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'Leaders for a New Chicago' program honoree talks creating a platform for people with disabilities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Every year, the Field Foundation's Leaders for a New Chicago program recognizes a number of individuals making an impact in the fields of art, justice, media and storytelling.Vanessa Harris, a 2023 nominee of the program and retired engineer, sat down with WGN to discuss the inspiration behind the Strategy for Access Foundation, and the website 'Fun 4 the Disabled,' platforms she created for people with disabilities."I have multiple disabilities myself and I have found the media doesn't address people with disabilities that much," Harris said. Smart Agriculture Equity Expo aims to educate Chicago youth on urban farming Harris said she took a documentary class at the Hyde Park Art Center that sparked a new passion for inclusive, positively-charged storytelling."People with disabilities, there is a negative association with them," Harris said. "And I'm trying to bring joy."More than 500,000 Chicagoland residents report having a disability. The mission behind Strategy for A...

Actor, singer and style icon Jane Birkin dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who made France her home and charmed the country with her English grace, natural style and social activism, has died at age 76.The London-born star and fashion icon was known for her musical and romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Their songs notably included the steamy “Je t’aime moi non plus" ("I Love You, Me Neither"). Birkin's ethereal, British-accented singing voice interlaced with his gruff baritone in the 1969 duet that helped make her famous and was forbidden in Italy after being denounced in the Vatican newspaper.The style Birkin displayed in the 1960s and early 1970s — long hair with bangs, jeans paired with white tops, knit mini dresses and basket bags — still epitomizes the height of French chic for many women around the world.FILE - British-born movie actress Jane Birkin, left center, and her then constant companion, French actor Serge Gainsbourg, right center, pose while they attended the Inter...

Child thrown from carnival ride in Illinois, flown to hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

ANTIOCH, Ill. (WGN-TV) — A 10-year-old child was thrown from a carnival ride on Sunday in Antioch, Illinois, police said. Around 2:40 p.m., police said the child was thrown from the Moby Dick ride at the Taste of Antioch festival. The 10-year-old was flown to a local hospital. Their condition was not released Sunday afternoon. Another kid who was on the Moby Dick ride said the bar for his seat was coming over his head several times, and he had to re-secure it."My bar was coming up over my head, so every time I went up because it was going up and I was almost about to fall out, I would slam down to close it so that way I would not fall out," Elliott Johnson said. "Then as soon as it started slowing down and it was about maybe rocking on the floor, I was able to push it up and slide out."Johnson said he then ran to find help for the injured child. Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner used his executive authority to close the rides while a safety review of each ride is completed, according to t...

Dallas Keuchel, Jorge Polanco getting closer to being with Twins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

The focus on Sunday at CHS Field was on a pair of veteran major league players and their quest to soon be in a Twins uniform.Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who signed with the organization in late June with the aim of resuming his big league career, started for the Saints and pitched six innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits. He struck out six.Jorge Polanco, the Twins’ starting second baseman, made his first rehab start with the Saints and went 2 for 3 as the designated hitter in the Saints’ 5-3 loss to the Durham Bulls.After four starts with the Saints, Keuchel’s earned-run average stands at 0.90, proving at the very least that he can get Triple-A hitters out. The former Cy Young Award winner’s deal with the Twins includes an opt out should the Twins elect not to bring him up by a certain date.According to Keuchel, that date is July 21, which will be one month after he signed.“I really haven’t talked to my guys or with the team,” Keuchel said. “I’m sure in the c...

Alex Kirilloff drives in four as Twins sweep Oakland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. — Alex Kirilloff went 2 for 4 with a solo home run and a go-ahead, bases-clearing double as the Twins beat the A’s, 5-4, in front of 9,335 at Oakland Coliseum.Christian Vazquez was 3 for 4 with a solo home run and two runs scored, and Joe Ryan gutted out 5⅔ innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits and three runs and struck out seven for Minnesota, which returned from the break with a sweep of baseball’s worst team.Jorge Lopez (3-2) earned the victory, relieving Ryan and giving up a run on 1 hit and a walk. Lucas Erceg (2-1) earned the loss after giving up a one-out, bases-clearing double to Kirilloff in the seventh inning.Jhoan Duran, pitching for a third straight day, pitched the ninth for his 15th save.Jordan Diaz hit a solo home run and plated another run with a sacrifice fly as the A’s took a 3-0 lead after four innings.

