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A white man fatally shot 3 Black people at a Florida store in what officials say is a hate crime

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A white man fatally shot three people inside a Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General store on Saturday in a predominately Black neighborhood in an attack that the local sheriff called “racially motivated.” The shooter then killed himself.“He hated black people,” Sheriff T.K. Waters told a news conference. “There is absolutely no evidence the shooter is part of any larger group.”Waters said the shooter, who was in his 20s, used a Glock handgun and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with at least one of the firearms painted with a swastika. He left behind writings that led investigators to believe that he committed the shooting because it was the fifth anniversary of when another gunman opened fire during a video game tournament in Jacksonville, killing two people before fatally shooting himself.The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. at a Dollar General near Edward Waters University, a small historically Black university. The shooter had driven there from neighb...

White Sox say they weren’t aware at first that a woman injured at game was shot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox say they were not aware at first that a woman injured during Friday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field was shot and that the Chicago Police Department would have stopped play if officers thought it was unsafe to continue.Team spokesman Scott Reifert said police determined there was “no active threat and that the ballgame could continue.” The team was also in contact with Major League Baseball.“If the police want to stop the game, they’re going to stop the game,” Reifert said Saturday.The White Sox were still unsure if a gun was fired from inside or outside the ballpark. The team also defended the security procedures in place and would not say if extra measures were being implemented a day after an incident that raised questions about ballpark safety in general.“We want our fans to be able to come into the ballgame and feel safe and have a good time, and millions of people come into this ballpark every year,” Reifert said Saturday. “We try to m...

Shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, that left 3 dead was racially motivated, sheriff says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville, Florida, sheriff says that a racially motivated shooter fatally shot three people inside a Dollar General Store on Saturday before killing himself.“Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people," Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference,THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Multiple people were fatally shot Saturday inside a Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General store, the city's mayor has told a television station. A city council member says the shooter is dead.Mayor Donna Deegan told WJXT “there are a number of fatalities” inside the store but didn't give a precise number. Numerous police officers were in the area near Edward Waters University, a small historically Black university.“This is unacceptable,” Deegan told the station. “One shooting is too much but these mass shootings are really hard to take.”Jacksonville City Council member Ju'C...

Nurses return to Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center after lockout

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — Nurses in Joliet returned to work Saturday morning after a four-day lockout.The Illinois Nurses Association said members at Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet were locked out since Tuesday morning. Lion Electric Plant opens in Joliet, bringing 1,400 jobs to city It happened after the union threatened a two-day work strike over wages and working conditions.Ascension said it's contractually obligated to replace nurses for at least four days during any planned strike.Some nurses tried to return to work on Thursday but were turned away.Contract negotiations have been going on since May with little progress.They're set to resume Sept. 8.

The Great American Dog Show happening this weekend at McCormick Place

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

CHICAGO — The Great American Dog Show is underway at McCormick Place through Sunday.More than 50,000 people are attending the dog show to check out more than 100 breeds. More than 66,000 Illinoisans can expect a check from the state’s Unclaimed Property program All of the breeds are contenders for best in show.The dog show is hosted by the International Kennel Club of Chicago.It's a tradition that began more than 100 years ago.You can learn more by watching this story above.

'Everything is local': Chalk Howard Street brings community together through vibrant art

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

CHICAGO — Howard Street was the canvas for vibrant chalk art Saturday in Rogers Park.The festival is a colorful way to showcase the neighborhood, Sandi Price, the executive director of the Rogers Park Business Alliance said. Piping plovers love story continues at Montrose Beach after fledglings released "I like to draw things that are bright and really colorful," Rebecca LaFlure said. "I draw inspiration as a nineties kid."LaFlure discovered a passion for chalk art during the height of the pandemic."I lost the fingers on my right hand in a car accident in 2007 and I am right-handed," LaFlure said. "Getting into this chalk art was the first time I delved into art after my accident and it was cool discovering a new passion and realizing I could do something I didn't know I could do."LaFlure is one of several 2D and 3D artists featured at this year's Chalk Howard Street. Beverly’s ‘Bike Whisperer’ teaching kids how to ride bicycles Amateurs could purchase squares to participate. "W...

Florida Dollar General shooting: 3 Black people killed by white man in hate crime

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A white man fatally shot three people inside a Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General store on Saturday in a predominately Black neighborhood in an attack that the local sheriff called “racially motivated.” The shooter then killed himself.“He hated black people,” Sheriff T.K. Waters told a news conference. “There is absolutely no evidence the shooter is part of any larger group.”Waters said the shooter, who was in his 20s, used a Glock handgun and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with at least one of the firearms painted with a swastika. He left behind writings that led investigators to believe that he committed the shooting because it was the fifth anniversary of when another gunman opened fire during a video game tournament in Jacksonville, killing two people before fatally shooting himself.The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. at a Dollar General near Edward Waters University, a small historically Black university.The shooter had driven there from neighbo...

State of Texas: Questions remain as Senate prepares for Paxton impeachment trial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The impeachment trial for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton starts in just over a week. Right now, at the Capitol, the Senate chamber is closed to the public as they transform the chamber to a courtroom. The usual legislative layout is being reconfigured for trial including a witness stand and desks for the lawyers prosecuting and defending Paxton. Amid resignation rumors, Paxton says he will not resign ahead of impeachment trial Proceedings are scheduled to begin on September 5. This week, The Dallas Morning News obtained confidential lists of witnesses expected to be called to testify. Topping the list, Paxton himself.Paxton's lawyers have previously said that he will not testify. But according to the leaked list,    House managers plan to call him to testify, as well as the woman he allegedly had an affair with. Also on the list of witnesses, Nate Paul, the real estate investor at the center of many of the impeachment allegations.Earlier this month, for...

Vikings rookie safety Jay Ward got his shot on Saturday. He didn’t miss.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

It was the perfect time for the Vikings to bring some pressure.After staying pretty vanilla with defensive play calls throughout the summer to not to give away any secrets about the new scheme defensive coordinator Brian Flores has in place, the Vikings called for a blitz early in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals.The result? A strip sack from rookie safety Jay Ward.“Just gave us the play call, and we executed it,” Ward said. “I came wide open so I just tried to get the turnover.”That’s exactly what Ward did, going untouched off the edge and destroying Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune with a violent sack.“It felt good,” Ward said. “I wanted to scoop my own forced fumble.”Unfortunately for Ward, linebacker Troy Reeder beat him to it.Not that Ward will complain too much with the end result. That play was the culmination of a lot of hard work from Ward this summer. He started buried on the depth chart and has slow...

Cleveland-Cliffs continues push to buy U.S. Steel as another company withdraws offer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:11:49 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. — Almost two weeks since U.S. Steel rejected an offer by rival iron miner and steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs, few companies have stepped up to try to buy the Pittsburgh-based company, which said it is entertaining other offers.Although it was rejected, Cliffs’ offer of $7.3 billion in cash has garnered the support of the United Steelworkers union, which represents employees at both companies.But Reuters reported that Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal is considering buying U.S. Steel, too.If ArcelorMittal’s bid is successful, it would mark its return to a region it largely stepped away from when Cliffs bought ArcelorMittal’s U.S. operations — including Virginia’s Minorca Mine, its stake in Hibbing Taconite and the Burns Harbor steelmaking facility in Indiana — in 2020.A third company, Pittsburgh-based Esmark, withdrew its cash offer to buy U.S. Steel for $35 per share, or $7.8 billion, in light of the United Steelworkers backing the Cliffs offer.“The U.S. Steel board must go ...