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Invasive crayfish confirmed in Minnesota for first time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Signal crayfish, an invasive nonnative freshwater crustacean species, have been found in a western Minnesota lake, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.The DNR said Friday that this is the first confirmation of signal crayfish in Minnesota waters.A commercial harvester trapped two of the crayfish in Lake Winona, adjacent to Alexandria in Douglas County. Since then, the harvester found eight additional signal crayfish in the lake. The DNR set traps but was unable to find any other crayfish. Out of the 10 the harvester caught, there was one female out of the 10 and there was no evidence of reproduction, meaning no eggs or juveniles were found.“Signal crayfish are larger and more aggressive than Minnesota crayfish and the invasive rusty crayfish,” the DNR said in a statement. “They eat aquatic plants, detritus, fish eggs, smaller crayfish species and other beneficial native invertebrates. Signal crayfish might outcompete native species for food and h...

Steady weekend weather with rain chances midweek

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A nice weekend is ahead for this time of year. We will have a good amount of clouds around today and temperatures will climb to the mid-60s. We could maybe see a few sprinkles this evening into tonight with a weak front. Cloudy through the evening, with gradual clearing overnight. Patchy fog may develop. Sunday morning could start with that patchy fog and then become partly cloudy. Sunday will be a bit warmer, with highs in the upper 60s to near 70.The forecast is looking mainly dry, with rain chances increasing a little for late Wednesday.

Last chance to vote in-person for ward 5, precincts 14 and 18 absentee ballots

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Attention to voters in Ward 5, precincts 14 and 18: If you intend to cast an absentee ballot for the upcoming November 7th special election, you have the option to vote in person today. You can visit the Board of Election Commissioners, located at 300 N Tucker, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. today. However, please note that if you were planning to mail in your absentee ballot application, the deadline for that has already passed, so mailing it in is no longer an option. This pertains to the Gardenside subdivision Special Business District special election. Monday is the final day for in-person absentee voting. Tuesday is, of course, Election Day. If you reside in that district, your vote will determine whether to renew and continue a tax on all real property in the district for the tax years 2023 through 2027. Don't forget to bring your photo ID; it's a requirement for voting. 

St. Louis fatal shooting leaves one dead, one injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A shooting incident is currently under investigation by the local authorities after happening overnight near downtown St. Louis. The incident took place shortly after 3 a.m. earlier today. The scene of the incident was on Francis St., situated just off MLK Drive, approximately one mile north of the Fox Theater. One of the victims sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died. The second individual, who was shot in the arm, is reported to be in stable condition this morning. Homicide detectives are actively involved in the investigation of this incident. If you possess any information related to this case and wish to maintain your anonymity, you are encouraged to reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS.  

This Florida school district banned cellphones. Here’s what happened.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. — One afternoon in late September, hundreds of students at Timber Creek High School in Orlando poured into the campus’s sprawling central courtyard to hang out and eat lunch. For members of an extremely online generation, their activities were decidedly analog.Dozens sat in small groups, animatedly talking with one another. Others played pickleball on makeshift lunchtime courts. There was not a cellphone in sight — and that was no accident.In May, Florida passed a law requiring public school districts to impose rules barring student cellphone use during class time. This fall, Orange County Public Schools — which includes Timber Creek High — went even further, barring students from using cellphones during the entire school day.In interviews, a dozen Orange County parents and students all said they supported the no-phone rules during class. But they objected to their district’s stricter, daylong ban.Parents said their children should be able to contact ...

Main arguments in 14th Amendment case against Donald Trump wrap, with decision likely weeks away

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

The trial examining whether former President Donald Trump is qualified for Colorado’s 2024 ballot has ended — sort of.The primary arguments wrapped up late Friday afternoon, with each side having spent the week trotting out dueling experts, congressmen and witnesses to the storming of the U.S. Capitol. At issue: Did the Jan. 6, 2021, attack rise to the level of an insurrection, and was Trump culpable enough that he’s disqualified from the ballot under the 14th Amendment?Denver District Court Judge Sarah B. Wallace’s answer to that question is still likely weeks away. The judge has scheduled formal closing remarks for Nov. 15, with her decision to come after that. And with such high stakes, the case may work its way to the Colorado and U.S. supreme courts.The weeklong hearing was nonetheless the first of its kind, though parallel well-backed efforts are underway elsewhere. The Colorado lawsuit was brought by a group of unaffiliated and Republican voters in the state backed by t...

