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NEW YORK (AP) — The trouble started every day at around 3 p.m., after Cathy Higgins had spent five or six hours staring at an array of computer screens at her desk. Her university job overseeing research projects involved peering closely at numbers and details on contracts, applications and budgets. “My vision was so blurry, I couldn’t even see what was on the screen, and I was squinting so much that I could not function,” Higgins said. When her eyesight got bad, Higgins walked around and spoke with members of her staff. She began planning in-person meetings for afternoons. ...

Prepare your child for school and read 1,000 books before kindergarten

BELLEFONTE — Have you ever heard of the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge? It started as an idea posted in 2001 by reading literacy expert, Mem Fox, in her book, “Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever.” The idea is very simple — ...

TOPS offers tips on healthy mindsets leading to healthy resolutions

If eating better or exercising more is one of your resolutions for the new year, you are not alone — around 60 percent of people set New Year’s resolutions around healthy eating and movement. TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly SM), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization with a “Real People, Real Weight Loss.” philosophy, teaches the importance of eating right and exercising when it comes to weight loss. It recognizes that — just like when losing weight — there will be peaks and valleys when resolving to keep New Year’s resolutions of exercise and eating ...

Penn State Extension to offer workshop on maple syrup production

UNIVERSITY PARK — Interested in learning to make maple syrup from start to finish? Penn State Extension will hold a no-cost workshop on identifying and tapping maple trees, collecting sap and cooking it into syrup using beginner-friendly techniques. Both in-person and virtual options are available. The “Getting Started in Maple Syrup” webinar will occur from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 29. The in-person version will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 1, at Penn State Extension’s Potter County office, 1 N. Main St., Room 216, Coudersport. The program is aimed at ...

Working Well: Saying no is hard, but setting boundaries can improve your health

NEW YORK (AP) — When Justin Stewart started his career, he juggled several jobs to make ends meet. He poured himself into his full-time role as a news show production assistant from 3 a.m. until noon. Then he rushed to the airport where he rented cars or to the big box stores where he pulled retail shifts. Sometimes, he slept in his car between jobs. Then he was hospitalized for exhaustion and a staph infection. “While people around me praised my hustle, I eventually paid the price,” Stewart said. “The doctor looked at me and said, ‘I don’t know what lifestyle you’re ...