Mayor Johnson vows urgency addressing migrant crisis, dodges questions about chaos at City Hall

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Mayor Johnson vows urgency addressing migrant crisis, dodges questions about chaos at City Hall CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday was once again pressed about the city's ongoing migrant housing issue.Since August 2022, the city has received more than 20,000 new arrivals. As the city enters its coldest months, many remain out in the cold."Winter is coming. Everyone knows that," Johnson said. "The weather has been somewhat patient with us. But that’s not going to last. We have to move with the type of urgency that is required at this moment." Brighton Park residents file lawsuit against city, mayor over proposed migrant camp site As of Friday morning, more than 2,700 migrants await placement at police stations. At O'Hare, 503 people seek homes. At Midway, one lone shelter seeker remains."My concern is the fact that we have pregnant women who are sleeping outside...we have children laying on floors," Johnson said. "We have political dynamics that have forced the type of massive population shift that has had a tremendous impact on our local economy. Of cours...

White Sox decline team option on Liam Hendriks' contract

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

White Sox decline team option on Liam Hendriks' contract CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have declined their team option on Liam Hendriks' contract, making him a free agent, according to a press release from the team Friday.The New York Posts' Jon Heyman tweeted Friday that the White Sox declined Hendriks' $15 million option, but contractual obligations will still pay him the $15 million, it will just be deferred over time.According to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine, the exit option will pay Hendriks $1.5 million each year for the next ten years.The decision comes less than 24 hours after Hendriks was voted American League (AL) Comeback Player of the Year by a panel of his peers through the Major League Baseball Players' Association. Liam Hendriks wins AL Comeback Player of the Year Hendriks posted a 2-0 record with a save and 5.40 ERA across five games pitched last year before being shutdown for the year to have replacement surgery on the UCL in his throwing arm.In two-plus seasons with the South Siders, Hendriks posted a 14-7 record wit...

Skilling: Showers expected for Chicagoland Friday night

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Skilling: Showers expected for Chicagoland Friday night It's been another mild day—in fact, the first day of the past 7 to produce an ABOVE AVERAGE DAYTIME TEMP in Chicago.--High temps have hit 58-deg at the airports—a reading 3-deg above normal.The opening three days of November have been quite cool—especially in comparison to last year. When today's temps are factored in, Nov 1-3, 2023 will have averaged 3.7-deg below normal---a full 15-deg colder than the opening three days of November a year ago—The HIGH TEMP ON NOV 3rd a year ago was 73-deg----15 deg warmer than today.Extensive cloudiness and a broad area of light rain and sprinkles is making its way across northern Illinois ahead of a wind-shifting cold front which will pass the Chicago area later tonight. Winds at that time will shift from the north/northeast by morning—and continue through the first day of the weekend.This will introduce modestly cooler air with highs Saturday holding to 55 inland and to the low 50s along Lake Michigan.But the brief period of north/northeast wind...

Despite global uncertainties, Obama argues case for hope at Democracy Forum

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Despite global uncertainties, Obama argues case for hope at Democracy Forum CHICAGO — Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were back in Chicago on Friday to head up this year's Democracy Forum at McCormack Place.The discussion takes place on the 15th anniversary of Obama’s first presidential election.No longer in the White House, the 44th President of the United States continues to look for other ways to make an impact. The forum is an effort, in part, to foster new leadership, especially among young people — and strengthen democracy.  President Biden to visit Illinois next week Friday's event comes at a precarious moment in history as authoritarian leaders around the world seek to destroy democracy. In the US, polarized political parties refuse to compromise, most would agree, paralyzed by dysfunction and negativity. Despite the fear and uncertainty, Obama argues there’s still a case for hope. "It is hard to feel hopeful. The images of families mourning, of bodies being pulled from rubble, force a moral reckoning on all of us," Oba...

Calumet City tickets reporter for asking too many questions, in latest First Amendment dustup

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Calumet City tickets reporter for asking too many questions, in latest First Amendment dustup SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Officials in a suburban Chicago community have issued municipal citations to a local news reporter for what they say were persistent contacts with city officials seeking comment on treacherous fall flooding. The tickets from Calumet City, a city of 35,000 located 24 miles (39 kilometers) south of Chicago, allege “interference/hampering of city employees" by Hank Sanders, a reporter for the Daily Southtown, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.It's the latest of several recent First Amendment dust-ups involving city officials and news outlets around the country, following this week's arrest of a small-town Alabama newspaper publisher and reporter after reporting on a grand jury investigation of a school district, and the August police raid of a newspaper and its publisher's home in Kansas tied to an apparent dispute a restaurant owner had with the paper. 2 teens charged in shooting death of 86-year-old man in Auburn Gresham Sanders reported in an Oct. 20 sto...

