Lifestyle

Historic drought in California and the West is getting biblical: What to know

Historic drought in California and the West is getting biblical: What to know

Eric Mack | CNET.Com Troy Warren for CNT In 2021, the American desert and the West Coast are drier now than at any time in perhaps the past 400 years. This month, the western US is seeing records fall as an early-season heat wave sends temperatures soaring into the triple digits. It's a worrying sign for a region already in the grips of a historic drought and recovering from last year's destructive wildfires. Now, as fire season ramps up again, unprecedented water shortages are also in the mix, raising anxieties among farmers and municipal water managers facing reductions or even being…
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A special Father’s Day for dad who lived in hospital with newborn twins

A special Father’s Day for dad who lived in hospital with newborn twins

By Nancy Clanton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT Jonathan Jones will be happy to spend his first “official” Father’s Day just sitting on the couch and holding his daughters. “I don’t need anything else,” he said. “I’m honestly good.” That’s because he spent eight months living at and working from the Heart Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta while his twins, Ava and Averie, recovered from heart surgeries. Building their family Jonathan and Briena Jones had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary when they learned they were pregnant. Briena Jones brought two daughters from a previous marriage with her,…
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U.S. Alcohol Sales in 2020 Were at Their Highest Levels in 18 Years

U.S. Alcohol Sales in 2020 Were at Their Highest Levels in 18 Years

By Jelisa Castrodale | FoodAndWine.Com Troy Warren for CNT Sales of hard seltzers and other ready-to-drink beverages were up 63% during the pandemic. The International Wines and Spirits Record (IWSR) has released its annual Drinks Market Analysis, and it seems like Americans coped with all of 2020's pandemic-related challenges by stocking up on alcohol -- a lot of alcohol. According to the IWSR, alcohol consumption in the United States increased by 2% last year, its biggest year-over-year increase since 2002.  The Drinks Business reports that alcohol sales have continued to surge during the first few months of 2021, as year-to-date volume sales are already higher…
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Beat the heat: Refreshing recipes for mealtime and happy hour, too

Beat the heat: Refreshing recipes for mealtime and happy hour, too

By Bob Townsend / For the AJC Troy Warren for CNT “Eat Cool: Good Food for Hot Days” by Vanessa Seder (Rizzoli, $39.95) is one of the smartest and most useful cookbooks I’ve happened on in a long time — especially for anyone living in a place where summers are stifling. “Eat Cool” promises “100 Easy, Satisfying, and Refreshing Recipes That Won’t Heat Up Your Kitchen.” And it delivers, with dishes that use cooling seasonal ingredients, require little or no heat to prepare, and often can be served cold or at room temperature. Seder, who is a chef, food stylist, recipe…
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Why intermittent fasting might not be your best diet choice

Why intermittent fasting might not be your best diet choice

By Nancy Clanton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT Intermittent fasting, where you either skip a day of meals or restrict your consumption to certain hours, has grown in popularity in recent years. However, there has been little evidence to date about the effectiveness of fasting compared with more traditional diets, which aim to reduce your calorie intake over the course of a full week. According to a study by the University of Bath, in the United Kingdom, however, “there is ‘nothing special’ about fasting.” “Of course, any diet which encourages us to eat less has the potential to elicit weight…
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Los Angeles Residents Begin Dropping Masks as Economy Fully Opens: “L.A.’s Comeback is Well Underway”

Los Angeles Residents Begin Dropping Masks as Economy Fully Opens: “L.A.’s Comeback is Well Underway”

BY KIRSTEN CHUBA, CHRIS GARDNER | HollywoodReporter.Com Troy Warren for CNT Political leaders and locals celebrated a milestone day in the fight against COVID-19 as capacity restrictions and social distancing guidelines were lifted, allowing for the first real taste of normalcy since March of 2020. Posted up behind a podium boasting the slogan “California Roars Back,” California Governor Gavin Newsom braved a Southern California heatwave Tuesday morning to mark the most positive milestone yet in the COVID-19 pandemic: a return to normal life. “We are here,” Newsom said against the backdrop of the iconic silver globe outside Universal Studios Hollywood where he was joined…
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