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Creating toys that help children learn about their environment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Wild Republic is a company that believes in sustainability. They have been creating toys designed to make us all think about wildlife while also educating children about nature and its importance.Melissa Klubnik is the Global Vice-President of Wild Republic. She speaks of the collaborative effort with the science community to understand the impact of the toys they create.The Green Guardian line looks at several factors during the development process. They include things like cord lengths, sharp edges and sharp points, small parts, plastic bags and plastic sheeting thickness. These are safety factor that Wild Republic believe makes their sustainable toys more appealing. Click here to see all the toys available from Wild Republic The toys, Klubnik says, are designed to inspire children about nature, and about preserving the animals' habitat.They go further in their effort by protecting bird habitat, and the gorilla habitat in the Congo. Money from any animal purchas...

Paxton files lawsuit for new federal greenhouse gas rule

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he filed a lawsuit to stop the federal Department of Transportation’s new greenhouse gas reporting measure.According to the AG’s office, the U.S. Department of Transportation does not have the authority to establish the rule.“The mandate violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Further, the rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the Spending Clause by impermissibly restricting the use of federal funds by requiring TxDOT to implement the greenhouse gas measure,” Paxton said.According to a release from the AG’s office, the new rule would require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish a declining carbon dioxide target associated with transportation as a performance measure for the Interstate and National Highway System.“The federal government claims this mandate is necessary to meet the Biden administration’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reach net-zero across the economy by 20...

Gophers football vs. Bowling Green: Keys to bowl game, how to watch, who has edge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

BOWLING GREEN vs. MINNESOTAWhat: Quick Lane BowlWhen: 1 p.m. CT, TuesdayWhere: Ford FieldTV: ESPNRadio: KFAN, 100.3 FMWeather: IndoorsBetting spread: Minnesota, minus-3.5Records: Minnesota (5-7) was winless in November but received a bowl berth due its high Academic Progress Rate (APR) and a shortage of six-win teams to fill out the 82 teams in the field. Bowling Green (7-5) has a Power Five Conference win over Georgia Tech, beating the Yellow Jackets 38-27 in September.History: The Gophers will put their six-game bowl winning streak on the line against a Falcons program that pulled off a shocker against the U in 2021. Minnesota was a 31-point home favorite but lost 14-10. “Whooped us,” head coach P.J. Fleck recalled earlier this month.Key matchup: Gophers defensive line vs. Bowling Green offensive line. Minnesota’s pass rushers, led by Jah Joyner with 21 total pressures, should be able to get to the quarterback because center Alex Padgett and tackle Alex Wollschlaeger a...

St. Charles 'Christmas Traditions' wraps up the 49th season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The days leading up to this Christmas have been unlike any other. The holiday spirit in historic St. Charles continues with the unseasonably mild temperatures.Families from all over took advantage of the nice afternoon to listen to festive music, grab something to eat, or go shopping as a part of "Christmas Traditions."Main Street was closed off to traffic. the lone exception was a pair of horse-drawn carriages that paraded back and forth across the cobblestones.Santa Claus himself led Christmas carols with other holiday stars before heading up to the north pole for the big day ahead. The 49th edition of the spectacular event started on Thanksgiving and wrapped up on Sunday.

Two people wanted for MetroLink crimes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect and person of interest in connection with multiple armed robberies and attacks involving a firearm that happened at MetroLink locations.In each of the crimes, the sheriff’s department claims the description of the suspect has remained consistent, leading investigators to believe the suspect is the same individual.The first armed robbery happened on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. Deputies met with a victim who claimed a man on a westbound train approached him, displayed a handgun, and took personal items and money from him before departing the train. Search for missing St. Louis mother intensifies On Dec. 21 around 10:30 p.m., deputies met with another victim who reported a similar robbery.Around 11:50 p.m. on Dec. 23, deputies received word that a man had been shot at the Belleville MetroLink Station. The victim’s injury was not life-threatening and they were taken to a local h...

