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Highest wildfire danger of the year as hot, breezy weather persists

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As an unprecedented heat wave still shows no signs of abating, vegetation is drying out further. As humidity drops each afternoon and winds pick up, the National Weather Service says the highest wildfire danger so far this year is expected Tuesday through Thursday. BLOG: When will 100º days end in Austin? An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for most of the area until 9 p.m. Monday evening, and again from noon until 9 p.m. Tuesday. A Heat Advisory is in effect for Blanco and Gillespie counties.Statistics released today by the Texas A & M Forest Service show that 80 wildfires have been reported in the last week, 41 of them since Friday.A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 11 p.m. Monday, then again from noon until 11 p.m. Tuesday. Any fires that start will spread rapidly and be very dangerous.The National Weather Service says that the highest wildfire danger so far this year is expected Tuesday through Thursday. Texas A&M Forest Service experts diagnose ...

Nicholas Kristof: The truth about your bacon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

YAMHILL, Ore. — We used to raise hogs on our family farm here, and to be honest I didn’t much like them. Defenders of farm animals sometimes compare pigs to dogs, but our hogs didn’t display any canine-style affection and instead were grouchy, whiny, strong-willed and prone to wander.Once when I was about 15, I had to traipse through the forest for more than 2 miles to track three of them down, and herding them back was a nightmare. By the time we got home, those pigs must have concluded that humans were a particularly ill-tempered and unaffectionate species.Still, our pigs were indisputably very smart with distinctive personalities, and sows made terrific moms (helicopter moms, too, keeping a close eye on wayward piglets). In short, I wouldn’t compare pigs to golden retrievers — they’re much more like people.We no longer raise pigs on our farm, nor do most other small family farms. Now they are nearly all on huge factory farms and treated with what seems to me particular cruelty — ...

Potentially toxic algae bloom prompts swimming closures, warnings at Woodbury lake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

Carver Lake in Woodbury is closed to recreation until further notice due to a potentially toxic blue-green algae bloom.Blue-green algae was discovered in Carver Lake by city parks staff members on Monday morning, and residents — and their pets — are advised to avoid contact with the lake until further notice.“Not all blue-green algal blooms produce toxins,” city officials wrote in a post on the city’s Facebook page. “However, there is no way to predict if or when a bloom will produce toxins. For this reason, it is best to avoid contact and stay out of the water.”Signs have been placed at the Carver Lake Beach to inform people of the closure and warn about the dangers of coming into contact with an algae bloom, said Jason Egerstrom, the city’s communications manager.The type of blue-green algae detected in Carver Lake is known to produce toxins that can be harmful and even fatal to pets and humans. Any park visitors who are experiencing...

Push for St. Croix River national heritage area gets boost with hiring of first executive director

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

The St. Croix River region could be close to becoming a national heritage area, a move that would boost tourism and help protect and improve the area’s natural, cultural and historic resources.Members of the board of directors of the North Woods and Waters of the St. Croix National Heritage Area, which still requires congressional approval, are hoping the hiring of the nonprofit organization’s first executive director will help speed that process along.Monica Zachay (Courtesy of North Woods and Waters of the St Croix Heritage Area)Monica Zachay, former director of programs for the Wild Rivers Conservancy of the St. Croix & Namekagon, started her new position on Monday. She is one of two members of the staff at North Woods and Waters of the St. Croix National Heritage Area, which also includes a part-time program manager.“I’m looking forward to building on the work that our dedicated volunteers, advisors and board have already done,” Zachay said Monday. “The momentum is there, an...

Cobleskill PD rebuilding after resignations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

COBLESKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) – After eight police officers resigned last month the Village of Cobleskill is rebuilding its police department and has a new lieutenant investigator. George Bird is filling in temporarily, part-time, and brings 31 years of experience with the state police. He said he was working full-time at Rivers Casino but wanted to help after he saw most of the department had resigned.“Having watched the PD evolve into something that to me it was unrecognizable and became concerned when I saw the exodus from the police department over contractual concerns,” said Bird.Mayor Rebecca Stanton-Terk said the massive resignations started with contract negotiations. “And immediately it was apparent that it was going to be a difficult process,” said Stanton-Terk.She called the coordinated resignations a power play, adding she was disgusted by the officers abandoning the community.“It was really unsettling because that’s not what I expect from a public servant, who tak...

