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St. Paul Parks and Rec, Parks Conservancy join initiative to bring equity to play spaces for children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

St. Paul Parks and Rec and the St. Paul Parks Conservancy recently announced they have joined a national nonprofit effort dedicated to ending play space inequity across the country.The non-profit KABOOM!’s initiative is designed to “ensure that every child has an amazing place to play across the country,” according to the press release.St. Paul Parks and Rec and the conservancy plan to invest $7.5 million through a fundraising campaign to improve access to places for children to play.“Strong nonprofit partnerships are vital to the success and sustainability of our parks and recreation system,” said St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez, in a statement. “We are excited to work with KABOOM! and the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy to make our playspaces safer, more equitable, and accessible for all.”St. Paul has been recognized as having the second best city park system in the U.S., according to the Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore rankings....

Beloved St. Paul Vietnamese eatery Ngon Bistro to close after 16 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

Ngon Bistro, the beloved University Avenue Vietnamese restaurant with French influences, will close after a 16-year run.The restaurant, which placed Vietnamese cuisine in a slightly upscale, and definitely cool, atmosphere, had loyal fans who raved about the ribeye pho, rabbit dumplings, serrano-pepper-braised pork pasta and more. Cocktails were delightful, too, and there was always something good spinning from the vinyl record player at the bar.Chef/owner Hai Truong took over the space in 2007 from his aunt, who ran Pho Anh there.It was always a bright spot in St. Paul’s culinary scene, and customers and neighbors mourned the loss on social media, where Trong posted the following message:“It’s been an epic run of 16+ years but we’ve made the difficult decision to close Ngon. Our last day of service will be Saturday, July 22nd. Stop in for one last meal with us.“Support your local small businesses & restaurants! See you again. Cheers, Hai.”Ngon Bistro: 799 University Ave.,...

Government downplayed risks of radioactive waste in St. Louis, records show

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Approximately 15,000 pages of newly-disclosed documents reveal that federal agencies knew about the dangers of radioactive contamination in north St. Louis County since as early as 1949.Residents who fought to prove this now want justice.“In 2012, in an 11-month period, I had a total hysterectomy due to masses on my ovaries. I had an adrenal gland removed due to a tumor, I’ve had thyroid cancer,” said Christen Cammuso, Missouri Coalition for the Environment. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Previously unreleased government records show radioactive waste was known to pose a threat to people living near Coldwater Creek as early as 1949. But federal officials repeatedly downplayed the risks, and dismissed p...

Homicide ruled out in case of baby found dead in St. Louis freezer in 2019

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Police say the death of a baby found inside the freezer of a St. Louis home several years ago is no longer being investigated as a homicide. On July 28, 2019, the remains of an unidentified child were found inside the freezer of an apartment in the 6000 block of Magnolia Avenue in south St. Louis. Lawmaker to review law ‘in-depth’ after cars with expired tags towed from driveways A man named Adam Smith told FOX 2 in 2019 that he made the shocking discovery just days after his mother died. Investigators say the baby was discovered wrapped inside with a blanket which was entombed inside a box thought to contain an old wedding cake inside the freezer.In a police briefing Wednesday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department says there was limited information available then to help identify the baby and determine the circumstances of the baby's death. According to preliminary tests cited Wednesday, police believe the child found inside was wearing clothes made around th...

Third bus of migrants arrives in Los Angeles from Texas, mayor says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

Another bus carrying migrants arrived in Los Angeles from Texas, Mayor Karen Bass said Thursday. The bus arrived at Union Station in downtown L.A. around 12:40 p.m., the mayor said in a statement. "The City has continued to work with City Departments, the County, and a coalition of nonprofit organizations, in addition to our faith partners, to execute a plan set in place earlier this year. As we have before, when we became aware of the bus yesterday, we activated our plan," said Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass.No further details about the bus was released by the mayor's office Thursday, but the Los Angeles Times reported there were 35 migrants on board. The bus was sent to California by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the Times reported.It's the third time a bus carrying migrants has arrived in Los Angeles from Texas. On June 14, 42 migrants were bused to Los Angeles from the city of McAllen.Then on July 1, a bus arrived at the transportation hub from the city of Brownsville.In that ins...

