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66 names on Cook County State's attorney's do-not-call list — mostly former cops

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

CHICAGO — The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office keeps a list of police officers who will never be called to testify as witnesses for the prosecution.The do-not-call list — also known as the “Brady List” or “Giglio List” — is not a publicly available document, but the state’s attorney’s office recently produced a copy as part of a lawsuit that accused the office of violating the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.The majority of the 66 officers on the list have faced criminal charges or accusations of other serious misconduct. With that kind of baggage, prosecutors have determined that those officers’ testimony would hinder a case more than help.A WGN Investigates review found that the vast majority of those on the list are, in fact, no longer cops. Of the 66 names on the list, only 18 remain certified by the state to be law enforcement officers. Of those, 13 work for the Chicago Police Department. Three of those officers are detectives, according to the CPD.Though most of those...

Snow to clear out for remainder of the day

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

CHICAGO — A Winter Weather Advisory for the Chicago area has expired.Slush and snow made for a messy morning commute in some areas.Accumulating wet snow is expected with 2-7 inches possible. Highest totals near Illinois/Wisconsin line. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here In Chicago, the Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed more than 200 salt spreaders to treat the roads. According to the department, they will focus on addressing snow and ice along the city's arterial routes and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.You can track Chicago's snow plows in real-time online. Friday Forecast: 50% chance of snow mainly early, cloudy with breezy conditions. High: 35.Full forecast details at the WGN Weather Center

Atmospheric rivers flood California with more rain, snow

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday as a new atmospheric river brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding several major highways during the morning commute.In Santa Cruz County, a creek bloated by rain destroyed a portion of Main Street in Soquel, a town of 10,000 people, isolating several neighborhoods. Crews were working to remove trees and other debris and find a way for people to cross the creek, county officials said. County authorities asked the town's residents to stay indoors. Heather Wingfield, a teacher who runs a small urban farm with her husband in Soquel, said she and her neighbors were, for the time being, trapped in their homes as Bates Creek rushed through what was once Main Street.“It’s horrible,” she said. “Hopefully no one has a medical emergency.”Wingfield said her neighbors’ water infrastructure was also washed out, but that her family’s well would kee...

'I'm excited': Illinois' Brad Underwood keeping faith in team ahead of NCAA Tournament

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

CHICAGO - For a second-straight year, it's an early exit for his program at the Big Ten Tournament.For a third time in the 2022-2023 season, they've lost to Penn State, each time in frustrating fashion. Once again, inconsistency is keeping Illinois from finding a way to build sustained momentum over the last five months. Great NCAA Tournament resume-building victories were follow by forgettable defeats from November through March. Unfortunately, one of the latter happened in the Illini's first game of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday at the United Center. Facing Penn State for a third time after getting swept in the regular season, Illinois surrendered a 17-4 run late in the second half and couldn't recover.The Nittany Lions' 79-76 win knocks Brad Underwood's team out of the Big Ten Tournament after just one game for the second-straight season. The third loss to Penn State drops Illinois' overall record to 20-12, which thanks to their resume will be good enough to get in the tourn...

Crews put finishing touches on trail fence, lighting near Rainey Street

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) is wrapping up the installation of four sets of solar-power lights and a fence on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail near Rainey Street. The project should wrap up by Friday afternoon, ahead of the official start of spring break and SXSW.Last week, friends and family members of people who went missing near the trail spoke at the City Council Public Safety Committee meeting. These loved ones called for additional safety measures like lighting and surveillance cameras on the trail.Some of them plan to walk to the trail Friday night to check out the lights for themselves.The fence and solar lighting are part of the project's "temporary infrastructure installation."The project also has permanent infrastructure plans that include new signage, a kiosk, and additional lighting. A lighting breakdown part of The Trail Conservancy and PARD's Rainey Street Trailhead project."The plan will prioritize amenity reliability by con...

