As summer winds down in Columbus, hundreds of youth programs funded by city tax dollars are completing their seasonal activities, preparing children to transition back to school. Among the many initiatives, one in particular has left a deep and personal impact on its participants: the summer youth program run by Our Brother's Keeper. For 12-year-old Christopher Kemper, the experience was transformative, offering him guidance and support he had never previ

Residents in Passaic County witnessed an unusual wildlife encounter over the weekend when a bear in West Milford was caught opening a car door and then strolling onto a nearby deck. The surprising scene began when the bear approached a parked vehicle, stood upright, and used its paws to open the driver’s side door. After inspecting the interior of the car, the animal wandered toward a nearby home and made itself comfortable on the deck, seemingly unbothered by its surroundin

As California cities increasingly pass laws banning homeless encampments and intensify sweeps, a group of state lawmakers from the San Jose area is moving in the opposite direction. They are backing legislation aimed at protecting homeless individuals and the people who help them from criminal penalties. Senate Bill 643, co-authored by State Senator Sasha Perez and Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, Alex Lee, and Matt Haney, would prohibit cities from enacting ordinances that stop organiz