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Officer shortage a cause of concern for interim CPD boss amid crime spike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

CHICAGO — Fred Waller, Chicago’s interim police superintendent, visited a new trauma center at the old Carter G. Woodson School in North Kenwood on Tuesday and discussed efforts the city is implementing to combat crime.Waller, the third person to lead CPD in less than six months, the fifth in the last four years, has been tasked with implementing the new Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's anti-crime strategy.But Waller admits he needs more officers. ‘I knew what I was inheriting,’ says Mayor Johnson after another violent weekend in Chicago "I’m never gonna say we can’t use more manpower, more resources," Waller said. "We’re really working our officers to a nub. We’re canceling days off all the time." As the city floods the streets with peace ambassadors, CPD is trying to strike the right balance between securing the city during daytime hours and at night. "We plan for things happening more in the evening," Waller added. "We do have officers out in the daytime also, of cours...

Skilling: Clear Tuesday night before sunshine returns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

It was another warm sunny day Tuesday—with easterly lake breezes which produced another day of widely varied temps from the lakefront, cooled by those winds and the 63-deg lake waters, and near 90-deg temps inland at Oswego with a 92-reported at McHenry. At the same time, lakeshore air temps only made it to 67 at Lake Forest, Waukegan Harbor and 68 at Calumet Harbor and Burns Harbor, IN with a 72-deg high in Evanston and Gary, IN. The buoy at Wilmette Harbor registered a 65-deg high.O'Hare's high hit 83-deg which is close to the normal high of 83.A blocking pattern in the atmosphere means we've sat in the same air mass for a week—and it's grown polluted. Not only was there some Canadian wildfire smoke, but ozone and particulates were elevated because winds are so light through the atmosphere. They've been unable to mix in cleaner air.AS A RESULT—THE ILLINOIS EPA has issued an AIR QUALITY ALERT through midnight Wed night.ON TOP OF THAT, the MOLD COUNT REACHED"HIGH" TUESDAY as did GRA...

Taylor Swift concerts help CTA post highest ridership since COVID-19 pandemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

CHICAGO — Ridership on the CTA has bounced back in a big way, thanks, in part, to the Swifties and their love for all things Taylor. On Tuesday, the agency announced ridership is now the highest it's been since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic."(CTA) provided 5.63 million rides for the week of June 4-10," media relations said of ridership — its highest level in three years.   Taylor Swift concerts led to record number of hotel bookings in Chicago The CTA credits the jump to the three days of Taylor Swift concerts at Soldier Field (June2-4), the return of Chicago's summer festivals, and ongoing construction on the Kennedy Expressway. Once Swift's Chicago concert dates wrapped, locals still sought the CTA for summer festivals such as Midsommarfest in Andersonville, the Chicago Blues Fest in Millennium Park and the Old Town Art Fair—garnering the highest Saturday ridership since the pandemic, media relations added. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesLastly, acco...

Attorney accuses judge of making racist comments toward him, client

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — An attorney has accused a Cook County judge of making racist and derogatory remarks in a domestic abuse case."In 20 years, I've never experienced anything quite like that," said attorney Matthew Fakhoury.Fakhoury — a first-generation Arab American — said he's never felt personally attacked in court, until earlier this year.Fakhoury is representing a client accused of domestic battery and during a conference in the judge's chambers regarding the case, he said judge William Hooks made racist remarks directed at him and his client."He likened the behavior of those accused of domestic battery or domestic violence to those of people who are controlling and abusive," Fakhoury said. "And linked that to middle eastern men who are controlling and abusive and [he said] he shot and killed men like that when he was in the military." 52,000 more Illinois residents died during the pandemic than is typical Fakhoury said the comments were hurtful, but that it was also clear to...

Georgia boss who paid worker with 91,500 oily pennies now owes nearly $40K

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — The owner of an auto repair shop who paid a former employee with 91,500 oily pennies has been ordered by a judge to pay nearly 4 million more cents.A federal judge ruled that Miles Walker, who owns A OK Walker Autoworks in Peachtree City, Georgia, owes $39,934 to nine workers for unpaid overtime and damages.Attorneys for Walker agreed to the payments to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the U.S. Labor Department that accused Walker of retaliating against former employee Andreas Flaten in 2021.The judgement also mandated that Walker take all photographs and references to Flaten off of the A OK Walker Autoworks website and social media sites. Family finds 1 million copper pennies while cleaning out Los Angeles home According to the initial court filing, a since-removed statement posted on the repair shop's website called the penny dump a "gotcha to a subpar ex-employee." After Flaten filed a complaint with the agency saying Walker owed him a final $915 paycheck, the empl...

