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All birds are shrinking — but small birds are shrinking fastest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

(The Hill) - The forest of Amazonia and the urban canyons of Chicago are dramatically different environments.But in both, bird life has displayed the same mysterious pattern: While all birds are shrinking, small birds are getting smaller, faster, than larger ones, a new study has found.At the same time, in a surprising twist, their wings are getting longer — as though all birds were becoming a bit more every year like tree swallows — and scientists have no idea why.The findings published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) begin with a large and macabre body of evidence.  These US bird species face a ‘tipping point’ as populations decline sharply, new report finds Since 1978, scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum have collected the corpses of unlucky birds.These are a diverse bunch, owing to Chicago’s lethal — if scientifically fortunate — position as a giant city, full of deadly glass windows on a major migratory route for...

DPS temporarily halts partnership in Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will temporarily cease its partnership with the Austin Police Department (APD) so that troopers can focus their attention on border cities in the wake of the expiration of Title 42, according to law enforcement sources. The initiative, called the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force (AVCTF), began on March 30 as a way to assist APD as the department faces a staffing shortage. APD currently has about 300 vacancies. According to law enforcement sources, DPS' last day will be Saturday, and troopers will likely not return to their Austin patrols for several weeks. Where DPS is patrolling in Austin and why Since the program began, there have been “significant decreases in violent crime, response times, and calls for service,” according to the APD. The department used a data-driven approach to identify crime "hot-spots" as well as high-travel roads most common for crashes - and deployed troopers to those locations.In the crime hot ...

Soucheray: St. Paul has broken under the weight of lenient policies on crime

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

Two days after Michael Brasel, 44, was killed in front of his own house in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood, taking three shots to the chest, the police sirens wailed, again, in St. Paul, this time in the Mac-Groveland and Highland Park neighborhoods.Officers were called to an address on the 1200 block of Juliet Avenue about 3:15 p.m. Monday. Multiple suspects in a stolen Audi tried to break into a vehicle. They were wearing masks. The owner of the car yelled and they scampered back to the Audi and took off.Maybe the car’s owner hadn’t heard about Brasel, for that owner was taking his life in his hands by daring to shout. He could have been killed as remorselessly as Brasel.That’s all Brasel presumably did, give out a shout as somebody was trying to take his wife’s car. He died. Executed is more like it, executed. The shooter has been caught. He is 17. The Pioneer Press learned that the alleged killer was charged in April 2022 with robbing a student in a bathroom at Harding High Sc...

Working Strategies: To work or not to work? For the disabled, that’s the nuanced question

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

Amy LindgrenSecond Sunday Series – Editor’s Note: This is the ninth of 12 columns on work and disability that are appearing over 12 months — one on each second Sunday of the month, from September through August. Previous columns discussed the subminimum wage, promotions for workers with disabilities, higher education decisions, self-advocating, career tips for family caretakers, testing limits as a worker with disabilities, the dilemma of revealing disabilities during job search, and overall concepts of disability in the workplace.We’re often told, “work isn’t everything,” or, “No one ever died regretting what they didn’t do at work.”Those are the messages, but do we believe them? As a culture, America is work-crazy. We have high rates of labor force participation and low empathy for those who aren’t “productive.” We call ourselves lazy for leaving work on time and, until the recent lessons of the pandemic, we prided ourselves on going to work sick.What...

Police search for missing Bennington man

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

BENNINGTON, Vt. (NEWS10) — Gary Monroe, 72, of Bennington is missing and was last seen leaving the area of 882 Murphy Hill Road on foot at around 4:45 p.m. on Friday. Police say he suffers from dementia, but is in otherwise good health. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! He was last seen wearing a dark green T-shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers, and a dark hat. He stands 5-feet, 9-inches tall and weights 150 pounds, with long brown hair and a salt-and-pepper beard.Emergency responders from the region are conducting a search. They want locals to check outbuildings, sheds, garages, barns, and surveillance footage to look out.Police said Monroe has no access to a vehicle or phone, but does have outdoor experience. If you've seen Monroe or have information about his whereabouts, contact Bennington police at (802) 442-1030.

Man fatally shot at community pool in Agoura Hills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

A man is dead after he was shot at an Agoura Hills community pool early Saturday morning.Multiple gunshots were reported at around 12:30 a.m. on Strawberry Hill Drive near Windsong Lane, and the unidentified victim sustained at least one gunshot wound to the stomach, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.He was pronounced dead at the scene.Investigators are working to determine if the victim lived in the neighborhood and how many people may have been involved.No arrests have been made.

Man dies after being shot by own gun during traffic stop in South Los Angeles: LAPD

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

A man is dead after he was struck by fire from his own gun during a struggle with police in a traffic stop in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles Friday night, officials said.The unidentified man was pulled over by the Los Angeles Police Department near East 74th Street and South Central Avenue at about 10:30 p.m., according to Officer Jader Chavez.During the traffic stop, officers spotted a gun in the vehicle, Chavez said.When officers tried to prevent the gun from being fired, it discharged, striking the man, Chavez added.He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.No officers were injured during the incident. Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

Here's what it looks like at the U.S.-Mexico border after Title 42 expired

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

From the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to San Diego and Tijuana, many migrants gathered along sections of the U.S.-Mexico border questioned when or whether they would cross into the United States to seek asylum once pandemic-related restrictions known as Title 42 ended.Some migrants who had traveled from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Central America feared it could be harder for them to stay on U.S. soil with the restrictions lifted.Here are some of the stories from along the 1,950-mile (3,140-kilometer) international boundary:___Ludin, a Honduran man who asked that his last name not be used out of fear for his safety and that of his family, arrived Friday at Tijuana’s El Chaparral port of entry with his pregnant wife and 5-year-old son.He stood just feet from U.S. soil, conflicted over how to proceed.“Do you think we can cross and ask for asylum?” he asked.He said he had been trying to use an app that border officials created for people to request asylum in the U.S. — CBP One...

Four people shot in Oakland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

OAKLAND — For people, one a 16-year-old boy, were shot within a three-hour period early Saturday in different areas of East Oakland, authorities said.All of the victims were listed in stable condition.Based on initial reports, none of the shootings appear to be related at this time, authorities said.The 16-year-old was reported shot more than once  about 2:40 a.m. Saturday.He was apparently driving somewhere in East Oakland when he was shot and was able to make it to his home  near 85th Avenue and Holly Street where police and paramedics were called, authorities said.Police were trying to determine exactly where the shooting happened and what the motive was.  No arrests have been made.About 2:06 a.m. a  33-year-old man was shot  in the leg as he was walking in the 7600 block of Holly Street.  The man told police he did not see who shot him. Police are trying to determine a motive for the shooting and whether the man was the intended target.  No arrests have been made.At about ...

South Bay artists show their work and where they make it at Silicon Valley Open Studios

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:19 GMT

Creative expression in many forms will be on view May 20-21 as South Bay artists open their work spaces to visitors for the third and final weekend of this year’s Silicon Valley Open Studios.Sunnyvale resident and software engineer Ronen Vainish had a third party introduction to his artistic medium. “My wife registered me for a class at the Bay Area Glass Institute located at the San Jose History Park, and the rest is history.”Vainish creates bowls and vases in swirls of vivid blue, green and yellow glass, which he displayed at a Los Altos site during the second week of Open Studios. He says controlling the process can be a challenge, but the end result is worthwhile.“Art gives you a different perspective as a human being,” he adds. “It is satisfying to the soul.”Willow Glen resident Prakash Chandras prefers painting in oils, and his specialty is linearism. This is evident in his work, where the viewer can see the clear lines of buildings and similar objects.An award-winning artist,...