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11-year-old killed in Iowa school shooting remembered as a joyful boy who loved soccer and singing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ahmir Jolliff dashed out of his home in Perry Thursday morning, eager to see his friends on the first day back to school after winter break.It was vintage Ahmir — known as “Smiley” around his house — an 11-year-old whirlwind of cheerful activity. He kept a trunk of toys unlocked in the front yard so anyone could play with them, his mother said. He loved soccer, played the tuba and sang in choir. He had a habit of touching people on their shoulder and asking them how their day was.Ahmir was killed Thursday before class even started, when a 17-year-old student at Perry High School opened fire in the cafeteria. The sixth-grader, who attended the middle school that’s connected to the high school, was shot three times, authorities said. Seven others, including the school’s principal, two other staff members and four students, were wounded before the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Ahmir’s mother, Erica Jolliff, said on that morning...

Connor Bedard placed on injured reserve with fractured jaw

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks placed star rookie Connor Bedard and Nick Foligno on injured reserve Saturday.Bedard was placed on injured reserve with a fractured jaw after being leveled by the New Jersey Devils' defenseman Brendan Smith in the first period of their game Friday.Foligno was placed on injured reserve with a fractured left finger after he got into a pro-longed slugfest with Smith later in the game during the second period. Connor Bedard departs after big hit as Chicago Blackhawks lose 4-2 to New Jersey Devils The Bedard hit did not sit well with the Blackhawks roster, as skirmishes between both sides broke out during the remainder of their contest with the Devils. At one point, there were seven total players in the penalty box for both teams.“I don’t know if it was dirty. I think Connor was reaching for a puck and didn’t see him because he was behind another guy. I don’t think he stepped up on him,'' head coach Luke Richardson said after the game. ”I think he kind ...

Binny, the trash-can mascot of the Disney World drinking club, has disappeared

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – One person’s trash is another group’s beloved mascot, apparently.A group of Disney World fans belonging to the unofficial Disney Day Drinkers Club have lost their silly mascot — a trash can nicknamed “Binny” — after staffers at Walt Disney World seemingly removed it from its longtime spot at Epcot last week.The Disney Day Drinkers Club, also known as Club D3, was founded in 2021 to bring together Disney fans who shared a love for the park and (as the club’s name would suggest) alcoholic beverages.“We were coming out of COVID, so we were drinking around the World [Pavillion],” Club D3 founder and president Skip Sher told Nexstar. “We were just having fun, and we thought, this [trash can] would be fun to have as a mascot.” Beloved character from Walt Disney World finally getting a feature film At the time, restrictions on indoor capacities forced the group’s first members to congregate outside, often around something that had a hard, flat surface to rest their beverages ...

Where does Illinois rank on the 2023 Best States list?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) -- Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, is home to over 12 million people as well as many beautiful towns and cities among the cornfields.The Prairie State is listed at #36 on the U.S. News 2023 Best States list. Illinois has moved down six spots from 30 in 2021.The states were ranked in categories of crime & corrections, economy, education, fiscal stability, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity.The categories that Illinois did better on were crime & corrections (12th), education (12th), and infrastructure (19th).The categories that Illinois did not do so well on were natural environment (38th), economy (39th), and fiscal stability (50th). Illinois also ranked 28th in health care and 35th in opportunity. Indoor gym and arcade? Check out this viral property listing in Illinois Illinois had one neighbor that ranked lower on the list. Kentucky is ranked a few states below Illinois at 39. Its other neighbors that were ranked higher we...

21 puppies rescued in Central Texas after owner passes away

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

BELLMEAD, Texas (FOX 44) - Nearly two dozen puppies have been rescued by a Bellmead Animal Control officer after their owner suddenly passed away. The Bellmead Police Department says Officer Aco Randi worked very hard to find homes for the puppies. As soon as Randi was made aware of the situation, she wasted no time getting the puppies to the no-kill shelter Texas Humane Heroes in Leander for rescue.(Courtesy: Texas Humane Heroes)(Courtesy: Texas Humane Heroes)(Courtesy: Texas Humane Heroes)(Courtesy: Texas Humane Heroes)Texas Humane Heroes says Randi is a shelter partner who notified them of the events. The organization packed up a pair of vans and headed out to get the puppies. The dogs are being evaluated, fixed and brought up-to-date on their vaccines before they will be ready for adoption. In addition, the animal shelter is always taking monetary donations. Every dollar raised will go directly to benefit these 21 puppies, along with other animals in need.If you would like to do...

