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Turning last night’s jack-o’-lantern into compost, and other morning-after pumpkin options

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

Instead of throwing last night’s Halloween jack-o’-lantern into the trash, some industrious people are turning old, burned-out carved pumpkins into compost.Composting not only helps your garden, it also reduces food waste — including rotting pumpkins — in landfills. The U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce estimates 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills each year.Here’s how to get a pumpkin ready for composting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy:Remove the candle wax, paint, glitter, ribbons and other nonorganic decorations from the pumpkin.Clean out all the pulp and seeds, because if you include them in a compost pile, new pumpkin plants will likely sprout. (If you want to plant some seeds next year, wash off the pulp, dry them on paper towels and store them in a paper bag until next planting season)Smash or cut up the pumpkin into small pieces, which speeds up decomposition.Mix the smaller pieces of pumpkin into your compost pile. Using a rake or ...

The US has strongly backed Israel’s war against Hamas. The allies don’t seem to know what comes next

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — When U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked this week who would govern the Gaza Strip following Israel’s devastating war against Hamas, he said a return of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority made “the most sense.”What he failed to mention is that the Palestinian Authority, weak and deeply unpopular with its own people, has already said it has no interest in assuming power if it is helped by Israel.Blinken’s comments Tuesday reflected what some analysts see as the questionable assumptions and short-term thinking that have guided American and Israeli policymakers since Israel declared war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack in which its militants killed more than 1,400 people and took roughly 240 others hostage.With strong American backing, Israel has defined two clear goals: bringing home all of the hostages and destroying Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has governed Gaza since ousting the Palestinian Author...

Nathan Woodyard takes the stand during trial

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Nathan Woodyard, an Aurora Police officer on trial for the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, is taking the stand Wednesday afternoon.Woodyard, who was suspended from the force, is charged with reckless manslaughter of the 23-year-old McClain. The trial began Oct. 17. McClain died in 2019 after he was stopped by police while walking home from a convenience store. He was thrown to the ground and held down before being injected by paramedics with ketamine, a sedative.The prosecution argued that McClain's death was put in motion by Woodyard's carotid neck hold, as well as physical force used by him and other officers to hold him still. 7 years later, man faces charges in death of woman on train A forensic pathologist called by the prosecution argued that the manner of McClain's death was homicide and that the officer's actions contributed to his death.However, the defense has argued that the paramedics were to blame for McClain's death. A separate forensic pathologist ca...

We should heed Elon Musk’s concerns about AI, says Rishi Sunak

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended his decision to invite tech tycoon Elon Musk to a livestreamed conversation to mark the end of his two-day AI Safety Summit this week.The billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X is expected to attend both days of the summit before joining the U.K. PM for a tête-à-tête on Thursday evening to reflect on efforts to manage the risks of advanced AI.“I think actually if you listen to what Elon Musk is saying, he’s someone who for a long time has been talking about the potential risk of AI and its existential risks,” Sunak told POLITICO’s Power Play podcast. “But he also talks very passionately as he did today about the incredible benefits that AI can bring — and what I want to do is make sure people are reassured.”Pressed again on whether it was appropriate for Sunak to give a “special welcome for someone who is criticized for spreading disinformation and endorsing unverified posts,” ...

Police locate, arrest additional suspect wanted in connection with Brookline home invasion

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

Police in Brookline say a third suspect has been arrested in connection with an armed home invasion that left a resident wounded earlier this year.The Brookline Police Department announced that Corey Buchannan, 32, was taken into custody Wednesday morning for his alleged role in the break-in that happened on Warren Street back on July 18.According to police, the home invasion involved a group of masked men who forced their way through the balcony of a home’s second floor while the residents, two brothers, were sleeping inside.One of the brothers, a 61-year-old, was assaulted and left with a laceration wound to the head. Police indicated there was also evidence a gun had been fired at one point.Two months later, Manuel Alicea, 31, of Tewksbury and Dominic Hardin, 34, of Lowell, were arrested and arraigned on home invasion and larceny charges.During the court proceedings, the prosecution described how some $700,000 worth of jewelry was stolen during the incident, and that a $150,000 w...

