Public invited to Rice Park holiday tree lighting (and Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kick-Off) on Friday

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Public invited to Rice Park holiday tree lighting (and Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kick-Off) on Friday It was Election Day, but it looked more like Christmas at Rice Park in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday.Bystanders craned their necks upward to watch a crew assemble a 40-foot artificial holiday tree for a lighting ceremony on Friday.It’s long been a tradition to light up the real trees of St. Paul’s historic park to celebrate the holidays and illuminate our winter, but this will only be the second year that the Salvation Army’s “Tree of Lights” will be the sparkly focal point in Rice Park.The event also represents the Red Kettle Kick-Off for the organization, a fund-raising effort involving the pealing of bells at kettles across the Twin Cities and beyond.But first, the tree must be assembled.“This is a 3-day process,” said Angel Fields Mitchell, divisional director of marketing for the Salvation Army Northern Division, from Rice Park on Tuesday. “Tomorrow, we will decorate the tree.”The ceremonyHundreds of people were on hand as th...

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs has side hustle as viral TikTok sensation

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs has side hustle as viral TikTok sensation The team store for the Vikings is fully stocked with Josh Dobbs jerseys. The team store for the Arizona Cardinals couldn’t say the same thing earlier this season.That much the 28-year-old Dobbs jokingly shed light upon a couple of months ago when he posted a video on TikTok that ended up going viral. As the starting quarterback for the Cardinals at the time, he filmed himself inside the team store trying to buy his jersey for a family member, only to realize that wasn’t an option. That clip has been viewed 1.3 million times.The following day he posted another video on TikTok, taking to the camera, and revealing that the team store had his jersey available for purchase. That clip has been viewed 1.4 million times.“It’s fun,” Dobbs said. “I think TikTok is a great opportunity for everybody to show their personality.”Now the starting quarterback for the Vikings, preparing for a home game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, he has decided to con...

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson higher on recruiting class than national rankings

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson higher on recruiting class than national rankings Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson is higher on his incoming, two-player recruiting class than three outside national rankings.Minnesota signed guard Isaac Asuma of Mountain Iron, Minn., and forward Grayson Grove of Alexandria, Minn., for the 2024 class on Wednesday. The U’s class ranks outside the top 55 in the nation, according to 247sports, On3 and Rivals.Asuma, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard from Cherry High School, had a great summer with his AAU team D1 Minnesota, Johnson said.“He’s a top-100 player in my mind,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve watched enough on the circuit to see that. Whatever the numbers are, they are. But to watch him go head-to-head, toe-to-toe, his AAU team was down a little bit and he had to carry those guys in a couple of tournaments. … Our fans are really going to love his grit and toughness and skill level.”Johnson said the U was “lucky” to get him committed early in March. His offer list included Iowa, Iowa State, Xavier, Butler, Nebrask...

Israel says it will maintain ‘overall security responsibility’ for Gaza. What might that look like?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Israel says it will maintain ‘overall security responsibility’ for Gaza. What might that look like? By JOSEF FEDERMAN (Associated Press)JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t elaborate when he said this week that Israel would maintain indefinite “overall security responsibility” in Gaza once it removes Hamas from power in response to a deadly Oct. 7 cross-border raid by the Islamic militant group.Experience suggests that any Israeli security role will be seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a form of military occupation. This could complicate any plans to hand governing responsibility to the Palestinian Authority or friendly Arab states, and risk bogging Israel down in a war of attrition.Even if Israel succeeds in ending Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and dismantling much of its militant infrastructure, the presence of Israeli forces is likely to fuel an insurgency, as it did from 1967 to 2005. That period saw two Palestinian uprisings and the rise of Hamas.Benny Gantz, of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet, acknowledged Wednesday that...

Veteran loses nearly everything, saves wife from burning home

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Veteran loses nearly everything, saves wife from burning home FORT HUNTER, (NEWS10) - A local veteran lost nearly everything in a house fire. NEWS10 spoke with the family to learn more about the devastating blaze. School bus aide dies days after bus crash David Stafford had just returned from letting the dog out before bedtime when he noticed an orange glow out of his kitchen window. He and his son went out to investigate and found the house on fire, his wife and dog still inside. “I tried to run around to the front of the house, but I already locked the doors for the night, and I couldn't get in to save the dog. My wife was upstairs sleeping,” said Stafford.Daughter, Amber Berroa, says her mom called her from inside the burning home. “So, I answered it. And she couldn't even get her breath to tell me while she kept saying was Amber there's a fire and I couldn't get to Greta. That's all she kept saying I tried to get Greta and I can't get Greta,”“So, my son and I when we went out, he was behind me we got the ladders up I got my wife out from...

