Latest news with #Gage
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winds hinder cemetery Memorial Day preps
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — Our blustery, wet weather is creating challenges at some cemeteries in KELOLAND that are preparing for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Sioux Falls' oldest cemetery is picking up branches that have been knocked down by the strong winds. Former deputy sheriff charged with rape after standoff The week prior to Memorial Day is always a busy time at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. 'Memorial Day weekend coming up is our Super Bowl here in cemetery-land,' Mount Pleasant Cemetery Executive Director Matt Gage said But the windy weather has forced Mount Pleasant to play catch up with some emergency landscaping. 'It's been a hard spring for us, Perry. This morning, we're dealing with tree branches everywhere from the winds last night. We're dealing with downed trees in the backgrounds,' Gage said. Gage says he'll have to cut down this tree was was split open by the wind. Placing flowers at the grave sites will have to wait until Tuesday, at the earliest. 'I have volunteers coming out to start on that tomorrow, even if I gotta put them in ponchos,' Gage said. The cemetery has ordered 93 memorial planters from Oakridge Nursery & Landscaping in Brandon. 'The annual planters we have were started usually around the end of March, first of April. We grow them in our greenhouses until they're ready to go outside. They'll come pick them up right before Memorial Day,' Oakridge Nursery & Landscaping Owner Daemon Coughlin said. Despite the weather-related setbacks, Gage is confident he'll have the cemetery ready for all the families who are honoring their loved ones who are buried here this weekend. 'To me, that's what's special about Memorial Day out here, is seeing those families interact, take care of their graves that their families have and reconnect with their past,' Gage said. Gage says he's hiring a team of professional mowers instead of having his staff take on the job all by themselves. He estimates less than half of the 50-acre cemetery has been mowed ahead of the holiday weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Our Morning Report newsletter featured 23 of our readers' pets in April
On weekday mornings, we highlight our readers' pets in the Morning Report newsletter. In April, we featured one rabbit, 12 cats and 10 dogs. Want to see more pet photos? Here are the 15 cats and seven dogs we featured in the Morning Report in March. 'Hey, up north,' writes Bob of Florida. 'I saw the note today that you've run out of pet pix, so I'm offering a shot of Smokey, one of two brothers we adopted here in St. Petersburg after our beloved 21-year-old passed on. 'Smokey is about 11 years old, and we've had him and his brother half that time. He's a porker, just over 17 pounds, loves to be petted or to lie down on the sofa next to our legs. He occasionally heaves his bulk onto the chest of me or my wife, the better to get his muzzle where he can smell our breath — don't ask me why. He's a cat.' 'Good morning,' Linda writes. 'Steve is definitely happy with his new home — especially the back porch. Welcome, spring.' 'Out here in hot Arizona, Gage, my Lab mix, suffered by the old Vikings adage, 'Just once before I die,'' Dennis writes. 'So Vikings, let's get one for him now. He passed recently, but he enjoyed every watching party we ever had.' We asked Dennis if he used to live in Minnesota. 'Yes, spent my first 60 years there and Gage spent his first four years loving the snow,' Dennis replied. Rest in peace, Gage. Meet Lily the Corgi. 'Here's a new St. Paul resident who routinely checks for exciting things out the front and back windows of her home that she shares with humans, Melissa and Matthew, ' Stacy writes. 'Welcome to the neighborhood!' Also: Meet Almira, an adoptable puppy — a Husky mix? — who has a true survivor's story thanks to Pooches United with People. 'Lemon and Bea love to read the Sunday paper with me,' Kara writes. 'Or, more, prefer to stop me from reading as they sit on it!' 'This is Millie, warming her hands on a cool spring morning in her Grand Avenue apartment,' Michele writes. 'Once again here is our sweet Golden Retriever, Mac, sitting proudly for his Easter pictures!' Ellen writes. 'Happy Easter and happy spring!' 'This is Evie celebrating her recent first birthday,' Judy writes. 'She is a mini Goldendoodle that is an easy pup to love. Many, many thanks to Coco's Heart Dog Rescue and foster extraordinaire, Anne, and her family and three dogs who taught her what a real 'dog's life' could be like. How do these people fit those huge hearts in their bodies? Evie's favorite things are finding and carrying big sticks on walks, playing chase with her human mom and squeaking only the noisiest toys that she has.' 