic surveys. Scientists found that freshwater extends much farther under the lake than expected, reaching depths of up to 4 kilometers. The discovery began with mysterious reed-covered mounds formed by pressurized groundwater pushing upward. Researchers are now investigating whether this underground water could help control hazardous dust from the drying lakebed.
Fort Collins' former Sundance building has a new owner. What we know
After closing its doors on East Mulberry Street in July 2024, the longtime home of Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon officially has a new owner.
Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes is a scoring machine. What to know about her in March Madness
Mikayla Blakes is the fastest player in Vanderbilt history to reach 1,000 career points, hitting the milestone in 42 games.
'A pediatric clinic, but so much more.' Shipley Health Clinic celebrates 55 years
The Margaret B. Shipley Child Health Clinic in Canton is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.
Community's Choice Awards spotlight: Oliv Epicurean Grill
Local favorites don’t nominate themselves. Volusia-Flagler Community’s Choice Awards nominations are in the final days.
Community's Choice Awards spotlight: Rockledge Gardens
The Brevard Community’s Choice Awards are picking up steam. Have you nominated your local favorites yet?
Community's Choice Awards spotlight: Cool R Us
Momentum is building for the Best of Bold City Community’s Choice Awards. Nominate before you forget.
Minnesota Blue Cross CEO steps down from Sutter Health board over conflict of interest
The Eagan-based insurer says CEO Dana Erickson was recused from Sutter board discussions on acquiring Allina Health, which provides care to many Blue Cross members.
Lacrosse player-turned-entrepreneur has ideas to fix youth sports
Dan Soviero's Signature Athletics zeroes in on fixing a “broken” system. Its goal is to get 10 million new kids playing by 2030. How can he do it?
BTS fans take over central Seoul for K-pop kings' comeback
South Korean megastars BTS reunite Saturday for their first show in nearly four years, with an expected 260,000 fans taking over central Seoul for a K-pop extravaganza livestreamed to millions more wo...
March Madness conference records: How Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and other fared in Round 1
Conference loyalty has never been more of a talking point than it is in the NCAA now. Here's a look at how each conference fared in the first round.
Michigan's mobile businesses bring convenience to your door
Mobile salons, saunas and gaming trucks are booming in Michigan as entrepreneurs meet rising demand for doorstep convenience and flexible service.
‘Hearing a lot from military families’: Local mental health provider reports surge in calls since conflict in Iran began
Since Feb. 28, what officials describe as an escalation in hostilities involving the United States, Israel and Iran has had ripple effects across the United States, from the stock market to gasoline prices and residents’ mental health.
Devils' win streak snapped with 2-1 loss to Capitals
Logan Thompson made 30 saves, losing his shutout bid with just 43 seconds remaining, and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Friday night.
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'); });
Michigan vs Saint Louis prediction, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament Second Round
Our March Madness experts pick the winner for No. 1 Michigan vs No. 9 Saint Louis in the 2026 NCAA Tournament on March 21
Braden Smith sets NCAA all-time assists record, breaks Bobby Hurley's mark
Purdue's Braden Smith is the new king of assists in college basketball history, breaking Bobby Hurley's record of 1,076 career dimes.
WXYZ-TV sports anchor Brad Galli to leave the station
Galli posted on Facebook that he is excited about a new opportunity that he didn't name. He said it will allow him to be home more with his family.
Pacers' Eddie White named to Hall-of-Fame in hometown
Pacers public relations director and post-game radio host Eddie White was named to the Luzerne County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Brad Galli, longtime sports anchor at WXYZ, is leaving the station
Brad Galli has been with WXYZ, Channel 7, for 15 years. He is leaving at the end of April.
Texas Tech vs Villanova predictions, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament First Round
Our March Madness experts pick the winner for No. 7 Texas Tech vs No. 10 Villanova in the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament on March 20
Giants Ace Logan Webb on Negative Team USA Narrative: 'It's B---S---'
San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb made his opinion on the negative narrative surrounding Team USA clear: "It's b---s---."
Should I care about Tom Brady, Logan Paul and flag football? I need to know
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic features NFL stars, Team USA and, yes, celebrities. With flag football now on the Olympic program, should we care?
