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Walnut Creek city council member Kevin Wilk climbs to Mt. Everest base camp

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

(BCN) -- Kevin Wilk's daughter was on an airplane to Los Angeles just after Thanksgiving when the pilot told passengers they'd reached 10,000 feet. She looked out the window at how far down the ground was. Then a realization hit her."She looked out the window and said 'My dad was still 7,000 feet higher,'" the Walnut Creek city councilmember said over coffee at Walnut Creek's Buttercup diner. "That's when it really hit her, how high it was. It just put it in perspective."Wilk just spent more than three weeks halfway around the world in Nepal, climbing Mount Everest. The summit is off limits in the fall -- unpredictable weather makes it too dangerous. But the base camp, where people summiting the world's highest mountain at 29,028 feet camp and gather themselves for the final push to the top, was a tough enough destination.Base camp is 17,598 feet above sea level. The highest mountain in the continental U.S. is California's Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet.So, essentially, Wilk climbed ...

What Washingtonians read most at DC’s public libraries in 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

This year, D.C. Public Library saw the highest number of items circulated with more than seven million items borrowed, streamed or downloaded.“The ways in which people are reading are changing pretty dramatically,” said Richard Reyes-Gavilan, D.C. Public Library executive director. “So adults are consuming eBooks at a much greater rate than they were just a few years ago. And that signals a lot for us in the library. Kids are still very much enamored with print books.”According to D.C. Public Library in 2023, Washingtonians were interested in graphic novels and memoirs. Dav Pilkey’s “Dog Man” and “Cat Kid Comic Club” took eight of the top 10 fiction spots. Meanwhile, the top favored memoirs for adults were Prince Harry’s “Spare” and Jennette McCurdy’s “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”“For our young readers, teens are still enamored with graphic novels,” said Reyes-Gavilan. “As you...

After slow start, UCF defeats Florida A&M 69-56

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jaylin Sellers scored 15 points and Darius Johnson and Marchelus Avery had 13 apiece as UCF defeated Florida A&M 69-56 on Thursday.Shemarri Allen added 11 points and Ibrahima Diallo grabbed 12 rebounds to go with eight points for the Knights (8-3). They shot 40% and made 8 of 24 3-point tries and 19 of 27 from the line to the Rattlers’ 7 of 11. UCF scored 24 points off 21 FAMU turnovers.Roderick Coffee III scored 14 points, Shannon Grant added 12 and Keith Lamar had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Rattlers (2-8).UCF, which led by two at halftime, scored 10 straight points with Johnson’s 3-pointer giving the Knights the game’s first double-digit lead midway through the second half. The Rattlers didn’t get closer than nine thereafter.Both teams struggled mightily in the first half. The Rattlers didn’t get their first basket until the 12:43 mark but only trailed 8-2. UCF missed its first five shots, made its next three then misse...

Ronsieke’s 19 points, 7 blocks help No. 21 Creighton women edge Jackrabbits 58-46

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emma Ronsiek scored 19 points and blocked a career-high seven shots, which tied a school record, and No. 21 Creighton eased past South Dakota State 58-46 on Thursday night.Morgan Maly added 13 points for the Bluejays (8-2), who shot 23 of 61.Brooklyn Meyer had 12 points to lead the Jackrabbits (9-5) and Tori Nelson 10. Ronsiek hit a 3-pointer to start a 15-0 run, and contributed a total of nine points that turned a 23-14 deficit into a 29-23 lead at halftime.It was the second-straight loss to a ranked team for SDSU, which won 29 games last year and won a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament. Four of five losses are to ranked teams, the fifth being a two-point loss at Wisconsin. The other losses were South Carolina, Washington State and Gonzaga.The Jackrabbits missed their last six shots of the second-quarter and the drought continued for 10 minutes (0-for-11 shooting) going into the third quarter.South Dakota State ended up 2 of 10 with seven turnovers in the t...

Pope’s 25 points, 8 assists lead Oregon State past Idaho State 76-57

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Jordan Pope had 25 points and a career-high eight assists, Dexter Akanno added 16 points and Oregon State beat Idaho State 76-57 on Thursday night.Oregon State (8-3) is 8-0 at home for its longest winning streak to open a season since the 2014-15 team. The Beavers have also won 11 straight nonconference home games.Oregon State fell behind 11-2 and didn’t take its first lead until 5:44 remained in the first half. The lead came during a 13-0 run that ended with a 31-21 advantage. Akanno scored five points during the run as Idaho State went five-plus minutes without a field goal and missed 10 straight shots. Pope’s 3-pointer capped the first-half scoring to make it 36-25 and the Beavers led by double figures the entire second half. Idaho State made just two of its first 10 field goals after halftime as Oregon State pulled away. Pope’s fourth 3-pointer made it 51-35 and his fifth extended it to 66-48.KC Ibekwe had eight points and eight rebounds ...

