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A year later, Chris Collins answers the challenge to turn around Northwestern

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

EVANSTON - One year ago on Tuesday came a news release to members of the media that cover Northwestern athletics that bluntly stated the situation with the men's basketball program.Dated March 14, 2022, athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg had a statement on the state of the team that had endured five-straight losing seasons after a breakthrough NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. That included a 15-16 record in 2021-2022, prompting a meeting between the AD and Chris Collins. While the head coach's contract ran through 2024-2025, the statement made clear that a critical time was ahead for the man that had led the program to its first "Big Dance" just five years earlier.“I have tasked Coach Collins with making necessary changes to build towards success in the 2022-23 campaign. I am extremely grateful to all our supporters for their dedication and, most importantly, to our student-athletes for always representing our University with pride and passion," said Gragg at the end of the stat...

Illinois ban on cash bail in hands of state’s Supreme Court

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois lawmakers’ effort to end cash bail is in the state Supreme Court’s hands after justices heard arguments Tuesday on behalf of top Democrats, and a group of prosecutors and sheriffs who are challenging the law.The state Supreme Court ordered in January that the provision would not take effect as anticipated and agreed to an “expedited” review following a Kankakee County judge’s ruling that the General Assembly’s elimination of cash bail was unconstitutional. Illinois Supreme Court halts elimination of cash bail in SAFE-T Act Brief arguments before the Supreme Court’s seven justices in Springfield on Tuesday largely centered on whether lawmakers have the authority to make such a sweeping change to pretrial procedures.The clampdown on courts that require a monetary payment before a defendant can be released from jail ahead of a criminal trial is part of a criminal justice package that Illinois Democrats wrote following the killing of George Floyd by Minnea...

Daughter roasts Illinois dad in sweet and funny obit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

ALTON, Ill. (KTVI) - An obituary roasting an Alton, Illinois man is getting a lot of positive attention online. Kenne Pluhar, 62, passed away on his birthday, March 2, 2023. His daughter, Halliea Milner, told Nexstar's KTVI it took 45 minutes to write a very honest, touching, and hilarious memorial for her father. Many people on Reddit say they wish more obituaries were like this.Kenne Pluhar Jr. (Courtesy: Halliea Milner)Milner begins the obituary with this line:"Kenne died in ICU at St Anthony’s after losing a battle with sepsis – at the age of 62, after 50 years of crap – starting with everyone and everything he could find to fight in Alton, IL, this hard as nails, redneck, SOB finally found something meaner and more stubborn than himself."The obituary continued:"Like any good card-carrying, Ray Ban wearing, camo coverall lovin’ redneck, Kenne had 3 true loves: hunting, fishing, and drinking. He liked “both kinds of music - country AND western”. Like every sad cowboy song, he cou...

CTA Brown Line train evacuated due to downtown power outage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

CHICAGO — Rush hour commuters on the CTA Brown Line were evacuated at Wells and Wacker due to a local power outage, city fire personnel said Tuesday.Fire crews respond downtown to a power outage that caused a Brown Line to be evacuated. (Photo: CFD)While no injuries have been reported, Chicago Fire says power loss to the third rail caused the Brown Line train to cease, thus blocking other trains from traveling.Because dozens of people were on board, emergency crews led passengers off the train down a catwalk to Merchandise Mart station. In the latest update, Chicago fire said, "multiple CTA lines [are] affected as all power is cut near Merchandise Mart to allow tracks to be crossed."Crews remain on scene to conduct repairs. This is a developing story. Check back fro updates.

Giant hornet's nest on City of Georgetown land keeps locals away from their own backyard

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — A giant hornet's nest hangs near a backyard fence belonging to the Grace family. The threat of it falling and cracking open has kept the family out of the space for months now and has yet to find a service willing to remove it.The pale-grey and white nest is about the size of a basketball and looks almost like it could be made out of paper mache.The hundreds of furry buzzing bodies that crawl over its surface though, gave the hidden hive away to Monica Grace once leaves on its host tree fell of this winter.She reached out to KXAN via our ReportIt tip line to raise awareness about her hornet-removal struggles.The nest has been made by the insects on property owned by the City of Georgetown.KXAN.com reached out to the city about this issue, it encouraged any residents dealing with a similar nest to hire a private contractor to remove it.Grace said she has tried doing just that, but to no avail. She said that one company declined performing the removal out of...

