Kempton ag student finalist for national FFA award

Tyler Loschen, of rural Kempton, is one of four finalists for one of the highest awards of the National FFA Organization — the American Star Farmer award.

A senior at the University of Illinois, he also is involved in commercial agricultural production and FFA projects in corn, soybeans, forage crops, beef, swine and crop research. He will compete in Louisville, Ky., in late October, where the national winner will be selected.

Each star finalist receives $2,000 from the National FFA Foundation and earns the opportunity to participate in an international experience tour to Costa Rica. The winner will receive an additional $2,000.

Tyler is the son of Gary and Diana Loschen, of rural Kempton. He is a student in agriculture and consumer economics at the U of I. His mother is the vocational agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Tri-Point High School, in Cullom, where Tyler graduated in 2010.

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Video: Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestorm

Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestorm 1:55 August 26, 2013

Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestormCalifornia's "Rim" fire has entered Yosemite National Park and is growing fast. The flames are threatening thousands of buildings and San Fransisco's water supply. Also, U.N. inspectors try to visit the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Syria. All that, and all that matters, in today's "Eye Opener." Your world in 90 seconds.

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Video: Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestorm

Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestorm 1:55 August 26, 2013

Eye Opener: Yosemite National Park faces a firestormCalifornia's "Rim" fire has entered Yosemite National Park and is growing fast. The flames are threatening thousands of buildings and San Fransisco's water supply. Also, U.N. inspectors try to visit the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Syria. All that, and all that matters, in today's "Eye Opener." Your world in 90 seconds.

View the original article here

Kempton ag student finalist for national FFA award

Tyler Loschen, of rural Kempton, is one of four finalists for one of the highest awards of the National FFA Organization — the American Star Farmer award.

A senior at the University of Illinois, he also is involved in commercial agricultural production and FFA projects in corn, soybeans, forage crops, beef, swine and crop research. He will compete in Louisville, Ky., in late October, where the national winner will be selected.

Each star finalist receives $2,000 from the National FFA Foundation and earns the opportunity to participate in an international experience tour to Costa Rica. The winner will receive an additional $2,000.

Tyler is the son of Gary and Diana Loschen, of rural Kempton. He is a student in agriculture and consumer economics at the U of I. His mother is the vocational agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Tri-Point High School, in Cullom, where Tyler graduated in 2010.

View the original article here

Panda gives birth to her 3rd cub at National Zoo

WASHINGTON Fans of a giant panda at Washington's National Zoo buzzed with excitement on social media sites after the panda gave birth Friday to her third cub.

The zoo said Mei Xiang gave birth at 5:32 p.m. Friday, two hours after her water broke. Zoo officials said the panda team heard the cub vocalize and that the mother picked up the cub immediately and began cradling and caring for it.

"WE HAVE A CUB!! Born at 5:32 p.m. this evening," tweeted the Smithsonian-run zoo.

"I'm glued to the new panda cams and thrilled to hear the squeals, which appear healthy, of our newborn cub," said Dennis Kelly, director of the National Zoo.

Fans of the 15-year-old panda who had been tracking her suspected pregnancy on a Giant Panda Cam flocked to the live feed.

With the zoo heralding the cub's birth on Twitter, the pandas' excited fans responded in kind. Congratulations poured in under the hashtag "cubwatch," including hopes that this year's cub would survive. "Last year was so heartbreaking," as one person tweeted, while another said, "Good luck, little Butterstick 2 !!!"

Zoo keepers and veterinarians will examine the cub within the next 48 hours. The panda team will perform health checks every few days. Its gender was not immediately known.

Mei Xiang is expected to spend almost all of her time in her den for the next two weeks with her new cub.

The zoo has been on round-the-clock panda watch since Aug. 7, when Mei Xiang began showing behavioral changes consistent with a pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy.

A Chinese panda expert performed artificial inseminations on Mei Xiang on March 30 after she failed to breed naturally with male panda Tian Tian.

Zookeepers had not been certain that Mei Xiang was pregnant, because she refused to cooperate with attempts to perform an ultrasound.

Mei Xiang had previously given birth to two cubs. Tai Shan was born in 2005 and a week-old cub died last September.

Panda cubs are especially delicate and vulnerable to infection and other illness. They are about the size of a stick of butter at birth. The first weeks of life are critical for the cubs as mothers have to make sure they stay warm and get enough to eat.

The David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat, which has been closed to the public since Aug. 2, will remain closed to provide quiet time for Mei Xiang and her cub.

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Fair Haven to hold National Night Out event

FAIR HAVEN — The borough police department will be participating in National Night Out, a nationwide event aimed at strengthening ties between neighbors and police and preventing crime.

Fair Haven?s National Night Out event will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Youth Center, located behind the police department at 35 Fisk St. Fair Haven Police Department has participated in National Night out for 11 years.

The festivities will kick off with MONOC Air Medic Unit landing on the fields behind the police station. Various community groups will sponsor different activities, including a dunk tank, an inflatable speed pitch radar, an inflatable gaming tent, karate and K-9 demonstrations.

McGruff the Crime Dog will also make an appearance. Target is the national sponsor and the Middletown location is providing giveaways and drawings at Fair Haven?s event.

The event will have free food and beverages and drawings for prizes donated from local businesses.

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