Whether you’re returning to the town you grew up in, visiting family across the country, or driving down the street to a friend’s house, traveling tends to be a key part of the November and December holidays across the U.S. In 2023, AAA estimated 55.4 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home […]
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Ho-Ho-Hold on!: Unwrapping the most desired Christmas 2023 gifts
It’s that time of the year again—Christmas is upon us! Do you have any Christmas gift ideas this year? As someone who once gifted their dad a pair of socks that were a size too small (oops, sorry, Dad!), I’ve realized that gift-giving can be a total nightmare. Some would say giving your boo a […]
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Food bank volunteer opportunities near Providence
Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity. According to a 2023 […]
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How much “Twelve Days of Christmas” costs in every state
“The Twelve Days of Christmas,” a timeless holiday carol with roots dating back to 18th-century England, has captivated generations of both carolers and the less musically inclined. This enduring song, with its whimsical lyrics and festive spirit, cycles through twelve days of extravagant gift-giving, from pear trees to dancers and an abundance of birds. While […]
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10 old-school Christmas traditions that are no longer practiced
Leaving out cookies for Santa, caroling in the snow, and drinking hot cocoa are all familiar ways to herald the Christmas season. But what about hiding pickles, telling ghost stories, or crowning a lord of mischief? Christmas is a blended event that mixes traditions from pagan winter festivals, the Christian commemoration of the birth of […]
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Coat drives near Providence
For the first time since 2010, the poverty rate in America shot up dramatically in 2022, according to data from the Census Bureau. That means more Americans can’t afford basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and utilities than has been the case in more than a decade. But the situation isn’t just affecting Americans living […]
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10 different foods used in New Year's Eve traditions and the stories behind them
From creating vision boards to spending the night out with your most raucous friends waiting for midnight to strike, everyone chooses to celebrate New Year’s holidays differently. Yet a common theme held from country to country and culture to culture is bringing people together and celebrating with food. Food has been a longstanding part of […]
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List: Providence Metro area among the 50 places where homes are selling the fastest
The pace at which homes sell in the U.S. tends to ebb and flow over the calendar year, with homes selling fastest in the summer and slowest in the winter. However, these swings were more muted in 2023 as high home prices and mortgage interest rates spooked potential buyers. The median number of days a […]
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20 celebrations this holiday season besides Christmas
When it comes to winter holidays, Christmas takes up a lot of airspace. Celebrated worldwide, Christmas is considered both a religious holiday honoring the birth of Jesus and a cultural one with a history and tradition combining Christian beliefs with ancient folklore and pagan rituals. For some, Christmas isn’t Christian but a time for fir […]
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Study: The most unique baby name in each state last year
For many new parents, choosing a name is one of the most daunting parts of preparing for a baby. After all, there’s so much to consider when thinking about what you would call your child for the rest of their life. What does the name mean? What connotations does it carry? Is it too popular? […]
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5 dinner parties that changed the course of history
Alliances are forged, tempers ignite, and global politics shift—a lot can happen over dinner and cocktails. No matter the time, a dinner invitation carries a certain significance. Sitting down for a meal with friends, colleagues, or rivals has been used across cultures and centuries as an opportunity to network, share, and celebrate. Queens and kings […]
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Highest-grossing movies released on Halloween weekend
Halloween weekend might seem like the perfect time to catch a flick that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you grip the person next to you. And it’s true, there have been lots of horror films that have dominated the box office around those final days of October when the […]
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How the pandemic impacted what public schools in every state spend
As a result of federal COVID-19 school relief funding amounting to $192 billion, spending to support public school teachers and students increased. At the same time, student transportation and food expenditures decreased, according to a 2021 survey from the Association of School Business Officials. National tutoring service HeyTutor analyzed data from the National Center for […]
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Potatoes, chicken, and other groceries that dropped in price in September
Grocery shoppers felt a slight reprieve this spring as grocery prices fell after a run of increases dating to September 2020. So far since then, grocery prices have remained relatively steady, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. In September, prices inflated by 0.1% compared to August, and were up 2.4% from September 2022. Prices […]
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Grapefruit, lettuce, and other groceries that rose in price in September
After more than a year of historical inflation, grocery prices are staying relatively steady. Prices fell in March and April for the first time since September 2020 and have seen more moderate monthly inflation since then. In September, the cost of groceries rose 0.1% over August prices. The drop earlier this spring was largely fueled […]
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How sea levels in Newport, and 39 other cities, will change by 2050
By 2050, global sea levels could increase by 1 foot from where they were at the start of the millennium. Iconic beaches, large city centers, and quaint coastal towns will all have to be adapted for higher water levels. Sea level rise means more than just coastal land eaten up by the ocean. It will […]
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Forgotten charms: 15 old-school Halloween traditions that are no longer practiced
Nowadays, Halloween is a night synonymous with ghouls, gore, and scares—but not very long ago at all, it was a holiday for heart-eyed lovers looking for their spouses. Halloween as we know it today is a conglomeration of a few traditions and festivals, mostly of Irish, Scottish, and English origin. These include the Celtic Samhain, […]
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Darts, kabaddi, and pickleball: Exploring the new popularity of these sports in the US
The American sports landscape has been fairly well-defined for the past half-century. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL have entrenched themselves as the four major sports in the US from a popularity and profitability standpoint. Because of their inventory of games, television contracts, and the marketability of their stars, they have set the American standard […]
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Navigating the waves: Surf therapy as a treatment for depression, trauma, and more
Natalie Small looks at the ocean as if she’s looking into a mirror. “How high are the waves today –– the ones out there on the water and the emotional ones within me? Do I feel like jumping into the tide or rather just wetting my toes? What do I want to discover in the […]
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Rhode Island
While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future. Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and […]
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Counties in Rhode Island with more precipitation over the past year than average
During the past winter, parts of California experienced massive amounts of rain and snow. Though it momentarily eased the frequent drought periods that had been affecting the state, the surge in rainfall flooded roads, knocked out power, and broke levees. Fueled by multiple converging atmospheric rivers, the state’s infrastructure was not able to capture all […]
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Controversial songs from the year you were born
For more than a century, the evolution of popular music has delivered stark parallels to Western society’s progression. Popular songs and styles partake in a tangible feedback loop, simultaneously responding to and informing cultural shifts. In turn, the best tunes make either purposeful or inadvertent statements about the era in which they’re being recorded and […]
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Climate change is lengthening growing seasons: How it's impacting every state
Hobby gardeners and professional farmers have long relied on weather predictions from farmers’ almanacs and other sources to guide how they start seeds and prepare for the upcoming season. Climate change, however, has altered the predictability of each region’s final spring frost and the first frost in fall, shifting their growing seasons. Stacker examined how […]
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Best counties to raise a family in Rhode Island
For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists. Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in Rhode Island […]
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The biggest health care data breaches you should know about in Rhode Island
It starts with an often-paralyzing attack on computer systems. Doctors scramble to notify patients awaiting surgery that their procedures have been delayed due to a ransomware attack. Sometimes a single cyberattack can impact hospitals across multiple states, as was the case when hackers targeted CommonSpirit Health in October 2022. Just one reported case of ransomware […]