Virginia Beach Among America's 10 Safest Cities, But Neighbor Norfolk Tells Different Story Virginia Beach Among America's 10 Safest Cities, But Neighbor Norfolk Tells Different Story Virginia Beach Among America's 10 Safest Cities, But Neighbor Norfolk Tells Different Story
Virginia Beach Among America's 10 Safest Cities, But Neighbor Norfolk Tells Different Story Two neighboring Virginia cities landed on opposite ends of a new national safety ranking, with one cracking the top 10 safest in America while the other failed to make the top 100. Virginia Beach ranked sixth safest in the country in WalletHub's 2026 Safest Cities in America study, released on Monday, Oct. 19, while neighboring Norfolk finished a distant 145th out of the 182 cities examined. That put 139 spots between the two Hampton Roads neighbors, despite their close proximity. Virginia Beach earned an overall safety score of 69.39 out of 100, placing it behind only Juneau, Alaska; Warw…

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'Gunner In The Park': What Maryland Boy, 9, Saw Before Riding His Bicycle Home 'Gunner In The Park': What Maryland Boy, 9, Saw Before Riding His Bicycle Home 'Gunner In The Park': What Maryland Boy, 9, Saw Before Riding His Bicycle Home
'Gunner In The Park': What Maryland Boy, 9, Saw Before Riding His Bicycle Home A 9-year-old boy was forced to hide in a Maryland playground before fleeing on his bicycle to warn his parents about a "gunner in the park" after a hooded man emerged from the woods and unleashed a barrage of gunfire during a crowded afternoon of flag football. Now, that man is heading to prison for decades. Gaithersburg resident Kenneth Oates, 40, has been sentenced to 100 years in prison, with all but 35 years suspended, for opening fire on his on-again, off-again girlfriend and her friend at a crowded Rockville park, according to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office. The shoo…
Missing Mirror May Be Key To Solving Deadly Virginia Hit-Run That Killed Pedestrian, Police Say Missing Mirror May Be Key To Solving Deadly Virginia Hit-Run That Killed Pedestrian, Police Say Missing Mirror May Be Key To Solving Deadly Virginia Hit-Run That Killed Pedestrian, Police Say
Missing Mirror May Be Key To Solving Deadly Virginia Hit-Run That Killed Pedestrian, Police Say The driver who struck and killed a 44-year-old pedestrian in Virginia earlier this month remains at large, but investigators now have a better idea of what they're looking for. Fairfax County police have identified a white Nissan Rogue as the vehicle believed to have been involved in the fatal Springfield Hit-Run that claimed the life of Thomas Gum on Sunday, Oct. 4. According to investigators, the SUV is believed to be a 2017 to 2022 model with its driver's side mirror missing, along with black fender guards from the front driver's side wheel well. Gum, who had no fixed address, was cross…
Donuts, DUI, And A Power Outage: Virginia Mustang Driver's Wild Ride Ends In Handcuffs Donuts, DUI, And A Power Outage: Virginia Mustang Driver's Wild Ride Ends In Handcuffs Donuts, DUI, And A Power Outage: Virginia Mustang Driver's Wild Ride Ends In Handcuffs
Donuts, DUI, And A Power Outage: Virginia Mustang Driver's Wild Ride Ends In Handcuffs Getting his Mustang out of the Rappahannock River turned out to be the easy part for a Virginia man whose attempted getaway from police went from bad to worse over the weekend. Richard Anderson, 38, of Spotsylvania, found himself in handcuffs after an unusual series of events at City Dock in Fredericksburg on Sunday, Oct. 18, that also left part of the city temporarily without power, according to police. The trouble started when a Fredericksburg police officer spotted a red Ford Mustang speeding along the 500 block of Sophia Street before the driver made his way to City Dock, where he began…
Maryland Native Mom, School Employee ID'd As Woman Killed By Train In Pennsylvania Maryland Native Mom, School Employee ID'd As Woman Killed By Train In Pennsylvania Maryland Native Mom, School Employee ID'd As Woman Killed By Train In Pennsylvania
Maryland Native Mom, School Employee ID'd As Woman Killed By Train In Pennsylvania A 49-year-old mother and beloved school employee has been identified as the woman killed by a Norfolk Southern train near a railroad bridge over Swatara Creek in Hummelstown, authorities confirmed. Keri Ann McKeever, of Hummelstown, died from multiple traumatic injuries on Wednesday, Oct. 14, according to the Dauphin County Coroner's Office. Her manner of death was ruled a suicide. The collision happened shortly before 1 p.m. near Old Farm Road, according to Norfolk Southern Media Relations. McKeever was struck by a westbound train at milepost HP104.5, along the tracks rather than at a ra…

