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No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama debuts with the Spurs and the world is watching

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Victor Wembanyama era is underway in San Antonio.Wembanyama made his NBA debut with the Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night and made an immediate splash.The No. 1 pick in the NBA draft blocked a shot in the opening minute of the game and misfired on a 3-point attempt from the top of the key. But the 19-year-old who stands nearly 7-foot-4 found his spot and scored his first NBA points with a 3-pointer — again from near the top of the key — at the 8:25 mark of the first quarter. Wembanyama played pro basketball in France before being drafted. His first game in the NBA had the world watching.“How can I deny that,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said prior to Wednesday’s game. “It’s pretty obvious. Victor’s had a lot of attention pointed toward him for a very long time and that’s not going to change. Fortunately for us, he’s a really mature, prioritized young man that knows what he wants. He’s already a pro.”Wembanyama drew the undivided ...

Union workers arrested on Las Vegas Strip for blocking traffic as thousands rally

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Thousands of hotel workers fighting for new union contracts rallied on the Las Vegas Strip, halting rush hour traffic Wednesday night before police arrested dozens sitting in the street in stepped-up labor unrest that organizers say aims to draw attention to negotiations with three major casino companies.Dozens of workers sat in two separate circles across multiple lanes of the Strip, stopping cars in both directions before police officers with zip ties started taking protesters into custody. They were led into a white police bus with red and blue lights flashing.For about a half-hour, traffic ground to a halt on one of the most recognizable stretches of the Strip with views of the Bellagio fountain, the Eiffel Tower replica and Caesars Palace.Las Vegas police said they had no immediate estimate of the number of arrests. The casinos had no immediate comment.The Culinary Workers Union said ahead of the protest that 75 workers could be arrested for “civil disobedience...

At least 16 dead in Maine shooting and dozens injured, law enforcement officials say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

At least 16 people have been killed and dozens of others injured in shootings in Lewiston, Maine, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.The shootings happened Wednesday evening at a bar and bowling alley.The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Investigators were still processing the crime scenes and working to gather evidence. Police were searching for the man who opened fire.Lewiston Police said in an earlier Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley.“Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals,” police said.On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.The alert for Lewiston was made shortly...

Stadium Showdown: Will Evanston City Council block Northwestern's plan for Ryan Field concerts?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — On a late September Saturday morning on Central Street in Evanston, hundreds of people wearing their school colors were walking toward Ryan Field, the football stadium where the Northwestern Wildcats have played for nearly a century.  The Sept. 30 game was between Penn State and Northwestern.The six home games a year boost business for several stores along the stretch, like Hewn Bakery, which posted a chalk sign welcoming football fans to "Stop in for some coffee and pastries before the game" and subsequently saw a line out the door and wrapping down the block.At Ten Mile House, a restaurant and bar in the shadow of the stadium, owner Fred Gale is serving brunch on one of his busiest days of the year.  “We’re literally steps away,” he said. “Our business probably triples versus a normal Saturday.”Northwestern University is proposing to tear down Ryan Field, the 97-year-old stadium that looms over an upscale residential neighborhood, and replace it with a p...

Dance teacher moves students in the right direction with confidence

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

WILMETTE, Ill. — From ballet to modern and hip hop, our October Teacher of the Month helps her students find the joy of movement at a high school in Wilmette.Students say Mrs. Ally Valadez, or “Mrs. V” is encouraging, positive and passionate about dance. And she’s helping them move in the right direction.Valadez is the dance teacher at Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette.“You start the program with dance foundations. So you learn the basics of ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop,” she said. “From there you can take a whole semester of modern, a whole semester of jazz and dance composition, which is one of my personal favorites because its more student led and the students learn to choreograph dances on their own.”She also runs their dance company Orchesis. Since she started six years ago, the program has stretched tremendously and now includes 70 students. That’s a third of the school. “We see all levels in Orchesis,” she said. “We have some advanced dancers that have been da...

