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Mom of Colorado teen accused of trying to join Islamic State blames FBI ‘encouragement’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

DENVER (AP) — The mother of an 18-year-old who is accused of trying to become a fighter for the Islamic State group says her son has never had the motivation to follow through with things. Deanna Meyer testified Thursday that she does not think her son, Devin Meyer, would have taken action to travel to the Middle East were it not for the support of people he recently met who shared his views. That included FBI informants posing as Islamic State facilitators.“I bet my life he would never do that without that encouragement,” Deanna Meyer said in federal court in an unsuccessful attempt to convince a judge to allow her son to stay with her while he is being prosecuted. He was arrested Friday as he tried to board a plane to Turkey and has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.Deanna Meyer was responding to a question from Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter about whether her son, who has autism, understood the gravity of t...

Skilling: Warm weekend ahead but summer heat looms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

FIRST, THE THURSDAY WEATHER HEADLINES:---Chicago has continued to escape the brutal heat breaking records in the southern and Southwest U.S.--Thursday's high is likely to reach 88 degrees—and the day is likely to be the first to log an ABOVE AVERAGE daytime temp in 4 days. There were strong west-to-northwest winds which defeated any lake cooling today. Lake breezes return in the coming days.--July continues to post a slight temp deficit averaging, with today's temps factored in, 0.7 degrees below normal.---A few thunderstorms may flare south of Chicago Thursday evening—but they'll be moving away from the city.--A wind shift to the northwest is introducing slightly less humid air which will allow temps to drop below last night's 71-degree minimum temp—likely bottoming out around 66 at O'Hare.---Northwest upper steering winds continue to guide modest amounts of smoke off the 900+ fires still burning across Canada into Chicago's airspace---but ALOFT. So air quality here at ground level...

Actors, writers on strike rally in Chicago's Grant Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

CHICAGO (AP/WGN) — Striking screenwriters and actors held a rally in Chicago on Thursday as the labor dispute that has halted Hollywood spreads to more cities.While Los Angeles and New York are the epicenters of strike actions, in Chicago, hundreds of strikers — many wearing black SAG T-shirts — marched and chanted at Millennium Park. “We're union/United/Never be divided." A small brass band played ”This Land Is Your Land." One sign read: “Corporate Greed Stinks.” Cars honked their horns in support.Hundreds of union workers filled Grant Park in front of Buckingham Fountain, as the supporting cast included roofers, teachers, building engineers and bricklayers. Did Universal Studios trim trees to mess with striking workers? "Your fight is our fight, your fight is our fight," said Bob Reiter, the president of the Chicago Federation of Labor. "We're here because our quality of life as laborers and artists are being threatened," added SAG-AFTRA member Sydney Charles.Courtney Rue, an ac...

2 arrested after man shot during attempted armed robbery in Morgan Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A pair of teens are now in custody and charged with shooting a man during an attempted armed robbery.The man, 22, was shot in the chest around 1:45 a.m. Saturday near 110th and Western while reportedly trying to stop the thieves when he was shot. Off-duty Chicago officer killed in ATV crash on Far North Side: source "Things for the most part seem safe over here but things are getting worse," Adam Phillips, a Milano's pizza delivery driver, said. "We see things closer to us more and more now."According to CWB Chicago, the man is the son of a Chicago police officer and was leaving a bar near 106th and Western with his friend.The two walked a few blocks south when they were confronted by an armed robber. The man allegedly tackled the offender and was then shot at point-blank range.The accused gunman, Kevin Ross, 17, is charged with attempted murder and robbery. Christopher Brooks, 18, the alleged getaway driver, is also facing the same charges.CWB Chicago is reporting detec...

Boy, 16, charged after 2 people shot, 1 killed at Scene75 Entertainment Center in Romeoville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A 16-year-old boy from Chicago faces felony charges following a double shooting at an entertainment center in Romeoville last month that left a 19-year-old dead and a 16-year-old hospitalized. The juvenile suspect, who police did not name due to his age, was taken into custody Thursday in the 4500 block of N. Magnolia Ave. in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood in relation to the June 23 shooting. Firefighters battle apartment fire in Elmwood Park Police responded to a call of shots fired around 8:40 p.m. in the 400 block of South Weber Road at Scene75 Entertainment Center. According to police, a verbal argument ended in gunfire. Police said the suspected shooter fled the scene. Despite police quickly identifying the suspect involved, when Illinois State Police troopers later encountered the vehicle near Interstate 80 at Torrence Avenue, the suspected shooter was not inside. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThe 16-year-old was booked for first-degree murder and...

