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St. Louis prosecutor: Ouster effort is politically motivated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The elected prosecutor in St. Louis, under intense criticism after a visiting teenage athlete lost her legs in a crash blamed on a man who remained free from jail despite multiple bond violations, is accusing Missouri’s attorney general of seeking her ouster for political gain.Democratic Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner filed a court response late Tuesday to Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s lawsuit that seeks to remove her from office. Bailey’s effort includes criticism that too many cases, including homicides, go unpunished, that victims and their families are left uninformed, and that Gardner’s office is too slow to take on cases brought by police.Criticism of Gardner escalated last month after 17-year-old Janae Edmondson, a volleyball standout from Tennessee, was struck by a speeding car as she and her family walked to their hotel following a tournament game in downtown St. Louis. The driver, 21-year-old Daniel Riley, was out on bon...

Rap artist Hurricane Chris acquitted in man’s death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A Louisiana jury has acquitted rapper Hurricane Chris, known for the hit “A Bay Bay,” in the 2020 death of a man shot several times at a gas station in Shreveport.The panel late Tuesday found the 34-year-old artist, whose real name is Christopher Dooley, not guilty of second-degree murder in the slaying of Danzeria Farris Jr., 32, and illegal possession of stolen things, news outlets reported. A Caddo Parish Grand Jury indicted Dooley in October 2020 in connection with the June 19, 2020 slaying of Farris who was shot several times at a Texaco station. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.Dooley had been on trial in state district court for more than a week before Tuesday’s verdict. Prosecutors called several witnesses, while the defense presented two, including Dooley.“I wanna thank God, my attorneys at the Washington & Wells Law Firm, and my family for standing with me as my life was on the line,” Dooley told The Shade Room. “They ...

Here’s how an AI tool may flag parents with disabilities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — For the two weeks that the Hackneys’ baby girl lay in a Pittsburgh hospital bed weak from dehydration, her parents rarely left her side, sometimes sleeping on the fold-out sofa in the room.They stayed with their daughter around the clock when she was moved to a rehab center to regain her strength. Finally, the 8-month-old stopped batting away her bottles and started putting on weight again.“She was doing well and we started to ask when can she go home,” Lauren Hackney said. “And then from that moment on, at the time, they completely stonewalled us and never said anything.”The couple was stunned when child welfare officials showed up, told them they were negligent and took their daughter away.“They had custody papers and they took her right there and then,” Lauren Hackney recalled. “And we started crying.”More than a year later, their daughter, now 2, remains in foster care. The Hackneys, who have developmental disabilities, are struggling to understand how taking t...

See Lyric Opera's shows for the 2023-2024 season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

CHICAGO - Touting it as "a richly curated slate of musical events," the Lyric Opera has announced the details for their upcoming 2023-2024 slate of performances.It will start in September of this year and run through April 2024 with a collection of performances for fans of the historic opera company that will be staging its 69th season.Performances of "The Flying Dutchman" will start the season along with an opening gala featuring "An Evening with Audra McDonald." Other musical shows include "The Daughter of the Regiment," "Jenůfa." "Cinderella," "Champion," "Aida," and Mozart's "Requiem." "Opera is at a very challenging moment, and I am proud of how our entire company is rising to that challenge every day. Despite the painful new economic realities of producing grand opera, Lyric will present a varied and compelling 2023/24 Season that keeps our main pillars front and center: presenting the best singers in the world, bringing exciting and thought-provoking large-scale productions ...

CPD: 6 armed robberies conducted in under 2 hours on Southwest Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Six armed robberies were conducted in just under two hours Wednesday morning on the Southwest Side.A victim was pistol-whipped in one of the robberies. Police did not give additional information on the suspects, other than saying two were involved and they are not in custody.In one of the incidents, the suspects returned to the exact same block around an hour later and conducted another armed robbery. Alert issued after 2 liquor stores broken into, cash stolen on Northwest Side The following is a timeline of the incidents, per Chicago police.6:02 a.m. in the 4600 block of South Albany — A 49-year-old man was in a parked vehicle when two suspects exited a black sedan and robbed him at gunpoint.6:03 a.m. in the 2400 block of West 47th Street — A 37-year-old man was robbed and pistol-whipped. He denied treatment at the scene.6:07 a.m. in the 1700 block of West 47th Street — A 51-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint.7:10 a.m. in the 1700 block West 47th Street — A 57-year-old...

