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

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 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...

Cyclist Badly Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash on Old Pecos Trail [Santa Fe, NM]

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 GMT

49-Year-Old Man Hospitalized after Being Struck in a Crash on Old Pecos TrailSANTA FE, NM (August 7, 2023) – Tuesday morning, a cyclist sustained injuries in a hit-and-run crash on Old Pecos Trail.The incident happened on August 1st, at around 6:15 a.m., on Old Pecos Trail near the intersection of Santa Barbara Drive.According to reports, a 49-year-old bicyclist was riding along Old Pecos Trail when a white or gold-colored sedan struck him from behind. The impact of the collision caused the rider to sustain serious injuries.Dispatchers sent emergency crews to the area shortly after. From there, paramedics transported the 49-year-old cyclist to a local hospital for treatment.Officials urge anyone with information to call Crash Investigator Officer Jeremy Duran at 505-603-1545 as soon as possible.A driver must stop and take certain actions when involved in a motor vehicle accident. Especially one that results in property damage or injury to another party. If you ever get involve...

One Injured in Motorcycle Accident on Procyon Avenue [Las Vegas, NV]

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 GMT

Rider Seriously Injured in Motorcycle Collision on Tropicana AvenueLAS VEGAS, NV (August 7, 2023) – Friday morning, a rider sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident on Procyon Avenue.On July 28th, at around 6:00 a.m., officers responded to a motorcycle accident in the area just west of Interstate 15.Furthermore, the motorcyclist suffered serious injuries and he was transported to University Medical Center in a critical state.Meanwhile, the officers blocked the westbound lanes of the intersection and they advised the motorists to avoid the area.At this time, the events that led to the collision were not yet determined. Officers suspected speed was a factor in the accident.No other information was added by the authorities and the crash is still under active investigation.It is important to observe proper caution when riding a motorcycle. When turning or changing lanes, use hand and turn signals to give other drivers enough time to slow down and prepare for you to get over. To...

Video: CDC scientist peeved by holiday party chatter named Legionnaires’ disease in 1976

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:11:36 GMT

News broke this weekend that the deaths of two people and the illness of a third have been linked to Legionnaires’ disease at a day spa in Richmond. The bacteria Legionella pneumophila continues its lethal growth and steady rise in cases nationwide, which the Centers for Disease and Control says began in 2000.The pathogen spreads when victims inhale mist or small droplets of water in the air that contain legionella. Joseph McDade, the microbiologist who named the disease following an outbreak at an American Legion convention at a hotel in Philadelphia in summer 1976 that ultimately sickened more than 220 people and killed 34, said in a CDC video that he discovered the bacterium after being insulted at a holiday party that winter over why the agency was taking so long to find it.The researchers who worked with McDade at the CDC through the Legionnaires’ discovery retold their experience of initial hypotheses reaching dead ends in a short video touting the organizationR...