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‘Adopt an axolotl’ campaign launches in Mexico to save iconic species from pollution and trout

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Ecologists from Mexico’s National Autonomous university on Friday relaunched a fundraising campaign to bolster conservation efforts for axolotls, an iconic, endangered fish-like type of salamander.The campaign, called “Adoptaxolotl,” asks people for as little as 600 pesos (about $35) to virtually adopt one of the tiny “water monsters.” Virtual adoption comes with live updates on your axolotl’s health. For less, donors can buy one of the creatures a virtual dinner.In their main habitat the population density of Mexican axolotls (ah-ho-LOH’-tulz) has plummeted 99.5% in under two decades, according to scientists behind the fundraiser.Last year’s Adoptaxolotl campaign raised just over 450,000 pesos ($26,300) towards an experimental captive breeding program and efforts to restore habitat in the ancient Aztec canals of Xochimilco, a southern borough of Mexico City.Still, there are not enough resources for thorough research, said Alejandro Calzada, an e...

Union says deal for Vancouver police would make them highest-paid officers in Canada

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

VANCOUVER — A new tentative agreement that would make Vancouver’s police officers the highest paid in Canada is a crucial tool for the city to recruit and retain talent in the face of a major labour crunch, the union representing the officers said.Vancouver Police Union president Ralph Kaisers said the union was happy to see the tentative agreement reached with employers on Oct. 31 after months of negotiations.He said it includes not only higher wages for officers, bringing a first-class constable’s pay to about $122,000 next year, but also better maternity and parental leave benefits.Kaisers said he has talked to a number of female officers, and as many as 22 have considered leaving the Vancouver Police Department for another organization due to maternity benefits.“I do know — not mentioning any names of any organizations — but we did have recruiters from a different organization actually emailing all our young female members, pointing out to them that their mater...

'I’ve only heard incredible things': Bears prepare for Dobbs, Vikings on MNF

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — With Black Friday practices in the books for the Chicago Bears, coaches and players offered praise for their opponent's newly-acquired quarterback, Joshua Dobbs, and gave some insight on how a week of preparation went heading into their Monday night matchup in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings.“I’ve only heard incredible things about the kind of [Dobbs] is, how brilliant he is,” said offensive coordinator Luke Getsy Friday. “I’ve had a lot of friends that have been a part of coaching him in those rooms and they all speak so highly of him.”Dobbs has carried over his success from the Arizona Cardinals to the Vikings since a late October trade landed him in Minneapolis. Statistically, Minnesota is 2-1 in Dobbs' three starts, with the former Tennessee Volunteer completing 63 of his 96 passes (65.6%) for 647 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception, while running the ball 23 times for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns."The way he just extends plays, I think that's just...

Skilling: Will it snow this weekend in Chicagoland?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

A post-Thanksgiving chill gripped the Chicago area Friday with a high temp of just 32-deg—a reading 12-deg below normal and the coldest daytime high of Fall, 2023—and THE COLDEST DAYTIME HIGH in the more than 8 months since a 25-deg high back on March 18!It was 16-deg colder today than yesterday (Thanksgiving) when a high of 48 occurred—AND Friday's average temp was the first to come in BELOW NORMAL after a run of 12 consecutive ABOVE NORMAL DAYS.  November, 2023 is currently running a near 4-deg surplus and the month's opening 24 days have come in 2.7-deg milder than the same period a year ago.The last Nov 24th to be any colder occurred 10 years ago in 2013 when the November 24th high was 27-deg.This day ranks among the 13% coldest Nov 24th's on the book since 1871---ONLY 20 Nov 14th's have been colder in all that time.When the books on this week close at midnight Saturday night, this week will have averaged MARKEDLY COLDER than last week—with an average temp which comes in more th...

Man injured in shooting after argument over Thanksgiving dinner invitation

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

CHICAGO -- A man who didn't get invited to a Thanksgiving dinner on the South Side returned and shot the host Friday morning.According to the Chicago Police Department, officers responded to reports of a shooting on the 6700 block of South Eberhart Avenue in the city's Woodlawn neighborhood just before 4 a.m. on Friday. Woman, 2 kids injured in hit-and-run crash on South Side A 44-year-old man was standing in an alley when reportedly his sister's ex-boyfriend shot him in the left leg and hand before fleeing the scene. He was transported to a local hospital in fair condition.No one is in custody at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Does Austin have enough workers this holiday season?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

