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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Virginia Task Force 1 returns home after victim recovery efforts in Texas flood zone
CHANTILLY, Va. () — Virginia Task Force 1 (VA TF-1), the commonwealth's specialized search and rescue team, is back home from working victim recovery operations following deadly floods in Texas. The crew of four people and three dogs returned to their home base in Chantilly just before noon Monday after a 17-day deployment. Deadly Texas floods leave officials pointing fingers after warnings missed Special handlers and human remains detection dogs from VA TF-1 searched tough terrain, through debris, floodwaters and riverbeds, every day for more than two weeks, working to recover people missing in the devastating floods. The highly trained team included canine specialists Kristi Bartlett and Charlotte Grove and their human remains detection dogs, Athena and Ivy. 'When you're searching 60 miles of shoreline, you're like, 'Okay, I'm trying to find a needle in a haystack.' But, every day we're still giving it our all, really searching and gridding out our areas,' Bartlett said. Grove and Ivy have been paired up on past deployments, working together in search and recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian ravaged Florida back in 2022. 'You still get surprised when you get there, at the amount of devastation that there actually was,' Grove said of her arrival in Texas. This time, the pair worked 12+ hour days sniffing and searching through debris and floodwater in the Texas heat. 'We just keep working. We want to keep working until every last person has been brought home,' Grove said. More than 160 people are still missing after deadly Texas floods, governor says 'We're definitely focused on the mission. Just trying to make sure that we bring closure for everybody and their loved ones,' Bartlett said. 'We're definitely tired. We want to get our life back to normal, but also do more training. So when the next disaster happens, [Athena] is ready to go back out the door.' While 10-year-old canine Athena may have more training ahead, 11-year-old canine Ivy is a bit older. Grove said this may have been Ivy's final deployment before she heads into retirement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
We Asked Parents To Reveal When Kids Are At The Best Age, And Things Got Real
There are wonderful ― and not-so wonderful ― things about every stage of a child's life. But for parents, certain years are particularly enjoyable and hold a special place in their hearts. With that in mind, we reached out to parents and caregivers to ask what their absolute favorite age for kids is. Read on for their honest responses, with plenty of reminders about the joy of the entire journey. And if you're a parent and would like to share your favorite age, email us your thoughts at parents@ Your response might be included in an upcoming article. Age 4-5 Months 'Each age leads to its own set of triumphs and challenges, but my favorite so far is the sweet spot of four and five months. They're still cute little babies, but they're starting to smile and laugh and they haven't started teething yet. They're not really mobile. I found, at this stage, they were just starting to sleep better and didn't wake up as much throughout the night. I didn't have to worry about feeding solid foods yet. This was when I was finally able to get my children to follow a routine.' ―Stephanie Claytor, founder of the family travel blog Blacktrekking Age 4-7 Months 'I've loved every stage more than the last, but there's something really special about the 4-7 month stage when babies' personalities start to emerge, they start trying solid foods, they sleep better, and are generally delightful little, squishy giggle machines. Absolutely delicious!' ―Amanda DeLuca, founder and CEO of the parenting app Riley Age 2 'I wrote a poem about this, and not so ironically, it is called 'My Favourite' and how it speaks to each age bringing something so special to hold on to. The getting on your hands and knees and discovering the world from their view, the mispronounced words, them crawling into bed with you, the curious and clever questions. It almost feels impossible to pick! But if I had to choose so far, I would say 2. I know the term 'terrible twos' is thrown around freely (and look, don't get me wrong, I walk on eggshells some days too), but there is something so precious in the purest form of joy at this age. You can still carry them on your hip, the sentences begin forming, so do friendships, and opinions, a true sense of their personality. I feel like this age is where I get to discover so much again through