The Two-Person Times
Food (5)

47 Sensational Summer Squash Recipes

Drowning in summer squash? Here are 47 recipes to rescue your garden bounty before you explode.

  • Recipes include pasta, salads, pickles, dinners, zoodles, and squash blossom dishes.
  • Covers multiple squash varieties: crooknecks, yellow globes, pattypans, and zucchini.
  • Addresses the common problem of excessive zucchini bread consumption.
Cooking techniques and recipesRecipes

33 Berry Pie Recipes—And Summer Tarts Too

Discover 33 berry pie and tart recipes to make the most of summer's juiciest seasonal fruit.

  • Collection includes 33 total recipes across pies, tarts, and galettes.
  • Features blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and other seasonal berries.
  • Curated by Genevieve Yam, Stephanie Loo, Rebecca Firkser, and Epicurious Editors.
Cooking techniques and recipesRecipes

The chefs turning down the heat by switching from gas to electric

Top chefs are ditching gas for electric induction cookers to slash kitchen heat and costs while maintaining culinary excellence.

  • Induction cookers can reduce kitchen temperatures by up to 10C compared to gas.
  • One gastropub saved £9,000 annually and cut energy use by nearly two-thirds after switching.
  • Jeremy Pang's School of Wok achieves 350-400C temperatures with electric, matching traditional gas performance.
Chefs

Stop Ignoring This Unexpected Cooking Oil That'll Make Ground Beef 10X More Flavorful

One overlooked cooking oil transforms ground beef into an Asian-inspired flavor powerhouse that'll revolutionize your weeknight meals.

  • Sesame oil provides a toasted nutty flavor that Italian olive oils cannot replicate, according to recipe developer Marissa Stevens.
  • Use only a teaspoon to a few tablespoons maximum—sesame oil is incredibly potent and easily overpowers dishes.
  • Pair sesame oil with garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and gochujang for balanced Asian-inspired ground beef dishes.
Cooking TechniquesCooking techniques and recipes

Refresh your weeknight rotation with these easy dinner recipes!

Transform busy weeknights with quick, flavor-packed recipes ranging from pastas to soups that come together fast.

  • One creamy cheese soup has over 800 five-star reviews from readers.
  • A zesty pasta dish with 8 ingredients is ready in just 20 minutes.
  • Frittata variations can be prepared in under 30 minutes with whatever vegetables you have.
Cooking techniques and recipesRecipes
Good News (4)

The Goat-Cow Is Spain’s Wildfire-Fighting Secret Weapon

Spain's smallest native cow breed is being revived to prevent wildfires by munching through flammable vegetation in Galicia.

  • Galicia suffered Spain's worst fires in 2025, burning approximately 118,000 hectares—roughly the size of New York City.
  • The Cachena breed nearly went extinct by the 1980s but Vincios community reintroduced them in 2023; now 27 Cachena graze there.
  • José Taboada's community experienced a devastating 2017 fire that destroyed 80 percent of their forest, prompting the grazing solution.
Community and grassroots effortsInnovation for goodWildlife and conservation wins

6 useful things to donate before back-to-school season this year

Clear out back-to-school clutter by donating gently used items—kids' clothes, backpacks, supplies—that families desperately need.

  • Goodwill items sell within days; lunchboxes gone in three days during back-to-school season.
  • Stacy Taylor, Goodwill Industries marketing specialist, notes thrifted clothes are cost-effective when kids outgrow items quickly.
  • Teachers particularly stock up on reusable water bottles, travel mugs, and coffee tumblers in August.
Acts of kindness and generosity

Phillip Island’s little penguins are getting bird flu vaccines in a world-first program

Little penguins on Phillip Island are receiving H5N1 bird flu vaccines in the world's largest wild bird vaccination program ever attempted.

  • Over 1,000 birds vaccinated so far, targeting 5,000 across two colonies with second doses three weeks later.
  • Worst-case scenario: up to 16,000 little penguins could die if virus arrives before peak immunity at 10 weeks.
  • Phillip Island's 40,000-bird population generates $500 million annually for Victoria's economy through tourism.
Wildlife and conservation wins

What went right this week: the good news that matters

Historic wins this week: US violent crime plummets, Europe tackles e-waste, and AI performs first brain surgery.

  • US homicide fell 18.1% in 2025, the sharpest decline ever recorded by the FBI.
  • Lebanon's parliament voted to abolish capital punishment, with 84 people currently on death row.
  • Right-to-repair law launched in Ireland; EU expects €4.8bn economic boost across member states.
Wildlife and conservation wins
Local (10)

Construction Underway on Veterans Memorial Plaza

Construction begins on Veterans Memorial Plaza at Harris Ryals Park to honor military service.

