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March for Justice: Victims exonerated of wrongful convictions from former CPD detective rally in Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

CHICAGO — A group of at least two dozen people made up of exonerated individuals and families impacted by a former Chicago police detective's alleged misconduct led a march for justice Saturday, with the goal of making their voices heard at CPD's Area Five headquarters."I served a term of 21 years," said Jacques Rivera, President of Innocent Demand Justice. "I was sentenced to 85 years and thank God that this all came to light. The eye witness came forward, he recanted and he said ‘yes, this is not the guy I saw shoot and kill the victim in my case back in 1988.'"Rivera and others who joined in on Saturday's rally have accused form CPD detective Reynaldo Guevara and his associates of fixing murder cases by ways of forcing wrongful confessions, intimidating witnesses and manipulating lineups."This detective and his associate have caused this city and the tax payers millions upon million upon million of dollars," said attorney Lauren Caeseverg, Co-Director of the Illinois Innocence Pr...

Residents hope to make wellness village in Garfield Park a reality

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

CHICAGO — Garfield Park residents hope a new development will help transform their neighborhood with jobs and resources.An open house was held Saturday to give residents a chance to connect and weigh in on a massive development they hope will move the area forward. Family remembers miracle at Indiana Dunes’ Mount Baldy The hope is to see Sankofa Wellness Village become a reality.After being awarded a $10 million Chicago prize from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative is aiming to break ground at Madison and Kildere later this year.The village will include a gym, medical center, arts facility, small business incubator, space to hold before and after school programs and critical resources for a disinvested neighborhood.On Tuesday, a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were shot outside a Garfield Park library branch near Pulaski and Madison. Man charged in shooting that injured 2 boys outside Chicago library In a show of solidarity, ...

PAWS Chicago hosts discounted adoption event for some dogs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

CHICAGO — Adoption fees were cut in half for big dogs on Saturday at PAWS Chicago because so many of them are looking for a new home.Some of the dogs have been waiting for quite a while as PAWS is a no-kill shelter and does so much to help animals in need. PAWS Chicago to bring 30-plus rescued dogs and cats from tornado-ravaged Tennessee And not just in Chicago, but across the country as well. "We bring vans down and bring back animals," Joan Harris, the director of canine training, said. "Hurricanes, tornadoes, whatever we can do, we try to extend ourselves."The volunteers try the best they can to look after all of them. "We take them to the lake twice a week for fun runs," Harris said. "So we are a really special organization."But ultimately, the dogs are looking for a new home.The adoption fees vary based on the size of the animal, but those fees include spay or neutering services, microchipping and vaccinations.

Teachers get a special discount at some Disney hotels this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

(WFLA) — Teacher Appreciation Week has passed, but educators can take advantage of this Disney deal all summer long. Certain hotels on Walt Disney World property are offering a special discount for teachers this summer. Educators at all levels — from daycare to college — are eligible for the offer, according to the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels website. In addition to the discounted stay, the Disney Springs Area Hotels also come with a free shuttle to the theme parks. Guests at these hotels are allowed to enter the theme parks 30 minutes before they open to the general public. Disney World’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will make its final voyage this fall Disney Springs Area Hotels guests receive a coupon booklet with special discounts at the Disney Springs shopping and entertainment complex. They are also allowed to book tee times at Disney golf courses up to 90 days in advance. The offer is available between May 15 and August 15 and applies to travel dates from May 29 t...

Growing pains? U of MN’s St. Paul soil testing lab to the rescue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

Anxious about the rueful state of his peas, radishes and onions, Rod Marquardt arrived at the University of Minnesota’s soil testing laboratory with two lunch bag-sized containers of dirt.“We’re just trying to figure out if it’s too much compost or what’s going on with our soil,” said Marquardt, who tends both his Stillwater lawn and a community garden plot.As far as Marquardt is concerned, he went straight to the top to get his soil analyzed. The St. Paul facility anonymizes its testing, treating walk-in samples with as much care and prestige as those involved in an academic study or commercial agriculture. In fact, the Dudley Avenue laboratory on the U’s St. Paul campus is the only soil testing lab in the metro area certified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.Residents can opt for a basic $19 analysis, letting them know within a matter of days how much organic matter, phosphorous, potassium and lime resides in their soil, as well ...

