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Skilling: It's official, Chicago area in a 'severe drought'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

It's Thursday which means the new "drought monitor" is in, offering our country's official assessment of drought conditions. It places much of the Chicago metro area in a state of "severe drought." That's a upgrade from the "moderate drought" assessed in last week's report.The upgrade in drought severity is little wonder. Even with the wonderful rain that fell over portions of our area Tuesday (which, by the way, isn't taken into account by the latest drought monitor analysis which looks at the precip situation going into this past Monday. It's worth noting the Tuesday rains for all intents and purposes bypassed many sections of the area)--Chicago's O'Hare's precip deficit illustrates the continuing moisture deficit. The precip shortfall since mid-April is running at more than 6" since April 1.Even with Tuesday's 0.54" at O'Hare--the site's total rainfall since April 1 amounts to only 4.20"---not even close to the 10.22" which is considered normal from April 1 through today (June 15...

Richard Allen's potentially 'incriminating' statements become focus of hearing in Delphi murder case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. – Defense attorneys and prosecutors made arguments in court Thursday about statements previously made by Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen.Allen faces two counts of murder in the February 2017 deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German.Allen, looking gaunt, appeared in court Thursday in a yellow jumpsuit. During the hearing, defense attorneys indicated that Allen had made self-incriminating statements linking him to the girls' deaths. Prosecutor Nick McLeland agreed Allen had “made admissions.” Attorneys challenge method linking Richard Allen to unspent round at crime scene However, Allen's attorneys argued the statements couldn’t be trusted because of their client’s mental state. They want him moved out of Westville Correctional Facility to a county jail for his mental health and wellbeing.His defense team suggested Allen has made "inconsistent" statements since his arrest and attributed them to the stress of his captivity and his increasing difficulty in communicati...

Floor from Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Final up for auction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

CHICAGO -- From timeless sneakers to iconic jerseys, the Michael Jordan memorabilia remains as some of Chicago's most cherished collections -- with a new addition, a piece of the court he played his final game on. Michael's Jordan's 1998 NBA Final championship ranks as the most watched finals series in history and you too, can own apart of it. The end of ‘The Last Dance’: Remembering the 25th Anniversary of the Bulls’ most recent championship Piece of court floor of Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Final championshipThe chunk of wood is stripped from the court floor of the Delta Center in Salt Lake City and is autographed by the Six-time NBA Champion. The piece has been authenticated by an Upper Deck Authenticated representative producing only 223 of the framed pieces. The 8x10 piece of the court from is up for auction by PWCC and showcases a tri-color section of the championship game floor along with a photo of Jordan taking 'The Last Shot.'The signed piece of wood is running at a bid ...

FDA advisers consider changing COVID vaccine to target latest omicron strain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

The COVID-19 vaccines are on track for a big recipe change this fall.Today’s vaccines still contain the original coronavirus strain, the one that started the pandemic — even though that was long ago supplanted by mutated versions as the virus rapidly evolves.Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration's scientific advisers reviewed whether the next round of shots in the U.S. should only include protection against the newest variants that are now dominant worldwide — a branch of the omicron family tree named XBB.While infections have declined, the virus could be a real concern next winter, FDA's vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said as the daylong meeting began.“We’re concerned that we may have another wave of COVID-19 during a time when the virus has further evolved, immunity of the population has waned further, and we move indoors for wintertime,” he said.Here are some things to know:WHY ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOTS?The FDA told Americans to expect an updated fall vaccine against COVID-19, j...

Cracker Barrel customers 'completely shocked' after prank on manager goes viral

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

(WJW/NEXSTAR) – A couple of Cracker Barrel customers in Georgia are going viral for their attempts to update the décor at a local restaurant.On Sunday, best friends Ashley Zessin Shelley and Darcy Gashwiler visited a nearby Cracker Barrel, but they had more than chicken 'n dumplings on their minds: They were there to hide a photo of themselves on the restaurant's mantel."This all started as a joke," Shelley told Nexstar. "We have a friend that just became a manager at our Cracker Barrel here in town. We thought it would be funny for him to find the picture and see it was us." Food delivery fees add up. Who keeps the money from all those surcharges? A photo of best friends Ashley Zessin Shelley and Darcy Gashwiler, which the duo placed among the decorations at a Georgia Cracker Barrel. (Ashley Zessin Shelley)In a video Gashwiler later posted to TikTok, Shelley can be seen getting up from her table and — as inconspicuously as she can — placing a framed black-and-white photo of herse...

