Finance + Legal Services

A Gift That Lasts Forever

A thoughtful approach to protecting your child’s future through early financial planning and lifelong coverage. Article by Kevin Getz Picture this. You finally get your newborn home. The car seat is installed. The nursery is ready. Friends and family stop by with plenty of gifts and even more unsolicited advice. Then reality sets in. The days become a blur of bottles, diapers, naps, and wondering if anyone in the house will ever sleep through the night again. Little by little, you find your...

Health + Wellness

Turning Kids Into Dental Health Heroes

From flossing to fighting sugar bugs, our local dentist shares how kids can become heroes of their own healthy smiles. Article by Kristen Hamm | Photography by Pretty Antlers Photography Epic battles in which good triumphs over evil delight people of all ages. But most parents prefer not to wage war every night when the battle ground is the bathroom sink, and our enemy appears to be the stubborn toddler refusing to brush their teeth. We face teeth-brushing tantrums, hapless hide-and-seek...

Wellness

The Bond That Heals

At EmpowerPups, healing begins with a relationship—one that transforms both ends of the leash. Article by Julie Walker | Photography by Marla Rutherford Photography “We’re here to help people have a better life.” That simple statement sums up the philosophy of EmpowerPups by Hero's Puppy for Life, a locally-based service dog training organization that recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.  Founded by veteran and Purple Heart recipient Frank Griggs, EmpowerPups helps others through a...

Arts + Culture

Eyes to the Skies

Awakening Wonder and Resilience at the Erie Balloon Festival Article by Julie Walker | Photography by Erie Balloon Festival The air is crisp and the morning quiet remains unbroken. With a cup of coffee in hand, looking skyward at 5:45 a.m., the magic begins. Paramotors dance through the air, executing synchronized maneuvers. It’s the perfect prelude to when the true heartbeat of the weekend takes flight: the Morning Mass Ascension. Dozens of hot-air balloons begin to inflate, rise, and lift...