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What’s changed – and what hasn’t – a year after Mississippi capital’s water crisis?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Water is flowing again to nearly all of Mississippi’s capital city. It’s a stark contrast from a year ago, when Jackson’s 150,000 residents could never be sure what, if anything, would flow from their taps when they needed a drink, a shower or to flush the toilet. The majority-Black city also faced occasional warnings that their water could be contaminated and needed to be boiled, and people had to wait in line to get fresh water. The turnaround has been shepherded by Ted Henifin, a seasoned utility manager appointed last year as interim head of the long-troubled water system. He’s faced pushback from some residents over lingering water quality concerns, legal hurdles to his plan to ensure low income people don’t pay more for water, and has expanded his purview to include fixing the sewer system.In an interview with The Associated Press last week, he offered an insider’s look at the latest chapter in a saga that blends elements of racial disparity, crumbl...

House fire reported in Hawthorn Woods

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- Emergency crews are working to contain a house fire in Hawthorn Woods Tuesday evening.According to reports, a house fire broke out on the 10 block of Robin Crest Road in Hawthorn Woods on Tuesday. Emergency crews respond to home explosion in DeKalb County SkyCam9 was over the scene just before 4:30 p.m. to find the house completely engulfed in flames.No further information has been provided at this time.Stay with WGN-TV as this story develops.

Opinion: Loss to Vikings, Justin Fields injury return Bears to regularly scheduled programming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

“Here's the thing: Life is an endless series of train-wrecks with only brief, commercial-like breaks of happiness. This had been the ultimate commercial break, which meant it was time to return to our regularly scheduled program.” Last Week: The time is now to trade Justin Fields When it rains, it pours, and in a season where it’s rained pain and poured misery for fans of the Chicago Bears for nearly six straight weeks, there’s no better place to look for a momentary respite from the gloom and doom than the slapstick, nihilistic ramblings of one of the world’s most recognizable anti-heroes — Deadpool.The quote from the 2016 blockbuster action film suits the Bears season thus far almost to a T.The backstory to Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, is rife with pain and misery — living life as a mercenary, constantly around death and destruction, all the while dealing with an ongoing battle with cancer.While death, destruction and cancer haven’t been in the literal cards for the Bears, the tea...

3 Cubs' Days in October: What the 2003 Cubs' collapse means now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

CHICAGO — There is one game, and specifically one inning, that Cubs fans associate with arguably the darkest and most painful moment in the history of Wrigley Field. Yet it's really an experience of three days for Cubs' fans that tell the tale the story of arguably the most epic collapse in the team's rough pre-2016 history. Up 3-1 in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series against the Marlins, the Cubs dropped Game 5 in Miami Gardens then suffered defeat in Games 6 & 7 at Wrigley Field. It denied them a shot to end a then 58-year pennant and 95-year World Series drought, with the last two contests adding to the jinxed history of the franchise that permeated until the 2016 title.But now that "Curse of the Billy Goat" has been exercised, how is this moment viewed on its 20th anniversary? That's something WGN News Now is reflecting on after not just the anniversary of Game 6, known dubiously as the "Steve Bartman Game," but also the following game along with the afte...

'A breaking point': Republicans still attempting to elect new Speaker of the House

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- After ousting Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, Republicans are attempting to elect a new speaker.However, it has been a rocky process. Jim Jordan, the Republican nominee for Speaker of the House, did not get enough votes on the first ballot to clench the speakership, receiving fewer votes than Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.Democrats, such as California's Pete Aguilar, slammed Republicans for removing McCarthy as Speaker of the House with no clear plan for how to replace him."We are here because this hallowed chamber has been led to a breaking point by two dangerous forces extremism and partisanship," he said.Democrats also said it isn't their job to bail out Republicans, especially because Republicans can't agree on supporting their nominee."This is a Republican caucus problem, caused by the Republican caucus," said Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.).Republicans expected a difficult process with more than one round of voting, but many in the party said ...

