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As shootings hit close to home, govs wrestle with next steps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two weeks after one of his wife’s closest friends was killed in a Nashville school shooting, Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday called on Tennessee’s GOP-dominant General Assembly to pass legislation that would keep firearms away from people who could harm themselves or others.Lee, a Republican, is the latest prominent public official to experience personal loss in a mass shooting while having to delicately balance how to use his authority to help prevent future tragedies through policy. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed that he, too, had lost one of his best friends when a gunman killed five people at a bank in downtown Louisville and injured eight others on Monday.Lee told reporters Tuesday that he talked with Beshear, a Democrat, after Monday’s shooting, which claimed the life of Tommy Elliott, a lifelong friend of Beshear’s. Four other people also were killed. On March 27, Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher and friend of Lee’s w...

String of mail carriers robbed at gunpoint in Chicago continues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

CHICAGO — A string of armed robberies involving postal workers across Chicago continues, with a 32-year-old man becoming the city's latest victim. Chicago police are investigating after the department said a postal worker was robbed as he delivered mail at an apartment complex on 80th and Colfax in the city's South Shore neighborhood. Chicago police warn of armed robberies targeting USPS mail carriers "I'm just sad to hear that because we have a very nice postal worker, very nice," said a South Shore resident who wished to be identified only by her first name, Evenly. "I guess they're kind of afraid now with all the crime. You never know what you're going to run into."Police said the postal worker was in the entryway of the apartment building when someone approached him with a gun and demanded his property around 11 am. The postal worker obliged and the unidentified suspect ran off. The crime occurred as a local contractor worked across the street.  2 Chicago postal w...

A look back to when Chicago hosted the 1996 DNC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

CHICAGO — It's been almost 30 years since the last time Chicago hosted a major political convention.On Tuesday morning, Chicago was selected to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention.Back in 1996, the city's talent was on full display for delegates who gathered in late August. President Bill Clinton easily secured the nomination for a second time.The United Center, which opened two years earlier, was the host site. It's expected to be the primary site again in 2024.There were many other events held across the city as Chicago used the convention to showcase its beauty and diversity. Chicago selected to host 2024 Democratic National Convention Some protestors also descended on the city, but they were corralled several blocks away from the convention.Mayor Daley played host for the week and it was a literal and figurative turning of the page from the 1968 Democratic National Convention — in which police clashed with demonstrators.

Hiring event to be held for hospitality work in Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Despite some rocky months with the economy, the job market is still hot and employers are looking to fill jobs — specifically the hospitality industry in Chicago.Patrick Combs is the interim CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and Michael Jacobson, the president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association.He joined the WGN Evening News to discuss the 6th annual Hospitality Hires Chicago 2023 (HHC2023). The in-person hiring event on Tuesday, April 18, from 9 to 3 pm at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago.Both employers  and job seekers must pre-register. The fee for employers to register is $200; there is no fee for job seeker registration.  Employers should register by April 5 and job seekers should register by April 12,

Alex Murdaugh relocated to 'closed security facility'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

(NewsNation) — Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has been moved to McCormick Correctional Institution on the Georgia-South Carolina border, NewsNation has learned. The prison includes both a general population wing and a "special management" wing for inmates who may be in protective custody, according to prisonpro.com. Located roughly 40 miles north of Augusta, Georgia, McCormick Correctional Institution is listed as a close security facility by the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Suburban woman found guilty after pregnant nurse kicked in stomach "Close security facilities are high-security facilities designed primarily to house violent offenders with longer sentences, and inmates who exhibit behavioral problems," the department explains on its website. "Housing consists of single and double cells, and all perimeters are double-fenced with extensive electronic surveillance. Inmates at close security facilities are closely supervised and their activities and movement with...

