Matt Kelley

A new federal study pegs the average American’s life expectancy around 77 years, which is an improvement, but still lags behind the pre-pandemic report that put the average at almost 79 years.

The head of Iowa Workforce Development says the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November rose one-tenth of a point from October to 3.1%. Workforce director Beth Townsend says the increase was expected, even with the anticipated hiring of seasonal workers for the holidays. “No, it wasn’t a surprise. We’ve been seeing a regular increase […]

A protester holds a sign Dec. 11 as the Republican-dominated North Carolina House convened to complete the override of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto in Raleigh, N.C.

Iowans who have sidewalks and driveways they care for sometimes face a quandary during the wintertime about the use of salt to break up ice and provide traction. Aaron Steil, a consumer horticulture specialist at the Iowa State University Extension, says if you don’t use enough ice melt, you might slip and fall, but if […]

Tomorrow is the first day of winter, and if our landscaping should happen to get heaped with snow in the weeks and months ahead, there are good ways and bad ways to handle it, especially if you did any fall planting.

Can poinsettias kill you? There’s a long-standing rumor about the red-and-green flowers traditionally associated with Christmas being deadly if eaten.

While poinsettias have an undeserved reputation for being poisonous, as you’d have to eat a few hundred poinsettia leaves to get sick, an expert says two other traditional holiday plants are potentially toxic. Janna Day, a nurse and the education and outreach manager at the Iowa Poison Control Center, says mistletoe can be dangerous if […]

It’s the time of year when some Iowans like to pack the family into the minivan at dusk, switch the radio to Christmas music, and drive around town taking in the colorful holiday light displays. AAA-Iowa spokeswoman Meredith Mitts says if you’ll be making the rounds, remember to follow the rules of the road — […]

Along with Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are the top three worst days of the year for cooking fires in Iowa and nationwide. Andrea Vastis, public education director for the National Fire Protection Association, says December 24th and 25th will mean families and friends are gathering for big meals — and they’ll usually […]

FILE - A protestor holds a sign as the Republican-dominated North Carolina House convened to complete the override of Gov. Roy Cooper's veto, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C.