Best states to live in: Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, report finds

Are you looking for a new place to call home? Many people have relocated during the current pandemic.

But a lot goes into selecting a new place, especially if that location is in another state.

WalletHub compiled a list ranking the best states to live in this year.

The personal finance website compared 50 states based on 52 key indicators of livability. Those categories included the cost of living, job opportunities, education quality and safety.

According to WalletHub, Massachusetts was the No. 1 overall state, closely followed by New Jersey and New York. Idaho and Virginia rounded out the report’s top five.

Adam McCann, a financial writer with WalletHub, shared that Mississippi was ranked the lowest on the report, coming in at No. 50 overall. Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico rounded out the bottom five states.

Some other key findings in the report were Iowa and Nebraska had the lowest housing costs in the country, while California and Hawaii had some of the highest prices.

Maine was found to have the fewest violent crimes per 1,000 residents. New Hampshire had the lowest share of residents living in poverty, while South Dakota was said to have the shortest average commute time.

Man sets state record with catching 10-foot white sturgeon, officials say

Mountain Home, Idaho

Officials in Idaho say a Utah man caught a massive, 10-foot-long white sturgeon at C.J. Strike Reservoir earlier this month.

On Friday, the Idaho Fish and Game shared a picture of the monster catch, congratulating Greg Poulsen, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, for setting a new state record for white sturgeon.

The government agency said Paulsen landed the 10-foot, 4-inch monster sturgeon while fishing on Aug. 5.

According to Idaho Fish and Game, the rare fish swam past the previous record of 119.5 inches, set in 2019 by Rusty Peterson and friends.

State officials said the C.J. Strike Reservoir is in southwestern Idaho and is typically known for abundant crappie and smallmouth bass.

According to the agency, fishing for Idaho’s white sturgeon is allowed strictly on a catch-and-release basis, and they may not be removed from the water while handling.

Survey: More young adults living with parents, in multigenerational households

As prices on seemingly everything over the last few years have increased, more and more families are teaming up to help one another.

A Pew Research Center survey found that young adults in the U.S. are much more likely to live in a multigenerational household these days than they were 50 years ago.

The survey defined multigenerational living as a household with two or more adult generations, typically 25 and older, and a living situation that has increased among all age groups over the past five decades.

Young adults in the U.S. have been coping with rising student debt and housing costs. According to the numbers, multigenerational living has provided young adults a little break from higher costs of living and debt.

According to the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C., a quarter of U.S. adults ages 25 to 34 resided in a multigenerational family household in 2021, up from 9% in 1971.

The survey showed growth in multigenerational living among 25- to 34-year-olds has been especially pronounced among those without a college degree. Multigenerational living has tripled among these young adults, compared with a doubling among young adults with at least a bachelor’s degree.

According to the survey’s findings, in 1971, the prevalence of multigenerational living among young adults was similar regardless of educational attainment. However, by 2021, 31% of young adults who had not finished college were in a multigenerational arrangement, almost double the share of their peers who had completed at least a bachelor’s degree (16%).

Survey participants in October 2021 also shared that financial issues were a primary reason adults lived in multigenerational households. The most common living arrangement was young adults living in a home with one or both of their parents.

Researchers said that when it comes to financial contributions, the typical 25- to 34-year-old in a multigenerational household contributed 22% of the household’s total income in 2021.

Conservationist Jane Goodall gets Barbie made from 99% recycled plastics

Barbie is paying tribute to renowned conservationist Jane Goodall with a new doll.

Mattel announced earlier this week that it is introducing a Dr. Jane Goodall Inspiring Women doll and a 2022 Barbie Career of the Year Eco-Leadership team.

The Barbie brand has joined the Jane Goodall Institute to make dolls that are made of 99% recycled plastic.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Barbie and encourage young children to learn from their environment and feel that they can make a difference,” Goodall said. “Through this partnership, I hope to inspire the next generation of eco-leaders.”

Mattel said the dolls are currently available and are helping the company’s goal to be using 100% recycled materials in its products and packaging by 2030.

“We are proud to unveil our first sustainable Barbie Inspiring Women and Career of the Year Eco-Leadership team dolls, which further demonstrate our shared commitment to creating a more sustainable future,” said Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Mattel. “Kids need more role models like Dr. Jane Goodall.”

According to Mattel, the Goodall doll is part of Barbie’s Inspiring Women Series, paying tribute to the female heroes of their time.

Zoo welcomes ‘extremely important’ birth of tiger cub triplets

Indianapolis

It’s the Year of the Tiger and the Indianapolis Zoo is celebrating the birth of tiger triplets.

On May 27, the zoo’s 7-year-old Amur tiger, Zoya, gave birth to the trio. Two of the cubs are male and one is female. The zoo reports the cubs are doing well and their mom is in good health.

Zoo representatives said when Zoya delivered baby number one, she was tending to the cub but still showed signs of labor. Veterinary staff then delivered the two other cubs by cesarean section. The cubs weighed in at around 2 pounds each.

Zoya was born at the zoo in 2014 and is a first-time mom. The father is 14-year-old Pavel.

The zoo also noted that the cubs’ birth is “extremely important” as there are currently fewer than 100 Amur tigers in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Currently, the zoo’s animal care team is taking care of the cubs and the trio is expected to be introduced to the public in mid-September at 16 weeks old.

Zoo representatives said the team would be launching a community campaign to name the cubs in July.