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Bill Richardson, a former governor and UN ambassador who worked to free detained Americans, dies

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bill Richardson, a two-term Democratic governor of New Mexico and a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who dedicated his post-political career to working to free Americans detained overseas, has died. He was 75.The Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which he founded and led, said in a statement Saturday that he died in his sleep at his home in Chatham, Massachusetts.“He lived his entire life in the service of others — including both his time in government and his subsequent career helping to free people held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad,” said Mickey Bergman, the center’s vice president. “There was no person that Gov. Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom. The world has lost a champion for those held unjustly abroad and I have lost a mentor and a dear friend.”Before his election in 2002 as governor, Richardson was U.N. ambassador and energy secretary under President Bill Clinton and ser...

Hurricane Idalia looters arrested as residents worry about more burglaries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

HORSESHOE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two people were charged with looting a home damaged by Hurricane Idalia in Florida’s Big Bend region, as residents’ concerns grew that burglars could be tempted to hit other hurricane-ravaged homes since law enforcement is stretched thin in the remote, wooded area along the Gulf Coast.Some residents of Horseshoe Beach, Florida, one of the communities hardest hit after Idalia made landfall Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane, urged law enforcement to set up checkpoints where people would have to show identification in order to get into the town.Marina worker Kerry Ford had high praise for local law enforcement’s response to the hurricane but wished more would be done to keep out people who don’t belong in Horseshoe Beach.The authorities “did really good,” Ford said. “Now, the only thing I’ve seen where they’ve dropped the ball is you can come right into Horseshoe without showing you’re a resident or anything like that. That’s a pro...

Saturday Forecast: Low 90s, lots of sunshine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

Saturday:  Mostly sunny, breezy & getting hot. SW 10-25 mph. Air quality is in the Good category. High 92, not much lakeside coolingSaturday Night: Mostly clear & warm. SW 5-10 mph. Low near 70 in the city, 60s suburbs.Sunday: Mostly sunny & hot. Heat index near 100. SW 5-15 mph. High 98. Extended outlook calls for a hot Labor Day this year with highs in the upper 90s and getting muggy from Monday through the middle of the week. Chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms looks possible late Monday but more likely Tuesday. High temps on Tuesday in the lower 90s with scattered showers/t'storms. Cooler by the end of the week with highs in the mid to low 80s 

Block Club reporter investigates rat issue in Chicago

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

Block Club Chicago reporter Mina Bloom joins WGN Weekend Morning News to share more on her work in addressing the rat problem in Chicago.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

'Dumb': Alleged drunk driver accidentally calls cops on himself after highway scare, 911 call reveals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

LANCASTER COUNTY, Neb. (NEXSTAR) – An alleged drunk driver was arrested earlier this year in Nebraska after accidentally calling police to report his own "dumb" behavior, a new video from the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office shows.The driver dialed 911 in March of this year while driving along U.S. 77 in Lancaster County, he could be heard telling the 911 operator."I'm on highway 77 going north, and then, somebody's on the wrong side of the road," he told the operator."He had his brights on, man. He almost ran me off the road," the driver added.The man repeated his claim, insisting that the truck was traveling south on the northbound side of the highway."That was gnarly. That was like, a lot," the driver said. Viral video shows Boston cop injuring himself on children’s slide Footage released by the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department shows a deputy in a patrol car attempting to catch up to the driver following the 911 call.After conducting a traffic stop, the deputy asked if th...

How gas prices have changed in Illinois in the last week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

(Stacker) -- Gas prices nationwide are near record highs as Americans gear up for the Labor Day weekend. Extreme weather and cuts to oil production from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are both factors pushing prices up.U.S. oil inventories also remain lower than the pre-pandemic average. Analysts have warned that higher gasoline prices could stoke inflation once again and force consumers to cut back on spending to the detriment of the economy and stock market.In Northeastern states, AAA said its own survey has revealed that drivers plan to cut back this year in light of higher prices for gas."The concession that's being made is the distance that's being traveled," AAA's Robert Sinclair Jr. told Yahoo News this week.Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Illinois. Gas prices are as of September 01.Illinois by the numbers- Gas current price: $4.05- Week change: -$0.05 (-1.2%)- Year change: -$0.11 (-2.6%)- Historical expensive gas p...

Flight delay? Why you probably should still wait near your gate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

(NerdWallet) - Flight delays can be unpredictable, but it's also possible for a delayed flight to suddenly become available. The flight could get back on schedule — and if you’re not there, it may leave without you.That’s why you shouldn’t usually stray too far from your gate.Now this doesn’t mean you can’t retreat to an airport lounge or grab a drink at the airport bar, particularly if you’re faced with a multihour wait. But if you do leave the boarding area, pay close attention so you’re not left behind should your flight get back on schedule.Here’s what to do when your flight is delayed, and how you can still escape a potentially crowded boarding area without missing your flight when it finally happens.Why flight delays happen — and how they can get un-delayedIn the first four months of 2023, only 76.58% of U.S. flights arrived on time, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data. The most common cause of delays in that period was the inbound aircraft arriving late, aff...

St. Cloud police are latest agency to withdraw school resource officers over opposition to use-of-force limits

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The St. Cloud Police Department has suspended its school resource officer program with the St. Cloud school district.The decision follows others by law enforcement agencies around the state in response to new limits on the use of physical force on students.An updated law about corporal punishment says school resource officers, security personnel or police officers contracted with a school district “shall not” put a child in a face-down position or “inflict any form of physical holding that restricts or impairs a pupil’s ability to breathe,” among other provisions.Some law enforcement leaders say the law puts stricter restrictions on school resource officers than all other patrol officers, and it has too much ambiguity.“Due to the recent legislative changes … the City of St. Cloud is indefinitely suspending the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) and other contracted Police Officer services with District 742,” Police Chief Jeff Oxton wrote in a Friday st...

Albany Police investigating Central Avenue homicide

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department announced they are investigating a homicide that took place on Central Avenue. The incident occurred early in the morning on September 2. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! On Saturday at 3:10 a.m., police responded to the area of 211 Central Avenue for reports of a shooting, where upon arrival, officers located a 25-year-old man who had been shot multiple times. The victim was treated at the scene by EMS before being transported to Albany Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Albany Detective Division at (518) 462-8039.

Crash on the Twin Bridges causes lane closure

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:22 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A crash on the Twin Bridges on I-87 has caused the closure of one of the northbound left lanes. The accident occurred at 11:53 a.m. on September 2. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Motorists are encouraged to use caution in the area. Stay with NEWS10 as this story develops.Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!