We’ve officially reached the unofficial end of summer.
For most of us, Labor Day means the last long weekend to relax, spend time with family and friends, or maybe even squeeze in one final trip to the pool or beach.
But Labor Day is also a chance to recognize the millions of people who go to work every day and keep the country running.
Teachers, first responders, nurses, factory workers, small business owners and so many others whose work we rely on, often without giving it much thought.
A special thank you to those working today while the rest of us get the day off.
The Unbiased Updates team will be back tomorrow.
Until then, here are a few stories from Straight Arrow worth a read while you enjoy the long weekend.
Enjoy the holiday. We’ll see you tomorrow.
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Americans are keeping cars longer, so the auto industry is making it easier to pay for repairs
By Joanne Cleaver
Transmission work used to be a one-and-done deal for the technicians at Croce’s Transmission Specialists, a car repair shop in Connecticut. But now, customers with newly fixed transmissions often bring in their other vehicles, too, for an evaluation and potential preventive work.
That’s a sign of the times, Maryann Croce said, who has owned and operated the shop with her husband since 1999. As Americans hold on to their cars longer than ever, they’re investing in longevity and shifting maintenance habits accordingly. That changing mindset has put the auto maintenance industry in a new gear: helping customers re-invest in a valued asset, rather than exhaust a depleting commodity.
How hike-and-bike trails offer a second act for lost factory towns
By Cari Shane
In Piedmont, Alabama, the city’s new industry had long remained invisible to many of its residents.
Piedmont sits in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in Alabama’s northeast corner. Rolling hills and thick green forests hug the town and its 4,674 residents. Buildings made from red clay brick dot the landscape. The old cotton mill, built in 1892, was made from that same brick crafted with “Bama soil.”
It’s been decades since the cotton mill, which had been the livelihood of so many, shuttered.
“Most everybody in town can trace some familial link to the mill, and there’s a bittersweet sentiment felt by many,” the Anniston Star wrote in 1995, when the long-abandoned building was finally torn down.
From guacamole to jalapeños, here’s how 2026 food illness outbreaks compare to other years
By Julia Marshall
Lettuce, jalapenos, guacamole, eggs, frozen fruit — these are all foods with current open FDA investigations due to suspected foodborne illnesses. Broad news coverage of some of these, like the Cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce, may leave some Americans questioning what they can and can’t eat.
Illnesses like Cyclospora, Salmonella and E. coli have popped up around the country since the start of the year, with outbreaks affecting as few as a handful of people and as many as hundreds.
So why does it seem like there are so many more outbreaks this year? And how does 2026 compare to years past?
Is college worth it? New census data offers answers, but access to that information is at risk
By Lauren Pearle
For students and families trying to answer one of the most consequential financial questions they will face — whether college or graduate school is worth the cost — the federal government just made a powerful trove of earnings data considerably larger.
The Census Bureau on Thursday expanded its Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes, or PSEO, experimental dataset to 1,117 colleges and universities, covering about 40% of all U.S. college graduates.
The interactive tool allows prospective students to see what graduates earned with particular degrees from participating schools one year, five years and 10 years after graduation. Users can also compare broader state-level results.
Can AI fix workplace burnout? A new report weighs in
By Joanne Cleaver
Contrary to its reputation, a new report found that artificial intelligence in the workplace is likely to confirm employees’ expertise, potentially clearing the way for greater career and work-life balance autonomy.
A just-released report from the Transamerica Institute, the research nonprofit offshoot of the insurance company, found that while everybody is worried about how AI will transform work, bosses are also stressing about employee mental health, productivity and how their staff manages the intersection of professional and personal responsibilities.
The study concentrated on employer retirement benefits and supports, including expectations for career paths and the nature of employment. Even as AI infuses enormous career uncertainty, one thing is clear: AI requires human-installed and maintained guardrails, Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of the institute, told Straight Arrow.
Why farmworkers can no longer afford to live where they work
By Patrick Cooley
Connecticut farmer Will O’Meara faces a host of challenges. Finding affordable property with fertile soil and battling a rapidly warming climate make his job feel like running against the wind.
“But one of our biggest challenges is finding and retaining employees that are able to afford to live in our area,” he told Straight Arrow.
O’Meara lives in a region blanketed with crop fields. But development is encroaching, placing his farm squarely in the urban/rural interface where growers compete with housing developers for precious acreage.
“A 12,000 square-foot ranch on our street sold for about $400,000,” O’Meara said. “It’s very difficult for farm workers to find places to live nearby, especially if they’re young and don’t have a spouse or partner.”
O’Meara wishes he could pay workers enough to afford property in his corner of Connecticut, where an acre of farmland sells for $14,400. He can’t.
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Battling both dragons and inner demons by applying games like ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ to therapy
“It’s time…to roll for initiative.”
The game master watches from behind their screen as the table full of players check their character sheets and reach for dice bags. An assortment of colorful 20-sided dice clatter on the table and numbers are called out.
It’s a scene that could take place anywhere: a school, library, game store, or dining room. Tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons have been in the mainstream for years. Shows like “Stranger Things” or podcasts like “Critical Role” have helped bring basement nerd culture to the limelight.
But this table is more than the typical hobby. The game master going over notes behind their screen is a therapist, and the players rolling their dice are their patients. The popularity of TTRPGs has spread into other industries. One niche seeing more application of gaming culture is healthcare, specifically psychotherapy.
