Seen any monarchs lately? The beautiful bugs are beginning their annual migration south from Canada to Mexico, which means their population will soon spike in the northern U.S. “Along the way, they depend on native flowering plants to rest and refuel. Planting native wildflowers and milkweed in your yard or community is one simple way to help these remarkable travelers complete their journey,” the U.S. Department of the Interior recently advised on Instagram. Revisit our story on the tiny Mexican town where monarchs are thriving and learn how you can plant a monarch-friendly garden.
Must Reads
A 77-year-old retired substitute teacher won HGTV’s Smart Home Contest — see her new digs
When timed right, a power nap can really live up to its name
Culture
World War II Soldier’s Epistolary Romance Story Is Still Being Written
Craig Hudson—The Washington Post/Getty Images
“You asked me if there was anything I want that I can’t get out here,” Louis Weber, also known as “Speedy,” wrote to his wife, Frances, on Oct.15, 1942. “Well, there most certainly is. I want you. So if you wrap yourself into a package and mark it fragile, I’m pretty sure it will come down to me in good order.”
That is just one snippet from the roughly 300 letters that were anonymously dropped off in a cardboard boxat a New York United Service Organizations office in 2022. Note by note, a sweeping story unraveled of a World War II soldier in his 20s who was deployed across portions of North Africa and Europe and participated in the invasion of Normandy. Many of the touching letters include titles such as “somewhere in England,” “somewhere in France,” and “somewhere in Luxembourg,” as well as his signature sign-off, “You are always in my heart.”
Since the box of letters showed up seemingly out of nowhere, top-notch sleuthing has been done to learn more about the couple and what happened to them after the war — the recent D-Day movie Pressure even featured the letters to get the word out. Eventually, Speedy’s nephew was tracked down and helped fill in some of the blanks, providing portraits of the pair to The Washington Postand sharing that they indeed reunited after the war and spent the rest of their lives together, until Speedy died at 78 in 1997, and Frances at 87 in 2005.
Some holes still remain, like who dropped off the box? And what was Frances’ perspective? Only two of the more than 300 letters were from her, and, interestingly, some of Speedy’s letters were unopened. The saga continues, but in the meantime, if you’d like to peruse more of the notes, the United Service Organizations released some of the collection for the first time earlier this summer. View them here.
Together With Quince
A Luggage Solution for the Overpacker
If you love having options on vacation, you need luggage that can actually fit all your outfits (and shoes!). Enter the Overpacker Bundle from Quince. Featuring the Voyage Nylon Dual Compartment Weekender and the Expandable Small Carry-On Suitcase, this set gives you the extra space to pack everything.
The ultra-lightweight carry-on features interior compression panels to maximize space, alongside functional details like a laundry bag, 360° spinner wheels, and a TSA-approved lock. The weekender keeps your laptop, toiletries, and travel essentials organized and easily accessible. Plus, the luggage-handle sleeve makes it easy to carry both through airports and beyond. Customize your bundle by choosing a color combination that’s uniquely yours.
A Man Biked Across the US in 1979 With a Stranger — 45 Years Later, They Reconnected
Courtesy of Kelly Greenia
In 1979, when New Yorker Joel Greenia was in his early 20s, he decided to embark on an adventure he’d dreamed about for years: riding coast to coast on his bicycle. Finding someone willing to join in on such a journey isn’t easy, so when Greenia sought a buddy to accompany him, he placed an ad in the classified section of his local newspaper.
“Lo and behold,” his daughter Kelly Greenia shared in an email to Nice News, “he got a response.” It came from another young 20-something named Ray Halbert, also from upstate New York and raring to go. The pair settled on starting their trek in Northern California, flew across the country from Buffalo with their bikes, and hit the pavement.
Over the next 57 days, Greenia (left) and Halbert rode from Santa Cruz to Hartford, Connecticut, covering a total distance of 3,485 miles. They made lasting memories over those eight weeks — sometimes sleeping on park benches and even being “pulled over” by police. But when they got back home, the two men went their separate ways, getting jobs and starting families (it was during the trip that Greenia decided to propose to his now-wife of 46 years).
More than four decades later, though, the duo would reconvene. Read the story of their reunion and see more photos from then and now.
Tech
“Entrepreneurship Is Democratizing”: How Tech Is Helping Young People Start Businesses
Maskot—DigitalVision/Getty Images
We’re all too familiar with stories about AI causing job losses these days, but there’s another side to the coin: The technology seems to be driving the growth of more entrepreneurial endeavors, especially among young people.
In June, the number of new business applications filed by Gen Z Americans jumped 66% compared to 2025, the Bank of America Institute found in a recent analysis. And a study from the payroll software firm Gusto found that 71% of Gen Z entrepreneurs used AI to launch their businesses last year.
“The barriers to entry are getting much lower,” Lori Rosenkopf, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told CBS News. Entrepreneurs aren’t just coming from higher income classes either, with lower-income households now accounting for 25% of all new businesses, up from less than 20% in 2020, per the Bank of America report.
“In a lot of ways, I think entrepreneurship is democratizing right now,” said Angela Lee, co-director of the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at Columbia Business School and a “serial entrepreneur” herself. “So I’m not at all surprised to see younger, lower-income founders start companies.”
In Other News
Versions of Skittles, Starbursts, and M&Ms without artificial food dyes are now available (read more)
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke retired after 30 years of service that included 549 days in space and 9 spacewalks (read more)
Following Sundance’s departure, a new indie-focused film festival is heading to Park City this fall (read more)
A trove of Egyptian treasures is on display at a San Francisco museum, the artifacts’ first stop in the U.S. (read more)
Meet the multitasking dad whoclocked a record 4-minute, 17-second mile while pushing his baby in a stroller(read more)
Something We Love
Solar Rainbow Maker Window Charm
I’m amazed by this rainbow maker! It hangs on a window in the sunniest nook of our home and scatters rainbows across the kitchen. It’s magical — even my dog seems to get a kick out of looking at the colors (or maybe watching me get a kick out of them). Highly recommend scrolling through the customer reviews to see examples of it in action.
– Marika Spitulski, Writer
This summer, 13-year-old Zac Waters spent 300 hours creating a custom 3D-printed wheelchair for a toddler — complete with pink and green accents, a detachable cup holder, and a tray table. “[It] makes me so happy to print it and see the smiles and how happy the family is, that really need the wheelchair,” said the Utah teen. Check out the chair
Photo of the Day
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Another medal in the books for Katie Ledecky! The swim star (and most decorated female U.S. Olympian) won gold in the 1500-meter freestyle on opening night of the Pan Pacific Championships last week, extending her 16-year winning streak in the race. However, it wasn’t without a good challenge, as Australia’s Lani Pallister trailed close behind, taking silver. Watch the race.
These are the Rolls-Royce of Hearing Aids (and They’re Under $100)
The internet is buzzing over these revolutionary, low-cost hearing aids. They are incredibly small — nearly invisible — and designed for all-day comfort. The affordable, high-quality device is improving lives every day by restoring confidence and making crystal-clear sound accessible to all. Nice News readers get an exclusive $50 off their order right now.
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