Man dies after West Florissant parking lot shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. -- An incident that started inside a business escalated into a fatal parking lot shooting on Christmas Eve. Kenneth Covington, 33, died from his injuries at the hospital and several other people were injured during the incident.Police were called to the 11200 block of West Florissant Avenue at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. They found three men with gunshot wounds.Investigators say that the altercation started inside a nearby business. The shooting happened in the parking lot. Search for missing St. Louis mother intensifies Two of the men injured in the shooting were taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Covington died later at the hospital.St. Louis County Police say that there is an ongoing investigation into this shooting.Call investigators at 636-529-8210 if you have any information. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477.

Colorado Christmas weather: Blizzard conditions could slow travel across Eastern Plains

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

Travelers thinking of driving through eastern Colorado on Christmas night may want to reevaluate their plans, the National Weather Service says.Blizzard conditions are expected on the Eastern Plains from Monday night through Wednesday, with strong, widespread winds, NWS in Boulder said in a tweet.“We recommend avoiding non-emergency/non-essential travel,” forecasters wrote. Heads up! Travel plans in the plains tonight through Wednesday? You may want to reconsider. Blizzard conditions will develop in the eastern plains, and strong winds will be widespread for most areas. We recommend avoiding non-emergency/non-essential travel. #COwx (1/3) pic.twitter.com/nWVygNGDWv— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 25, 2023The blizzard warning includes Sedwick, Phillips, Washington, northeast Elbert and north Lincoln counties from 11 p.m. through 5 a.m. Wednesday. Forecasters expect the worst conditions on Interstate 70 east of Byers/Deer Trail, as well as Interstate 76 east of F...

L.A. family mourns 2 dogs killed in Christmas house fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

Two pets died when flames raced through a home in Los Angeles's South Park neighborhood early Christmas morning.The fire was reported around 12:55 a.m. at a detached bungalow in the 5000 block of South San Pedro Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.Video from OnScene TV showed smoke billowing from the single-story home as firefighters sawed ventilation holes in the roof.Family members mourn the deaths of two dogs in a house fire L.A.'s South Park neighborhood. Dec. 25, 2023. (OnScene.TV)Firefighters battle a fire in a detached bungalow in South Park on Christmas morning. Dec. 25, 2023. (OnScene.TV)Firefighters battle a fire in a detached bungalow in South Park on Christmas morning. Dec. 25, 2023. (OnScene.TV)The fire was extinguished in about 14 minutes, officials said. No people were injured, however, two dogs perished in the fire. Grieving family members consoled each other at the scene, video showed.Five residents were displaced and provided immediate assistance, ...

Meet Prayerful Parables Artist Emmanuel Louisnord Desir

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

Emmanuel Louisnord Desir makes painting, assemblage, and sculpture that sings a strange song of ancient times and modern life, mysticism, empire, religions of the book, global diaspora and allegorical testimony. Within this ambitious framework, Desir’s stylistic approach is omnivorous in its influences and yields an edgy, folk-infused surrealism. His contorted arks, sweeping scenic histories, individual creatures of human, animal, and otherwise unknown origin all combine and consort, arraying themselves inside symbol-rich political and personal parables—as inscrutable and poetic as biblical verses, but also just as clear in their intention to impart a higher message. With his large-scale painting, The Fall of Babylon, Desir contributes a perspective of faith to the biennial’s focus on everyday life as inspiration.Emmanuel Louisnord Desir, The Fall of Babylon, 2023, Oil on wood, 48 × 68 in (Private Collection. Photo: Joerg Lohse. Courtesy of 47 Canal)L.A. WEEKLY: When did you first k...

Travel Troubleshooter: This Booking.com reservation is fake! Will the company pay up?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I recently booked a room at a resort in Kauai through Booking.com. The online agency worked with a third party that handled the reservation, but it didn’t come through. As a result, I didn’t have a place to stay.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter A person at the resort said that the organization had done the same thing to another family just days before.I’ve sent multiple messages to Booking.com, but it hasn’t responded. I tried to resolve this by filing a credit card dispute, and my bank has refunded me temporarily. Still, I ended up incurring an additional $1,955 in hotel expenses. I would like help with holding Booking.com accountable.— Dale Cerney, SeattleANSWER: I’m sorry that your Booking.com reservation was a dud. I know what it’s like to show up at a hotel without a reservation, and it’s one of the worst feelings. You start to imagine yourself sleeping on a park bench. I’m glad...