Judge signals she may postpone Trump’s trial in Mar-a-Lago classified documents case

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

Ft. Pierce, Florida (CNN) — The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago document-mishandling case cast doubt on the viability having a trial in May 2024, signaling she may postpone the criminal proceedings.During a hearing Wednesday in south Florida, US District Judge Aileen Cannon raised concerns that the defense team wouldn’t be able to complete trial preparations between now and the spring as they handle other cases for Trump and a stacked trial schedule.“I’m having a hard time seeing how this work can be accomplished realistically in this period of time,” Cannon said.Cannon told Justice Department prosecutor Jay Bratt, who asked to keep the trial schedule as is: “I’m not seeing in your position a level of understanding to these realities.”Cannon did not issue a ruling in court on Wednesday.In addition to questioning the defense team’s access to evidence in the case, Cannon repeatedly questioned if the current trial schedule would unfairly bump up against the...

Let’s have an honest conversation about what to expect as you age

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

Judith Graham | (TNS) KFF Health NewsHow many of us have wanted a reliable, evidence-based guide to aging that explains how our bodies and minds change as we grow older and how to adapt to those differences?Creating a work of this kind is challenging. For one thing, aging gradually alters people over decades, a long period shaped by individuals’ economic and social circumstances, their behaviors, their neighborhoods, and other factors. Also, while people experience common physiological issues in later life, they don’t follow a well-charted, developmentally predetermined path.“Predictable changes occur, but not necessarily at the same time or in the same sequence,” said Rosanne Leipzig, vice chair for education at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. “There’s no more heterogeneous a group than older people.”I called Leipzig, 72, who works full time teaching medical residents and fellows and seeing p...

Born out of grief, this children’s book ‘See You on the Other Side’ explores loss

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

The words came to Rachel Montez Minor in her dreams.The author was inspired to write her new picture book, “See You On the Other Side,” after she dreamt about it while pregnant with her daughter. Exploring grief as a universal human emotion, the children’s book is an ode to loved ones who have died, with the message that love will be cherished and carried on forever, Minor said.“It’s a heart-opener. And the words are soothing, like a hug or a blanket. They’re so melodic – you can kind of tell it came from the dream space,” said the author, who lives in the Hollywood Hills.Featuring evocative, detailed illustrations by artist Mariyah Rahman, the new book aims to be a comforting resource to children who may be grieving a death or who are learning about or coming to terms with the idea of loss.Because the book itself is the result of loss.Author Rachel Montez Minor just released her new children’s picture book, “See You On the Other Side,” an ode to loved ones who have passed. (Photo ...

Chicago Bears fire running backs coach David Walker — the 2nd assistant to exit since the season began

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

For 11 minutes Wednesday morning, Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus met with reporters at Halas Hall and tried to spin the yarn of an NFL team heading in the right direction.Eberflus described the culture he has been trying to establish for almost two years in Lake Forest as “awesome,” asserted that the last-place Bears are “turning a corner” and, on multiple occasions, pointed to the team’s .500 record over the last month as evidence they have legitimate reasons to feel encouraged and optimistic.But that messaging might not resonate with most of an outside audience that has watched the Bears continually stumble on the field — they are 5-20 under Eberflus — while experiencing repeated tumult behind the scenes, the most recent being Wednesday’s sudden firing of running backs coach David Walker for what is believed to be concerning misconduct.“As the head coach,” Eberflus said, “we are building a program and have standa...

Bruins notebook: Mason Lohrei to make NHL debut against Leafs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:28:10 GMT

Mason Lohrei was three minutes away from the long Providence to Pennsylvania bus ride when he got the call he’s been dreaming of his whole life.“We were actually packing the the bus to go to Wilkes-Barre and I filled up a cooler and was carrying it outside when our equipment guy grabbed the cooler from me and said, ‘Hey, go into the coaches office.’ It was was 12:27 and the bus left at 12:30,” said Lohrei.Lohrei, the Bruins’ second-round pick from 2020 and their best defense prospect, got the word he will make his NHL debut on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Garden, thanks to a set of circumstances that could see the B’s miss half of its regular defense corps.Charlie McAvoy will start his four-game suspension, Matt Grzelcyk was placed on long-term injured reserve and Derek Forbort is nursing a lower body injury, making him a question mark for the Leafs’ game. An offensive-minded defenseman who’ll need to grow his game i...