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'We're all going to die': Mokena family recounts tour boat sinking in the Bahamas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

MOKENA, Ill. — Last month, the Savage family took a cruise to celebrate a birthday. Thursday, Becky, her husband Matt, and their two sons are more than happy to be back home and alive after an excursion off the cruise ship left floating in the ocean, hoping to stay alive.On Nov. 14, the Savage family and more than 100 people boarded a two-deck Blue Lagoon Island tour boat that inevitably sank before reaching the island in the Bahamas.According to the Savages, they took the tour boat ride as an excursion on the last day of their trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise line that took them from Jamaica to the Bahamas."It started getting choppy, it was already a little choppy," said Matt Savage. "But then all of a sudden, it felt like it kind of sped up." More from Jewell: ‘He’s the ball of sunshine’: Mom provides update on Cooper Roberts The family said the boat started to sink around 10:30 a.m. and the crew didn't communicate what was going on, other than for those on board to put their li...

CPS Board of Education passes resolution that could change school choice policy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Public Schools' Board of Education passes a resolution Thursday that could change selective enrollment.The board of education says it needs a bold and transformational new vision for the district and members adopted a resolution on Thursday they believe will achieve that vision, moving from a model that emphasizes school choice to one that supports neighborhood schools.   The main one would be to transition away from admission and enrollment policies that the board says further stratifies and causes inequity in the school system, driving enrollment away from neighborhood schools."Think about resourcing schools where kids haven't gotten the resources because as students left their neighborhood schools so did the money that followed them so a lot of those schools ended up being less resourced," said Becky Vevea, Bureau Chief, Chalkbeat Chicago.The CPS board met on Thursday and passed a resolution that would change the school choice system that's been in place for...

U.S. Supreme Court case could delay Madigan trial, ComEd sentencing

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear a case about "what constitutes bribery" could delay the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.Madigan is charged with using his unrivaled political power to obtain work for his private law practice. He was indicted by federal prosecutors in March 2022 on 22 counts for his alleged role in a racketeering conspiracy linked to lobbying practices during his time in politics. Madigan pleaded not guilty on federal racketeering, bribery, wire fraud and extortion charges. There was also the separate scheme that saw the power company ComEd admit to hiring Madigan allies as ghost payrollers, with the hope of winning his support on key legislation.Four people – including ComEd’s former CEO and Madigan’s top lieutenant, Tim Mapes – have already been convicted. Mapes faces up to 20 years in prison for obstruction of justice and up to five years for perjury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2024.Now, Mapes and the three others conv...

GOP voters like Trump because he won't compromise: Pew poll

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

(The Hill) — Trump-supporting Republicans are less likely than voters who support other GOP presidential candidates to favor political compromise on issues, according to a Pew Research Center poll published Thursday.About 63 percent of former President Trump’s supporters want their candidate to focus on pushing for GOP policy in office rather than working with Democrats, more than supporters for any other GOP primary candidate. Republican voters are split overall, with exactly half of respondents emphasizing compromise.Among other GOP candidates, supporters of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley support compromise the most, with 72 percent of respondents saying they want the GOP candidate to work across the aisle. Just more than half of supporters for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) back compromise over partisanship, the poll found.Trump’s support makes up a significantly larger proportion of GOP voters than support for other candidates because he holds a wide lead in national primar...

Daily aspirin may do more harm than good for heart patients — and more

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

For Thursday, Dec. 14, WGN’s Dina Bair has new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch No daily aspirin for heart health Daily aspirin may do more harm than good for heart patients. US doctors typically recommend taking aspirin every day to prevent heart attacks. But Canadian heart doctors have reversed course. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society now advises against routinely taking aspirin, citing recent evidence revealing that bleeding risks outweigh the benefits. For certain high-risk heart patients, they say aspirin may be appropriate, but they are urging against routine daily use for most people. Menstrual cycles & daily suicide risksWomen may be more at risk for dangerous emotional slides in and around their menstrual cycle.The University of Illinois Chicago researchers found female patients with a history of suicidal thoughts experience an increased risk of suicidal ideation and planning in the days before and after their p...

