The spotlight will be on the most talented canines in the country when the AKC National Championship Dog Show airs on New Year's Day. Megan Leavey, U.S. Marine Corporal Veteran, who completed two tours in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 along with her military working dog Rex, joined us to chat about her life experiences that influenced her to get involved in the event.
The competition celebrates five dogs that have significantly improved the lives of their owners and communities. Leavey explains how the organization selects the dogs for the show and shares the most extraordinary thing she has seen a dog do. She says the bomb-sniffing dogs make the top of the list.
Leavey was discharged from the military after suffering an injury in the line of duty and receiving the Purple Heart. That didn't stop her from working with some of the most talented dogs. The veteran continued to work as a K9 handler in NYC with another explosion detection dog.
Members of the Kappa League mentoring program at Wyandanch Memorial High School in Long Island, NY are preparing for an educational trip to Ghana. Principal Paul Sibblies is on a mission to enrich his students' lives to put some of them in touch with their roots. "When you invest in young people, then it's the greatest investment you can make," he said.
A group of 15 students recently graduated from SANYS U., a six-week program held by the Self Advocacy Association of New York State. The course helps people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf, learning more about their rights, legislation and issues that matter most.
The minivan is turning 40 years old this year. While it made up just 1.8 percent of the car market in 2022, that number could begin to tick up, as more families increase interest in the car's advantages. Cheddar News' senior reporter Michelle Castillo takes a deeper look at the minivan's lineage.
