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Enhance your outdoor space with an outdoor fireplace
(BPT) - Winter lingered far too long this year. It was cold, it was blustery, and many of us were left wondering if it would ever end. Now summer is here - and it’s time to get outdoors. Instead of being forced to labor through the same old spring chores, use this abbreviated spring as an excuse to stay outside. Fire u...
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COPD and women [Infographic]
Results of a recent survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that women currently diagnosed with COPD outnumber men by almost two to one. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a serious lung disease, is the third leading cause of death in the United States and affects an estimated 24 million Americans – yet only half of them are diagnosed.  National Women’s Health Week is May 12 through 18 – learn more about how early diagnosis and treatment can im...
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Simple ways to save water, money and your landscaping this summer
(BPT) - With many states facing drought this summer , homeowners across the country will be looking for ways to save their landscaping while conserving water at the same time. Even if you’re not in a drought-affected area, it pays to keep conservation in mind when it comes to watering outdoors. Using less water is good...
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Digital apps make learning fun for young children
Today’s children grow up in a vastly different technological world than that of their parents or grandparents. While you may fondly recall a favorite storybook stored on your nightstand, many kids today are reading using their parent’s smartphone or tablet. Digital devices are becoming a regular part of a child’s life, ...
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Avoid the summer slide: 7 fun, brain-stimulating activities for students
(BPT) - As summer approaches, many parents are worried about the summer learning slide, and with good reason. Students who do not participate in enrichment and learning activities during the summer break can lose roughly 22 percent of the knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year, according to the...
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Make warm-weather chores a breeze with these tips
(BPT) - Warm weather brings everyone outdoors - grilling on the deck, playing on the lawn and savoring beautiful gardens. To create these beautiful outdoor spaces, the experts at Lowe’s offer four easy, affordable projects you can do yourself. Follow these tips to make sure your outdoor spaces are in tip-top shape by su...
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Improving family connections with better hearing
(BPT) - Does this sound familiar? You tell your spouse all about the aggravating thing that happened at work today. He or she seems to be nodding in agreement, until you ask what you should do about the situation. Your spouse’s response? “Um – could you repeat that?” Beyond the emotional impact hearing loss has on you,...
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Get the skinny on a simple switch [Infographic]
Did you know that apple juice and apple sauce can serve as convenient substitutes in your favorite recipes to reduce calories, fat and refined sugar? Apple juice can replace common ingredients such as milk or broth, making it an excellent option for vegetarians and those with lactose-free dietary needs. Apple sauce can replace refined sugar with natural fruit sugar and reduce fat and calories in baked goods. Check out the Tree Top conversion chart below and remember to keep apple juice and a...
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Secrets to fear-free social media use
(BPT) - Many Americans love social media, but it scares them, too. While they are reconnecting with old high school classmates, viewing photos of a colleague’s new baby and chatting with a friend about a new job, social media users are also worrying about having their identity stolen from a social media site. That fear...
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A gift from the heart shows your love to Mom
April’s showers (or snow) have given way to May’s spring blossoms. The beautiful weather also means it’s time to do something truly out of the ordinary for Mom, and therefore deserving of the woman who not only brought you into this world, but fed you, clothed you and never forgot to kiss the countless bumps and bruises...
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Five tips for lighter, brighter summer eating
(BPT) - Simple, fresh and delicious – that’s summertime eating at its best. Less time in the kitchen means more time to enjoy the bright delicious flavors of just-picked berries, peaches, greens and other vegetables. “It makes sense to eat lighter in the summer,” says Chef William Tillinghast, culinary academic directo...
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Cut home entertainment costs without loss of shows
(BPT) - Families are always looking for ways to cut household costs. One area that provides a bit of budget-cutting flexibility is home entertainment costs. Americans are watching more TV than ever before, especially with the development of flat screen sets and high-definition TV (HDTV). Americans spend 34 hours a week...
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national news
Rescuers search Oklahoma tornado town ruins as recovery starts
By Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescue workers with sniffer dogs picked through the ruins of an Oklahoma town on Wednesday to ensure no survivors remained buried after a deadly tornado left thousands homeless and trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. "Yesterday I was numb. Today I cried a lot. Now I'm on the victory side of it," said Beth Vrooman, who hid in a shelter in her garage during Monday's storm in Moore, Oklahoma. When the winds died down, she realized a car was blocking her exit. ...
Wed May 22 10:31:09 UTC 2013
FBI says man shot dead while being questioned about Boston bombings

FBI Agent Kills Man After Questioning Him About the Boston Marathon BombingBy Barbara Liston and Mark Hosenball ORLANDO, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI agent shot and killed a Florida man who turned violent while being questioned about the Boston Marathon bombings early on Wednesday, the bureau said. A friend of the dead man identified him as 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev of Orlando, a Chechen who had previously lived in Boston, the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando television stations reported. Two brothers named by the FBI as suspects in the April 15 bombings were also ethnic Chechens with roots in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region. ...


Wed May 22 10:48:37 UTC 2013
Chicago school board to vote on mass school closing

File photo of demonstrators marching during a Chicago Teachers Union protest in ChicagoBy Mary Wisniewski CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Board of Education is due to vote on Wednesday on a controversial proposal to close 54 schools in the country's third-largest public school district in what would be the largest mass school closing in the nation. The district's plans to close 53 elementary schools and a high school this year, mainly in Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods, has been met with protests by parents and union leaders who say the closings will disrupt communities and put children in danger with longer walks through troubled areas. ...


Wed May 22 06:01:05 UTC 2013
Found after tornado: Web attention might reconnect dog with owner
Rescuers scouring the devastation after a huge tornado tore through Moore, Okla., on Monday tweeted a photo of one furry find that has since gone around the Web, receiving more than 52,000 likes on Facebook. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's office posted the photo of the mud-spattered pup with the description, “Scared, but this little pup [...]
Wed May 22 09:25:04 UTC 2013