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Gypsy Rose Blanchard is free, reflects on prison term for conspiring to kill her abusive mother

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she has found a way to forgive her mother — and herself. But it has been a long journey from years of abuse and the darkest parts of her life splashed across tabloids to living in prison.Blanchard, now 32, was paroled last week from a Missouri women’s prison. Her release came 8 1/2 years after she persuaded her boyfriend at the time to kill her abusive mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard — in a desperate bid to be free of her. For years, her mother forced her to pretend that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses.“At first I was really angry with her, very confused. And I’m still confused,” Blanchard told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “But I understand that she had a lot of mental issues. And so I think that’s brought me to a place of forgiveness by just trying to understand where she was coming from. I don’t believe that she was evil.“I know, that she was very sick,” she cont...

Transat flight attendants reject tentative contract deal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

MONTREAL — Flight attendants at Air Transat have voted to reject a tentative deal with the Canadian leisure carrier.The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the 2,100 flight attendants at the airline, says more than 98 per cent of workers voted against the tentative contract reached Dec. 14. The union says it will be back at the bargaining table with Transat later this week.In November, Air Transat flight attendants voted to approve a strike mandate if a new contract cannot be reached.But CUPE says there is currently no timetable for a strike.The collective agreement for Air Transat’s flight attendants based at airports in Montreal and Toronto expired on Oct. 31, 2022.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2024.Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)The Canadian Press

Body of missing Florida woman found in retention pond after nearly 12 years, volunteer divers say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — A group of volunteer divers believe they have found the remains of a woman in a vehicle submerged in a retention pond near Walt Disney World, apparently solving a 12-year-old mystery about what happened to her.Divers from Sunshine State Sonar said they believe they found the remains of Sandra Lemire on Saturday while diving in a small retention pond at the Disney World exit on Interstate 4 in Kissimmee, Florida. Lemire disappeared in May 2012. She was last seen leaving a restaurant in Kissimmee, driving the minivan that was found.The group of divers had been searching for Lemire in 63 bodies of water over the last year and a half. Last week, a tip from an Orlando Police Department detective about the location of a cellphone tower that last received a call from Lemire’s phone helped them narrow the search to the retention pond, the group said in a statement on social media.“We located what appeared to be a minivan submerged in 14 feet of water,” the state...

Coach-to-player comms, sideline tablets tested in bowl games, but some schools decided to hold off

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

Billy Edwards Jr. became a test pilot of sorts for the type of helmet communication technology that might soon become commonplace in college football.And the Maryland quarterback was a fan.“I think overall it was good,” Edwards said after the Terrapins beat Auburn in the Music City Bowl. “On one of my runs down there at the goal line on I think the first or second drive, (offensive coordinator Josh) Gattis is up there, and most times I think I’m thinking the same thing he’s saying, but he was saying they were in like a stick coverage, kind of like a zero look, and he was like, ‘Pull, pull, pull it.’ He just confirmed what I was thinking.”In the aftermath of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal, the possibility of college teams using NFL-style communication technology has been viewed with a little more urgency. And with non-playoff bowls sometimes looking more like 2024 exhibition games than 2023 postseason games, teams have taken advantage of the opportunity to try out various d...

Kane County 'party mom' charged with DUI crash that injured kids

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

GENEVA, Ill. — A Geneva mother with a history of DUI charges and convictions – who described herself to officers as a “party mom” - has been charged in a new crash that injured two kids. She has already been released pending trial.Lisa Tegeler, 39, is charged with aggravated DUI, endangering the life of a child and possession of cannabis by a driver after a crash New Year’s night crash outside of Elburn. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office says Tegelar was driving when her car went off the road just before midnight and rolled on its side.  ‘We are not all bad’: Migrants stuck waiting at O’Hare, facing uncertain future in latest kick of ‘political football’ from Texas Two girls, ages 7 and 8, were inside at the time and sustained bruising and head injuries, according to the sheriff. A police report said testing revealed the alcohol concentration in Tegeler’s blood was .16, twice the legal limit and signs of cannabis in her system.This is the fourth time Tegeler has been charged with d...