Simpson scores 23 points and Colorado cruises to 98-72 thumping of Utah Tech

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

BOULDER. Colo. (AP) — KJ Simpson scored 23 points and Luke O’Brien scored 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting and Colorado was never threatened in a 98-72 win over Utah Tech on Thursday night.Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 16 points, Tristan da Silva 15 and J’Vonne Hadley 11 putting the Buffs’s starting five in double-digit scoring. They led the whole game.Aric Demings and Noa Gonsalves each scored 14 points and Beon Riley 10 for Utah Tech.Colorado (9-2) scored the game’s first 10 points with Simpson burying a 3-pointer and throwing down a dunk before the Trailblazers could get on the scoreboard. Gonsalves’ layup 4 1/2 minutes in was Utah Tech’s first basket.Colorado extended its lead to 25-6 midway through the first half. The Buffaloes led 46-25 at halftime. Gonsalves’ 3-pointer 2 minutes into the second half reduced the deficit to 50-31. Later, his 3 with 12:31 left made it 66-47 but Colorado spent most of the second half up by 20 or more.It was the first-...

Clark’s triple-double leads No. 4 Iowa over Loyola Chicago 98-69

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark scored 35 points on the way to the 13th triple-double of her career as No. 4 Iowa recovered from a slow start to defeat Loyola Chicago 98-69 on Thursday night.Clark, the nation’s leader in scoring and assists, had a career-high 17 rebounds to go with 10 assists. Clark, who has had 30 or more points in six games this season, was 12 of 21 from the field, making just 4 of 12 3-pointers.The last assist came on Jada Gyamfi’s layup with 2:51 left that gave Iowa a 94-69 lead. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder immediately called a timeout to get Clark out of the game.“I knew we were going to make some bunnies,” Clark said when asked if she was concerned she wouldn’t get that last assist before coming out. “Ten assists is all because of my teammates. I’m thankful for them, and for Coach Bluder for allowing me to get (the triple-double). It’s always cool when you get one of those.”Loyola coach Allison Guth said there was no elaborate defense t...

Solsticio de invierno 2023: el día más corto del año y el inicio oficial del invierno en el hemisferio norte

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

(CNN) — Durante seis meses, los días se han acortado y las noches se han alargado en el hemisferio norte. Pero eso está a punto de revertirse. El solsticio de invierno de 2023, el día más corto del año y el inicio oficial del invierno, es este jueves 21 de diciembre. Su funcionamiento ha fascinado a la gente durante miles de años.Primero miraremos la ciencia y el tiempo preciso del solsticio. Luego, descubriremos algunas tradiciones y celebraciones antiguas en todo el mundo.La ciencia y el tiempo detrás de un solsticio de inviernoEl solsticio de invierno marca el día más corto del año en el hemisferio norte, cuando el Sol aparece en su posición más al sur, directamente sobre la cabeza en el lejano Trópico de Capricornio.La situación es al revés en el hemisferio sur. Allí, el solsticio de diciembre marca el día más largo del año y el comienzo del verano en lugares como Argentina, Nueva Zelandia y Sudáfrica.¿Cuándo ocurre exactamente?El solsticio generalmente, pero no siempre, t...

Zach Edey scores 18 points, leads top-ranked Purdue past Jacksonville 100-57

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Zach Edey scored 18 points and No. 1 Purdue breezed past Jacksonville 100-57 on Thursday night.Lance Jones had 16 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 15 and Myles Colvin had 11 for the Boilermakers (11-1), who won their fourth straight — including last Saturday’s win over then-No. 1 Arizona that allowed them to regain the top ranking.Twelve players scored for Purdue. Seldom-used Will Berg had eight points in the closing minutes as coach Matt Painter substituted liberally. The Boilermakers held a 43-16 edge in bench scoring.Robert McCray V led the Dolphins (8-5) with 22 points. He came in as Jacksonville’s leading scorer with a 16.5-point average.The 7-foot-4 Edey had a team-high eight rebounds as Purdue finished with a 39-31 advantage.NO. 8 TENNESSEE 65, TARLETON STATE 46KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Zakai Zeigler scored 13 points and Santiago Vescovi added 12 as Tennessee overcame poor shooting in the second half and beat Tarleton State.The Volunteers (9-3) shot ...

Unfounded threat reported at Colorado Supreme Court justice's home

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:14 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Police investigated an unfounded threat at a Colorado Supreme Court justice's home on Thursday night.The state's high court notably just issued a controversial decision that disqualified Donald Trump from the Colorado primary ballot next year.A spokesperson with a metro-area police department said a threat was reported at the home's address Thursday evening. Police responded and determined the report was unfounded.FOX31 independently confirmed the home belongs to a Colorado Supreme Court justice. However, FOX31 has decided not to release specific location or identifying information that could compromise the justice's safety. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled Tuesday that the former president was disqualified from the ballot based on the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.Since then, FOX31 has witnessed violent online discourse abou...