LND topic: southern-association page 1

southern association

Shorter Paths to a Degree: VCU’s New 3‑Year Plan

July 4, 2026

Virginia Commonwealth University is rolling out two bachelor’s programs that can be finished in just three years, aiming to cut costs and appeal to adult learners. The move follows a recent policy change by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which now permits Vi

science

Big Bodies, Big Forgiveness: How Size Shapes Our View of Kindness

July 4, 2026

People often think that a person’s moral character can be read from how they look. In recent research, scientists asked whether the size of a person’s body signals how forgiving they might be. The studies were carried out with Chinese participants in five different experiments, each exploring a new

science

Plant Genes Change With the Weather

July 4, 2026

Plants can copy parts of their DNA many times, and these extra copies help them survive different climates. Researchers looked at four close relatives of the common lab plant Arabidopsis to see how often genes are duplicated or lost. By modeling gene birth and death, they found 231 families that cha

health

Orange County Food Spots Forced to Close Over Pest Problems

July 4, 2026

Health inspectors in Orange County ordered several restaurants to shut down between June 25 and July 2 because of rodent or cockroach infestations and other hygiene issues. The closures were announced each week, with some venues reopening the same day or within a few days once they passed inspection

health

Air Pollutants and Kids' Focus: What a Big Study Found

July 4, 2026

Scientists looked at over 130, 000 school kids in southern China to see if tiny bits of certain chemicals in the air could affect how well they pay attention. These chemicals, called organophosphate esters or OPEs, often stick to dust and pollution floating in the air. Most of them come from things

religion

Dallas: Where Faith and Politics Cross Paths

July 4, 2026

Dallas has quietly become a powerhouse for evangelical ideas, shaping not just local churches but national conversations too. Two big schools here—the Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary—have trained countless pastors who later led churches across the country. T

weather

Buffalo's Fourth of July weather: Sticky but not extreme

July 4, 2026

Buffalo’s holiday weekend started with a bang—literally. Thunderstorms rolled through Friday morning, with more possible later in the day. The Storm Prediction Center says there’s a small chance, about 15%, that some storms could turn severe with strong winds. Forecasts aren’t always on the same pag

technology

Cyber Leaders Must Face Hidden Risks Now

July 3, 2026

The Valley Industry Association hosted a lunchtime meeting at the Child & Family Center where experts talked about unseen cyber dangers. Participants first shared meals and stories before a talk titled “The Cyber Threat You Don’t See Coming: Emerging Risks, Hidden Vulnerabilities, and What Leaders M

environment

Tracing the silent journey of plutonium in the Pacific

July 3, 2026

Plutonium might sound like a word from a sci-fi movie, but it’s actually a useful tool for scientists studying ocean currents. In the western North Pacific, two main sources of plutonium exist: old nuclear tests scattered plutonium across the globe, while nearby US tests left a different kind of mar

weather

Michigan’s holiday weekend: rain checks and sunshine

July 3, 2026

Over the Fourth of July weekend, Michigan can expect hit-or-miss weather—showery but not stormy for most, with a few heavy bursts. The pattern shows a shift: storms that have been parked over northern Lower Michigan head south Friday, then may drift back north by Sunday. If there’s one dry stretch t