Manor ISD investigating threats made through anonymous Instagram account

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Manor ISD police are investigating the credibility of school shooting threats made to one of its middle schools through an anonymous social media page this week.Chief Clarence Yarbrough said the department is aware of the social media threats made against Decker Middle School. As a result, police presence has been increased at all MISD campuses as the department continues its investigation into the threats.In a statement, Yarbrough said "we have increased our patrol presences for all Manor ISD School Campuses at this time as well as partnering with local Law Enforcement Agencies to ensure safety of students and staff is maintained through school hours. Further information will be released at the appropriate time not to hinder the current ongoing investigation."The Instagram account is a page where Decker Middle School students submit anonymous confessions which are posted to the social media platform.The posts being investigated by MISD police claim a shooting ...

People in Llano welcome Wednesday rainfall

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

LLANO, Texas (KXAN) -- As dark skies poured heavy rain onto Llano's Main Street, most people kept inside - but they still welcomed the wet weather."It was very nice," said Morgan Williamson, who was playing darts with her friends. The Llano County Emergency Management department said while crews were keeping an eye on the storm, they didn't expect any major flooding because the reservoir has plenty of space to hold water. “It’s good for the grass because it’s really dry," said Kacie Sagabiel. "And the river."Rain on Main Street in Llano. (KXAN photo/Brianna Hollis)Rain in downtown Llano. (KXAN photo/Brianna Hollis)People bring out their umbrellas as Llano braced for heavy rain. (KXAN photo/Brianna Hollis)Emergency management departments in Burnet and Gillespie Counties said they did not have any major flood preparations in place, but were monitoring low water crossings.

Goats and sheep grazed on a hillside on the Capitol grounds in St. Paul on Wednesday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

If you thought you saw a herd of sheep and goats grazing on a hillside on the Capitol grounds in St. Paul Wednesday, you weren’t hallucinating.Thirty sheep and 85 goats made short work of undesirable species such as buckthorn as part of multi-year native plants restoration project.A group called Goat Dispatch provided the critters, which have been deployed throughout Minnesota as flesh-and-blood vegetation mowers in recent years.See are past coverage of such efforts here, here and here.Related ArticlesOutdoors | St. Paul man sentenced for killing girlfriend’s friend during domestic assault Outdoors | St. Paul Northern Iron and Machine fined over $41K by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Outdoors | Girl, 17, missing from St. Paul found safe Outdoors | St. Paul City Council approves two sizable parks projects — a playground and sculpture garden — by Allianz Field Outdoors | St. Paul: Au...

Johnson advances in pigskin playoffs nail-biter over Como Park

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

Odds are heavily against the Johnson football season extending into next week, but the Governors at least have a chance to keep playing after ending the season of an intracity rival.By about 9 feet.J’Sean Jackson ran for 117 yards and a touchdown, Ali Farfan threw for a score, and Johnson held off Como Park 13-6 in a Class 4A, Section 3 playoff game Wednesday night.Postponed Tuesday afternoon because of storms with lightning that could have resulted in a daylight issue, the game was moved back a day and played at Harding High School. Johnson does not have lights at its stadium.The fourth-seeded Governors (6-3) will next play at top-seeded Hill-Murray (6-2), who had a first-round bye. Game time is 11 a.m. Saturday. Como Park, the section’s fifth seed, was beaten 56-6 by the Pioneers in last week’s regular season finale.“We pulled it out and it’s on to the next one. Just excited for the opportunity to advance,” said coach Richard Magembe. “… The next two days have to be absolute...

Timberwolves repeat last year’s mistakes in season-opening loss to Toronto

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

Minnesota looked slow, didn’t have any flow on offense and made far too many dumbfounding mistakes in its season-opening, 97-94 loss Wednesday in Toronto.Sound familiar?That was the recipe that got Minnesota run off the floor in a number of early-season contests a year ago. And the formula was equally as futile in Game 1 this fall in Canada.Toronto made all the hustle plays, while consistently sprinting past Minnesota’s big-ball lineups, turning the Timberwolves’ mistakes into 38 fast-break points.The good thing for Minnesota was there were positives to the fact it towered over the Raptors on the interior. The Wolves outrebounded Toronto 62-47, at least for one night correcting a major bugaboo from a year ago. The Timberwolves shot 22 free throws to Toronto’s 16.But 20 of those attempts from the charity stripe came in the first half. Over the final two quarters, Minnesota’s offensive got especially stagnant.The rhythm, flow and ball movement that were t...