When Grave Markers Are Stolen, He Speaks for the Dead

Even as a small boy, Michael Hirsch loved visiting cemeteries. His family would take him to visit his great-grandmother’s grave, and soon he came to see cemeteries as museums containing the stories and secrets of the past. Over the years, Mr. Hirsch, a historian and genealogist, came to feel a sort of kinship with the … Read more

Like Bingo, but With Beef: Why Meat Raffles Are Blowing Up

The giant raffle wheel stood before a crowd buzzing with anticipation. A sweepstakes of sorts was about to get underway. At stake: Steak. And pork tenderloin. And sausage. And almost every other cut of meat imaginable. Nearly 260 people sat shoulder-to-shoulder on a recent Saturday night at long tables inside V.F.W. Post 1419 in Hamburg, … Read more

Significant Winter Storm Continues to Sweep the East Coast

A sprawling storm that dumped buckets of rain on Kentucky and Tennessee on Saturday is spreading across the East Coast on Sunday and spraying a wintry blast of rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain. The system is expected to continue unleashing dangerous weather into Monday. Power outages, downed trees and hazardous road conditions could disrupt … Read more