UT spring football: QBs 'need to be clean' for Saturday's Orange and White game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Texas Longhorns gear up for the Orange and White football game and the end of spring practices, head coach Steve Sarkisian had the players, "back in the lab," Tuesday,He said the scrimmage April 7 was "fast and physical," and they "got a lot of situational work done," and Tuesday was more of an attention-to-detail session and fine-tuning aspects of the game before another practice Thursday and the end of spring with Saturday's showcase. Texas sets date for Orange-White spring football game, ‘Made in Austin Weekend’ Sarkisian said the team dedicated a portion of practice to just 2-point plays and other "special situations," where he was hoping to see how well the players communicated with each other when those situations arose. He said he liked what he saw,"It was very specific with what we're trying to do, and we try to break those things up in practice and then when we scrimmage, we try to let them happen as they come so we get to see how the guys react to ...

Pleasant spring weather continues with cool mornings and valley fog

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tuesday afternoon was Austin's 7th-consecutive cooler than normal day with high temperatures in the 70s under partly cloudy skies.The forecast remains pleasant and spring-like through the work week with cool mornings and areas of valley fog, then dry, mild afternoons.A slow and steady warming trend begins Wednesday afternoon as high temperatures return to near 80 degrees. Warmth and humidity slowly build through Saturday afternoon as the next storm to impact our area approaches.As it appears now, we only expect a low chance of a few showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, then cooler, breezy weather behind the system on Sunday.Low rain chance on Saturday as the next storm system passes byRain totals will be meager and isolated, under 0.25" areawide. Some areas will remain completely dry. Those participating in the Cap 10K run Sunday morning will enjoy low humidity and breezy north winds.FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up ...

Texas Southern's cheer team takes home national championship

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) -- It's a moment in history that has sent cheers around Texas Southern University and has put the spotlight on its incredible cheerleaders. For the first time ever, an Historically Black College and University has won a NCA (National Cheerleaders Association) college national championship title.The Tigers won in the Cheer Spirit Rally, winning in the final round with a 96.1 raw score and a 95.5875 event score, good enough to win first place and a national title, a first for an HBCU school in the 75-year history of the NCA. And it took a lot of hard work to get there. "When I first came to TSU, I told the team we're going to Nationals," said head coach Shontrese Comeaux. "When we earned our gold bid at NCA Camp, I told the team, 'it's time to go to work'. I knew this was the year and the team to get the job done. I'm so proud of them and where we're going to take the cheer program next."In the summer of 2022, the team set the foundation for its national title wit...

Timberwolves believe Kyle Anderson-Rudy Gobert altercation was ‘a moment in time’ and nothing more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

Chris Finch doesn’t exactly remember what he said in the heat of the moment. NBA head coaches never immediately enter the huddle at the beginning of a timeout. And by the time Finch did get to the bench, tensions were quickly rising between two of his players, Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson.“I would’ve probably said, ‘Calm down, calm down, let’s go, let’s focus on what we’ve got to do here,’ ” Finch told Paul Allen on KFXN-100.3 on Tuesday morning. “I think ultimately it caught us a little bit by surprise.”As well as everyone else. It’s not a common sight to see a verbal altercation lead to one teammate striking another as Gobert did to Anderson during Minnesota’s win Sunday over New Orleans in the regular=season finale, which led to the team suspending the center for Tuesday’s play-in game in Los Angeles versus the Lakers.But at the same time, the Timberwolves contend those incidents aren’t all that uncommon in professional sports. Finch noted a similar situation played out between ...

The Hold Steady, Bob Mould and Dillinger Four to headline Minnesota State Fair Grandstand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:31 GMT

A triple bill of (semi-)local acts with stars outside First Avenue – the Hold Steady, Bob Mould and Dillinger Four – will headline The Current’s annual Music-on-a-Stick concert Sept. 2 at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand.Tickets are $37 and $27 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Etix or by phone at 800-514-3849.The Hold Steady formed in Minneapolis in 2003 from the ashes of the band Lifter Puller. They relocated to Brooklyn soon after and established themselves as critical darlings and a popular live act. In an interview with Pitchfork, lead singer Craig Finn said his influences include Husker Du, Bruce Springsteen, Jim Carroll, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, Aesop Rock, Sage Francis and Jay-Z.The band is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and released their ninth album “The Price of Progress” last month. Their website had listed Sept. 2 as a “save the date” for Minneapolis-St. Paul for months, leading to speculation as to what venue they would be pla...