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Heirloom corn in a rainbow of colors makes a comeback in Mexico, where white corn has long been king

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

IXTENCO, Mexico (AP) — On the slopes of the Malinche volcano, Juan Vargas starts the dawn routine he’s had since childhood, carefully checking stalks of colorful native corn. For years, Vargas worried that these heirloom varieties — running from deep red to pale pink, from golden yellow to dark blue — passed down from his parents and grandparents would disappear. White corn long ago came to dominate the market and became the foundation of Mexicans’ diet. But now, the heirloom corn Vargas grows is in vogue. It accounts for 20 of the 50 acres on his farm in Ixtenco, in the central state of Tlaxcala. Vargas, 53, remembers just one acre reserved for it 2010, when demand was virtually zero and prices low. Fueled largely by foreign demand, the corn in its rainbow of colors has become more profitable for him than the white variety. Vargas is among farmers in Mexico who’ve been holding on to heirloom strains for generations, against a flood of industrially produced white corn. They...

Water at tip of Florida hits hot tub level, may have set world record for warmest seawater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

The water temperature on the tip of Florida hit hot tub levels, exceeding 100 degrees (37.8 degrees Celsius) two days in a row. And meteorologists say that could potentially be the hottest seawater ever measured, although there are some issues with the reading. Just 26 miles (40 kilometers) away, scientists saw devastating effects from prolonged hot water surrounding Florida — devastating coral bleaching and even some death in what had been one of the Florida Keys’ most resilient reefs. Climate change has been setting temperature records across the globe this month.Weather records for sea water temperature are unofficial, and there are certain conditions in this reading that could disqualify it for a top mark, meteorologists said. But the initial reading on a buoy at Manatee Bay hit 101.1 degrees (38.4 Celsius) Monday evening, according to National Weather Service meteorologist George Rizzuto. On Sunday night the same buoy showed an online reading of 100.2 (37.9 Celsius) degre...

‘It was like a heartbeat’: Residents at a loss after newspaper shutters in declining coal county

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

WELCH, W.Va. (AP) — Months after Missy Nester ended The Welch News’ 100-year run, she can barely stand to walk through the office doors of the newspaper her mother taught her to read with growing up in West Virginia’s southern coalfields. It’s too painful.The Welch News owner and publisher’s desk is covered with unpaid bills and her own paychecks — a year’s worth — she never cashed. Phones that used to ring throughout the day are silent. Tables covered with typewriters, awards and a century’s worth of other long-abandoned artifacts are reminders that her beloved paper has become an artifact, too.Wiping away tears, Nester said she wishes people understood why she fought so hard to protect her county’s last remaining news outlet, and why it feels like communities left behind by the journalism industry are often the ones who need it most.“Our people here have nothing,” said Nester, 57. “Like, can any of y’all hear us out here screaming?”In March, the McDowell County weekly became...

An alliance of Indian opposition parties – called INDIA – joins forces to take on Modi

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s popular but polarizing prime minister, Narendra Modi, has a fondness for abbreviations that create buzz around his government schemes and dress down his rivals. Last week, Modi’s political opponents did exactly that. They announced a new alliance — called INDIA — to unseat Modi and defeat his ruling party’s electoral juggernaut. The acronym, which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, comprises India’s previously fractured opposition parties that are aiming to keep the Modi government’s increasingly powerful sway at bay. At stake, the alliance says, is the future of India’s multiparty democracy and secular foundations that critics say have seen assaults from Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party.The opposition alliance is playing on its acronym, saying it will be Modi versus the country in 2024 polls.Modi will seek reelection to a third consecutive term in a national vote next year at a time when India’s global diplomati...

Stock market today: Asian markets decline ahead of what traders hope will be final Fed rate hike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets retreated Wednesday after Wall Street hit a 15-month high ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting that traders hope will end with the final increase in this interest rate cycle.Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul declined. Oil prices retreated.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index rose 0.3% on Tuesday after companies reported bigger profits than expected.Investors expect the Fed to raise its key lending rate on Wednesday by 0.25 percentage points to a 22-year high. They hope the U.S. central bank can manage a “soft landing,” extinguishing inflation while avoiding a recession.“This could be the last rate hike for the Fed” as inflation pressures ease, said Brad Bernstein of UBS Wealth Management in a report. Bernstein said central banks in Europe and Japan also are “near their pivot points” on their own rate hike cycles.Meanwhile, traders waited to see how China’s ruling Communist Party will carry out its promise to shore up sluggish econ...

