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Minnesota Democrats set emergency meeting in response to melee at Minneapolis political convention

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Democratic leaders will convene an emergency meeting Thursday evening to respond to the chaos that broke out during a convention to endorse a candidate for a Minneapolis City Council race.Video circulating on social media shows the disturbance Saturday after supporters of incumbent Aisha Chughtai took the stage to seek the delegates’ backing for the Ward 10 council seat. That sparked an uproar among backers of her challenger, Nasri Warsame. Some jumped on stage, shouting, banging on tables and waving signs. At least two people were injured, and the convention broke up with no endorsement.Ken Martin, chair of the state Democratic Party organization, tweeted that he would use the upcoming meeting to propose a bylaw change “to ban individuals engaged in violent assaults” from the party and “take immediate action to remove the folks involved in Ward 10.”Martin also said in a separate statement late Saturday that it was “clear that the conflict was inst...

Bear in a tree holds Michigan city in suspense for hours on Mother’s Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A city in northern Michigan has a new Mother’s Day memory: A 350-pound bear was in a tree for hours, watched by dozens of people, before it fell asleep and dropped onto mattresses below.“It’s like the best block party ever,” Annette Andersen said. The drama in Traverse City began when wildlife experts responded to a morning call about a bear in a leafy tree. They fired at least four tranquilizer darts into his butt. The bear snoozed on a thick limb before finally dropping to the ground by early afternoon Sunday.Ashlea Walter hauled mattresses from her house to soften the fall, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.Spectators sitting on lawns or in chairs held their phones up to take pictures and video. “They’re a tough animal,” said Steve Griffith, a state wildlife biologist. “Obviously they are in trees all the time, and they do have accidents in the wild. … They can take a pretty good fall.”The bear was transferred on a tarp to a cyl...

UK pledges attack drones, more missiles as Ukraine’s Zelenskyy meets prime minister on European tour

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the British government at the end of a whirlwind European tour Monday to join a “fighter jet coalition” that would help strengthen his country’s aerial capabilities, but instead secured a commitment for attack drones and hundreds more missiles.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greeted Zelenskyy with a handshake and hug after the president’s helicopter landed at Chequers, the British leader’s official country retreat. It was Zelenskyy’s second trip to the U.K. since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but the fifth European country he visited in three days..He is seeking more military aid as Ukraine prepares a long-anticipated spring offensive to retake Russian-occupied territory. The Ukrainian leader also visited Italy, the Vatican, Germany and France.Russia reacted to the U.K.’s new pledge “extremely negatively,” but also doubts the missiles and drones would drastically change the course of the war,...

Writers strike felt in missing NBC stars, absence of Fox schedule for TV sales pitches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The impact of the Hollywood writers strike was felt as major television networks began their annual week of sales presentations to advertisers on Monday, with news personalities like Willie Geist and Stephanie Ruhle left to hawk comedies and dramas for NBC Universal.Fox declined to announce a fall television schedule on Monday, citing uncertainties created by the strike.Some 11,500 members of the Writers Guild for America, saying the rise of streaming has hurt their earning power, walked off the job two weeks after talks on a new contract broke down, and haven’t returned to the negotiating table since.Network late-night shows immediately shut down. Picketing writers targeting some of the few shows shooting episodes forced the shutdown, at least temporarily, of programs including Showtime’s “Billions,” “Severance” on Apple TV+ and the new Marvel show, “Daredevil: Born Again” on Disney+.The network sales presentations, known as upfronts because TV executive...

Pelé’s mausoleum in Brazil opens to public

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — The mausoleum built for the golden casket of Pelé was opened for visitors on Monday.On the second floor of a vertical cemetery in Santos, outside Sao Paulo, the mausoleum welcomes fans with two golden statues of Pelé; the floor is artificial grass; the walls are images of fans in a stadium; and there’s an endless soundtrack of cheers, as if Pelé was still playing. The ceiling above the casket of the three-time World Cup champion is blue.Pelé was laid to rest here on Jan. 3, five days after he died at age 82 of colon cancer.“This was made with a lot of love by people who knew him, who lived with him. It has the essence of what he was,” an emotional Edson Cholbi do Nascimento, one of Pelé’s sons, said after a small ceremony with family and friends.The mausoleum was planned by the owner of the cemetery, Pepe Alstut, who died in 2018.Alstut hoped the mausoleum would be on the ninth floor, overseeing the Santos club’s Vila Belmiro Stadium, where Pelé sta...