Police identify girl found on Chicago's Northwest Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police have identified a child who was found on the city's Northwest Side.Police said the girl is between the ages of 3 and 6-years-old and was found Thursday just before 1 p.m. in the 4700 block of West Fullerton Avenue in the city's Belmont Cragin neighborhood. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAdditional information wasn't released.

City Council approves major changes to housing development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin City Council approved Thursday a resolution that will initiate amendment changes to the city's land development code, and ultimately lead to higher-density living in Austin neighborhoods. Several organizations think this plan is essential in addressing Austin’s affordability crisis and reducing sprawl, while some environmentalists were against the resolution, fearing it may have a negative impact on flooding."Together we can we will tackle the challenges middle-income families face and deliver true benefits to those looking to buy a home and staying in Austin as well as those who continue to work to stay," Council member Leslie Pool, District 7, said. Council Members Alison Alter and Mackenzie Kelly were the only members of the Austin City Council to vote against the resolution. Pool introduced the resolution known as Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment, or H.O.M.E. The main goal of the resolution is to decrease the minimum lot size requirement for sing...

Fire near Jarrell drops to 300 acres, 50% contained

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Officials are responding to a large grass fire between Georgetown and Jarrell in Williamson County. The Texas A&M Forest Service is helping respond to the fire, named the Cobb Creek Fire, and estimates the fire is about 300 acres and is 50% contained as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday.The forest service initially estimated the fire to be about 100 acres on Wednesday but said in an updated tweet Thursday morning that it was an estimated 500 acres. The service said the increase in acreage is a result of more accurate mapping. On Thursday afternoon, the forest service said crews built a containment line "closer to the fire's edge," dropping the estimated size of the fire to 300 acres. "Aviation and ground crews are making good progress," the Texas A&M Forest Service wrote on social media.The grass fire started Wednesday afternoon at 1001 Cobb Creek Road shortly after 4:30 p.m., according to a news release from Williamson County. Shortly before 9 p.m., W...

‘The Life and Times of Charles M. Schulz’ opens Saturday at MN History Center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

It was 1950: The Korean War was starting and the Cold War was underway. Jell-O salads were trending at dinner parties and Disney’s “Cinderella” was playing on the big screen. And, on Oct. 2, 1950, the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz debuted in syndication in several newspapers.Schulz and his comic strip’s connections to St. Paul (and this newspaper!) go back much further than 1950 — connections that are explored in an exhibit that opens at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul on Saturday and runs through June 9, 2024.Cartoonist Charles Schulz draws a picture of his cartoon character Charlie Brown in his Sebastopol, Calif. home in this 1966 file photo. Schulz will retire Jan. 4, 2000, after nearly 50 years of drawing his Peanuts comic strip, his wife confirmed Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1999. (AP Photo/File)“The Life and Times of Charles M. Schulz” was originally curated by the Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa...

Twins’ hot offense subdued by Mariners’ George Kirby

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:00 GMT

SEATTLE — The Twins started Thursday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners with one of the hottest offenses in baseball, averaging seven runs a game while going 5-1 on a seven-game road trip.The Twins had been hitting .287 as a team since returning from the all-star break, with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and a plus-14 run differential and taken two of three from the Mariners in their four-game series.George Kirby wasn’t impressed.The Mariners’ right-handed pitcher shut down the Twins, allowing just four hits while striking out 10 and walking none over seven innings in Seattle’s 5-0 victory at T-Mobile Park.Kirby (9-8) didn’t allow a hit until Matt Wallner squibbed a single to left in the fourth inning. Kirby’s 10 strikeouts and zero walks were career highs. Wallner, a rookie outfielder from Forest Lake, had two of the Twins’ four hits, each an opposite-field single.Seattle jumped on Twins starter Jorge Lopez early, loading the bases in the first inning on two single...