Books. Furry, feathered, and finned friendships. And more.

  • PAWS FOR BOOKS

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] March 15, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 11 PAWS FOR BOOKS[2] Rescue dogs have inspired many businesses, and Lisa McCormick’s bookstore is no exception. Soon opening in historic Parkville, Missouri, Typo’s Bookstore (www.typosbookstore.com) is named after Lisa’s first rescue dog, Typo the Newshound. Lisa, a graduate of Park University and an award-winning author and…

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  • COURTHOUSE COMFORT

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] March 8, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 10 COURTHOUSE COMFORT[2] Golden and Labrador retrievers are particularly suited for comforting anxious or traumatized individuals. Known as “facility dogs,” they are specially trained from puppyhood for a minimum of two years. From placing their head in one’s lap to giving someone a gentle nudge, facility dogs…

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  • RARE AND WONDERFUL

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] March 1, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 9 RARE AND WONDERFUL[2] French zoologist and paleontologist Frederic Cuvier described the red panda “as the most beautiful animal he had ever seen.” Today, less than 10,000 remain in the wild. Although their name suggests a relationship with the giant panda, they are more closely related to…

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  • THE ECLECTIC WORLD OF EELS

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 22, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 8 THE ECLECTIC WORLD OF EELS[2] While much has been written about the metamorphosis of caterpillars, the transformation of eels is even more fascinating. Starting as flat, transparent, and somewhat leaf-shaped larvae, they transform into elongated glass eels. As they continue to develop, they turn a brownish-pink…

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  • A WHALE OF A HEART

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 15, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 7 A WHALE OF A HEART[2] With arteries the diameter of a dinner plate, blue whales have the world’s biggest heart at nearly 400 pounds and five feet in length. Sonar can detect a blue whale’s heartbeat from nearly two miles away. Below the surface, a blue…

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  • WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 8, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 6 AUSTRALIA’S FLIGHTLESS BIRD[2] Watching Australia’s flightless birds brings an entirely new dimension to birdwatching. Emus, within a group of birds known as ratites, are native to Australia. Occasionally growing up to six feet in height and weighing up to 130 pounds, their muscular legs and three…

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  • TABER TIME

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] February 1, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 5 TABER TIME[2] In the never-ending cycle of information and misinformation, one can find comfort in the many books of Gladys Taber, a prolific author, gardener, animal lover, and teacher who passed more than four decades ago. She wrote more than 59 books, including the Stillwater series…

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  • TRULY GOLDEN

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] January 25, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 4 TRULY GOLDEN The most rewarding class project culminated in a golden anniversary and so much more. In 1976, the late Mrs. Sanders asked her grade school students to send a letter to a school in one of the thirteen original colonies. Known as the Bicentennial Pen…

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  • LIVELY, LOVABLE LLAMAS

    WINSTON WEEKLY[1] January 18, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 3 LIVELY, LOVABLE LLAMAS Although related to camels, llamas are not for riding. Native to the mountains of South America, including Peru and Ecuador, there are more than seven million wild llamas. Over the centuries, many have served as pack animals given their ability to carry up…

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  • WINSTON WEEKLY[1] January 11, 2026 Vol. 4, No. 2 FROM FARM TO REFRIGERATOR Milk production, like family farms and much of the world, has evolved since pasteurization was developed by French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur in 1863. Although the initial pasteurization process of destroying harmful bacteria through heat was a significant breakthrough for food…

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