How to apply for Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance and Council Tax Support

Please note Since the introduction of Universal Credit, new claims for Housing Benefit or Local Housing Allowance can only be made if you are of state pension age (from 15 May 2019, both members of a couple must be of pension age) or if you live in supported accommodation. Housing Benefit If you live in a council or […]

How to cut down on pollution during an inversion

SALT LAKE CITY — That familiar and unwelcome layer of smog is back. As air quality plummets in Utah, experts are offering solutions to reduce pollutants. Wednesday marked day six of this inversion event. It could be a while before we get some relief, because it won’t move out until a decent snowstorm or winds […]

How to help yourself if you live in a high fire zone

SALT LAKE CITY — New legislation passed in 2025 mandated the creation of a plan to help Utahns living in high-risk areas for wildfires. The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands recently unveiled the state’s new High-Risk Wildland Urban Interface map, a key component of HB48 that was passed by the state Legislature […]

How to watch the last supermoon of the year

NEW YORK — The last supermoon of the year will shine soon in December skies. The moon’s orbit around the Earth isn’t a perfect circle so it gets nearer and farther as it swings around. When a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit, a so-called supermoon happens. It makes the moon look […]

How to grow a giant pumpkin, with help from science

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — The pumpkin in Tony Scott’s backyard weighs almost as much as a small car. He’s been tending to it for months, feeding it fertilizer and covering it with a blanket at night to keep it at a stable temperature. A roll of measuring tape wrapped around the pumpkin gives him a […]

Local elections 2025: Who’s running for Rotorua Lakes Council and how to vote

There will be a contest, however, for the six general and three Māori ward vacancies. Robert Lee and Don Paterson, both current general ward councillors, will challenge Tapsell for the mayoralty. Haehaetu Barrett, who recently left her role as chief executive of social services organisation Lifewise to return to Rotorua, has thrown her name in […]

How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires

WASHINGTON — When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it. Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities. In Utah, the Monroe Canyon Fire in Sevier County […]