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2 Chicago area students advance to National Spelling Bee semifinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

WASHINGTON – Two local students recently advanced to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee being held in suburban Washington, D.C.The girls are two of 56 kids who made it through to the next round. RELATED: West suburban 7th grader competing in National Spelling BeeBoth Annette Chu, a 7th grader at GEMS World Academy Chicago, and Daphne Gil, an 8th grader from Alan B. Shepard Middle School, are still in the running for the top prize. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThe semifinals will be held Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m.

Skilling: Cloudy Wednesday night before low 90s Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

Another warm day for this final day of May 2023—with the warmth more noticeable because humidity's were higher. Dew points, a measure or atmospheric moisture surged into the mid 60s versus the upper 40s 24 hour earlier. That's a fairly BIG INCREASE and one that renders the air noticeably more "humid"--though hardly oppressively so. Mid 60-deg dew points constitute a "moderately humid" air mass. (70+-degree dew points would quality as more "oppressively" humid.It was 2023's second day with an official 90 degree temp—the same number of 90s we had seen by this time a year ago.There was a big spread between the lakeshore and inland areas again today—with temps as warm 95 at Poplar Grove in Boone County, 94 at Barrington and 93 at Carpentersville and Warrenville—compared to a mid afternoon temp of 62 at the Wilmette Harbor buoy, 67 at Winthrop Harbor, 68 at the Lake Forest lakefront, 66 at the Kenosha, WI lakefront,74 at Calumet Harbor and 74 at the Michigan City, IN buoy. That means tem...

UpRising Bakery and Café closing due to financial challenges after LGBTQ+ support backlash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

MCHENRY COUNTY, Ill. -- A bakery in McHenry County targeted and harassed in person and online for supporting the LGBTQ+ community is shutting its doors Wednesday.The owner of UpRising Bakery and Café in Lake in the Hills, which has suffered harassments and financial challenges, posted a message on Facebook saying Wednesday is the bakery’s last day of business. ORIGINAL: UpRising Bakery and Café rescued from closure after harassment over drag show Anne Moeresfelder is one of many customers stopping by UpRising Bakery and Café before they close up shop for good."I’ve been supporting Corinna since she started at the Huntley Farmers Market and will follow her where she goes," Moeresfelder said.Last summer, UpRising got hit hard with hate and vandals upset that the bakery was hosting a family friendly drag brunch on the premises. The show was scheduled for late July, but ended up getting postponed until August.In March, a GoFund me page set up on behalf of the bakery’s owner Corinna Sa...

GPS may have led another car into Hawaii Island harbor, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

HONOLULU (KHON) -- Someone drove a vehicle into the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor in Kailua Kona for the second time in a month and police say a GPS might have led them there.Ronald Jourden returned to the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday after serving as captain for Manta Ray Dives of Hawaii. "When I was approaching to our slip, all of a sudden there was a cop and fire department and all the, you know, light was going off and start yelling at us, 'There's a car in the water!'" Jourden told Nexstar's KHON. Six people rescued from boat that ran aground off Kona It is the second time a vehicle has driven into the harbor recently - the first was on Saturday, April 29. Kailua Kona resident Christie Hutchinson saw that incident and could not believe it happened again."Almost disbelief, I guess. Then just thinking, 'What is wrong with these people?' In a way, but I guess they're going to have to do something about that harbor and you know, it was almost validating ...

Frontier Airlines introduces new 'all you can fly' pass

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Frontier Airlines introduced a new "all you can fly" pass Tuesday.The GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Fall & Winter Pass gives travelers access to unlimited travel from Sept. 2, 2023, through Feb. 29, 2024.Travelers can visit more than 85 U.S. and international U.S. destinations. Frontier Airlines confirms gate agent ‘incentive’ for baggage fees after viral TikToks For a limited time, the airline said the pass will cost $299. “Whether you want to soak up some sun on the beach or hit the ski slopes, the GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Fall & Winter pass is an unprecedented bargain at just $299 while supplies last,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president: commercial with Frontier Airlines. “Combined with the special early booking promotion, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy some supreme savings on fall and winter travel.” Breeze Airlines offers $27 flights from Tampa for limited time Flights are available now online, and can be a day before departure for domesti...

