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Skilling: Sunny and hot weather to end the week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

June opened with Chicago's 4th 90-deg or higher temp of 2023.  The afternoon featured a large lakeshore to inland temp spread thanks to a 7th consecutive day of lake breezes---but shoreline temps weren't quite as cool as in recent days.  At mid-afternoon, temps ranged from a high of 95 at Warrenville, Tinley Park and Carpentersville; 94 at Glen Ellyn and 93 at Hawthorn Woods, Batavia and Oswego-----to 67 just offshore at the Wilmette Harbor buoy and 72 on the shoreline at Lake Forest.Observers scanning the skies in Chicago have watched towering distance cumulonimbus clouds (i.e. "thunderheads" in the distance over sections of Michigan and northwest Indiana—and to the south and west of Chicago.  But storm coverage wasn't as extensive as yesterday when COCRAHS volunteer observers reported as much as 1.78" with t-storms near Yorkville and 1.48" just west of Monee.  Impressive as those totals were, their areal coverage was limited and May closed last night at O'Hare with a paltry 16% of...

Former Playboy model accuses Bill Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulted her in 1969

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former Playboy model who alleges Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her and another woman at his home in 1969 sued him Thursday under a new California law that suspends the statute of limitations on sex abuse claims.In her lawsuit, Victoria Valentino, 80, says she was an actress and singer 54 years ago, when she met Cosby, now 85. The comedian and actor later approached her at a Los Angeles café, where he spotted her crying over the recent drowning death of her 6-year-old son. The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly. New York prosecutors seek to garnish R. Kelly’s earnings Cosby offered to pay for a spa treatment for Valentino and a friend, and then sent a chauffeured car to pick the women up for dinner. That evening at a steakhouse, Cosby gave them each a pill, she said in the court filing. “Here! Take this!” the lawsuit alleges Cosby said to them. “It will make you feel ...

Actor James Van Der Beek criticizes DNC for not allowing Biden debate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

(The Hill) — Actor James Van Der Beek criticized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Wednesday over its decision not to sponsor any primary debates with President Biden ahead of the 2024 election.Van Der Beek, best known for his role in the 1990s' teen drama "Dawson’s Creek," suggested that Biden has “obviously declining mental faculties” and accused the DNC of “openly ignoring, bypassing the will of the people.” Biden falls on stage during Air Force graduation ceremony “I cannot get over the fact that the Democratic National Committee is saying there will not be a debate to decide the nominee for president,” Van Der Beek said in a TikTok video on Memorial Day. “Are you f------ kidding me?” “There’s no debate?” he continued. “There’s no debate over an 80-year-old man who, if he lives, would be the oldest sitting president in the history of the country? And if he doesn’t live, has a vice president whose approval rating is worse than his?” “You are shoehorning your pick ...

Trump responds to Biden's fall on stage: 'Well, I hope he wasn't hurt'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

(The Hill) – Former President Trump appeared to commiserate with President Biden over his fall at the Air Force Academy commencement on Thursday, recalling his own unsteady walk down a “slippery” ramp at the West Point commencement in 2020.“Well, I hope he wasn’t hurt,” Trump said during one of several appearances in Iowa on Thursday, after a member of the crowd informed him of the incident to a chorus of cheers.“You gotta be careful about that because you don’t want that, even if you have to tip toe down the ramp,” he added. Biden falls on stage at Air Force graduation Trump faced scrutiny over his tentative walk down a ramp at the close of commencement exercises at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June 2020.“That was the best speech I think I’ve ever made, and it was pouring rain and it was horrible and cold and windy,” the former president said on Thursday. “And they have a ramp that was pure like an ice-skating rink, and it was like 25 feet long.”“I’m talking to the ...

AI helping local doctors detect early signs of colon cancer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Artificial intelligence is infiltrating our world and now Chicago doctors say they’re using it to detect the earliest signs of colon cancer.In routine colonoscopies at Northwestern Medicine, gastroenterologist Dr Rajesh Keswani navigates the organ looking for suspicious spots.Some are can be very subtle and difficult to catch.During a recent colonoscopy, an area caught the attention of the artificial intelligence system that was in use during the procedure.It was an adenoma.“It’s a classic colon polyp that can turn into cancer over time,” Keswani said.A trained human eye makes the ultimate call. MedWatch Daily Digest: Scientists explore the link between sugar and Alzheimer’s disease Looking at the results of more than 4800 colonoscopies, Northwestern Medicine gastroenterologists detected and removed 13% more polyps – the precursor to colon cancer – when they used AI during screenings.“It’s there always helping us,” Keswani said. “Some people liken it to being another col...

