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Toddler dead after falling from high rise balcony on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A toddler has died after falling from a high rise balcony on the South Side Tuesday.According to the Chicago Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the 500 block of East 33rd Place on the report of a person who fell around 12 p.m. on Tuesday. Postal worker attacked in attempted armed robbery in River Grove The Chicago Fire Department found a small toddler, believed to be a girl, who fell from a balcony. Authorities did not say what floor she fell from.The toddler was transported to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition, but were later pronounced dead.No further information has been provided at this time.WGN News will update this story once more information becomes available.

Northwestern University president announces new measures amidst hazing scandal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — For the first time in over a week, the leader of Northwestern University is speaking out as a football hazing scandal continues to make national headlines.President Michael Schill released a letter to the faculty and staff of the university on Tuesday afternoon in which he said he intends "to do whatever is necessary to address this situation" in the athletic department.In doing so, he announced a pair of external reviews that will take place, with the first concerning the school's "accountability mechanism" along with its ability to detect threats to student-athletes. Northwestern will also have an outside firm look at the culture of athletics at the school and "its relationship to the academic mission." First lawsuit filed in Northwestern hazing scandal Schill said that both will be conducted with feedback from faculty, staff, and students at the school and will be made publicly available.This comes as the hazing scandal with the football program has led to the ...

VIDEO: Security camera footage shows slide falling from plane on NW Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A day after an emergency slide fell off of an United Airlines flight into a Northwest Side backyard, new video has surfaced showing the moment the debris came flying out of the sky."We heard this loud boom,” said local resident Sam Deane Monday, recalling the moment the slide hit the ground in his backyard.According to the Chicago Police Department, officers were called to a home in the 4700 block of North Chester near the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Cumberland Avenue around 12:15 p.m. Monday, where plane debris had fallen from the sky, causing slight damage to the home.After officers arrived on scene, the derbis was removed from the backyard and loaded into a pickup truck before being taken away. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: “We heard this loud boom:” Plane debris falls into backyard of Far Northwest Side home According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), maintenance workers at O’Hare discovered an emergency evacuation slide was missing from a United Airlines Bo...

Taco John's abandons Taco Tuesday trademark, issues challenge to Taco Bell

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

(NewsNation) — Fast food chain Taco John's has been home to Taco Tuesday for 40 years, but now the company is abandoning its claim to the famous phrase. The company is also using the move to draw attention to a nonprofit organization that supports restaurant workers.Since May, Taco John's has been involved in a legal battle with rival chain Taco Bell, who challenged the company's registration of the "Taco Tuesday" saying, which Taco John's has held since 1989 (in every state except New Jersey). Taco Bell also enlisted the help of basketball star LeBron James, who previously tried to trademark "Taco Tuesday" himself."We've always prided ourselves on being the home of Taco Tuesday, but paying millions of dollars to lawyers to defend our mark just doesn't feel like the right thing to do," Jim Creel, the CEO of Taco John's, said. Bride feeds 99 wedding guests for $1,950 by ordering from fast-casual chain The company has also pledged to donate $40,000 to Children of Restaurant Employee...

DeSantis on Trump Jan. 6 probe: 'I hope he doesn't get charged'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Tuesday said he hopes former President Trump doesn't get charged in the Justice Department's investigation into Trump's efforts to stay in office after losing the 2020 presidential election. “I don’t think it serves us good to have a presidential election focused on what happened four years ago in January," DeSantis told CNN's Jake Tapper in his first sitdown interview with a major non-conservative news network this campaign cycle. "I don’t wanna look back,” he continued. “I do not wanna see him — I hope he doesn’t get charged. I don’t think it’ll be good for the country. But at the same time I’ve gotta focus on looking forward, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”DeSantis's comments come hours after Trump said he received a "target letter" on Sunday evening from special counsel Jack Smith, who's leading the federal probe into the events of Jan. 6, 2021. “Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again it was...

