Each October, people gather in Tualatin, Oregon, for a unique water race: the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta. The event, dating to 2004, is exactly as it sounds — participants climb into massive, carved out gourds, and paddle around a lake in the Portland suburb. “You’ve got an exciting activity that crowds love, you’ve got the costumes, cheering people, spectacle, pumpkins sinking, it has everything,” this year’s first winner, Gary Kristensen, told the Associated Press. See pics and footage from the 2025 regatta.
Want to nab a free and festive reusable red cup at Starbucks? Mark your calendar for Nov. 13
Health
Updated Guidelines Helped Thousands of Kids Avoid Peanut Allergies, Study Finds
Charles Wollertz/ iStock
Good news for parents, little ones, and Jif! About a decade after medical researchers recommended introducing infants to peanuts early and often, a new study shows the advice has made a real difference: Peanut allergies in young children have dropped by more than 40%, translating to 60,000 fewer children with food allergies. “That’s a remarkable thing, right?” study co-author Dr. David Hill told the Associated Press, adding: “I can actually come to you today and say there are less kids with food allergy today than there would have been if we hadn’t implemented this public health effort.” For the study, Hill and his team reviewed electronic health records from dozens of pediatric practices to compare allergy rates before, during, and after the updated guidelines were issued in 2015 (and then expanded in 2017). Previous advice had kids avoiding peanuts until age 3, but the newer recommendations promote the safe introduction of peanuts at as early as 4 months. So how much exposure is enough to make a difference? “It doesn’t have to be a lot of the food, but little tastes of peanut butter, milk-based yogurt, soy-based yogurts, and tree butters,” Hill said. “These are really good ways to allow the immune system exposure to these allergenic foods in a safe way.” Learn practical tips for introducing peanuts to little ones safely — and as always, consult your pediatrician first.
Together With FinanceBuzz
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Halloween Displays Have Raised $1M for Kid’s Cancer Research — And You Can Join in
Skeletons for St. Jude
The decorations above may look spooky at first glance, but they’re also surprisingly sweet. That’s because they’re part of a nationwide fundraiser to raise money for children battling cancer, one jaw-dropping Halloween display at a time. The movement started five years ago when Jeff Robertson went all out for Halloween with a skeleton-filled display in front of his home in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The decorations drew so much attention from neighbors and a local news station that Robertson decided to channel the buzz for a cause. He began collecting donations for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by putting QR codes on the decorations — and Skeletons for St. Jude was born. Since then, the Halloween project has evolved into a national movement, with people across the country adding donation prompts to their decoration displays. And as of yesterday, the initiative had raised $1 million to support children battling cancer. “It shows me that there’s a lot of good in this country,” Robertson told the Houston Chronicle. He added, “What started out as me having fun with a bunch of skeletons on Halloween unexpectedly turned into something much more meaningful.” Learn how to join the cause.
Environment
Cate Blanchett Goes Off Script to Save Seeds
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
“You often think, where are the good news stories?” Cate Blanchett recently told the BBC. “And we’re actually sitting inside one.” By “one,” she means the Millennium Seed Bank at England’s Wakehurst botanic garden, home to the world’s largest wild seed conservation project — and the Australian actor’s latest off-screen passion. This year, Blanchett has taken on a new role as an ambassador for the seed bank, which safeguards more than 2.5 billion seeds from 40,000 wild plant species in vaults kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Originally seen as a “doomsday vault” to protect seeds against extinction, the bank has since evolved to play an active role in habitat restoration, including post-wildfire regeneration in Australia — a cause close to Blanchett’s heart. “There are almost 9,000 species of Australian plant that are stored [at the seed bank]. And we know that bushfires are getting increasingly more intense,” Blanchett said. “And it’s sad to say, but knowing that insurance policy exists is of great solace to me.” In celebration of the seed bank’s 25th anniversary, Blanchett has joined forces with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for a podcast titled Unearthed: The Need for Seeds. It explores the vital role seeds hold for the planet’s future — and one episode features the king. Listen to it here.
In Other News
A 3-year-old who was born deaf can now hear, thanks to a groundbreaking gene therapy treatment (read more)
NBA is so back: Get a rundown of the teams to watch, standout players, and more (read more)
Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts has opened a “dream” broadcast media center at her alma mater (read more)
In a fateful turn of events, archaeologists found rare 19th-century coins beneath a fire-damaged Ohio tavern (read more)
Xiao Mao, a resilient cat who survived a 8,000-mile trip in a shipping container, is nearly ready for adoption (read more)
Inspiring Story
More than a number
New York City has nearly 8.5 million residents, yet it’s easy to feel invisible amid the crowds. To help combat loneliness among the city’s older adults, two impactful organizations offer connection through the simple art of storytelling and conversations.
Photo of the Day
CLAUDIO BRESCIANI/TT News Agency/TT NYHETSBYRÅN/AFP via Getty Images
Who knew a beer could be so cute? Carlsberg created the world’s smallest beer, a nonalcoholic beverage in a bottle that’s only 12 millimeters tall, to “remind people of the importance of drinking responsibly,” Casper Danielsson, head of communications at Carlsberg Sweden, said in a statement. See what it looks like compared to a full-size brew.
Slip Into Something Cozy With Quince
Cozy season is officially here, and there’s no better time to wrap yourself in something comfortable. Meet Quince’s Mongolian Cashmere Oversized Boyfriend Cardigan — where maximum coziness meets effortless style. Perfect for layering, this cardigan makes dressing for fall easy, whether you’re running errands or curling up on the couch.