Tough, but fair: Timberwolves players always respond well to Chris Finch’s criticism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

The Timberwolves showed a strong resiliency Friday in Houston, responding to their first two-game losing streak of the season by not only beating the Rockets, but doing so in resounding fashion by righting so many of their wrongs from the past couple weeks.The ball stopped sticking on offense and Minnesota again sported the hounding defense everyone grew accustomed to watching over the first two months of the season.Wolves man big Naz Reid said players “had a great mindset going into the game.“Coach had a talk with us,” he told reporters, “and we all were ready to play.”What was the message of the chat between Timberwolves bench boss Chris Finch and his players?“Just bring it,” Reid said. “We kind of haven’t been ourselves the last couple of games. Intensity has been low. Pop has been low. Just things of that nature.”These are messages Finch has delivered for two weeks now during the Timberwolves’ slippage in their level of play since Christmas. He admitted recently that his players...

Your Money: The Money Matrix approach for sustaining retirement income

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

Bruce Helmer and Peg WebbMost people invest and try to anticipate (or guess) what the stock market, bond market, and interest rates will do, and then change their investment strategy based on where they think the markets are headed.This is a flawed strategy.People who invest based on where they think the stock market, interest rates, or energy prices will go — pick just about any economic variable — will soon become very frustrated. That’s because no one can know for certain what markets or the economy will do in the short term. Anyone who claims they can is either misguided or dishonest.Two decades ago, Wealth Enhancement Group developed and trademarked the Your Money Matrix. This is a proprietary tool that helps you visualize — almost in 3D — how you’ll be able to generate the steady, reliable income you need over your lifetime. It explicitly doesn’t rely on unreliable market forecasts; using this tool, we fully acknowledge that we don’t know what will happen in the markets in the...

Troy announces Emergency Declaration for infrastructure repairs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Deteriorating water main pipes and leaking pumps have been ongoing issues for the City of Troy. But now repairs are needed as soon as possible at the Eddy’s Lane Pump Station, which affects over one hundred thousand people and multiple municipalities- stretching from south of Rensselaer County up to Halfmoon in Saratoga County. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “As Mayor, we’re gonna do whatever we have to do to correct it immediately,” Carmella Mantello, Mayor for the City of Troy, said. “I did contact Troy Housing’s Executive Director Deb Witkowski because right below here is an affordable housing community”An affordable housing community with over 50 residents. One of the major issues is if the facility were to flood, the water would also come down the hill and flood surrounding homes, and it would flood the area with millions of gallons of water.Russ Reeves, City Engineer and commissioner of Public Util...

Rensselaer declares snow emergency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The city of Rensselaer has announced an upcoming snow emergency in response to impending inclement weather. The snow emergency will go into effect on January 7 at 8 a.m. and will run until 8 a.m. on January 9. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! In accordance with the snow emergency, no parking is permitted on the right side of streets from 8 a.m. on Sunday to 8 a.m. on Monday. Parking will then be prohibited on the left side of streets from 8 a.m. on Monday to 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Rensselaer Mayor Michael Stammel stated that the snow emergency may be extended beyond Tuesday if the need arises. Stay with the NEWS10 Stormtracker Team for the latest updates.

'I'm happy being here' - Joe Buck at peace with life after baseball broadcasts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:52 GMT

ST. LOUIS - It wasn't too long ago that Joe Buck stepped down from baseball broadcasts. His last one, to date, came as the Atlanta Braves clinched the 2021 World Series title. In March 2022, Joe Buck left his longtime broadcasting home of FOX Sports for ESPN. He serves as the lead play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football broadcasts. Baseball, for now, is no longer in his playbook. During a public appearance Thursday at Busch Stadium, Buck offered some interesting insight to FOX 2 and others on life beyond baseball broadcasts. "I watch it religiously," said Buck on baseball. "I don't miss doing it as much as I thought I would because I feel like I've put my body of work together, and I'm proud of it."He continued, "But when you see a Game 7, and the first pitch flies through the air, it's like, 'Ahh, I wish I was doing that.' But it takes a lot of work, not just for the players, to get to game seven. So I'm happy being here in my home in St. Louis, watching it instead of doin...