West

Rare white buffalo sacred to Native Americans not seen since June 4 birth, Yellowstone officials say

Published

2 days ago

June 29, 2024

Yellowstone National Park officials said Friday a rare white buffalo sacred to Native Americans has not been seen since its birth on June 4.

The birth of the white buffalo, which fulfilled a Lakota prophecy that portends better times, was the first recorded in Yellowstone history and is a landmark event for the recovery of buffalo, said park officials in confirming the birth for the first time.

VERY RARE WHITE BUFFALO CALF BORN IN MONTANA’S YELLOWSTONE, ‘SACRED’ NAME REVEALED

It is an extraordinarily rare occurrence: A white buffalo, also known as bison, is born in the wild once in every 1 million births, or even less frequently, the park said.

The rare calf has been named Wakan Gli, which means “Return Sacred” in Lakota. (AP Photo/Sam Wilson; Erin Braaten: Dancing Aspens Photography)

Whether the calf — named Wakan Gli, which means “Return Sacred” in Lakota — is still alive is unknown.

The park’s statement mentioned that each spring, about one in five calves die shortly after birth due to natural hazards but officials declined to directly respond to questions about whether they believed it has died.

They confirmed the birth of the white buffalo after receiving photos and reports from multiple park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides and researchers. But since June 4, park staffers have not been able to find it and officials are not aware of any other confirmed sightings in the park, one of the last sanctuaries for free-roaming American bison.

Rangers that regularly work in the more accessible areas of the park, as well as its backcountry, have not seen the animal, park spokesperson Morgan Warthin said.

Miss Shoshnone-Bannock Queen Develynn Hall takes the stage during a naming ceremony for a white buffalo calf at the headquarters of the Buffalo Field Campaign in West Yellowstone, Mont., on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Sam Wilson)

Native American leaders earlier this week held a ceremony to honor the sacred birth of the animal and give the name. Lakota members caution that the prophecy tied to the birth of the white buffalo is also a signal that more must be done to protect the earth and its animals.

Suspicion about the calf’s fate has grown as weeks have passed without another sighting since its birth in the Lamar Valley, a prime spot for wildlife viewing in Yellowstone. Young buffalo can fall victim to predators, river currents, illness and other hazards.

Mike Mease, a co-founder of the Buffalo Field Campaign, a conservation group that works with tribes to protect and honor wild buffalo and hosted this week’s ceremony, said he thinks the calf is alive somewhere in the park, away from the roads and walkways most visitors stick to. He said a grizzly bear seen by Yellowstone visitors earlier this month with five cubs, an unusually large brood, has not been seen since either.

But the most important thing about the white buffalo is that a prophecy, which is both a warning and a blessing, has been fulfilled, Mease said.

“Whether it’s dead or alive, the message has been relayed from the heavens and times are different now. We have to make changes for the future,” he said.

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Denver, CO

Suns to sign point guard Collin Gillespie, per report

Published

6 mins ago

July 1, 2024

Press Room

Suns to sign point guard Collin Gillespie, per report

Former Denver Nuggets point guard Collin Gillespie has agreed to sign with the Phoenix Suns on a two-way contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday.

He is the second two-way player who has agreed to sign with the Suns. Phoenix signed rookie wing Jalen Bridges out of Baylor immediately following the NBA Draft.

Gillespie posted “new beginnings” on social media following the report.

NBA teams are allowed to max out at three two-way players.

Gillespie, 25, played in 24 games for the Nuggets last season, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 assists and 0.6 steals in 9.4 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound guard shot 46.4% and 39.5% from three.

Gillespie played five years at Villanova, finishing school in 2021-22 by averaging 15.6 points and 3.2 assists per game.

He signed with Denver and was a member of their title team despite missing the season due to a leg fracture.

He brings value as a depth option at point guard, which Phoenix has yet to address in the draft or the first few days of free agency.

The Suns were without a traditional point guard last season. Devin Booker and Bradley Beal served as the Suns’ floor generals more times than not, while starter Grayson Allen was often left to defend the opposing point guards.

NBA veteran Isaiah Thomas was brought in late for a seven-game run that included a playoff appearance, though he only averaged four minutes per game and didn’t break into the rotation. Two-way guard Saben Lee occasionally played a role off the bench, though not a consistent one.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle Mariners’ Legend Ken Griffey Jr. Got Paid $3.5 Million on Monday; Here’s Why

Published

11 mins ago

July 1, 2024

Press Room

Seattle Mariners’ Legend Ken Griffey Jr. Got Paid $3.5 Million on Monday; Here’s Why

Former Seattle Mariners’ superstar Ken Griffey Jr. received a payment of more than $3.5 million on Monday from the Cincinnati Reds.

On July 1, everyone likes to make the same “Bobby Bonilla Day” jokes, but they seem to forget that Griffey Jr. had a contract that was structured very similarly with Cincinnati.

Per @Spotrac on social media:

Happy Bobby Bonilla day to all who celebrate!

The 61-year-old bags another $1.19M from the Mets, & $500k from the Orioles today thanks to two deferred payment contracts.

The Mets deferrals run thru 2035.

54-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. receives his final $3,593,750 payment from the @Reds today stemming from a 16 year, $57.5M deferral agreement.

The Hall of Famer earned over $172M across 22 season.

54-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. receives his final $3,593,750 payment from the #Reds today stemming from a 16 year, $57.5M deferral agreement.
The Hall of Famer earned over $172M across 22 season.
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— Spotrac (@spotrac) July 1, 2024

Deferred payments are nothing new in baseball, and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers famously took massive deferrals in his deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.

Griffey Jr. was in the same boat as Ohtani when he was playing: He was able to bring in a ton of money in endorsement deals, which helped him in the moment. He therefore was able to push some of his salary into retirement, which helped him in his post-playing career.

Sounds like a pretty great retirement plan to us!

Griffey Jr. was selected No. 1 overall by the Mariners in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft and made his debut in 1989. He became one of the best players in baseball history, hitting 630 home runs and earning induction to the Baseball of Fame in 2016. He is also a member of the Mariners Hall of Fame and is also one of the most popular baseball players in history.

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Brady on “X” @wdevradiobrady

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San Diego, CA

'Power of Porsche' exhibit comes to San Diego Automotive Museum

Published

16 mins ago

July 1, 2024

Press Room

'Power of Porsche' exhibit comes to San Diego Automotive Museum

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — To celebrate the arrival of a new exhibit at the San Diego Automotive Museum highlighting the history of the Porsche, car enthusiasts gathered at Balboa Park on Sunday for a “Cars and Conversation” event.

The exhibit will be on display in the museum until Aug. 4.

Watch the video at the top of this page to see the beauties that were on display Sunday.

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