HCSO: Hays High School student arrested by deputies after 'joke' threat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A 16-year-old student at Hays High School is facing a criminal charge after deputies said a violent threat got shared on social media Monday as a "joke." The Hays County Sheriff's Office confirmed deputies took the student in question into custody Tuesday morning and charged the teenager with false alarm, which is a state jail felony. This stemmed from investigations over a threat referring to school violence. San Marcos CISD employee will be charged for bringing firearm to a prekindergarten class Deputies said they began looking into a "generic threat" Monday mentioning several school districts in their area and across Texas. A second screenshot later came to their attention, which they said "specified a threat to a school in Hays." A school resource officer reportedly learned a 16-year-old student at Hays High School may have sent that second screenshot, deputies said Tuesday. According to a statement released Tuesday afternoon, deputies said they in...

Austin housing inventory reaches 8-year high, ABoR says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Board of Realtors said Tuesday in a news release that the housing inventory in the Austin-Round Rock MSA reached four months of inventory -- the highest level in more than eight years.There are four months of inventory on hand, officials noted. However, the market experienced a drop in closed sales, which decreased by 18.2% year over year, according to ABoR. It also pointed to higher mortgage rates helping to a dip in prices. Want to buy a house? Here’s how much you need earn to afford one in these Texas cities “It's imperative for Central Texans to have a game plan and strategize with their REALTORⓇ when navigating the housing market,” Ashley Jackson, 2023 ABoR president, said in the release. “It’s also important to understand that the housing market today is no longer the housing market of the past few years. The benefit of this for buyers is they can take advantage of this extra time to get pre-qualified, while sellers can improve their home’s curb a...

Dramatic warming trend underway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A warming trend is underway as sunshine and south winds return to the area, following a brief taste of winter Tuesday morning. Morning low temperatures Tuesday nearly dropped to the freezing mark in the coldest rural valleys.Daytime and nighttime temperatures warm steadily this week, with temperatures eventually rising to record levels Saturday. Forecast high temperatures for Formula One races at COTA will be unseasonably hot with dry sunshine. PHOTOS: Solar eclipse passes over Austin area Extended forecasts show a change in the weather pattern next week. A trough of low pressure may combine with tropical moisture from the Pacific to bring welcome rain to the area, but exact timing and amounts cannot be determined this far out. Stay tuned for forecast updates. BLOG: El Niño into 2024: What that means for winter and spring Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather ne...

A possible solution to Austin's declining Black population?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)—From art to food and music—some give credit to Black Austinites for playing an integral role in shaping the city into what it is today. Yet over at least a 10-year period, Austin's Black population continues to decline, while the overall population grows. To address more Black people leaving year over year, there's one group in particular taking a solution-oriented approach that it hopes might help sustain or even grow that population.The African American Leadership Institute (AALI) is an Austin nonprofit. According to its website, it works to: "Increase civic awareness and leadership opportunities specifically targeting Austin's Black population."African American Leadership Institute It was founded in 2020 by longtime Austinites, Heath Creech and the organization's CEO, Bini Coleman. AALI has been strategic for the past few years, to come up with a real plan to tackle the complex issue of Austin's declining Black population. "I've been here over 25 years, and we have ...

FDA likely to ban hair straightening products containing harmful chemicals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will likely ban some hair straightening products that contain ingredients thought to increase the risk of hormone-related cancers. The FDA released a rule proposal to ban the use of formaldehyde and other chemicals that release formaldehyde in products designed to straighten or smooth hair. Before the ban becomes official, likely in April 2024, the FDA is accepting public comment, which can be submitted online. Research in recent years has suggested that hair straightening products may increase the risk of hormone-related cancers, such as breast and uterine. Other research has linked the use of hair straightening products and more short-term health issues, such skin reactions and breathing difficulties. One study published in Jan. 2023 noted that while 1.64% of women who never used hair straightening chemicals developed uterine cancer by the time they were 70, that risk rose to 4.05% in the women who did use the pr...