In Hawaii, Thanksgiving moves to the beach

Earl Chang's left hand slides smoothly up and down the frets of his acoustic guitar as he fingers the soft chords of a traditional Hawaiian song. His brother Kona picks rhythmically at the lilting melody on the ukulele. Behind them, the Pacific swell crashes on a reef that shelters the nearby bea...

Earl won't disrupt Apple Festival

Henderson County's American Red Cross chapter has sent workers to the North Carolina coast, and local Salvation Army disaster services personnel were on alert Thursday for possible deployment as Hurricane Earl began lashing the Outer Banks.

Books ... and more: September is sign-up month at Ela Area Public Library

As part of a National Library Card Sign-Up Campaign, the Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich, will giveaway ChicoBag Slings, reusable nylon messenger-style bags that fit in your pocket or purse, to new cardholders during the month of September.

Hurricane preparedness info and links

Here's a list of helpful links and information on hurricane preparedness.

'Tremendous hardship'

The fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's deadly assault on the Gulf Coast in 2005 was marked by solemn remembrances and memorials for its victims. For St. Landry Parish, which was instrumental in Katrina relief efforts, today marks another painful memory.