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“Atmospheric river storm” to impact Chicago later this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

CURRENT U.S. SNOWPACK 42.4%—THE GREATEST FOR MARCH 13TH SINCE AT LEAST 2003Recent March 13 U.S. snow coverPALTRY MARCH 2023 SUNSHINEPercentage of possible sunshineMarch 10 through 13 — four straight days with no sun—longest March sunless streak since 1989Snowfall coated the area again today—the 5th consecutive day to put measurable snow on the books officially in the city. 0.2” fell at O'Hare and 0.3” at Midway—though we had local reports of up to an inch of snow in spots.Monday marks the 4th consecutive day with NO OFFICIAL SUNSHINE. Frank Wachowski reports that last time a March recorded four straight days without sun was in 1989.And there’s further evidence the same parade of storms which has lambasted the California is having an impact on Midwest weather is the lack of sun this month and the elevated precip tallies here. March has produced only 30% of its possible sun. A typical March produces 48%. So at least to date, Chicago has seen less than 2/3's its typical March sunshine....

APD arrest man wanted in connection with series of cellphone store robberies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department Robbery Unit arrested a man wanted in connection to several cell phone store robberies in the Austin area, according to an APD news release.The man was identified as Gregory Sterling, 50, according to police.At approximately 6:25 p.m., Jan. 30, Sterling walked into Cricket Wireless and acted like a customer. Then, he pulled a handgun and forced a woman employee to the ground, the release said. Sterling stood over the woman and pressed the gun to her head while using her key to unlock the cash registers. He took the cash and left the area, police said.Five more incidents occurred between Jan. 30 to March 7, according to the release, which are listed below:Jan. 30, 6:25 p.m. - 5618 Manor Road (Cricket Wireless)Feb. 10, 6:52 p.m. - 1181 Airport Boulevard (Boost Mobile)Feb. 13, 6:06 p.m. - 1122 Airport Boulevard (T-Mobile)March 2, 7:18 p.m. - 3800 N. Lamar Boulevard Suite 100 (AT&T)March 4, 7:39 p.m. - 1030 Norwood Park Suite #326 (Metro...

1 dead after vehicle-motorcycle crash in northwest Austin, ATCEMS says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person is dead after a vehicle-motorcycle crash in northwest Austin Monday, Austin-Travis County EMS said in a tweet.Shortly before 9:40 p.m., ATCEMS medics and the Austin Fire Department responded to reports of the crash at 4300 Ganymede Drive, the tweet said. Medics said a 911 caller found the motorcyclist unresponsive.When officials arrived on the scene, they found an adult patient who was pronounced dead and was not identified Monday, ATCEMS said. The other driver involved was not injured and refused EMS transport.It was not immediately clear what led to the crash, which remained under investigation Monday.

Biden says Carter asked him to do his eulogy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

President Biden said Monday that former President Carter, who is in hospice care, has asked him to deliver his eulogy when he dies.“I spent time with Jimmy Carter, and it’s finally caught up with him, but they found a way to keep him going for a lot longer than they anticipated because they found a breakthrough,” Biden said at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.“He asked me to do his eulogy,” he added.The president then appeared to catch himself for sharing the information, saying, “Excuse me, I shouldn’t say that.” Biden was speaking to about 40 guests at a fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., alongside Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), while on a three-day trip to California and Nevada.Carter, the 39th U.S. president, entered home hospice care in Plains, Ga., on Feb. 19. At 98 years old, he is the longest-living American president. Carter’s niece said on Feb. 27 that Carter still has “some time in him.”White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she didn’t have any c...

Suspected shooter in Ballwin standoff dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

BALLWIN, Mo. - A standoff in Ballwin has ended with a woman who police claim had flourished a gun and fired shots at officers during a pursuit.According to Officer Mark Reckert, a spokesman for the Ballwin Police Department, the standoff happened in the 100 block of Cascade Terrace Drive.Around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Ballwin police attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a woman accused of brandishing a gun earlier that day. The woman did not stop and sped off. Reckert said officers did not follow her. Top story: Hermann officer dead, 1 injured after Sunday shooting Another Ballwin officer saw the vehicle around 1:30 p.m. and again tried to pull the driver over. The woman did not stop and pointed a gun at a responding St. Louis County police officer.Reckert said the woman, later identified as Janet Rabe drove to a home on Cascade Terrace, but began firing at police who were following her. At least one Ballwin officer returned fire. No injuries were reported.Shortly after 6:20 p.m.,...