Voters react to Saratoga Springs election results 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Voters react to Saratoga Springs election results  SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) –  The change in leadership in the Spa City comes after a year of tension between the mayor and public safety commissioner. On Wednesday NEWS10 heard from voters and a city council member who shared thoughts on the election results.Residents said they are now breathing a sigh of relief after a tumultuous two years. Black Lives Matter activists called on Commissioner of Public Safety Jim Montagnino to resign after he filed charges against Chandler Hickenbottom, one of the group's leaders, for continuing to speak after her time for public comment ran out during a city council meeting.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Mayor Ron Kim criticized the decision to file charges and said at the time that it was an unnecessary distraction. The two have had several public confrontations in the past that have heated up this last year.NEWS10 spoke to voters in Saratoga Springs on Wednesday and they were no...

Major Case Squad activated following discovery of body in Collinsville

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Major Case Squad activated following discovery of body in Collinsville COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Late Wednesday morning, police in Collinsville were summoned to an area off Route 159 for a man found dead in a ditch.The call came in just before 10:45 a.m. Collinsville police found the body in the 500 block of Loop Street.The man, identified as Tyrese Owens, had suffered a serious laceration to his torso and was later pronounced dead by the Madison County Coroner's Office. Owens was 21. Results: November 7 Missouri Special Election Police said Owens lived in an apartment on the street.Collinsville police requested the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to lead the investigation. Approximately 20 investigators have been assigned to the case, and are following up on numerous leads.Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to call the Major Case Squad at 618-344-2131 (x5300).

Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter, child abuse in St. Louis toddler's death

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter, child abuse in St. Louis toddler's death ST. LOUIS - Jurors convicted a man of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse in a St. Louis toddler's death several years ago.Hoaratio Harris was found guilty Wednesday in the St. Louis Circuit Court in connection with the death of two-year-old Syncere McCoy.Investigators say Syncere died on Sept. 3, 2020, several weeks after he and his twin brother were left in the care of Harris. Results: November 7 Missouri Special Election According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Harris' girlfriend called 911 that night to report Syncere was unresponsive and not breathing. Later questioned by authorities, Harris said Syncere had fallen down the steps of an apartment. Doctors noted that Syncere suffered several injuries and bruises all around his body, injuries they believed were not consistent with a fall. An autopsy later revealed he died from blunt force trauma, suffering fractured ribs, lacerated gums and multiple cuts and bruises. Doctors later examined Syncere's twin brother and...

Test scores say COVID was especially rough on English learners. Not all school districts agree.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Test scores say COVID was especially rough on English learners. Not all school districts agree. English learners might have been hit especially hard during the pandemic and need extra targeted support, experts and advocates say. But some school district leaders aren’t yet concerned about the data.Results from 2023 state tests show English learners are further behind their peers from 2019 compared with other student groups, and they’re struggling more to get back on track.On the main state tests in English language arts and math, the biggest falloff in proficiency between 2019 and this year is for English learners. They also showed less growth. Of those taking the SAT and PSAT for example, only students with disabilities showed less growth.Helping English learners recover from the pandemic has been a complex problem nationwide.  And test scores aren’t the only warning sign about how English learners in Colorado schools are faring: While nearly a third of Colorado students were chronically absent last year, for example, 40% of English learners missed enough school to get that la...

Weld County election results 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:11:04 GMT

Weld County election results 2023 These are county-level results. If your city or school district spans more than one county the results on this page could be only partial results. Go to our aggregated results page to see full results for those races.City of Dacono Council Members (Vote For 2)Mike Mathiesen14.5%259Rick Gerk21.11%377Doris Crespo33.65%601Daniel J. Spagnuolo13.38%239David O’Day17.36%310City of Greeley Mayor (Vote For 1)W.D. ”Bill” Gillard12.77%2492John Gates74.08%14462Jim Ethridge13.15%2567City of Greeley Councilmember – At Large (Vote For 1)Melissa McDonald53.87%9663Frank Freeman33.37%5985Sean Short12.76%2289City of Greeley Ward 1 Councilmember – Ward 1 (Vote For 1)Tommy Butler100%2682City of Greeley Ward 1 Councilmember – Ward 4 (Vote For 1)Dale Hall100%4930City of Longmont Mayor (Vote For 1)Ethan Augreen27.47%25Joan Peck62.64%57Terri Goon9.89%9City of Longmont Council Member – At Large (Vote For 1)Sean P. McCoy42.86%39Steve Altschuler15.38%14Beka Venturella4...