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97-year-old former cheerleader gets to cheer one last time with the squad she helped create

She even got to do a cheer stunt!

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97-year-old cheerleader cheers with high school squad one last time

For many people reminiscing on your time in high school can bring you moments of joy. The memories seem to bee especially fond for former high school athletes and those that participated in other activities, likely due to the additional time spent with peers. This sort of nostalgia doesn't stop just because you've reached an age that most would consider well beyond their glory years.

One of the funny things about growing older is you keep waiting to feel like an adult but oftentimes you simply feel like a slightly slower version of your teenaged self. It can feel like one moment you're flying through the air from a basket toss and the next you're putting grippy things in the bottom of your tub because a slippery surface means a hip breaking hazard.

But that reality doesn't stop some people from being as active as possible for as long as they physically can, like Michigan woman Ilagene Doehring. The elderly woman is 97-years-old and when she was in high school, more than 80 years ago, she was a cheerleader at Merrill High School on a squad she helped create after noticing the school didn't have one.

Doehring tells WNEM News, “I just felt bad that Merrill High School didn’t have cheerleaders when all the other schools had them,” she said. “So, we decided to do something about it. We had a hard time finding orange material to make our uniforms. We had a lady that sewed them for us and that was it."

women in black and white tank top Photo by leah hetteberg on Unsplash

Recently Doehring was chatting with her caretakers at Candlestone Assisted Living about her days as a cheerleader and her desire to wear her old cheer uniform again when they got a brilliant idea. After hearing all about how the woman was the reason that the local high school even had cheerleaders, they reached out on social media to see if someone had an old uniform Doehring could wear one last time.

The cheer coach, Jena Glazier from Merrill High School was not only able to secure a uniform that fits the 97-year-old, but decided to go a step further. Glazier and the entire cheer team showed up to the assisted living facility to not only deliver the uniform but invite Doehring to cheer with them. The squad and Doehring were able to perform in front of the other residents in the facility. At one point, the former cheerleader got to take her high school nostalgia off the ground by being a flyer in a stunt.

will ferrell snl GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy

Don't worry, there were no basket tosses or heel stretches going on. It was a low stunt where the cheerleaders don't lift the flyer's feet above their chest, otherwise generally known as a "low elevator."

Her skills impressed the cheerleaders, "We had asked her if she remembered any cheers from when she was in school and we were figuring it was probably 84...85 years ago and she was right on top of it and she said yes. When we walked in the door she was already cheering before we could even start cheering she was ready to go," Glazier tells the news outlet.


But the staff at the assisted living facility are not surprised by her athleticism. According to Kati Roper, the Life and Enrichment Director at Candlestone Assisted Living, the woman can probably run faster than her and is full of spirit. Doehring taught the cheerleaders some cheers she used to do and while she admits that she was embarrassed to have all the attention on her that day, she reminded Glazier that she's the reason the cheer team exists.

“When I left, she said, ‘Without me, you wouldn’t have Merrill cheer.’ And I just thought on that, and I’m just so grateful for her because I know what it probably took to get that started, and she’s allowed me to come in after her – a foundation that she built and her and her girls, they built this program – and I get to come in behind her and mentor girls all the time because of that,” Glazier shares with WNEM.

Doehring has certainly left a legacy at her old high school and has made an impression on the current cheerleaders and everyone that gets to witness her revisit memory lane.

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6 states where the minimum wage and cost of living offer the best bang for your buck

The highest state minimum wage in the U.S. is now $16.28 per hour, but some cities are even higher.

Map via Wikimedia Commons (multiple creators)

State minimum wages range from $7.25/hr to $17.00/hr in 2024.

Public discourse about minimum wage and living wages has been ongoing for years, with people debating whether the government should mandate a minimum hourly pay for workers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first federal minimum wage law in 1938, setting the lowest wage a worker could be paid at 25 cents per hour. Nearly a century later, the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr, holding steady since 2009, with people lobbying to raise it to at least $15/hr for over a decade.

However, in addition to federal law, each state has its own laws, a handful of which establish a state minimum wage higher than $15, a handful of which don't have a set minimum wage at all and everything in between. Cost of living has also been a hot topic as inflation has squeezed everyone's wallets and certain cities and states have become utterly unaffordable, especially for people in low-wage jobs or who who are just starting out in their careers. So how do minimum wage and cost of living correlate state-by-state? Are there any sweet spots with a high(er) minimum wage and low(er) cost of living?

While there’s no perfect storm of super low cost of living and super high minimum wage—for instance, Washington, D.C. has the highest state minimum wage at $17/hr, but housing costs 140% more than the national average—there are some states where the ratio is far more favorable than others. According to Insider Monkey, here are the top six states where you can get the most bang for your minimum wage buck.

