HE 04.30.26

HOWE’S HAPPENINGS Victory Independent Publishing

Don’t forget there is a festival in town this weekend with an excellent lineup of many vendors. An updated vendor list is available to view in the Local Events Section.

© 2026 The Howe Enterprise

Thursday, April 30, 2026

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Founder’s Day Festival This Saturday!

If you haven’t voted yet, there is still time, as stated on our front page article this week. On that note, I am sure some of you are wondering what ever happened to the article that was supposed to be written with questions for the candidates. I address that on Page 3.

It’s so nice to see more playgrounds available for local children. I must say though, I worry (joking) about the resilience of these children with the fancy new equipment. I think those old metal slides we all slid down in shorts when it was 100+ degrees growing up were part of our character development. There is a specific sound /screech of skin getting rubbed down that metal slide (if somehow you weren’t sweaty enough yet to slide down that thing like butter), that I can still hear in my head 25+ years later.

Speaking of summertime and children– my heart smiled this week driving through Howe.

I saw multiple children out playing on their bikes outside. That is the kind of thing that makes Howe wonderful – that it is still small and safe enough that children can play outside together and enjoy life. Some parts of small town America are still preserved and I love to see it.

Have a great week, Howe, Texas!

EDITOR’S NOTE—This column is reserved as an editorial column and may not necessarily reflect

INSIDE

Howe ISD

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City of Howe

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Local Events

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Opinion/Lifestyle

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Local Church Info

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Classifieds

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Patriot Pony

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Photo Credit: Howe Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook Page

Last Day to Vote for School Board Positions is May 2nd Ashley Husbands The following is posted on the Howe ISD Website regarding the School Board Elections: The Board of Trustees consist of seven board members elected to serve, without compensation, for overlapping terms of three years each. Elections are conducted annually in May. All school board positions represent the entire school district. All Howe ISD residents who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Board Policy BBA (Legal) may run for a

Howe EDC and the City Paired Up to Provide New Playground Equipment at Reed Park

position in the Board of Trustee election. Following the annual election, the Board elects a president, vice-president, and secretary to serve oneyear terms.

The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) offers a free on-line training course designed by experienced school board members especially for people considering running for the school board. This course explains what to expect when serving as a school board member. To access (Continued on Page 3)

Reed Park Playground in Western Hills, Photo Credit: City of Howe Facebook

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Upcoming Events APRIL 30: 1st and 2nd Grade Field Trip APRIL 30: Band Banquet MAY 2: High School Prom MAY 4: Band Percussion Concert MAY 5: FFA Banquet MAY 5:6th-8th grade Percussion Concert MAY 7: Soundpost Contest– 7th and 8th grade qualifiers MAY 7: Athletic Awards Banquet MAY 4-7: Teacher Appreciation Week

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April 30, 2026

Howe High School Sports/School Board Elections Info.

(Continued from Page 1) the course click on the following link: Serving on a Board: An Insider's Guide to Board Service for School Board Candidates For additional election information, please contact Julie Snapp, Chief Financial Officer, by phone at 903745-4010 or email at elections@howeisd.net Editor’s Note: I owe all of you an apology regarding the School Board Elections. I was very excited with the idea I had of doing a final article prior to all voting with the candidates’ answers to your questions. You all did a wonderful job, your participation and questions were fantastic and I thank you for that. The reason we never had that final article is 100 percent my fault. During the two

weeks we did not publish a paper, and the time surrounding that, I was having a health crisis and not doing well on any fronts. Unfortunately, that was the time in which that project needed to be done. I understand this kind of thing, missing weeks of the paper etc., has happened more frequently than is excusable. I also am very saddened that school board article flopped. I apologize.

However, good news is on the horizon- after 10 years of struggling with a chronic condition that was progressively getting much worse I finally got treatment that is actually helping recently. This is good news for me and good news for this publication.

More often than I would like to admit, I was completely depleted and overwhelmed for pretty much the entire time I have owned this publication, so far. Obviously, due to many factors, the quality of the publication suffered greatly, and I apologize to you all for

Photo Credit: Howe ISD Athletics Facebook that, as well. I had so many neat ideas for this paper but follow through of even basic things went from molehills to mountains for me. I am very thankful to feel good again, and with that, I am also very excited to start following through on the list of ideas I have for this newspaper.

