Chicago nonprofit hosts holiday event for families impacted by gun violence

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Chicago nonprofit hosts holiday event for families impacted by gun violence CHICAGO — Hundreds of gifts and a near-endless amount of candy were handed out in the West Loop at an event for children and families impacted by gun violence on Saturday.Inside Plumbers Union Hall, the sweetness of the holidays flowed from table to table as children of all ages stuffed their goody bags with candy.Organizers say families who gathered shared a unique bond, they have all lost a loved one to gun violence. So Saturday's event was all about bringing them comfort and love. Search underway for driver involved in deadly hit-and-run in Garfield Park The annual event is put together by the non-profit Chicago Survivors and the organization’s Executive Director, Jashawn Hill, said at least 700 gifts will be handed out to kids, thanks to generous donations.“It's allowing them the permission to experience the holidays with joy with others. When you see someone else has gone through what you have it’s almost as if that survivor's guilt can subside," Hill said.Bianca Miller-Herna...

Musk considering reinstating Alex Jones on X

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Musk considering reinstating Alex Jones on X (The Hill) — Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is considering reinstating right-wing personality Alex Jones on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.“Reinstate Alex Jones on this platform? Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” Musk, who owns X, said in a post on the platform Saturday.Musk’s post includes a poll on the question.The entrepreneur’s question and poll post appears to be a reversal of his previous words on the reinstatement of Jones to the platform. Last year, Musk responded mockingly to a user of the platform who asked if the controversial figure would be able to return to it.“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven,” Musk wrote in an initial tweet. New York AG suggests Trump experts helped push her fraud case forward When he was questioned further on the topic by another user, Musk gave a poignant response. “My firstborn child died in my arms. I felt his last heartbeat,” Musk said. “I have no mercy for anyone w...

Missouri woman survives freak accident after hay bale pinned her

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Missouri woman survives freak accident after hay bale pinned her INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (WDAF) — The faint scars on Rachael Howen's face tell her story of survival. The 42-year-old was in a freak accident on June 13 while she was helping out at a horse stable in Jackson County, Missouri. Howen said she was feeding some of the horses, something she knew how to do after growing up on a working farm, when the unexpected happened. "[Three hay bales] crushed me and pinned me to a golf cart," she recalled from her home in Independence. 10 best and worst cities for singles, study finds Howen screamed for help but it was muffled due to her being smothered to death. However, within about a minute, she was, "by some miracle, able to pick it up and fall out." An adrenaline rush helped Howen push the 1,500-pound hay ball off of her body but doing so used up every bit of strength she had, and she collapsed on the ground, which is when she made another startling discovery."It ripped my nose off and broke out my maxilla and 12 teeth. I was cut from my eyebrow all ...

Women’s hockey: Badgers freshman’s mistake works out for them in 5-1 win over Gophers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Women’s hockey: Badgers freshman’s mistake works out for them in 5-1 win over Gophers By the late stages of the third period Saturday afternoon at Ridder Arena, the Wisconsin Badgers had pulled away from the Gophers for a 5-1 victory en route to a split in the two-game series between two of the best teams in women’s college hockey.But midway through the second period of a close game, the game pivoted on a freshman mistake. And in an unusual twist, the mistake was made by a member of the winning team.With the Gophers up 1-0, back-to-back minor penalties on the Badgers gave the Gophers a two-man advantage for 52 seconds. The Gophers got some good looks at the Badgers’ net, but the Badgers were able to kill off the first penalty.Although the Gophers had control of the puck in the Badgers’ zone, Badgers freshman defenseman Ava Murphy left the penalty box and skated to the Wisconsin bench. When her replacement, Lacey Eden, jumped on the ice, she soon found herself alone with the puck at center ice.Eden scored on a breakaway for the shorthanded goal, and the tenor of the g...

Jayhawks rally to win fourth straight Border War over Mizzou

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Jayhawks rally to win fourth straight Border War over Mizzou LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Kansas Jayhawks beat the Missouri Tigers for the fourth consecutive game with a 71-62 win in Allen Fieldhouse. It is the closest margin and lowest-scoring game between the two teams since the rivalry was reignited in 2021. K-State pulls away in 2nd half in road win over LSU The Tigers jumped out to an early 15-6 lead while Kansas only made two of their first 12 shots. Mizzou extended that lead to 20-12 halfway through the first half before the Jayhawks began working their way back into the game. Mid-range jumpers and stops on defense carried a 20-2 run in the last six minutes of the half to give the Jayhawks a 41-29 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Jayhawks led by as many as 18 at one point, but Mizzou stuck around, closing the margin to single digits multiple times during the second half. KU only shot 3 for 10 from three and 45% from the field but shot 88% from the free throw line compared to Mizzou's 40% shooting, 33% from three and 69% from the fr...

