The Root

A new feature titled 'Hand-Crafting Music: A Love Letter to Family and Creativity' highlights how making music by hand can serve as an expression of family bonds and artistic passion. The piece frames music-making as a personal, creative act rooted in love and connection rather than commercial production, inviting readers to reflect on the role of craft and family in creative life.

Karen refugees from Myanmar are growing food and community ties in a shared garden space in West Philadelphia. The garden offers a place to grow traditional crops, connect with neighbors, and put down roots after displacement. Local outlet Billy Penn at WHYY reported on the project, highlighting how gardening supports cultural continuity and belonging for the refugee community.

A writer reflects on personal mantras and philosophies people live by, drawing on time spent driving a refrigerated box truck for commercial food delivery companies. The piece invites readers to share their own guiding principles, prompting responses about the everyday wisdom picked up from demanding, blue-collar work and how it shapes a person's outlook on life.

EatingWell has published a roundup of 20 high-protein recipes designed to be diabetes-friendly and suited to fall seasonal ingredients. The collection aims to help people manage blood sugar while enjoying autumn produce like squash, apples and root vegetables. It is part of a broader seasonal push toward healthy, protein-forward meal ideas for readers with dietary restrictions.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has launched 'Dry Bones', a project giving new life to Louisiana's roots music traditions. The initiative, covered by The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, highlights the university's efforts to preserve and reinterpret the Cajun, Creole and blues sounds that define the region's musical heritage, drawing local attention to the state's cultural legacy.

Music photographer Violeta Álvarez has launched a new personal project exploring her own heritage. Born in Texas to Mexican parents, she is documenting the experiences that connect immigrant families, beginning with her own story. The work, photographed by Jesús Jank Curbelo's report, marks a shift from concert photography to intimate portraiture of identity, family and migration.

A botanical garden is marking another 50 years, with reports saying it is 'putting down roots' for its next half-century. The story points to celebrations or plans around the garden's long-term future, though details about specific events, funding or developments have not been given. Local coverage frames it as a milestone anniversary for the green space.

Nestlé is promoting its NAN growing-up milk brand with the tagline 'Inspired by Mom Science', positioning the formula product as rooted in maternal care combined with nutritional research. The campaign is being pushed through Nestlé's family-focused channels in Singapore and has drawn substantial public attention.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Sasha Quandt, a tennis player at Lourdes Academy, tracing how childhood summers spent playing tennis in Belarus shaped her game and path. The feature highlights her family roots, the differences between training in Eastern Europe and Wisconsin, and how that background informs her play for the high school team today.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope and a longtime Chicago resident, has sent a letter to the Chicago White Sox, according to reports circulating widely. The gesture has drawn amusement and affection from baseball fans and Catholics alike, many of whom note the pope's well-known attachment to the team from his hometown.

Feit'n fra Kolbotn, a Norwegian music act, is being shared with the track 'Noe Bedre'. The song is circulating among listeners of Norwegian music, with people recommending it to others. Beyond the track's title and the artist's Kolbotn roots, few details are available about the act or any wider attention it is receiving.

Joint Radio Reggae is currently playing "Rope of Sand" by Joncunoo on its reggae stream. The station, which broadcasts roots, dub and rocksteady music to a global audience, invited listeners to tune in and relax as the track aired. It is a routine now-playing announcement from the station's continuous reggae programming.

Joint Radio Reggae is currently broadcasting Horace Andy's 'Musical Episode' in its 12-inch mix, inviting listeners to take a break and enjoy roots reggae. The station, which plays reggae, roots, dub and rocksteady, shared the now-playing update with its audience. Horace Andy, the veteran Jamaican singer best known for his work with Massive Attack, remains a staple of roots reggae playlists worldwide.