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Court denies Jussie Smollett's request to toss conviction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

CHICAGO — The Appellate Court of Cook County has denied Jussie Smollett's request to toss his conviction on disorderly conduct counts.In 2021, Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct. The former ‘Empire’ actor was accused of paying two brothers to stage a racist and homophobic attack on him in January 2019 so that he could gain notoriety. A Cook County judge sentenced Smollett to 150 days in jail, 30 months of probation, $120,106 in restitution to the City of Chicago and a $25,000 fine. He spent six nights in jail and was freed on March 16, 2022 pending this appeal. Jussie Smollett enters rehab after ‘extremely difficult past few years’: TMZ Smollett's attorney, Nenye Uche, that night criticized special prosecutor Dan Webb's decision to charge Smollett again after the initial charges were dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and he paid a fine.Lawyers argued a deal with the Cook County state's attorney meant he cou...

McDonald's making several big changes to Big Macs, other burgers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – McDonald’s is hoping to build a better Big Mac.Back in April, McDonald’s announced plans to make several “tasty improvements” not only to its Big Macs, but nearly its entire burger lineup, outlining recipe tweaks and new cooking practices intended to produce juicier patties and more flavorful food.Among the changes, McDonald’s announced plans to introduce a cooking process to produce more “perfectly melted cheese,” and new toasted buns that are “softer” and more “pillowy” than previous iterations. The overhauled burgers are also said to have additional “caramelized flavor” achieved by adding the onions to the meat on the grill, rather than scattering them atop the cooked patties.The Big Macs, too, would have even more Big Mac sauce, McDonald’s said at the time. The top cheeseburger joint in Illinois, according to Yelp But this week, the Wall Street Journal revealed additional details obtained through internal memos and company insiders, hinting at a much more extensive...

What is 'White Lung Syndrome,' the Ohio child pneumonia outbreak?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

(NewsNation) — An outbreak of pediatric pneumonia cases in Ohio is causing concern among parents worried that the spread of the illness is linked to a surge in similar cases in China and other countries around the globe.Ohio is the first state in the U.S. to report an outbreak of the illness, with an "extremely high" number of children being hospitalized.The strain of pneumonia, dubbed "white lung syndrome," has spawned 142 pediatric cases in Ohio's Warren County since August of this year, according to a press release from the Warren County Health District (WCHD). Where the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are on the rise ahead of Thanksgiving The number of cases exceeds the county average and meets the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) definition of an "outbreak." However, officials do not think it is a new respiratory disease but “rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time,” according to a WCHD spokesperson.The average age of the affected children...

How much you need to make to be 'middle class' in Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — What does it mean to be “middle class” anymore? The definition can be confusing — and it changes depending on where you live and how many people are in your household.In a study published in 2022, the Pew Research Center defined “middle-income” adults as “adults in 2021 with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the national median income in 2020, after incomes have been adjusted for household size.”Pew explains that a middle income equals an annual household income of $52,000 to $156,000 for a family of three, based on 2020 dollars. These numbers have not been adjusted for inflation since then.Adjusted for inflation, using this CPI inflation calculator, annual household income to be classified as middle class would start around $60,000. And Pew reports that while the middle class has famously decreased significantly over time, it “held steady” in 2021. Are any cities in Illinois the best place to retire? So what does it take to be mid...

School safety stuck in limbo at Texas Legislature

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- As Texas' fourth special legislative session wanes into its final week, major legislation to better equip schools with the resources needed to provide armed security personnel and other safety measures is awaiting action in the Senate.House Bill 2 would spend more than $800 million over the next five years to establish a school safety grant program and better fund the expansive school safety measures the legislature has already required school districts to implement through House Bill 3.School districts across the state are concerned that, while safety is their top priority, the state has imposed unfunded mandates that will burden their budgets."Many school officials have reported that the amount of money their school districts receive through the existing allotment for school safety expenses is insufficient to cover mandated safety measures and, in some cases, the need to hire additional full-time personnel," HB 2's analysis states.But while HB 2 passed the Hous...