Alaska board to weigh barring transgender girls from girls’ high school sports teams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Transgender girls would be barred from participating on high school girls’ athletic teams in Alaska under a proposal being considered Wednesday by the state board of education.Opponents of the proposal call it discriminatory and unconstitutional and say it likely will lead to litigation. Supporters, including Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, say it is needed to ensure fairness in girls’ sports. The board could adopt or make changes to the proposed rule, postpone action or decide not to move forward with it, acting state education commissioner Heidi Teshner said. At least 22 states have laws that prevent transgender girls from playing on girls’ teams in K-12 schools, and North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature is preparing to try to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of such a measure there. Some of the laws also keep transgender boys off of boys’ teams, and some apply the ban to college athletics.Alaska’s proposal ...

Hit & Humid Air On The Way; Slight Risk Of Severe Weather Wednesday. Seasonal "Normal" Temps reached their peak Wednesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

We'll begin to see a slow decline in Chicago's normal temps. NOT TO WORRY, warm-weather enthusiasts! It's a VERY SLOW process. Normal temps will drop only 4-degrees to 80/63 over the coming 36 days by the end of August, 2023 (which begins a week from today).The daily period of daylight has been in GRADUAL DECLINE since Chicago (and the northern hemisphere's) LONGEST DAY--also the day of the "summer solstice", which marks the beginning of the astronomical summer season.There's Plenty of Warm—Even Hot—weather in the PipelineThis is a fact Chicago weather history has made quite clear over the years. But the gradual loss of daylight and the sun's slow shift to a more southerly trek across the sky each day gradually impacts temps by altering the amount of energy the sun delivers to us each day.INTERESTINGLY, Alaska-based National Weather Service climatologist Dr. Brian Brettschneider (https://twitter.com/Climatologist49) makes note of the change which begins today in a blog post in which...

FCSO: Arrest made after church vandalized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 25, 2023FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas — On Tuesday, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office arrested three people in connection with multiple crimes, including vandalism of a church in Fayette County, according to a FCSO news release.In the news release, FCSO Sheriff Keith Korenek said on July 18, deputies received reports of a burglary at the Mullins Prairie Store and vandalism that occurred at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.As investigators began working each case, they received information identifying one of the suspects in the Mullins Prairie Store burglary, FCSO said. Investigators located and interviewed the suspect, who admitted to taking part in both the burglary and vandalism of the church.During the course of the investigation, investigators were able to identify two more suspects and determined both suspects took part in two more crimes that occurred in the Mullins Prairie area a few weeks prior, the releas...

Brief power outage at Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

CREVE COEUR, Mo. - A brief power outage occurred at Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur on Tuesday night. Power crews were seen along Ballas Road, just east of the hospital. The outage occurred at 9:23 p.m., and police and EMS were notified.A spokesperson for Mercy released the following statement:"During maintenance by Ameren to a power line supplying Mercy Hospital St. Louis, there was an unexpected loss of power impacting both our main power supply and the backup supply. During this brief 5-10 minute loss of power, our co-workers activated the emergency plan to continue providing care to our patients. Power has been restored, and we’re working to verify all systems are online, so we can quickly resume normal operations."

Rockies lose 6-5 to Nationals, waste Austin Gomber’s strong start

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:06 GMT

The Rockies had everything working for them on a rainy Tuesday night in the nation’s capital.Lefty Austin Gomber made his fifth consecutive strong start, rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit his 10th homer and played sparkling defense, and the Rockies pounded out 14 hits.But all of that good stuff was washed away when the Nationals rallied for a 6-5 victory against Colorado’s usually dependable bullpen. Joey Meneses mashed a three-run homer off right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence in a four-run eighth for the game-winner.The start of the game was delayed by 90 minutes and the rain returned in the seventh, halting play for another 51 minutes.Gomber, mixing a lively fastball, big curve and effective changeup, surrendered one unearned run over six innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.How good has Gomber been? He’s walked three batters over his last eight starts. Over his last five starts — all victories — the lefty has a 2.90 ERA with 19 st...