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90-year-old critically endangered Houston Zoo turtle becomes first-time dad

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) -- At 90 years young, Mr. Pickles is the oldest animal at the Houston Zoo and the newest father after three radiated tortoise eggs hatched. These little Pickles are a big deal (big dill?) for radiated tortoise genetics as their father, Mr. Pickles, is the most genetically valuable radiated tortoise in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP).Mr. Pickles has been at our local zoo for 36 years and has been with his companion, Mrs. Pickles, since she arrived in 1996. The pair have only had one little Pickle previously in 1997. The new tortoises have been named Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño and will remain behind the scenes in the Reptile & Amphibian House until they are big enough to safely join their parents.The Houston said the new hatchlings came as a surprise when a herpetology keeper happened upon Mrs. Pickles as the tortoise was laying her eggs at closing time. The animal care team quickly went to work uncovering the eggs and gettin...

At new women-owned Minneapolis art gallery, an exhibition explores emotion and abstraction

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

A new gallery show in Northeast Minneapolis aims to showcase movement and emotion in abstract art.The exhibition, called “Abstract Vibes,” is on display at Goza Gallery, inside the Northrup King Building artists’ complex, until mid-April. Goza Gallery was launched last fall by four women painters; their artist-in-residence is St. Paul-based collage artist Kristi Abbott.“As observers, we often see or feel (abstract art) differently,” said Sue Mooney, one of the co-owners of the gallery, via email. “When we talk about a particular piece, your experience may be totally different than mine. It can really expand your imagination, as what you see is not stating the obvious, like in realism.”The show opens Friday, March 24, with a free opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. with light snacks and beverages. A $5 VIP ticket grants first-look access to the show from 5 to 6 p.m., along with the opportunity to purchase any of the artworks in the show before it opens to the public.Abstract Vibes, wh...

More statesmanship needed from Poilievre

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

Dear Editor:I am a supportive member of the Conservative Party of Canada. However, I disapprove of the tactics the leader and his advisers have designed in their attempts to bring down the Liberals/NDP and elevate the Conservatives.As Pierre Poilievre is the leader and mouthpiece of the Conservatives we look to him for direction and strategy in strengthening our position for a convincing win in the next election. His major and often his only tactic seems to be that of attack and attack. When Mr. Poilievre is asked a question about his own party’s doings, he turns on Mr. Trudeau and points out him and his party’s failures. If this were to happen once and a while, we could understand, but when it is constant, it begins to grind upon us and we begin to wonder if we chose the right leader from among the candidates that earlier vied for the leadership.Why doesn’t he cordially answer the questions presented to him instead of turning on his opponents and accuse them of some weakness or fai...

Common ingredient substitutions for smarter baking

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsAs costs have risen dramatically over the past few years for groceries and other commodities, I have become more and more aware of the importance of buying and and cooking smarter.As mentioned in previous columns, part of this has to do with reducing overall waste by buying less of what you know will not be used up before its expiration. In the past, I’ve given tips on how to repurpose food scraps and other kitchen consumables, but it occurred to me recently that many people have a tendency to hit a mental block when it comes to improvising in the kitchen. However, in the spirit of reduc-ing overall food waste and saving a bit of money and/or time, I have compiled a list of some of the most common and useful substitutions in baking.Knowing when you can simply swap out an ingredient is really useful. It can encourage you to use up the last of an ingredient that’s on the verge of spoil-ing by using it in a recipe.Rather than looking at substitutions as ...

Are Canadians ready to ‘ditch the switch’ with Daylight Saving Time?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

Quite honestly, why do we still have daylight saving time? We can’t think of any rational purpose that it still serves in a modern society today. Now most people still think that daylight saving time is useful for farmers and we should keep it for their benefit, but much like the myth about school summer holidays being for the benefit of farmers, this is not entirely true. Logically the animals and plants that farmers are growing and taking care of as part of their job do not care, or even comprehend our human concept of time regardless of it being spring forward, or fall back. Daylight saving time was only implemented back during the second year of World War I by Germany. This was to conserve power for the war effort, which makes sense, but with our current technology, and not being directly involved in any wars, should we still continue to follow daylight saving time?Nowadays, daylight saving time has the exact opposite effect on power consumption compared to the time of World War...

