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Illinois legislators take another stab at Bears’ Arlington Heights stadium legislation with just a week to go in session

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

With one week remaining in the Illinois legislature’s spring session, a revised version of proposed legislation to aid the Chicago Bears’ move to Arlington Heights has surfaced in Springfield.Like the previous proposal, the new bill would freeze the property tax assessment on the former Arlington International Racecourse, where the Bears have proposed a new stadium as part of a $5 billion mixed-use development, and create a $3 admission tax to help pay off debt incurred to fund renovations of Soldier Field two decades ago.Among the changes in the new bill are a restructured oversight board that would approve incentive agreements with the Bears. The bill would make state lawmakers nonvoting members of the panel, and also removes language that would have given the board zoning authority over the site.The latest version also tweaks a proposal to share revenue generated on the site from state sales tax, hotel tax and liquor taxes and a new 3% surcharge on sports betting reve...

Chicago Cubs rally past the Minnesota Twins for a 6-2 win — fueled by a Christoper Morel HR — after placing Nico Hoerner on the IL

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

The Chicago Cubs’ optimism that second baseman Nico Hoerner could avoid a stint on the injured list met reality Friday.Hoerner landed on the 10-day IL before the series opener against the Minnesota Twins, retroactive to Tuesday, because of his left hamstring strain. He will be eligible to rejoin the Cubs for their series in Philadelphia to close out their nine-game trip.Even when Hoerner isn’t in the lineup, he found a way to affect their 6-2 victory Friday.First baseman Matt Mervis wasn’t happy with his first-pitch grounder off Sonny Gray for the final out of the fourth inning. He left runners on the corners as the Cubs faced a one-run deficit. After the sequence, Hoerner assured Mervis in the dugout that he’s swinging at the right pitches and seeing the baseball well. Hoerner concluded the chat, “Stay aggressive.”Mervis trusted Hoerner’s feedback and carried it into his next at-bat in the seventh. Again he swung at the first pitch, a chang...

Bob Raissman: Aaron Rodgers faces obstacle course of opinions with Jets’ primetime slate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

With Aaron Rodgers leading the Jets through a 2023 TV schedule featuring five prime time games, four 4:25 p.m. tilts, and a first-ever Black Friday matchup, media expectations for Gang Green are sky-high.Not only are Rodgers’ Jets expected to win more than lose, but NFL Schedule Gnomes are betting on this new incarnation of Gang Green, one with a Hall of Fame-bound quarterback, to produce huge TV ratings while playing under the brightest of TV spotlights.Yet trucking through such a high-profile — tough — schedule means Rodgers will often be scrutinized by the best NFL TV analysts in the game. Mouths like Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sunday Night Football), Troy Aikman (ESPN Monday Night Football), Tony Romo (CBS), Greg Olsen (Fox) and Kirk Herbstreit (Amazon).For Rodgers, it’s an obstacle course of opinions.While most of these voices have analyzed Rodgers’ performances with the Packers, what happens if the Jets, under his leadership, get off to a slow start? ...

Zelenskyy, in Rome for talks with pope, hears Italian president say, ‘We’re at your side.’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

ROME (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Rome ahead of talks on Saturday with Pope Francis at the Vatican, received assurances from Italian leaders of continued military and other aid as his country fights to liberate itself from Russia’s military invasion launched last year.Francis recently said that the Vatican has launched a behind-the-scenes initiative to try to end the war launched last year by Russia.In a tweet, sent shortly after his arrival in the Italian capital late Saturday morning, Zelenskyy cited his schedule of meetings with Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. ” An important visit for approaching victory of Ukraine! ” Zelenskyy tweeted. When Zelenskyy arrived at a military airfield at Rome’s Ciampino airport, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was on hand to greet him. Tajani told reporters that Italy will continue to support Ukraine “360 degrees” and press for a just peace, one that saf...

Saturday Forecast: Mainly cloudy with chance of thunderstorms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

Saturday's forecast is mainly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and a cooler lakeside. High near 70 inlands, near 50 lakesides.Saturday Night: Chance of showers/thunderstorms & mostly cloudy. NE 5-10 mph. Low mid to low 50sSunday: Mostly cloudy & chilly with on/off showers. Cooler lakeside. NE 10-15 mph. Highs near 60 inland, upper 40s lakeside.  Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Extended outlook calls for sunnier skies on Monday with highs back in the 70s inland, low 60s lakeside. Sun continues for Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the 70s. Chance of showers back in the forecast for Thu and Fri. With highs in the upper 60s. 

