By Rinn Kress Artwork by Justin Negard Westchester is known for being a bit on the quieter side at night—at least, where the humans are concerned. But for many local flora and fauna, sunset is when the party starts. Whether they’re singing a tune, sweetening the air or lighting up the night, these native nocturnal species can often be found ...

By Ella Brown and Isabella Aranda Garcia     Artwork by Nathaniel Aric Galka If you ask the artist about the scene above, he will tell you it was created to communicate moral lessons about how we treat our world. He will also tell you that the title of the piece, “You can feel happiness return…” is the introduction to ...

By Susan Trumpbour Artwork by Justin Negard She’s not an influencer. She’s never launched a product line. Yet she’s been quietly shaping the beauty industry for millions of years—more experienced than any chief executive officer of any brand and completely unfazed by trends. Her name is Mother Nature and her beauty counter consists of fresh air, real sunshine and plants ...

The surprisingly beautiful benefits of creating a functional ecosystem in your yard By Ruby Mendelson Artwork by Eliyahu Greenwald Bedford resident Murray Fisher used to have the perfect suburban lawn: it was immaculately maintained with neatly mowed grass for the kids to play and perfectly manicured plants and trees. But then Fisher had what he says was one of his ...

By Liz Colombini Artwork by Eliyahu Greenwald The rumors began in 2021. Celebrities were shedding pounds by using a magical elixir. By the 2022 awards season, the secret was out: stars were taking the diabetes medication Ozempic to lose weight quickly and successfully. Mainstream America took note, and the trend caught on so quickly that people with diabetes suddenly faced ...

By Julie Schwietert Collazo Artwork by Cara McPartland "I have a fatal disease; it’s called life.” Marc Abrams, a Mount Kisco-based psychologist, is deadpanning, but he’s not joking. “The reality is that we are on a temporal pass, and we don’t know when that pass expires,” he says. In other words, life is short. And we will all inevitably receive ...

By Gia Miller Design by Justin Negard You might envision longevity as simply ticking off boxes on a calendar, celebrating the sheer volume of years we manage to accumulate. But there is a big difference between living a long life and living a long, healthy life. There are people who live well into their 90s who actively pursue their interests ...

Some think so. But, of course, it’s complicated. Here’s an overview of what you should know, from the basics and 14 factors for risk reduction to the latest research, current treatments and a new promising clinical trial. By Gia Miller Artwork by Justin Negard Imagine you’re driving home from work, listening to your favorite podcast. You’re lost in thought, and ...

Where to go & how to stop spiraling when you’re sick or something feels…off By Susan Trumpbour Design by Justin Negard Almost all of us procrastinate about our health, ignoring little signs—a symptom here, a worry there. A stomachache? Probably last night’s spicy food. A new lump? It could be a bug bite. A nagging cough? Just seasonal allergies. Suddenly, ...

A teen's guide to skincare By Sophie Abt     Artwork by Molly McGarvey For us teens, navigating breakouts, skincare products and routines can feel like decoding a secret language. Breakouts seem to appear unpredictably, products promise miracles and social media is full of conflicting advice. TikTok videos and Instagram reels often showcase magical cures or new routines, but separating ...

By Julie Schwietert Collazo Artwork by Tara Tassio If you’ve lived in Westchester long enough, it’s likely you’ve noticed significant changes in weather patterns over the years. Matthew Kavaler, director of Westchester County Emergency Management, certainly has. In fact, Kavaler, who has been with the department since 2014 and has held his current role for the past year, says, “Unscientifically, ...

By Kayla Schmidt We’ve all been told time and again, “Don’t crack your knuckles or you’ll get arthritis,” or “Turkey makes you tired, so be careful on Thanksgiving.” Health advice like this gets passed down so casually—from parents, friends, the internet—that it starts to feel like fact. But among the sea of health and nutrition information, there is a significant ...