Topic: New York City

How far north will figs grow?

Figs can be grown in colder climates than many imagine.

Video games start to shape classroom curriculum

While more educators adopt games as a learning tool, one public school designs a brand new teaching philosophy.

Controversial path to possible glut of natural gas

Water and chemicals injected at high pressure can extract more gas – and possibly pollute drinking water.

Obama, McCain observe 9/11 anniversary

Botanist's aim: revive New York ecosystems

Paul Mankiewicz wants to harness wastewater to make things grow.

Lessons from the library lions

The qualities embodied in the statues' nicknames came in handy during college and beyond.

Home Girl

Drug dealers, house renovation, and rebirth in West Harlem.

The day the Internet shut down

People returned to reading books, perusing newspapers, and, believe it or not, dating in person.

The Monitor's View: Headway with the homeless

Through a concept called 'housing first,' America is finally reducing homelessness.

Who's poor? It depends on where you live, some say.

New York officials have unveiled a first-of-its-kind poverty measure that includes the city's actual costs of living.

Does 'Catcher' still belong on the list?

Michelle Obama's speech and US expectations of a first lady

She reintroduced herself to the American people Monday, with a focus on family and public service.

Bush education law: shift ahead?

No Child Left Behind Act could be overhauled by a new president and Congress next year.

Not so smart cards easily hacked

MIT students hack into Boston's transit system, highlighting security flaws in mass-transit cards.

Feeling pinched? It's no time to crack the nest egg.

Resist the urge to panic, say pros, and keep on investing for retirement.

Traffic stoppers

An increasing number of cities are temporarily closing streets to cars and opening them to pedestrians and cyclists. It fosters a greater sense of community.

Lawmaker ethics. An oxymoron?

Democrats promised to make Congress more ethical. Did they succeed? A little ... maybe.

Medicaid bears brunt of states' budget crunch

Healthcare cuts in California and New York could affect thousands.

Mexican street art with an edge

Oaxaca's art first burst onto the city's walls in 2006 after protesters clashed with police.

Now playing: a coastal town’s rite of summer

With Cape May’s historic movie theater at a crossroads, supporters race to write a happy ending.

Local corn, Italian flavor

Use seasonal staples in recipes that evoke another place.

EarthTalk: Do city ‘congestion taxes’ really help the environment?

Singapore, Stockholm, and London tinker with variable toll pricing. New York wants to join the club. But does it work?

Heirloom: Notes from an Accidental Tomato Farmer

A writer turns his attention to organic gardening.

An urban marsh’s unfinished saga

New York’s Jamaica Bay serves as a microcosm for the world’s wetland woes.

Marrying Anita

The US had failed her. So Anita Jain turned to her ancestral home to provide a husband.