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Lightfoot: Weekend violence downtown was not 'mayhem'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

CHICAGO — When a reporter asked Chicago’s mayor to respond to a weekend that saw hundreds of teens descend on Chicago’s Loop with some jumping on cars, committing acts of vandalism and two people shot, Lori Lightfoot took issue with the reporter’s language: “I’m not going to use your language, which I think is wrong, to say it was ‘mayhem.’”  Lightfoot sought to distinguish between those committing crimes and others who sought a fun night downtown on the first warm weekend of the year.  2 teens shot in the Loop during large disturbance “The vast majority of the young people who came downtown came downtown because it was great weather and an opportunity to enjoy the city. That's absolutely and entirely it,” Lightfoot said.  “There are a few that came with different intentions.  They have and they will be dealt with.”Mayor Lightfoot accused a reporter of “ambushing” her by asking questions about the unrest at a library event after her office had previously issued a press release. Sh...

Calling the IRS? Hold times are way down this tax season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taxpayers who called the IRS had an average wait time of four minutes this tax season compared to 27 minutes a year earlier, the agency said Monday.Ahead of the tax filing deadline on Tuesday, the IRS is promoting its improved customer service and giving credit to a big boost in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act that Democrats pushed through Congress last year. The federal tax collector on Monday reported a dramatic turnaround for the 2023 tax season from a year ago, when the agency scored its worst customer service marks on record. IRS employees this tax season have answered 2 million more calls, and served 100,000 more taxpayers in-person, it reported. The agency also digitized 80 times more paper forms than in 2022 and cleared the backlog of unprocessed 2022 individual tax returns.New IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, sworn in earlier this month, promised that to use the new $80 billion infusion of cash over the next 10 years to help the federal tax ...

Ex-congressman says snake hitched ride on his plane from Texas to Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

(The Hill) -- Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger says he had a real-life “Snakes on a Plane” moment after a slithering creature seemingly stowed away aboard his aircraft.The Illinois Republican detailed his close encounter with a scaly, uninvited guest in a Monday tweet.“Yesterday I flew from Texas to Illinois, four hours at 17,500,” wrote Kinzinger, a 45-year-old former Air Force pilot and six-term House member who did not run for reelection last year.“Outside temp at that altitude was -8,” he said.“Landed, taxied in, and when I stopped this boy dropped out of my wheel well." Air National Guardsman faces charges after applying to RentAHitman.com, feds say While there was no Samuel L. Jackson in sight, Kinzinger shared four creepy snapshots of the high-flying reptilian hitchhiker.But Kinzinger, a CNN senior political commentator and fierce critic of former President Trump, joked that dark, venomous forces could be at play with his surprise in-flight companion.“Welcome to ...

'I am Latina and I am Muslim:' West-Side nonprofit provides community for Latino Muslims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

CHICAGO – "Ojala" is a word in Spanish that translates to the idea of hope and it is also the vision of a Muslim nonprofit that gives back to the city for the cause of faith.Ojala Foundation is home to many of Chicago's Latino Muslims and offers a comfort of heritage and community for a cultural minority in a rapidly evolving religion.Christopher Abdulkareem Pavlicek is the group's co-founder.“(We offer people) A place to bring their family and friends, a way of speaking that they are familiar with," he said. "(We) focus on local needs.” From offering prayers in grocery store parking lots to engaging in group clean-ups across the West Side, Ojala looks to nurture the very communities that raised them.“I can give back to my city but still love my faith," Pavlicek said.In 2018, Pavlicek saw a need to bring awareness to the Latino-Muslim community while also fostering positive change. ‘How is Ramadan for Muslim inmates?:’ Religious leader visits inmates during holy month “People wou...

These states have increased taxes the most over the last 4 decades

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

(Stacker) - Depending on where you live in the U.S., your state and local taxes may have shifted over the last year.The feared decline in American spending at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic never fully materialized as stimulus and pandemic aid programs kept consumers buying and sending sales taxes into state and local government coffers.But while the stimulus-fueled spending spree alleviated concerns about bringing in tax revenue for critical functions in local government, it also helped spur record inflation. Some states are adjusting taxes in response: Utah, for example, moved to reduce individual and corporate income tax rates for 2022.Stacker examined data from the nonprofit Tax Foundation to see which states have recorded the biggest tax growth in the last four decades. States were ranked by the percentage-point change of each state's effective tax rate from 1980 to 2022. Ties were broken by the growth from 2021. The overall per capita bur...

