Write to Russ

When was the Civil War?

Calla

The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865. The two sides were the Confederacy, which was formed from southern states, and the Union, which was formed from northern states. The Union won the war.

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ. News-O-Matic is so fun. I know so much. It is the best. I love the puzzle. I never want News-O-Matic to go.

Rayna

Hey, Rayna! I'm so excited to hear all the positive things you have to say about News-O-Matic! I love that you love it and that you're learning. We will keep creating articles so you keep reading them! 😁

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ! My name is Aubrey. I love reading your articles! Do you have any articles about the Army?

Aubrey

Hi, Aubrey. News-O-Matic does have articles about the Army! Try typing that into the Search to find them. Then you will have more fun articles to enjoy!

Russell Kahn

The penny article was so good! I was surprised by the fact that each penny we make is almost 4 cents! Also, the fact we made more pennies 5 years ago than last year. Can you make another article about money today?

Charlotte

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed that article so much! Learning about money is important. I'll keep my eye out for more stories about money! 💲💲

Russell Kahn

How can I celebrate Women's History Month?

Nassau Student

Women's History Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of March. One way you can celebrate is by learning about women who have made history! You can search using the term "women" on News-O-Matic to read all sorts of articles about history-making women. And check back during March for more articles!

Russell Kahn

Hey, Russ! I'm still not sure why we say "good bye" to pennies. Please tell me! From,

Lily

Hey, Lily! Readers are sending drawings into the News Rooms saying goodbye to pennies because U.S. president Donald Trump said he wants the government to stop making pennies. You can read more about that in the News-O-Matic article, "Goodbye to the Penny?"

Russell Kahn

Hey, Russ! Want to hear a joke? Here’s one. What do you get when you have two bananas? A pair of SLIPPERS! Get it?

Lucia

Cool joke, Lucia! I found it quite ap-PEEL-ing! 🍌

Russell Kahn

Hey, Russ. When is April Fools' Day? Can you tell me?

Grace

I sure can, Grace! April Fools' Day happens on April 1 each year. 📅

Russell Kahn

When were Lego minifigures made?

Wrel

The first Lego minifigures were produced in 1978. There have been more than 4 billion produced around the world since then!

Russell Kahn

Do I have to get rid of my pennies because Trump is not going to be making pennies anymore?

Tabor

You do not have to get rid of your pennies! Right now, President Trump has just said that he ordered the United States to stop making new pennies. Old pennies will still be around to use for a while.

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ, it's Logan. I really like the "Real Jobs: Firefighter" article. Probably because I'm a junior firefighter. I would really like to see more firefighter articles, maybe even a junior firefighter one. Thank you for your time. From,

Logan

Hi, Logan! I'm glad you liked that article! Junior firefighters sound pretty cool. I don't know too much about them, though. If you want, you can ask a parent or teacher to tell me about junior firefighters by emailing ask@newsomatic.org! 🚒

Russell Kahn

Hey, Russ. Do you have to be in fifth grade to run for governor in Oregon? Love,

Olivia

Hey, Olivia. Yes, the Kid Governor program is for fifth grade classes. So, the Kid Governor and all the members of her team in the Governor's Cabinet are fifth graders.

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ. I am very excited about the new Kid Governor, Rosie Lenega! She will do a great job!

Asb

I agree! Rosie sounds like she will work hard to make positive change for her community! Diana interviewed her and wrote the article about her. She had a really fun time getting to talk with Rosie.

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ, I have a weird question and you might not know how to answer it. How many times does the heart bet per second?

Alaina

That's an interesting question, Alaina. According to the Mayo Clinic, human hearts beat between 60 to 100 times a minute. Since there are 60 seconds in a minute, that means hearts beat about once per second, but some hearts beat a bit more often. 🫀

Russell Kahn

Hi Russ I'm Lakyn. I have a question. How do you deal with all the stress and with making articles all the time? I know that if I had your job I would not be able to handle it at all.

Lakyn

Thanks for your concern, Lakyn! I admit that the work can be very hard on some days. But I know the articles are very important for students. And getting notes from readers like you reminds me that the hard work is appreciated!

Russell Kahn

Have the Eagles won the Super Bowl in the past ten years?

Natalie

Yes, Natalie! The Eagles won the Super Bowl SEVEN years ago, in 2018! Their latest win this year is their SECOND Super Bowl victory overall! 🏈

Russell Kahn

Who was the leader Trump met with?

Jonathan

Thanks for your question, Jonathan! Donald Trump met with two world leaders this week. On February 11, he spoke with King Abdullah, who is the leader of Jordan. Then, on February 13, Trump met with Narendra Modi. Modi is the prime minister of India.

Russell Kahn

Hi, how many Dog Man books are there?

Kennedy

Hi! Writer and illustrator Dav Pilkey has created 13 books in the Dog Man series! The next book, Big Jim Believes, is scheduled to come out in the fall of 2025. Do you like reading those books?

Russell Kahn

Dear Russ, me and my family love reading your articles. We want to learn about cultures.

Martin

Dear Martin, I'm so glad to hear that you and your family love reading on News-O-Matic! This is a great place to learn about cultures.

Russell Kahn

Hi, Russ! I really liked the article about the pennies! However, I don't think we should discontinue them. They are a big part of our change system. If something costs an amount such as $4.79, you need pennies. That would mean a lot of prices would have to change. Thanks, Russ! I love News-O-Matic.

Patrick

Hi, Patrick. I agree that removing pennies would change the prices of lots of items. I'm happy you liked that article about the topic.

Russell Kahn