Officials responding to wildfire near Buda subdivision

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Multiple first responders were called to assist with a wildfire in the Ruby Ranch subdivision in west Buda near Montgomery Court on Tuesday, the Hays County Office of Emergency Management (HCOEM) said on social media.At this time, officials said the fire is limited to a roughly 30-acre area.Shortly before 3 p.m., HCOEM said the Texas Wildland Task Force responded, as well as Travis County Starflight for water drops. All Hays County ESDs are also assisting Buda Fire Dept./ESD #8, EMS and Hays County Office of Emergency Services (CERT) for firefighter rehab, HCOEM said. At approximately 3:31 p.m., officials closed FM 967 from Ruby Ranch Road to 6025 FM 967 to allow emergency vehicles easier access to battle the wildfire in the neighborhood, HCOEM said.Although no structures are currently in danger, officials said four home were evacuated out of an abundance of caution.If more people are asked to leave their homes, information ...

Texas House Speaker responds to Paxton impeachment criticism in one-on-one interview

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

Editor's Note: This interview happened before Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a sweeping gag order on all parties involved in the impeachment trial.AUSTIN (Nexstar) — In the weeks following the Texas House's historic vote to impeach now-suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, some of the 121 Republicans who voted yes have faced political backlash — many are already facing primary opponents in their districts and vocal opposition from more conservative leaders around the state.When the House voted to suspend Paxton on 20 articles of impeachment on May 27, divisions between conservatives were brought to the surface. Top Republicans — including former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz — attempted to make last-minute appeals to House Republicans. Trump called members "Republicans in name only" and directly called out Gov. Greg Abbott, accusing him of not doing enough to protect Paxton in the first place. Cruz defended Paxton's record as the "strongest conservative AG," writ...

Man sentenced to 35 years in prison for 2022 aggravated assault of police officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- On July 12, a Hays County jury found a 63-year-old man guilty for assaulting a police officer in 2022 in Kyle and sentenced him to 35 years in prison, according to a news release from the Hays County Criminal District Attorney.Elias Villarreal was found guilty on charges of aggravated assault against a public servant and resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, the release said.Evidence showed that on Feb. 20, 2022, the Kyle Police Department responded to the intersection of Quail Ridge Road and East Post Road for a verbal disturbance between a man and woman, according to the DA's office. Officers arrived on the scene and saw Villarreal wielding a metal pipe.When law enforcement arrived, Villarreal jumped over a fence and struck a patrol vehicle several times, the release said. Furthermore, officers repeated orders to Villarreal multiple times to drop the weapon. Officers used a stun gun to stop Villarreal's aggressive behavior, the release said, but he th...

Austin crossing guard applications increase following $20 city minimum wage increase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 18, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin aims to hire dozens of crossing guards this summer to help safely guide students to and from school — and a council vote last summer to increase the city's minimum wage might make this latest hiring process a bit easier.The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department's Safe Routes to School Crossing Guard Program is looking to hire roughly 35 crossing guards ahead of the 2023-24 school year. Overall, the program features more than 200 crossing guards and supervisors who service 97 elementary schools within Austin ISD and six area school districts.Leti Richardson, crossing guard manager with the program, said she's seen an increase in interest among applicants this go around, now that the $20 minimum wage for city employees has taken effect. TRENDING NOW: Texas is the worst state to live and work, according to CNBC analysis "That's like $1,000 a month more for an...

A 'Classic' and a 'Rivalry': UT football games against Alabama, Oklahoma get new looks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — When the Texas Longhorns head to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sept. 9, the game will have a made-for-television name.The matchup will be the inaugural Allstate Crossbar Classic, which is intended to promote a "bowl-style atmosphere" for a marquee early-season game. The Longhorns and Crimson Tide meet in Week 2 of the college football season at 6 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersLearfield, a marketing company that represents NCAA football along with 200 colleges and universities including Texas, is behind the branding of not only this game but also the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry game played during the State Fair of Texas at the Cotton Bowl.Allstate is also the title sponsor of the game, branded once again as the Red River Rivalry after several iterations previously, most ...