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Video captures woman setting fire at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines; charged with arson

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — A woman has been charged after setting a fire at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines.According to police, Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41, of Arlington Heights, faces one felony count of arson.Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41 (police booking photo)Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the church, located on the 1100 block of North River Road, on the report of a fire.Officers attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful. The fire department arrived to the scene and put out the fire.After responding to the fire, officers witnessed Roque-Fermin quickly walking away from the shrine with soot on the front of her clothes. Des Plaines church fire believed to be arson; person detained Surveillance video outside the church captures Roque-Fermin carrying multiple objects and tossing them into the shrine. She then is seen starting a fire while continuing to throw surrounding objects into the flames.Police said the total damage at the church is es...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in mid 60s with mostly sunny conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures in upper 60s with mostly sunny conditions, cooler lakeside. Winds: NE 10-15 G30. High: 67/60. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Partly cloudy tonight. Winds: ENE 10-15 G30. Low: 47.Thursday Forecast: Partly cloudy, cooler lakeside. Winds: NE 10-15 G20. High: 62/57.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

'Wake up America': California governor responds to Target removing some LGBTQ merchandise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

(KRON) -- Ahead of Pride month, Target announced it is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” Target said in a statement Tuesday. In addition to removing some items, Target confirmed that it has also moved its Pride merchandise from the front of the stores to the back in some Southern stores after confrontations and backlash from shoppers.California Governor Gavin Newsom responded on Twitter, saying people should be alarmed to hear about attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. "This isn’t just a couple stores in the South," he said."CEO of Target Brian Cornell selling out the LGBTQ+ community to extremists is a real profile in courage," Newsom tweeted. "Wake up America. This doesn't stop...

'Sick and tired': States sue over billions of robocalls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Attorneys general across the U.S. joined in a lawsuit against a telecommunications company accused of making more than 7.5 billion robocalls to people on the national Do Not Call Registry.The 141-page lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Phoenix against Avid Telecom, its owner Michael D. Lansky and company vice president Stacey S. Reeves. It seeks a jury trial to determine damages.The lawsuit arises from the nationwide, bipartisan Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force of 51 attorneys general and the District of Columbia. It was formed last year to investigate and take legal action against telecommunications companies routing volumes of robocall traffic.Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said nearly 197 million of the robocalls were made to Arizona phone numbers between December 2018 and January 2023.“Every day, countless Arizona consumers are harassed and annoyed by a relentless barrage of unwanted robocalls — and in some instances these illeg...

Autopsy released for Jason John, man found dead in Lady Bird Lake near Rainey Street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

Missing flyer posted by Jason John's family and friends (KXAN photo)AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The autopsy report for Jason John -- the 30-year-old man who was found dead in Lady Bird Lake near Rainey Street earlier this year -- was released to KXAN Wednesday. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office determined his cause of death was drowning and the manner of death was ruled accidental. "According to reports, this 30-year-old man was witnessed by a transient bystander to be vomiting by the bank of Lady Bird Lake and then subsequently fall and submerge into the water in the early morning of February 5, 2023. After attempting to aid the decedent, the bystander went to a nearby hotel and contacted 911," the report read.The report said John had no significant internal or external injuries and that there were no fractures or traumatic injuries found. John's toxicology report showed alcohol was in his system but no illegal drugs were detected. John was reported missing on February 5 and found i...

House investigators allege years of misconduct by AG Ken Paxton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A team of lawyers working with the House ethics committee spent nearly three hours Wednesday morning laying out extensive details covering years of misconduct allegations against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The five attorneys working with the House Committee on General Investigating told the panel during their Wednesday meeting that they began looking into Paxton in March after a proposal to use state funds to pay $3.3 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former employees who accused Paxton of wrongdoing. They ultimately said the evidence they collected these past few months would support at least a dozen criminal charges against Paxton, which included abuse of official capacity, official oppression, securities fraud, making false statements and others. However, it's important to note only a prosecutor would be able to officially file any of these charges. Texas Attorney General Paxton under investigation for whistleblower settlement Afte...

Capital Strawberry & Wine Festival coming to Altamont

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Capital Strawberry and Wine Festival is coming to the Altamont Fairgrounds on June 3 and 4. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! In September 2022, Starbird Events took over the Capital Apple and Wine Festival from Altamont Orchards. Now Starbird Events is bringing the Capital Strawberry and Wine Festival back to Altamont.The festival includes tasting and sampling products from more than 20 wineries anddistilleries, chef demos with Ric Orlando, NY Cheese and Charcuterie paired with NY Wineswith culinary historian Jeff Roberts, food, shopping, a car museum, a farm machine museum, strawberries, a Kids Zone, live music and more. A Journey tribute band will perform on Saturday and Vermont musicians Spencer Lewis and Chas Eller on Sunday. Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant opens in Ballston Spa This event is rain or shine. Adult general admiss...

Lane reductions announced for U.S. Route 9 in Latham

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Motorists should watch for lane reductions and flaggers on U.S. Route 9 on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Road milling and drainage work will be done between Latham Circle and Coliseum Drive. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Lane reductions at nighttime will continue past Memorial Day weekend. Nighttime paving will take place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. through the second week of June. Motorists are urged to slow down and follow the direction of flaggers. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone.

St. Charles officially files lawsuit against Ameren over water contamination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The City of St. Charles has officially filed a lawsuit against Ameren Missouri over water contamination and damages linked to the city’s Elm Point Wellfield.City officials announced the intent to file a lawsuit against Ameren Missouri in March. Out of seven water wells powered through the wellfield, only one remains currently operational. “Today is the culmination of many months of testing, evaluation, public outreach and tough decisions to ensure the City’s water is safe," said St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer. "The City has spent millions of dollars and hundreds of staff hours in an effort to ensure the water is and continues to be safe, and to resolve the contamination issues caused by Ameren." Who is Sai Kandula? Chesterfield man charged in White House crash Borgmeyer said the city has made efforts to resolve contamination issues and hold Ameren responsible financially, though claims the latest developments have not resulted in an "acceptable outcome." "The ...

Puppies found inside dumpster in downtown St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:44 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Two puppies are recovering after being abandoned in a dumpster in downtown St. Louis, the Humane Society of Missouri said.A good Samaritan contacted the HSMO on Tuesday. She'd heard barking from a dumpster along 9th Street, lifted the lid, and saw two small dogs. She borrowed a cell phone to report the incident to the HSMO.A member of the Animal Cruelty Task Force responded. By the time that person arrived, the good Samaritan had removed the puppies from the dumpster. The temperature was 77°, but was worse inside the metal container.The dogs were not microchipped. They were brought to the HSMO's headquarters on Macklind Avenue for a bath. Who is Sai Kandula? Chesterfield man charged in White House crash Police arrived a short time later and searched the area around the dumpster, but did not find the person who abandoned the animals.“We’re grateful to the concerned citizen for bringing this horrible situation to our attention and will ensure these animals are given the ...