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How Boulder is using mushrooms to fight wildfires

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) -- Over the next 10 years, the U.S. Forest Service is expected to thin out roughly 50 million acres of dense forest in the American West, including hundreds of thousands of acres in Colorado. One of the methods for thinning our nation's forests includes chopping down trees, trimming branches and creating massive slash piles to burn or haul the timber out of the forest. Since controlled burns rely heavily on perfect conditions, Boulder researchers are trying to find a new way to get rid of all that biomass on a large scale."We're building a bridge between sort of a waste product, which is a burden in forestry and a deficiency in agricultural land with regards to soil health," Boulder Mushroom owner Zach Hedstrom said. The company recently received a grant from Boulder County and the City of Boulder to use mushrooms to break down woodchips created in the foresting process and break that matter down to nutrient-rich soil. Colorado opposes 3M settlement on ‘fore...

Denver Animal Shelter explains euthanasia decisions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Denver metro area was relieved once a local dog named Watson was saved from euthanasia on Sunday. But it's not easy for the Denver Animal Shelter to make the decision.The Denver Animal Shelter is one of the only shelters in Colorado that will take an animal no matter the condition, and the shelter takes every single animal brought in. Because of this, it isn't a no-kill shelter. For every eight dogs that come into the Denver Animal Shelter, one of them is euthanized, according to a state document provided by Tammy Vigil, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. But those rates include animals that are abused and severely aggressive."No kills have the luxury to pick and choose what animals come into their system. Our door's open. We serve the most vulnerable animals in the community," Melanie Sobel, director of Denver's Department of Animal Protection. Denver family fighting to save dog from being euthanized after biting child The shelter ...

Miami-Dade Corrections bids final farewell to fallen K-9 Gideon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

The Miami Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department paid tribute to one of their fallen K-9 officers Gideon at Tropical Park.Attendees bid a final farewell to Gideon at a ceremony held in the park’s Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, Wednesday.Gideon, a Labrador retriever born in Colombia, passed away due to an illness back on June 4. He was 9 years old. After training, Gideon was paired with Corrections Officer Karlos Ramos in 2016.Over the course of Gideon’s career, he and Ramos had well over 2,900 training hours, with nearly 120,000 career sniffs, lending a paw to protect the community.

Man taken to hospital after shooting in Worcester

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

A 41-year-old man was taken to a hospital Wednesday after a robbery and shooting on Park Avenue in Worcester, police said. Worcester police in a statement said officers responded to the scene near the Auto Zone Auto Parts on Park Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. after receiving a report of an armed robbery and shooting. Police said officers found the shooting victim on scene. Citing a preliminary investigation, police said investigators determined another person robbed and shot the victim before fleeing the area on foot. Police said an investigation was ongoing as of Wednesday evening and asked anyone with information to contact investigators. Police were previously seen in the area Wednesday afternoon taking photos and laying down evidence markers. No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Mets Notebook: Amazin’s trying to tune out trade deadline noise

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

“Taking the season one game at a time” might be the biggest cliche in sports, but it’s actually appropriate for the Mets right now. Every game matters right now with the Mets trying to climb the standings before the trade deadline next Tuesday.A veteran clubhouse doesn’t necessarily need to remind everyone to focus on the task ahead instead of letting their mind drift toward deadline news and rumors, but that isn’t always as easy it sounds.“It’s hard to not wonder,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said Wednesday before the Subway Series finale at Yankee Stadium. “That’s one of the challenges. You sit there and say, ‘OK, this scenario would be fun, this could be awesome.’ But none of that matters if I don’t focus on today and take care of today.”With televisions in most MLB clubhouses set to MLB Network or ESPN, even the players who stay off social media will still hear the speculation. Some of it is simply ...

Snack attack: Dive-bombing seagulls shutter outdoor dining at Sullivan’s

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

Under the blazing sun, dark shadows loom over families hauling ice cream and food out of Sullivan’s on Castle Island — seagulls, watching and waiting.Until a fry falls.“Bird!” shrieks a woman clutching her shake, ducking and running away from a hungry gull diving just feet away before turning to a man lagging behind with their food. “Get cover!”Her fears aren’t unfounded; so many dive-bombing seagulls have stolen meals from customers at the Southie landmark that the restaurant was forced to close their outdoor dining this week.Sully’s was opened on Castle Island in 1951, regularly attracting a crowd of South Boston locals and visitors to the historic beachfront park.Caution tape now surrounds the green tables outside, with signs reading “Beware Seagulls.”“In the last 40 years, I’ve never seen it like this before,” said South Boston local Evelyn, who said she’s been coming to the restaurant since she ...

‘We would not accept this offer:’ Boston mayor to implement raises over objections of municipal police union

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

Boston’s mayor plans to implement far lower raises than what a union of municipal security guards is seeking, with her administration stating that the two sides have reached an impasse and the city can’t afford the group’s demands.The decision comes after the union’s president criticized Mayor Michelle Wu for nullifying raises the City Council voted to give them in this year’s budget, saying that it was the latest slap in the face in what’s been an “embarrassing” negotiations process.“Mayor Wu has nullified something positive for city workers, and continues to hurt the ones who earn the least,” Kevin Coughlin, president of the Boston Municipal Patrolmen’s Association, told the Herald.He added that union members learned of the nullification through the press, “which is not respectful, or an indicator of bargaining in good faith.”A spokesperson for Wu’s office hit back on Wednesday, stating that “this union’s and the City Council’s attempts to circumvent the co...

Red Sox notebook: Starter or reliever? Familiar decisions looming again for Houck, Whitlock

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

The Red Sox desperately need starting pitching. For several weeks the club has worked with a three-man rotation and a series of openers to fill the gaps when necessary. That approach has sufficed for now but isn’t a recipe for long-term success.But with the trade deadline approaching and reinforcements coming from within, the Red Sox might soon have some tough rotation decisions to make.Familiar ones, too.Throughout their Red Sox careers, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock have see-sawed between the starting rotation and the bullpen, and while the long-term goal has been for both to become fixtures in the rotation, circumstances could soon force one or both back into relief roles.Red Sox manager Alex Cora said as much Wednesday, noting that they would soon have a conversation with the pair to map out their next steps as Houck recovers from his facial fracture and Whitlock from his elbow bruise.“It all depends on the role that we want them. We’re going to have time, ...

‘Non-human biologics’ found among wrecked alien craft, whistleblower says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

Talk of UFOs is taking off.The U.S. has spent the last several decades attempting to reverse engineer the technology found among the wreckage of crashed UFOs and has recovered “non-human biologics” during its work, a whistleblower told a House committee on Wednesday.Former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch testified alongside two former military pilots during a bipartisan hearing of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, when he told lawmakers that though he has never seen an alien spacecraft in person, he has spoken to dozens of high ranking government officials who have.Under direct questioning by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Grusch said some of the “remains” of pilots discovered at crash sites were “non-human.”“That was the assessment of people with direct knowledge on the program I talked to, that are currently still on the program,” Grusch said.Grusch testified that, while assigned to the National Reconnaissance Offi...

Firefighters battle cross-border brush fire

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:02:30 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A brush fire broke out Wednesday near the border and was burning on both the U.S. and Mexico sides, authorities said.The blaze, dubbed as the "Border 20 Fire," is on the international border on the south slope of Tecate Peak, Cal Fire San Diego County tweeted at 4:39 p.m. Deadly crash closes freeway lanes near border The fire has burned around 200 acres in Mexico and 100 acres in the U.S., officials confirmed.Helicopter aid is on the scene to help put out the fire.Check back for updates on this developing story.