Epaulette shark at Brookfield Zoo born via asexual reproduction

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Epaulette shark at Brookfield Zoo born via asexual reproduction CHICAGO — The Brookfield Zoo has welcomed an epaulette shark pup to its team, but this baby shark's family tree is missing a few branches.According to the zoo, the female shark pup, who hatched on Monday, Aug. 23, was born through parthenogenesis, which is "when an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg cell."Zoo officials say the pup's mother has not been housed with a male since she arrived at the facility in 2019 when she was 3 years old. Zoo officials say epaulette sharks reach sexual maturity at around 7 years of age. $400K winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket sold at 7-Eleven in Palos Heights Animal care staff at the zoo say the mother shark began laying between two and four eggs each month starting in 2022, which was typically infertile, but one egg laid within that period was fertile and after a five-month incubation period, the baby shark pup finally hatched. Staff say they believe the female shark was able to produce the fertile egg without needing to be fertilized by a male...

Shark surprises Illinois zookeepers by reproducing without a male

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Shark surprises Illinois zookeepers by reproducing without a male CHICAGO (WGNTV) — The Brookfield Zoo has welcomed an epaulette shark pup to its team, but this baby shark's family tree is missing a few branches.According to the zoo, the female shark pup, who hatched on Monday, Aug. 23, was born through parthenogenesis, which is "when an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg cell."Zoo officials say the pup's mother has not been housed with a male since she arrived at the facility in 2019 when she was 3 years old. Zoo officials say epaulette sharks reach sexual maturity at around 7 years of age. $400K winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket sold at 7-Eleven in Palos Heights Animal care staff at the zoo say the mother shark began laying between two and four eggs each month starting in 2022, which was typically infertile, but one egg laid within that period was fertile and after a five-month incubation period, the baby shark pup finally hatched. Staff say they believe the female shark was able to produce the fertile egg without needing to be fertilized b...

Target offering Thanksgiving meal for under $25 – here's what comes with it

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Target offering Thanksgiving meal for under $25 – here's what comes with it (KSWB) – With Halloween in the rearview mirror, the next holiday Americans have their eyes on is Thanksgiving.Putting together a Thanksgiving feast isn't cheap for the average consumer. However, Target on Wednesday announced it is featuring a turkey day meal for four that is under $25 online and in-store, the retail corporation said on its website.The deal includes a 10-pound frozen Good & Gather Premium Basted Young Turkey, a 5-pound bag of Good & Gather Russet Potatoes, a 14.5-ounce bag of Good & Gather Cut Green Beans, a 22-ounce can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, a 14-ounce can of Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce, a 6-ounce box of Stove Top Turkey Stuffing Mix and a 12-ounce jar of Heinz HomeStyle Roasted Turkey Gravy. The pre-tax total for the meal comes out to $23.24, according to Target's online prices. Two SuperLotto Plus tickets worth over $15K sold in Southern California "We know our guests are looking for incredible value and ease as the...

Twin brothers suing NCAA in federal court over eligibility dispute involving NIL compensation

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Twin brothers suing NCAA in federal court over eligibility dispute involving NIL compensation CHICAGO (AP) — Twin brothers have sued the NCAA in federal court, alleging they were ruled ineligible because of compensation they received for use of their name, image and likeness while they were playing for an Atlanta prep sports academy.The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Matthew Bewley and Ryan Bewley, 19-year-old twins from Florida, in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Wednesday. The Bewleys played for Overtime Elite Academy for two seasons before accepting scholarships from Chicago State University in June.The brothers are seeking damages and an injunction that would clear them to play for the Cougars, who visit Bowling Green on Monday night for their season opener. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman scheduled a hearing for Tuesday in the case. ‘I’ve just been locked in:’ Justin Fields answers questions on thumb injury recovery after Bears practice Daniel McGrath, one of the lawyers representing the Bewleys, declined comment when asked if he had anything to add beyond the ...

Can daylight saving time seriously affect your health? The answer is yes, and here's how

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:38:20 GMT

Can daylight saving time seriously affect your health? The answer is yes, and here's how CHICAGO (AP) — Brunch dates and flag football games might be a little easier to get to this Sunday, when phones grace early risers with an extra hour of rest before alarm clocks go off.The downside: Next week across most of the U.S., the sun will set well before many folks step foot out of the office, leaving them to run errands or take walks in utter darkness. Come Nov. 5, daylight saving time is out and standard time is in and will last until March 10.No need to wait till the midnight hour to prepare for the time change that clocks in early Sunday, when 2 a.m. becomes 1 a.m. Before bed beckons Saturday night, rewind the clock on the microwave, oven, car, or any other device not yet clever enough to make the leap on its own.Besides scheduling stumbles and sleep habit disruptions, experts say the twice-yearly ritual can have more serious effects on human health.Many Americans are already sleep-deprived, and a change in time messes with sleep schedules even more, says Dr. Phyllis Zee...