I do not want to over-promise and under deliver again, so I just hope you all enjoy the changes as they come.

Thank you so very much for your patience with me all of this time. I am looking forward to what is ahead to share with you all in the future. As always, if any of you have ideas for things you would like to see in the newspaper, please email me at ashley@howenterprise.com

Summer Events Information

Ashley Husbands Senior Night pictures for baseball and softball can be found on The Howe Enterprise Facebook Page.

Summer camps for Howe Sports will be underway soon. Information on a few of the programs to be offered will be shared in the following pages of this publication.

Also, don’t forget to buy your Howe Athletic Banquet tickets, as they will not be sold at the door.

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Photo Credit: Howe Independent School District Athletics Facebook Page

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Photo Credit: Howe Independent School District Athletics Facebook Page

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Photo Credit: Howe Independent School District Facebook

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FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH: Howe Hump Day: 8-9 a.m. at Summit Gardens

SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH: Bulk Trash Pickup THIRD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH: Regular City Council Meeting: 6 p.m. at Summit Gardens

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XYZ Meeting: Every 2nd Thursday of each month If you have a local club/group/etc. that you would like to have events shared in the newspaper, please email ashley@howeenterprise.com

Founder’s Day Vendor List

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April 30, 2026

Howe Hall of Honor Celebrates This Year’s Inductees

Pictured: Recipients of the Volunteer Organization of the Year, The Harvey Blessing Build Photo Credit: Howe Chamber of Commerce Facebook Page Recipients Not Pictured: Tim Rose, Derek Lands, Kevin Wilson, Jessica Acevedo, Jared Coffey, Jesse Farrer and MTE Fence

Feed My Sheep: Food distribution this Friday 9 a.m.– 12 p.m. at 810 N Denny St in Howe!

Bring your ID or client card

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GENERAL: FARMERS’ ALMANAC RECIPES COLUMNS: BACKYARD BIRDS TEXAS HISTORY MINUTE LIVING ON PURPOSE

April 30, 2026

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April 30, 2026

Farmer’s Almanac

Backyard Birdwatching

Ashley Husbands

Sue and Dick Malnory

While looking for an online version to replace to paper booklet, I stumbled upon a daily update for The Farmer’s Almanac that is much more extensive and fun, including puzzles, words of the day, lists of famous birthdays and death dates, and more. To put each day of the week would take up far more room than we have, so here are the links for each day!

We’re still having to bring our feeders in at night. Tried leaving our squirrelproof feeder out and apparently a raccoon jumped on it; the feeder hook bent open and fell, leaving the cylindrical tube in pieces. Thankfully we can order a replacement for it. Then another night the critter made off with a filled suet cake holder we left out in another area of the yard. So everything must come in for the next couple of weeks and hopefully he or she will give up!

If pressing the links is too difficult, please let me know. The paper is currently considering new formatting and the current ease of link use is a factor being considered.

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

We watched a documentary about raccoons and learned that everything humans do to foil them just makes them smarter as they learn to solve each new problem!

FRIDAY, MAY 1

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deners’ annual plant sale. The sale is set for 9 m – 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Mayors Arena – behind Frontier Village, in Denison.

We are getting occasional visits from a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Another summer migrant we look forward to is the Painted Bunting. Our place was once too far east for them but in recent years we have been seeing them regularly, usually appearing about the first week of May. Some friends west of Sherman have already reported seeing them. White millet is their favorite at the feeders.

If you are looking for plants for your bird garden, you might want to check out the Grayson County Master Gar-

SATURDAY, MAY 2 SUNDAY, MAY 3 MONDAY, MAY 4 TUESDAY, MAY 5 WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

Recipes Salmon and Spud Salad

Photo Credit: Sue and Dick Malnory

Yields 4 servings

Recipe Link Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound fingerling potatoes 1/2 pound fresh green beans 1/2 pound fresh asparagus 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each) 1 tablespoon plus 1/3 cup red wine vinaigrette, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 cups fresh arugula or baby spinach 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Directions: 1. Cut potatoes lengthwise in half.

