Gretchen Eichenberg

Gretchen Eichenberg

Writer • Reporter • Storyteller


Fox News •

Restaurant tipping etiquette: Should you tip for fast food or takeout?

These days, customers who visit a restaurant to pick up a carryout order, or even a fast-food drive-thru, may be greeted by a prompt on the screen asking how much they'd like to tip.In some cases, it's just a kiosk making the request, but other times the cashier might be waiting for the customer's response."It usually catches me off-guard," Chris Nordstrom, a commercial real estate executive in Kansas City, Missouri, told Fox News Digital.
Fox News •

Chick-fil-A food and employees helped man lose weight and change his life

Chest pains — plus a concern for his weight and health — prompted a Rhode Island man to take a wellness journey that he said saved his life. The unlikely rescuer? A Chick-fil-A salad. "I knew I needed to make a change," Tom Carroll, 32, a digital content producer from Lincoln, Rhode Island, told Fox News Digital. At 360 pounds, Carroll had tried and failed to change his diet and lifestyle. But after Thanksgiving 2023, he had "the most serious chest pain" he'd ever experienced.
Fox News •

Chewing gum may release thousands of microplastics into the saliva, study says

If you enjoy a refreshing stick of gum now and then, you may be biting off more than you should chew. A recent pilot study found that chewing gum – even those labeled "natural" – can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into the body, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).Lisa Lowe and Jamie Leonard, graduate students at UCLA, along with Sanjay Mohanty, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA, shared the findings at the...
Fox News •

Mini dachshund who escaped owners 1 year ago continues to evade capture on remote island

A miniature dachshund named Valerie, who has spent almost a year and a half lost on a remote island in southern Australia, has been spotted in the wild — now rescue workers and islanders think they're finally close to catching the little pup."Fantastic news off the bat," Jared Karen, a staff member of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, said in an update video on the organization’s Facebook page."We have seen her, and we’ve narrowed down the search area to one specific point where we’ve got cameras in plac...
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Woman of Interest: Morgan Eyring

When architectural lines mingle with flowing, organic forms, it might be in a creation of Waco artist Morgan Eyring. Her work can be seen at a local coffee house and cocktail bar, an I-35 underpass, the airport, the Magnolia Silos and on display at Art Center Waco, where she’s currently serving as board chair. A metal craftswoman by trade and artist by heart and soul, Eyring shares her artistic journey and vision — and also what Wacoans can expect from Art Center’s Flora Cameron Collection to be unveiled this spring.
Oklahoma Magazine •

The Beautiful Game

A real life field of dreams is taking shape as a group of civic, business, sports and cultural leaders unite to re-energize the sport of soccer in Oklahoma City. “It’s exciting when you can bring people from different communities, different cultures and different languages together and connect them all through this wonderful sport of soccer – or football,” says Jorge Hernández, president of Tango Public Relations and a founding member of the OKC for Soccer committee.
Fox News •

Rare and mysterious whiskey bottles found washed up on beach

A whiskey river wasn't on Austin Contegiacomo's mind when he found an ocean of it — a Prohibition-era stash, to be exact — washed up on a New Jersey beach while he was walking his dog last month. Even for a guy who doesn't drink, it was a rare find. And it has made an even better story to tell."The history behind it is part of the mystery and really adds to the allure," Contegiacomo, 28, a Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer from Northfield, New Jersey, told Fox News Digital.
Fox News •

7 planets will be on display tonight but you only have a short window to see the stunning sight

A stunning cosmic getaway is in store for residents of the United States on Friday evening as seven planets will align in a spectacular display — dubbed a planet parade — that can be seen without traveling far from home. Such a sight won’t be visible again until 2040."Seven planets will be visible in the evening sky," Bill Cooke, NASA astronomer based at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, told Fox News Digital. "And three of them are going to be easily visible.
Oklahoma Magazine •

