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'Red and yellow kill a fellow?': How to actually tell which Texas snakes are venomous

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

TYLER, Texas (KETK) - Everyone's heard a version of the phrase "Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, friend of Jack,” but this iconic mnemonic device isn't as useful as you think.The rhyme is meant to help distinguish the venomous Texas coral snake, which has red stripes next to yellow stripes, from similar-looking snakes like nonvenomous milk snakes, which have red stripes touching black stripes.While the seemingly ubiquitous rhyme is helpful enough in parts of the United States where we have the Texas coral snake, it's not so helpful in other areas, according to an article from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension on how to identify venomous and nonvenomous snakes.If you're traveling abroad this summer, it's important to know the famous rhyme won't get you far internationally. In places like Mexico, Central America and South America there are coral snakes that actually have red stripes touching white rings and even coral snakes with red rings touching black rings...

LEGOs, playdough and more for local students thanks to grant initiative

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

Students in St. Paul, Eagan and Lakeville are on the receiving end of new books and school supplies focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics thanks to new “Fund My Classroom” grants.The grant initiative, hosted by Western Governors University, awarded 10 educators across the state, including St. Paul’s Jaena Stucynski, Eagan’s Matthew Beniak and Lakeville’s Lynnae Anderson.Matthew Beniak of Eagan’s Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School. (Courtesy of Western Governors University)Beniak, who works as a STEM specialist and magnet coordinator at Eagan’s Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School, was awarded $1,900. Anderson, who is an instructional data support specialist coach at Eastview Elementary School in Lakeville, received $500. Stucynski also received $500 and teaches fifth- through eighth-grade English language arts at the Journey School in St. Paul.According to the university’s news release, teachers nominated specific classroom projects in early spring...

Organizer of Stillwater’s Lumberjack Days Derby issues plea for more participants

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

It takes at least a dozen daredevils willing to race down Stillwater’s Second Street hill in homemade, gravity-powered machines to ensure a spectacular Lumberjack Days Downhill Derby.As of Friday, only seven contestants had registered.“We’re really worried,” said longtime race organizer Joe Widmer. “We do double elimination, so everybody gets more than one race. But seven cars? I think it would be done pretty quick.”Widmer has put out a plea to anyone interested in registering for the race, which will be held at 4 p.m. July 14. The course runs for one block down the Second Street hill near Pioneer Park.“We’re used to cutting it close and having some of our drivers getting around to making their cars at the last minute, but this year seems light,” Widmer said.One longtime racer has retired. Another has moved. Yet another has taken a new job and won’t be competing.“Plus, the car I built, Flote-Bote, was sold to the glue farm for being too slow and won’t be in the rac...

Broncos WRs Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick have rarely shared the field together. They hope that story changes in 2023.

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

The middle of the field was easy money for Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton and quarterback Russell Wilson during minicamp on Tuesday. Sutton would hit a slant route before catching a pass from Wilson for a nice gain.While Wilson and Sutton showcased their chemistry, Jeudy made cornerback Riley Moss aware that he’s one of the best route-runners in the game. Jeudy gave the rookie his “welcome to the league” moment by turning him around before cutting back to make a catch.Moss didn’t stand a chance.Wideout Tim Patrick didn’t let a large knee brace slow him down. He glided across the field, catching passes from Wilson, looking a bit like his old self.It’s best to avoid overreacting to offseason programs when players are running around in shorts and nobody is getting hit. But the Broncos’ three-day minicamp at least provided a tiny glimpse of what the offense could look like when their top three wide receivers are healthy.“I love to see those guys on the field together,” first-yea...

Grading the Week: Is Bruce Brown just telling Nuggets fans what they want to hear?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

Welcome to the greatest new addition to the Colorado sports calendar: championship parades through the streets of downtown Denver.For the second year in a row, the Front Range sports year crested in June with an alcohol-fueled celebration of professional sports immortality — which also happened to be the first of its kind for the Denver Nuggets.Much like the Avs’ bash 12 months earlier, it was a day when open-container laws in the streets of Denver were more of a suggestion than actual enforced law.And, outside of a few extremely awful exceptions, it was glorious.Championship celebration — B+If pressed to pinpoint a favorite moment from Thursday’s festivities, there is one clear front-runner for the Grading the Week staff.It came during one of Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s many speeches amid the madness of Civic Center Park.Sporting a slightly off-center baseball cap, thick gold chain, black sunglasses and “Put that in your pipe and smoke it” unlicense...

