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Students meet under trees as schools shelter villagers displaced by Philippine volcano

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

MALILIPOT, Philippines (AP) — Nearly 20,000 people have fled from an erupting Philippine volcano and taken shelter in schools, disrupting education for thousands of students, many of whom are having classes in chapels and tents or under trees, officials said Friday.The Mayon volcano in northeastern Albay province, one of the deadliest of 24 active volcanoes across the Philippine archipelago, began expelling lava late Sunday in a gentle eruption that has not caused any injuries or death. But it could drag on for months and cause a prolonged humanitarian crisis, officials warned.Most of those forced to evacuate live in farming villages within a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) radius of the volcano’s crater that has long been designated as a permanent danger zone but has been home to thriving communities for generations.The evacuees were directed to more than 20 emergency shelters, which are mostly grade and high school campuses. Every classroom has turned into an overcrowded sanctuary for seve...

Chicago Police Board fires sergeant in charge of Anjanette Young raid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Board of Police have relieved the sergeant in charge of the wrongful raid of Anjanette Young's home in 2019.On Feb. 21, 2019, Sergeant Alex Wolinski led a team of officers to execute a search warrant at a residents on the 100 block of Hermitage Avenue in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.CPD reported that they were executing a search warrant to seize a "black semi-auto handgun, ammunition, and articles or documents establishing residency, any locked containers and any other illegal contraband which have been used in the commission or, or which constitute evidence of the offense of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon."But, their information was wrong. ORIGINAL: ‘No one should have to experience that’: Chicago wrong raid victim speaks out after footage released According to CPD, a man arrested in 2022 for allegedly throwing heroin from a car owned by the Chicago Police Department’s Chief of Internal Affairs was the same person who provided the police with bad i...

2 hospitalized after I-290 shooting, investigation ongoing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

CHICAGO -- Two people have been hospitalized following an expressway shooting on I-290 Thursday evening.According to the Illinois State Police Department, troopers responded around 2:45 p.m. Thursday on reports of an expressway shooting on I-290 near the Kedzie Avenue exit.Two people were shot and both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. The extent of their injuries are unknown at this time.ISP reports that the shooting occurred on a ramp on the Eisenhower Expressway. Taxi driver sentenced to 25 years for sexual assault of passenger We spoke to the driver of the black sedan who said he was rear ended by the white car, that's when another vehicle drove up and someone fired shots into the vehicle that hit him. He was able to duck down and was uninjured.The expressway from I-290 eastbound to Homan was closed while police conducted their investigation.No further information has been made available at this time.According to the Illinois State Police, there have been 69 expressway shoot...

Search underway for missing North Side man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 58-year-old who was last seen on Monday, June 12.Joseph Schramm, 58, was reported missing from the 1300 block of West Winona Street on Chicago's North Side on Monday, June 12. Search underway for missing elderly man who may need medical attention Schramm is described as 6-foot, weighing 120 pounds, with blonde/gray hair and blue eyes. He reportedly may be driving in a red 2009 Honda with Illinois license plater number VLP906.Anyone with information regarding Joseph Schramm's whereabouts are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-744-8266.

'The Last of Us' haunted house coming to Universal Studios

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

(KTLA) — Guests of Universal Studios will get to live out the beloved post-apocalyptic video game (and HBO series) “The Last of Us” in real life this Halloween season.The theme park announced Thursday that the award-winning game set in an America ravaged by a deadly fungus will come to life in a brand-new haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights beginning on Sept. 7. Google’s $23M settlement: How to file a claim and how much you may get “The world inside the game offers a multitude of suspenseful and horrifying opportunities to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found at Halloween Horror Nights,” said John Murdy, executive producer of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.The brand-new haunted house will be at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando in Florida.Opening night of Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights, in Universal City, California, on Sept. 8, 2022. Pictured is a recreation of the home of serial kille...

