Lifestyles

Low-carb diets can help keep the weight off, study says

by Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There are several diets that promote weight loss, including low-carb plans. Now experts have more evidence to prove they work, according to a new report.  Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital recently conducted a small study, published in the British Medical Journal, to determine the link between weight loss maintenance and carbohydrates.  For the first...

These jobs have the highest suicide rates in the country, CDC says

by Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jobs can be stressful, but there are some that cause more of a mental strain than others, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency recently conducted a study to determine the occupational groups with the highest suicide rates. To do so, they examined data from 17 states that participated in the 2012 and 2015 National Violent Death Reporting...

Columbus Zoo’s baby giraffe passes away after 18 days

by Jeremy P. Kelley, Staff Writer

Columbus Zoo officials announced Saturday that Ubumwe, the female giraffe calf that was born Oct. 30, has died. Zoo officials said in a series of Facebook posts that Ubumwe had been energetic and nursing well in her first two weeks, weighing an estimated 130 pounds a week ago. But she began experiencing “gastrointestinal discomfort” Friday afternoon, leading to multiple tests and treatment...

Woman accuses University of Colorado Hospital of removing 2 healthy kidneys

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A 73-year-old Colorado grandmother is considering legal action after doctors at the University of Colorado Hospital removed both of her healthy kidneys in May, KDVR reported. >> Read more trending news  Linda Woolley, of Englewood, said doctors told her surgery was necessary because she likely had kidney cancer, the television station reported. However, KDVR obtained a copy of...

Increase in online shopping could lead to package delays

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Area shoppers will want to purchase their holiday gifts earlier this year, as a major jump in online holiday shopping could complicate the delivery system. Target, Walmart and other retailers have started offering free two-day delivery with no minimum purchase amounts for the holidays, a move to compete with Amazon’s Prime delivery options. Upping the ante, Amazon announced that Prime members...

Minnesota mom convicted of murder now helps raise mental health awareness

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Fifteen years after tossing her twins off a bridge into the Mississippi River, a Minnesota woman is using her story to raise awareness about mental illness, KARE reported. >> Read more trending news  Naomi Gaines was 24 when she threw her 14-month-old sons, Sincere Understanding Allah and Supreme Knowledge Allah, into the river near St. Paul on July 4, 2003, and then jumped into the...

New Mexico author sues hospital for reviving her 

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A lawsuit filed on behalf of a New Mexico author alleges that a Santa Fe hospital revived the woman in violation of her “do not resuscitate” directive while she was in the facility’s care in 2016, the Albuquerque Journal reported. >> Read more trending news  The lawsuit filed in New Mexico state district court against Santa Fe's Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical...

Deer wanders into Fort Worth children's clinic

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Workers at a children’s urgent care clinic in Texas were startled when a deer walked into the facility, WFAA reported. >> Read more trending news  The 2-year-old buck wandered into the Cook Children’s facility in Fort Worth on Nov. 10, the television station reported. "I guess he came in through the back ambulance bay," Christina Williams, a registered nurse at...

‘Anyone can kill’: Dayton detective Doyle Burke talks Jolynn Ritchie, the microwave baby killer and axe murders in Dayton in podcast

by Amelia Robinson

Anyone can kill.  That’s one of the lessons Doyle Burke, a retired Dayton homicide detective, said he took from his 30-year career with the city’s police department.  Burke, now the Warren County coroner’s chief investigator, sat down with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson to talk about some of the cold-blooded murders he and his team help...

The best Amazon Black Friday deals of 2018

by Fiza Pirani, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Not a fan of the chaos that inevitably comes with in-person Black Friday shopping? » RELATED: Amazon offers free shipping for all during 2018 holiday season If you’d rather get in on the fun from the comfort of your couch or bed, e-commerce giant Amazon has plenty of deals for its customers just in time for the holidays. Amazon is kicking off its device deals Friday, Nov...

Here’s when stores will open for Thanksgiving, Black Friday shopping

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

It’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads are surfacing quickly. Here’s when stores plan to open this year: Kohl’s will open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving and remain open through Black Friday. The store is offering its well-known deal of $15 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent. The ad also features a 15 percent off coupon. Sales will begin at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving...

Pastor criticized for ‘distasteful’ Aretha Franklin eulogy coming to Dayton, standing by message  

by Amelia Robinson

An Atlanta pastor heavily criticized for focusing on the ills of the black family at singer Aretha Franklin’s funeral will be the special guest at a Dayton church Sunday, Nov. 18.  On Thursday, Rev. Jasper Williams Jr., pastor emeritus of Atlanta’s Salem Bible Church, said he did not know yet exactly what he will say as part of his visit to St. Luke Missionary Baptist...