25-year-old in the hospital after West Town shooting New Year's Day

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

CHICAGO — A man is in the hospital after a shooting in the city's West Town neighborhood on the morning of New Year's Day, according to the Chicago Police Department.Police said a 25-year-old man was standing in the 1600 block of West Ohio Street around 9:45 a.m. Monday when he noticed five unknown men standing down the street outside of a white vehicle. The 25-year-old got into his vehicle and attempted to drive away when he heard multiple gunshots and felt pain. According to police, he saw the five men enter the white vehicle and flee southbound on North Marshfield Avenue.The victim's roommate told WGN News he took him to the hospital after the shooting and the whole ordeal was a close call. According to the roommate, a bullet went through the hat the 25-year-old was wearing, but he wasn't hit and is doing okay. ‘Those officers were heroes’: 2 adults, toddler pulled to safety after crashing car into pond in Naperville Police said the victim declined treatment at the scene before...

Skilling: Chilly, possible flurries headed for Chicagoland

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

Finally—SUNSHINE TUESDAY!  In fact, Chicagoans saw 90% of the Tuesday (Jan 2's) possible sunshine-- a wonderful development after 8 of the past 13 days produced no sun at all.INTERESTING FACT: Earth will be closer to the Earth than at any time of the year at 6:38 pm CST Tuesday evening—approx 91.4 million miles from the sun. It's a moment astronomers refer to as the Perihelion.  At that time, the Earth will be 3-million miles closer to the sun than will be the case this July 5—the date on which Earth elliptical shaped orbit takes the planet farthest from the sun (over 94 million miles away.  Earth speeds up in its orbit when closer to the sun and since this happens in the midst of the northern hemispheric winter season, winters here are 5 days shorter than summers. That should make many happy!But clouds have been streaming in ahead of a Wednesday cold front which is to sink southward across the area bringing some flurries or a bit of light freezing drizzle in spots tonight—prec...

Chicago Bulls hopeful injured guard Zach LaVine can return to the lineup on Friday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine could return to the lineup as early as Friday's game against Charlotte if there are no setbacks in his recovery from a sore right foot.LaVine has not played since Nov. 28 and is testing out his foot this week in a rehab stint with the G League’s Windy City Bulls. A two-time All-Star, LaVine averaged 21 points in 18 games this season. The Bulls entered Tuesday's game in Philadelphia with a 10-5 record this season without LaVine — they were just 15-19 overall.Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Tuesday he was encouraged by LaVine's health reports following two days of practice with Windy City. LaVine was scheduled to practice at least one more time this week with the G League team. Cubs announce new manager Craig Counsell’s 2024 Major League coaching staff “The part that we're most concerned about is when he started having to do all that cutting, how he responded,” Donovan said. “He responded well. So now we've gotten through that and n...

Pastor repeatedly punched McDonald's worker who 'disrespected' his wife: NC police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A North Carolina pastor was arrested after reportedly attacking a worker at a McDonald's where his wife was training to be a manager. According to a police report, the wife of 57-year-old Dwayne Waden called him to the fast-food restaurant in High Point on Thursday, Dec. 28, because her co-worker was "disrespecting" her.Waden allegedly went inside the McDonald's and wrapped his hands around the co-worker's neck, pushing his head toward a deep fryer. The report also states that Waden repeatedly punched the victim in the face. Attempted kidnapping thwarted at Florida Walmart, video shows It took several employees to pull Waden off the victim, who had a "large contusion" on his forehead and right eye, as well as scratches on his neck, according to the report. EMS checked out the victim at the scene, but his family drove him to a hospital for treatment.The High Point Police Department said officers saw surveillance video of the incident and charged Waden wit...

Hutto ISD hoping to add more police officers with cadet academy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — School districts around Central Texas are working to get more armed officers on campus.It's the result of a new Texas law to increase safety on campuses, but many districts are finding it hard to fill all the positions.House Bill 3, or HB 3, which passed last summer, required school districts to have an armed officer on every campus."So we have doubled our size," said Hutto Independent School District Police Chief William Edwards. "We need six more full time officers at this particular time."In April, the district will begin its cadet academy program to train safety officers into full time Hutto ISD police officers.Candidates would start as campus safety officers then move to a cadet. Finally, if it all goes well, they would become Hutto ISD police officers. Schools struggle to find money, hire more officers after lawmakers gut safety bill "They can go from the safety aspect to the police aspect and stay within the same district," Williams said.Williams said p...