Experts warn U.S. isn't ready for transition to clean energy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – On Capitol Hill, lawmakers and experts discussed whether the country is ready to transition to clean energy amid concerns that the U.S. doesn't have the necessary systems in place to produce, capture and distribute renewable power without serious problems.“I fear we are going to have blackouts and I’m afraid we're going to see (a) significant number of lives lost,” said David Tudor, with Associated Electric Cooperative.On Thursday, experts on the nation's power grid told senators the country will not be ready to transition to clean energy before more coal power plants start shutting down in 2028.“We've got this push for all these new renewables, and we've got this push to shut down all these plants that work and there's nothing there in the middle to save us,” Tudor explained.West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin says there are challenges created by switching to clean and renewable energy."If we don't have storage and we can't store it, and it has to be...

Man sentenced on 2 charges after 2 ejected, killed in September 2021 crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was sentenced to serve time in prison Wednesday in connection with a September 2021 crash that killed two people.According to Travis County court records, 26-year-old Tristan Reyna submitted two guilty pleas April 20 related to the crash—one for intoxication manslaughter and another for an accident involving death.Image of Tristan Reyna (APD photo)Records showed a court sentenced Reyna to serve 15 years for the intoxication manslaughter charge and 5 years for the accident involving death charge. RELATED: Police: 2 dead after car crashes into building in central Austin, driver charged According to past coverage, a vehicle driven by Reyna crashed into a building in the 4100 block of Medical Parkway on Sept. 23, 2021, and 37-year-old Travis Douglass and 34-year-old Audrey Petty were ejected. Austin Police said Douglass and Petty died as a result of the crash.Court records showed Reyna had a jail credit of 345 days.

Why serious, fatal crashes continue to trend above pre-COVID levels in Austin, nationally

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Since 2015, the City of Austin's Vision Zero program has worked to enhance transportation safety citywide and eliminate traffic fatalities. This week, Vision Zero's latest two-year update reported substantial improvements in roadways that have undergone safety improvements -- but work continues to retrofit the city's roadway network and crack down on dangerous driving habits.Austin's Vision Zero program has been tracking a higher volume of serious and fatal crashes since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a trend seen in cities across the country. Data recorded in 2021 and 2022 showed substantial increases in fatal crashes on state-owned roadways that bisect Austin, with 71 fatalities in 2021 and 83 in 2022, respectively.By comparison, pre-COVID numbers from 2018 and 2019 reported fatalities on state-owned roadways at 48 and 53 deaths.Joel Meyer serves as a transportation planner with the Vision Zero program. He said a substantial factor behind these heightened ...

Texas unveils new license plate design supporting beaches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said Texans would be able to order a specialty license plate in support of Texas Adopt-A-Beach, an organization dedicated to reducing litter on Texas beaches.“This newly redesigned black and white specialty plate costs only $30 more than a regular plate,” the Texas General Land Office said, “and $22 of plate sales go directly to support the Adopt-A-Beach program and is tax deductible.”According to the Texas General Land Office, the plate featured a photo by Kenny Braun, a photographer based out of Austin.The new plates are available online through the Texas General Land Office.

Wet June weather pattern begins Saturday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Hot, mainly dry weather continues on Friday, but a stormier weather pattern builds in starting Saturday night which may lead to 1-2 inches of rain over the next 7 days.We are tracking a pair of atmospheric disturbances moving toward Texas, kicking off an isolated Hill Country thunderstorm Friday night, then more widespread rain and thunderstorms Saturday night through early next week.Sunday and Monday appear to be the wettest days of the next week, with heavy downpours potentially leading to isolated flash flooding. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Marginal flood threat both Sunday and MondayRain chances slowly taper off by the middle of next week. By that time, many areas could see 1-2 inches of rain in the rain gauge -- with isolated much higher totals possible.Forecast 7-day rain totals INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for climate change until KXAN investigation Hurricane season beginsThursday afternoon, Tropical Depression #2 formed in ...