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Library requests funding increase to address shortfalls since pandemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe Picture Butte Library Board has requested a significant funding increase to the Town’s annual contribution during the Sept. 11 regular town council meeting.As the board develops its 2023-2025 plan for service, Manager of the Picture Butte Public Library, Cheryl Garratt, said it has been hard to keep up with the expected level of service under current budgetary constraints.The delegation revealed over 5,000 people passed through the doors of the Picture Butte Public Library in 2022; a far cry from being an under-utilized resource in the community.Garratt presented council with a copy of the library’s current budget, revenue, and expenses which shows since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, the library has been unable to break even. In 2020 and 2021, the library was over-budget its annual budget by $13,000 each year, and over $10,000 in 2022. Garratt added, “So far we’re projected to lose $13k again this year.”The Town’s current contribution is $20,000,...

Fireworks at news conference before Jamestown Mall demolition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Dignitaries assembled at the vacant Jamestown Mall to mark the start of the demolition of the long-abandoned shopping center.And while a contractor is handling the demolition, there were fireworks between north St. Louis County officials, the head of the county council, and a local state senator during Tuesday morning’s news conference.The sparks started flying after St. Louis County Chairwoman Shalonda Webb said she was the prime mover in the project and had not received much help from lawmakers in Jefferson City. That rubbed State Senator Angela Mosley the wrong way, who took the podium with strong words for Webb.“This is my district—District 13—and I will address some of the lies that was given up here on this podium. I never had Shalonda Webb in my office. She never came to my office,” Mosley said. “I never seen her and I never was against giving $6 million to (demolish) this mall.”The state senator then added this dig: praising the person Webb defeated t...

Tripled detention population at Juvenile Justice Center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Concerns over the St. Louis County Juvenile Justice Center led to a special meeting Tuesday between parents, the county council, and the courts.Michael Hicks was one of more than a dozen parents attending.“I’m worried about my son’s safety inside of there,” he said.Reverend Dr. Linden Bowie, president of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri, was part of making the meeting possible.“I would hope it’s to get some clarity on what the administration, the leadership, is doing to resolve some of those issues,” he said.A joint letter from the church group and the NAACP includes the following complaints about the St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Center:Reported assaults, some leading to injuries to both juveniles and staffVisits and phone calls not allowed to juveniles who are not on disciplinary restrictions12-hour lockdowns, forcing juveniles to use food containers as toilets Cloned voice, fake bondsman target St. Louis woman Chief Juvenile Offi...

Worries of mine subsidence at Belleville grocery store

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Some Belleville residents woke up to chaos Tuesday morning, as several homes had to be evacuated and their local food market was closed due to concerns about possible mine subsidence.“I got a call Sunday morning from our streets department, and that was the first I’d heard of it,” Belleville Fire Chief Stephanie Mills said. “And we came out here and just observed the same thing that you all are seeing, the buckling in the pavement.”Officials say a former mine is beneath the area.“We began reaching out to people that knew more about it than we did,” Mills said. “We contacted the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and they’ve responded, and they’re going to continue to monitor the situation.” Maps of the old mines under Missouri and Illinois Structural engineers went in and out of Rulers Foods throughout the day as part of a building assessment.Some residents tell FOX 2 they saw cracks in the concrete over the weekend and called 911.“Saturday there was a bu...

Rockies beat Dodgers 4-1 to open final homestand of 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

One hundred losses will have to wait.The Rockies beat the Dodgers 4-1 to open the final homestand, using three runs in the opening frame plus a Nolan Jones homer to win just their second game against Los Angeles in 10 tries this season.On the mound, Colorado finally got Chase Anderson his first win in 17 starts with the club. Anderson was effective for a third straight outing, tossing five scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen, which held up to snap a seven-game losing streak.Related ArticlesColorado Rockies | Rockies set franchise record for most losses in a season, fall 4-3 to Cubs Colorado Rockies | Rockies, haunted by walks and a lack of clutch hitting, lose to Cubs, drop sixth straight Colorado Rockies | Rockies Journal: Road hitting woes continue — except for Nolan Jones Colorado Rockies | Rockies blanked by Jameson Taillon, Cubs in fifth consecutive loss, 97th of season Colorado Rockies | ...

