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GOP releases whistleblower testimonies from ex-IRS agents in Hunter Biden case

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans released testimony Thursday from two IRS whistleblowers who allege that the Justice Department interfered with their yearslong investigation into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter — a charge the department swiftly denied.The House Ways and Means Committee, led by Republican Rep. Jason Smith, voted to publicly disclose congressional testimony from two former IRS agents who worked on the federal investigation into the younger Biden’s taxes and foreign business dealings. “Whistleblowers describe how the Biden Justice Department intervened and overstepped in a campaign to protect the son of Joe Biden by delaying, divulging and denying an ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes,” Smith, R-Mo., told reporters. The testimony from the two individuals — Greg Shapley and an unidentified IRS agent — detailed what they called a pattern of “slow-walking investigative steps” and delaying enforcement actions months before elections. Bu...

Quebec wildfires: Northern city Lebel-sur-Quévillon evacuated for second time

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

MONTREAL — The northern Quebec city of Lebel-sur-Quévillon has been ordered to evacuate for the second time in less than three weeks as the community once again faces the threat of a forest fire.One of two routes connecting the community to the rest of the province has been blocked by fire, Mayor Guy Lafrenière said in a video message Thursday.“Unfortunately, we are forced to leave,” he said. “It will absolutely, absolutely, take rain for us to return home.”Hot, dry weather conditions were forecasted to persist through the weekend.Lafrenière said everyone had to leave before 6:30 p.m., and implored people ready to leave immediately to do so, to avoid traffic congestion on the evacuation route.Only firefighters and people providing essential services to those crews would be allowed to stay, he said. Residents of the city of about 2,000 people had been forced from their homes for two weeks because of fires and had only been allowed to return Sunday. Evacuees we...

Body recovered from Lake Michigan near where woman went missing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

CHICAGO — A body has been recovered from Lake Michigan near Foster Avenue Beach, where a woman went missing Wednesday evening.Around 9:40 a.m. Thursday, police discovered the body of a woman not too far from the beach area. Police have not confirmed that the body is the missing swimmer. Son of victim speaks out after driver in hit-and-run crash near Guaranteed Rate Field charged The Cook County Medical Examiner's Officer identified the woman as Amy Kelts, 20, of Aurora.Police said the teen was swimming at the beach around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Witnesses said she was last seen struggling to swim to the shore, before submerging under the water. The Chicago Fire Department’s dive team searched the area Wednesday night and resumed their search around 9 a.m. Thursday.Dave Benjamin, the co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, said waves were anywhere from 1 to 2 feet Wednesday night.Tragically, Benjamin said there have been 10 drownings this year in Lake Michigan. Five of tho...

Memes, jokes about Titan submersible draw criticism over insensitivity

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Since news of the ill-fated Titan submersible voyage broke, the incident — which ultimately killed all five people aboard — has seemingly united many who found humor in the situation, or else, unity among those who expressed disgust at jokes about such a gruesome death for those aboard, including a 19-year-old. The pilot and 4 passengers of the Titan submersible are dead, US Coast Guard says Through Wednesday and into Thursday, the OceanGate incident dominated social media site trends. Among many of these posts were memes about the perceived ignorance of boarding such a voyage to begin with. A Reddit thread in /NoStupidQuestions posed the question many on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook may have been wondering: How are so many people comfortable making jokes about the Titanic submarine?One main reason given for the perceived glee or dismissiveness with which the incident has been met with is summed up in a German word: "schadenfreude." As defined by Merria...

GOP members push to impeach President Biden; Democrats call it a waste of time

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) introduced a resolution to impeach President Joe Biden Thursday and wanted an immediate vote, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) negotiated a deal with her that slows down the process.Her reason to seek Biden's impeachment?"Allowing an invasion to take place across our southern border that has compromised the safety and security of the American people," Boebert said.She said the deal would give time to build "a body of evidence at the committee level."Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said he supports the resolution."How many more Americans need to suffer because this President refuses to follow the laws of the United States that he raised his hand and swore an oath to defend," Roy said.But House Democrats say it's clear the Republican effort is just a waste of time."Let's get real here, nothing about this is serious," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).McGovern said the GOP is ignoring the real issues Americans care about."This bod...

