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Unusually early heat wave in Pacific Northwest tests records

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An early heat wave took hold Saturday in parts of the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures at or near record levels in some areas and heat advisories in place through Monday.The historically temperate region has grappled with scorching summer temperatures and unprecedented wildfires fueled by climate change in recent years.The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory extending from Saturday through Monday for much of the western parts of both Oregon and Washington state. It said the temperatures could raise the risk of heat-related illness, particularly for those who are dehydrated or don’t have effective cooling.Temperatures in Portland, Oregon, were expected to be in the low-90 degree F (32 C) range over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature at Portland International Airport as of mid-afternoon Saturday reached 92 F (33.3 C), tying a 1973 record, said Gerald Macke, a meteorological technician with the weather service i...

Sky beat Lynx as WNBA’s Canadian debut earns rave reviews

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Bridget Carleton was greeted with a round of applause when she checked into the WNBA Canada Game with 1:43 left to play in the first quarter as she felt the support from thousands of women’s basketball supporters who had been watching her from afar for the last four years of her WNBA career.Saturday marked a special day not only for Canada and the WNBA, but for fans of the game hoping for an expansion team. They got a small taste of the league in the form of an exhibition game at Scotiabank Arena — with the Chicago Sky downing Carleton’s Minnesota Lynx 82-74 before a sellout crowd.Chicago’s Courtney Williams was the first player to score a basket for a WNBA team on Canadian soil, as the Sky had the stronger start. They held the Lynx scoreless for the first four minutes until Kayla McBride broke through the Sky’s tough defence that featured many early blocks – something head coach James Wade had repeatedly asked from his team after not seeing enough of it earlier in the p...

10 injured in crash on Chicago's South Side

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Ten people, including three kids, were taken to local hospitals Saturday after a crash on the South Side of Chicago, according to the fire department.The crash happened around 5 p.m. in the 12700 block of South Torrence Avenue. Fallen CPD Officer Areanah Preston honored at Loyola graduation Seven adults, all in critical or "grave" condition, and three kids, all in serious to critical condition, were taken to two hospitals, according to the Chicago Fire Department. Additional details haven't been released.This story will be updated.

Suburban school program empowers children with hearing loss through music

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

WOOD DALE, IL. — A music program at a suburban school is helping young children with hearing loss build their communication skills and confidence. Music To My Ears is a partnership between merit schools of music and the Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources (FHSR) at Child's Voice in Suburban Wood Dale.Wendy Deters is the executive producer there. "We believe that music actually enhances kids ability to listen and talk," Deters said.Deters said Child’s Voice is a listening and spoken language program for children with hearing loss.Sally Blandon with Merit helped to develop the curriculum and teaches classes for the program that launched in January 2020, building on research, showing the many benefits of music for children with hearing loss. "We’ve had children that start out in early intervention and they’re scared to vocalize or they might just whisper quietly and then after having music for a couple of weeks and sometimes months they will vocalize" Blandon said. Tom Skilli...

Mother organizes brunch for moms who have lost loved ones to gun violence

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Tonya Burch, a mother who lost two sons to gun violence, organized her annual 'Taking Back Our Community' Brunch Saturday.Every year ahead of Mother's Day, Burch organizes the event as a means to help mothers come together and cope with the tragedy of losing children to gun violence by celebrating their memory."I just love to hear stories from other people because it uplifts me," said Sharon Purnell, who lost her only son, Damien, and her husband to gun violence. "It gives me a chance to hear somebody else's story and I can relate to them."The day was filled with food and fellowship among the mothers in attendance, with each going home with earrings bearing pictures of their sons and daughters. Delphine Cherry, whose son and daughter both died from gun violence, went home with a picture of one child in each earring. Tom Skilling ‘switches on summer’ and the Buckingham Fountain "I have been in this fight ever since," Cherry said. "[I'm] trying to get as many guns off the ...

Volunteers plant sunflowers in vacant Chicago lot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Just a few blocks away from Washington Park, a vacant lot is providing the grounding force for planting seeds of hope. Near 54th and South Prairie next to Green Line, a field of sunflowers will soon greet so many. PHOTOS: WGN anchors and reporters celebrate moms in honor of Mother’s Day! "I wanted to come out and be part of it to help beautify the community," Tamara Robbins said. Robbins was one of the many volunteers who came to help on Saturday. Just a few weeks ago and a few blocks away, WGN News showed you a takeover of tulips at 53rd Street. It was inspired by Ghian Foreman's trip to Amsterdam a few years ago. ‘Proof not promise:’ Former United Airlines CEO reflects on tenure, talks aviation’s future "I saw a field of tulips and just thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen," Foreman said. His Emerad South Economic Development Collaborative picked the site to plant the first sunflowers, a sign of happiness, health and hope."They help to remediate sto...

Weekend Break: Team Blonde in Forest Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

FOREST PARK, Ill. — WGN Weekend Morning News went to Forest Park to check out Team Blonde.Weekend Break stopped by to check out the stop that is part spa and part gift shop. MORE STORIES: Weekend Break Watch this story in the player above.

State of Texas: Efforts aim to expand state border enforcement power

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) - In the days leading up to the end of Title 42 immigration restrictions, state leaders made moves to prepare for an anticipated surge of migrants. On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott deployed a newly-formed unit he calls the Texas Tactical Border Force. He announced the deployment at a news conference at an airport runway in Austin. Behind him, military aircraft loaded with equipment prepared to take hundreds of National Guard troops to their mission."They will be deployed to hotspots along the border to intercept to repel and to turn back migrants who are trying to enter Texas illegally," Abbott told reporters.The Governor ordered a similar deployment last December - when he sent troops to El Paso to seal off areas where people were crossing the border illegally.Border enforcement is supposed to be handled by the federal government. But Texas lawmakers are moving closer to creating a way for the state to have more enforcement ability.House lawmakers approved HB 7,...

New regulations would require iron mining industry to reduce emissions of toxic mercury

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. — Federal authorities have proposed new regulations that would force the Minnesota and Michigan iron mining industry to slash its mercury emissions.The rule announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week follows two decades of litigation and other pressure by tribes and environmental groups who have long urged the agency to adopt mercury limits.The six iron ore processing plants in northeastern Minnesota would be required to cut their emissions by 57% by the end of 2026. They’re the largest source of mercury pollution in Minnesota, accounting for about half its emissions. The rule also applies to two mining operations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Virtually all U.S. iron ore processing occurs at those Michigan and Minnesota mines.“We’re glad to see some limits at long last on this pollution,” James Pew, an attorney with Earthjustice, told Minnesota Public Radio. He sued the EPA on behalf of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa an...

Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall pushing himself as he learns basics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The football jumps out of Jaren Hall’s hand. There’s no doubt about that.Watch him throw and it’s not hard to figure out why the Vikings selected the 25-year-old quarterback in the fifth round of last month’s draft.Now the key for Hall is familiarizing himself with the offense as soon as possible. He got the playbook shortly after being drafted and crammed as much as he could ahead of rookie minicamp. He got a chance to showcase his knowledge over the weekend as he and dozens of other players descended upon TCO Performance Center in Eagan.Asked for his biggest goal coming out of rookie minicamp, Hall emphasized that he simply wants to get a little bit better every day. He knows if he can do that he will put himself in a good position moving forward.“Just get comfortable with some of the basics,” Hall said. “The fundamentals within the offense are a little different than what I’ve done in the past.”Because of that, Hall has alread...