With the coldest days of winter upon us, locals are being alerted to a new state law that prohibits keeping animals tied (tethered) outside during the following conditions:

Bay Transit, the public transportation division of Bay Aging, won’t be the same when longtime driver Phyllis Smith finishes her shift on December 15. Smith, who started driving for Bay Transit on May 17 of 2006, will retire. “She will certainly be missed,” observed Princess Wise, her supervisor. “Phyllis has such a positive outlook on life and that joy is evident in the way she interacts with customers and coworkers.”

As part of her daily routine at Riverside Regional Medical Center, Mary Pancoast reviews the list of patients scheduled for upcoming surgical procedures.

Have you been wanting to learn to play an instrument for a long time? Let the New Year be your motivation to finally take the plunge. Here are some top tips for getting started and for sticking with it:

Pediatric patients could get left out in the cold this Christmas, thanks to the enduring pandemic that continues to imperil the Commonwealth. New standard procedures for many children’s hospitals are being carried out to keep patients safe from further injury. Face to face visits with Santa, family gatherings in one’s hospital room, and toys donated by the general public are now cherished memories of the past.

After a lot of pushback, Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) reversed course on its decision to cancel its annual wreath laying ceremony. The event will proceed, “but it will be handled very differently this year,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America.

The holiday season tastes like peppermint, and most of us can't get enough. Peppermint mocha brightens the morning, peppermint ice cream makes us dreamy at night, and cute red-and-white-striped candy canes evoke festive childhood memories during the hours in between.