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Swastika found carved into playground equipment at Downers Grove school

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (AP) — A suburban Chicago elementary school district has asked police for extra patrols after a swastika was found carved into a piece of playground equipment early Tuesday.Superintendent Kevin Russell of Downers Grove Grade School District 58 sent parents a letter confirming a swastika was found on the playground at Lester Elementary School. He called the finding “deeply disturbing."“The swastika serves as the most notorious symbol of hate and antisemitism and has no place in our community,” Russell wrote. ‘He was my best friend’: Mother recuperates after 6-year-old boy killed in attack police call a hate crime He said the swastika was reported to Downers Grove Police and has since been removed.“We have no evidence that this symbol was made by a Lester student," Russell wrote. “Further, we do not believe that any Lester student saw the symbol. This likely occurred after school when the students had left for the evening.”The discovery occurred amid a rise in an...

While Justin Fields is still unlikely to play, another Bears starter is nearing a return

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Once again, it's looking more and more like the Bears will be starting their backup quarterback this Sunday.But as Justin Fields remains doubtful for the game against the Chargers, an offensive starter who has been out for over a month is getting closer to a return.Offensive tackle Braxton Jones has been designated to return from injured reserve, opening up his 21-day window to return to the active roster. He was limited in Wednesday's practice as the Bears prepare for their eighth game of the year against Los Angeles, with no timeline given for a potential lineup return.Defensive lineman Khalid Kareem was also removed from IR after dealing with a hip injury and was a full participant on Wednesday. Jones was placed on IR after the Week 2 game against the Bucs with a neck injury, taking out one of the more reliable members of an offensive line that's been in flux the last two years. In his rookie season of 2022, Jones made every start at tackled and did so for the...

Proof of ID to visit adult websites? Ohio is latest state pushing for the requirement

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Adult websites would require users to verify their age by submitting a copy of a government-issued ID card before accessing sexually explicit material if a bill advancing through the Ohio Statehouse is signed into law.House Bill 295, known as the "Innocence Act," has been proposed to prohibit anyone under age 18 from viewing sexually explicit material and require pornographic websites to enforce age verification. Users in Ohio would authenticate their identity by uploading a photo of their ID card or another personal document, like proof of a mortgage or employment. If enacted, sexually explicit websites would be charged with a third-degree felony for failing to verify the age of a person accessing the adult content. A minor attempting to access sexually explicit material by falsifying their identity would be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor.  Florida asks Supreme Court to freeze ruling blocking drag show law’s enforcement The act would also p...

Thieves steal 4 school buses in the Bronx: NYPD

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — Police on Tuesday released images of several suspects who allegedly stole school buses in the Bronx.The males broke through a locked fence and entered a gated area on Blondell Avenue around midnight Tuesday, police said. They took three mini school buses and drove them to an unknown location, according to police. ‘Takes your dream away’: Over $100K worth of merchandise stolen after SUV crashes into shoe store A law enforcement source said the keys were in the buses.The NYPD released surveillance photos of two of the suspects. Investigators believe there are three or four people involved with the thefts. No arrests had been made, as of Wednesday morning.(Credit: NYPD)(Credit: NYPD)Police said they believe the same suspects also stole a fourth mini school bus from the same lot over the weekend. The buses have not been recovered. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the N...

Retail theft is the worst in these 10 US cities, study finds

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

(KTXL) — Retail crime has been on the rise in the U.S., forcing some major retailers to even close locations in response. A new report shows some U.S. cities have been especially hard-hit by organized retail crime.The National Retail Federation (NRF) — the world's largest retail trade association, according to its website — recently released its 2023 Retail Security Survey. The report contains insights from 177 retail brands, which accounted for $1.6 trillion of annual retail sales in 2022 and represent more than 97,000 retail locations across the U.S. Overall, retailers that participated in the survey reported that inventory loss — called shrink — clocked in at an average rate of 1.6 % last year, representing $112.1 billion in losses. That’s up from 1.4% the previous year. The greatest portion of shrink — 65% — came from external theft, including products taken during organized shoplifting incidents. The 50 ‘rattiest cities’ in the US, as ranked by Orkin For the purposes of the 2...

