September means that students are flooding back to Hagerstown-area colleges. Here are some settling-in tips for students new to the Hagerstown area: Enjoy the City It’s easy to get wrapped up in campus life, but Hagerstown offers numerous restaurants and attractions that college students can enjoy. There are several museums—some interactive—and historical sites that focus…
Are You Facebook Friends With the Police?
If you’re not on social media, then chances are most of your friends and family are — a fact that police are using to their advantage. With an estimated 50-80% of all people from various demographics using some social network or other, it was only natural that the Hagerstown Police Department in Maryland would create…
How High-Tech Innovations Might Soon Be Able to Transform Your House Into a ‘Smart Home’
When looking at some of the emerging trends for home improvement technology, it might be safe to say you could soon have a smart home as well as a smartphone. Currently, Americans spend approximately $134 billion each quarter on improving their homes — and, according to a September 8 MultiHousingNews.com article, these billions may soon…
Across the Country, Volunteers Help Restore Homes for Veterans
On September 11, volunteers across the country helped show reverence for those who have served our country in a different way than usual. According to a September 11 Lockport Union-Sun and Journal article, the Home Depot-sponsored effort to fix up veterans’ homes will continue through Veterans Day and will focus on 1,000 homes. Along with…
Arrive Alive Simulation Gives HCC Students a Taste of Driving Distracted
UNITE International gave students at Hagerstown Community College a startling demonstration of distracted driving on Thursday, as part of the organization’s Arrive Alive Tour. Students at HCC were put behind the wheel with cell phones as part of a driving simulation, and the results were unnerving, to say the least. Students got in accidents, swerved…
Reducing Childhood Obesity Should Include Federal Tax on Sweet Drinks, Research Shows
Childhood obesity is hardly a new problem in the U.S., but now more so than ever before, researchers are striving to find new ways to encourage young Americans — and their parents — to be more conscious about their health. And although many people are inclined to balk at the idea of allowing federal regulations…
Missouri School District Finds New Home for Their Autism Therapy Program
Students at the Neosho Center for Interventions and Support’s autism program gather around a table for snack time. While one student asks for a drink, another uses a picture of Cheetos to indicate his snack choice. Communication and social interaction are difficult for children with autism, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have things to…
Disney’s Big Hero 6 Promises Even Better Animation Gains for Disney
Over the last several years, animation at Disney has been considerably ramped up. When Toy Story came out in 1995 — which was produced by Pixar, and released by Disney — it was an instant hit. And the gains in digital animation made since then, which can be seen in recent movies like Tangled and…
Researcher Investigates Relationship Between Sleep Apnea and Pharyngeal Tissue
There’s good news for sleep apnea sufferers out there: Guilherme Garcia, a PhD and research scientist at the Medical College of Wisconsin, recently received a grant to study how pharyngeal tissue affects obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that affects many adults with pauses or shallow breaths during sleep. These pauses can…
The Trick to Better Sleep and Health for Office Workers: Get Some Sunlight
One of the most frequently held debates over the office environment revolves around the pros and cons of cubicles and open plan offices. Proponents of the open plan office state that the open spaces give the chance for collaborations and breakthroughs to occur; those who prefer cubicles, which were invented in 1967 by Robert Propst,…