'That '70s Show' actor Danny Masterson found guilty of 2 out of 3 counts of rape in retrial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury found “That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson guilty of two counts of rape Wednesday in a Los Angeles retrial in which the Church of Scientology played a central role.The jury of seven women and five men reached the verdict after deliberating for seven days spread over two weeks. They could not reach a verdict on the third count, that alleged Masterson raped a longtime girlfriend. They had voted 8-4 in favor of conviction.Masterson was led from the courtroom in handcuffs. The 47-year-old actor faces up to 30 years in prison.His wife, actor and model Bijou Phillips, wept as he was led away. Other family and friends sat stone-faced. Al Pacino expecting 4th child at 83 years old “I am experiencing a complex array of emotions – relief, exhaustion, strength, sadness – knowing that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his criminal behavior,” one of the women, whom Masterson was convicted of raping at his home in 2003, said in a state...

Five more Austin police officer indictments after 2020 protests, police union says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 31, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cases for three Austin police officers were presented to a special grand jury last week — and cases for an additional two officers were presented this week — stemming from May 2020 protests in Austin, according to the Austin Police Association."The special grand jury issued true bills for all five officers in the riot cases presented over the past few days," said APA President Thomas Villarreal in an email to members. RELATED: 2 more APD officers indicted related to 2020 protests Sources tell KXAN the district attorney presented said three of these cases involve deadly conduct charges. The attorneys for the two officers whose cases were presented this week were informed on Memorial Day their clients would face the special grand jury on Tuesday morning, according to Villarreal. KXAN reached out to the Travis County District Attorney's Office to ask if that timeline was custom...

In Canada, each cigarette will get a warning label: ‘poison in every puff’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

TORONTO — Canada will soon become the first country in the world where warning labels must appear on individual cigarettes.The move was first announced last year by Health Canada and is aimed at helping people quit the habit. The regulations take effect Aug. 1 and will be phased in. King-size cigarettes will be the first to feature the warnings and will be sold in stores by the end of July 2024, followed by regular-size cigarettes, and little cigars with tipping paper and tubes by the end of April 2025.This image provided by Health Canada shows the final wording of six separate warnings that will be printed directly on individual cigarettes as Canada becomes the first in the world to take that step aimed at helping people quit the habit. The regulations take effect Aug. 1 and will be phased in. King-size cigarettes will be the first to feature the warnings and will be sold in stores by the end of July 2024, followed by regular-size cigarettes, and little cigars with tipping paper an...

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy: The Supreme Court was enabling corruption well before the Clarence Thomas scandal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

The Supreme Court recently reversed the conviction of a onetime aide and campaign manager for disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The decision may have surprised those who follow Albany’s culture of corruption, but it was thoroughly in keeping with the recent history of the Supreme Court. The Roberts court has been busy deregulating corruption for over a decade.The court’s own ethics have come under renewed scrutiny lately thanks to revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas, among others. What’s less widely appreciated is the court’s accumulating record of making political corruption easier to engage in and harder to prosecute.The corruption conviction of Joseph Percoco did not exactly come out of left field. Cuomo had to resign from office in ignominy after he was credibly accused of a long pattern of sexual harassment, and he didn’t enjoy a sterling reputation beforehand. In 2014, he made the not-suspicious-at-all decision to disband a commis...

Social media’s grip on American teens is a big problem. Dr. Vivek Murthy has smart answers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:49:41 GMT

The age of “screenagers” has been upon us for some time now. Parents of teens know it well.How many times, Mom and Dad, have you smoldered at the sight of your adolescent mesmerized by their smartphone at the dinner table, or at a restaurant, or during a visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s place? You can admonish them with quips such as “Your brain is melting!” but you’ll likely get a huffy grunt or a long dose of side-eye.Well, Mom and Dad, there’s someone out there who feels your pain. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.This past week, Murthy released an advisory on the pros and cons of social media and its impact on the mental health of America’s adolescents — along with concrete steps that policymakers and parents can take to minimize the harms of too much screen time.Past surgeons general have issued advisories and reports that have led to a healthier, smarter America. In 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry issued a landmark report...