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Stunning image shows cosmic 'Christmas tree' glowing in space

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

(WJET/WFXP) — A space phenomenon is spreading some holiday cheer with what looks like a Christmas tree in the stars.NASA said that a telescope captured an image of NGC 2264, which is a cluster of young stars aged between one and five million years old. NGC 2264 — also known as the "Christmas Tree Cluster" since it looks like a cosmic tree with strings of glowing lights — can be found in the Milk Way, about 2,500 light-years from Earth. NASA streams first-ever high-definition video from deep space According to NASA, the stars in NGC 2264 are both smaller and larger than the Sun.The image below shows the cluster that has been rotated about 160 degrees from the astronomer’s standard of North pointing upwards. This puts the peak of the conical tree shape near the top.In this composite image, the cluster’s resemblance to a Christmas tree has been enhanced through image rotation and color choices. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & J.MajorAs for the green gas in the cluste...

Toyota recalls 1 million vehicles over possible airbag failure

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Toyota is recalling roughly 1 million vehicles equipped with airbags that may not deploy, the carmaker announced Wednesday.The affected models include the popular Sienna, RAV4, Corolla and Camry. All vehicles involved in the recall were made between 2020 and 2022. The reason why you have that lingering cough The Toyota and Lexus vehicles included in the recall have passenger seat sensors that could have been improperly manufactured. If the sensor malfunctions and fails to register the weight of the passenger, a crash might not trigger the airbag.See the full list of affected vehicles:ToyotaAvalon, Avalon Hybrid (2020-2021)Camry, Camry Hybrid(2020-2022)Corolla(2020-2021)Highlander, Highlander Hybrid(2020-2021)RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid(2020-2021)Sienna Hybrid(2021)LexusES250(2021)ES300H(2020-2022)ES350(2020-2021)RX350(2020-2021)RX450h(2020-2021)(Toyota)Toyota is reaching out to owners of the recalled vehicles and will be notifying them by mid-February, 2024. Anyone with a vehicl...

Judge revokes sex offender’s probation after lewd conduct at Rosedale Center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

A St. Paul man with a history of sex-related offenses was sentenced to two years in prison by a judge who found he violated his probation in November by drinking alcohol, masturbating at a store at Rosedale Center in Roseville and getting booted out of sex-offender treatment.In February, Phillip Jeffrey Ethen was put on five years of probation after pleading guilty to attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a 14-year-old girl in St. Paul in July 2022, court documents show.Phillip Jeffrey Ethen (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)It was a guideline sentence handed down by Ramsey County District Judge Jacob Kraus, who stayed a two-year prison sentence and gave Ethen no additional jail time beyond the 206 days he already served.Last week, Ethen, 42, was back in front of the judge for a contested probation revocation hearing on the November allegations.Ethen admitted that he was drunk on Nov. 6 at Rosedale Center and that he was kicked out of sex-offender t...

St. Paul approves $380K settlement to fiancée of man fatally shot by police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

The St. Paul City Council approved a $380,000 settlement Wednesday to the fiancée of a man fatally shot by police officers outside her Dayton’s Bluff apartment building in 2017.Markeeta Johnson-Blakney said in her lawsuit against officers and the city of St. Paul that she’d been held in a squad car for hours after Cordale Handy was killed, violating her constitutional right to be free from unlawful imprisonment.Attorney Paul Bosman, who is representing Johnson-Blakney and her neighbor, said they were “just witnesses to the police killing of Cordale Handy.”“They were put in the back of police cars” and Johnson-Blakney was “in agony” and asked repeatedly to be released, Bosman said.The city agreed to settle Johnson-Blakney’s claim “to avoid the costs and uncertainty of continued litigation,” City Attorney Lyndsey Olson said in a statement. “The city remains committed to protecting the rights of all persons through respectful service.”Kim...

St. Paul schools athletics director resigns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

A St. Paul Public Schools athletics administrator has resigned from his post.Monroe Denarvise Thornton’s last day with the school district was Nov. 18, according to documents released ahead of the St. Paul school board’s Tuesday meeting. His departure is described in human resources disclosures as a resignation.He did not immediately return a Wednesday call seeking comment on his resignation. Members of the St. Paul school board didn’t immediately return requests Wednesday for comment on the resignation.Thornton, 54, had been accused of sex discrimination and harassment by subordinates.Details on any possible separation deal, including severance pay or the reason for the resignation, were not immediately available Wednesday.There is no public record of Thornton facing discipline for allegations of harassment or discrimination based on sex, and the district had already closed investigations of the complaints against him when they became public this summer.No immediate plans to ...