their eyes. There are so many firsts and so many lasts in this year. It's so delightful (public tantrums aside.)' ― Jessica Urlichs, author of 'Beautiful Chaos: On Motherhood, Finding Yourself, and Overwhelming Love' Age 3 'As a mom of five kids between the ages of 4 and 10, including two sets of twins and one singleton, I've experienced a wide range of developmental stages all at once. I'm also a child care consultant and mindfulness facilitator, so I get to observe these stages both personally and professionally. My favorite age is 3. There's something magical about that stage when language is blossoming and curiosity is both hilarious and a little terrifying. Three-year-olds are unfiltered, imaginative, and constantly exploring the world with their whole bodies. They're eager to be independent but still need connection and co-regulation, which makes it such a rich age for bonding and playful learning.' ―Princess Owens, child care consultant, mindfulness facilitator and content creator Age 4 'Peak vibes. They're chatty but still think you're a superhero. They're emotionally open but not yet in their feelings. And best of all, no nappies, no SATs. Just pure personality, big questions about the moon, and accidental comedy every 12 minutes. It's like living with your favorite drunk cousin: expressive, unpredictable, but full of heart.' ―Marvyn Harrison, author, broadcaster and founder of Dope Black Dads Ages 5-8 'While there's truly something magical about every stage, my personal sweet spot is the 5-to-8-year-old range. This is the golden age of curiosity. They have enough dexterity and patience to engage in more complex projects ― from building simple robots to messy kitchen science experiments ― but they haven't lost that pure, wide-eyed wonder. You can introduce a scientific concept that makes their eyes light up, and they see you as a partner in discovery. It's the peak 'let's build it together' phase, and for a hands-on dad, there's nothing better.' ―Sergei Urban, founder of The Dad Lab Ages 8 & 10 'My oldest is 10, and my youngest is 8. I'm being very honest when I say this has been my favorite age so far. My kids can look me in the eye and say, 'I love you.' They can give me deliberately tight hugs. They can tell stories and explain their ideas to me. They're independent enough to be intentional, which also comes with intentional challenges and pushbacks that force me to look in the mirror, admit to them when I'm wrong, not have answers to every question, and not be able to run from tough conversations. It's the yin and yang of growth, and for right now, I'm OK with that.' ―La Guardia Cross, YouTube content creator Ages 10-12 'There are definitely things I have enjoyed about every age. Likewise, there are things about every age that I have found incredibly challenging. That being said, I really enjoy the age between 10 and 12. They really begin to develop a deep sense of self and become very insightful. They are incredibly wise and in touch with the world around them. They still have the innocence of childhood, but are also coming into a wisdom that is incredible to witness and engage with.' ―Jillian Amodio, mental health advocate and social worker at Waypoint Wellness Center Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and style. Related... The 1 Item Parents Will Never, Ever Travel Without 20 Kids Movies That Are Equally Enjoyable For Parents 35 Tweets About The Funny Names Kids Give Things
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Ditch the Hot Oven: The Ultimate Summer Cooking Hack Is Sitting on Your Counter
I love grilling as much as the next backyard warrior, but standing over open flames in 90-degree heat feels less like cooking and more like slow-roasting myself. And firing up the oven indoors? That just turns your kitchen into a sauna and your living room into a convection zone. Not to mention, using a gas range with the windows shut is basically inviting bad air to dinner. That's where the air fryer swoops in. These compact countertop dynamos crank out crispy food fast, without turning your house into a hotbox. Sure, they blow a little warm air, but it's more like a light summer breeze compared to the furnace blast of your wall oven. Best of all, most air fryer recipes take less time than it takes to preheat your oven -- or sweat through another tongs-in-hand grill session. But don't take my word for it, I ran tests to see how much an air fryer would warm my kitchen compared to cooking them same food in an oven. The results cemented the air fryer as one of the best summer kitchen tools, right up there with ice makers and blenders. The numbers don't lie A heat wave requires creative thinking to keep the home cool and an