Get ready to ooh and ahh: The 2024 Gerber Baby is here — and he has a nickname we can get behind. Akil McLeod Jr., aka Sonny, embodies his moniker with his “sunny disposition,” according to mom Dominque and dad Akil Sr. “I was just like, ‘I need a nickname for him, because it’s going to get confusing with two Akils,’” Dominque told Today. “And so the sun just perfectly came through a little peek of the window and on my belly, and I was like ‘Oh, Sonny.’” Meet the 1-year-old and his family.
After pedestrian deaths hit a 40-year high in 2022, street safety is now thankfully trending in the right direction. According to new data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association, 2023 saw 7,318 pedestrian fatalities in the United States — the first decrease since 2019. The number is still much higher than pre-pandemic times, but officials are optimistic that safety measures being introduced around the nation, like more sidewalks and street lighting and lower speed limits, are working. “There’s a lot of construction going on across the country that’s making the roadways safer. We’re engaging law enforcement in some new and creative ways,” Jonathan Adkins, the association’s CEO, told NPR. “We’re looking at vehicle technology. So we’re doing a lot of different things, and that’s a different approach to safety in the United States.” Adkins added that 2023’s data hopefully represents just the beginning of a long-term trend. To evaluate how walkable and safe your community is, consider trying out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s walkability checklist activity.
It’s Time to Put Your Savings Into a High-Yield Account
If you don’t have your cash in a high-yield savings account, now’s the perfect time to do so. Annual percentage yields for HYSAs are currently reaching rarely seen highs — FinanceBuzz is seeing banks allowing clients to earn up to 5% APY* (and even higher) on every dollar. So what does that mean for you? You could be missing out on earning practically free money every single month. Click below to learn which accounts the writers at FinanceBuzz recommend. Disclaimers: *APY means annual percentage yield. Rates accurate as of 4/22/2024. Fees may reduce earnings.
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Sports
Triple-A Team’s Deaf Culture Night Aims to Make America’s Pastime More Accessible
MILB/Iowa Cubs
Tonight, the Iowa Cubs — the Triple-A club of the Chicago baseball team with the same name — will don special jerseys for their matchup against the St. Paul Saints. The uniforms still say Iowa, but in American Sign Language rather than written English. It’s part of the minor league team’s Deaf Culture Night, a collaboration with Dylan Heuer and the Iowa Baseball Camp for the Deaf, which he started. Heuer became deaf from meningitis at 7 months old, and baseball has been a huge part of his life — from Little League to serving as a bat boy and now freelance photographer for the Iowa Cubs. Deaf Culture Night combines his love of baseball with a desire to make it more accessible for his community. “It shows that we are here and we are proud of who we are,” Heuer told the Chicago Tribune. “It shows that the Deaf community is a living and breathing community that has such a deep and rich culture with a beautiful language, its own traditions and so much more.” He continued, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate our culture with the Iowa Cubs to show that the game of baseball is for everybody, no matter who they are. We can play, we can cheer, we can boo, we can cry, we can love. We just don’t hear, that’s all.”
Culture
Libraries Offer More Than Books — And This South Carolina County Is Proof
Richland Library
Libraries are, of course, where people can access books and information for free — but they’re also so much more than that, serving as gatherings places, safe havens for unhoused people, and childhood wonderlands. The Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, is leaning into its role as a community space, with offerings far beyond the usual. There are career counselors and social workers on site, dedicated areas for children and teens, and a weekly farmers market. There’s also a teaching kitchen where community members can learn to cook, a woodworking shop, a seed library, and a “library of things,” featuring a collection of items like tools, sports equipment, and gaming sets that can be checked out. Those who don’t live close enough to visit can take a virtual tour of the 240,000-square-foot main branch. “We have always been in the business of making people’s lives better. I think that is the history of public libraries across the globe,” Melanie Huggins, the library’s executive director, told CBS News, adding: “We think of our spaces as places to learn, to share, to create, and we create quiet spaces and let the rest of the library just be vibrant and active.”
In Other News
Thousands of Pablo Picasso’s works are now available to all via an online archive from the Picasso Museum.
Illinois is considering returning a 1,500-acre plot of land to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
A cheap paper strip test was found to accurately diagnose the flu and even identify specific strains.
Drone footage from earlier this week shows huge shelf clouds looming over Lake Michigan.
A group of butterfliesflew 2,600 milesacross the Atlantic Ocean without taking a break, scientists recently discovered.
Something We Love
Lands’ End Swimsuits For those looking to simplify swimwear shopping, Lands’ End brings together classic, streamlined styles and colors for every size, shape, and age. Eschewing fast fads in favor of timeless simplicity, these swim pieces are tried-and-true favorites for the whole family — and there’s a mix-and-match feature for women’s styles so you can create your own perfect combo.
Recommendations are independently selected by our team but may result in a commission to Nice News which helps keep our content free.
Inspiring Story
Flying high
Mark Johnson has been living with ALS for 24 years, and recently got to fulfill his lifelong dream of skydiving. “I used to fly airplanes when I was a kid — I always wanted to jump out of one,” the 66-year-old said. Watch the video.
It’s a panda party! Two sets of twin giant pandas recently celebrated their 5th birthdays at China’s Chongqing Zoo, complete with a cake made from bamboo shoots and fruit.
Are Your Savings Growing?
You can put your savings to work for you — and thankfully it doesn’t take much time or effort. FinanceBuzz is seeing annual percentage yields on high-yield savings accounts reach rarely seen highs. All you have to do is deposit your money into one of these accounts, and then sit back and watch your savings grow over time.*
