Across America|News|
Cat Shipped In Amazon Box, Child Rescued From Claw Machine: Weird News
Beachgoers in Southern California mystified by weird bright blue blobs (and they stink); 250-year-old cherries at George Washington’s home.
How to contact me: beth.dalbey@patch.com.
I'm a longtime community journalist and started with Patch.com in 2011 as a local editor in Iowa. My current position is national editor.
My career has been solely focused in journalism, except for a brief detour in 2007 when I joined the communications department of a scientific research institute studying the evolution of language in bonobos and other great apes. I knew it would be an adventure – it was! – and worked as a freelance writer and consultant after that position was eliminated in 2010.
Beliefs
Politics: I’m a registered independent. I will vote every time, regardless of party affiliation, for the individual with the best ideas to make our communities more livable.
Religion: I grew up attending the United Methodist Church in my small hometown. It was a great foundation that taught me most of what I believe is right and wrong. I believe in a supreme being. I respect others’ right to believe what they believe, as long as they’re not proselytizing on the taxpayer’s dime, and I think this whole business of seeing everyone who does good works as an angel or every marvelous outcome as a miracle cheapens both.
Beachgoers in Southern California mystified by weird bright blue blobs (and they stink); 250-year-old cherries at George Washington’s home.
For some people, the mowing season is in full swing. Others, who are observing “No Mow May,” say the pause helps imperiled pollinators.
Mercury, one of challenging planets to see because it’s so close to the sun, will be visible in the early morning sky for a few days.
Summer can be one of the most dangerous times of the year, but with the precautions, it doesn’t have to be marred by tragedy.
Hot weather could fuel strong storms, including derechos, across much of the U.S. this summer. It could be a big year for hurricanes, too.
Chocolate candies and confections may become a luxury amid shortages brought on by disease, climate change and systemic problems in Africa.
The Homeland Security deadline for getting a REAL ID, required to fly domestically or enter certain federal buildings, is May 7, 2025.
About 6.4 million $1 bills printed at two locations have duplicate serial numbers, and collectors are clamoring to find matching pairs.
Sometimes spelled Eta Aquarids, these meteors are freaky fast. A NASA expert says an “outburst“ of one a minute isn’t out of the question.
Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, May 5, will be marked by parades and celebrations in hundreds of U.S. cities, but is largely unnoticed in Mexico.
From casual to fine dining, these restaurants give mom a day off. Some of the perks include just-for-Mom cocktails and complimentary wine.
Accelerators can stick on battery-operated ride-on toys, causing crashes, and ground beef may be contaminated with E. coli.
Moms always seem to know what to say in any situation. For Mother’s Day, we want to shout out moms everywhere for their strength and wisdom.
Being respectful is important, readers told us, whether to immediate neighbors or the DIYers who want to make the most of their weekends.
The uptick in measless — 125 case so far in 2024 — has been linked to international travel. Most of the cases are among unvaccinated people.
New Department of Transportation final rules mean automatic refunds for “significant” delays and lost luggage and require more transparency.
If you’re planning to experience America on a summer road trip, these food picks provide a sense of place — or they’re just plain weird.
The FDA said remnants of the virus were in highly sensitive tests, but is confident the virus was killed in the pasteurization process.
Students, some as young as 15, in a New Jersey college’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Bootcamp, helped unlock the mystery.
Students, some as young as 15, in a New Jersey college’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Bootcamp, helped unlock the mystery.