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Lolita, a beloved orca at the Miami Seaquarium set to be released into the ocean, has died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

Lolita, an orca whale who had lived in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium since 1970, died Friday afternoon, according to the facility.Lolita began exhibiting “serious signs of discomfort” over the past several days, according to an Instagram post from the Miami Seaquarium. After being treated “immediately and aggressively” by a medical team, she died from “what is believed to be a renal condition” on Friday afternoon, the aquarium said.“Toki was an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story and especially to the Lummi nation that considered her family,” the post reads. “Those of us who have had the honor and privilege to spend time with her will forever remember her beautiful spirit.” The Lummi Nation is a Native American tribe based on the coast of Washington state and southern British Columbia, near the waters where Lolita was captured.The 57-year-old whale, sometimes called Toki and known as Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut by the Lummi people, was set to be ...

Patriots-Packers preseason game called off after injury to Isaiah Bolden

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — As New England Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden lay on the field with a serious injury, his teammates couldn’t avoid thinking about Damar Hamlin.New England’s preseason game with the Green Bay Packers was called off on Saturday night after Bolden was carted off the field early in the fourth quarter.The incident came more than seven months after Hamlin — a Buffalo Bills safety — went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field after making what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.“Of course that’s in the back of all of our minds when something like that happens,” Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills said.The Patriots said after the game that Bolden had feeling in all his extremities. Patriots spokesman Stacey James said late Saturday night that Bolden will be held overnight at a hospital in Green Bay for observation. The Patriots plan to provide an update on Bolden’s condition Sunday morning.“We’re just...

Live Updates from the Women’s World Cup final: Carmona gives Spain 1-0 early lead over England

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Live updates from the Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain:___Spain has taken a 1-0 lead over England in the 29th minute of the Women’s World Cup finale on Sunday. La Roja got on the board with a firm strike from Olga Carmona from the left wing that beat England goalkeeper Mary Earps. Carmona, a left back, has scored in back-to-back World Cup games for Spain. The Spanish team has a tournament-best 18 goals in this World Cup. Both teams had earlier chances.England nearly opened the scoring when Georgia Stanway broke into the box and got the ball to Lucy Bronze, who shot high.Daly teed up Lauren Hemp, who fired from outside the area but the ball hit the crossbar.Two minutes later, Spain nearly scored when Alba Redondo fired a shot at the back post that forced a save from Earps. ___The Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain has started in what statistically should be a close match. Spain through the tournament has created almost twice a...

Cooler weather overnight helps firefighters battling a wildfire on Spain’s Tenerife island

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Canary Islands (AP) — Improved weather conditions helped firefighters make advances overnight in their battle to tame a wildfire raging out of control for the past five days on the tourist island of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, authorities said Sunday.“The night was very difficult but thanks to the work of the firefighters, the results have been very positive” Tenerife governor, Rosa Dávila said at a news conference early Sunday.The Canary Islands emergency services said in a tweet on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that firefighters had been able to work in “better weather conditions than expected.” Dávila said that more than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the fire started Tuesday. Up to Saturday more than 8,000 hectares (20,00 acres) of pine forest had been burned, but Dávila said that figure was likely to be much higher Sunday.No injuries have so far been reported and Davila said that thanks to...

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in Netherlands after US approved sending Dutch F-16 jets to Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday, two days after the country said the United States had given its approval for Dutch and Danish authorities to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine’s air force.Zelenskyy is meeting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at a military air base in the southern city of Eindhoven. The Ukrainian leader was in Sweden a day earlier.The U.S. approval Friday for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine was seen as a major boost for Kyiv, even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war.Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge. It recently launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s forces without air cover, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery. The Dutch and Danish governments are also involved in a coalition that is working to t...