What to know about Linda Yaccarino, Musk's replacement as Twitter CEO

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

(The Hill) – Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced on Friday that Linda Yaccarino, a former head of advertising for NBCUniversal, will take over his role at the social media platform after six months of Musk being in charge. Musk first indicated that he hired someone to replace him in a tweet on Thursday, months after a majority in a Twitter poll (which he himself posted) voted for him to step down as CEO. He said the new CEO would start in about six weeks, and he would transition to a role as executive chair and chief technology officer of the company. Musk announced that Yaccarino will focus mostly on business operations, while he concentrates on product design and new technology. Yaccarino worked for NBCUniversal Media for more than 10 years, most recently serving as the chair of the company’s global advertising and partnerships for more than two and a half years, according to her LinkedIn profile.  Pay-per-article service coming to Twitter The company announced in a release on ...

A rainy night for everyone

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's been awhile since we had the weather we had from late last night through this morning. Every reporting station had measured rain with several cities recording more than one inch. Many locations have picked up more than two inches and one, the North Grape Creek near Johnson City with just shy of 3.50"What's better is that we had no hail nor damaging wind reports from these thunderstorms. There have been several Flood Advisories and one Flash Flood Warning. That warning covers a very small portion of southeast Bastrop and eastern Caldwell Counties into western to southern Fayette County until 11 a.m. CENTRAL TEXAS RAIN TOTALS NEW BLOG: HOW TO PREPARE FOR FLASH FLOODING All of Central Texas remains under a Flood Watch until at least 8:00 this evening. More rain is in the forecast not just for today for for tomorrow and on through the rest of the week. Flood Watch until 8:00 Saturday eveningToday's forecast calls for a 100% chance of additional showers and th...

St. Louisans unite for American Heart Association's Heart Walk

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Thousands of people are expected to participate in the St. Louis Heart Walk this morning. It's a signature event for the American Heart Association. Businesses like Edward Jones, R-G-A, and American Heart Association volunteers will take part in this. So will heart disease and stroke survivors. This year's Metro St. Louis Heart Walk is put on by BJC Healthcare. Gates will open at Busch Stadium at 8:15 this morning. An on-field ceremony starts at 8:45.AND the walk takes off at 9 a.m.

Opinion: Colorado venue owners see ticket scams every night; SB 60 will shut them down

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

An elderly couple recently spent over $400 on tickets to see Sierra Ferrell from a third-party website. Upon learning that the show would not have chairs, they tried to get a refund. The scalper refused to issue a refund – a clear violation of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) – and when the couple tried to resell the tickets themselves, they realized no tickets had ever been sent over.In another case, a mother bought concert tickets on a resale platform as a 21st birthday present for her son – a diehard Louis the Child fan. After spending hundreds of dollars and flying out for the show, the mom received a devastating day-of-show message from the third-party site notifying her that no tickets were available.On a nightly basis, Coloradans are getting the rug pulled out from under them by ticket scalpers engaging in deceptive ticketing practices.Fortunately, the Colorado General Assembly passed a solution that would prevent these shady acts from happening. Led by Senators Robert Rod...

Family of slain East High student accuses DPS of negligence in failing to protect students

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:48:57 GMT

Luis Garcia. (Photo courtesy of the Garcia family)The family of the East High student fatally shot outside the school earlier this year is accusing Denver Public Schools, district leaders and the city of negligence in failing to protect students — including by removing armed police from the school.An attorney representing the family of Luis Garcia made the allegations in a legal notice preceding a wrongful-death lawsuit that was released by DPS on Friday, three months after the shooting, which remains unsolved by the Denver Police Department.In the four-page document, the family’s attorney accused DPS of negligence based on a lack of security, not providing enough student parking and the “willful and wanton removal” of Denver Police Department school resource officers from East.  Garcia, 16, was shot while sitting in his car outside of Denver’s largest high school on Feb. 13 and died more than two weeks later, on March 1.The attorney representing Garcia’...