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Shell: Fire that reignited at Texas plant is extinguished

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Crews have finally extinguished a fire at a Houston-area petrochemical plant that had been burning on and off for days, according to Shell, which operates the plant.Fire fighters first responded to the blaze at the Deer Park facility on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, Shell said the fire had been extinguished. But a few hours later, Shell announced the fire had reignited.The fire was finally extinguished on Sunday night, Shell spokeswoman Natasha Qamar said Monday. The reignited fire was contained in a controlled area.“Air monitoring is ongoing and has not detected any harmful levels of chemicals affecting neighboring communities. There is no danger to the nearby community,” Shell said.The city of Deer Park did not issue a shelter-in-place order for residents during the fire. The fire had started at plant’s olefins unit, which makes plastics and rubber. The unit was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the fire.Nine workers who were sent to a hospital ...

WATCH LIVE | Lori Lightfoot bids farewell as Chicago Mayoral tenure comes to a close

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot is expected to give a farewell speech to the city Monday as Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson prepares to officially take office on May 15.Lightfoot is set to deliver her remarks at 3 p.m. from the Broader Urban Involvement & Leadership Development, or BUILD, headquarters in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. The organization is a "nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization," according to their website.This will be one of the final public events of her time as mayor, which began in 2019 when she became the first openly gay, Black female mayor of the City of Chicago. Though Lightfoot ran for reelection, she lost her bid for a second term when she failed to get enough votes to make it into the city's April 2023 run-off election. Denied reelection, what’s ousted Lightfoot’s legacy? Johnson's inauguration will take place next Monday at Credit Union 1 Arena, making him Chicago's 57th mayor.WGN plans to livest...

Chicago among the top cities in US for paranormal activity, per study

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

CHICAGO — If you're a fan of the supernatural, then Chicago is your place to be, according to a recent survey.Per Lawn Love, the city is ranked third in the United States when it comes to paranormal activity.The company looked at 14 different metrics when ranking the 200 biggest cities in America when it comes to their instances of the supernatural. They were put into four categories: Sightings, haunted locations, lifestyle, and community.In the survey, Chicago was second in the number of paranormal conventions and vampire-friendliness, third in the number of paranormal sightings, and eighth in the number of haunted sites.In the four main categories, the city was third in lifestyle, fourth in community, tenth in haunted locations, and 11th in sightings. According to this system, Chicago had a score of 44.25, which put it behind first place Los Angeles (59.21) and second place New York (48). San Diego (42.83) and New Orleans (39.56) rounded out the top five. Indianapolis was the only...

CPD warns of surge in Kia, Hyundai car thefts on South Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police issued a community alert on Monday after the department revealed 15 motor vehicle thefts or break-in attempts involving often-targeted Kia and Hyundai models over a nine-day span. According to police, the targeted vehicles were parked on the streets, only for victims to return and find their cars missing. In some instances, the victims returned to their vehicles to find aa window was broken and/or the steering column peeled during a failed attempt, police added.Incident times and locations include: 18 states, including IL, urge recall of Kia, Hyundai cars due to high rate of thefts 800 block of W. 49th Place on April 29 between 12:10 a.m. - 6:15 p.m. (New City) 5100 block of S. Loomis on April 29 between 10 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. (New City) 4800 block of S. Racine Avenue on April 30 at 7 p.m. (New City) 5100 block of S. Loomis Blvd. on May 1 at 1:30 a.m. (New City) 5400 block of S. Racine Avenue on May 1 at midnight. (New City) 1700 block of W. Garfield Blvd. on...

Chicago woman arrested after leading police on high-speed chase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. -- A Chicago woman reportedly led police on a high-speed chase over the weekend that ended when the driver crashed into a fence.According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney Office, a Oak Brook police officer noticed a Nissan Rogue traveling on 22nd Street near Route 83 just after 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 with a license plate registered to a different vehicle. Multiple in custody after fatal shooting of off-duty CPD officer: Sources The Oak Brook officer attempted a traffic stop on the Nissan, but the driver allegedly fled traveling over 70 mph on the shoulder of the road on Route 83.The driver then sped down Roosevelt Road going 94 mph and then got onto I-290, where the driver continued driving at a high rate of speed on the shoulder of the road in standing traffic.The driver exited I-290 at the Cicero Avenue exit where they sideswiped a vehicle and crashed into a fence. Oak Brook police said the driver attempted to flee the crash on foot, but was taken ...

