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Emergency brakes were activated before CTA Yellow Line collision with rail equipment: NTSB report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

CHICAGO — The CTA operator onboard a southbound Yellow Line train that collided with rail equipment near Howard station, leaving dozens of people injured, was made aware of a potential wreck and tried to brake before the crash, according to a new report.The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday released their findings from a preliminary investigation concerning the Nov. 16 crash. On that day, just after 10:30 a.m., near the 7500 block of N. Paulina Street, a CTA Yellow Line train with a lone operator and 30 passengers collided with the rail-mounted snow-removal equipment in the Howard Rail Yard. Here’s a list of new Illinois laws going into effect in 2024 According to the report, the CTA train operator knew that the snow removal machine was operating on the Yellow Line, in part, because of a training exercise. The train operator did not know of the snow removal machine's exact location, however.NTSB investigators found that the train was traveling just under 55 mph ...

Federal lawsuit accuses former Chicago Public Schools teacher of sexual abuse, alleges CPS failed to protect victims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

CHICAGO — A federal lawsuit is accusing a former Chicago Public Schools teacher of sexually abusing three boys during a period of nearly four years and also alleges that CPS failed to protect the boys from the alleged abuse.The lawsuit was filed by parents of the three boys on their behalf against the Chicago Board of Education, which includes Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary School, Chicago Public School District 299 and Andrew Castro, in his capacity as an employee of Chicago Public Schools.Castro, a gym teacher at Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood on the city's Northwest Side from September 2017 through July 2021, is currently facing three criminal counts in Cook County Court because of alleged sexual abuse against the three boys.The lawsuit filed by the boys' parents alleges that Castro used gifts and money to not only befriend the three boys but also the parents of the children, the oldest of whom was 10 at the time. Two of the boys are brother...

How to thank your Amazon driver with a $5 gift at no extra cost

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) -- 'Tis the season for Amazon workers to be working around the clock, delivering holiday gifts and packages to homes nationwide. To show a little gratitude to their drivers, Amazon is gifting $5 to drivers who receive a "thank you" from their customers. Starting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, Amazon customers can thank their delivery driver with Alexa by saying "Alexa, thank my driver" or by searching "thank my driver" on the Amazon shopping app or the Amazon website. Are you owed money from the $3 million Credit Karma settlement? Amazon said the first 2 million "thank yous" will come with a $5 gift to the driver at no cost to the customers. After that, customers can continue to thank their drivers all year round and drivers will be able to see the number of times they are thanked in their app. Amazon drivers reportedly deliver upwards of 300 packages a day during the holiday season. Amazon's "Thank My Driver" initiative has been a year-round program since it was intr...

Petito family withdraws motion to order Laundrie attorney's testimony about killing timeline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — The family of Gabby Petito late Monday withdrew a motion to compel the testimony of the attorney who began representing the Laundrie family as the search for the travel blogger unfolded in the summer of 2021. It was Sept. 14, 2021, and Petito's family had just reported her missing. On the same day, Brian Laundrie's parents allowed their attorney Steven Bertolino to make a statement. Gabby Petito lawsuit: Brian Laundrie’s parents finally admit what their son told them, attorney says "On behalf of the family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family," the statement said in part. Pat Reilly, the attorney for the Petito family in their civil lawsuit against Bertolino and the Laundries, claimed that statement was released even though they allegedly knew Petito would not come home alive. "I just think it's another brick in our foundation of showing that they knew that Gabby was deceased at ...

WATCH: Zelenskyy meets with Biden, visits Capitol Hill seeking more US aid for Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

President Zelenskyy and President Biden are scheduled to hold a joint press conference beginning at approximately 4:10 p.m. ET following their meeting. Nexstar Media plans to livestream that press conference within this story once it begins.WASHINGTON (AP) — His country's future at stake, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used inspirational words, resolve and a nod to Christmas in appealing Tuesday to leaders in Congress for U.S. aid for his fighters in the war with Russia.But as he arrived next at the White House, additional American support was in grave doubt.Zelenskyy's visit to Washington came at a grim time, much changed from the hero's welcome he received last year. President Joe Biden's request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is at serious risk of collapse in Congress as Republicans are insisting on linking it to strict U.S.-Mexico border security changes that Democrats decry. Zelensky arrives at Wh...