air fryer is my ticket to getting through those sweltering summer spells without starving. To see if air fryers belong in the summer cooking hall of fame, I ran tests to see how much the oven heats up the kitchen versus an air fryer. Trendy air fryers are all they're cracked up to be, especially when it's hot out. David Watsky/CNET I ran tests to see how much hotter an oven would make the kitchen The air fryer turns out juicy chicken thighs in under 20 minutes. David Watsky/CNET To find real-world differences, I roasted chicken thighs in my KitchenAid wall oven (less than 10 years old) and a 4-quart Dreo air fryer, according to two popular recipes from a well-known cooking site. I tested the temperature before, during and after to see how much of a difference each machine makes. My Brooklyn apartment kitchen is on the small side, but it's not enclosed and opens up to the rest of the apartment. I kept the windows closed for the test, although it's worth noting that recent studies show cooking with natural gas in an enclosed kitchen can be a health risk. I'm finding fewer and fewer reasons to turn on the big oven these days. David Watsky/CNET The standard oven recipe called for the chicken to be roasted at 375 degrees for 30 minutes in the oven. Because of its smaller chamber, the air fryer recipe only required 20 minutes of cooking at the same temperature. The air fryer requires only about a minute to come to temperature, while the oven takes more than five. An ambient thermometer is all I needed to test how much hotter a gas oven can make the kitchen. David Watsky/CNET I placed a standard ambient thermometer in the middle of the kitchen -- about 5 feet from the stove -- at counter height. I took a reading before the oven or air fryer was turned on. I took another reading halfway through the cooking time and the last one at the end of the cooking time. Between the two sessions, I waited for the kitchen to return to a resting temperature before starting the next one. Ovens may have more capacity but they warm the kitchen far more than an air fryer. Getty The oven made my kitchen 10 degrees hotter than the air fryer Midway through the recipes (15 minutes), the oven raised the temperature of my kitchen by 15 degrees from 71 F to too-hot 88 F. After 10 minutes of cooking with the air fryer on 375 F, the temperature in my kitchen had gone up only 5 degrees F, from 72 F to a pleasant 77 F. You can feel heat emanating from the air fryer if you stand close enough, but it's not enough to significantly change the temperature of the kitchen. Read more: Here's How to Keep Your Kitchen Cool (and Lower Your Energy Bill) During a Heat Wave Not only did the air fryer cause less of a temperature spike, but I only needed to have it running for roughly 20 minutes with one minute of preheat time. The oven took 30 minutes to cook the chicken and 6 minutes to preheat. Using the air fryer will cut down on energy bills Even modern ovens use significantly more energy than an air fryer. Mary King/CNET During a heat wave, your air conditioner is already working hard. Heating the kitchen up with your oven will only require them to work harder, using more energy to bring the room back down to your desired temperature. For the AC to make up the difference for one 20- or 30-minute cooking session with an oven, it may not be a total budget-buster. Spread that out over time or for longer cooking sessions and using the oven during hot months can have real fiscal ramifications. For more on this, read my breakdown of exactly how much more an oven costs to run than an air fryer. What can you make in an air fryer? Roasted chicken in the air fryer is dynamite and takes less time than in the large oven. David Watsky/CNET An air fryer can do almost any cooking job that an oven can, although air fryers are typically smaller than wall ovens so you can't cook as much in one go. I've been tinkering with the air fryer a lot this year. I discovered the joy of cooking whole chickens in the air fryer, filets of salmon and even bacon cheeseburgers. The air fryer goes well beyond its reputation for cooking crispy wings and french fries. You can make dinner party-level recipes in the air fryer without breaking a sweat, literally. Here are seven foods that I only make in the air fryer now not just because they keep my kitchen cooler but because the results are as good or better than other methods. Here's our complete guide to air fryers, everyone's favorite new kitchen appliance. FAQs How much energy does an air fryer save when compared to a wall oven? An air fryer uses 50% less total energy than a wall oven does, according to calculations performed by CNET's resident kitchen home tech expert, David Watsky.
