MINDEN — Waylon Petersen wore a wary look as his family entered the white red-trimmed pavilion. Then the 2-year-old started dancing when the calliope music began playing. And when his grandpa hoisted him on a race horse, Waylon’s lingering suspicion turned to joy.

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — Anne Pace has been hearing about Dog Mountain for years, but until earlier this month, had never made a trip to the park.

“I really wanted to see this place,” she said, during a visit to the grounds with her one-year-old border collie, Tam. “I put a note up for my previous border collie. He was my best buddy.”

TOKYO (AP) — The pet of choice in Japan, as much as cuddly kitties and playful puppies, is the humble bug.

The bug has been a key part of Japanese culture from the Heian era classic “The Tale of Genji” to popular modern-day manga and animation like “Mushishi,” featuring insect-like supernatural creatures.