  • Plaza completion targeted before Veterans Day with special ceremony planned.
  • Harris Ryals served 22 years in Army, then 21 years in Parks and Recreation.
  • Features memorial walls, plaques, flagpoles, seating areas, paths, and landscaping.
Parks and recreation

Community Park at Fair Park receives $2.5M investment

Fair Park's new Community Park gets $2.5M boost from McKesson Foundation to transform South Dallas.

  • McKesson Foundation President Melissa Thompson announced the donation Thursday at City Hall.
  • The McKesson Market Grove will offer wellness programming, education, and year-round community events.
  • Park and Recreation Department recently took over management of the Community Park development.
Community programsEventsLocal events and festivalsParks and recreation

Dallas News,Documenter News,Fair Park,Public Meeting Briefs,South Dallas

Dallas City Council weighs Fair Park revitalization plans while ensuring South Dallas community benefits from economic growth.

  • Proposed 35-acre mixed-use development on northeast corner could include hotel, restaurants, retail, or entertainment facility.
  • Park Department took over Fair Park operations last year, adding HVAC repairs, security services, and weekly farmers market.
  • Two May town halls will let residents discuss Fair Park's future and ensure local hiring and workforce development.
Community programsLocal events and festivalsParks and recreation

DFW Airport pup sniffs out victory in TSA’s cutest canine contest

A charming German shorthaired pointer named Bolt wins TSA's cutest canine contest among bomb-sniffing dogs.

  • Bolt is a three-year-old brown-coated German shorthaired pointer based at DFW Airport.
  • Handler Daphne Wang says he's 'always 1,000 percent excited to go to work.'
  • TSA initially nominated 85 dogs; travelers voted on social media to pick the winner.

Iconic Dallas pizza chain Campisi's snags hot address on Inwood Road

Legendary Campisi's pizza chain returns to Inwood Road after fire displaced them, targeting January 1 opening.

  • Previous Lovers Lane location closed after December 2025 fire after 20 years there.
  • New location at 7709 Inwood Rd. will be larger than most of their eight existing locations.
  • Owner David Campisi promises 'strongest and cheapest drinks on Lovers Lane' with horseshoe bar focus.
Restaurant and business openings

This is how dramatically Dallas rent prices have dropped since last year

Dallas rent prices plummeted 13 percent in a year, joining Austin and Houston in leading national declines.

  • One-bedroom apartments in Dallas now rent for $1,270 monthly, down from last August.
  • Austin leads the nation with 16.6 percent decline for one-bedroom units.
  • Zumper CEO Shawn Mullahy says renters now have leverage to negotiate with landlords competing for tenants.

Texas’ ban on certain drag shows ruled unconstitutional — again

Federal judge blocks Texas drag show restrictions for the second time, citing First Amendment violations.

  • Judge David Hittner ruled Senate Bill 12 unconstitutional on August 25, 2024.
  • The law could penalize Dolly Parton impersonators, swimmers, and cosplayers under its broad definitions.
  • Drag performer Brigitte Bandit said the ruling lets her 'assert liberation, power, and joy' with her community.

Out and About in Arlington: Trade your rarest Pokémon cards or catch a college football game

Arlington's packed weekend offers Pokémon trading, college football in Dublin, yoga, vintage shopping, and women's basketball.

  • TCU faces North Carolina in season opener broadcast from Dublin, Ireland at Texas Live!
  • Dallas Wings host Connecticut Sun at College Park Center; tickets range $28-$600.
  • Arlington Card Show at Meadowbrook Recreational Center Friday 6-10 p.m., free admission.
Parks and recreation

Maria Del Rosario Esparza – May 25, 1965 – Aug.

Maria Del Rosario Esparza, beloved Fort Worth resident, passes away at 61 after full life.

  • Born May 25, 1965 in México to Refugio Armas and Esperanza Lara.
  • Survived by husband Gregorio Esparza and daughter Ruby Esparza.
  • Preceded in death by mother Esperanza Lara.

Lake Worth ISD sets 5-year goals to double third-grade reading, math proficiency

Lake Worth ISD sets ambitious five-year targets to more than double third-grade reading and math proficiency under state control.

  • Third-grade reading proficiency goal: rise from 26% to 55% by 2031; math from 23% to 50%.
  • Superintendent Ena Meyers said meeting targets could lift Lake Worth to an A or B rating within two to three years.
  • Special education students in third-grade reading: proficiency target jumps from 7% to 47% by 2031.
Business (3)

New Fed chair Kevin Warsh under pressure to clarify views on inflation, interest rates

New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh faces pressure to clarify his inflation-fighting stance ahead of a high-stakes Jackson Hole speech Friday.