1 dead after 2-vehicle crash in north Austin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person is dead after a two-vehicle crash in north Austin Sunday, according to an Austin Police Department news release.Shortly before 6 p.m., APD officers responded to the crash between an SUV and a pickup truck in the 6300 block of West U.S. 290 Highway, the release said.According to police, the SUV driver was taken to a hospital, where they later died. The person was not identified by police Tuesday. MAP: Where have Austin’s fatal crashes occurred in 2023? The driver and passenger inside the pickup truck were taken to the hospital for non-serious injuries and were cooperating with the investigation, police said.This now makes Austin's 20th fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 20 fatalities for the year, according to the release.Anyone with any information should contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at (512) 974-8111. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling (512) 472-8477.

SXSW: Michael J. Fox treats Parkinson's with laughter in new Apple TV+ documentary

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie," but what does the word "still" mean to the iconic actor?Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at 29 but he first thought it was a bad hangover. Life for the 61-year-old is much different than it was before but "still" he stays strong when, at times, it may be hard for him.Fox and the team behind his new Apple TV+ documentary attended South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on Tuesday and were greeted with a warm welcome, tears, smiles and laughter.Fox told KXAN he was excited about seeing the film Tuesday and he shared his excitement about hitting up the pool after the premiere.Michael J. Fox at 'STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie' premiere at 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival at The Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. (KXAN/Ricky Garcia)Michael J. Fox at 'STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie' premiere at 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival at The Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. (KXAN/Ricky Garcia)Par...

It's Pi Day! Here are a few of Central Texas' favorite pie spots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some know it as March 14. Some know it as Pi Day, which is a phonetically great excuse to chow down on pie.We asked people in and around Austin their favorite places to get pie (in dessert or pizza form). The City of Kyle claims it is the "Pie Capital of Texas." Kyle has previously hosted the annual Pie in the Sky Hot Air Balloon Festival.Here's a list of local places to celebrate math... and food around Central Texas, according to commenters on our post: PieBlue Bonnet CafeMarble Falls: Open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Open Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.Papi's PiesRound Rock: Open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.PieJackedRound Rock: Open Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. until 4 p.m. Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Texas Pie CompanyKyle: Open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Open Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Tiny PiesAustin, Westlake, Lakeway and Waco: Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Op...

‘Death of democracy?’ Bill to make achieving major party status criticized

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

Legislation to increase the percentage of the statewide vote needed to be considered a major political party got a sharp rebuke from Minnesota’s former Independence Party Gov. Jesse Ventura on Tuesday.The actor and wrestler who was elected Minnesota governor in 1998 said a proposed bill to increase the threshold to 10 percent of the statewide vote to be considered a major political party would result in nothing less than the “death of democracy” in the state. Currently, at least one of a party’s statewide candidates must get 5 percent of the vote to be considered a major party.“I’m here today because this is very disturbing. I’m here in total opposition to this,” Venture told the Senate Elections Committee, noting that had the rules been in place when he ran for governor he wouldn’t have won. “The people of Minnesota won’t be able to shock the world again.”Ventura added that he wasn’t surprised the Democra...

Dakota County OKs Eagan affordable housing project for seniors, veterans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:30 GMT

An affordable housing project in Eagan that caters to seniors and veterans was approved to receive up to $9 million in American Rescue Plan funds Tuesday by the Dakota County Board of Commissioners.The 24-unit housing project, called Nicols Pointe, will be built near the Twin Cities Premium Outlets, said Tony Schertler, executive director for the Dakota County Community Development Agency, to offer residents a nearby workplace.The housing project’s units will be income-qualified and available to individuals 55 and older with a preference for veterans, said Schertler.The units will be open to households that earn no more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income, which currently would set the limit at $49,320. Rent is also regulated for the units so no renter will have to pay more than 30 percent of their income, Schertler said.Nicols Pointe will span over an acre and offer only single bedroom units, Schertler said. Rent prices in the apartment building, which will be owned and opera...