Orange County man records extremely close encounter with cougar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

A wildlife photographer may have gotten the shot of a lifetime Wednesday night when he encountered a mountain lion mere feet down a path.Mark Girardeau said he was checking his motion-activated cameras in Trabuco Canyon when he saw the adult puma, which he calls "Uno," "just chilling" on the trail. When he zooms in on Uno, the camera shows that the cougar is calm and composed, seemingly more curious about Girardeau's presence than anything else.The big cat then saunters down the trail until she reaches the other side of the path from Girardeau's position, then trots away.This mountain lion had no problem around wildlife photographer Mark Girardeau on July 13, 2023. (Mark Girardeau)"Oh s—. I had bear spray ready," he narrates.In another video, Uno, who is wearing a collar, walks within an arm's length of Girardeau's vehicle, seemingly unconcerned with his presence.If you encounter a mountain lion in the wild, the National Park Service says to stay calm, make eye contact and stand and...

Disneyland to celebrate 68th anniversary with limited-time event

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

The Disneyland Resort will celebrate its 68th anniversary on Monday and will hold a celebratory cavalcade to mark the special occasion, the resort announced Thursday.Walt Disney welcomed the first guests into Disneyland on July 17, 1955.The celebratory cavalcade will take place at Disneyland at 11:45 a.m. and will likely include appearances from Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy, among other characters. Disneyland sells out of Oogie Boogie Bash tickets on the first day The Anaheim-based theme park will also celebrate its birthday with a new donut available at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café from July 15 until July 17.The resort’s latest celebration comes during Disney 100, a yearlong celebration of the Walt Disney Co.’s 100th anniversary. The festivities included the debut of a new ride, two new nighttime shows, new food options and more.The new dark ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, opened to the public earlier this year and is the first ride at Disneyland that stars Mickey Mou...

TV presenter resells Taylor Swift tickets, as Swifties chip in donations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

Perhaps no modern musician has a more dedicated and devoted fanbase than Taylor Swift.Swift, 33, is currently in the midst of a world-spanning concert tour that is selling out arenas with exorbitant ticket prices and sparking a conversation about the ticket resale market.Tickets for the Eras Tour are extremely hard to come by, with scalpers and reselling sites snatching up many of the tickets within seconds of them going on sale. The resulting mayhem led to tickets going for hundreds, if not thousands, above their advertised price.One Swift fan lucky enough to beat the bots and grab a pair of Eras Tour tickets was engineer and TV presenter Emily Calandrelli. Emily Calandrelli (left) and and Steve Spangler on stage during the 45th Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on April 27, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Getty Images,)Calandrelli had purchased six tickets for the pop star's concert at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 3, but decided to sell them. Her initia...

Advocating for Secure and Ethical Tech for SMEs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

An Interview with Tech Expert Rouble MalikSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unique challenges when it comes to advocating for secure and ethical technology practices. While larger organizations often have dedicated resources and expertise in cybersecurity and ethical considerations, SMEs may struggle to navigate these complex issues due to limited resources and competing priorities.But the need for secure and ethical tech practices is just as critical for SMEs – if not more so – as they are both increasingly targeted by cyber threats and entrusted with valuable customer data. It’s integral for professionals in the industry to advocate for secure and ethical tech in the SME sector.One of the emerging experts in this arena is information security professional Rouble Malik, an expert in cloud computing and cybersecurity. He has agreed to discuss his insights about ethics and security, including his own efforts in promoting responsible practices, raising awarene...

“Empowering Black Success in a Post-Affirmative Action Landscape: Dr. Boyce Watkins’ Revolutionary Strategies”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:36 GMT

In the pursuit of financial independence and security, the concept of economic empowerment has become a fiscal buzzword. Unfortunately, the term often serves as a thin veil for dubious get-rich-quick schemes and multi-level marketing (MLM) programs that tend to leave the most vulnerable in calamitous positions. This is especially true for the most financially insecure, who may be more susceptible to purposefully misleading information.However, there are legitimate financial strategies that have been evaluated by experienced scholars and proven to foster long-term economic independence. Dr. Boyce Watkins, formerly on the Finance faculty at Syracuse University, is a high profile scholar and founder of The Black Business School. Dr Watkins emerged as a guiding light for millions by providing tested strategies to bridge the racial wealth gap. Through his bestselling books, films, podcasts, and annual conventions, he has generated a reliable engine for Black Wealth accumulation.Scholar, ...