From police releasing bodycam footage from the Louisville bank shooting, to helpful tips for filing taxes, here are some top national stories from the past week.
Dog missing for 7 years had ‘touching’ SC reunion with owner weeks before his death
A dog missing for seven years had a “touching” reunion with his owner just weeks before he died.
Nugget the dog was found “limping down a wet dark road” in South Carolina — more than 1,700 miles from his home. Then, the Greenville-based organization Carolina Loving Hound Rescue said it helped the pup get back in touch with his long-awaiting family in February.
FILE - Lola, a French bulldog, lies on the floor prior to the start of a St. Francis Day service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Oct. 7, 2007, in New York. The American Kennel Club announced Wednesday, March 15, 2023 that French bulldogs have become the United States' most prevalent dog breed, ending Labrador retrievers' record-breaking 31 years at the top.
AP Photo/Tina Fineberg, File
2. Labrador retrievers
Labrador retrievers Soave, 2, left, and Hola, 10-months, pose for photographs as Harbor, right, 8-weeks, takes a nap during a news conference at the American Kennel Club headquarters in New York, March 28, 2018.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File
3. Golden retrievers
Daniel, a golden retriever, wins the sporting group during 144th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Feb. 11, 2020, in New York.
AP Photo/John Minchillo, File
4. Golden shepherds
FILE — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden's dog Commander, a purebred German shepherd, is walked before the president and first lady arrive on Marine One at the White House in Washington, March 13, 2022.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File
5. Poodles
A poodle competes during the Annual Kennel Club of Beverly Hills Dog Show at Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, Calif, March 4, 2017.
AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File
6. Bulldogs
An English bulldog gets a kiss from its owner, in Bucharest, Romania, March 12, 2017.
AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File
7. Rottweilers
Talos, a Rottweiler, poses for photos as the American Kennel Club's breed rankings are announced, in New York, March 21, 2017.
AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
8. Beagles
Miss P, a 15-inch beagle, is presented during the best in show competition at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, at Madison Square Garden, in New York, Feb. 17, 2015.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File
9. Dachshunds
A long-haired dachshund is shown in the Hound group competition, during the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Feb. 15, 2016, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File
10. German shorthaired pointers
CJ, a German shorthaired pointer, is shown in the ring by his handler during the Best in Show competition, at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Feb. 16, 2016, at Madison Square Garden, in New York.
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File
Dalai Lama apologizes after video shows him kissing boy
DHARAMSALA, India (AP) — Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama apologized Monday after a video showing him kissing a child on the lips triggered criticism.
A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident and wished to "apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused."
Police: 4 killed in shooting at downtown Louisville building
A shooting Monday at a bank in downtown Louisville killed at least four people and wounded at least eight others, police said. The suspected lone shooter was also dead.
Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told reporters officers who arrived on the scene “encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that time.”
Find out details about killings in the U.S. since 2006 where four or more people, excluding the assailant, died in a 24-hour period.
This squirrel learned to ring a bell when he wants nuts — and people are obsessed
A clever squirrel has gathered quite the TikTok following after he learned to ring a bell in exchange for nuts in California.
Researchers at UC Berkeley’s microbiology lab taught the squirrel to tug on a string tied to a bell to ring it from his perch on the window ledge, and rewarded him with a treat when he did, Alienor Baskevitch told CNN. The researchers named him Kluyver after famous microbiologist Albert Kluyver, the station reported.
Rodents are significantly more common in older homes
For related reasons, a household’s income levels also bear a relationship to how frequently the home’s residents encounter pests. Among both owners and renters, the median income for households who had not seen a rodent or roach in the last 12 months was far higher than the median income for households who saw such pests daily. This is likely because households with greater means can afford to live in newer units or units that have been better maintained and keep up with the costs of ongoing maintenance and other preventive measures.
Low income homes are more likely to experience daily pest problems
In addition to the age and condition of a home, where the home is located also impacts the type and frequency of pest issues. Rodents are usually more common in colder regions like the Northeast, where they seek out warm locations for shelter during the fall and winter months. Insects like cockroaches and ants thrive in warmer climates like those found in the South. And both roaches and rodents prefer more damp or humid climates, which make them less common in the dryer West. Taken together, these location-specific factors have a major impact on how likely a home is to face a pest problem.
To determine the locations with the worst pest problem, researchers at Construction Coverage calculated a composite index equally weighing the percentage of households with rodents and percentage of households with cockroaches for each location. The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey. In the event of a tie, the location with the higher percentage of households with rodents was ranked higher. Only select metropolitan areas and states with data available from the American Housing Survey were considered in the analysis.
Here are the major metropolitan areas with the worst pest problem.
10. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Photo Credit: evenfh / Shutterstock
Composite index: 58.3
Percentage of households with rodents: 5.8%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 29.8%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 13.0%
Median household income: $48,600
Shutterstock
9. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
Composite index: 60.4
Percentage of households with rodents: 18.4%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 2.9%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 32.6%
Median household income: $87,000
Shutterstock
8. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Photo Credit: wonderlustpicstravel / Shutterstock
Composite index: 62.5
Percentage of households with rodents: 13.3%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 4.5%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 20.7%
Median household income: $72,000
Shutterstock
7. Raleigh, NC
Photo Credit: Kirill Livshitskiy / Shutterstock
Composite index: 64.6
Percentage of households with rodents: 8.9%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 24.1%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 2.9%
Median household income: $75,000
Shutterstock
6. Kansas City, MO-KS MSA
Photo Credit: iampaese / Shutterstock
Composite index: 64.6
Percentage of households with rodents: 12.2%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 6.4%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 12.2%
Median household income: $67,000
Shutterstock
5. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Photo Credit: Victor Moussa / Shutterstock
Composite index: 66.7
Percentage of households with rodents: 11.2%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 11.1%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 27.7%
Median household income: $70,000
Shutterstock
4. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Photo Credit: Nate Hovee / Shutterstock
Composite index: 68.8
Percentage of households with rodents: 6.8%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 35.2%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 2.4%
Median household income: $60,000
Shutterstock
3. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Composite index: 68.8
Percentage of households with rodents: 11.1%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 18.6%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 4.9%
Median household income: $45,000
Shutterstock
2. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Photo Credit: photosounds / Shutterstock
Composite index: 72.9
Percentage of households with rodents: 18.9%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 6.1%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 22.6%
Median household income: $71,570
Shutterstock
1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Photo Credit: A G Baxter / Shutterstock
Composite index: 75.0
Percentage of households with rodents: 15.1%
Percentage of households with cockroaches: 8.6%
Percentage of homes built before 1940: 8.1%
Median household income: $100,000
Shutterstock
Louisville police release body camera video from bank shooting
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Police body camera video released Tuesday shows Louisville officers being fired upon as they arrive at the bank where a shooter killed five people and the harrowing harrowing minutes while officers confront the shooter and work to rescue a wounded colleague.
Two patrol officers who responded to the shooting were wounded, one of them struck in the head by a bullet in the Monday morning shooting.
STDs are on the rise. This morning-after-style pill may help
NEW YORK — U.S. health officials released data Tuesday showing how chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases have been accelerating, but doctors are hoping an old drug will help fight the sexually transmitted infections.
Experts believe STDs have been rising because of declining condom use, inadequate sex education and reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
10 small, healthy things you should do for yourself every day
1. Find one small way to add more steps to your day.
Martha Gulati, M.D., a cardiologist and editor-in-chief of the American College of Cardiology’s CardioSmart, confirms that we sit too much. Get closer to your 10,000 daily steps by parking at the end of the office parking lot; getting off the bus or subway one stop earlier; doing 10 jumping jacks between video calls; or taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
Pure Yoga instructor Alison O’Connor believes in spending time alone every day. “Taking a few minutes for yourself — away from social media, work, entertainment and anyone who demands something from you — can go a long way toward mental health.”
The average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep each night in order to stave off depression and keep stress hormones at bay, preventing overeating, crabby moods, succumbing to sugar cravings, and inflammation.
Water is, quite simply, essential. It helps your skin look fresh, flushes toxins from your body, helps maintain healthy bowel functions and keeps muscles from fatigue.
According to Gulati, remembering to pause periodically and spend one full minute focused on deep breathing and positive energy can help you cope better with anxiety and stress and ground you in the present.
Dreamstime/TNS
6. Wear something you love.
Feeling confident and happy can come from knowing you look good, says Forever Freckled stylist Carrie Greenberg. “Dust off classic pieces and consider investing in some great new accessories,” she says. Make it a point to wear something that makes you feel fantastic every single day.
7. Make something in the kitchen.
New York-based personal chef and fitness instructor Alyssa Gagarin says cooking your own food “gives you full control over what’s going into your body.” Load up on fruits, veggies, whole grains, eggs, meats, seafood, nuts, seeds and legumes—and stop eating once you’re full.
Even if you aren’t able to prepare your own meals, Gulati suggests mindfully choosing at least one healthy meal or snack a day. Reach for the banana in the office fruit bowl, or add one more veggie to your chicken Caesar salad.
Ellen Friedrichs, a Brooklyn, New York-based health and sexuality educator, says we need to assess our needs, moment to moment. Do you really need those potato chips, or are you just thirsty for a big glass of water? You’re exhausted—RSVP “no” to that cocktail party. Feeling distant from your partner lately? Suggest a date night.
“Acting with integrity — where all of your words and actions align with your core beliefs — brings peace of mind and a sense of freedom,” O’Connor says. This may seem challenging, but she believes that lying or ignoring your principles could make you sick, both mentally and physically.
(Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at www.realsimple.com.)
Haven't filed taxes yet? Don't panic. Here's what to know
NEW YORK — The deadline to file your taxes is Tuesday, which is just around the corner. Filing U.S. tax returns — especially for the first time — can seem like a daunting task, but there are steps you can take to make it less stressful.
Whether you do your taxes yourself, go to a tax clinic or hire a professional, navigating the tax system can be complicated and stressful. Courtney Alev, a consumer financial advocate for Credit Karma, recommends you go easy on yourself.
Texas man declared innocent in 2010 slaying now arrested in another murder
HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston man declared innocent in 2021 after being convicted in a fatal stabbing and serving seven years in prison has been charged with murder in the shooting a fellow motorist, police said.
Lydell Grant, 46, is accused of killing Edwin Arevalo, 33, following a minor traffic collision Thursday night, Houston police said. Police said Grant got out of his vehicle, shot Arevalo and then fled.
Inflation slows but stays high enough for Fed to hike again. Here's what's in the latest report
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer inflation eased in March, with less expensive gas and food providing some relief to households that have struggled under the weight of surging prices for nearly two years.
The government said Wednesday that consumer prices rose just 0.1% from February to March, down from 0.4% from January to February and the smallest increase since December.
Mother of Virginia 6-year-old who shot teacher indicted by grand jury
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — A grand jury in Virginia has indicted the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher on charges of child neglect and failing to secure her handgun in the family's home, a prosecutor said Monday.
A grand jury sitting in Newport News charged the boy's 25-year-old mother with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor charge of endangering a child by reckless storage of a firearm, Commonwealth's Attorney Howard Gwynn said in a news release.