'Presenting our sweet 'sister' kitties, Bobbi and Heidi, adopted in 2021 from the New Ulm Humane Society,' writes Diane of Eagan. 'They are a Manx breed, hence their stubby little tails. They play, eat, snuggle and wrestle together and their antics are so comical; whether they're gazing at a bird video on TV, playing with a candy-cane striped pipe cleaner, pushing it beneath a closed door — waiting for it to be pushed back, or playing ice hockey with a dropped ice cube on the kitchen floor. Our home wouldn't be the same without these precious little members of our family.' It was back in 2005 when Kaydee's mother-in-law surprised her with a Pomeranian as a gift. That gift, Macy Lou, turns 20 years old today. Happy Birthday, Macy! Kaydee celebrated her dog's milestone with a professional photo shoot and a birthday party (a shared celebration with Kaydee's dad, who also has an April birthday). It sounds like quite the party, at least for Kaydee, who wore a butterfly party dress and enjoyed a custom made doggie birthday cake. When she's not resting in her fluffy pink bed or wearing doggie couture, little Macy enjoys hanging out with her younger sibling, a 60-pound German Shorthaired Pointer named Zoey. It must be all this love — and the assistance of Croix Valley Veterinary — that has kept Macy thriving for so long. 'Macy makes 20 in dog years look so good,' Kaydee wrote. She sure does. What a beautiful life! 'Dear Daily Meow, I am submitting a photo of our Charlie cat, who was at the vet's office this week,' David wrote on March 20. 'He was a little unsure about what was going on, however, he was a perfect gentleman for the vet.' 'Meet Charlie, our new best friend,' write Oren and Carol. 'He came to us as a 5-year-old Yorkie/Terrier mix from a local rescue. He loves his couch! Such a sweetheart.' 'This is Patches,' Steve writes. 'We first saw her in Florida when she was 8 months old and a stray. That was 10 years ago. She would come in the mornings and evenings looking for food. After four weeks of this she became quite chunky. We decided she was pregnant and flew her back to Minnesota with us. She had four adorable kittens one day later. She still comes back to Florida every winter to hang out in her 'hood.'' What a lovely snowbird's life for Patches! But what about her kittens? 'Patches has lived a good life and was a very good mother for an 8-month-old,' Steve replied. 'Her four kittens were adopted by good homes. Two were adopted by friends so I have been able to see them grow into adulthood.' 'This is Malcolm (sometimes called Mal Capone), and he is a jigsaw puzzle aficionado,' Piper writes. 'With his help, I have not finished a puzzle with all of the pieces in many years! When he is not carefully looking for edge pieces, he also enjoys chasing birds on the other side of the window and lying in patches of sunshine.' 'This is Frankie, my little buddy,' writes Linda of Coon Rapids. 'Frankie greets me at the door each day that I go to my nephew's to make sure he gets off to school when his parents are working. Frankie is not a lap cat but he will nudge your legs til you bend down and give him lots of pets. Thanks, Frankie, for being your sweet cute self!' Meet Zeb, a 14-year-old German Shorthair Pointer: 'Wants to be famous,' writes Eric. Done! We asked Eric to tell us more about Zeb. 'Last of the litter,' he replied. 'Was supposed to be a fancy hunting dog, I think, but didn't have all the pieces needed? Not sure … washed out as a finished hunting dog, we got him as an older puppy around five months. He was a birthday present to our daughter Greta when she turned nine. From my perspective, he was a great pheasant hunter in his younger years but is retired now. Transitioned to a city dog and at this point there is no safe quarter for any rabbit or squirrel in St. Paul! A gentle soul in his older years (14 years old) but still runs five miles with me through Cathedral Hill every morning!' 'This is Broken Tail, she passed away March 17th of liver cancer,' Robin wrote. 'Broken Tail was around 12 years old.' Robin's home was a refuge for Broken Tail and her sibling. 'Broken Tail and her sister Sunday were dumped in our neighborhood back in 2021,' Robin explained. 'Both showed signs of being abused.' Due to her background, Robin believes, Broken Tail was protective of the cats of her adopted household, especially on the two occasions the dog goot into the Designated Cats Only Zone. 'Broken Tail chased, cornered and held the dog in place,' she wrote. 'We had to save the dog from Broken Tail.' 'This is Max,' Bruce writes. 