Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series on how Arizona got its shape. On Feb. 24, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed legislation dividing the New Mexico Territory into two approximately equal ...

For its 35th anniversary last year, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie returned to theaters for a special engagement. And loyal TMNT fans had no idea just how successful it would be. But ...