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A deadly heat wave is blanketing the South and spreading east

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

An oppressive heat wave blamed for at least 13 deaths in Texas and one in Louisiana blanketed the South on Thursday, as authorities warned of dangerous, triple-digit temperatures. Forecasters said temperatures could rocket up to 20 degrees above average in parts of the region as a heat dome that has taxed the Texas power grid spread eastward. Officials urged people to stay hydrated, shelter in air-conditioned rooms and check on each other as humidity combined with high temperatures to make conditions even more dangerous. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee for Thursday and Friday. The heat index, which indicates how hot it feels outdoors based on the temperature and relative humidity, was expected to reach 115 degrees (46 Celsius) in several cities. The heat dome was expected to be center over the mid-South by the weekend.The heat added to weather-related woes for some Tennessee residents cities wh...

Maryland will begin recreational marijuana sales over the holiday weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland is becoming the latest state to legally sell recreational marijuana, as businesses aim to tap into July Fourth festivities to kick off sales. About 100 stores that already have been licensed to sell cannabis for medicinal purposes will be able to begin selling it recreationally Saturday, more than five years after the state started selling medical marijuana. “This is cannabis’ kind of Independence Day — over Independence Day weekend — and so it’s nice to be able to pull something together that makes it more of a celebratory occasion,” said Brandon Barksdale, co-CEO of Remedy Maryland, which has a superstore in Columbia. The Maryland law creates a “personal use amount” for people 21 and older to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis or a total amount of cannabis products that does not exceed 750 mg THC.People also can grow marijuana at home, including up to two plants out of public view. Medical patients wi...

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy meets Greta Thunberg and others to address the war’s effect on ecology

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Thursday with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and prominent European figures who are forming a working group to address ecological damage from the 16-month-old Russian invasion.The meeting in the Ukrainian capital came as fighting continued around the country. The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said two people were killed in the region’s capital in a Russian strike that hit residences, a medical facility and a school where residents were lined up to receive humanitarian aid. Another person was killed in a morning strike on the village of Bilzoerka, the regional prosecutor’s office said.The presidential office said Thursday morning that at least eight civilians died in Russian attacks during the previous 24 hours.The working group on the environment includes Thunberg, former Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Margot Wallström, European Parliament Vice President Heidi Hautala, an...

NATO members have tentative agreement to extend Secretary-General Stoltenberg’s tenure another year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO members have reached a tentative agreement to ask Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to remain head of the 31-member transatlantic alliance for another year, according to a U.S. official familiar with the decision.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision still needs to be finalized by alliance members. The much-anticipated decision to formally ask Stoltenberg to extend his tenure for another year is expected to happen relatively soon, the official said.NATO members are scheduled to hold their annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. President Joe Biden conveyed to Stoltenberg during their recent meeting at the White House that it was evident there wasn’t going to be consensus in the near term among NATO allies on picking a new permanent leader, the official said.Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014. His term was du...

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for LaSalle County; watch in effect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

A wide swath of the Midwest is outlooked by the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center for potential severe weather Thursday.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for LaSalle County until 1:45 p.m. Additionally, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for the most of the Chicago area through 5 p.m. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 5PM for most of the #Chicago area. Widespread wind gusts up to 80 mph are expected, scattered hail up to tennis ball size & a couple of tornadoes are possible. Have multiple ways to receive warnings this afternoon. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/3rINNq8qVV— Mike Janssen (@MikeJanssenWX) June 29, 2023A strong thunderstorm swept portions of Cook County just after 5 a.m.Another wave of showers and thunderstorms is to sweep into the area this afternoon with potentially more significant coverage than the storms which swept through portions of the Chicago metro area this morning. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm ...

Illinois elected leaders react to Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

CHICAGO  — Political leaders across Illinois are weighing in after the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, ending decades of precedent and starting a new ear in higher education.Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action in college admissions, says race cannot be a factorThe ruling has elicited reactions from some of Illinois' highest-ranking officials, with many slamming the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action.The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Affirmative Action is a travesty — reversing nearly 45 years of precedent that advances equity throughout our country’s higher education institutions.The damage caused to Black communities by slavery and Jim Crow Laws, to Hispanics and Native Americans by a legacy of discrimination and oppression has not nearly been reversed. For centuries, students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities were locked out of higher education — preventing upward mob...

Search for CPD's next superintendent down to 6 candidates: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The search for Chicago's next police superintendent is now down to six candidates. The Sun-Times reports the finalists include five police department veterans and an outsider who previously worked for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.  Johnson names former CPD chief Fred Waller interim superintendent Counterterrorism Chief Larry Snelling; his retired predecessor Ernest Cato, III; Street deputy Migdalia Bulnes; Constitutional policing and reform Chief Angel Novalez; Labor Relations Commander Donna Rowling; and Shon Barnes, the police chief in Madison, Wisconsin, who spent about a year as COPA's director of training and development. The new civilian oversight body in charge of leading the search has until July 14 to pick three finalists and send those names to Chicago Brandon Mayor Johnson.  Officer shortage a cause of concern for interim CPD boss amid crime spike The chosen candidate will replace interim police superintendent Fred Waller, who came out of ret...

Woman, 26, rescued from Lake Michigan: CPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 26-year-old woman was rescued from Lake Michigan by a CPD officer Thursday afternoon, police said. According to police, officers responded to a call of a person in the water near the 100 block of East LaSalle Street in Lake Michigan. Police said an officer jumped into lake Michigan with an emergency life raft and swam out to rescue the woman. Driver arrested after several fireworks found inside stolen U-Haul in Posen The woman and the officer were able to exit the water safely within minutes. The woman was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition. The officer was also transported to an area hospital in fair condition. There were no other injuries were reported. Chicago Police Department will be holding a press conference to discuss the incident Thursday afternoon.

See the Blackhawks' picks, trades on Day 2 of NHL Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

CHICAGO — After an exciting and historic first round on Monday, the Blackhawks still have plenty of selections to make on Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft. Going into the day, general manager Kyle Davidson had nine selections at his disposal to either keep or trade. WGN News Now is following all of the picks and moves on Thursday, and you can see updates throughout the day.1:30 p.m. - That's a wrap!Davidson and the Blackhawks wrapped up their 11-selection 2023 NHL Draft with a selection each in the sixth and seventh rounds. The team took their fifth center in the draft with the 167th overall selection they acquired from the Flyers earlier in the day, selecting Milton Oscarson from Orebro of the Swedish Hockey League. He also played with Sweden's U20 team in the World Junior Championships this year.With their 11th and final pick, the Blackhawks picked their first defenseman: Janne Peltonen of Karpat of Finland's SM-Sarja U20 league. Noon - Two more centers & forward join the Blackhawk...

What happens if bad weather hits the NASCAR Chicago Street Races?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Among the many variables for the first NASCAR race in downtown Chicago is, of course, the weather.While heat is commonplace at tracks for the stock car company around the country, what would happen if the event were hit by rain or severe storms during a race?As one might imagine, NASCAR already has a plan for those scenarios in order to get the two scheduled events - the Xfinity Series race on Saturday and the Cup Series race on Sunday - finished in full. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)What if it rains?On road and street courses, NASCAR has typically had the ability to run in the rain and will do so in Chicago should that happen on Saturday or Sunday, according to Chicago Street Race president Julie Giese.Special wet weather packages are available for the teams, which typically include rain tires along with a windshield wiper on the cars. NASCAR has run a few road and street course races in the rain in their history, including recently at the Cup Series event at Wa...