'He moved to our house in Little Falls, Minn., from Florida about two years ago and turned nine on his birthday Christmas day. He thinks that my wife and I are just members of his pack. We are ok with that. He likes to sit in my chair. I had to talk him into letting me use it. It took a while. Max takes good care of us and our kids and grandkids. Here he is keeping an eye on the grandkids while they swim. As Minnesotans we know that you can't be too careful around water.' 'Be prepared for submissions of bunnies, but with it getting closer to Easter, what if you did a story on bunnies and how they are the most dumped animal once the novelty wears off when Easter is done?' Laura writes. 'The Rabbit Rescue of MN would be a great source and whom I have adopted from! Laura sent along a photo of Tommy, her adopted rabbit. 'Tommy was rescued from a hoarding case who was being sold for $5,' Laura writes. 'He was rescued by the Rabbit Rescue of MN. 'I fostered and formally adopted Tommy on Christmas Eve. He is the sweetest, gentlest soul. He loves toilet paper rolls filled with hay and running around the living room at cheetah-like speeds! Info at 'Recently my sisters and I took a girls' trip to New York City and we visited my niece who lives in Queens with her dog, Jake,' Beth writes. 'It had been awhile since Mary saw her granddog, and the happiness on their faces was absolutely palpable! I was thrilled to capture their joyful reunion. Priceless!' Review: Naomi Watts and a Great Dane mourn Bill Murray in 'The Friend' The 15 cats and seven dogs of March's Morning Report newsletter Readers and writers: You say you want (to read about) a revolution? Another raw pet food recall is tied to illness and death in cats Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's dog likely died of dehydration and starvation, report says
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado nun remembers Operation Babylift 50 years after evacuation of Vietnamese orphans from war zone
DENVER (KDVR) — Nuns and nurses, pilots and volunteers. They're the heroes who pulled off a massive evacuation effort 50 years ago, airlifting thousands of Vietnamese orphans out of the war zone in the final days of the Vietnam War. And a Colorado woman played a critical role in the mission. 'We did everything we could,' Sister Mary Nelle Gage told FOX31. Fifty years ago, in the desperate final days of the war, with Viet Cong forces closing in and Saigon about to fall, more than 3,000 Vietnamese children were evacuated by massive cargo planes. Gage helped arrange adoptions for thousands of Vietnamese orphans as one of the first organizers of what would eventually become known as Operation Babylift. Full special: Vietnam – A Lost Generation 'We had children leaving every week,' she said. Gage returned to the US to process orphans upon their arrival. But back in Vietnam, the unthinkable happened. On April 4, 1975, the very first cargo plane departing Saigon as part of Operation Babylift crashed in a rice paddy. The Air Force C-5 jet was loaded with young children. The death toll was 138 people, including 78 children. Through heartbreak and grief, Gage and the other volunteers spent the rest of that month safely evacuating thousands of Vietnamese orphans as North Vietnamese troops closed in. Gage has stayed in touch with many of the orphans she helped evacuate from Vietnam. And she just returned to Vietnam with many of the adoptees and volunteers from Operation Babylift. They held a memorial service at the site of the plane crash, just outside Ho Chi Minh City. Colorado pilot held POW in Vietnam for six years remembers the war, 50 years later 'I think the fact that they are a survivor of a horrendous event has given them an extra purpose. What a gift,' Gage said. To learn more about Gage and the other volunteers, orphans and plane crash survivors from Operation Babylift, watch 'The Vietnam War: Flight to a New Future,' Sunday, May 4 at 9 p.m. ET on NewsNation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
British General Gave Order 250 Years Ago that Sparked Revolution in What Became America
Under pressure from London, British Maj. Gen. Thomas Gage put quill to paper 250 years ago last Saturday in issuing the disastrous order for a raid on Concord in the Province of Massachusetts Bay that would ignite a revolution, lose Britain a colony, and bring forth a loosely united new nation called America. "Sir, you will march with the corps of grenadiers and light infantry put under your command with the utmost expedition and secrecy to Concord, and where you will seize and destroy all the artillery and ammunition, provisions, tents and all other military stores you can find," Gage wrote to Lt. Col. Francis Smith, commander of the 10th Regiment of Foot, who would lead the "Concord Expedition." Gage would later add to the initial draft of the order an admonition to "take care that the soldiers do not plunder the inhabitants or hurt private property." Read Next: New