For children and teens ages 1 to 19, motor vehicle collisions are the second leading cause of death.

For younger children, improper use of car seats and booster seats can increase the risk of serious injury in a crash. The good news is that parents and caregivers can help protect children by ensuring they are properly secured in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt that is appropriate for their age and size.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25

OCONTO: Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Farnsworth Public Library, 715 Main St. Story and crafts for preschool children. A caregiver must stay with the child.

SHAWANO: 2026 Homecoming Parade, 6 p.m., Main Street. Theme “Out of This World.”

SURING: Recovery Talking Circle, 6-8 p.m. South Branch Community Center, W1281 County Road M.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26

The thought of planning one’s funeral isn’t typically at the top of someone’s to-do list. But should it be?

Planning a funeral for a deceased relative, significant other or friend is ranked as one of the most difficult tasks in life when funeral arrangements aren’t made ahead of time.

Funeral homes offer a way to arrange one’s funeral through pre-needs planning.

I was shocked Aug. 26 when I read online that Dolly Parton had died.

“That’s impossible,” I thought. “I’ll turn on the TV to see if it’s true.”

It was. Breaking into tears, I had to sit down, unable to process the idea that Dolly was gone. Though I never met her, it felt like a part of me was gone, too.

Colorful poinsettias and flowering Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus fill garden centers and homes during the holiday season. If you saved your plants from last year, it is time to get started forcing them into bloom for the upcoming holidays.

Fall is a great time for birding as many species are on the move, migrating from their northern breeding grounds to their wintering grounds in the south.