3 goats found as strays by Chicago Animal Care and Control

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Animal Care and Control is looking for the owner of three goats after they were found as strays.On Tuesday evening, the agency posted on Facebook that one of their officers had "quite the day."Three stray goats were brought in. CACC did not say where they were located, but the goats seem to be enjoying their stay.Courtesy CACC"As much fun as they seem to be having, we are pretty sure they just want to go back home," they wrote on Facebook. The Ultimate Chicago playlist: 400 songs from local artists The agency, located at 2741 S. Western Ave., is asking the owner to call them at 312-747-1406.

Singer Bobby Caldwell dies at 71 after being 'floxed'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

(KTLA) – Singer Bobby Caldwell, famous for his R&B hits "What You Won't Do For Love" and "Open Your Eyes," has died. He was 71.His wife, Mary Caldwell, announced his passing on Twitter on Wednesday morning. She said he had been suffering from health issues for the past six years."Bobby passed away here at home. I held him tight in my arms as he left us. I am forever heartbroken," she tweeted." Thanks to all of you for your many prayers over the years. He had been 'FLOXED,' it took his health over the last 6 years and 2 months. Rest with God, my Love."According to Regenerative Medicine L.A., being "floxed" means "your body has suffered from mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress due to an adverse effect from a fluoroquinolone antibiotic." Caldwell's team revealed to TMZ that the "Real Thing" singer had a bad reaction to a prescribed antibiotic and said it caused his Achilles tendon to rupture, which caused him to suffer from nerve damage.Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are us...

Trash truck hits woman's parked car, city won't pay for repairs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A Norfolk, Virginia, woman was left in disbelief after a trash truck trashed her car. Five months later, she said the city still won't pay for repairs.On Wednesday, Oct. 12, Chavonne Grant had her car, a 2007 BMW 328, parked outside her house. A neighbor came running to her door after watching a city trash truck slide into her vehicle and get stuck."There's a gaping hole right here, the whole tire rod, the tire was flattened," Grant said. "The bumper was pushed up, but the bumper was on the ground. It's completely cracked through here. The hood had to be pushed down."The driver was "extremely apologetic," she said. "He came out, he explained that he was covering a shift and he was moving too fast and over or underestimated my car." Maryland man saves $50K winning scratch-off from trash Grant said the driver told her the city's insurance would cover damages and a police report was filed. After weeks of no response and reaching out to her city councilman, a thi...

Celebrating 75 years of WGN-TV with Tom Skilling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

He's arguably the most recognized meteorologist in the world. Not just here in the Chicago. That's because he's spent almost 45 years working here at WGN. Many of those years were spent on the superstation. Tom joins us this morning as we celebrate WGN at 75.Daytime Chicago airs weekdays on WGN from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

National Audubon Society rejects calls to drop enslaver's name

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:10 GMT

(The Hill) -- The National Audubon Society announced Wednesday that it would retain the Audubon name despite calls to drop the reference to the 19th-century naturalist and painter who was also a slave owner and vocal opponent of abolition.The renowned bird conservation organization, which was named for John James Audubon, said it made the decision after “a lengthy process to examine its name in light of the personal history of its namesake."“This is an important time for birds and our shared planet, and this decision positions the organization to focus our equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging efforts and our conservation work where it is most urgently needed,” Susan Bell, the chair of the National Audubon Society’s board of directors, said in a statement.“The name has come to represent so much more than the work of one person, but a broader love of birds and nature, and a non-partisan approach to conservation,” Bell added. Airline investigating after flight attendants alle...