Austin (KXAN) — An Austin-based recruitment agency said things are looking better for the hospitality industry with the holidays quickly approaching.Casey Nichik and Todd Gerjes of Talent 512/Patrice & Associates said their business is helping other businesses find the employees they need.Nichik said the company's specialty is finding hospitality employees. She said this time of year, there's an uptick in demand for wait staff and hotel workers."Some of the smaller clients that we have are companies where they get really heavy seasonal influx of private bookings, and dining, and holiday parties. I've seen a lot of activity in terms of front desk staff, support staff, the non full time type of hires," Nichik said.Nichik said the hospitality industry as a whole is nearly recovered from the blow dealt to it by the pandemic which saw many employees leave the industry.However, Gerjes said more people are returning to the field and some to higher wages."We've seen wages increase acros...

Prep Bowl: Saturday’s football state championship game predictions

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

A look at Saturday’s high school football championship games at U.S. Bank Stadium:CLASS 5AChanhassen (12-0) vs. St. Thomas Academy (10-2), 4 p.m.So many times St. Thomas Academy has knocked on the door of winning its first state title since 1975, only to fall just short. But this year’s team -— led by star running back Savion Hart, who is perfectly complemented by a Max Sims and Luke Dobbs passing combination — may be dynamic enough to push the Cadets over the finish line. But as great as the Cadets’ offense is, the defense must find a way to slow down Chanhassen’s Max Woods, who joins Hart in the group of the state’s top running backs. This game has shootout written all over it, and will likely come down to which defense can muster up those one or two stops to determine the outcome. OUR PICK: St. Thomas Academy 41, Chanhassen 38CLASS 3AStewartville (13-0) vs. Annandale (12-0), 1 p.m.Annandale has proven itself to be a great team that grinds out and fin...

Gophers football: Close-knit Chris Autman-Bell, Brevyn Spann-Ford headline Senior Day

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

P.J. Fleck’s corner office at the Larson Football Performance Center has two gray cloth chairs facing his desk, and when the double doors are open, players can sit there to chat with the Gophers head coach.Mo Ibrahim was such a regular visitor during his six seasons at the U that his routine became known as “Mo Mondays.” Tyler Nubin has dropped in so often over his five seasons that Fleck jokes Nubin should wear an “assistant head coach” name tag.Chris Autman-Bell and Brevyn Spann-Ford have also nestled into those armchairs during seven- and six-year careers at the U. With Fleck, they have — of course — talked football and how each of those two players has had senior seasons that have fallen short of personal and team goals.But conversation topics veer elsewhere, too. Spann-Ford mentioned conversations about the stock market, and Autman-Bell referenced the importance of international travel.“When you go to other places, other countries, you see how small you are,” Autman-Bell said h...

Former St. Paul city council member Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Megard remembered for ‘tireless’ community work

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

Family and former colleagues of a longtime St. Paul activist and former city council member are remembering her for community work and a strong belief in government’s ability to improve lives.Two-term city council member Roberta “Bobbi” Megard died on Nov. 16, 2023 at age 87. Megard represented northwestern St. Paul’s Ward 4 on the council after being elected in 1993, and ran for mayor in 1997 and 2001.One of her lasting marks is on downtown housing, says Ann Cieslak, who was a legislative aide to Megard for four years. Cieslak remembers Megard making early calls for more housing in the then-floundering district, which has since seen significant residential development.Megard was an advocate for affordable housing, and a critic of former Mayor Norm Coleman’s unwillingness to raise taxes, something she said would only shift problems to future St. Paul residents, Cieslak said.“She didn’t make her decision based on the politics of it,” said Cieslak. “She would always say what was...

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs enjoyed watching his parents go viral

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:18:47 GMT

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs saw the posts on social media. His parents were in the spotlight last weekend with the Vikings playing the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. Nearly every time he made a play on the field, the camera would pan to his parents Robert and Stephanie in the stands.“They were aware they were going to get some TV time,” Dobbs said. “They did say, ‘We’ll put y’all on the TV probably pregame, and then during the game, we’ll keep it on the football.’ Then after every touchdown, they kept turning it to my parents. They had fun with it.”So did the Internet.There was a particular moment from the game that showed Robert and Stephanie looking rather disinterested. Somebody took a screenshot and posted it on the website formerly known as Twitter, with the caption, “Josh Dobbs parents still wish he worked for NASA.”That post got more than 3.5 million views, and hilariously, Dobbs found it so funny that he even reposted it...