City Council approves Downtown Austin Community Court extension to help more access critical services

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin City Council approved on consent Thursday to expand the jurisdiction of the Downtown Austin Community Court so it can help low-level defendants access critical throughout the city. The Downtown Austin Community Court opened its doors in 1999, becoming the first court of its kind in Texas. The mission of the court is to “administer justice equitably and compassionately and to utilize a client-centered and housing-focused intensive case management model to help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve long-term stability,” according to its website. “We've really evolved our operations at the cour. Just like the community of Austin has changed over the last 25 years, we have become much more hands-on with individuals that are coming through the court, connecting them on-site to our integrated housing, case manager services, basic needs, and connection to other resources that exist in the community,” said Robert Kingham, Court Administrator for ...

Happy ending! Stuffed toy left at AUS returned to owner

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A lost toy left at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) was reunited with its owner Thursday afternoon."2-year-old toddler Lucas is overjoyed to have his best plushy friend, Kopus (Ka-poosh), back in his arms," AUS said.On Wednesday evening, the airport said it was searching for the owner of a lost puppy friend found at one of the airport's garages.“We are trying to get him home for the holidays,” AUS said.(AUS photo)(AUS photo)(AUS photo)(AUS photo)(AUS photo)(AUS photo)When the owners were not found overnight, AUS said staff began an interview process to find “Puppy Friend” a position at the airport.“Puppy Friend hasn’t found his owner yet, but he’s taken an interest in how we do things around AUS,” the airport said. “This morning, he interviewed for a pawsition with our Planning & Development team.”

Drug deal led to stabbing in northwest Austin, court records say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — An affidavit obtained by KXAN revealed that a drug deal led to the deadly stabbing of a man in northwest Austin earlier this month.Around 8:30 p.m., Dec. 3, Austin Police responded to a convenience store at 10800 Research Blvd. in reference to a man who walked into the store and fell to the ground, according to APD. Police identify man killed in stabbing near 7-Eleven That man was later identified as Chad Barron, 48.When first responders arrived on the scene, they found Barron with a stab wound, which was found on the left side of his back, according to the affidavit. He was taken to St. David's Hospital in Round Rock where he was later pronounced dead at 9:35 p.m.The investigationAPD officers and detectives later responded to the store and were able to track a blood trail to the northwest corner of the southbound intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and westbound lanes of Braker Lane, court documents said.According to the affidavit, Barron was known to s...

St. Paul teen receives 15-year prison sentence for role in Michael Brasel slaying

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

A St. Paul teen who Michael Brasel tried to stop from rummaging through his wife’s car before he was fatally shot was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday for his role in the slaying.Ta Mla, 18, had pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the May 6 killing of Brasel, a 44-year-old husband, father of two boys and youth hockey coach who was shot by Ta Mla’s friend, Kle Swee. In exchange for the plea, a charge of second-degree murder with intent was dismissed Thursday.Ta Mla (Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)In October, Kle Swee was given a 25½-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder. He was 17 at the time of the killing.Before Ramsey County District Judge Timothy Carey issued Ta Mla’s sentence, the courtroom heard emotional victim impact statements from Brasel’s wife, Hilary Brasel, and his father-in-law, Kent Peterson, and several friends. Hilary an...

Reliving the night Bengals’ Jake Browning was the only quarterback the Vikings had available

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:48:42 GMT

Never mind the recent success of Jake Browning as he quarterbacks the Bengals into Saturday’s game against the Vikings at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.Some Vikings players aren’t at all surprised by the fact that he seems to have taken the NFL by storm. Not after what they saw out of him on July 31, 2021.“He was balling,” fullback C.J. Ham said of his 2021 game with the Vikings. “That seemed like the Jake Browning coming-out party right there. I remember the crowd was going nuts. He was on fire.”He had to be. He was the only quarterback the Vikings had available.Since he was vaccinated, Browning was not considered a close contact when rookie high-draft-pick Kellen Mond tested positive for COVID leading up to the now-infamous night practice at TCO Stadium. The Vikings’ two other quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley, were considered close contacts, and thus, not allowed to participate.Though he wouldn’t go into detail about each p...