New York school district puts 2-pack limit on condiments for students 

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A school district in New York has decided to limit students to dispensing two 9-gram packs of condiments per meal, Newsday reported. >> Read more trending news  Eastport-South Manor Assistant Superintendent Timothy Laube sent a letter to parents Tuesday that explained that the condiment crackdown was a move toward healthier eating habits for children and stricter adherence to...

‘Real Housewives’ star coming to Centerville

by Amelia Robinson

A “Real Housewives” star with a “rags to riches” story is heading to Centerville. Emily Simpson, a 1994 graduate of Middletown’s Madison High School, is scheduled to make a special appearance at Turbo Zone Fitness, 7917 S Suburban Drive, Centerville, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, Erica Monbeck, the gym’s owner, said.  Simpson...

Dog steps on drug needle in Milwaukee neighborhood

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A Wisconsin woman walking her dog Tuesday morning had to remove a drug syringe from the animal’s paw when he stepped on it, WISN reported. >> Read more trending news  Christina Lawrence and her fiance were walking Jack Daniels, a chocolate lab-golden retriever, when the dog yelped, the television station reported. "Walking around daily, you see caps (to needles) lying in...

MInnesota great-grandma marries boyfriend she rebuffed in 1954

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

It took more than six decades, but a Minnesota great-grandmother finally wed her teenage sweetheart. >> Read more trending news  Janet Skillingstad, 82, married Gene Ertel, 81, on Oct. 26 -- 64 years after she broke off their engagement, KARE reported. “Not too many people get a second chance,” Ertel told the television station. In 1954, Skillingstad returned the engagement...

Debate settled: This is the right time to put up your Christmas tree

by Rose Kennedy, For the AJC

While it may never reach the level of controversy of how to hang the toilet paper roll or which way to load the dishwasher, the right time to put up the Christmas tree is a heavily-debated household topic. There are answers to this question that depend on everything from Prince Albert to the opinion of tree growers to something called Adelaide Pageant Day. The ultimate etiquette authority...

Area employers still need seasonal help for holidays

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Hundreds of seasonal jobs remain open in the region as retail stores and delivery companies prepare for the push of holiday spending expected in the next month. Amid a healthy economy with low unemployment and more disposable income, retailers, delivery companies distribution facilities and fulfillment centers are having a tougher time finding employees than past years. While fewer people are looking...

JCPenney earnings reports don’t show improvement

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

While JCPenney isn’t closing stores now, it’s not out of the question. The department store once again disappointed Wall Street with same-store sales dropping 5.4 percent last quarter and net sales decreasing 5.8 percent, according to a company statement. The company also lost more than $150 million, sending its stock price down 12 percent when the markets opened. “While restoring...

Dayton filmmaker: ‘They told my parents I would never read or write’

by Amelia Robinson

If her parents had accepted what people told them, Evie Marie Warner says she would not be making films today.  The West Carrollton resident said she wouldn’t be doing a lot of things. “When I was little, they told my parents I was mentally ‘retarded,’ and they told my parents I would never read or write,” said Warner, who is a Cassano’s Pizza and...

A Skyline Chili and White Castle love affair! Dayton men live out elusive food fantasy

by Amelia Robinson

Chris Thompson and Gus Stathes dreamed it, and they did it.  What was just the dream of two guys passing an exit with both a White Castle AND Skyline Chili has resulted in the wedding of the century for fans of the two iconic Ohio fast food chains. A White Castle slider and Skyline Chili together in their mouths at once.  The dream started a while ago during the Dayton men&rsquo...

Teddy enters the football prediction game

by Karin Spicer, Contributing Writer

Saturday, Nov. 24, is an important day for Ohio State students, alumni and fans. It’s the OSU-Michigan game, the latest installment in a football rivalry that started in 1897 with Michigan winning 34-0. “The Game,” as it is known, this year will be played at the Horseshoe in Columbus. My family will probably watch, but as Ohio University, Wake Forest and Dayton alumni, we don&rsquo...

You are not going to want to miss these Dayton holiday home tours

by Amelia Robinson

It is the season to be jolly, and Dayton-area residents are preparing to deck their halls.  You can see some of those halls.  Here is a rundown of the Dayton area’s most festive holiday tours and how to take them.  When: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, and Saturday, Nov. 24. There will be  guided tours every 12 minutes. Cost: $15 per person. Tickets can be purchased at ...