The richest person in Illinois, according to Forbes, is probably not who you think

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Can you name the richest person in your state? Unless you have a billion dollars in your bank account, we can promise it isn’t you. As of 2023, nearly every state has a billionaire resident, according to Forbes, which released its list of the wealthiest people in the U.S. for the first time since 2019 on Thursday.The youngest person on the list is Illinois’ 36-year-old Lukas Walton, who has gained his wealth as part of the family that owns Walmart. Alternatively, the oldest billionaire is 93-year-old Annette Lerner of Maryland, the widow of Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner. Forbes notes her source of wealth is real estate. Only three states are without a billionaire, as of June 2023: Alaska, Delaware and West Virginia. This wasn’t always the case for the latter, the outlet explains, pointing to Gov. Jim Justice, who lost his status as the result of heavy debts two years ago.Lacking a billionaire isn’t a problem for other states, especially California, Flor...

Kirk Cousins content as lame-duck quarterback, plus more takeaways from Vikings minicamp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

Throughout his NFL career, Kirk Cousins has learned to embrace life as a lame-duck quarterback. He grew accustomed to playing on a franchise tag before finally signing a fully guaranteed contract with the Vikings, and while he has signed a couple of contract extensions since then, he currently is without a commitment beyond this season.Not that Cousins seems too concerned. He talked to reporters last month and emphasized his willingness to prove himself.“There should never be entitlement,” Cousins said at the time. “You’ve always got to go play.”He doubled down on Wednesday as the Vikings wrapped up their mandatory minicamp at TCO Performance Center. Asked if there’s been any progress regarding a contract extension, the 34-year-old quarterback noted that he hasn’t had any discussions with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as of late.“I think we’ll probably talk about the contract next March,” Cousins said. “Until then, just focus on this season and the...

Annual fishing derby in Butte draws over 150 kids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe Picture Butte Fish and Game’s Annual Fishing Derby in memory of Eddy Stroeve was held on June 3, marking the 15th year of the event.The 2023 event reported a massive turnout with 156 kids registering with the hopes of reeling in the day’s best catch. The 2023 derby had the highest number of registrants following last year’s record-breaking 135 participants. Feeding in from Keho Lake, the reservoir is home to Northern Pike, Whitefish, and Walleye. The fishing derby has been an annual mainstay at the Picture Butte Reservoir in town since 2004.The event took place over two hours, and 20 fish were caught, measured, and released. In addition to showcasing their fishing skills, the derby was an opportunity for participants to win prizes and enjoy the sun. A total of five grand prizes were presented to participants during the event.The biggest fish caught during the derby measured 68.5cm (27 inches) and was caught by Sarah Van Maanen. Candice de Kok caug...

Seniors thanked for contributions at various celebrations last week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsA number of events were held across Lethbridge County as part of Senior’s Week.The week of celebrations ran from June 5-11 and kicked off on June 5 at the Sunny South Lodge in Coaldale for a pancake breakfast. With the cooperation of the weather, the event was hosted in the parking lot with proceeds going to the Resident Activity Fund.Hosted by the Coaldale Seniors’ Advisory Committee, with sponsorship from FCSS and the Coaldale Wellness Association, a seniors luncheon was held at the Coaldale Curling Rink on June 7. Opening up the event was John Carstairs, a senior and educator who spoke to the guests in attendance, (of which there was over 30), taking them down memory lane, discussing some of the most monumental cultural shifts and technical advances that have taken place in many of their lifetimes.Carstairs phrased this as “changes we have all survived.” Speaking on the significant advances in computing, Carstairs talked a bit about ENIAC (1946), t...

Habitat for Humanity announces the completion of six new affordable homes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:56 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Habitat for Humanity Capital District has completed six new affordable homes on Orange Street in Albany. The homes were made possible in part through the American Rescue Plan Act Grant Program. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “Having a safe, affordable home of your own provides stability and opportunity. It also helps ensure that our region remains a place where everyone can afford a safe place to live,” said Christine Schudde, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity Capital District.Since 2013, Habitat for Humanity has built or rehabbed 56 units in Albany's Sheridan Hollow neighborhood. The units were all sold at affordable prices to first-time buyers.“Three-quarters of our Albany for All ARPA grant funding – approximately $18 million – is being awarded for projects that will create affordable housing, affordable homeownership, community spaces, and direct services in Albany’s neighborhoods of h...