Features

SAN FRANCISCO -- It rises from the western edge of the continent like a crown, the apex of an American dream begun 3,000 miles earlier at the Statue of Liberty. When it opened May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge provided the country -- weary from the Great Depression and worried about rising talk of war -- with one final, majestic projection of its Manifest Destiny. Here was a bridge not just for transport, but transcendence.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Picture this: Hundreds of thousands of people are crammed shoulder to shoulder on the Golden Gate Bridge when suddenly the bridge's gentle arch begins to flatten out. A metal groan then echoes across San Francisco Bay as the majestic towers begin tilting toward each other.

As the towers hit their breaking point, the 3-foot-thick main suspension cables slacken and the roadway splits open, dropping waves of pedestrians more than 200 feet to their deaths.

That almost happened 25 years ago Thursday, at least according to urban legend.

In the best-selling "The Hunger Games" book series, main character Katniss is able to survive in the wilderness by foraging the aquatic plant she was named after. She also manages to kill off a foe by feeding her a poisonous berry.

Most folks won't find themselves in a situation of life and death the way Katniss did, but foraging for food can be a fun pastime if you know which plants are edible and which ones pose a danger.

I'm one of those women who likes reading men's health and fitness magazines. Though they all promise bodies and sex lives that most of us will never have, I'm drawn to the funny, self-deprecating tone, the functional workout tips and the emphasis on sweat, competition and strength training.

Summer isn't just a time of year. It's a sleep-in, stay-up-late, soak-up-the-sun lifestyle.

Gear up for 90-plus days of beaches, balmy weather and barbecue with style and beauty essentials that are both fashionable and functional. Here are seven necessities for spending the season in style.

SEATTLE -- Why wasn't this intruder getting the message?

The lord of the manor had warned him repeatedly to back off, with threatening gestures and loud admonitions. But the trespasser just sat there -- singing.

KAYSVILLE — Davis High School has one of the most accomplished band programs in the state and can be counted among the “best of the best,” as evidenced by the band’s recent invitation to perform in the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

At the core of the program are more than 300 teenagers who dedicate many hours each week, both during and after school, toward perfecting their music and working as a team.

“(Being in the band) is about learning how to work well with people, how to be friends with others, and trying to come together with a common goal to create something great,” said Jacob D. Christensen, 18, who emphasized that the “D” was important because there is another Jacob Christensen in the band.