What is seasonal affective disorder?

by Kelcie Willis, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

People who get more than just blue in the winter months may find they have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Before self-diagnosing, it’s important to research the disorder and speak with a health care provider. Here are some things to know about SAD. >> Read more trending news  What is it?  According to the National Institutes of Health, SAD, also called seasonal...

Men rescue shivering horse in backyard pool hiding from Camp Fire

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Two California men helped save a horse he found tangled in a backyard pool while trying to find a safe spot as the Camp Fire raged through the city, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. >> Read more trending news  Jeff Hill of Paradise was checking on a neighbor’s house Saturday when he found the horse, shivering and tangled in a pool cover. "There's no telling how long...

The best stores for discounted Black Friday shopping 

by Fiza Pirani, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When it comes to major discounts and killer deals, some retailers fare better than others. » RELATED: All the Black Friday deals to catch in 2018 Luckily, analysts over at personal finance website WalletHub did some of the work for shoppers as they prepare for the hectic post-Thanksgiving holiday. After surveying nearly 7,000 deals from 35 of the biggest United States retailers&rsquo...

Macy’s shrinking some of its stores: What’s really going on

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

As big-box retailers like Sears and Elder-Beerman file for bankruptcy and close hundreds of locations, other department stores like Macy’s are looking for ways to revive brick-and-mortar retail. Macy’s newest plan is to shrink its store size. The store is already testing a smaller format in four of its stores, according to the Wall Street Journal. The smaller format stores will cut down...

Former ‘Dirty’ Wright State, UD student subject of new 8-part TV series 

by Amelia Robinson

One of two local universities’ most notorious former students is the focus of a new eight-part TV series.  “Dirty John,” a limited Bravo TV series, is set to debut at 10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25. It is based on the Los Angeles Times’ articles and the newspaper’s hit true crime podcast series “Dirty John” about John Meehan and his wife...

Tennessee boy reunited with rare dog that was stolen during walk

by Fox13Memphis.com

A Tennessee boy has been reunited with his dog two days after it was stolen while they were walking in a Shelby County neighborhood. Shelby County officials said the 12-year-old boy was walking the white American bulldog, Diamond, on Sunday when someone assaulted him and took off with the dog.  The boy's father, John Black, told WHBQ in Memphis that a man in a Chrysler PT Cruiser "...

Overweight? You might be getting paid less, study says

by Fiza Pirani, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A new study from researchers at LinkedIn suggests workers who are overweight get paid less than their slimmer counterparts. The findings are part of a survey involving 4,000 workers in the United Kingdom.  Survey respondents who classified as obese reported earning an average £1,940 ($2,512) less per year than those with healthy BMIs, according to the study. Twenty-five percent...

Spanking children is harmful and ineffective, pediatricians group warns

by Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

To spank or not to spank? A group of pediatricians is against it, according to a new report. Researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a new policy statement, published in the Pediatrics journal, to recommend “healthy forms of discipline” to parents.  The new statement comes 20 years after the 1998 recommendation, which encouraged...

Cancer expected to surpass heart disease as leading cause of death in US, study says

by Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Cancer will soon be the leading cause of death in the United States, according to a new report.  Researchers recently conducted a study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal, to explore data that suggests cancer will surpass heart disease as the leading cause of death in America. To do so, they examined the death records of more than 32 million adults, aged...

JUUL to stop selling most e-cigarette flavors in stores and add age verification

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Facing a looming announcement that the Food and Drug Administration will ban most retailers from selling certain flavored e-cigarette products, JUUL has announced plans to halt some sales. One of the FDA’s biggest quarrels is with the manufacturer of e-cigarette products, which FDA’s commissioner Scott Gottlieb has said has failed to keep products away from teenagers. »PHOTOS: Former...

Minnesota baby born at 11:11 p.m. on Nov. 11 

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Right on time for Veterans Day, a Minnesota couple welcomed the birth of a daughter who was born at 11:11 p.m. on Nov. 11, WCCO reported. >> Read more trending news  Erin Potts gave birth exactly 100 years -- and 12 hours -- after the armistice ended hostilities during World War I. The girl was born at The Mother Baby Center in St. Paul, KARE reported. She weighed 7 pounds, 12...

Texas woman celebrates divorce by blowing up wedding dress

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

This is one marriage that ended with a bang. A Texas woman celebrated her divorce by blowing up her wedding dress on the family’s farm in LaCoste, 25 miles west of San Antonio, KSAT reported. >> Read more trending news  Kimberly Santleben-Stiteler obtained a divorce Friday in Medina County after 14 years of marriage to Henry Jordan Stiteler. On Saturday night, the 43-year-old...