Alan Trejo’s walk-off homer lifts Rockies to 11-inning win over Yankees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

It’s the summer blockbuster season, and the Yankees and Rockies delivered an action-packed thriller Sunday afternoon at Coors Field in front of a sold-out crowd of 47,211 fans.In the end, the Rockies had more superheroes than the Yankees and won the game 8-7 on Alan Trejo’s unlikely walk-off homer in the 11th inning off Ron Marinaccio. It was not only Trejo’s first walk-off homer of his career, it was his first home run this season, and it clinched the three-game series against New York.Three batters prior, rookie outfielder Nolan Jones hit a game-tying two-run homer Nick Ramirez.And don’t forget about Colorado designated hitter C.J. Cron. He blasted a grand slam homer off Clay Holmes in the eighth inning to put the Rockies ahead, 5-3.But the Rockies couldn’t hold the lead.New York scored twice in the ninth off Daniel Bard, capitalizing on Ryan McMahon’s second costly throwing error of the game. Bard plunked Billy McKinney to lead off the inning a...

Large fire breaks out in 2 one-story structures in El Monte

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

Firefighters were battling a large fire in two commercial buildings in El Monte, officials announced Sunday.  While it’s unclear what time the fire started, crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the 9200 block of Garvey Avenue where heavy smoke could be seen billowing out of the two structures. Firefighters took a defensive position on the blaze, officials said. Not long after crews arrived, the blaze was upgraded to a three-alarm fire, meaning L.A. County Fire requested more than 100 firefighters and additional equipment to fight the fire.  Video posted to the Citizen App showed thick, dark plumes of smoke in the area near the fire.  Crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department on the scene of a commercial fire involving two one-story buildings on July 16, 2023. (LACFD)Thick, dark smoke seen billowing into the sky from a blaze involving two one-story commercial structures in El Monte on July 16, 2023. (Citizen App)The cause of the fire is sti...

Golden Gate Fields racetrack to close this fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

(AP) -- It's the end of an era for Northern California horse racing.Golden Gate Fields will permanently close after its final racing date later this year at the San Francisco Bay area horse track.The track's owner, The Stronach Group, said Sunday it will “double down” on its racing at Santa Anita and training at San Luis Rey Downs in Southern California.After the Golden Gate Fields meet ends, The Stronach Group said it will focus on moving horses from the Bay Area to Arcadia, with a goal of increasing field sizes and adding a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita beginning in January."The Stronach Group remains steadfastly committed to racing in California,” company CEO and president Belinda Stronach said in a statement."Focusing on Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs as state-of-the-art racing and training facilities that offer enhanced program quality, increased race days, expanded wagering opportunities, and premier hospitality and entertainment experienc...

Shots fired in armed robbery outside Emeryville bank

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

(KRON) -- Police are searching for four suspects that were involved in an attempted robbery and shooting outside of a Bank of America in Emeryville Sunday afternoon, the Emeryville Police Department said in a statement. Novato roommate dispute ends in suspected murder, death of dog The attempted robbery occurred around 12:38 p.m. when four men attempted to rob two victims at gunpoint in the Bank of America parking lot on San Pablo Avenue. One suspect fired a shot during the robbery, and one victim suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. (Photos courtesy of Emeryville Police Department)The suspects fled the scene in a red Hyundai sedan with unknown plates, and police say the vehicle had front-end damage and after-market black rims. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KRON4 Breaking News SIGN UP N...

Tennessee football to vacate wins from 2019-20 for NCAA violations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:46:59 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s football program must vacate all 11 of its wins from the 2019 and 2020 seasons under coach Jeremy Pruitt as part of penalties handed down by the NCAA for multiple violations.A school spokesman confirmed on Sunday the Vols’ eight wins in 2019 and three in 2020 will be vacated and will be reflected in the program’s record book. Pruitt’s final record is now 5-19, and the school’s all-time record is 856-410-53.The vacated wins are part of the penalties from the NCAA from a report that outlined more than 200 violations during Pruitt’s three-year tenure in Knoxville. Tennessee was fined $8 million and four staffers, including Pruitt, were given show-cause orders for infractions detailed in the more than 80-page report. Pruitt was fired in early 2021 and was given a six-year show-cause order. The report said Tennessee committed 18 Level I violations, the most severe, and said most involved recruiting infractions and direct p...