Meanwhile. . .

How late is too late to return a book to the library? For one library in Napa County, California, the answer is never: After it was checked out 96 years ago, a historical book was turned in to the establishment by a mystery man.  The book — A History of the United States by Benson Lossing — doesn’t have a spine and the pages are “falling apart,” according to Chris Kreiden, director of the St. Helena Public Library where the artifact was returned.... One of Kreiden’s staff members was working a shift at the library when a man returned the book without leaving any contact information. While the library worker thought the book was “really cool,” they didn’t realize exactly how much time had passed since it was originally checked out....
Fortunately, a library note with the date “February 21, 1927” stamped on it was tucked in the book, indicating just how long it had been overdue down to the day. In the back of the book, another note reads: “This book may be kept for two weeks.” 

After noticing that a local nonprofit had little fresh produce to give away to community members in need of groceries, Lauren Schroeder decided she would grow some herself. And grow she did: In 2022, Lauren turned a half-acre of her parents’ Iowa farm into a vegetable garden, and has since donated more than 7,000 pounds of her produce to food banks, shelters, and other charitable organizations.

AP News - nine out of 10 parents believe their child is performing at grade level despite standardized tests showing far fewer students are on track, according to a poll released Wednesday by Gallup and the nonprofit Learning Heroes. Report cards, which many parents rely on for a sense of their children’s progress, might be missing the whole picture, researchers say. Without that knowledge, parents may not seek opportunities for extra support for their children.