Air Force women’s basketball tops Northern Colorado in nonconference game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Air Force women’s basketball tops Northern Colorado in nonconference game The U.S. Air Force Academy women’s basketball team used a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter to defeat Northern Colorado 68-60 Saturday in Colorado Springs.UNC dropped to 3-4 with the nonconference loss.Air Force, 6-4 and a member of the Mountain West Conference, held a one-point lead early in the fourth quarter before starting its run. UNC’s Tena Ikidi made a layup with 8-minutes, 51 seconds left in the period to cut Air Force’s lead to 42-41.UNC outscored Air Force 19-11 in the third quarter to trail 40-39 at the start of the fourth quarter. Air Force outscored UNC 28-21 in the fourth.The Falcons scored eight-straight points to start the run, which was powered by sophomore guard Milahnie Perry. Perry scored 10 of the Falcons’ points during the stretch capped by a 3-pointer to push the lead to 55-43 with 5:28 to play.Air Force shot 47% from the field compared to 35% (19 of 54) for UNC.Perry led all scorers with 17 points including 5 of 11 from 3-point range.Hann...

Kiszla: If Sean Payton can’t get Broncos to playoffs, he deserves “F” for first season as coach in Denver

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Kiszla: If Sean Payton can’t get Broncos to playoffs, he deserves “F” for first season as coach in Denver If coach Sean Payton can’t get the Broncos in the playoffs from here, we should all be ticked off.While Denver has little margin for error to secure a wild-card berth, the notion that Payton deserves strong consideration for Coach of the Year if Denver recovers from a 1-5 start to get in the Super Bowl tournament is pure poppycock.Broncos CEO Greg Penner and team ownership paid Payton a reported $18 million salary to fix Russell Wilson, not dig a hole and then regularly drop hints that the mess was his quarterback’s fault.No contender for a wild-card berth in the AFC has an easier schedule than what awaits Denver.With two games against the Chargers’ Brandon Staley, who’s a dead coach walking, a Patriots squad so bad it might get Bill Belichick fired, and Raiders that will already be packing for Cancun on the final weekend of the regular season, if Payton can’t get Denver to the playoffs from here, he richly deserves a grade of “F” for his fi...

Big opportunity at hand as CU Buffs men’s basketball takes on No. 15 Miami in Brooklyn

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Big opportunity at hand as CU Buffs men’s basketball takes on No. 15 Miami in Brooklyn Tad Boyle once had a front row seat to watch Jim Larranaga lead a team to the Final Four. Now, Colorado’s head coach will get a look at Larranaga’s latest Final Four club.Boyle was an assistant at Wichita State when the Shockers twice played Larranaga’s George Mason club during the 2005-06 season, including an NCAA Tournament date as Larranaga led George Mason to the program’s first Final Four appearance. Larranaga did the same with Miami last season, and on Sunday Boyle’s Buffaloes collide with the 15th-ranked Hurricanes for the first time in nearly 67 years as part of the NABC Brooklyn Showcase at the Barclays Center.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | AP men’s college basketball poll, Week 5: CSU Rams jumps seven spots, CU Buffs outside of Top 25 College Sports | CU women’s basketball has returned to national prominence, but JR Payne and the Buffs still have boxes left to check College Sports | Women’s basketball notes: Shelomi Sander...

Evacuations ordered as wildfire erupts in Ventura County

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Evacuations ordered as wildfire erupts in Ventura County An evacuation order has been issued for a part of northern Ventura County following a brush fire breaking out near the community of Somis. Ventura County Fire Department officials are working to contain the brush fire, which broke out at 9:37 a.m. Saturday west of South Mountain.  Strong winds trigger Red Flag Warning for parts of SoCal As of 4:40 p.m. Saturday, the evacuation order was issued for: North of East La Loma Avenue and West La Loma Avenue South of East Los Angeles Avenue East of Aggen Road West of La Vista Avenue Mission Rock Road area off Highway 126 at BriggsAn area near the community of Somis is under an evacuation warning due to a brush fire. (Caltrans District 7)The blaze had spread to 800 acres as of 4 p.m. Saturday, most of which was burning on the south side and the ridgeline of South Mountain.The following roads have been closed due to the fire:West Los Angeles Avenue north towards West La Loma AveLa Vista AvenueWalnut Avenue...

Shohei Ohtani signs historic $700M deal with the Dodgers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:16:09 GMT

Shohei Ohtani signs historic $700M deal with the Dodgers The wait is over and baseball's most impactful star has a new team — Shohei Ohtani is a Los Angeles Dodger.According to the reigning American League MVP himself, Ohtani has played his last game as a member of the Los Angeles Angels and plans to sign with the crosstown rivals for what is said to be a record-shattering deal.Ohtani broke the news himself on Instagram."To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team," the slugger said in his post.ESPN reporter Jeff Passan announced that the deal is for 10 years worth a total of $700 million. It's the largest guaranteed contract in sports history, Passan said.It also includes certain deferrals that will allow the Dodgers to build a more competitive team around him, he said. US and Mexico submit joint bid to host 2027 Women’s World Cup The decision comes after weeks of speculation, covert meetings and around-the-clock...