Man hid gun in Taco Bell quesadilla during Mississippi traffic stop, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

PICAYUNE, Miss. (WGNO) — A man was taken into custody last week after Mississippi detectives say he hid a gun in his Taco Bell order during a traffic stop. The Picayune Police Department says that around 12:30 p.m. Friday, the department's Neighborhood Enhancement Team conducted a traffic stop. Detectives found two people inside: driver Olivia Neff and passenger Devin Mitchell. While detectives say the stop originally resulted from a traffic violation, officers conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle. Officials said the officers found distributable amounts of methamphetamine and liquid heroin, along with drug paraphernalia. Taco Bell to resurrect discontinued item after fans vote to bring it back However, one other item was found during the search — no mobile order needed. Detectives say Mitchell tried to hide his gun inside a folded quesadilla, concealed in a Taco Bell bag.Mitchell faces multiple charges including possession of a controlled substance with intent to dist...

Testimony begins in Cedric Marks capital murder trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

BELL COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) - The first day of testimony in the Cedric Marks capital murder trial started at 9 a.m. Monday in Bell County's 426th District Court.Marks is accused of killing Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin, who were both reported missing from Temple on January 4th, 2019. Investigators later found their bodies in Oklahoma and Swearingin's car abandoned in Austin. PREVIOUS STORY: Jury selection nears completion for Cedric Marks trial Scott and Marks were at one time romantically involved, but had broken up. Swearingin and Scott were longtime friends.Marks is representing himself, with the help of John P. Galligan, after firing his attorneys and petitioning to represent himself in 2021. Marks pleaded not guilty to all charges - including burglary and capital murder. If found guilty, Marks faces life in prison or the death penalty.During almost two months of selection, Marks and the prosecution interviewed close to 200 potential jury members. On April 10, ...

Minnesota United academy teams do OK in GA Cup, but show improvement, net victories over Arsenal and Pumas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

Minnesota United’s Under-15 and U17 academy teams had mixed results in the Generation adidas (GA) Cup in early April.But the little Loons showed improvement as the premier tournament, which included teams from every MLS franchise and some of the top academies in the world, progressed in Bradenton, Fla.Neither MNUFC academy team advanced out of group-stage matches to the knockout rounds. In the consolation — or “showcase” — games, Minnesota’s teams netted a combined six wins and two defeats.“I felt quite good about the overall 10 days without coming away thinking ‘we’ve arrived’ because we just haven’t yet,” said Amos Magee, MNUFC’s vice president of youth development. “We are middle of the pack, but from where we’ve been two or three years ago. I’m really encouraged by it, and the kids fought and battled and handled themselves really well.”The best example of improvement was how the U15s were throttled by FC Nordsjaelland 4-0 in the opening match, givin...

Troy announces "Clean Streets" Trash Barrel Program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Residents in the City of Troy will receive new, high-quality trash barrels free of charge. The barrels, made available through the "Clean Streets" initiative, will be delivered through April 29. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "The program delivers barrels to all neighborhoods, including neighborhoods previously underserved by the city," said the City of Troy Mayor Wm. Patrick Madden. "Universal access to high-quality, lidded barrels is a first step in addressing litter problems in every Troy and Lansingburgh neighborhood."Every resident will receive 96 and 32-gallon barrels. Beginning in the summer, trash collection will only serve barrels issued by the City of Troy. To learn more about the program and trash collection, click here.

Ballston Spa officials warn of potential car thefts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:52 GMT

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Sunday morning, the Ballston Spa Police located a driver who appeared to be casing vehicles near Thompson Street without headlights on. When police attempted to pull the driver over, they led police on a pursuit. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say the driver ditched their car in Saratoga and disappeared after running into the woods. The vehicle was reported stolen from Queensbury. This was the second incident in two weeks where police thwarted a potential car theft. Mayor Frank Rossi is reminding residents to take the following precautions:Lock your vehicles and engage your alarmsRemove all valuables from your vehicleNever leave a running vehicle unattendedIf you observe strange behavior, call 9-1-1 and report the location