Denver airport celebrates new taxiway that improves safety on the ground with visit by Pete Buttigieg

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Denver International Airport Tuesday to celebrate the completion of a nearly $51 million stretch of taxiway that officials say will make the maze of runways and connecting pavement safer and 10% more efficient.The end of the project, which was funded entirely by the Federal Aviation Administration, overlapped with the announcement of a $30.6 million grant for DIA through the Biden administration-championed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. That money, part of $201 million awarded for airport lighting system improvements around the country, is helping pay for lighting and rehab work on one of DIA’s six runways.That project, with a total price tag of $41.7 million, is expected to be completed next month, the airport says.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Denver International Airport to cut the ribbon on this new taxiway, which is expected to improve the flow of DIA’s increasing plane traffic, on September 26, ...

After redshirt season, guard RJ Smith aims for court time with CU Buffs men’s basketball

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

BOULDER, CO – SEPTEMBER 25:The Buffaloes’ RJ Smith watches the play during practice at the CU Events Center in Boulder on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)RJ Smith arrived at Colorado last year a little battered and facing a numbers crunch in the backcourt.One redshirt season later, Smith is setting his sights on a rotation spot for the Buffaloes.The second-year guard is one of the few question marks surrounding the potential rotation for the 2023-24 CU men’s basketball team. In terms of the backcourt mix, juniors KJ Simpson and Julian Hammond III are locks to play heavy minutes.Beyond that duo, minutes could be there for the taking for Smith.“Really, the main thing for me in the offseason was just getting in the gym every day,” Smith said. “Just getting shots up, ball-handling. Whatever that can translate to the court this season. I worked a lot on getting in shape. That’s pretty much what I was working on this offseason, getting the ball and trying to put ...

Man pleads guilty in fatal Interstate 70 road rage shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

The man who shot and killed someone during a road rage incident on Interstate 70 near North Quebec Street in 2022 is pleading guilty to second-degree murder, the Denver District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.Jameel James, 18, was accused of shooting Kevin Piaskowski, 31, while driving a stolen truck westbound on I-70 the evening of July 31, 2022. He later crashed the truck and fled the scene. He was arrested on Aug. 11 and initially charged with first-degree murder, motor vehicle theft and weapons-related offenses.“I am pleased that Jameel James will pay a significant price for this senseless murder,” District Attorney Beth McCann said in a statement. “I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors in my office, as well as the detectives with the Denver Police Department, whose work on the case resulted in this successful outcome. I also want to extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Kevin Piaskowski.”James faces up to 25 years in prison and is set to be...

State of the Campus: CU Boulder chancellor outlines progress, goals for student success during public address

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano had one main focus when delivering the State of the Campus address Tuesday morning: student success.“Today, my message is simple,” DiStefano said. “It’s an invitation for all of us to return to that basic premise that the success of students is the university’s primary mission.”The chancellor’s State of the Campus address is an annual opportunity to recognize accomplishments and discuss the future of the university.“This is an exciting year on the CU Boulder campus,” DiStefano said. “From the national spotlight on our football team under Coach Prime to all time highs in student retention and graduation rates, we have lots to celebrate.”CU System President Todd Saliman said he feels “wonderful” about where CU Boulder is right now.“Between our academic successes, our student successes, our research and athletics, today is a good day at the University of Colorado in Boulder,&#...

Why do Californians pay so much more for gas than other drivers?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:09 GMT

Gasoline prices in California edged higher again on Tuesday, hitting an average of $5.84 per gallon - a little over a penny more than Monday’s average, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).Drivers in metro Los Angeles are paying an average of $6.14/gallon, nearly 80 cents more than a month ago and 30 cents more than a year ago as gas prices tread dangerously close to L.A.'s all-time record of $6.50/gallon from October 2022.For comparison, drivers in southern states such as Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Alabama only pay around $3.30/gallon.So why are gas prices spiking now? And why do Californians always pay more?In the short term, AAA says global oil prices have risen to more than $90 per barrel while demand also continues to rise. At the same time, domestic gas stock has declined slightly.So, some of this can be attributed to the basic economic law of supply and demand.However, in Southern California, experts say regional -and political- fact...