Glendora, Calif. – October 01, 2026 -- Los Angeles Pacific University (LAPU) has officially changed its name to Azusa Pacific University Global (APU Global), aligning its fully online degree programs with the Azusa Pacific University (APU) brand.

APU Global continues to offer 100% online, asynchronous associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs built for working adults. APU, the traditional campus-based institution, keeps its focus on on-campus and hybrid education.

Las Vegas – October 01, 2026 -- Neon City Festival revealed its expanded 2026 lineup for a free, all-ages, three-day celebration set for Nov. 20-22 in downtown Las Vegas.

Diplo, Big Boi and Three 6 Mafia headline newly announced acts

Diplo, Big Boi, Cobra Starship, Freddie Gibbs, Joyce Manor and Three 6 Mafia join previously confirmed performers Kaskade, Subtronics and The Fray for the third annual event.

Lisle, Illinois – October 01, 2026 -- The Morton Arboretum's holiday lights exhibition Illumination opens for its 14th season on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027, adding four new large-scale installations and a model train experience called Pine Whistle Railroad.

Tickets went on sale to Arboretum members on Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. CT and open to the general public Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. CT through mortonarb.org/illumination.

Longboat Key, Fla. – October 01, 2026 -- AGCF, the luxury accessories house founded by Alexandra Gucci Zarini, has opened its second boutique inside the lobby of The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort on Florida's Gulf Coast. The opening marks the brand's first East Coast location, following its flagship at 479 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

Concord, N.C. – October 01, 2026 -- Homeowners with backyard pools face hidden winter risks that can turn into costly repairs if left unchecked, according to a new HelloNation feature spotlighting guidance from Brandon and Carmen Whitley, pool contractors based in Concord, NC.

The article explains that cold temperatures stress water chemistry, plumbing lines, and mechanical equipment long after swimming season ends. Experienced builders, it notes, help homeowners spot these issues early before small problems become expensive fixes.

Eden Prairie, Minn. – October 01, 2026 -- Starkey has launched Omega AI+, a new hearing aid family built around a chip the company says processes sound up to 2.7 times faster than rival devices that advertise deep neural network processing.

Sheridan – October 01, 2026 -- Special Olympics Indiana is moving its signature Polar Plunge season showcase from Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis to SKYLAKE Adventures, a new adventure park in Sheridan, starting in 2027.

SKYLAKE Adventures opened in June 2026 just north of Westfield's Grand Park Sports Campus. Its first phase included a six-acre manmade lagoon, white-sand beaches, floating obstacle courses and water slides. For winter, the venue will add a snow tubing hill, ice skating, a three-story ropes course and holiday activities to host the plunge.

Harlingen, Texas – October 01, 2026 -- Homeowners in South Texas could owe thousands of dollars out of pocket after a hurricane, depending on how their insurance deductible is calculated. A HelloNation article breaks down why hurricane deductibles differ sharply from standard homeowner policies and what that means for storm recovery budgets.

Lexington, S.C. – October 01, 2026 -- Prospective homeowners in Lexington, South Carolina, don't need to purchase land before contacting a custom home builder, according to a new HelloNation article examining the home-building process.

Palm Desert, CA – October 01, 2026 -- FP Movement, the activewear brand from Free People, has opened a 2,297-square-foot store at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert, California, on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

The store joins Free People's existing location at the same shopping center

The new boutique sits next to Free People's storefront, which opened at The Gardens on El Paseo this past July. Together, the two stores expand FP Movement's footprint in the desert community.