  • Warsh's last press conference on July 29 caused market confusion when he dodged questions about potential rate hikes.
  • Inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target despite cooling from May-June spikes driven by higher gas prices.
  • Warsh plans to focus his Jackson Hole speech on AI, productivity, demographics, and global economic shocks rather than rate policy.
InflationInterest rates

Mortgage rates rise, bringing the average rate on a 30-year home loan to where it was 4 weeks ago

Mortgage rates climb back to 4-week highs, threatening to further cool already sluggish home sales.

  • 30-year fixed rate hit 6.66%, just below the 6.69% yearly high reached earlier this month.
  • War with Iran and crude oil price surge fueled inflation expectations, pushing 10-year Treasury yield from 3.97% to 4.66%.
  • U.S. home sales stuck at 30-year low since 2022, with July showing continued slowdown.
Interest rates

How Bank of America and three other lenders could win big from Scott Bessent’s and Kevin Warsh’s bond-market mechanations

Fed Chair and Treasury Secretary may be coordinating to lower bond yields, potentially benefiting major banks.

  • Citrini Research identified the coordinated bond-market strategy between Warsh and Bessent.
  • Bank of America and three other lenders are positioned to gain from yield reductions.
  • Long-term bond yields are the target of this apparent policy coordination.
Market movers
Tech (5)

Access our news highlights

AP's June 2026 news highlights showcase investigative reporting spanning Gaza's underground trade, CDC budget cuts, and Justice Department scoops.

  • Cairo-based reporter Samy Magdy investigated the booming underground trade of restricted goods into Gaza Strip.
  • Mike Stobbe revealed Trump administration staffing cuts at CDC created contradiction with Congressional appropriations for public health.
  • Justice Department investigation expanded to include FBI's 2022 search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents.

A Palestinian vendor offers bottles of diesel for sale in al-Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Aug.

Investigative reporter uncovers the shadowy underground economy profiting from restricted goods smuggled into Gaza.

  • Reporter Samy Magdy developed more than a dozen sources over months of cultivation across borders.
  • Smuggled contraband includes medicine, solar panels, and heavily marked-up staples with millions in daily transactions.
  • Israeli soldiers and Hamas-led government accused of taking cuts from the illicit supply chains.

Buried in Meta’s $18B settlement is a legal pass on kids’ data

Meta's $18B settlement includes a controversial legal exemption allowing the company to use children's data for age-detection without COPPA violations.

  • 29 state attorneys general agreed not to sue Meta under child safety laws for this specific data use.
  • Meta must develop and test age-detection model within one year of settlement's effective date.
  • Independent auditor will monitor Meta's compliance to ensure data isolation from other company systems.

Rivian’s CFO is leaving the company

Rivian's CFO Claire McDonough is stepping down at end of October to join GE Vernova.

  • McDonough relocating to East Coast to be closer to family.
  • Derek Mulvey, VP of finance, will serve as interim CFO.
  • Volkswagen Group invested up to $5.8 billion into Rivian by 2027.

A quarter of Nvidia’s business next year comes from labs it is financing

Nvidia finances AI labs that buy its chips, with a quarter of next year's revenue coming from these funded customers.

  • Nvidia has invested nearly $50 billion and committed to raising over $500 billion through partnerships with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs, and KKR.
  • OpenAI will use the first phase supporting 4.25 gigawatts, with total commitments reaching 12 gigawatts of Nvidia compute through 2030.
  • Nvidia gets paid twice on smaller operators: once on equipment sales and again on rental income from capacity it guarantees to rent.
Politics (3)

How Democrats in Congress are preparing for Trump midterm election interference

Democrats gear up to counter Trump's potential midterm interference, learning from January 6 failures.

  • Democrats cite lack of preparedness before Jan. 6 as key lesson for midterms
  • Party planning for multiple interference scenarios as Election Day approaches
  • Focus on avoiding 'failure of imagination' that blindsided lawmakers previously
Congress and legislation

Dingell plans legislation to void Trump’s Lake Ontario renaming

Michigan Democrat plans legislation to reverse Trump's controversial Lake Ontario renaming to 'Lake America.'

  • Bill introduced Monday called the 'Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act'
  • One-page legislation aims to nullify Trump's executive order entirely
  • Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) is sponsoring the measure
Congress and legislation

Can ethics issues tip party control of Congress?

Ethics reform efforts gain bipartisan momentum as Democrats weigh whether misconduct scandals could reshape midterm races.

  • Democratic consultants are prioritizing economy, foreign policy, and government ethics as campaign messaging pillars.
  • Bipartisan leaders are actively working to streamline the House ethics process.
  • Skepticism persists about potential partisan abuse in reformed ethics procedures.
Congress and legislation