Barreling Down the Competition

An equine event like none other, barrel racing combines athleticism, grace and precision.Dirt flies as barrel racer Lindsay Emerson takes off into the arena, heart racing, wind in her hair and a sparkle on her lucky earrings – as well as her eye. “I’ve been barrel racing basically all my life,” Emerson, 41, of Tecumseh says. “I grew up around horses and we went to rodeos all the time. I’ve been riding competitively since I was nine or 10.” Barrel racing is a heart-pounding trial against th...
Oklahoma Magazine •

A Spring Awakening

From lighting and color to space and lifestyle compatibility, interior design is about making bold statements in 2025. Ross See, principal of Sees Design in Oklahoma City, says lighting continues to be the jewelry of the home. “Expect sculptural, oversized fixtures that double as art pieces, incorporating mixed metals, hand-blown glass and plaster fixtures,” he says.  Concealed kitchens are gaining popularity as they blend seamlessly into living areas with hidden appliances and sleek cabin...
Fox News •

Disney's 'It's a Small World' ride to get new song lyrics

It might be a small world, but big changes are in store for guests of Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. and its "It’s A Small World" attraction.The resort is celebrating its 70th anniversary, according to the Disney Parks blog, and new lyrics will be added to the song that's synonymous with the boat ride.As riders step inside the Main Street Cinema, a new short film, "The Last Verse," will highlight the Sherman Brothers, a musical twosome who collaborated with Walt Disney on the song, "It’s A Smal...
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Woman of Interest: Amanda Suenkel

“We have a higher mission … to be of service to [animals] wherever they require it.” The words of Saint Francis of Assisi describe the philosophy of Amanda Suenkel, 38, licensed veterinary technician Cameron Park Zoo. Alongside zoo veterinarian James Kusmierczyk, VMD, Suenkel quite literally cares for all creatures great and small — more than 2,000 of them to be exact. And she does not take lightly the unique responsibility she has to protect and advocate for her patients on a daily basis.
Fox News •

Truck driver intervenes in highway shootout, wins Goodyear Highway Hero Award

Commercial truck drivers can be crucial to the country’s supply chain, but some serve as champions of safety on the road, acting as first responders in tough situations. Timothy VanNostrand, 64, an owner/operator of his own logging transport company in Northville, New York, found himself springing into action while driving along Interstate 88 in June 2023."It happened so fast," VanNostrand told Fox News Digital.
Oklahoma Magazine •

Oklahomans of the Year

To ensure any effort succeeds, a leader must emerge to pioneer the way. Someone intelligent and driven, but also kind, charismatic and trustworthy. Oklahoma has a multitude of such leaders – people who are passionate about our state and those within it. They are transforming Oklahoma through their work, whether it’s in healthcare, government leadership, law, education, tribal affairs or community development. We shine a spotlight on eight of these innovators, those who truly deserve the title of Oklahoman of the Year.
Fox News •

'Christmas gas' joke goes viral as women prank the men in their lives with disastrous auto error

Hannah Crawford, an Alabama resident, called her husband to say she used special "Christmas gas" because it had a green pump and the other options were not available. It led him to panic, thinking she put diesel fuel in the car.You've heard of a Christmas tree, Christmas gifts and Christmas carols, but what about Christmas gas? That’s what holiday jokesters are telling their loved ones that they pumped into their cars as part of a viral TikTok prank."Hey, it’s Hannah," one prankster says to her...
Oklahoma Magazine •

Creating Community

In 2022, nearly 60,000 Oklahomans were unemployed, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. Yet, there were 36,000 more job postings than people searching for work, according to the State Chamber Research Foundation. That didn’t add up, so the Oklahoma City Community Foundation (OCCF) decided to dig in and solve the problem. “We found Oklahoma is experiencing mass shortages in areas like nursing, truck driving, early education and software de...
Oklahoma Magazine •

An Exercise in Global Empathy

In a time of global unrest and uncertainty, perhaps no educational endeavor is more relevant than one where students represent different countries and come together to solve world problems. That’s exactly what Model United Nations (MUN), a competitive collegiate program, is all about: an exercise in global empathy. “Model United Nations is just the absolute perfect [way] to cultivate empathy,” says Helen Fullerton, a 2024 graduate of Oklahoma State University and former participant. “It compl...
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