Trim and cut green beans and asparagus into 2-in. pieces. Place potatoes in a 6-qt. stockpot; add water to cover.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until tender, 10-15 minutes, adding green beans and asparagus during the last 4 minutes of cooking.

Drain.

Photo Credit: TasteofHome.com

2. Meanwhile, brush salmon with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place fish on oiled grill rack, skin side down. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat or broil 4 in. from heat until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 6-8 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine potato mixture, arugula, tomatoes and chives.

Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette; toss to coat. Serve with salmon.

Nutrition Facts: 1 salmon fillet with 2 cups salad: 480 calories, 23g fat (4g saturated fat), 85mg cholesterol, 642mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 6g fiber), 34g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

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April 30, 2026

Texas History Minute “The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the active, the vigilant, the brave!” Patrick Henry became one of the most Ken Bridges outspoken defenders of American independence. His words rang out across the colonies and later the pages of history as the colonies banded together to fight for their rights as citizens and the for the cause of independence.

Patrick Henry was born in Virginia in 1736. His father was a Scottish immigrant and planter. He attended local schools until he was 10 until his father hired a tutor for him at home. He worked briefly as a clerk as a teenager and at age 16, briefly owned and operated a small store with his older brother.

At 18, he married Sarah Shelton, and her father gave the newlywed couple 300 acres and six slaves. He also operated a tavern where he began studying law. In 1760, he was admitted to the Virginia bar and opened a practice. In 1765, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

As a legislator, he never had a lot of influence. As a speaker in an age of great orators, he quickly soared above the rest. He immediately became a critic of the Stamp Act that the British parliament had imposed on the colonies. In one speech, he loudly condemned the British government in the legislature. Loyalists jumped up to defend the king, shouting “Treason!” Without hesitation, Henry shouted back, “If this be treason, make the most of it!” Months later, the combined efforts of the colonists forced the British to repeal the Stamp Act. Patrick Henry remained interested in education and building the economy of the state. In 1775, he co-founded Hampden-Sydney College, the tenth founded in the colonies and served on the board of governors. Henry was an outspoken advocate of religious freedom, calling for cooperation between the major denominations. He periodically spoke out against slavery, but he would continue to own slaves for the remainder of his life.

As Parliament continued to impose restrictions on the colonies, Henry continued to speak out, insisting that the rights the colonists had as English citizens were under attack. “Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty?” he declared. “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”

After the Boston Tea Party in December 1773, Parliament had imposed harsh publishments on Boston in response through the Intolerable Acts. This had prompted the colonists

to call for the Continental Congress to convene in 1774. In 1775, by the time that fighting erupted between the colonists in Massachusetts and the British, Henry called on all colonists to support the war and independence. In his famous speech, he cried out, “Give me liberty or give me death!”

By 1776, Virginia was at its breaking point and agreed with him. Henry continued to speak passionately for American independence, and the legislature urged Virginia delegates at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to declare independence. Virginia broke away and formed a new government, swearing in Henry as governor on July 5. He would continue in the position until 1779 when he was succeeded by Thomas Jefferson.

During his time as governor, he faced the difficult steps of leading the state in a time of war while working to recruit troops for the cause of independence and keeping the state functioning. In 1778, he led the successful effort to ban slave importation from Africa into Virginia. After his terms ended, he returned to the House of Delegates as a representative. In 1784, voters returned him to another term as governor where he called for a system of canals and internal improvements to help trade. In 1786, he once again returned to the legislature.

When the Constitutional Convention convened in 1787 to draft a new governing document for the nation, Henry was selected as a delegate. Fearing what a new national government could look like under a new constitution and fearing a repeat of Britain’s abuses, Henry declined to participate. When the debate over ratification of the constitution ensued in the fall of 1787, Henry was an outspoken opponent of ratification, preferring the loose alliance of states under the Articles of Confederation.

