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CFD battles massive warehouse fire on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Fire Department battled a massive warehouse fire on the South Side Thursday morningThe fire started just before 9 a.m. Thursday at Evans Food Group, located in the 4100 block of South Halsted near the border of Back of the Yards and Canaryville, and quickly escalated to a three-alarm blaze that tore through multiple structures.SkyCam9 over the scene showed massive flames and dark smoke billowing from the building.CFD said at around 9 a.m. that multiple buildings are involved and they have a positive water source. No injuries were reported and CFD said wind made the fire harder to be put out.

Gov. Pritzker announces $160M in funding for migrant emergency response

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker has announced a plan to improve the asylum seeker emergency response.The governor's plan comes as police stations continue housing new arrivals and cold weather begins to move into the area.The plan will invest an additional investment of $160 million as an emergency response to speed transition and independent living for the more than 24,000 asylum seekers who have arrived in the state since August 2022.The $160 million will be split in the following ways:$30 million wil go towards a large intake center. Its exact location is still to be determined.$65 million to help the City of Chicago launch a winterized soft shelter site.$65 million to expand wraparound services like case management, legal services, work permit processing and workforce development support. The money is coming from the Illinois Department of Human Services. Johnson’s new migrant plan includes 60-day limit in shelters, dedicated entry point for asylum seekers This investment build...

MLB team owners approve Oakland A's move to Las Vegas: AP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Major League Baseball team owners voted Thursday morning to approve the Oakland A's move to Las Vegas, sources for the Associated Press have confirmed.The vote comes around six months after the A's reached a tentative agreement for a new stadium in Las Vegas, after being unable to reach a deal for one in Oakland. Earlier this year, the Oakland Athletics announced a deal had been reached to build a new stadium on the current site of the Tropicana hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Nevada lawmakers even approved $380 million in public financing for a ballpark which is projected to cost a total of $1.5 billion. Nearly 70% of MLB players polled choose same city for possible expansion team Many local fans, meanwhile, had vehemently opposed the move. Some even teamed up to send letters and A's merchandise to other MLB ballclub owners, to try to persuade them to vote no on approving the relocation.A few hundred fans also crammed the Oakland City Council chambers earlier thi...

Quincy Jones, Jennifer Hudson and Chance the Rapper now co-owners of historic Ramova Theatre

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Iconic music producer Quincy Jones and entertainers Jennifer Hudson and Chance the Rapper are now co-owners of the historic Ramova Theatre on Chicago’s South Side.Their ownership was announced Wednesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.The Ramova has been closed for nearly four decades. Developer and co-owner Tyler Nevius bought the property and an adjacent lot from the city in 2017 for $1, the newspaper reported. WGN Exclusive: Migrants, crime, investment in people: Brandon Johnson’s first 6 months as mayor  Jones, Hudson and Chance the Rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, are Chicago natives.“My mother always taught us to take care of home first, so to support the rehabilitation of this extraordinary theater with such a rich history in Chicago means more to me than one could imagine,” Hudson said.Bennett says, “Chicago will always be part” of who he is.“I joined the team at Ramova to give back to the city that’s given me so much and to provide a s...

College professor arrested in death of Jewish protester in California

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

(KTLA) - The Ventura County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in the death of a Jewish man who died after an alleged altercation with a pro-Palestinian demonstrator in California. Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, 50, of Moorpark, was arrested Thursday morning on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, the VCSO said in a news release. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.Authorities say Paul Kessler, 69, died from a severe head injury after an altercation with Alnaji during dueling protests on Nov 5 in Thousand Oaks, California.After the incident, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles said Kessler was “struck in the head by a megaphone wielded by a pro-Palestinian protestor." Video showed him lying on the ground suffering from a head wound. He was transported to a hospital where he died the next day.A few days after the incident, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said investigators had “not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime,” but they lacked enough evidence to determine i...