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MD's Best Elementary, Middle Schools Revealed In New National Rankings MD's Best Elementary, Middle Schools Revealed In New National Rankings MD's Best Elementary, Middle Schools Revealed In New National Rankings
MD's Best Elementary, Middle Schools Revealed In New National Rankings Thousands of elementary and middle schools across the Northeast have been evaluated in new rankings that highlight the top-performing public schools in each state. U.S. News & World Report released its annual Best Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The 2027 list evaluated about 46,000 public elementary schools and more than 24,000 middle schools nationwide based on reading and math achievement. The report highlights schools where students performed well on state assessments while accounting for student backgrounds.  U.S. News said its updated methodol…

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WATCH: Homecoming King Gives Crown To Classmate With Down Syndrome In Viral Video WATCH: Homecoming King Gives Crown To Classmate With Down Syndrome In Viral Video WATCH: Homecoming King Gives Crown To Classmate With Down Syndrome In Viral Video
Watch: Homecoming King Gives Crown To Classmate With Down Syndrome In Viral Video A Pennsylvania homecoming king gave his crown to a classmate with Down syndrome during a Schuylkill County pep rally on Friday, Oct. 16 — a moment captured in a viral video shared by local parent Dawn Bowers. Keny Cedanio Ramirez was named homecoming king at Mahanoy Area Junior-Senior High School, where fellow candidate Axton Kuhla was the runner-up, according to NBC News.  As the two waited for the announcement, Ramirez put his arm around Kuhla. After receiving the crown and sash, Ramirez placed them on his classmate as the crowd cheered. The two shared a hug, smiling as Kuhla wiped a…

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Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them
Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz is going gluten-free with some of its popular crackers. The snack brand announced the launch of Ritz Gluten Free Original crackers in a news release on Monday, Oct. 19. The new crackers are designed to have the same buttery flavor and flaky texture as traditional Ritz crackers. The gluten-free crackers will begin arriving at select retailers in October before expanding to stores nationwide in February 2027. An 8-ounce package will have a suggested retail price of $4.49. View this post on Instagram The new crackers are certified gluten-fr…

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Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them
Ritz Unveils Long-Requested Change To Popular Crackers: When To Try Them Ritz is going gluten-free with some of its popular crackers. The snack brand announced the launch of Ritz Gluten Free Original crackers in a news release on Monday, Oct. 19. The new crackers are designed to have the same buttery flavor and flaky texture as traditional Ritz crackers. The gluten-free crackers will begin arriving at select retailers in October before expanding to stores nationwide in February 2027. An 8-ounce package will have a suggested retail price of $4.49. View this post on Instagram The new crackers are certified gluten-fr…

National Interest

Richest Households Share This Trait, Rankings Reveal Richest Households Share This Trait, Rankings Reveal Richest Households Share This Trait, Rankings Reveal
Richest Households Share This Trait, Rankings Reveal The Americans leading the household wealth rankings share a trait that a paycheck alone cannot explain. Families headed by someone 75 or older had the highest median net worth of any age group in 2025, according to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances. Their median net worth reached $504,900, up 37 percent from 2022 after adjusting for inflation. That put the oldest families ahead of those approaching retirement or in its earlier stages. Net worth means assets minus debts. The median is the midpoint: Half of families in a group have more, and half have less. Families headed b…