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Hurricane Idalia menaces Florida’s Big Bend, the ‘Nature Coast’ far from tourist attractions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s Big Bend is one of the last truly natural places in the state. It’s not Disney World, it’s not South Beach. This is where people go to hunt alligators, fish for tarpon and search for scallops in the shallow waters. Now it’s in the bull’s-eye of a major hurricane.The Big Bend is where the peninsula merges into the Panhandle, just southeast of the capital, Tallahassee, and well north of the Tampa metro area. Hurricane Idalia would be the first major storm to hit there since Hurricane Easy in 1950, according to the National Hurricane Center.This is where people go to appreciate nature and be left alone.“The counties of Florida’s Nature Coast believe that many people — our residents, and those who travel here from far away — think having a good time involves more than expensive restaurants, theme parks, and crowded beaches,” a website devoted to the region says. “When you want to get away, we have what you’re looking for. Forests to explore, bl...

EPA head says he’s ‘proud” of decision to block Alaska mine and protect salmon-rich Bristol Bay

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The nation’s top environmental official said he fully supports his agency’s decision to block a proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska’s salmon-rich Bristol Bay, even as the state of Alaska has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn that action.“Let me be clear, we are very proud of our decision to really evaluate the Pebble Mine project and do what is necessary to protect Bristol Bay,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday as he began a four-day tour of Alaska, starting in a Bristol Bay village.The EPA in January vetoed the proposed Pebble Mine, citing concerns with possible impacts on the aquatic ecosystem in southwest Alaska that supports the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery. The region also has significant mineral resources.Last month, the state of Alaska asked the nation’s high court to intervene.“The EPA’s order strikes at the heart of Alaska’s sovereignty...

10 armed robberies take place in 2 hours on West Side, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department sent out a community alert to residents in West Town, Douglass Park and the Lower and Near West Sides about a string of ten robberies that happened in a span of two hours Tuesday morning.Police said in each instance, a group of 2-5 Black males around the ages of 15-25, wearing dark-colored clothing and black ski masks, arrived at a location where they got out of a vehicle displaying multiple guns, took victims' personal belongings — and in some cases — assaulted the victims. 3 arrested after armed robbery, crash on Northwest Side: police Incident times and locations4400 block of West Fifth Ave on August 29, 2023 at 3:29 A.M.2300 block of West Grand Ave on August 29, 2023 at 3:30 A.M.1200 block of South Campbell Ave on August 29, 2023 at 3:49 A.M.1800 block of South Western Ave on August 29, 2023 at 4:00 A.M.1600 block of West Cermak Rd on August 29, 2023 at 4:15 A.M.Police said a 67-year-old man was exiting a business when he was approached ...

Former University of Illinois basketball star sworn-in with new Peoria police recruits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) -- Peoria's Da'Monte Williams has a new team.Williams, a former standout basketball player for Manual High School and the University of Illinois, is now with the Peoria Police Department.He was sworn in with 15 other recruits in a ceremony at the Peoria Civic Center on Monday. The department said the 16-person class is the largest recruiting group in the PPD's history. Peoria Police make “30×30” Pledge to hire more female officers Williams said he made the decision to pursue a career in law enforcement earlier this year after his first season over pro basketball was cut short by an injury last fall. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 2020. He still has to complete officer training.

2 utility workers honored for heroic actions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

CHICAGO — Two Peoples Gas utility workers were honored in a ceremony on Tuesday for their actions in helping three injured Chicagoans over the summer.Peoples Gas Utility Workers Cesar Arreola-Sandoval and Dominique Westbrook, both Unites States military veterans, were honored for their actions when they happened upon emergency situations only one week apart. Friday Morning Swim Club canceled for the season According to Peoples Gas, on Monday, May 15, Arreola-Sandoval was nearing the end of his shift while working at an apartment in Garfield Park when he spotted a man, who lived in the building, slumped over near the front entrance. Arreola-Sandoval performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived and transported him to the hospital.Peoples Gas says the man survived the emergency and after he was released from the hospital, during a visit from Arreola-Sandoval, the man told Cesar that he had saved his life.“He said it was a blessing from God that I was at the right place at the...