Barons donates equipment to Ukraine following fire department closure

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsIt has been nearly one year since Barons was forced to disband their Fire Department due to a lack of volunteers and resources to support career firefighters.Although much of the equipment was transferred to nearby stations in Nobleford and Picture Butte, there was some fire and rescue equipment that no longer met the rigid safety standards in Canada. It was music to the Village’s ears when they learned the supplies could be donated to Firefighter Aid Ukraine (FFAU), a volunteer-run not for profit in Alberta that charters cargo jets to get needed medical and rescue supplies over to Ukraine.Established in 2014, Firefighter Aid Ukraine has utilized a wide network of volunteers to administer critical aid to Ukraine. In the week following the beginning of the conflict in February 2022, the organization successfully collected 14 tons of life rescue equipment, medical supplies and PPE, before departing from Edmonton in a chartered cargo plane on March 10, 2...

Lethbridge County Council March 16 meeting – selected briefs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsBursary offerings expandedNoting increases to tuition and cost of living, County Council has passed a motion to increase the number of bursary award recipients to three, and has upped the bursary amount to $1,500.In previous years, the County awarded two bursaries worth $1,000 each. The additional funding will come from the Council Discretionary Reserve.Deficit transfer approvedAdministration made the recommendation for council to approve the reallocation of funds from Restricted Surplus (Reserves) to Unrestricted Surplus be transferred from the Tax Equalization Reserve in the amount of $395,000 to offset the 2022 deficit.Administration’s report noted, “while there are some significant department deficits due to operational changes, inflation, fuel and supply cost increases, there were some annual budget and year-end transaction entries that contributed to the bottom line,” as well.“Although it is a significant number, it is approximately 2.5 per cent...

Elks donation will keep pool waters clear

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe recent donation from the Picture Butte Elks Lodge #268 will replace the pool’s dolphin cleaner.The Cor Van Raay & Community Aquatic Centre in Picture Butte received a $2,450 donation from the Picture Butte Elks on March 16.The Picture Butte Elks Lodge #268 has donated over $335,000 to their community over the past 22 years through various fundraising efforts and direct support. Recent figures reported by Elks Alberta noted Picture Butte Elks Lodge #268 members have contributed nearly 30,000 volunteer hours.The Picture Butte chapter also recently contributed $1,800 to the Mighty Lil Elk Program. An initiative which launched in 2022 and provides hospital bags to assist caregivers who are admitted to a regional hospital and do not have belongings with them.The Mighty Lil Elk program supports paediatric patients and their caregivers who have been rushed to a hospital outside their community for care. The urgent relocation often leaves caregivers w...

Hudson Falls woman sentenced for bank fraud

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Wednesday, a Hudson Falls woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for two counts of bank fraud dating back to 2019. Renee Burnell, 49, was sentenced after being found guilty of using the personal information of current or former customers of a plumbing and heating business she ran. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Previously, Burnell pled guilty to counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for actions during 2019 and 2020. She admitted to having applied for lines of credit at Synchrony Bank and The Bank of Missouri using the personal information of her customers. She then used those lines of credit to make and falsify purchases for her business. The actions resulted in a loss of $119,264.43 to The Bank of Missouri. Synchrony Bank lost $13,912. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Cambridge voters say no to school capital project Full restitution to both b...

Missouri banks ask lawmakers to approve sharing of marijuana business inspections

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:31 GMT

Missouri’s marijuana businesses have extra obstacles when it comes to getting help from financial institutions. With recreational marijuana now legal in Missouri but still illegal at the federal level, it creates more hoops to jump through for both banks and businesses to meet federal scrutiny.Missouri lawmakers have an opportunity to streamline that process by allowing state agencies to share the marijuana licensing information with banks and credit unions, said Jim Regna, CEO and founder of Triad Bank in St. Louis.The federal government requires financial institutions to inspect every facility and licensee to make sure they’re legal and reputable — something the Department of Health and Senior Services, which is charged with overseeing the state’s marijuana program, already does, Regna said.“In lieu of doing our own inspections,” he said, “it’d be very, very helpful for us to be able to get this information from the Department of Health and Senior Services to make the program flui...