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T. rex skeleton sells for more than $5M at Zurich auction

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

By JAMEY KEATEN (Associated Press)BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Nearly 300 Tyrannosaurus rex bones that were dug up from three sites in the United States and assembled into a single skeleton sold Tuesday at an auction in Switzerland for 4.8 million francs ($5.3 million), below the expected price. Crafted into an open-mouth pose, the T. rex skeleton measuring 11.6 meters long (38 feet long) and 3.9 meters high (12.8 feet) high came in under the anticipated range of 5 million to 8 million francs when it went under the hammer at the Koller auction house in Zurich. Koller had said Tuesday’s sale would be the first time such a T. rex skeleton would go up for auction in Europe. The composite skeleton, featuring 293 bones, was a showpiece of an auction that featured some 70 lots, and the skull was set up next to the auctioneer’s podium throughout.“It could be that it was a composite — that could be why the purists didn’t go for it,” Karl Green, the auct...

Bears stadium development could hinge on TIF money — a financial tool that’s had varying success in Arlington Heights

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

Arlington Heights officials proudly point to their downtown as an example of tax subsidies that work.The village transformed the once-sleepy area into a thriving destination with high-rise luxury apartments and condominiums, entertainment and restaurants. In fair weather, the streets close to draw steady crowds to a festive al fresco dining district.Just 2 miles down the road, though, lies another attempted redevelopment that went terribly wrong. International Plaza was once filled with Asian restaurants and stores, a karaoke bar, even a competitive table tennis club. Now it’s mostly abandoned, marred with potholes and boarded windows.Both sites were designated by the village as tax increment financing, or TIF, districts. The two areas, one thriving, and one nearly deserted, illustrate the range of possible outcomes for TIFs.The tax subsidy tool has come under increased scrutiny now that a TIF has been suggested as a potential funding mechanism to help draw the Chicago Bears t...

Arlington 425 developer points to Bears’ presumed impact on downtown Arlington Heights as he asks for more time

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

Questions about how the Chicago Bears’ proposed redevelopment of Arlington International Racecourse may impact the future of downtown Arlington Heights became part of another developer’s appeal to the Village Board Monday night for more time to get permits for his own project planned for the downtown area.In his request for a permit extension for the delayed Arlington Block 425 planned unit development, developer Bruce Adreani said the NFL football team’s arrival in the village raises concerns about whether the downtown area could become “the red-haired stepchild to the Bears site” and referenced Chicago Tribune and Pioneer Press reporting on the subject to make his case.“There were articles in the paper, just most recently in the past week, on how the Bears will affect downtown,” Adreani said at the board meeting. Nobody knows what’s going to happen there.”The Bears closed on the 326-acre property in February after having first ...

Cam Thomas minutes on the table for Nets in crucial Game 3 vs. 76ers, says Jacque Vaughn

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Is it time to free second-year scorer Cam Thomas? Facing an 0-2 deficit in the Nets’ first-round playoff series against the 76ers, Jacque Vaughn says it’s on the table for Game 3 at Barclays Center on Thursday.Vaughn, however, doesn’t appear sure minutes are necessary for Thomas. He was pleased with the overall flow of the offense in Brooklyn’s 96-84 loss at the Wells Fargo Center in Game 2.His biggest takeaway was the team generated quality three-point looks and simply failed to knock them down. The Nets shot 13-of-42 from downtown, but players not named Cam Johnson — who scored a playoff career-high 28 points and on 5-of-11 shooting from behind the arc — connected on threes at just a 8-of-31 shooting clip.Many of those missed shots were wide-open looks.“I just thought that if we felt like we were struggling to get looks, maybe that could be an answer,” the head coach said postgame when asked if he gave any though...

Southwest passengers face delays after nationwide grounding

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines planes were grounded nationwide for what the airline called an intermittent technology issue, causing more than 1,700 flight delays Tuesday just four months after the carrier suffered a meltdown over the Christmas travel rush.The hold on departures was lifted by late morning, shortly after it was announced, according to Southwest and the Federal Aviation Administration, but not before traffic at airports from Denver to New York City backed up.“Southwest has resumed operations after temporarily pausing flight activity this morning to work through data connection issues resulting from a firewall failure,” the Dallas airline said in a prepared statement. “Early this morning, a vendor-supplied firewall went down and connection to some operational data was unexpectedly lost.”The airline urged customers to check on their flight status “and explore self-service options” for travel as the airline worked on restoring its operati...