See where Metra is adding extra trains for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

CHICAGO — Spectators heading to the first NASCAR race ever held in downtown Chicago will have a few extra train options to get there. On Thursday Metra announced an expanded schedule for the Chicago Street Race that will be held Saturday, July 1, and Sunday, July 2 on a 2.2-mile course around Grant Park.Two lines will see expanded service for the event: BNSF to Aurora and Rock Island Line toward Joliet. Here are the additions to those schedules on those lines. A Guide to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race BNSF (Saturday and Sunday)Inbound9504 – Departs Aurora 7:10 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union Station9506 – Departs Aurora 8:10 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union Station9512 – Departs Aurora 10:15 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union StationOutbound:9523 – Departs Chicago Union Station at 6:35 p.m., expresses to Downers Grove and then makes all st...

Did the Titan crew ever reach the Titanic site?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — The dayslong search for the Titan submersible and her five crew, all bound for the wreckage of the Titanic on the Atlantic Ocean's floor, has come to a tragic end after the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Thursday that debris from the vessel has been found. The submersible, belonging to OceanGate, Inc., suffered a "catastrophic implosion" less than two hours after it began its underwater journey, authorities have determined. The cause of that implosion remains under investigation. Rescuers searched frantically for the Titan, using ships, planes, and deepsea robots. Ultimately, pieces of the Titan, including its nose cone, parts of the hull, and bells, were found 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic. Officials: Titan sub passengers dead in ‘catastrophic implosion’ Despite the proximity to the ship's wreckage, it's unlikely those aboard ever saw the Titanic, retired Navy submariner Mark Martin told Nexstar's WFLA. "The reason for that is, if the unconfirmed report of a sou...

Director James Cameron 'struck' by similarities between Titan implosion, Titanic sinking

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

(The Hill) — James Cameron, the director of the 1997 film "Titanic," said on Thursday that he was “struck” by the similarities between the sinking of the actual ship in 1912 and the recent “catastrophic implosion” of the Titan submersible during a dive to see the wreck.“I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice field on a moonless night and many people died as a result,” Cameron told ABC News.  How long had the Titan journeyed before its ‘catastrophic implosion’? “For a very similar tragedy, where warnings went unheeded, to take place at the same exact site with all the diving that’s going on all around the world, I think is just astonishing,” he added. “It’s really quite surreal.”Cameron, who has himself made 33 dives to the wreck of the Titanic, noted that several people had previously expressed concerns about the Titan submersible’s tourist expedit...

Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Chicago, according to Yelp

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

Theres something special about taking in a meal while enjoying the air outside, and it could even contribute to your happiness, particularly if there are plants around. During the pandemic, having outdoor seating was a lifeline for many restaurants, allowing them to operate both takeaway and dine-in services.Many also used the opportunity to show off their personality with decor and furniture that fit their vibe. Are you partial to a luxurious fake garden? Or are you more into lawn chairs and tiki vibes?Globally, many people may have associated the outdoor dining experience with the cafes of European cities or street food stalls in Asia. Travelers and locals alike often spend hours sipping coffee and eating delicious and cheap food. In the U.S., outdoor seating can take the form of small tables, semi-private nooks, or communal-style seating for the masses, like at a beer garden. Key to a good outdoor table is shade from the sun and, in urban settings, walls or barriers that can cut ...

Memo: DPS returning to Austin July 2

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:29 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety will resume its partnership with the Austin Police Department on Sunday, July 2, according to a memo sent to the mayor and city council.The initiative, called the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force (AVCTF), began on March 30 as a way to assist APD, as the department faces a staffing shortage. The program halted on May 14, so troopers could focus their attention on border cities in the wake of the expiration of Title 42.The Austin Police Department currently has about 300 vacancies. Where DPS patrolled in Austin and why Since the program began, there have been “significant decreases in violent crime, response times, and calls for service,” according to APD. The department used a data-driven approach to identify crime “hot-spots” as well as high-travel roads most common for crashes – and deployed troopers to those locations.During the June 5 Public Safety Commission meeting, APD said the department saw an uptick in ...