6. New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment offers a relatively decent living for its $12/hr minimum wage thanks to the state's below average cost of living. According to Rent Cafe, housing in New Mexico is 8% lower than the national average, monthly utilities are 9% lower, food is 4% lower, transportation is 3% lower and healthcare, goods and services are 2% lower.

According to Smart Asset, Albuquerque, New Mexico ranks as No. 10 in U.S. cities where minimum wage goes the furthest.

5. New Jersey

The Garden State's relatively higher-than-average cost of living is counteracted by relatively solid minimum wage of $14.13/hr. Most of the cost of living in New Jersey is wrapped up in housing, which is 30% higher than the national average, according to Rent Cafe, and utilities, which are 12% higher. Goods and services are 5% higher, but healthcare is 2% lower than the national average. Food and transportation are 1% and 2% higher, respectively.

4. Connecticut

With both a cost of living and minimum wage slightly higher than New Jersey, Connecticut rolls in at No. 4 with a $15/hr minimum wage. Where the Constitution State hits hardest is in utilities, which Rent Cafe places at 30% higher than the national average, and housing, which is 24% higher. Healthcare and goods and services are both 9% higher, while transportation and food are just 1% and 2% above average.

3. Missouri

The Show-Me State says, "Show me the money!" with its somewhat respectable $12/hr minimum wage, which goes pretty far with its relatively low cost of living. Housing is the biggest cost benefit Missouri offers at 18% lower than the national average. But utilities, food, healthcare, and goods and services are also all below average, with only transportation landing right at the national average.

Additionally, St. Louis clocked in at No. 5 for a minimum wage real-world value of $13.68 when adjusting for the city's lower-than-average cost of living.

2. Washington

With the highest state minimum wage in the nation (unless you count Washington, D.C.), Washington's $16.48/hr puts it in second place when accounting for cost of living. Make no mistake, Washington isn't cheap overall, with a cost of living 15% higher than the national average. Housing and transportation hit hard at 29% and 27% higher than the national average, respectively. Healthcare is pricey as well at 20% higher than average. Food costs 12% more, but utilities clock in at 7% less than the national average.

Two cities in Washington hit the top 15 for highest real minimum wage value, though, with Seattle at No. 13 and Spokane at No. 2.

map of united states with these states highlighted in green: Washington, New Mexico, Missouri, Illinois, New Jersey and Connecticut

These six states offer the best minimum wage to cost of living ratio.

Created with mapchart.net

1. Illinois

If you want the best bang for your minimum wage buck, head to the Prairie State with its $13/hr minimum wage and 8% lower than average cost of living. Housing in Illinois is 22% lower than average and utilities are 10% lower. The only expense that comes in higher than average for Illinois is transportation at 3% above average, which isn't enough to keep it out of the top spot.

However, there are some minimum wage sweet spots in certain U.S. cities that aren't reflected in these state rankings. According to Smart Asset, Denver, CO, is the city where minimum wage goes the farthest in the nation. Colorado comes in at a respectable 7th place in state minimum-wage-to-cost-of-living ratio, but Denver has its own mandatory minimum wage of $18.29/hr.

A citywide minimum wage is part of what puts Seattle at the No. 13 spot on that same list. Seattle is one of the most expensive cities in the U.S., but its $19.97 minimum wage for most workers changes the ratio in its favor.

Other cities in the top 10 include Buffalo, NY; Minneapolis, MN; Tucson, AZ; St. Paul, MN; Phoenix, AZ and Stockton, CA.

The minimum wage conversation may vary widely across the U.S., with different costs of living and different state laws on the books. But if you're looking to move someplace where your wage will go the furthest, these six states will likely be your best bet to check out first.


This article originally appeared in June.

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She asked her Muslim neighbor about funeral customs, then left with an unexpected gift

This heartfelt video is reminding everyone about the beauty of sharing cultures.

@babybugz213/TikTok

No one would argue that the United States of America has felt…not so united lately. And the results of the 2024 election, distressing headlines about seemingly never-ending political divide, the very real possibility of hard won human rights being snatched away…it all adds to feelings of disillusionment. Not only in the ethos of the American Dream. But of humanity itself.

And yet, its times like these when it becomes more important than ever to seek out moments that suggest otherwise. Those real life acts of compassion, kindness, respect and generosity that help us believe, as a wise 13 fifteen year old once said, that “people are really good at heart.”

This is one of those stories.

In a video captured by a ring doorbell camera (the modern day gadget that gives us glimpses into the soul of humanity on the regular) we see an older white woman approaching her Muslim neighbor.

In case you’re anxious—this is not going to turn into a Karen moment.

Rather, the woman lets her neighbor know that she is going to a Muslim funeral, and is a bit daunted by wearing a headscarf to the ceremony. So she asks for instructions as to how to put it on appropriately.

