Health | VIEW ALL

UK gym alternative combines exercise with volunteerism

LONDON — Shoveling piles of compost and clearing weeds on a cold, damp evening in London might not be most people’s idea of fun. But it’s smiles and chatter all around as a group of people in running gear put on headlamps and get to work in a community garden located on a derelict ...

Food companies target users of weight-loss drugs

Meals and snacks with “GLP-1 Friendly” labels on the packaging are becoming more common in U.S. supermarkets as a growing number of Americans try obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound to lose weight. But the labels aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, unlike the ...

Experts wary of new protein guidelines

Protein got a big boost from U.S. health officials. The latest federal dietary guidelines tell Americans to “prioritize protein foods at every meal” and advise increasing daily intake — up to double the amount of previous recommendations. “We are ending the war on protein,” Health ...

Home and Garden | VIEW ALL

Pest-free houseplants start at the nursery

If you grow houseplants, you probably know that sinking feeling you get when you notice the almost imperceivable movement of a dot, fine webbing between a leaf and its stem, or a leaf that just looks off. You thought (hoped!) the moment would never come, but the pests have moved in, and here ...

Meet the succulents that look like hearts and tails

People grow houseplants for all kinds of reasons. They provide a connection to nature and can make a room feel more inviting. They're also pretty. And if pretty is what you're after, I've got some lookers for you. Some of the most striking houseplants are succulents with unusual leaves. ...

Herbs grown indoors require extra care

I've been growing herbs in the garden long enough to know they don't require much. Just water, sunlight and my best intentions. In the garden, herbs are forgiving plants. They aren't fussy about soil pH, almost never need fertilizer, and can power through if you occasionally forget to water ...

Landfill alternatives for your Christmas tree

What to buy, what to serve, which events to attend — December is typically full of decisions. Here's one more for you to contemplate: What are you going to do with your Christmas tree? According to the Nature Conservancy, some 10 million live Christmas trees end up in landfills every year. ...

Food | VIEW ALL

Fish cakes and Birmingham greens are a longtime hit

The green salad in this recipe calls for two types of greens, turnip and mustard. A mess of greens, whether they be turnip, collard or mustard, have been staples in the homes of African Americans for hundreds of years. Collard leaves are large; mustards have a slightly peppery taste; and ...

Warm up with creamy rutabaga, parsnip and cheddar soup

You have to become a little crafty at this time of year about getting vegetables onto the table in ways that still feel interesting. In many places, the cold has settled in, farmers' market offerings have thinned out, and we're left with the hardiest of fruits and vegetables. Root vegetables ...

Dried cherry scones are a simple treat for the post-holiday breakfast table

Perhaps you're one of those people who are very thoughtful and assiduous about planning the big holiday meals. You're on top of the appetizers, entrée, the sides, the dessert. Maybe you even iron your linen napkins. But then you slap your proverbial forehead when you realize you didn't think ...

Arts and Entertainment | VIEW ALL

LAWRENCE USER GUIDE: Campus museums have plenty to offer

Editor’s note: This is an installment in an occasional series of “user guides” that aim to provide readers information on how to access and use everything from public spaces to community organizations. If you have an idea for a future user guide article, send it to news@ljworld.com. When ...

Lifestyle Columns | VIEW ALL

Local History: Watson Park has long history as community venue

Whether you know it for its train or its swimming pool or its basketball court and playground equipment, the park running for two blocks between Kentucky and Tennessee streets has been through a lot. Often referred to as “Train Park” in reference to the No. 1073 locomotive on its grounds, ...

Local History: The many moves of Douglas County’s ‘No. 6’ school

Most of the rural schools in Douglas County are identified by a name as well as a number. An exception to this norm is “No. 6.” Goldie Piper Daniels, in her 1974 history of the educational buildings in our county, notes that the name “Crutchfield” was found attached to No. 6 on an ...

Local History: A Medal of Honor recipient who lived in Lawrence

On the east side of Iowa Street, between 19th and 23rd streets, stands the United States Army Reserve Training Center, which bears the name of Samuel J. Churchill. Churchill is one of two Medal of Honor recipients to have been Lawrence residents and to be buried here. Churchill was ...

Local History: After Quantrill’s Raid, a Lawrence church became a morgue

On the east side of the 700 block of Vermont Street, you can see a small bronze plaque on a brick building at about eye level. It tells of a First Methodist Church that once stood there, which was built in 1857 and was used as morgue following Quantrill’s Raid on Aug. 21, 1863. More than ...