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What are Mormon crickets? They're invading parts of the U.S.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

ELKO, Nevada (KLAS/NEXSTAR) — It may only be a few inches long but it's cannibalistic and can create disgust and disruption. A small Nevada town is being overrun with the so-called Mormon crickets. "Biblical" is how some are describing this infestation of millions of insects. They are blanketing the ground, crawling up walls, infesting buildings, and terrorizing some of the residents of Elko, a small town in northeastern Nevada. ‘Go Away Green’: The color Disney paints things it doesn’t want you to see at its parks "When we looked out here the whole wall was just covered. That really, really freaked me out," Colette Reynolds said.Despite its name, the large insect is a flightless katydid which is a subfamily of bush crickets and is harmless except to crops which they will gladly devour. Not only is it an agricultural pest, it's also a traffic hazard.Mormon Cricket (Getty Images)The Nevada Department of Transportation is plowing and sanding roads because the smashed bugs are makin...

Study shows AstraZeneca pill can cut deaths from a type of lung cancer in half

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – An AstraZeneca drug has been shown to reduce the risk of death in some lung cancer patients by more than half, according to the research. Results from a three-year-long clinical trial were released in early June and published in the Journal of New England Medicine. The data shows that when researchers administered the drug osimertinib to patients, there was a clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared to patients who received a placebo. “It basically doubled the cure rate in patients who got this drug,” said Dr. Boone Goodgame, medical director for Oncology at Ascension Seton. Goodgame did not contribute to this trial. The study team administered a daily pill, either of osimertinib or the placebo, to 682 study participants at several international sites. The researchers focused only on a subset of lung cancer patients with a specific gene mutation called EGFR, which accounts for about 10 to 15% of all lung cancer patients, per the Americ...

Charley Walters: Vikings’ options depend on Danielle Hunter’s holdout plans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

Whether the Minnesota Vikings trade Danielle Hunter could depend on how much of the season the pass rusher might decide to hold out if he doesn’t receive a satisfactory new contract.Even the Vikings realize his current $5 million contract for 2023 is undervalued, and it appears the team is willing to give him a new deal, but for just one year rather than two or three years.Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter takes part in drills at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Eagan, Minn., Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)Hunter, who turns 29 in October, is worth at least $15 million on a one-year deal. But it’s a good bet he’s looking for a three-year contract in the $65 million range. The problem for the Vikings, who don’t want to trade Hunter, is that if they do trade him, they would lose their best pass rusher.Because of the injuries (neck, torn chest pectoral) Hunter has had, the Vikings probably could get just a second-round draft pick in a tr...

SLPS to replace lead-contaminated chain link fencing around schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The Saint Louis Public Schools school district plans to replace several miles of lead-contaminated chain link fencing around schools ahead of the new academic year. Over the next several weeks, SLPS plans to chain link fencing and install "environmentally safe, vinyl coated galvanized steel fencing" around several schools in need. The upgrades come through a $2 million project supported by state and federal funds. More than six miles of chain link fencing around schools will be replaced. Records: Man accused of scamming St. Louis slots is cross-country cheater “Many historic buildings do contain lead in areas that would be impossible to completelyeliminate, including miles of iron and chain link fencing you find at SLPS. Even so, we conducted lead testing along with removal and replacement of the dirt around fencing as a containment strategy," said Jeffry Faust, principal of Environmental Consultant, LLC. In the future, SLPS also plans to plant green space, extend pla...

Ironton, Mo. man arrested on child porn charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

IRONTON, Mo. - Authorities arrested an Ironton man earlier this week accused of possessing child pornography on his cell phone. Iron County prosecutors have charged Daniel Reyes, 40, with three counts of possession of child pornography. Records: Man accused of scamming St. Louis slots is cross-country cheater Investigators executed a search warrant on Wednesday after a tip from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control. While responding to Reyes' home, deputies reportedly recovered his phone and found multiple images of child pornography. The Division of Drug and Crime Control encourages internet users to promptly report anyone who attempts to engage in unwanted, inappropriate, or sexualized communications with children to MSHP or local law enforcement.

