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Future of Colorado Air National Guard unit at Buckley is at risk as F-16s near retirement, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

The year 2028 looms large for the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora.The guard’s F-16s — fighter jets referred to as Fighting Falcons — are getting old, with most expected to start running out of useful life in about five years. Many of them were built in the late 1980s, and while updates potentially could extend their use for another three to four years, the planes’ retirement is on the horizon.Local and federal elected leaders worry the planes’ twilight years could bring the eventual end of the flying mission for the Air National Guard’s 140th Wing — and, potentially, the closure of its active runway at Buckley. Three of Colorado’s members of Congress joined with Aurora city officials and local defense leaders recently in calling for the Pentagon to budget money to replace the aging fighter jets with new planes.U.S. Rep. Jason Crow and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper warned that not doing so ...

Proposition HH debate features property taxes, TABOR refunds and dueling predictions of the future

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

Backers of Proposition HH are keeping their message simple in ads, portraying it as the best chance Colorado has to reduce the size of historic property tax hikes that are due to hit next year because of mounting surges in property valuations across the state.But the measure is anything but simple. The complex ballot question also would tinker with state tax refunds, attempt to make local governments whole for lost property tax revenue and significantly boost education funding, which long has been shortchanged by lawmakers.The many tentacles of the most prominent and wide-impact measure on the Nov. 7 ballot give opponents plenty to attack. If voters approve Proposition HH, they argue, property taxes still will go up next year — though not by as much as they would’ve otherwise — but now the state will hold back more from refund checks mandated by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. It amounts to an unnecessary grab at taxpayers’ wallets, they say.The party in...

Prep football roundup: Wilcox beats SHP, Berkeley edges Hayward in OT

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

No. 10 Wilcox 28, No. 24 Sacred Heart Prep 21Tyson Bonilla scored on a 38-yard run late in the fourth quarter to break a tie and send visiting Wilcox to a victory over Sacred Heart Prep on Saturday in Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division play.The outcome sets up a league championship game on Friday night when Wilcox plays host to Los Gatos.They are the only Bay teams without a league loss.Wilcox had to play catch-up to turn back Sacred Heart Prep, which led 7-0 in the first quarter, 14-7 in the second and 21-14 in the third.Bonilla’s 8-yard pass to Maulidi Saleh evened the score 21-21 with four minutes left in the third period.Jamontay Amataga’s 14-yard run and Saleh’s 3-yard run accounted for Wilcox’s other touchdowns.Saleh also intercepted a pass and Romeo Castillo had a dominant game on Wilcox’s defensive line.SHP scored on Jack Stevens’ 6-yard run and Jack Scully’s 21- and 29-yard passes to Charlie Stuart.Wilcox improved to 6-2, 4-0.SH...

Previewing the West: Which contenders give Warriors biggest problems?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

The Warriors made swift changes to their roster and to their mentality after a disappointing ending last season. Jordan Poole, out. Chris Paul, in. Teenage rookies replaced by rookies with more college seasoning. Steph Curry and coach Steve Kerr  brewing up the team chemistry that was lacking last year.The championship window remains open, but hardly as wide as it once was and not for much longer. Curry is 35. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will turn 34 in the spring. Paul is 38.The Western Conference has at least 12 teams with legit playoff expectations. Which of those are the biggest obstacles to a fifth championship in the Curry-Klay-Dray dynasty?Let’s break it down.Sure-fire contendersDenver Nuggets (53-29)Nikola Jokic and the reigning NBA champions will have some championship fatigue but are still the betting favorites to win the West. The Nuggets were the No. 1 seed last season led by the scoring and passing of Jokic, the evolution of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr...

A migrant family’s odyssey: 7,100 miles from Venezuela seeking new life in San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

They walked and hitchhiked, rode buses and boats and sneaked onto a freight train. They passed through nine countries in nine months — a perilous, exhausting journey that began in January when they fled their home in Venezuela and spanned more than 7,100 miles before reaching San Jose last month, a city where they knew no one but were told they might find help.They slept on cardboard mats on streets or in tents at transit stations and worked odd jobs for quick cash. They fended off robbers who stopped their Mexican train with rocks and bottles and slogged through a Colombian jungle passing bodies of fallen migrants who’d perished along the way.As if the odyssey weren’t grueling enough for Keila and her husband, Keiner, both 31, the couple made the unthinkable journey to the United States with their three young daughters — Sophia, 10, Thailyn, 6, and Sinay, 5. On Sept. 30, when they and seven others arrived to everyone’s surprise in San Jose, the government off...