Austin metro is fastest-growing in the country for 12th year in a row

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video shows how Texas' population grew in 2022.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin metro is the fastest-growing area in the nation for the 12th year in a row, according to City Demographer Lila Valencia.Valencia gave a presentation on the city's population growth and demographic trends during a city council work session Tuesday.Austin continues "inching our way closer to that million mark," Valencia said. The city had an estimated 2022 population of 974,447, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a 1.3% increase since the 2020 census.That means Austin is bucking a national trend. Of the more than 800 cities in the U.S. with more than 50,000 residents, 53% have lost population since 2020, according to Valencia.But the rapid growth locally is being seen even more outside of Austin, in suburban cities like Georgetown, Kyle and Leander, all of which ranked in the top four fastest-growing cities in the nation in 2022. RELATED COVERAGE: Several local cities are among the f...

Warm and dry today to cool and wet tomorrow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Highs will peak in the upper half of the 60s to a few that may reach between 70° and 72°. Warmest day of the next sevenThe day started with high clouds moving in ahead of an upper-level trough that sent moisture in from the Pacific. Clouds will continue to increase this afternoon.Tracking our next storm systemThe upper trough will head into Arizona later today then take a turn and head to New Mexico. It will slow down as it heads to Texas. Rain chances go up to 50% tomorrow with some of that rain beginning before daybreak. A much lower chance is still predicted for Thursday before the "main event" that happens Friday.DETAILS: Wet weather expected late weekThere have been updates for how much rain could accumulate between Wednesday and overnight Friday to Saturday. Both the American and European models have dropped their first forecasts down to an average of .50" to 1.25".Rain totals projections continue to dropIt is during Friday's rain where there will be a Margina...

First Warning: Still wet Friday but projected rain totals are dropping

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The first rain for December will happen tomorrow. Originally predicted for the Hill Country the forecast now has more of this rain affecting areas east of I-35. In-Depth: we haven't had more than an inch of rain fall in one day at Camp Mabry since October 26.Friday is still going to be the wettest day with the arrival of an upper-level trough that today (Tuesday) is over the Great Basin (much of Nevada and western Utah). The trough will slowly move over Texas leading to an excellent probability of rain area-wide. The rain will start as early as 2 to 3 a.m. Friday, continuing into the noon hour. More rain is expected Friday afternoon and night before ending overnight Friday to Saturday morning.Wednesday and Friday are wet days in Central TexasRainfall amountsExactly how much rain we get will depend on a few factors including the eastward motion of the storm system as a whole and whether we can get many thunderstorms to enhance rainfall intensity.Unfortunately, the upd...

St. Paul police release body camera video of shootout that injured officer, killed man

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

St. Paul police on Tuesday released body camera footage of last week’s shootout, during which a police officer was injured and a man was killed.Officers were called to the Merriam Park neighborhood on Thursday just after 2 p.m. after a woman called 911 and reported a man who she had an order for protection against was following her as she drove in the area. She said the man, identified as Brandon Daleshaun Keys, was intentionally driving his vehicle into hers, was armed with a handgun and had broken out a window of her vehicle, police said Thursday night.At Cretin and Marshall avenues, Keys got out of his car and approached the woman’s vehicle, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating. Officer Michael Tschida arrived and ordered Keys, 24, to get on the ground.Keys fired at Tschida and struck him in the lower leg, and Tschida returned fire, police said Thursday night. The BCA described the situation on as an exchange of gunfire, a...

Man sentenced to 47 years in prison for murdering woman pregnant with his child outside Lakeville Amazon warehouse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:35 GMT

A St. Louis Park man received a 47-year prison sentence Tuesday in the Lakeville shooting death of a woman who was nine months pregnant with his child and the mother of his 2-year-old daughter.Donte Rapheal McCray, 33, pleaded guilty in October to two counts of second-degree murder by drive-by shooting — one each for the deaths of 31-year-old Kyla Bianca O’Neal and Messiah Edward O’Neal, who was born by cesarean section the night of the shooting and died nine days later. His two original counts of second-degree intentional murder were dismissed at sentencing.Donte Rapheal McCray (Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)The shooting happened about 7 p.m. Jan. 8 in the parking lot of the Amazon Fulfillment Center, where McCray worked.McCray pleaded guilty through an agreement reached two days before prosecutors were to present the case to a grand jury for consideration of first-degree murder charges. A conviction would have carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison.M...