Video shows police SUV run red light before crashing into Bar:PM - Lawyer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A lawyer representing the owners of an LGBT+ bar in south St. Louis alleges a police vehicle that smashed into his clients' business earlier this week had run a red light moments before the crash.Attorney Javad Khazaeli posted a security video to social media showing a police SUV running a stop light in the Carondelet neighborhood. The video is time-stamped just before 12:30 a.m. Monday. The camera filming the video is situated near the intersection of South Broadway and Nagel Avenue, which is near Bar:PM.FOX 2 could not determine if the vehicle seen in the video is the same one that crashed into the bar along the 7100 block of South Broadway.The crash itself happened around 12:30 a.m. as co-owner Chad Morris and another employee were closing up for the night.Khazaeli shared surveillance video of the crash from a distance with FOX 2 after first posting it to Twitter. The video shows the police car swerve left moments after passing a parked car and crash into th...

Recruiting: Still waiting on Jordan Seaton, CU Buffs announce class of 21 newcomers for 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

Colorado hasn’t landed the biggest fish in the recruiting pond — yet — but the Buffaloes added a whole bunch of talent on Wednesday.On the first day of the early signing period, CU inked five high school recruits to national letters of intent and announced 16 transfers.What CU didn’t do was sign Jordan Seaton, the No. 1-rated offensive tackle in the 2024 class out of IMG Academy in Florida.With more than 30 scholarship offers in hand, including from many of the elite teams in the country, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Seaton made national TV appearances to announce his verbal commitment to CU on Dec. 7.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | UNC Bears football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | CSU Rams football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | CU Buffs football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | How college football’s transfer portal is “killing hig...

Final nonconference test at hand for high-scoring CU Buffs men’s basketball

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

The real fun begins after the holiday weekend.Still, every goal potentially in sight for the Colorado men’s basketball team will unravel without focusing through the final pre-holiday test.A mostly-stirring run through nonconference play comes to an end on Thursday night, as the Buffaloes host Utah Tech in the final pre-Pac-12 tilt of the season. The November-December slate hasn’t been without its blemishes, as a Nov. 21 loss against Florida State is one the Buffs will continue to regret, but through 10 games CU generally has balanced an electric offense with solid defense.Keeping that momentum rolling through one more nonconference date will give the Buffs a well-earned respite ahead of a holiday break that precedes the start of CU’s final run through the Pac-12.“Utah Tech has some good players,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “They’re well-disciplined. If we’re not ready to play, this is a team that can certainly spoil our holidays, which we don’t want to have happen. I think if we...

L.A. public defender released after being wrongfully imprisoned in Venezuela

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

A Los Angeles public defender was one of ten American prisoners in Venezuela who were released Wednesday in a prisoner exchange.The Americans were swapped for an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The ally, a fugitive defense contractor known as “Fat Leonard,” is at the center of a Pentagon bribery scandal, according to the Associated Press.One of the released prisoners is L.A. native, Eyvin Hernandez, a 44-year-old L.A. County Public Defender whose loved ones said has been wrongfully detained in a Venezuelan jail for nearly two years.In March 2022, Hernandez was vacationing in South America when he was kidnapped near the border of Colombia and Venezuela. He was accused of being an American spy after refusing to pay a $100 bribe to a gang, his family said.Eyvin Hernandez in a personal photo.Eyvin Hernandez in a personal photo.Friends and loved ones gathered at the UCLA School of Law on Jan. 18, 2023 to call for Hernandez's release from being wrongfully detained at a Venezu...

Long Beach City Council approves proclamation supporting ceasefire in Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

Long Beach City Council officials formally approved a proclamation calling on the federal government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The city joins a growing list of California cities that have approved similar measures.The council voted 5-2 in favor of the proclamation following hours of public comment from nearly 200 people, according to the Press-Telegram. The publication stated that mostly pro-Palestine speakers spoke at the meeting.However, some Long Beach residents who attended the meeting didn't support Long Beach "telling an independent free country how to defend itself." Israel uncovers major Hamas command center in Gaza City as cease-fire talks gain momentum The proclamation was introduced by council members Joni Ricks-Oddie, Roberto Uranga and Al Austin.Before the formal approval, the Long Beach Community United for Peace, a group representing the “Palestinian Community in unity with Muslim, Christian and Jewish allies and supporters from various backgrounds,”...