Rockies Journal: Starting rotation is a disaster with no relief in sight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

Near the end of last season, I wrote a story looking ahead at the Rockies’ 2023 starting rotation. The headline read: “Rockies’ wobbly rotation has huge question marks for 2023.”I’m no soothsayer. The problems were there in plain sight. But I didn’t think it would be so bad that the club would be forced to wedge right-hander Dinelson Lamet into the rotation as an emergency starter.In case you missed it, Lamet served up three two-run homers — two to Travis d’Arnaud and another to Eddie Rosario — in four ugly innings in Colorado’s 8-1 loss to the Braves on Friday night at Truist Park.  Lamet and his 11.57 ERA were designated for assignment on Saturday.Yes, I know that there have been a lot of injuries. German Marquez underwent Tommy John surgery, Antonio Senzatela will be out until August with a right elbow sprain, and Ryan Feltner is slowly working his way back from a fractured skull. But the Rockies’ lack of starting pitchi...

Court: Dougco School Board members violated open meetings law

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

The Douglas County School Board — four majority members in particular — violated Colorado Open Meetings Law in connection to the firing of former Superintendent Corey Wise, according to a district court ruling.Robert “Bob” Marshall, now a state representative of House District 43, filed a lawsuit in February  2022 alleging the board’s conservative majority violated state statute by holding a series of private one-on-one meetings to discuss replacing Wise. Colorado Open Meetings Law, part of the Colorado Sunshine Law, generally requires state or local governmental bodies to discuss public business or to take formal action in meetings open to the public.Board members Michael Peterson, Rebecca Myers, Kaylee Winegar and Christy Williams are recognized in the Friday Douglas County District Court ruling as “majority board members” of the seven member board.A trial was held on Monday and District Court Judge Jeffrey K. Holmes found in a ruling filed Fri...

Tiny dog recovering after being kicked by homeless man 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

A tiny dog is recovering after a homeless man kicked it in Venice on Wednesday. Laura Michele Rosenfeld was walking her dog Bart around 3 p.m. when a homeless man “danced” up to them, according to a GoFundMe set up to help pay for Bart’s medical bills. “[He] kicked Bart so hard, he flew into the metal claw of the...tractor city workers were using to repair the street,” the GoFundMe said.  Laura Michele Rosenfeld was walking her dog Bart around 3 p.m. when a homeless man “danced” up to them, according to a GoFundMe set up to help pay for Bart’s medical bills. (Laura Valdivia/GoFundMe)A good Samaritan began CPR on the dog and instructed bystanders to call 911. The GoFundMe page credits her as a former firewoman who was on vacation with her son when she jumped into action. The page’s organizer, Laura Valdivia, ran to help Rosenfeld and Bart and drove them to the animal hospital. Veterinarians were able to get him into a more stable condition, but due to the swelling in his he...

70-year-old man arrested for fraudulently obtaining $3 million in COVID business loans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

A man from Marina del Ray was arrested after allegedly obtaining $3 million in COVID-19 era business loans fraudulently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Investigators working on the case discovered that he secured loans for shell companies, not active business establishments.Mark Farag Shehata, 70, was arrested on Monday by federal agents in relation to the federal grand jury indictment. Shehata was arraigned in a U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles late Monday afternoon and plead not guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, officials said. California lawyer to plead guilty in multi-million fraud scheme Shehata, who is also known as “Samy Farag,” “Mark Farag,” and “Mark Fshehata,” is set to appear in court again on July 24. His bail is set at $500,000.According to the federal grand jury indictment, Shehata had four registered limited liability companies, or LLCs, and allegedly submitted at least seven fraudulent loan applications under the Paycheck Protection Program.T...

8 people shot at party in Carson, 2 remain hospitalized in critical condition 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:20 GMT

Authorities are investigating after eight people were shot at a house party in Carson overnight. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a shooting took place at a gathering at a home in the 1500 block of Abila Street around midnight on Saturday. A female teenager was shot in a car, while the other victims were struck on the sidewalk or in the roadway, investigators said.Police say that civilian drivers transported victims to local hospitals and that all the victims were between 16 and 24 years old.Six victims were said to be in stable condition, with one being released from the hospital, LASD officials said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. Two of the victims remain in critical condition, but are expected to recover.Neighbors say at least 50 teens were attending a pool party at the house on Abila Street at the end of the cul-de-sac off Martin Street. Witnesses told KTLA that they heard gunshots and saw two men flee the area in a car. Authorit...