A professional basketball player signed a four-year contract worth $180 million with a new team

Coffee shop sources coffee beans directly from small farms in Central AmericaMiddle school organizes field trip to science museum for students

Fashion show features designs by students from local fashion schoolResearch shows that walking barefoot on grass reduces stress levelsPet hospital offers 24 hour emergency care for pets

City holds parade to celebrate national holiday with local marching bandsOnline retailer offers free shipping for orders over $50

Physicists conduct experiments to study black hole behavior

Softball team wins regional tournament and qualifies for nationalsMovie studio releases behind-the-scenes documentary about upcoming film

Power company starts pilot program for smart meters to help customers save energySurvey reveals most travelers prefer staying in boutique hotels over chain hotels

Theater group puts on outdoor production of "Romeo and Juliet" in city parkBiologists track movement of elephant herds using GPS collars

(责任编辑：山本健司)

• ·The city council banned the use of plastic straws in all restaurants and cafes
• ·A city launched a public art project where local artists painted murals on downtown buildings
• ·A cultural exchange program allowed students to travel to other countries to learn about different traditions
• ·Researchers discovered a new species of fish in a deep-sea trench off the coast of Japan
• ·Fashion show raises money for charity with designs by local students
• ·A city installed more streetlights in park areas to reduce after-dark crime
• ·A study found fiction reading improves empathy and emotional intelligence in all ages
• ·The government passed a law to limit noise from nightclubs and bars in residential areas
• ·A celebrity chef appeared on a talk show to demonstrate a new recipe
• ·Scientists developed a rapid test for a common childhood illness that takes 5 minutes
• ·A construction project to build a new elementary school in a growing neighborhood started
• ·The government announced a new plan to reduce student loan debt
• ·A charity raised funds to support animal shelters that care for abandoned pets
• ·A charity organized a 5K walkathon that raised $75,000 for childhood cancer research
• ·A construction company won a contract to build a new hospital wing for pediatric care
• ·Researchers calculated that using energy-efficient light bulbs can save households $50 a year on electricity bills