$42B in student debt forgiven for public workers: How to qualify for the PSLF program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - As federal student loan borrowers nationwide await the Supreme Court's decision on President Biden's debt forgiveness, new data shows thousands have received relief as part of a separate program.More than 615,000 borrowers have received $42 billion in debt relief since October 2021 due to temporary changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the Department of Education announced Monday. The PSLF program, created in 2007, is intended to help employees with nonprofit and government agencies by forgiving their student loans after 10 years of payments (120 total payments). The overall approval rate among applicants was low – only around 7,000 borrowers had been approved before 2021, according to the Education Department. Future of student loan forgiveness looms over Biden in 2024 In October 2021, the Biden administration temporarily waived certain PSLF requirements that granted borrowers credit toward loan cancellation regardless of their federal loan t...

Bill would crack down on migrant child labor violations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Lawmakers are demanding reforms to protect migrant kids who have been found working in plants and slaughterhouses."Thousands tens of thousands of those kids are in forced child labor conditions at slaughterhouses, at factories, working construction jobs," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said. "It is absolutely unconscionable."He said the problem stems from the Biden administration's border policies."(President Joe Biden) opened the door to child smugglers two years ago," Hawley claimed.He has proposed legislation requiring companies to submit annual independent audits of their labor practices to the U.S. Department of Labor."We should root out all child labor from our supply chains," Hawley said. "Fine the corporations. Go after them."The Department of Labor has promised not to turn a blind eye to the surge in child labor violations, which have increased 69% since 2018. A special task force launched to crack down on the problem has 600 open investigations. The depart...

Here's how teachers can get freebies and discounts for Teacher Appreciation Week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

(WTAJ) — Each May, we celebrate those who educate our children through Teacher Appreciation Week. For many, that means doughnuts in the break room or a thoughtful batch of cards from students, but some retailers are looking to recognize retailers outside of campus. The following places will offer discounts for teachers across the country: Applebees - free appetizer with purchase of any entrée and valid ID (May 1-May 13 at participating locations)Great Wolf Lodge - Up to 40% off when using code TEACHER. Must be booked by May 14, dates include May 10 - Sept. 21Firehouse Subs - Teachers throughout the U.S. can get a free medium sub with the purchase of an additional medium or large sub, chips and drink with a valid ID badge. (May 8-12)Sonic is offering teachers using the company's app a free cheeseburger with additional purchase for those in their Teachers' Circle reward program. Staples Teachers get $30 back in rewards when they spend $100 or more (May 7-13)$15 off signs, banners and...

In third season with team, Kayla McBride in Lynx’s training camp for first time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

Lynx guard Rachel Banham told reporters Monday there was a weird element to Monday’s training camp practice — Kayla McBride was there.McBride is entering her third season as a member of the Lynx, but Monday marked the 30-year-old sharpshooter’s first official participation in training camp. In past years, McBride’s overseas season went so long they forced late arrivals for the veteran guard.McBride got to Minnesota essentially just in time for the Lynx’s season opener in 2021, and last season McBride joined the team mid-road trip after missing the squad’s first four games — all losses.But the schedule better aligned for McBride and the Lynx this season. McBride still guided her European team to EuroLeague and Turkish League titles and managed to get a few days off in between seasons before taking part in training camp Monday.Lynx coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve noted it’s reporters who continually remind the coach that Mc...

St. Cloud man charged with assault, kidnapping in Cottage Grove case involving 11-month-old baby

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:51 GMT

A man armed with a handgun forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s house in Cottage Grove on Saturday night, threatened to kill her, assaulted her and then kidnapped their infant son, police said.Police rescued the 11-month-old boy when they arrested the man on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis and took the baby to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he was held overnight for “observation to ensure discovered injuries were not life-threatening,” according to a news release from the Cottage Grove Department of Public Safety.The boy’s father, Charles E. Hollins, 41, of St. Cloud, has been charged in Washington County District Court with kidnapping, first-degree burglary and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He was being held Monday in the Washington County Jail in Stillwater.The assault and kidnapping happened around 9:20 p.m. Saturday in the 6500 block of Jody Avenue South, according to police reports. That’s when a woman called 911 to report that she was ...