Malnourished dog found abandoned in North County Park

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The San Diego Humane Society's law enforcement team is seeking public information regarding a dog who was abandoned at a North County Park.On March 28, a seven-year-old small Yorkie mix was found abandoned in a crate at Mayflower Dog Park in Escondido, SDHS said in a news release.The dog was found in near-death condition, with thick, crusty skin, missing hair and suffering from malnourishment.After being found, the dog was transported to the humane society's Escondido Campus for treatment. The veterinarian team, who named the dog Champ, worked to relive the dog's pain and suffering, SDHS said.After a week of care, the medical team was unable to save Champ and made the decision to humanely euthanize him. Dog matching description of canine abandoned at shelter found, dies “We’re less than half a mile from the park where this dog, who was already suffering, was placed to endure an extremely cold night without shelter,” Lt. Regina Price with SDHS's Humane Law Enfor...

Damar Hamlin cleared to play, 4 months after cardiac arrest

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is cleared to resume playing and is attending the team’s voluntary workout program, the latest and biggest steps in his remarkable recovery some four months after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati.“He’s fully cleared. He’s here and he is of the mindset. He’s in a great headspace to come back and make his return,” general manager Brandon Beane said Tuesday.Beane said the clearance came after Hamlin met with a third and final specialist on Friday, with all three being in agreement that Hamlin can resume playing without any fear of setbacks or complications. While the Bills had their head athletic trainer sit in on Hamlin’s meetings with specialists, Beane said the team is following the lead of the specialists.“He’s such a great kid and has such a great family, and it’s exciting to go from a guy who was fighting for his life to now,” Beane said. “His story hasn’t b...

Old NASA satellite falling to Earth, risk of danger ‘low’

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

An old NASA satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week, but experts tracking the spacecraft say chances are low it will pose any danger. The defunct science satellite known as Rhessi will plummet through the atmosphere Wednesday night, according to NASA and the Defense Department.NASA said Tuesday that the reentry location is not being disclosed, given lingering uncertainty over when and where it might go down. Most of the 660-pound (300-kilogram) satellite should burn up upon return, but some parts are expected to survive. The space agency said in a statement the risk of anyone on Earth being harmed by plunging satellite pieces is “low” — about 1-in-2,467.Rhessi — short for the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager — rocketed into orbit in 2002 to study the sun. Before being shut down in 2018 because of communication problems, the satellite observed solar flares as well as coronal mass ejections from the sun. It captured images in high-energy X-rays and g...

Daylong truce reportedly reached in Sudan goes into effect

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — A 24-hour cease-fire reportedly reached between Sudan’s rival generals went into effect on Tuesday, but heavy fighting raged up until the time it was supposed to begin, and it was unclear whether it would hold.The truce, reported by several Arab media outlets, was to begin Tuesday at 6 p.m. local time.Residents said they still heard gunfire and explosions in different parts of the capital Khartoum, particularly around the military’s headquarters and the Republican Palace, the seat of power. They said few people had ventured out, though there were crowds outside some bakeries.“The fighting remains underway,” Atiya Abdulla Atiya of the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate told The Associated Press. “We are hearing constant gunfire.”Forces loyal to Sudan’s two top generals continued fighting each other in the streets of Khartoum throughout the day, underscoring the fragility of efforts to bring even a pause in the intensifying violence that has threatened to spir...

Left your taxes till the last minute? Here are some tips

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:44:23 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — If you’ve waited till the last minute to file your taxes, don’t panic. The tax deadline is Tuesday, but you still have time to get it done.If you are worried that you might not be able to finish in time, you can file for an extension, though that’s not ideal (more on that below.)Whether you do your taxes yourself, go to a tax clinic or hire a professional, navigating the tax system can be complicated and stressful. Courtney Alev, a consumer financial advocate for Credit Karma, recommends you go easy on yourself.“Take a breath. Take some time, set out an hour, or go through it over the weekend. You’ll hopefully see that it’s a lot simpler than you think,” Alev said.If you find the process too confusing, there are plenty of free resources to help you get through it. Here’s what you need to know:WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO FILE TAXES?Taxpayers have until Tuesday to submit their returns from 2022. If you’re filing by mail rather than online, the retur...