Opinion: Nation needs cameras in the courtroom during Trump’s trial

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

The country is living through history with the first-ever federal indictment of a former president. A grand jury charged Donald Trump with 37 federal counts, ranging from the willful retention of national defense information to obstruction of justice. Given the unprecedented situation the nation is witnessing, it only reinforces why we must cover it in the right way.At its core, what the federal indictment shows is that a former president thought he was above the law. Recorded conversations between Trump and his lawyers reveal that he knowingly kept classified information and failed to turn it over when asked. The indictment sends a message to the country that no one — even the former president — can escape justice and accountability.What happens next is arguably more important, though. Now that Trump has been arraigned at a federal courthouse in Miami and pleaded not guilty, the federal judge overseeing the case, Aileen Cannon, will begin the trial process in which witnesses will b...

Stanford set to face Wake Forest in MCWS opener, hoping for better results in third straight trip to Omaha

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

Stanford’s third consecutive trip to Omaha for the men’s College World Series gets underway today.While the No. 8 seeded Cardinal surely is hoping to improve on its results from the last two trips, its opening opponent Wake Forest is quite the fearsome foe.Wake Forest was the easy choice as the No. 1 team in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament and the Demon Deacons have played like it on their way to Omaha.In winning all regional and super regional games, the Demon Deacons won by a combined score of 75-16 and hit 19 home runs, including nine in a 22-5 win over Alabama to clinch their MCWS spot last Sunday.But it’s not just the offense. Wake will start one of the nation’s best pitchers on Saturday (11 a.m. PT, ESPN) in junior Rhett Lowder, who enters with a 15-0 record and a 1.92 ERA. Expected to be a top-10 pick in next month’s MLB Draft, Lowder can touch 97 miles per hour with his fastball and has an elite changeup.Stanford and coach David Esquer haven’t said who wil...

Childhood neighbors ready to sell home but buyer doesn’t want to break the bank with high interest rates

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

Q: We are waiting for interest rates to go down before we purchase a home. We have a property in mind. However, on last night’s news, the report said two more interest rate hikes would occur this year.My parents’ longtime neighbors have passed away. Their home was in a trust. The kids I grew up with have inherited the property. The eldest two adult kids now supervise the estate. These co-successor trustees have agreed to sell their family home to us. All adult siblings agree. They know we are waiting for interest rate improvement. But next year’s lower interest rate is too far away. One of the adult siblings wants a quick sale. Since Bay Area home prices are so high, the slightest interest rate change can help or hurt. How can we keep a “hold” on this Silicon Valley property near my parents without breaking the bank? A: We are in a historic housing-constrained market. The common belief is that lower mortgage rates mean more properties for sale. That is only sometimes true. Lowe...

Tiafoe beats Fucsovics in Stuttgart Open tennis to reach 1st grass final

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Frances Tiafoe will contest his first grass-court final after the American player outlasted Marton Fucsovics in a marathon Stuttgart Open tiebreak on Saturday.Tiafoe won their semi-final 6-3, 7-6 (11) after saving six set points in the tiebreak. He seized his chance at 11-10 down to win the next three points, sealing victory with a stinging return shot.“Crazy match, crazy second set, I’m just happy to get through,” he said. “I wasn’t relaxed in that tiebreak at all.”Tiafoe is 2-4 in finals. The last time he played for a title was his win over Tomás Martín Etcheverry on clay in Houston in April. Hungarian player Fucsovics came through qualifying in Stuttgart and upset Tiafoe’s friend and fellow American player Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals on Friday. He was bidding to reach his first final since 2021.Tiafoe faces fourth-seeded Polish player Hubert Hurkacz or Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the final on Sunday.___More AP tennis: https://apnews...

Aumenta a 41 el saldo de muertos en un ataque a una escuela en Uganda

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:49:32 GMT

(CNN) — El número de víctimas mortales en el ataque a una escuela en el oeste de Uganda aumentó a 41, dijo este sábado el alcalde de la localidad de Mpondwe, Mapoze Slevest.El mayor Bilal Katamba, portavoz de las operaciones militares de Uganda en la República Democrática del Congo (RDC), declaró más temprano que entre 20 y 25 rebeldes atacaron la escuela de secundaria de Lhubirira, en Mpondwe, entre las 11.00 p.m. y la medianoche del viernes.“La situación no es buena”, afirmó. “Estamos aquí con las fuerzas de seguridad, las UPDF (Fuerzas de Defensa del Pueblo de Uganda) y la policía. Están limpiando, investigando y buscando qué hacer a continuación. Esta era una buena comunidad, sin rebeldes”, afirmó por su parte Slevest.La escuela está situada en la frontera de Uganda con el Congo.Los militares están persiguiendo a los sospechosos en la RDC y creen que se dirigen hacia el Parque Nacional de Virunga.Rebeldes armados del ADF, vinculado al ISIS, atacaron...