Logan Webb disliked Giants teammates' ragging after Venezuela's WBC win vs. USA
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb shared that he disliked the ragging from Luis Arráez and Jose Butto after the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
How UConn basketball's defense returned Huskies to national contender status
UConn men's basketball is chasing its third NCAA Tournament title in four years under Dan Hurley. This time, it will start with the Huskies' defense.
Ohio airman's father says his son's death should not be 'political springboard'
Charles Simmons son was killed in a March 12 crash in Iraq. The grieving father said he doesn't want his son's death used as a talking point.
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.
Giants' Logan Webb: Hit hard in spring outing
Giants' Logan Webb: Hit hard in spring outing
Belkin Charging Case Pro for Switch 2 review: A more elegant solution
The pro version of Belkin's Switch 2 charging case is a more sophisticated and versatile power solution. But it’s also more expensive, so unless you're comfortable shelling out an extra $30 for the same basic features, you're probably better off sticking with the non-pro option.
Long lines persist at area airports as partial government shutdown continues
350 TSA agents have quit since the current shutdown began, according to DHS.
2026 Washington County high school spring sports central
Here are links to all of our Washington County high school spring content and team records and scores for baseball, softball, lacrosse and tennis.
Michigan confirms measles outbreak in Washtenaw County: What to know
An initial case was identified in an unvaccinated adult who visited sites in Ypsilanti and Canton earlier this month. Since then, two more related cases have been reported.
He's one reason why aid cuts weren't as dire for the HIV population as predicted
Harerimana Ismail of Uganda is a community health worker who checks on kids with HIV. He lost his salary after the Trump administration's aid cuts but he keeps doing his job.
Trump aides tried to block appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to US, reports say
Senior figures said to have been skeptical over Keir Starmer’s appointment of ‘arrogant’ veteran politician, later sacked over connections to Jeffrey Epstein
What's that new sports field in northeast Salem?
Youth across Salem, especially those with financial barriers, will now be able to play soccer at the new Final Pass Field.
Linda Flanagan: Sports Aren’t for All Girls
There’s nothing wrong with preferring dance or music over track and field.
'Anthony's purpose.' Canton mother remembers son with tribute art show
Monica Ramos of Canton is honoring her late son with an art show. And she wants to help others who struggle with mental health like her son did.
Laid off from Morgan Stanley, struggling to find work, pay bills
After being laid off from Morgan Stanley, Valerie Lockhart applied to 500 jobs but is still searching. She turned to a GoFundMe as savings ran low.
Where to watch Michigan State vs. Colorado State in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel
The No. 5 Michigan State Spartans face the 12 Colorado State Rams in the First Round of the women's NCAA Tournament. Here's how to see all the action.
Why people are turning to salt rooms and halotherapy to unwind
Salt rooms regenerate health skin cells and boost our breathing. Here's what to look for when finding a salt room experience.
What's going on with the mail? Delays still common after audit, residents say
A year after an audit at Louisville's postal facilities began, residents and business owners say they've seen no improvements.
Small businesses reeling from tariffs brace for spiking oil prices
Anxiety has pulsed through the small-business economy for months, even before the war in Iran began weighing on energy prices.
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.
Lesson about lichens spurs kids' curiosity
A rainy day led a science club leader to teach third-graders about lichens, sparking curiosity and learning.
San Francisco businesses ready as Bay Bridge lights set to return Friday night
The organization behind the installation and civic leaders will be there for the countdown. Many restaurants, bars, and hotels in San Francisco are elated for the comeback.
Logan Wilson speaks out on retirement, Super Bowl penalty
Bengals great Logan Wilson didn't take long to speak out after his retirement.
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
Would you look at that. FIFA did something good for a change
FIFA is requiring teams playing in its women's tournaments to have at least two women on their on-field staffs.
What Zohran Mamdani's favorite rappers shows about his politics
Mamdani chooses uber-capitalists Biggie, Nas and Jay-Z among his five favorite rappers. Is it a pivot to center?
Michigan declares 1st measles outbreak as cases spread 'like wildfire'
All three measles cases reported in March in Michigan are linked to a person in Washtenaw County who likely contracted it on a trip to Florida.
Justice Department seizes several websites it says spread terrorist propaganda
The Justice Department on Thursday seized several websites it says were used by Iran as part of “psychological operations” targeting perceived advisories and spreading terrorist propaganda.