'Just excited to relax' Lambert travelers ready for spring break 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS - As temperatures in the St. Louis area dip below average, it's no surprise people are looking for a way to escape the cold during spring break."It's been a busy last three weeks of college, so it will be nice to unwind," said Luke Parent, a junior at Washington University.Parent said he is heading to Panama City Beach, Florida, to visit family."I'm just excited to relax," he said. “St. Louis, when it’s trying to become spring, it can’t really decide. We’ve had some warm weeks, but it’s also been cold, so the warm weather is going to be really nice.” Trending: Battlehawks set attendance record, win in home-opener A number of Southwest flights at St. Louis Lambert International Airport are heading to warmer climates, primarily Florida. However, a flight in a warmer climate can come with some headaches.Carrie and Brandon Snider were traveling from Orlando.“We were on the tarmac for about 45 minutes trying to take off, and they said it was cause of spring break," Brandon sa...

You Paid For It - Push for state audit of Francis Howell School District

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. - The Francis Howell School District in St. Charles County is due to release what could be a stunning internal audit this week on the tens of millions it spent over budget for school improvements.The audit is intended to explain some spending questions, like the construction project at Francis Howell North High School, which was supposed to cost $86.3 million but instead ended up costing nearly $164.7 million.The internal audit will be released at Thursday’s public school board meeting. It’s intended to explain just how the spending of Proposition S funds was so far off track. Top story: Hermann officer dead, 1 injured after Sunday shooting Prop S was a $244 million tax measure passed by voters to improve schools in the district, with the biggest being the high school.When the cost of the development was unattainable, it threatened funds for other projects that had to be put on hold because there wasn’t enough money.One school board member is not satisfied ...

Former Rep. Pat Schroeder, pioneer for women’s rights, dies at 82

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder, a pioneer for women’s and family rights in Congress, died Monday night. She was 82.Schroeder’s former press secretary, Andrea Camp, said Schroeder suffered a stroke recently and died at a hospital in Florida, the state where she had been residing.Schroeder took on the powerful elite with her rapier wit and antics for 24 years, shaking up stodgy government institutions by forcing them to acknowledge that women had a role in government.Her unorthodox methods cost her important committee posts, but Schroeder said she wasn’t willing to join what she called “the good old boys’ club″ just to score political points. Unafraid of embarrassing her congressional colleagues in public, she became an icon for the feminist movement.Schroeder was elected to Congress in Colorado in 1972 and became one of its most influential Democrats as she won easy reelection 11 times from her safe district in Denver. Despite her seniority, she was never app...

Protests outside Orange County elementary school after 10-year-old girl target of alleged racist remarks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

Family and supporters of a 10-year-old girl who was allegedly the target of racist remarks by another student have been protesting outside an Orange County school. While they say school officials are not treating the incident seriously enough, there were others at the protest unhappy about how the girl’s mom has handled the situation.  Jasmine Harris claims her daughter, Paris, who is Black, was subjected to a racist comment earlier this month by a fellow student, a 10-year-old Latino boy, at Santiago Elementary School in Santa Ana. "The principal called me while I was at work, she told me that at lunch...Paris was just playing with her friends...and this little boy just came up to her, swinging a jump rope at her, trying to hit her, telling her, ‘Go back to work, you slave,’” Harris told KTLA.  She says that she got even more upset with school administrators when she asked what they planned to do about the situation and officials said they could not tell her what would be...

Seedy Saturday returns to Kingston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:47 GMT

Kingston’s biggest seed swap and purchase event returned last weekend after a three year hiatus due to COVID.The event held at St. Luke’s Church was smaller than Kingston Area Seed System Initiative (KASSI) was used to prior to the pandemic, but KASSI Chair Cathie Christie said it was great to have it back in person in any capacity.“I just felt like we were together as a community and we were together with the seeds,” Christie said.“It was a beautiful day.”The event was scaled back, with just two local seed farms on hand in Verona’s Bear Root Gardens and Kitchen Table Seed House from Wolfe Island, along with Master Gardeners to give advice to those getting their hands on seeds.It was hosted by KASSI along with their sister organization Ratinenhayénthos, who care for the Kenhteke Seed Sanctuary in Tyendinaga. The two organizations are responsible for caring for and “growing out” seeds from the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary that were ent...