In 1790, only 54, he stepped down from the state legislature and retired from politics. He invested in real estate and practiced law, hoping to pay off the many debts he had incurred over the years. He had married in 1777 to Dorothea Dandridge following his first wife’s death, and between his two marriages had 17 children. Despite his retirement, Henry remained in high demand. When Thomas Jefferson stepped down as secretary of state in 1793, President George Washington offered him the position. Though the two had great respect for one another, Henry declined. Washington also offered to nominate him as a justice on the US Supreme Court in 1794 and as ambassador to Spain. Again, Henry declined both, feeling he was needed by his family more. He died at his home in Virginia in 1799 at age 63.

Comforting Those Who Need an Encouraging Word For those who have visited a nursing home or a medical care facility, you know what I mean Dr. Billy Holland when I refer to these places as difficult and uncomfortable.

The sights and sounds are difficult for our emotions to process, which explains why many would rather avoid them altogether. I’ve heard people say they dislike hospitals, nursing homes, or funerals, and this is usually because they prompt us to think more deeply about our own future. When we look around and witness how individuals are coping with aging and health problems, it’s a normal response to live in denial as the old saying reminds us, “Out of sight – out of mind” however, let us not avoid those who suffer, or live in fear about our own future because God reminds us for example in Psalm 27 that He will always be with us and help us. The Lord is filled with compassion and desires for us to have empathy toward others and to see the world as He sees it. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” II Corinthians 1:3-4.

We are not here to just selfishly enjoy our blessings, but, as Matthew chapter seven mentions, we are to do unto others as we would like others to do unto us. Helen Keller is quoted as saying, “Once I knew only darkness and stillness... my life was without past or future, but a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living.” My friend Ian White, who is a highly intelligent and humorous newspaper editor, shared a story with me about his experiences with nursing homes. He said that many years ago, when he was still living in England, he was the chairman of his hometown’s carnival association, which included an elaborate parade featuring the annual carnival queen and her court of two princesses.

These beautiful young women, who had won beauty pageants the previous fall, were now ready to embark on a celebrity tour.

As a part of the carnival promotion, the association would take these girls to surrounding cities and have them participate in parades and public appearances. On each official outing, the girls wore stunning ballgown gowns and crystal crowns that projected the magic of fairy tale royalty. However, with all of the attention and star status, there was one stop on the tour that was not considered glamorous. They were required to visit a cancer hospital for children. Ian found himself trying to persuade these “rock stars” to spend some time on Christmas Day with

these kids. It was Ian’s duty to collect the girls and chauffeur them to the facility and, with absolutely no hint of his inner apprehension, convince them that this visit would forever change their perspective on life.

Each year, a new group of celebrities would enter the faculty with trepidation, obviously intent on getting the ordeal over and done with. However, surprisingly, these young ladies remained at the children’s bedsides far longer than anyone would have expected, hugging and chatting with the youth who could hardly speak. The mask of pride and pomp quickly melted into a sobering realization that many innocent individuals live each day with misery and suffering that very few are aware of. As the young women hugged and listened to each child, Ian could sense the power of compassion that was creating waves of gratitude and humility in everyone present. The girls were sincerely grateful to everyone for allowing them the opportunity to meet these special individuals and to understand more clearly how important it is to sincerely share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others.

We do not need to be ordained clergy or a popular hero to brighten someone’s day. We all have the capacity to listen and obey God and help those who desperately need to know that someone cares. “Then they also will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

Dr. Holland is a minister, chaplain, author, and teacher. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

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April 30, 2026

“ My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

Psalm 62:1-2 NASB 1995 Community Bible Fellowship Jeremy Moore, pastor

Howe Methodist Church of Howe JB Bryant, minister

First Baptist Church Dorchester Zach Poling, pastor

Howe Church of Christ Aaron Alsbrook, minister

415 S Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 Wednesday 6:30 pm - Food and Fellowship 7:00 pm - Community Kids (ages 3 6th grade, nursery available) 7:00 pm - Youth and Adult Bible Study Sunday 10:30 am - Worship Service

810 N Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6718 Tuesday: 8:30am - 1:00pm WeeCare Daycare (Registration needed) 9:30am - Women's Bible Study 6:30pm - Boy Scouts Wednesday: 9:00am - Wednesday Workers 6:00pm - 1st and 3rd Wednesdays Family Night Thursday: 8:30am - 1:00pm - WeeCare Daycare (Registration needed) Saturday: 9:00am-12:00pm - Feed My Sheep (1st & 3rd Sat. of each month) Sunday: 8:30am - Coffee and Donuts 9:00am - Sunday School 10:00am - Worship Service 3:00pm Cub Scouts