Brookfield Zoo announces summer concerts series featuring Macy Gray, Vertical Horizon and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Brookfield Zoo will host summer concert series, Concerts for Conservation, over two weekends in July, with Macy Gray and Vertical Horizon slated to appear.Held July 14-15 and 21-22 at Brookfield Zoo's East Mall, the concert series provides "four incredible evenings of live music while relaxing in our beautiful park surrounded by wildlife and nature."Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and include:Friday, July 14 – Soul Asylum with special guests The Verve PipeSaturday, July 15 – Macy GrayFriday, July 21 – Vertical HorizonSaturday, July 22 – Plain White T’sSEE ALSO| Smash Mouth headlining 2023 Pierogi FestAlong with the sounds of music, sights for visitors include a meet-and-greet with some of Brookfield Zoo’s animal ambassadors from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The zoo's Big Cat walkway will also be accessible, offering guests an up-close look at African lions, Amur tigers, and snow leopards until 7 p.m.Macy GrayVertical HorizonPlain White T’s Soul AsylumThe Verve Pipe 50 Cent coming to ...

New $500M federal grant aims to expand tech hubs outside of Silicon Valley

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – The commerce department has launched a new grant program meant to infuse up to half a billion dollars into the nation’s technology hubs.The program aims to help grow the tech industry outside of Silicon Valley.“We are going to make investments all over the country,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said. “You shouldn't have to move from your hometown to San Francisco or New York City to get a great job in technology.”To apply for the government grants, regions, states or cities need to partner with colleges and companies in the tech industries.Michael Wallace with the National League of Cities says there are many related industries that could qualify.“Rochester, Minnesota is home of the Mayo Clinic. Medical technology is certainly one of the eligible categories,” Wallace explained.Secretary Raimondo says the types of eligible projects also vary from testing labs and upgrading facilities to worker training programs.Congresswoman Susan Wild introduced the bill t...

Reba McEntire to be next coach on 'The Voice'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Although Blake Shelton is leaving his coaching position on NBC's 'The Voice', Oklahoma won't be without representation among those illustrious chairs.Shelton announced his departure in October 2022, making Season 24 the first without his guidance since the show began in 2011."Alas, our cowboy has decided to hang up his Voice coaching hat to spend time with family on his Oklahoma ranch," wrote Christopher Rosa with NBC Insider. "He more than deserves the break, but he will be sorely missed." Smash Mouth headlining 2023 Pierogi Fest Now, as Shelton's final season wraps up, the next country music coach has been revealed.Reba McEntire is joining Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend to be Season 24's coach quartet."There's a new Coach in town! See you all this Fall!" the singer wrote on Twitter Monday. McEntire joined Shelton in Season 23 as a 'Mega Mentor' and was even asked before Shelton to be a coach during the show's inaugural ...

The worst of spring allergies are over — Here's what's ahead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Spring is the most active season for pollen in Central Texas. The month of April in particular is one of the most intense months of the year for allergy sufferers — in terms of allergen variety. NEXT: Austin allergy tracker The main culprit: trees. Oak is the main tree allergen that many people are often bothered by. Austin Allergy CalendarLuckily after oak peaked with a "very high" count of 1,291 g/m3  on April 22, it has drastically declined. We started off the month of May with oak in the "medium" category but it has recently continued to fall. In fact, tree allergens as a whole have been decreasing dramatically and have remained in the 'low' category. It is safe to say the worst of the season is behind us.Here's what to expect aheadPollen June ForecastWhile grass pollen usually lasts from March through October, the highest counts typically occur in May and June. While grass has generally been fairly tame for the month of May so far, we are expecting a spi...

St. Paul’s Shepard Road to remain closed as officials brace for the Mississippi River to flood — again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:50 GMT

Brace yourself, Twin Cities. The Mississippi River is rising again.Days after announcing that a three-mile stretch of Shepard Road would reopen to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, St. Paul Public Works officials have had a change of heart. Heavy rain this past weekend in central Minnesota is feeding the Mississippi River. As a consequence, the river in downtown St. Paul could again surpass moderate flood stage by Saturday.Downtown St. Paul river levels, which had fallen to little more than 9 feet as of Monday morning, could reach the minor flood stage of 14 feet by Friday and crest at 16.1 feet on May 22, according to the National Weather Service. That’s despite a dry spell projected to take temperatures into the low 80s on Tuesday.As a result, the city is keeping Shepard Road closed, as it has been since April 16, and additional flood measures are more than likely, even with a bit of a scorcher in the works over the next few days. Low-lying parks and trails are still close...