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markkula center

Airport Traffic Stopped After Strange Smell

March 14, 2026

A sharp chemical odor hit a Virginia air‑traffic control center, forcing the FAA to shut down three major airports in the Washington area. The incident began when controllers at Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control could no longer work because the air smelled strongly of chemicals. T

education

SAT Rules Change: What Students and Colleges Are Saying

March 14, 2026

A student from Greater Latrobe, Autumn Blozowich, took the SAT three times but chose not to send any scores when she applied to Pitt, Kent State and Penn State. She felt the essays better showed who she was than the numbers on a test, and the plan worked—she got in to all three schools. In Wester

entertainment

Dance Marathon Lights Up Holland for Kids’ Hospital

March 14, 2026

Hope College is setting up a nonstop dance event that will last all night and into the next day. The fundraiser starts at six in the evening on Friday, March 13, and will finish early Saturday. The goal is to pull in $300, 000 for DeVos Children’s Hospital. The venue will be the Dow Center. About 6

entertainment

Sign‑Language Streaming: A New TV World

March 14, 2026

VSYN+ is a streaming service that puts sign language at the center of its shows and movies. It was started by three people who saw that a huge group of people—those who use American Sign Language (ASL)—had no big place in the usual media world. They think ASL is one of the most studied languag

health

Nurses Face New Loan Limits That Could Hurt Health Care

March 14, 2026

The United States has long trusted nurses as the backbone of patient care. They lead bedside treatment, offer comfort, and help hospitals run smoothly. Yet a recent change in federal loan rules has suddenly made it harder for nurses to get the money they need for advanced study. The new policy re

opinion

Alaska’s Language Center Is Closing – What That Means for Native Voices

March 14, 2026

The Alaska Native Language Center, which has served the state for more than half a century, will shut its doors this summer. The decision follows a shift in the University of Alaska’s budget priorities and signals a change in how state resources are allocated to Indigenous language work. For many p

education

Kids Take the Judge’s Seat: A Mock Trial That Shocked Everyone

March 14, 2026

Sixth‑grade students from a Philadelphia magnet school stepped into the historic Supreme Court courtroom for a one‑day mock trial about the famous 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. They had spent their lunch breaks researching evidence, drafting arguments, and rehearsing speeches

politics

Israel Warns It Might Hit Lebanese Ambulances in Ongoing Clash

March 14, 2026

Israel’s army said on Saturday that it could target ambulances and hospitals in Lebanon if they are used by Hezbollah for fighting. The claim came from a military spokesman who posted on X, but no proof was shown. He warned that Hezbollah is “using ambulances for military purposes” and that Israel w

politics

Paraguay’s Political Shift: China’s Quiet Push to Replace Taiwan

March 14, 2026

Paraguay, a small landlocked nation with 6. 4 million people, is at the center of a subtle diplomatic tug‑of‑war between Beijing and Taipei. The country’s long‑standing recognition of Taiwan makes it the only South American state still officially allied with Taipei. A change in stance would signal a

education

Science Olympiad Draws 60 Teams to Grand Valley for Regional Showdown

March 14, 2026

Grand Valley State University will welcome more than 50 middle and high school teams on March 21 for the Region 12 Science Olympiad competition. The event, held at the university’s Valley Campus in Allendale, will pit students from Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties against one another in 47 STEM