11831 FM 902, Dorchester, TX 75459 903-476-5525 Wednesday 6:30 pm - Worship service Sunday 9:00 am - Men's Prayer Time 9:45 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Evening Service

1205 N Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6441 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Bible Classes (all ages) Sunday 9:00 am - Bible Classes (all ages) 10:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Worship Service

First Baptist Church Howe Roger Tidwell, pastor 100 E. Davis St., Howe, TX 903-5325504 Wednesday 5:15pm - Free Meal 6:15pm - Ablaze Prayer Meeting 6:15pm- Children'sMid-Week 6:30pm - Wednesday Night Youth Sunday 9:15am - Sunday School 10:30am - Worship Service Bible

Summit View Church Brett and Deb Hetrick, pastors 910 S Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6828 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Radiate Youth 7:00 pm - Sanctuary of for prayer Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School (kids, youth, women, men) 10:30 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Kids Church

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Want to place YOUR ad in The Howe Enterprise?

The Howe Enterprise has an average of over 75,000 views per year and growing! The Facebook page, with over 5,000 followers, averages over 40,000 views per month!

Upgrade your business advertising this month by contacting ashley@howeenterprise.com Prices of ads currently are as follows: Full Page (11x17) $600 per month.

Half Page (10x8) $300per month.

Quarter Page (5x8) $200 per month.

Midsize (5x4) $150 per month.

Business Card (3.33x2) $75 per month PDF or JPG is preferred. Checks are accepted or Online payments are available through Square. Payments can be made monthly or all at once for a specified timeframe.

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Job Title PRESIDENT/ CEO workintexas.com Posting ID 16996382 Location Sherman Posting Close Date 5/18/26 Posting Link https://bit.ly/4w2ivqY

Job Title ACCOUNTANT workintexas.com Posting ID 17001681 Location Denison Posting Close Date 5/19/26 Posting Link https://bit.ly/421IP6M

Description Sherman Chamber of Commerce is looking for a PRESIDENT/CEO. This position will lead overall strategy, operations, and finances, serving as the primary spokesperson fostering economic development, growth, and advocacy for the local business community, working closely with the Board, managing staff, overseeing programs, and building stakeholder partnerships. This position requires a Bachelor's Degree, and a minimum of 1 year of related experience.

Description A local company is looking for an ACCOUNTANT who will prepare and analyze GAAP financial statements; maintain GL and perform monthly reconciliations; manage reporting, budgeting and forecasting; ensure tax and policy compliance; support managers with variance analysis, process improvements, and internal controls across retail operations. This position requires a Bachelor's Degree.

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Workforce Solutions Texoma is an equal opportunity employer/program.

Bulk Trash Pickup 2nd Friday of each month in Howe.

City of Howe SECONDS COUNT IN AN EMERGENCY! That's why the City of Howe has instituted the CodeRED Emergency Notification System - an ultra high-speed telephone communication service for emergency notifications. This system allows us to telephone all or targeted areas in case of an emergency situation that requires immediate action (such as a boil-water notice, missing child or evacuation notices). The system is capable of dialing 60,000 phone numbers per hour. It then delivers a pre-recorded message describing the situations to a live person or an answering machine in the affected area possibly including instructions requiring action on the part of the recipient. Once the situation is remedied, another call will be placed to the area signaling that the issue has been addressed and that normal activities can be resumed.

The following information is required to add a telephone number into the "CodeRED" database: first and last name; address (physical address, no P.O. boxes); city; state; Zip Code; and primary phone number. The system works with cellular phones but requires a valid street address. When entering information, please fill out all of the screens because the newest data entered will replace the old data. Sign up by visiting http://www.co.grayson.tx.us/page/oem.cred

2022-23 Local taxation State Sales Tax General Revenue Sales Tax Economic Development (Type B) Sales Tax Total

6.25 % 1.00 %

City of Howe Tax Rate Howe I.S.D Tax Rate Grayson County Tax Rate Grayson College Tax Rate Total (per $100 valuation)