Jury begins deliberations in Kaitlin Armstrong murder trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is KXAN's previous coverage of Kaitlin Armstrong's murder trial.AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Closing arguments took place Thursday in the murder trial for Kaitlin Armstrong, the woman accused of shooting and killing Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson on May 11, 2022.Testimony began Nov. 1, and the State called witnesses for about eight days. The defense called five witnesses Wednesday and wrapped up its testimony within one day. PREVIOUS: Armstrong's first interview with APD played during murder trial During opening statements, prosecutors outlined a timeline of evidence they said placed Armstrong at the scene and established a motive.As the State's witnesses testified, prosecutors dissected the relationship between Armstrong, Wilson and Armstrong's then-boyfriend Colin Strickland. Strickland testified that he and Wilson were briefly romantic in the fall of 2021, during a time when he and Armstrong were not together. He said he and Wilson maintained a friendship and a pr...

MAP: Funeral procession route for fallen Austin Police officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The funeral procession for Senior Austin Police Officer Jorge "George” Pastore, who died in a shooting last Saturday, will happen on Friday morning. Staging for the procession begins in front of the MoPac Service Road at FM 2222 at 7 a.m., and step-off will begin from Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home at 8 a.m.  MORE: ‘A man of service’: Officer remembers Jorge Pastore, talks how community can help The procession will conclude at Circuit of the Americas Boulevard, and all vehicles equipped with emergency lights and sirens are invited to join. See a map of the route below. APD Officer Jorge Pastore died during a south Austin shooting Saturday that killed three others and injured another officer, according to police. READ MORE: APD provides more details in Bernoulli Drive officer-involved shooting He is the third APD officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty in 45 years.Pastore started with APD in June 2019 and was commissioned as an Austin Police officer on Ja...

'This is Revenge of the Nerds'; Austin hosts space exploration conference New Worlds 2023 this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Astronauts, scientists and explorers are flying to Texas this weekend to discuss the future of life in space. They're attending the New Worlds 2023 conference. The event will host discussions on space travel, award members of the science community and raise funds for Texas schools. "This is Revenge of the Nerds, in a sense, right? I mean, this is, this is those kids who studied science and went into engineering, education tracks and those kinds of things, who are living the dream," said Rick Tumlinson, founder of Earthlight Foundation and the New Worlds conference.The event has been around since 2016. Past award recipients include Jeff Bezos and SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell. This year, Inspiration4 commander Jared Isaacman will be awarded the Space Cowboy award for his work in bringing civilians to space and raising money for cancer research. "I generally feel very unworthy of any of these types of recognitions. I just know that it takes like an army to pull this off,...

City of San Marcos helps minority businesses with new program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) --- Minority entrepreneurs and small business owners in San Marcos, who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, now can apply for grants with the city. According to a news release, the city said its offering a one-time grant assistance program called the Minority Business Stabilization Fund. It's funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is aimed at offering minority-owned businesses financial help to pay for operating costs, payroll, rent and other eligible expenses. "Applicants must meet eligibility requirements to be considered for funding, including continual operation of the business within the corporate limits of San Marcos for at least 12 months before the grant request. A complete application requires applicants to submit a W-9," the release said. Grant awards range from $1,000 for self-employed entrepreneurs to $10,000 for minority-owned businesses that have up to 25 full-time employees. Business eligibilityAccording to the city, in ord...

High school football: Friday state semifinal predictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:31 GMT

All semifinals are played at U.S. Bank StadiumClass 5A: St. Thomas Academy (9-2) vs. Alexandria (11-0), 2 p.m.Alexandria has a number of strong wins this season, including Rogers, twice over Brainerd, Elk Rivers and Chaska. Chase Thompson threw for 230 yards and three scores in Alexandria’s win over Rogers in the state tournament quarterfinal round. So Alexandria has the offensive firepower to again test. St. Thomas Academy’s defense. But the Cadets’ defense has proven opportunistic at key points, particularly in the postseason. And anybody who wants to beat St. Thomas Academy must first solve the Cadets’ running game. OUR PICK: St. Thomas Academy 31, Alexandria 28Class 6A: Eden Prairie (11-0) vs. Edina (8-3), 7 p.m.Edina has reeled off seven straight victories and knows what to expect from Eden Prairie after falling to the Eagles in Week 2. The Hornets – who are making their first state semifinal appearance since 1978 – have found a beautiful balance offensively, with Mason West po...