News Above the Noise—Week of August 9, 2026
1. The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Is Far From Over
Michigan, the hardest-hit state so far, is finally seeing its case count level off, but that hasn’t stopped the parasite from turning up in new pockets around the country. Investigators have linked local clusters to different foods, from cilantro and parsley in North Carolina to lettuce and salad greens elsewhere, suggesting more than one culprit is fueling the surge. Read more here.
2. Picking Up Trash at a National Monument Landed Her in Handcuffs
Sophie Dennison-Gibby says she never expected a routine act of kindness to end with a U.S. marshal walking her away from her family in handcuffs. She was taken to a Park Police facility, processed, and released hours later, only to learn the real cause of the damage may have been a botched repair job. Read more here.
3. There’s No Perfect Script for Talking to Someone Who Is Dying
For families sitting at a bedside, the instinct is often to fill the silence, but the people who do this work for a living say that’s usually the wrong move. From a physician’s four essential phrases to a nurse’s approach for patients who are nonresponsive, this piece breaks down what actually helps in those final days, and what almost never does. Read more here.
4. The Joy—and Science—of Making Friends With a Crow
Crows, it turns out, are excellent at recognizing the humans who feed them, and even better at remembering who’s worth coming back to. One writer’s backyard routine with a persistent bird opened the door to a deeper look at crow cognition, from lifelong pair bonds to a behavior some researchers hesitate to call “friendship.” Read more here.
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