Is it legal to kill a coyote in Missouri, Illinois?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Though peak coyote season recently passed, there's a chance you could see one roaming through Missouri or Illinois on any given day.Last year, the Missouri Department of Conservation warned people to be on the lookout for coyotes in early June. Coyotes could appear in broad daylight, though are more likely to be spotted during the evening hours. They can also create concerns to domesticated pets and their owners. New top prosecutor leaves high-powered law firm for public service Occasionally, coyotes can be a nuisance around the St. Louis metropolitan area. Does that make it legal to hunt or kill one in Missouri or Illinois if they pose a threat? It depends. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, in the Show Me State...Coyotes, by means of hunting, "may be taken all year except during the daylight hours from April 1 - 16." There aren't any specific limits as to how many can be hunted.Permits may be required if the time coyotes are being hunted coincides...

Nuggets vs. Lakers: Live updates from Game 3 Western Conference Finals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

Live updates, tweets, photos, analysis and more from the Denver Nuggets’ Game 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on May 20, 2023.Game predictionsNuggets-Lakers Game 3: Must readsGrading the Week: Put down the remote, Michael Malone. Your Nuggets will get all the respect they deserve soon enough.Put down the remote, Michael Malone.Trust us, there are far better ways to spend your free time than lingering on what a few talking heads on ESPN and FS1 have to say about your Nuggets. Just because someone saw fit to give Kendrick Perkins and Nick Wright microphones doesn’t mean you have to listen. Read more…Nuggets vs. Lakers: Three keys to Game 3 victory in Western Conference FinalsIt’s time for the Western Conference Finals to move from the mountains to the beaches.No more altitude excuses for the Lakers after Denver took a 2-0 series lead at Ball Arena this week. Game 3 is in the City of Angels on Saturday (6:30 p.m. MT, ABC). Here ar...

Deputies arrest Corona man accused of lewd acts with 12-year-old

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

A 25-year-old Riverside County man was taken into custody Thursday, on allegations that he communicated with a 12-year-old child for the purpose of committing "lewd acts."Joshua Meza, 25, of Corona, was arrested Thursday afternoon hours after he was reported to have driven away with the 12-year-old victim. According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, Meza and the juvenile met up near a middle school on the 78800 block of Avenue 50 in La Quinta, and then fled the area in his car. School officials wrote down the license plate number and provided authorities with a description of the vehicle. Sheriff's deputies searched the area and were able to locate Meza's car several hours later as it returned to the initial location. Meza was taken into custody by deputies and the unidentified child was returned to her parents; she was uninjured, officials said.Investigators believe the child was communicating with Meza on social media, and the 25-year-old met up with her with the intent of...

1 dead, 1 critical following shooting in South Los Angeles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

A man is dead and another is hospitalized in critical condition following a shooting in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles Saturday morning.The shooting happened around 4:20 a.m. near the intersection of Western Avenue and 89th Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.Responding officers found two men suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. One was declared dead at the scene and the other was transported to the hospital in critical condition.Both men are described as Black males in their 30s.At this time, police do not have a suspect description and it's unclear if the shooting was gang-related or if either victim was homeless.No additional details were made available Saturday afternoon.Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the LAPD tip line at 1-877-275-5273.

‘It was nerve-wracking’ – Mitty softball survives extra-innings, advances to CCS Open semifinals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

SAN JOSE – With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Mia Rodriguez had just one job: put the ball in play and hope McKenna Woliczko made it across home plate safely. Rodriguez knew the stakes: a hit would send Archbishop Mitty to the Central Coast Section Open Division semifinal against Hollister. “My knees were literally shaking,” Rodriguez said. “It was nerve-wracking.”Nerves would not prevent Rodriguez from slapping a ball into the infield, sprinting to first while giving her freshman teammate enough time to slide into home plate and score the winning run in Mitty’s 3-2 victory over Sequoia. “As soon as she laid that down, it was coming at me but I was like ‘I’m making this,’” Woliczko said. SAN JOSE – Archbishop Mitty player McKenna Woliczko (10) signals she is safe after scoring the winning run. Sequoia and Archbishop Mitty played in a CCS Open Division softball game at Archbishop Mitty high school in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, May 20, 2023 (Joseph Dycus/...