Austin, Travis County leaders talk weather preparedness ahead of winter season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Travis County and Austin leaders discussed the different ways they're getting ready for the upcoming season of winter weather. They held a news conference Friday morning on the start of meteorological winter, which lasts through February. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson led the remarks by sharing how this is part of an effort to communicate more clearly about preparations the city is taking as well as what neighbors can do to plan ahead of colder weather. DETAILS: NOAA updates December, winter forecasts The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, predicted in an updated version of its winter weather outlook that almost all of Central Texas will be in the “wetter than normal” category for the winter precipitation forecast. Parts of the far western corner of our viewing area have dropped into the “equal chances” category with no clear signal on precipitation.Texas has experienced impactful winter weather events over the last few years with significant fr...

Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker proves his value by playing in the present

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

How sweet it must have been for Nickeil Alexander-Walker on Thursday at Target Center. With Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels sidelined with injuries, the 25-year-old seamlessly stepped into the role of top wing for the Timberwolves.And Alexander-Walker came through big time, finishing with 20 points, seven assists, five steals and two blocked shots. Oh, and he also drew four offensive fouls. He was a spark plug and a conductor and, at times, the best player on the floor.Delivering such a performance on any night in the NBA is satisfying for a player. To do it against a team that not only traded you nine months earlier, but often left you on the bench during your tenure there? That’s downright delightful.There were 26 games last season during his time with the Jazz, a rebuilding team, in which Alexander-Walker either didn’t play or played fewer than five minutes. And on Thursday he was running them off the floor.“It’s one way to prove your value. I think I wouldn...

Hudson motorist crashes into I-694 median in New Brighton, dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

A Hudson, Wis., motorist was killed Thursday night after crashing his car into a median on Interstate 694 in New Brighton, authorities said.David Wallace Szymanski, 60, died at the scene of the crash, which happened about 9:40 p.m. near Interstate 35W, the Minnesota State Patrol said Friday.Szymanski was headed west on I-694 in his 2016 Chevy Volt when he hit the median. The car ended up on the ramp to southbound I-35W, the patrol said.Szymanski was wearing a seat belt, the patrol said.Related ArticlesLocal News | Shooter sentenced for ‘cold-blooded murder’ of pregnant St. Paul mother of 3 children Local News | Arizona man who crashed into St. Paul police squad car arrested, faces federal drug charge Local News | Janice Rettman, former Ramsey County commissioner known for her frugality on public spending, dies Local News | For 30 years, she built a garden of stone. St. Paul wants the boulevard cleared. Local...

Twins name new (and familiar) play-by-play announcers: Cory Provus on TV, Kris Atteberry on radio

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

The Twins still may not know where their games will be televised next season, but they now know who will be announcing those games.The Twins have moved Cory Provus over from the radio side to television, where he will succeed longtime announcer Dick Bremer as the Twins’ television voice. Kris Atteberry, who has worked for the Twins’ radio team since 2007, will become the Twins’ radio play-by-play announcer, taking over Provus’s former job and teaming up with Dan Gladden.From the moment the Twins announced that Bremer would be stepping away from the booth after 40 years in early October, Provus became the natural successor.The native of Highland Park, Ill., has been with the Twins since 2012, taking over radio duties after spending three seasons alongside Milwaukee Brewers legend Bob Uecker. Prior to that job, he worked for the hometown Chicago Cubs, doing the pregame and postgame shows and handling back-up play-by-play responsibilities.During the offseason, Provus calls college foot...

‘We’ve waited for 35 years,’ says dad of St. Paul homicide victim as $10K award announced in cold case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:49 GMT

It’s been 35 years since Cheryl Prokop was killed in her St. Paul residence and now an anonymous donor is offering a $10,000 reward.The 4-year-old daughter of Prokop, 23, found her body and went to the apartment’s caretaker to report her death.Cheryl Prokop (Courtesy of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension)“We’ve waited for 35 years to understand why Cheryl was killed and who did it,” said her father, Dick Prokop, in a Friday statement. “Nothing can bring her back, but maybe this reward will help lead to some answers. If you know what happened, please report what you know.”The reward is for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people who killed Prokop.Someone entered her residence at Vista Village Townhomes on Kansas Avenue near Concord Street on St. Paul’s West Side and strangled her overnight on Dec. 2, 1988. Later that morning, Prokop’s daughter found her body.“Despite decades of forensic and investigati...