Texas grandma drops 100 pounds by walking

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A Texas grandmother was told to lose weight because her health was threatened. Six years later, she is 100 pounds lighter and is feeling great. >> Read more trending news  “Some grandmothers play bingo," Greta Ross, 61, told WFAA. "But, this grandmother goes to the gym." Ross, from Irving, said she used to weigh 237 pounds. She refused medication from doctors but...

5 ways your smartphone can enhance your shopping experience this holiday season

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Smartphones may be the tool that revolutionizes your holiday shopping experience this year. Technology is continuously making shopping easier and quicker, with apps and other smartphone features making the at-home and in-store shopping experience more convenient. This holiday season, 42 percent of customers will shop through their mobile devices, according to data from Citi Retail Services. »...

Houston athletes help neighbors rescue puppies from storm drain

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Major-league pitcher Daniel Mengden and Ironman competitor Rick D’Amico helped rescue two puppies that had been trapped in a Houston storm drain for several days, KHOU reported. >> Read more trending news  The two athletes were helping a group called Reggie's Friends to retrieve the pups, KPRC reported. LaChrystal Ricke, who runs Reggie’s Friends, said she had...

Boy pushed to ground, rare dog stolen during walk in Tennessee neighborhood

by Fox13Memphis.com

A Tennessee father is angry after someone allegedly assaulted his son while the boy was walking his dog. The father also told WHBQ in Memphis that the person stole his son’s rare dog. John Black said someone assaulted his son, Brandon, while walking his white American bulldog, Diamond, in the 7000 block of Hedgington in Shelby County. >> Read more trending news  The 12-year-old...

Man finds Korean War soldier's battlefield love letters, searches for family

by Steve Barrett, Monique Valdes, WFTV.com

It’s like a scene out of “The Notebook.” A Belleview, Florida, man found dozens of letters from a Korean War soldier to his wife and is determined to find the man’s family.  The wartime letters between Sgt. Warren Holly and his sweetheart, Jean Holly, are dated more than 60 years ago.  The mystery began about three weeks ago when Dan Heater bought...

Texas pet shelter gets food donations from community 

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

A Texas animal services company got some paw-sitive news this week, KSAT reported. >> Read more trending news  San Antonio Animal Care Services announced last week that it had just nine bags of dog food in its pantry, the television station reported. Since then, the nonprofit group had more than 8,000 pounds of pet food donated within 24 hours, KSAT reported. The pantry was part...

Oklahoma town reeling after barn fire kills high school FFA's animals

by Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

An Oklahoma community devastated by a fire that killed five animals at a barn used by a high school agriculture club is receiving nationwide donations and support, KFOR reported. >> Read more trending news  The animals in the barn near Cashion High School -- three show hogs, a goat and a sheep -- were killed Saturday afternoon when an electrical fire gutted the older structure used...

Area stores training employees using Virtual Reality

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Technology gives consumers numerous ways to shop without ever leaving their homes, and now retailers are using those same tools to improve in-store human interaction. As retail wars to capture the changing consumer escalate, retailers are investing in augmented and virtual reality to enhance customer experience through convenience. And that includes quality customer service for in-store shoppers at...

Ohio impacted by salmonella outbreak: What you really need to know

by Kara Driscoll, Staff Writer

Just as Thanksgiving nears, more than 70 new cases of salmonella have been linked to raw turkey products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the outbreak was first announced in July, more cases have popped up in recent months. Approximately 164 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading have been reported from 35 states, as of early November. One...

Kroger offering new way to order groceries

by Holly Shively, Staff Writer

Soon you could be able to order your Kroger groceries just by asking your Google assistant. Kroger is rolling out voice-activated grocery service for Kroger Grocery Pickup, formerly called ClickList, according to a post on the company’s Linkedin. The Google Assistant is available on most major operating systems including iOS for iPhone, Android and Google Assistant devices. »PHOTOS: Former...

First lady Julia Grant couldn't find a publisher for her memoir. Michelle Obama got paid millions for hers.

by Gillian Brockell, The Washington Post

When former first lady Julia Grant finished her memoir in 1899, with the help of one Mark Twain, she couldn't find a publisher for it. "My book, on which I have built so many castles, is by the critics pronounced too near, too close to the private life of [her husband], and I thought this was just what was wanted. You can well imagine my great disappointment and sorrow," the widow of Ulysses...

High blood pressure by this age raises heart attack risk, study says

by Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

High blood pressure can increase your risk of heart disease. But if you have the condition at a young age, your chances may be even higher. Researchers from Duke University recently conducted a study, published in JAMA, to explore hypertension in younger adults based on new blood pressure levels set by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. In 2017...