49ers’ 5 keys to beating Vikings and avoiding second straight road loss

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS – One player in the 49ers’ locker room discreetly said he was a bit bummed this past week. He wanted to go undefeated this season. Heck, who didn’t?Instead, the 49ers fell victim to football’s on-any-given-Sunday axiom in Cleveland. They were unable to complete a last-drive comeback and fell for the first time this season, 19-17 last Sunday to the Browns.That did not devastate nor demoralize the 49ers (5-1). But that could change Monday night in Minnesota if they lose back-to-back games on the road for the first time since 2018.The Vikings (2-4) lack star power around quarterback Kirk Cousins and they’re 0-3 at home. If that isn’t inviting enough for the 49ers, maybe a prime-time spotlight will serve as an elixir. Cousins, after all, is 2-10 on Monday nights in his career.The 49ers won twice under the lights in their 5-0 start: 30-12 over the New York Giants and 42-10 over the Dallas Cowboys, both at Levi’s Stadium.“When the lights are on, it’s really fun and easy to get...

La Policía busca el motivo de la muerte de la líder de la sinagoga de Detroit, que fue encontrada con múltiples puñaladas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

(CNN) — Los investigadores están buscando un motivo por la muerte de Samantha Woll, la líder de una sinagoga de Detroit encontrada apuñalada durante el fin de semana, dijo el jefe de Policía de la ciudad.El cuerpo de Samantha Woll, presidenta de la junta de la sinagoga Isaac Agree Downtown, fue descubierto con múltiples puñaladas en su casa este sábado por la mañana, dijo el Departamento de Policía de Detroit en un comunicado. Ella fue declarada muerta en el lugar.Los agentes que respondieron habían seguido “un rastro de sangre que los llevó a la residencia de la víctima”, donde se cree que ocurrió el crimen, dijo el Departamento de Policía de Detroit en un comunicado.La policía no ha identificado a ningún sospechoso en el caso y aún no está claro qué llevó al asesinato.Encuentran muerta afuera de su casa y con múltiples puñaladas a la presidenta de la junta de una sinagoga de Detroit, informó la policía“Es comprensible que este crimen deje muchas preguntas sin res...

Ghost Brownies / Belkys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

Ingredients: Brownie mix or ingredients to homemade brownies1/2 cup vanilla frostingBlack or brown decorating gelMethod of Preparation:Preheat the oven and make your favorite Brownie recipe. Use a mix or homemade. Let cool completely and slice into even pieces.Microwave a half cup of vanilla frosting until it’s easy to spread. Drop a spoonful onto each brownie and make the shape of a ghost. Take your black or brown decorating gel and make two round eyes for each ghost.Have fun- and happy Halloween!

Swiss anti-immigrant party projected to make record showing in election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

The far-right and euroskeptic Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is set to make its strongest showing ever in national elections, according to projections by the NZZ newspaper.The SVP, which has centered its campaign on anti-immigrant rhetoric, is projected to win 30 percent of the vote, up from 25.6 percent four years ago and higher than pre-election polls. It has been the country’s largest party since 2003.In an election dominated by domestic issues, the three other main parties — the Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Center Alliance — are also projected to make gains, with only the Greens and the Green Liberals projected to come out weaker than in 2019.The Swiss vote for 200 seats in the lower chamber of parliament, the National Council, and 46 seats in the upper chamber, the Council of States. Since 1959, all the major parties have been represented in the seven-member government — the Federal Council — which is elected by members of parliament.The final results will be ...

Hungary to ramp up Russian gas imports for winter, says Gazprom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:11 GMT

Hungary is set to make increased purchases of Russian gas this winter, Moscow’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom said, despite growing criticism in the West that the arrangement is funding the war in Ukraine.Speaking on state television on Sunday, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said that “significant additional volumes are reaching the Hungarian market.” He added that 1.3 billion cubic meters of gas have already been delivered to Hungary on top of existing contracts this year.“We will supply additional volumes on an ongoing basis in the autumn-winter period of the coming winter,” said Miller, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for his role in supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week in Beijing, with the discussions centered on gas and oil shipments, as well as the supply of nuclear fuel. Orbán has previously said Budapest “will not allow sanct...