State girls lacrosse semifinal: Benilde-St. Margaret’s 14, Lakeville South 13

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

Benilde-St. Margaret’s gave Lakeville South one of its toughest battles in the regular season, with the state’s top-ranked team eventually emerging with a 16-9 victory in early May.The Cougars were well aware of just how good the Red Knights were. It’s why Lakeville South coach Joel Tornell continued to rank the Red Knights so highly with his coaches’ poll vote throughout the spring.And after Thursday’s state semifinals, everyone across the state now also knows just how good Benilde-St. Margaret’s is. The fifth-seeded Red Knights stunned the undefeated, defending state champion Cougars 14-13 at Stillwater Area High School.Junior midfielder Lauren Hillis potted the game-winner with 10 seconds to play. Benilde-St. Margaret’s will meet Edina in the state title game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Stillwater. Both schools will be making their first title game appearance.“This is incredible. We just changed everything in our history at Benilde-St. Margaret’s,” said senior midfielder Fayedra Van...

Online auction for loan on Famous Barr building; what it means for the future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

ST. LOUIS - There’s a big, new development regarding the former Famous Barr department store in downtown St. Louis.According to the notice for an upcoming online auction, it may lead to new ownership and maybe even a rooftop swimming pool.The auction is not for the sale of the actual 110-year-old Famous Barr/Railway Exchange building. Instead, it’s for the sale of a nonperforming loan on the building. The purchase of the loan and the debt owed on that loan sets the state for the successful buyer to gain control of the building and the shut-down parking garage across the street.The auction site calling it a “rare opportunity” to “obtain title” to the historic, 21-story, 1.2 million-square-foot architectural gem. It occupies an entire square block in the heart of downtown bordered by Olive, Locust, 6th, and 7th streets. The minimum bid is set at $3.5 million. A Missouri doctor’s death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities aren’t talking The auction site touts existing p...

Tributes flowing for former Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert  

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Former Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert lost a seven-month battle with cancer this week. He was 67.Family and friends said the former mayor will be known for how much he cared about the Belleville community and for helping the city reach its potential.“He saw potential, and he saw characteristics in people they didn’t even see in themselves,” said Sarah Biermann, current Belleville treasurer.She credits Eckert for inspiring her to run for office.“He lived, ate, breathed the city of Belleville,” Biermann said.Black bunting was draped over the front of Eckert Florist on Thursday. The former mayor was one of the owners of the flower shop. He leaves behind a wife, four children, and four grandchildren. A Missouri doctor’s death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities aren’t talking Friends said as mayor, Eckert would routinely drive the streets before dawn to see if any issues needed to be addressed.“He went on a spell where he walked every ward,” said Deacon...

Fowler, Schauffele break US Open record with 62s at Los Angeles Country Club

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rickie Fowler can always say he was the first to shoot 62 in the U.S. Open.But only by about 15 minutes.Xander Schauffele soon matched him on the North course at Los Angeles Country Club with an 8-under 62 of his own, making Thursday a most extraordinary day for scoring in the major known as the toughest test in golf.Tough meant keeping track of all the birdies in the lowest opening round of scoring in U.S. Open history.“It’s not really what you expect playing a U.S. Open,” Schauffele said. “But monkey see, monkey do. Was just chasing Rickie up the leaderboard. Glad he was just in front me.”Those who came behind them in the afternoon were on the cusp of joining them. Dustin Johnson hit all 13 fairways — a scary thought for the rest of the field — and had a chance at 62 until his 5-iron on the par-3 ninth went into a bunker next to the 18th green. That led to his only bogey and a somew...

Denver school board reverses 2020 ban on police in schools, paving way for long-term return of SROs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:11 GMT

A divided Denver school board on Thursday reversed its 2020 policy prohibiting armed police on campuses, paving the way for officers’ long-term return in a move that capped months of debate over how to respond to the shooting inside East High School. The seven-member board was split in its decision, voting 4-3 to reinstate school resource officers, or SROs, at Denver Public Schools following the temporary suspension of its ban earlier this spring.In doing so, Colorado’s largest school district has joined a handful of others across the United States in rolling back policies enacted amid the national racial reckoning that occurred three years ago after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis.The policy adopted on Thursday supersedes the board’s 2020 resolution and directs Superintendent Alex Marrero to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Denver Police Department regarding the presence of officers on both district-run and ch...