Video: Fighter jet appears to intercept plane for violating Biden air space

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Video posted to Twitter appears to show a jet fighter intercepting a plane that flew into air space over the San Francisco area that was restricted due to President Joe Biden's Bay Area visit.In the video, found above, a fighter jet can be seen appearing to cut off the path of a slower-moving, single-engine plane flying over Marin County Tuesday.NORAD officials confirmed on Twitter that fighter aircraft have responded to several general aviation aircraft that violated temporary flight restrictions near San Francisco on Tuesday."Pilots in the San Francisco area are strongly encouraged to check NOTAMS today and tomorrow to ensure they have the latest information on the VIP TFR," NORAD tweeted."NOTAM" is an acronym for "notice to airmen." VIDEO: Wisconsin police pull bobcat from inside car President Biden is in the Bay Area for a three-day visit. After arriving Monday, he visited a nature preserve in Palo Alto where he announced a $600 million climate initiati...

Missouri parents find daughter alive 10 hours after being told she died in car wreck

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

CUBA, Mo. (KTVI) – The Ferguson family in Cuba, Missouri, recently got a dreaded knock at the door from sheriff’s deputies with news that a relative was killed in a car crash.It happened after a hit-and-run crash on Route 3 near Interstate 55 in St. Clair County.A pickup truck reportedly ran a red light in the early morning hours of May 22, colliding with a Ford Escape. A man in the vehicle was seriously injured; his sister was killed. Authorities believed that woman was Danika Ferguson. “…Sheriff’s deputies at our door at 5:17 a.m. (on) May 22, telling us that our daughter was dead,” Mae Ferguson told Nexstar's KTVI, recounting the horrible memory. “They sent that body out of SLU Hospital to the city medical examiner’s office with a toe tag reading Danika Ferguson.”For the next 10 hours, Mae and her husband Charlie arranged for organ donation, made funeral plans, and told their grandkids, who they were watching because their daughter was relocating to Steeleville. Father of 13 di...

Heat exhaustion a concern for firefighters as temps soar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heat related illness can be a problem in the summer months, especially when temperatures are well above 100 degrees.Staying inside when temperatures rise is a good idea, but not everyone has that luxury-- first responders must be ready to respond in any conditions.On Tuesday, six people were displaced after a fire at a group home on Blossom Bell Dr in Austin. One firefighter had to be transported to the hospital for heat exhaustion."We all know the heat here is no joke especially when you put on this (gear),” said Matthew Villanueva with  Travis County Emergency Services District 12.While the gear keeps firefighters safe during a fire, it can be hot.“It is definitely hot,” said   “It is made up of three layers. You have a thermal layer, an inner liner and you have a moisture barrier." Austin just broke an all-time heat record for the month of June Adam Tapia, Travis County ESD 12 battalion chief, said breaks and hydration are key during the extreme h...

Austinites preparing for power problems as ERCOT asks Texans to conserve

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Alana Cortes lost power for roughly two weeks during this year's winter storm. KXAN first talked to Cortes at the tail end of an ice storm that knocked out power to tens of thousands of Austin Energy customers. Now, Cortes said she's moving towards energy independence because she's not confident she'll consistently have power moving forward, including this summer as record heat hits Texas. "There's some resentment about the escalating cost of living when we do not feel that it reflects the standard of living," Cortes said. Who’s responsible for Austin’s widespread power outages? City Council wants answers On the hottest day of the year so far, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking customers to voluntarily conserve energy, if possible, between 4-8 p.m. "ERCOT is not experiencing emergency conditions. Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand for a specific period of peak demand time, which...

3 Longhorns capture national track and field awards following title-winning performances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following outstanding performances at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, three Longhorns were honored with national awards, the school announced Tuesday.Senior sprinter Julien Alfred, senior decathlete Leo Neugebauer and women's team head coach Edrick Floreal were all honored by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersAlfred was named the women's track athlete of the year for the outdoor season, sweeping both indoor and outdoor national honors. Alfred was the fifth woman in NCAA history to win triple golds in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay at the outdoor championships in Austin.Texas senior Leo Neugebauer won the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. (Photo courtesy of Texas Athl...