A truly lovely interaction ensues, where the Muslim neighbor not only gives the woman a demonstration and encourages her to practice wrapping the scarf in real time, but lets the woman keep the item. The conversation ends with the neighbor telling the woman “you look beautiful.” No animosity. No politics. No battle of beliefs. Just two women of different walks of life connecting through kindness.

Watch:

It’s no wonder why this video has been going viral on multiple social media platforms. It’s giving people things to appreciate about a wide range of topics.

Check out some of the lovely comments below:

“Awww. And honestly, her generation don’t think to pull up a tutorial on YouTube, their instinct is to ask somebody that they know. This so genuine and wholesome ❤️”

“As a Muslim, I just knewwwwwwww and expected that she would say keep it. Palestinians are the same with keffiyehs and the hospitality is engrained in both the religion and culture.”

“Being open to being educated about one another is what starts beautiful relationships and understanding. We are all human just trying to make it through this life, on different paths but really, end up in the same place at the end 🌈”

“I wish more people would realize this. All the time on the internet and social media [and] they aren’t seeing real world. Just a small ugly portion that of course is going to be posted on the net to get views. Like Yelp, far more people are likely to post a negative review than to post a positive review imo. Also kindness starts in your communities. It can't happen at a global level without first starting at a small local level.”

“That is the most wholesome interaction I’ve seen between two people, that is beautiful.”

“More of this please.”

Lots of folks chimed in to say that this was the perfect example of what it truly means to be an American.

“This is the America that I was raised up believing. I was taught in school that America was a melting pot and that we all come together to make this country great. I just don't know how we got to where we are today.”

“This is the “melting pot” in full effect. THIS is what makes America beautiful. Learning & *embracing* (key word here) each other’s differences.”

“THIS IS AMERICA. This is when America is great.”

Of course, it’s not like this everywhere. But these moments do happen more often than the news or the internet would have us believe. Times are tough right now—but there is always goodness to be found. And searching for it is just one small way we fight to create a better world.









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'Most mysterious song on the internet' finally solved after 17 years—the band had no idea

Internet detectives help reunite the band 40 years after their mystery tune was created.

Photo credit: Canva

It all started with a cassette tape back in 1984.

Who doesn't love a good solved mystery story?

For 17 years, internet sleuths have tried to uncover the origins of a catchy New Wave tune that played on an unknown radio station and was transferred onto a cassette tape by a brother and sister in Germany sometime in the 1980s.

As the well documented story goes, most of the songs on this mixed tape were solved within a couple of days since many radio DJs tend to play their favorite songs multiple times.

One song, however, remained an enigma. In 2007, the sister, aka u/bluuely on Reddit, shared snippets of it to the online forum to outsource some research. Little did she know the subreddit dedicated to "The Mysterious Song" would amass nearly 60,000 members. Even with a cult-like following online and a full length version of the tune eventually procured, the trail ran cold for many years.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Interest ignited again in 2019, when Rolling Stone covered the story and Youtuber Justin Whang uploaded a video titled "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet - Tales From the Internet ,” both of which thrust the search out of the dark corner of Reddit and into the mainstream.

Cut to 2024, when u/marijn1412 shares his big breakthrough: the song is titled "Subways of Your Mind,” by a band called FEX.

u/marijn1412 explained that they came across their lead after looking through old newspaper archives. They spotted an 1984 article about FEX where the band described their music as “rock with wave and pop influences.” Sound familiar?


Comment
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u/marijn1412 reached out to one of the band members, who had since joined a different band, and asked if he had any old materials from his FEX days. u/marijn1412 got what they asked for, and along with it the answer to a decades-long puzzle.

u/marijn1412 also had the pleasure of informing the former FEX member, identified by CNN as Haedrich, just how famous this lost song was. Shocked, Haedrich spoke with his FEX bandmates, and they unanimously agreed to let a new recording of the song, along with its long lost title, be shared. After they picked their jaw up off the floor, that is.

Now that the song origins have been found, interest in FEX has surged, with people sharing other FEX songs, logos, even ideas for merch. Forty years later, this band has a bona fide fan club—an internet mystery turned wholesome moment.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

A little less than a year ago, internet detectives uncovered the truth behind another mysterious song, this one from a fan favorite episode of The X Files. When the popular song finding app Shazaam failed to offer a song title, a woman sought the help of other X-Files aficionados to help find it, which became a viral online saga. Eventually the composer was found, who not only told the forgotten story of creating a tune “that would fit both an alien and a human being”, but re-recorded a new version of it for fans to enjoy.

In a time when just about everything created is instantly traceable, pieces of lost media feel fascinating and foreign. And we become modern day anthropologists working to unravel their origins. Whenever we succeed, it’s a palpable win that reminds us of what’s possible when people are together…and that you never truly know when something you create will find its time to shine.

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