Friday Morning Swim Club canceled for the season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

CHICAGO — The Friday Morning Swim Club at Montrose Harbor has come to an end for the season. The early end of the third season comes days after the club’s last event was canceled, but hundreds still showed up.Friday Swim Club founders Andrew Glatt and Nicole Novotny, who started the swim club two years ago, made the statement in an Instagram post on Tuesday.  “We will not host any additional swims this summer due to last Friday’s events and the complex communication that is happening between the Chicago Parks District and the city,” Novotny said. Friday Morning Swim Club continues amid reports of cancellation Hundreds of swimmers showed up to last Friday’s event after the swim club announced on social media that it would not be hosting the meet-up. “What happened last Friday isn’t what we envisioned for Swim Club, ever,” Glatt said.According to the club’s founders, who were not present at Friday’s event, park district employees and Chicago police officers showed up while...

Skilling: Cooler, windy Wednesday for Chicagoland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

WINDY, COOLER—almost autumnlike cool air is to sweep into Chicago on "NNE" winds which arrive after a long, wave-generating trek southward the length of Lake Michigan Tuesday night and Wednesday.The time such winds spend over Lake Michigan equips them uniquely to develop waves and rip currents---and these features are behind the BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT which is in effect on our Chicago area beaches into Wednesday night. White-capped waves will populate the lake surface later tonight and Wednesday and swimmers will find water treacherous for swimming Wednesday.We have only 2 days left in August and the 3 month meteorological summer season, which spans June, July and August. Seven of the past 8 months have posted TEMP SURPLUSES IN CHICAGO---and though the temp surpluses in each of the Summer 2023 months have been MODEST—the summer season had managed a 3-month average temp which is among the 20% warmest of any of the past 153 summer seasons here.The cool temps riding into the area will...

HeyJB LIVE: Hurricane Idalia strengthens into Category 2 storm south of Tampa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Idalia strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane Tuesday and is expected to rapidly intensify in the Gulf of Mexico.As of a 5 p.m. update, the National Hurricane Center said Idalia is about 195 miles southwest of Tampa, moving north around 15 mph. The storm's wind speeds have increased to 100 mph. Real-time wobble tracker monitoring Hurricane Idalia’s shifts in Gulf of Mexico Idalia is forecast to track west of Tampa and make landfall along the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida sometime on Wednesday as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 major hurricane, to the NHC said.Storm surge remains the biggest threat with Idalia, with some areas north of Tampa Bay expected to see 8 to 15 feet of storm surge, with 4 to 7 feet in the Tampa Bay area and 3 to 5 feet south of Tampa Bay.The storm surge threat is increased thanks to higher-than-normal high tides due to Wednesday's Super Moon. Do I need to evacuate? Orders issued for several counties ahead of Idalia A hurrican...

Bears get one advantage after NFL roster cuts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The NFL's deadline for teams to cut their rosters to 53 players before the 2023 regular season has come and gone. Here are the full list of moves by the Bears in order to cut down their active roster to 53 players. .DE Trevis Gipson, CB Kindle Vildor, QB Nathan Peterman among those cut today..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/NQVJv7TYph— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) August 29, 2023That was a 3 p.m. on Tuesday, with Ryan Poles getting his Bears' roster down to 53 players. Among those bigger names cut were defensive end Trevis Gipson, cornerback Kindle Vildor, quarterback Nathan Peterman, and wide receiver Nsimba Webster.Now the general manager has one advantage when he looks for players to potentially add to the team - and it has to do with where they finished in 2023.Since the Bears were the worst team in the NFL, they'll get the No. 1 spot on the waiver wire, with the ability to claim some of the players that were let go by other teams. This could be advantageous f...

Miami billionaire gives away 600 pairs of sneakers to Boys and Girls Clubs in Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:17 GMT

CHICAGO -- A Miami billionaire and real estate mogul donated around 600 pairs of shoes to 21 Boys and Girls Clubs across Chicago on Tuesday.The charitable endeavor is all thanks to Miami billionaire and real estate mogul, Patrick Carroll, who says the organization is near and dear to his heart.“I grew up in the boys and girls club system in Tampa, Florida," Carroll said. "Played basketball and it was great escape for me. Met a lot of good friends and mentors so, it’s a great place a great organization.”He started this sneaker giveaway in Tampa before he made stops in other cities like New York and Atlanta.Carroll being a sneaker fan himself says he wants to give these kids a sense of dignity and confidence."I’m really excited because I don’t have a lot of school shoes and I basically only one pair so yeah and they’re not for gym," 10-year-old Susan Rizo said.The Chicago Bears mascot, Chance The Rapper, and other celebrities teamed up with Carroll to supply the shoes to the students ...