Domino's offering free pizza to customers with student loans. Here's how to get one

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) -- Many borrowers have started to repay student loans after a significant pandemic pause. Around 40% of adults are having a hard time paying them, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Domino's Pizza is offering some relief by giving away $1 million worth of free pizzas to those still managing student loan payments.The Domino's Emergency Pizzas for Student Loans program is an extension of the chain's existing Emergency Pizzas initiative. This offer is designed to help people who are currently handling student loans. Beginning on Oct. 25, Domino's will provide a limited number of free Emergency Pizza for Student Loans codes every day until the $1 million worth of free pizza codes have been claimed. Drake giving free Dave’s Hot Chicken for his Oct. 24 birthday Kate Trumbull, Domino's senior vice president and chief brand officer, shared, "Student loan payments have resumed for millions of Americans, and we wanted to help in our own way by using the power of pizza to ...

Suburban man fatally shot by police on Wisconsin school roof failed to enter the building, officials say

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

An army veteran from the northwest suburbs is dead after climbing on top of a school building in Wisconsin and allegedly shooting at responding officers.Kevin Foy lived in Lake Villa. His mother told reporters her son suffered PTSD after serving in Afghanistan.Police have not confirmed the man's name but previously said a man was acting erratically at a car repair shop and in the parking lot of a suburban Milwaukee school and unsuccessfully tried to enter the building before climbing on its roof and exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said Tuesday.Dozens of students were in the building during the exchange of gunfire but none were hurt, officials said.The incident began around 6:30 p.m. Monday when officers with the Germantown Police Department responded to a call of a man acting “erratically” in Kennedy Middle School's parking lot and trying to enter the locked school, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said. When officers arrived the man climbed onto the school’s roof a...

Safety campaign launched as Texas ranks No. 1 in nation for worst drivers

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following a recent report by Forbes where Texas was ranked as the top state in the nation for “worst drivers,” the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and AAA Texas launched a statewide “Survive the Drive” auto safety campaign.“They say everything is bigger in Texas, which unfortunately also includes the rate of auto collisions, distracted and dangerous driving, and fatal car accidents compared to other states nationwide,” campaign organizers said.The Forbes report centered around the analysis of six metrics that show dangerous driving behavior. The metric included: drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, wrong-way driving, failure to obey traffic signs and signals, and drivers who looked at a phone. Texas vs. California: Which drivers are worse? “The statistics for dangerous and distracted driving in Texas are staggering and have only increased in severity since Texans spend more time on the roads post-COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rich Johnson, director of com...

New report: Texas could be losing billions of dollars each year, with declining childcare system

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)— Texas could be losing billions of dollars as a state, because of a growing childcare issue.A new report from Ready Nation Texas, a bipartisan nonprofit, shows things could be getting worse. And their data shows this will impact more than just families with small kids.Ready Nation said Texas' child care workforce is now 12% smaller than it was before the pandemic. Texans to vote on child-care property tax exemption "Many providers had to close their doors permanently, and too many of those that did reopen did so at reduced capacity," Katie Ferrier, the vice president of Education and Workforce Development for the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce said. Access, affordability and quality are factors playing a role in what ready Texas calls a childcare crisis. And it found insufficient childcare for kids under age three specifically, can be a major loss for the economy. Life with three young kids is nothing short of an adventure for Kari Mars.However, behind the laughs a...

Flash flood risk tonight into Thursday

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Isolated to widely scattered downpours continue into the early evening across most areas, while we watch an area of widespread rain arriving in the Hill Country.That widespread rain will slowly move eastward bringing a level 3 out of 4 flash flooding risk to most of the Hill Country overnight and into early Thursday. If you're driving in the Hill Country tonight, be extra careful and "turn around, don't drown" if you encounter a flooded road. While 1-3 inches of rain will be widespread west of I-35 tonight, localized 4-6" rainfall amounts could cause problems.Slight to Moderate flood threat for the Hill Country The rain will continue its eastward and approach I-35 during the Thursday morning commute before moving into our eastern counties by late morning. Live, updated rain totals The flash flooding risk is a bit lower closer to I-35 as the storm movement will pick up speed and not stick over any particular area too long. Still, a 2 out of 4 flash flooding risk is...