Army Fitness Test: No More Ball Yeet, Higher Standards for Combat Arms The anniversary of the outbreak of the Revolutionary War precedes a slew of planned celebrations when the United States marks its 250th year of independence in 2026. Then as now, those living in what would become the 13 states of the new nation were bitterly divided. But at the outset of the war, colonialists were split between those loyal to the crown and those who were ready to fight for independence. Gage thought the loyalists had given him excellent intelligence on where the colonial militias had stored arms and what types of arms, down to the names of the owners of houses who were hiding ball and powder. But the colonials also had great intel that sent Paul Revere, well-mounted on a fast horse, and two other riders to spread the alarm that Smith's force of about 700 had crossed the Charles River in long boats and was on the march toward Concord. Gage's plan to snuff out a budding revolution with a quick raid to seize and destroy arms on April 19, 1775, was about to fall apart. The Gage order is part of the Thomas Gage Papers collection of more than 23,000 items, including letters, documents, journals, financial records, and military orders now housed at the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library. To mark the 250th anniversary of the first battles of what would become a revolution, the library has put on an exhibit focusing on the Gage papers called "Bloody Work: Lexington and Concord 1775." In a phone interview, Cheney Schopieray, curator of manuscripts at the Clements Library, said the collection shows that the British Parliament "was very unhappy with Gage" in his role as commander in chief of British forces in North America and governor of Massachusetts Bay, "but he managed to keep the kettle from boiling over until 1775." In Massachusetts last Saturday, thousands turned out to view ceremonies and demonstrations by re-enactors to mark the 250th anniversary at Concord and Lexington, and also at Minute Men National Historical Park, run by the National Park Service. The Park Service also gave a running account of the battles that led to the British retreat back to Boston in a rout. At about 5 a.m., the British column encountered Capt. John Parker and his company of 77 Minutemen who had been ordered to "stand your ground and don't fire unless fired upon." Then "someone, somewhere fired a shot," which would become "the shot heard round the world," the Park Service said. The British infantry rushed onto the green and fired upon Parker's retreating troops. Eight militiamen were killed on the Lexington town common and 10 were wounded. The fight had been joined. There would be no turning back. By noon, the British had wrapped up their mostly unsuccessful search for arms and began the 18-mile march back to Boston, as colonial militiamen swarmed to the area to confront and harass the retreating British until they were met by a relief party just outside Boston. In total, the casualties for the British were 73 killed, 174 wounded, and 26 missing; the colonials suffered 49 killed, 41 wounded, and 5 missing, the Park Service said. Gage later gave an account of the battles to the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, who was secretary of state for the Colonies, to describe the unorthodox tactics of the colonials, and possibly save his job. Gage wrote that, "on the return of the troops, they were attacked from all quarters where any cover was to be found, from whence it was practicable to annoy them, and they were so fatigued with their march that it was with difficulty they could keep out their flanking parties to remove the enemy to a distance, so that they were at length a good deal pressed." He also noted that Boston itself was being threatened. "The whole country was assembled in arms with surprising expedition, and several thousand are now assembled about this town threatening an attack, and getting up artillery. And we are very busy in making preparations to oppose them," he wrote. The letter didn't work. Gage was recalled to London and replaced by Gen. William Howe. Related: Secret Recordings Show President Roosevelt Debating Military Desegregation with Civil Rights Leaders
Washington Post
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Was a woman the informant who helped launch the American Revolution?
Thomas Gage struck words and added notes in the margins, pressing his quill hard in some spots on the most consequential letter he would ever write. The British general finished his final draft and on April 18, 1775, dispatched the order launching the Concord Expedition. It shall be done 'with the utmost Expedition and secrecy,' Gage wrote, of his army's plans to hobble the patriot militia by seizing their munitions and supplies in Concord.