CSU Rams coach Jay Norvell doubles down on QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi despite rough night at Wyoming: “He’s our quarterback.”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

LARAMIE, Wyo. — A half-hour after Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi tripled his turnovers, CSU coach Jay Norvell doubled down on his young quarterback.“He feels like he let his teammates down, and I just don’t think that’s the case,” Norvell said of Fowler-Nicolosi, whose two second-half interceptions and a bizarre fumbled snap sealed a 24-15 loss at Wyoming in the annual Battle for the Bronze Boot at War Memorial Stadium on Friday night.“I think we’ve got to find ways to play better and as coaches, we’ve got to help him.“And he’s our quarterback. And it doesn’t matter if he’s a freshman, you know, we’ve got to find ways to help him. And nobody really cares if we’re playing a freshman quarterback or if we got guys hurt. Nobody cares.”The Border War was the fourth game this season in which Fowler-Nicolosi, a redshirt freshman from Aledo, Texas, has thrown at least two interceptions. CSU is 1-3 in those games, 3...

Grading The Week: Wiggins native Dalton Risner is slated to return to Broncos Country Nov. 19. Why do we get the feeling that reunion may not be a universally happy one?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Dalton Risner is slated for a homecoming on Nov. 19. Why do we get the feeling it may not necessarily be a universally happy one?Full disclosure: The new gang of idiots up in the Grading The Week offices are Risner fans. More fans of the person than fans of the former Broncos guard as a lineman, but still.So it kinda threw the idiots for a loop when Risner, pride of Wiggins and a lifetime fan of the Orange & Blue, said this to Minneapolis reporter Darren Wolfson after making his Vikings debut a few weeks back:“For four years I’ve been a part of a team (where) we didn’t have success. There’s just something different about this place. It starts with the top-down and (coach Kevin) O’Connell, and the way this team is ran, and the locker room, and how we block out the noise, and how we go to work at practice. This team knows how to celebrate too, man. There’s just so many things that are different about here…”The Purple People Eaters ar...

NFL Picks: Daylight saving time ends on perfect weekend for marquee NFL matchup in Germany

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Around the AFCSo long, Josh. Congratulations to those who had Josh McDaniels as the first NFL coach fired this fall. No doubt the news produced a few snickers in Broncos Country, where the Bill Belichick protégé also crashed and burned back in 2010. We’re not sure what’s more surprising: That McDaniels’ 25-game tenure as Raiders head coach was three games shorter than his time leading the Broncos (28); or that he managed to be even worse in Las Vegas (9-16, .360) than he was in Denver (11-17, .393). Raiders owner Mark Davis, who also fired general manager Dave Ziegler this week, expressed dismay that his team “regressed” in Year 2 under McDaniel. To which we reply: That’s what you get for signing off on Jimmy Garoppolo as your David Carr replacement at quarterback.Will the Thrill. Should the Tennessee Titans run full bore into the Will Levis era? The answer here would’ve been an emphatic “Yes!” had this question been posed immedi...

Live Oak completes incredible rally at Christopher: ‘This was our Super Bowl’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

GILROY — Unfazed by a 21-point deficit just seven minutes into the game, the Live Oak football team came all the way back to beat Christopher 28-24 in a matchup between undefeated teams from neighboring towns in front of a packed house at Christopher.“Unbelievable game,” Live Oak coach Mike Gemo said. “This is a great rivalry, Christopher and Live Oak, has been for years. It comes down to games like this, two teams and two groups of kids that know each other and like to battle against each other.”With the win Live Oak (9-0, 5-0) captures the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division championship, the top division in the 24-team BVAL. Christopher (9-1, 4-1) fell just short.“If Live Oak and Christopher played 10 times in a year it would probably end up 5-5,” Christopher coach Darren Yafai said. “They got us this time. We’re proud of our kids. They played their hearts out to the very end.”Live Oak’s Josh Gagni...