Federal officials ask for public’s help in search for escaped Colorado inmate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

Last month, four inmates escaped from Bent County Jail, about 200 miles south of Denver. Federal officials are asking for the public’s help in finding the last one.According to a Monday news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, two of the escapees were caught and returned to custody on Aug. 1 and a third was found dead in Pueblo County.The U.S. Marshals in the District of Colorado and the FBI are asking for the public’s help to find 46-year-old Mark Desmond Fox, the last remaining escapee, officials announced Monday.The two agencies are offering a combined reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Fox’s arrest, the release said.Fox is a bald, white male, 6 feet and 3 inches tall and weighs approximately 175 pounds. He is wanted for counts of escape, insurance fraud, obstruction of justice and extortion.Authorities said Fox should be considered dangerous and anyone with information should contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-926-8332 or submit tips online.T...

Planet Bluegrass owner accused of sexually harassing, terrorizing former employee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

Planet Bluegrass owner Craig Ferguson, who oversees some of the region’s best-known and longest-running roots-music festivals, is being sued by a former employee who alleges persistent sexual harassment, unwanted touching and wrongful termination.The woman, who The Denver Post isn’t naming because she is the victim of alleged sexual harassment, also included the Telluride Bluegrass Festival (a.k.a. Planet Bluegrass) and its related Annex (a.k.a. “the farm”) in the suit, which was filed in Boulder County.The legal action follows Ferguson’s arrest and jailing in June for violating a permanent restraining order against the woman granted by Boulder County Court for his “credible threat to (the plaintiff’s) life and health,” according to court filings.Planet Bluegrass owns and produces events such as Telluride Bluegrass Festival (which took place June 15-18), Rockygrass Festival (July 28-30) and the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest — which r...

Beyond bummed: California-based Beyond Meat sees revenue nosedive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

Plant-based meat maker Beyond Meat said its revenue plunged 30.5% in the second quarter as consumer demand for its burgers, sausages and other products fell despite price cuts.The El Segundo, California-based company lowered its full-year revenue forecast as a result. Beyond Meat now expects revenue between $360 million and $380 million for the year. That’s down from the $375 million to $415 million it forecast at the end of the first quarter.Beyond Meat's shares fell 8% in after-hours trading Monday.For the April-June period, Beyond Meat reported revenue of $102.1 million. That was lower than the $108.7 million Wall Street forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet.FILE - Beyond Meat products are seen in a refrigerated case inside a grocery store in Mount Prospect, Ill., Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)U.S. revenue dropped 40% as both retail and food service sales weakened. International revenue was down 8.7%. International food service demand was flat ...

NASA uses airborne imagery to identify diseased California grape crops

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

Scientists at NASA have successfully deployed an advanced airborne imaging instrument to help grape growers identify the early signs of a devastating crop-killing disease.The disease, grapevine leafroll-associated virus complex 3, aka GLRaV-3, is believed to be responsible for billions in damage and losses each year for U.S. grape growers and vintners. The disease is spread mostly by insects and can cause reduced crop yields and soured fruits.Treating the disease early on is critical for grape growers, but early detection is expensive and requires molecular testing and thorough "vine-by-vine" inspections, NASA said.“Like humans, sick plants may not exhibit outward symptoms right away, making early detection the greatest challenge facing growers,” said plant pathologist Katie Gold, an assistant professor at Cornell University and senior author of the study. Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California were able to use an imaging system mounted in the belly o...

Zoom, patron saint of remote work, calls workers back

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:24:00 GMT

The word "ironic" hardly seems sufficient to describe this development.Zoom, which came into its own during the pandemic by enabling people to work from home, is notifying most staffers that they need to return to the office at least a couple of days a week.Like other tech companies, San Jose-based Zoom has determined that things would be better if most of its 7,400 employees were back in their cubicles part of the week."We believe that a structured hybrid approach -- meaning employees that live near an office need to be on site two days a week to interact with their teams -- is most effective for Zoom," a company spokesperson said.Google, Amazon and other tech heavyweights have come to similar conclusions, transitioning from remote work to hybrid schedules for most staffers.But if any company should be committed to a work-from-home structure, it's Zoom.The company's video-chat platform played an indispensable role during the pandemic, making remote work not just feasible but also e...