The proper way to address residents in these Central Texas cities, towns

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is a 2022 video exploring why Texans love Texas.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Did you know the word for the proper way to describe or address the inhabitants of a place is a demonym? There are more than a hundred demonyms in Texas alone.Some places in Texas have different variations, or the official name for residents wasn’t the preferred term by actual citizens, so we’ll leave it up to you to pick your favorite.For the places without an official demonym, residents provided their preferred ways to be addressed.If you have ever wondered how to properly address someone from a specific Central Texas city or town, KXAN has got you covered. Here’s how locals in Central Texas (should) address each other.Austin — AustinitesThe proper way to address a resident of Austin is Austinite; however, for people born and raised in the city, the term “unicorn” was frequently used.“Recently I've heard born & raised Austinites call each other ‘unicorns’...and say ‘ah! A fellow unic...

Charges: Grand Marais man fatally beaten with shovel, moose antler

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

GRAND MARAIS — A man allegedly confessed to beating a 77-year-old with a shovel before he “finished him off” with a large moose antler.Levi William Axtell, 27, of Grand Marais, was arraigned Friday in State District Court on a charge of intentional second-degree murder in Wednesday’s killing of Lawrence Vincent Scully.Levi William Axtell. (Forum News Service)Axtell previously sought a protective order against Scully, who he said had been stalking his 22-month-old daughter. Scully was long ago convicted of molesting a 6-year-old child. Several protective orders had been sought against him alleging abuse and harassment in recent years.Axtell, according to a criminal complaint, admitted to entering Scully’s home around 4:45 p.m. and striking him 15-20 times with a spade-style shovel that he found on the victim’s deck.“Defendant said he had known (Scully) for a long time, and believed him to have sexually offended against children in the past,” the complaint states. “Defendant said he h...

Silicon Valley Bank is seized by US after historic failure

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

By KEN SWEET (AP Business Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S rushed to seize the assets of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after it experienced a run on the bank, the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual during the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. Silicon Valley, the nation’s 16th largest bank, failed after depositors — mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies — hurried to withdraw money this week as anxiety over the bank’s balance sheet spread. It is the second biggest bank failure in history, behind Washington Mutual.Silicon Valley was heavily exposed to tech industry and there is little chance of contagion in the banking sector similar to the chaos in the months leading up to the Great Recession more than a decade ago. The biggest banks — those most likely to cause a systemic economic issue — have healthy balance sheets and plenty of capital. In 2007, the biggest financia...

Class A boys state hockey semifinal: Mahtomedi downs Hermantown with last-minute goal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

It may be time to mention Mahtomedi in the same breath as Hermantown when discussing Class A powers.The 2020 state champ upended the perennially-favored Hawks 2-1 in Friday’s semifinals, with Charlie Drage scoring the game winner with 48 seconds to play in St. PaulDrage skated into the zone with few options and a couple Hawks’ defenders in front of him. He decided to fire away from above the circles and found the back of the net for his 32nd goal of the tournament.Mahtomedi will skate in the Class A final Saturday at 12 p.m. back at Xcel Energy Center.Related ArticlesHigh School Sports | Class 2A state boys hockey quarterfinal: Gavyn Thoreson nets hat trick as Andover tops Lakeville South High School Sports | Class 2A state boys hockey quarterfinal: John Stout lifts Minnetonka past Hill-Murray in OT High School Sports | Class 2A boys hockey state quarterfinal: Edina 7, Moorhead 6, 2OT High School Sports | Class 2...

Downtown St. Paul will be busy this weekend. Here are ways to navigate it.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:28 GMT

Motorists traveling into downtown St. Paul this weekend should be aware of likely traffic congestion.The Minnesota Boys Hockey State Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center, the “Let’s Play Hockey” and the “Show Me Reptile & Exotics” shows at the RiverCentre and Minnesota Roller Derby at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium all are scheduled for this weekend.It’s also worth keeping in mind that the National Weather Service is forecasting 2 to 4 inches of snow for Saturday.Xcel Energy Center officials also note that streets surrounding Rice Park will be closed Friday through Sunday. Those include Washington Street from Fifth Street to Kellogg Boulevard, and Fourth Street from Market Street to Washington Street.Those seeking parking should look to downtown parking ramps and lots, Xcel Energy Center officials said. For more information on parking go to the city of St. Paul’s website.Xcel Energy Center officials also offered these tips:• St. Paul has a f...