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We had a good-size crowd together this week. Three out-of-town grands and six grands who live in town, met up for three consecutive days. We rotated from house to house to house so that no one house would be singled out as a disaster area.

Due to the size, volume and rapid movement of the group, my intelligence gathering is often limited to ...Read more

Q. I feel like my wife is too close to her ex. I realize they are co-parents and must talk about their kids, but I caught her on the phone in the middle of the night chatting with him. We did have a problem with her teenage son, and they said that’s what they were talking about, but talking in the middle of the night seems like crossing the ...Read more

If you can’t swing a trip to the Big Apple (or even your local community theater), don’t fret.

We’ve got the next best thing, and let me tell you, these books deliver the same vibe as some of Broadway’s buzziest, weirdest and most unforgettable productions.

The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela

(If You Wanted to Watch...Read more

Too often, period-related issues are shrugged off or treated with one-size-fits-all solutions, leaving women feeling frustrated and unheard. Heidi Moretti’s mission is to change that narrative. In "Period Fix," she asserts that women have far more options to address period problems than simply taking synthetic hormones or “putting up with it...Read more

Only a small fraction of Americans know what it’s truly like to fight a war and live with its aftermath. Les Carroll’s novel "This Troubled Ground" bridges that gap by taking readers from the somber, cold tarmac of Dover Air Force Base to the battle-scarred landscapes of Afghanistan.

Inspired by true events from Carroll’s own military ...Read more

'FREAKIER FRIDAY'

Rated PG for thematic elements, rude humor, language and some suggestive references.

What it’s about: This sequel to the 2003 body swap comedy sees Anna (Lindsay Lohan) all grown up and contending with a teenager of her own while she gets ready to marry the handsome Eric (Manny Jacinto), while managing his daughter, and her...Read more

Q. I must admit, the transition from being a couple to being single has been difficult to juggle. I’m not always angry and sometimes I think it might be cool to hang out with my ex. So, when he had the kids this weekend I showed up on Sunday and asked if they all wanted to go to breakfast. The kids were very excited and wanted to go, but their...Read more

Hydration has officially become the cure for whatever ails us.

Feeling sluggish? Hydrate! Dry skin? Hydrate! Joints hurt? Hydrate! High blood pressure? Hydrate! Ingrown toenail? Hydrate! Don’t know what to make for dinner? Hydrate!

To join the wave of adequate hydration, one of our daughters thoughtfully gifted me with a pink XXL insulated ...Read more

BALTIMORE — It’s been two years since recreational cannabis became legal in Maryland. While revenue has increased and arrests for cannabis possession have decreased, health experts and school officials say there’s an often-overlooked impact — many kids don’t see the drug as risky.

Marijuana legalization has normalized adult use and ...Read more

"Night of the Bear" by Alan Cockrell and Richard Hess is a suspenseful tale of revenge and military aggression, reminiscent of Tom Clancy’s earliest Cold War thrillers. A covert meeting off the coast of Long Island between Russian Intelligence and a highly placed asset, with links to the highest levels of the U.S. government, discusses a ...Read more

A unique spiritual guide for Christians that blends Scripture and personal revelation is the focus of "I Am: the First and the Last" by Delon Jackson.

In this intimate look at the wonders and mysteries of God, the Bible and the nature of Heaven, Jackson meditates on a wide variety of Christian precepts and doctrine, all with a distinctly ...Read more

Ah, summertime. When the living is easy. Kids out of school, family vacations in full swing, honeymoons and girl trips galore.

Perhaps you are reading this as you dig your toes into white sand, or you’re currently curled up by the campfire after a long day of hiking and barbecues. Lucky. I could be achieving a summer glow and sipping ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — An Apple Valley, California, mother just went 4 for 4 on her kids all being born on the date 7/7.

Just before Nauzhae Drake, now 26, delivered her firstborn, she called her mother while driving to school. She told her that she saw a license plate that ended in four sevens — her lucky number. Drake's mom took it as a sign.

"...Read more

'THE NAKED GUN'

Rated PG-13 for crude/sexual material, violence/bloody images and brief partial nudity.

What it’s about: A reboot of the 1980s "Police Squad!" comedies about a hapless detective who stumbles into solving crimes.

The kid attractor factor: Teens might be drawn to the broad humor.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Billionaires are ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — California and a coalition of other liberal-led states sued the Trump administration Tuesday over a provision in the “Big Beautiful Bill” that bars Planned Parenthood and other large nonprofit abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funding for a host of unrelated health care services.

The measure has threatened clinics ...Read more

The man of the house is tall, lean and so bald that his head shines almost as much as his smile. He worked law enforcement all his career. As a state trooper, he once rescued the Beatles from crazed fans after a St. Louis concert.

He worked for the federal government as well, something to do with organized crime and exploding body parts. I don�...Read more

Q. My ex has always tried to manage me. It has always been a problem and led to our breakup. I want to take our two adolescent sons, ages 10 and almost 12, zip lining next weekend. They are very excited. She said it was too dangerous, and she threatened to call the police if I tried to take them. I can do what I want when the kids are with me, ...Read more