$0.54 $1.27 $0.31 $0.15 $2.27

1.00 % 8.25 %

City Hall 116 E. Haning St., 903-532-5571 Mayor: Karla McDonald City Council: Michael Hill, Billie Ingram, Sarah Myrick, Shawn Tyler, Ricky Price City Administrator : Monte Walker City Secretary: Michelle Hewitt Utility Billing and Municipal Court 116 E. Haning St. 903-532-5571 Utility Clerk: Beccy Roberts Court Clerk: Amy Bond (After hours night drop available) Public Works 317 S. Hughes St. Public Works Director: Justin Johnson Code Enforcement 317 S. Hughes St. Code Enforcement Officer: Howe Volunteer Fire Department 118 E. Haning 903-532-6888 (nonemergency) Fire Chief: Robert Maniet Howe Police Department 700 W. Haning St. 903-532-9971 (non-emergency) Dispatch 903813-4411 Police Chief: Jake Sullivan Economic Development 100 E. O’Connell St. 903-5326080 EDC Director: Monte Walker City Council meets third Tuesday at 100 E. O’Connell St. at 6 pm.

Planning & Zoning Commission Meets third Monday as needed Howe Community Facilities Development Corporation Meets as needed For more information visit the city website www.cityofhowe.org

Cityofhowe.org City of Howe Water, Sewer, Refuse collection rates - one bill

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April 30, 2026

The Patriot Pony A Slick Exit

Posted April 29: The United Arab Emirates announced yesterday it will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, effective May 1, citing national interests and a desire for greater autonomy over its energy policy. The move signals a reshaping of Middle Eastern alliances exacerbated by the Iran war.

The 12-member group sets prices for more than a quarter of the world’s oil by imposing production quotas on its members. Before the Iran war, the UAE was OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, accounting for 3.6 million barrels per day, or 12% of the group’s total output. The country now aims to produce 5 million barrels per day by 2027. The announcement heightens tensions with Saudi Arabia, already strained over differing policies on Israel and Yemen (hear why they're feuding).

OPEC was founded in 1960, with Abu Dhabi joining seven years later.

Today, the group includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela. Watch a 15-minute video on how oil has shaped global power.

Scientists have created the first-ever map of smell receptors in the nose, according to a study published yesterday. The breakthrough could pave the way for therapies to treat loss of smell, such as stem cell treatments or brain-computer interfaces.

A Harvard team used mice to detail the arrangement of smell receptors in the nose, which bind to odor molecules and send signals to the brain (watch process). The map reveals that the receptors are highly organized, clustering in horizontal bands by type (see map). This layout mirrors the layout of the brain region that interprets smells, providing insights into how signals flow from the nose to the brain.

For more than three decades, scientists assumed the over 1,000 smell receptor types were randomly arranged, in part because their sheer number made patterns difficult to discern. The latest study is the prod-

Posted April 29: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma was sentenced yesterday in its long-running opioid criminal case, clearing the way for a settlement that includes a $225M forfeiture to the Justice Department and a broader deal that could reach $7B over 15 years. Purdue will also be dissolved and replaced by a new company, Knoa Pharma.

The sentencing follows years of litigation and a 2020 guilty plea in which Purdue admitted it failed to stop its painkillers from being diverted to the black market and used doctor-speaker programs to drive prescriptions. Under the settlement, the Sackler family, which owns Purdue, will pay state, local, and tribal gov-

Smell, Mapped at Last

Posted April 29:

Sackler Sentencing

uct of new genetic techniques that enabled the analysis of about 5.5 million neurons across more than 300 mice.

Why can't you smell the inside of your nose? Blame olfactory fatigue. (w/audio)

ernments, along with some individual victims, while family members who agree to the terms will be shielded from opioid lawsuits.

Opioid overdoses killed about 806,000 people in the US from 1999 through 2023. In 2023, about 76% of US drug overdose deaths involved opioids—averaging 217 peopledaily.

Purdue's portion is roughly 12.8% of national opioid settlements (see tracker).

From ancient ritual to national crisis, listen to the history of opioids.

Data Dragnet Dispute

Posted April 28: The Supreme Court yesterday considered whether police can access cellphone location data, potentially shaping how millions of Americans' movements are tracked. A ruling is expected by summer.

