“An Associated Press reporter and photographer hiked the renowned Redwood Trail at Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Monday and confirmed most of the ancient redwoods had withstood the blaze. Among the survivors is one dubbed Mother of the Forest.” 2,000-year-old redwoods survive wildfire at California’s oldest state park.

+ NBA to resume Saturday with new goals, including creating polling places at local arenas.

+ More companies pledge to give workers time off to vote.

+ These philanthropists are donating 1% of their net worth to expand and protect the vote. (I’m old enough to remember when the government wanted to protect the vote…)

+ Couple donates reception food to shelter, spends wedding day serving the homeless.

+ Africa declared free of wild polio in milestone.

+ Bird deaths down 70 percent after painting wind turbine blades.

+ NYT: New York Philharmonic Restarts the Music With a Pickup Truck. (Weird, I didn’t see these scenes in the RNC depiction of NYC…)

+ Meet the penguin watching Pingu so he doesn’t get lonely. I’ve done that myself on a few occasions.