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Jill Biden brings a holiday ice rink to the White House for children to skate and play hockey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden is extending her holiday theme of “Magic, Wonder and Joy” to the White House grounds by putting an ice rink on the South Lawn for children to skate and play hockey in December. The first lady opened the ice rink Wednesday evening in the company of Brian Boitano, who won a gold medal in figure skating in the 1988 Olympics, and the comic-strip dog Snoopy, among others. Earlier this week, she unveiled decorations inside the executive mansion that she said were designed to help visitors experience the “magic, wonder and joy” of the holidays as they did when they were kids.The 50-by-70-foot (15.2-by-21.3-meter) rink will operate throughout December, but the White House did not specify days and hours. Washington, D.C.-area schoolchildren and children from families with service members, frontline workers, first responders and teachers will be invited to skate. The National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association will provide lessons through their “Learn t...

Mavericks likely will end up in the hands of one of Las Vegas’ most powerful families

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Cuban in many ways has been the face of the Dallas Mavericks franchise since he bought the club in 2000, so the news that he was selling a majority share to perhaps Las Vegas’ most powerful family created a number of questions.WHO IS MIRIAM ADELSON?Adelson, 78, is a medical doctor and widow of Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire founder and owner of Las Vegas Sands who died in 2021. She has no corporate role with the company, but her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, is the company president and a board member.Adelson and her family own the Las Vegas Sands and Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada’s largest newspaper. She also is the publisher of Israel Hayom, a Hebrew-language free daily newspaper distributed widely in the country where she was born that is friendly to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Adelson and her family are major players in the Republican Party in the U.S., and she and her late husband were among the biggest contributors to the campaigns of forme...

Taste of the Danforth cancelled despite attempt to save beloved Toronto festival

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

Organizers of the Taste of the Danforth tried to salvage the popular Toronto festival earlier this year after being suspended, but it appears it will be coming to an end.The decision to scrap the longtime event was made during the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA‘s annual general meeting Tuesday evening.Chris Christodoulou with Soulas Modern Greek Cuisine on Danforth Avenue called the decision “a shock.”“Not having it again is like losing a piece of your history, of your culture, as an area in the Danforth Greektown,” he told CityNews Wednesday afternoon.“It’s very unfortunate they had to cancel it because of financial problems.”According to a report by The Toronto Star, it said BIA members rejected increasing annual levies by close to 20 per cent in order to hold an event in 2024. That raised concerns about affordability for business operators. The need to raise money was attributed to a drop in fundraising and sponsorships in 2023.Chris...

Chemical firms to pay $110 million to Ohio to settle claims over releases of ‘forever chemicals’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

DOVER, Del. (AP) — The DuPont Co. and two spin-off firms will pay $110 million to the state of Ohio to settle a lawsuit over environmental threats from toxic chemicals used at a former DuPont facility in neighboring West Virginia, the companies said Wednesday.The settlement involving DuPont, the Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. resolves Ohio’s claims relating to releases of manmade, fluorinated compounds known as PFAS. It also resolves claims relating to the manufacture and sale of PFAS-containing products and claims related to firefighting foam containing PFAS.The compounds, which are associated with an increased risk of certain cancers and other health problems, are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their longevity in the environment. They have been used in the production of nonstick coatings such as Teflon, firefighting foam, water- and stain-resistant textiles, food packaging and many other household and personal items.According to the companies, Ohio will allocat...

Construction companies fined in connection with carpenter’s death at Packers stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Federal labor inspectors have levied fines against two construction companies in connection with a worker’s death at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, earlier this year.Joshua Shaw, a 27-year-old carpenter with Mavid Construction, died in June after he was struck by a dumbwaiter car while working inside one of the football stadium’s video scoreboards, WLUK-TV reported Tuesday. The work was part of a project to replace the stadium’s two video scoreboards and renovate concession stands.WLUK reported that it obtained documents that show the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations against Mavid and the project’s general contractor, Miron Construction on Nov. 15. The citations call for fines of more than $15,000 against Mavid and almost $19,000 against Miron.According to OSHA, the companies’ employees and subcontractors were exposed to “pinch-point hazards” associated ...

Israeli military says 10 Israelis, four Thai nationals, have been released by Hamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current Gaza truce, as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel’s air and ground offensive.The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return.Negotiators were working down to the wire to hammer out details for a further extension of the truce beyond its deadline of early Thursday. The talks appear to be growing tougher as most of the women and children held by Hamas are freed, and the militants are expected to seek greater releases in return for freeing men and soldiers. International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight...

Couple accused of using kids to steal nearly 1K in merchandise from Oak Brook Macy’s 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

OAK BROOK, Ill. — A Macy's in Oak Brook was once again the target of theft, with Du Page County prosecutors saying Wednesday that the latest incident involved a Chicago-area couple allegedly enlisting their kids to commit the crime.Angelo Almaraz, 26, of Chicago, and his girlfriend Thalia Morales, 32, of Hammond are both charged with one felony count of burglary and one count of felony count of retail theft. SEE ALSO: 2 men accused of stealing over $750 worth of merchandise from Oak Brook Macy’sAccording to prosecutors, around 5:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, Almaraz and Morales entered the suburban department store located at 1 Oakbrook Center with four children.Angelo AlmarazThalia MoralesProsecutors allege that the group went to the children's section with the two eldest children, one of whom officials said was 13. The two allegedly began selecting items and handing them to Almaraz and Morales, who then placed them in Nordstrom Rack bags they brought.Prosecutors say the group ran away ...

Report: Dylan Cease trade talks intensifying, deal could come before MLB winter meetings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox's staff ace, Dylan Cease, could be on the move in the near future, and one Major League Baseball insider said it could be in a deal with his hometown team.According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, talks surrounding a trade for Cease have intensified over the last 48 hours, and some people who are close to the negotiations believe a deal could be done before the winter meetings start on Dec. 3.Morosi also said the Atlanta Braves are a finalist to make a deal for Cease's services. Cease pitched and played shortstop for Milton High School in Fulton County, Georgia, which is just under a 25 mile drive from the Braves' stadium, Truist Park. Bellinger, Hendriks selected as MLB’s Comeback Players of the Year A year after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting, Cease finished the 2023 MLB regular season with a 4.58 ERA and a 7-9 record for a White Sox squad that struggled to play .500 ball for most of the year.ML...

Search underway for Albany Park shooting suspects

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating three men involved in an Albany Park "gun battle" in September.According to authorities, officers responded to a shooting on the 3600 block of West Belmont Avenue just after 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Police: Woman killed, body dumped on side of road in north suburbs The three men in question were all armed and engaged in a running gun battle.One person was shot when they attempted to flee the scene with family members.Anyone with information regarding the suspects or the incident are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-746-6554.

Body found in neighbor's barrel during search for Indiana teen missing since June

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:09 GMT

ARLINGTON, Ind. (WXIN) — The nearly six-month-long search for a missing Indiana teenager has come to an end, and a suspect has been taken into custody. Valerie Tindall, 17, was reported missing in early June. In an alert issued at the time, the Rush County Sheriff's Department said Tindall had last been seen driving a car. Authorities believed the Arlington, Indiana, teen may have been intentionally hiding and "receiving aid from individual(s) whose goal is to keep her hidden."The search for Tindall came to a tragic end this week. The Rush County Sheriff's Department confirmed on Wednesday that human remains were found hidden inside a barrel on the property of Tindall's neighbor, 59-year-old Patrick Scott. Inheritance money in dispute after death of woman who made millions off sale of T-rex remains More than 40 federal agents and local law enforcement officers descended upon Scott's property for at least the second time on Tuesday. Authorities were not able to confirm that the rem...