Readers and writers: Something for everyone in memoirs and nonfiction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

Three memoirs recalling very different lives, stories based on Native American history, and humans in nature. There’s something for every reader today.Memoir“The Unlikely Village of Eden”: by Emma Nadler (Central Recovery Press, $19.95)Author Emma Nadler.“Perfectionism was my native language,” Minnesota psychotherapist  Emma Nadler writes in her wise, funny, sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful memoir about being a caregiver to her daughter Eden. Her child’s disabilities are related to a rare genetic condition that required around-the-clock care. But perfectionists think they should do it all, and Nadler had to learn to accept help from a “village” of family, friends and medical personnel.One of Eden’s caretakers’ biggest issues was learning to handle her feeding tube, which she needed for years. She also wore a helmet to protect her head. Yet Eden endured every medical procedure and survived. The little girl was ...

Literary calendar for week of Aug. 20

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

MINNESOTA MYSTERY NIGHT: Hosts Minnesotan Mindy Mejia discussing her widely praised new thriller “To Catch a Storm,” first in a series featuring Eve Roth, a physicist who studies storms, and Jonah Kendrick, a psychic detective who finds lost people through his dreams. Meija, president of the Mystery Writers of America-Midwest, is a CPA when she isn’t writing bestsellers. She will be joined by Minnesota humorist Gretchen Anthony, whose novels include “Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners.” 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, Axel’s Restaurant, 1318 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. Free, but reservations are necessary. Call 651-686-1840 regarding the program or for a dinner reservation; seating begins at 5 p.m. (Meija will also be a guest at noon Friday, Aug. 25, at Comma, A Bookstore, 4250 Upton Ave. S., Mpls.)PROUTY/NINZER: Jo Prouty signs copies of “Love of a Dog” and Sara Nintzel signs the children’s flip book “The House We Shelt...

Literary pick for Aug. 20

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

A day at the Minnesota State Fair. What could be a better way to celebrate the end of summer? Before or after the kids’ fair fun, they can live the experience in “The Great Get-Together,” written by Karlyn Coleman and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $17.95).Beginning when the Fair’s gates open in the morning, this lively picture book takes readers through all the things we love about the Fair, from rides (“… Laughter falling from the sky./Legs dangling from above.”) to “Wood Carvings,/blown glass, art made out of seeds…” and “Games of skill./Games of Chance.” Don’t forget animals, vegetables and tractors. And nobody forgets the Fair’s food.Games, prizes and quiet reading places are part of the Minnesota State Fair’s Alphabet Forest, with local authors reading every day of the Fair. (Courtesy of the Minnesota State Fair)Coleman and Doerrfeld will be featured at...

Dakota activists work with city to preserve burial mounds in St. Paul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

When Crystal Norcross joined the Greater East Side Community Council more than a decade ago, she was handed a flier that noted St. Paul had raised money to install a splash pad at Indian Mounds Regional Park.Norcross, a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, raised concerns to the council about the new park installments on her ancestors’ burial land.“I asked, ‘Would you add that to your cemetery? You act respectful in cemeteries, so can our ancestors get that respect?’” she said.Norcross’ question jumpstarted a 10-year effort to better preserve the historic and sacred grounds in partnership with the city. Today, she continues to rally for the space to be treated as a cemetery, not a park.When Norcross first suggested the splash pad would be inappropriate, she was met with a lot of tension, she said.“It was hard, because people were really attached to this space as a park,” she said. “It’s where they walked their dog or went sledding.”Norcro...

Skywatch: Celestial congestion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:49 GMT

The Great Hercules Star Cluster is one of the true treasures of the summer and early autumn sky. It’s a dense cluster of stars all crammed together in a tight sphere that you’ll love directing your telescope to again and again. As with many celestial treasures, you’ll have to dig for it a bit, but this treasure hunt is certainly worth it. This cluster is one of the true jewels of the heavens.The Hercules Cluster, known formally as Messier Catalog Object number 13 or M13, is not visible to the naked eye. You should be able to hunt it down with a decent pair of binoculars or a small telescope. It’s best seen in the generally darker skies of the suburbs or countryside. At the end of evening twilight, M-13 is on the west side of the faint constellation Hercules. The easiest way to find it is to face west and look up for the two brightest stars you can see in the western sky, Vega and Arcturus. Vega will be the higher of the two. Draw a line between Vega and Arcturus. M13 will be about t...