After witness interviews and security footage produced no leads in a 2019 Virginia bank robbery, officials obtained a warrant requiring Google to share data on devices within a 150meter radius of the bank 30 minutes before and after the crime. That led to Okello Chatrie, who is serving nearly 12 years in prison. His lawyers argue the warrant was overly broad, violating Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches (101 here). The government, however, says anyone who voluntarily shares their location with tech companies has no expectation of privacy.

About four in five US adults report enabling location sharing on their

devices, which companies like Google, Apple, and Uber use to give personalized search results, weather updates, and other location-based services.

How does your phone know where you are in the first place?

Learn here (w/video).

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April 30, 2026

The Patriot Pony Space Solar Bet

Posted April 28: Meta yesterday announced a deal with startup Overview Energy to purchase solar power collected by satellite and beamed back to Earth, an experimental approach that could power data centers at night.

The idea of harvesting solar power from space was first imagined in a 1941 short story (listen here) and formally proposed by engineer Peter Glasser in 1968, but has remained mostly theoretical due to cost and complexity.

Unlike traditional solar power, which relies on storing daylight, spacebased solar power (see illustration) aims to deliver continuous energy.

Overview Energy plans to deploy satellites over 22,000 miles from Earth's equator, where they would collect and transmit infrared energy to solar panels. A test is scheduled for 2028, with a commercial rollout in 2030. Meta is seeking up to 1 gigawatt of power from the project, underscoring its energy needs for AI. In 2024, Meta's data centers consumed 18,000 times the electricity that this deal would deliver in a single hour.

Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman, and several others (including Microsoft) heads to court today with jury selection in Oakland, California. Opening arguments are expected tomorrow.

Musk cofounded OpenAI alongside Altman and several others in 2015 with a founding mission to develop artificial intelligence to benefit all humanity, unencumbered by corporate interests (see mission statement).

Musk alleges he was misled when he donated tens of millions of dollars on the understanding it would remain a nonprofit; OpenAI transitioned to a public benefit corporation in October of last year. The trial—which centers on two claims, unjust enrichment and breach of charitable trust— comes in the lead-up to OpenAI’s potential public filing later this year.

The company is targeting a $1T valuation.

Musk seeks up to $134B to be re-

Posted April 27: The longstanding two-hour marathon milestone was broken in London over the weekend—not just by one competitor, but two. Kenyan Sabastian Sawe finished the race in 1:59:30, finishing 11 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha (in what was the latter’s first official marathon).

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, also wore the shoes and finished in 2:15:41.

The winning time is equivalent to running a mile in 4 minutes and 33 seconds, 26 times in a row. See how the development of energy return technology in shoes has pushed elite runners to previously unattainable speeds (w/video).

The sub-two-hour mark was unofficially broken in 2019 by Eliud Kipchoge, but had never been reached in a sanctioned race. Both Sawe and Kejelcha ran in a newly debuted Adidas shoe model weighing less than 100 grams (roughly equal to a deck of cards) and designed to return energy from sole compression with each step. The women’s winner,

Musk v. Altman

Posted April 27:

Marathon Record Falls

turned to OpenAI's nonprofit arm, and wants OpenAI to be forced to return to nonprofit status. Among high-profile tech leaders who could testify are Musk, Altman, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Silicon Valley Belt-Tightening

Posted April 24: Microsoft is offering 7% of its US employees (more than 8,000 people) voluntary buyouts for the first time in the company’s 51-year history. To be eligible, employees’ age and tenure at the company must add up to at least 70 years, and the workers must be at a senior director level or below.

The move allows Microsoft to avoid formal layoffs and comes as the company seeks to expand its AI investments beyond OpenAI. That includes a focus on its Copilot products, which have experienced interoperability issues. Meanwhile, OpenAI released its newest AI model yesterday, ChatGPT 5.5, roughly a month after the release of ChatGPT 5.4.

Separately, Meta announced it will be laying off 10% of its employees, impacting roughly 8,000 workers, beginning May 20. The company is also scrapping plans to hire for 6,000 open roles as it continues to move

resources toward investments in AI.