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Real or artificial? How to choose the most sustainable Christmas tree, no matter what it’s made of

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

(The Conversation) - Every year, Americans buy somewhere between 35 million and 50 million Christmas trees, and many more pull an artificial tree out of storage for the season. In all, about three-quarters of U.S. households typically have some kind of Christmas tree, surveys show.People often ask which is more sustainable – a real tree or an artificial one? It’s a big debate, and the answer depends on who you ask and which factors you consider.A more useful question is: How do I find the most sustainable tree of the kind I want to get?I’m a forestry professor who works on issues of sustainability. There are advantages and disadvantages to both cut trees and artificial trees. Here are some tips to consider for each.If you’re buying a live Christmas treeWhen Christmas trees are alive and growing, they pull carbon dioxide from the air and use it as the building blocks of their wood. That keeps the greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere, where too much carbon dioxide contributes to globa...

One of a Kind Show returns for 22nd year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

One of Chicago’s favorite holiday shopping tradition returns for the 22nd time.We're talking about the One of a Kind Show and Sale.Over 500 artists across North America come to Chicago —200 of those are new to the show this year.Kathleen Hogan, director of sales of the One of a Kind Show Chicago, joined the WGN Weekend Morning News to talk about the show.

Holiday Gift Boxes with Chef Mario Rizzotti

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

Giving the gift of food —what a better thing for the holidays.Iron Chef America judge an all around good guy chef Mario Rizzotti joined the WGN Weekend Morning News with some suggestions!

APD asking for help to find suspects connected to three robberies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department is asking for help from the public to help find three suspects who investigators believe are connected to three robberies occurring on different dates and locations. The suspects pulled out guns and stole cash from three businesses. Police said that one suspect appeared to have participated in all three robberies and two additional suspects were also involved. APD asks anyone with any information to contact the Robbery unit at 512-974-5092 or submit a tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477. People who submit information that leads to an arrest may receive up to $1,000.Investigators described the first suspect as:A Hispanic or Black maleBetween 20 and 30 years of age5’6”- 6’0” tallThe suspect was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black ski masks and tan or white shoesSuspect 1Suspect 1Suspect 1Investigators described the second s...

Jury convicts a man of murdering his father, sentences him to life in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A Travis County jury convicted Dietrich White, 49, of murdering his father, Richard White, in Nov. 2018, according to a Travis County press release. White was found incompetent in Feb. 2020 but was re-indicted for the murder offense in Dec. 2022. “Our office takes acts of violence seriously and is committed to holding people who commit violent crimes accountable,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza in the release. “We hope this outcome brings closure and peace to the victim's family who sought justice in this case.”Jury selection for this trial began on Nov. 27. The jury found White guilty of murder on Monday and convicted him to life in prison on Tuesday.

Yelp’s 2024 home trend forecast: mirrors and ‘dopamine decor’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.Yelp’s 2024 Home & Living Trends forecast is hereYelp releases an annual forecast of home and living trends based on searches on its website. And the Yelp 2024 Home & Living Trends forecast has just been released. Yelp predicts five big trends for 2024: dopamine décor, professional declutterers, mirrors, lighting and modern shelving. You don’t have to be able to afford a professional declutterer or elaborate lighting installations to enjoy these trends. There are plenty of products at reasonable prices — including bold rugs and clever storage solutions — to help you get the look. Shop this article: Latitude Run Vivanco Armless Sofa Bed, Ivy Bronx Jolien Full-Length Mirror and Mercer 41 Padelea Iron Plug-in Armed SconceDopamine decorDopamine décor is bold and bright, according to the Yelp 2024 report. It’s an extension o...

Oscars 2024: As ‘The Color Purple’ arrives, the best picture race comes into focus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Oprah Winfrey believes the new film version of “The Color Purple” is “divinely touched.”And at the movie’s first public screening, held a couple of weeks ago at the film academy’s Samuel L. Goldwyn Theater, nobody was going to argue with her. About half of the thousand people in the room, in fact, rose to applaud the closing credits, well before Oprah took the stage along with the film’s director, the memorably named Blitz Bazawule, and several members of its ensemble, including Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson and Colman Domingo.If the closing credits received a standing ovation, you can imagine the roar when these folks took the stage.Bazawule’s “The Color Purple” is an adaptation of the 2005 Broadway musical, which, of course, was based on Alice Walker’s revered 1982 novel, just as Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film was. The movie is centered on the journey of Celie (Barrino, repris...

Food Pantries for the Capital District "Fill the Truck Challenge"

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Food Pantries for the Capital District is looking to fill as many trucks as possible with 10,000 pounds of food in its Fill the Truck Challenge. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Local businesses are encouraged to form teams to raise money. The competition starts as soon as a team signs up. Five teams have signed up already. It runs through Sunday, December 31st at midnight.Teams create a fundraising page through the Food Pantries website.Organizers say $1600 fills a truck with 10,000 pounds of food.If you have questions or would like more information, please email Development and Communications Manager, Angie Weber at [email protected].

Man shot in front of church in South Los Angeles 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

A man was shot in front of a church in South L.A.’s Gramercy Park neighborhood early Saturday morning. Shots first rang out just before 1:25 a.m. near the intersection of 98th Street and Western Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.   Wife of LASD deputy who died by suicide files claim against department Officers responded to the scene near the Church of the Living God on Western Avenue and found a man in his 40s with multiple gunshot wounds. A man was shot in front of a church in South L.A.’s Gramercy Park neighborhood on Dec. 9, 2023. (RMGNews)Bullet casings littering the sidewalk following a shooting in South L.A. on Dec, 9, 2023. (RMGNews)An LAPD squad car at the scene of a shooting in South L.A. on Dec. 9, 2023. (RMGNews)The victim was walking on Western when a vehicle approached and a suspect fired multiple rounds at him, LAPD confirmed to KTLA. Video from the scene shows bullet casings littering the sidewalk as police began their invest...

San Jose bride-to-be’s generous gesture for nonprofit goes viral

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:50 GMT

A San Jose bride-to-be who canceled her wedding just three weeks before the big event turned her disappointment into generosity by donating a $15,000 reception last Saturday to the nonprofit Parents Helping Parents — an act that generated headlines around the world.When the woman — whom I’m not naming to protect her privacy — discovered her fiancé had done some unsavory stuff behind her back, she made the tough call to cancel her wedding which was supposed to take place Dec. 5. Unfortunately, that was too late to get back her deposits so she reached out to Parents Helping Parents, a San Jose nonprofit that works with families who have special needs. The agency ended up getting a party at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy with dinner, a DJ and fireworks that they enjoyed with about 100 clients, family members and staff.Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, left, poses with Paige Kowalski at a party held for Parents Helping Parents at Eagle Ridge Golf Club ...