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Aurora man accused of hurling death threats at Pritzker

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

WHEATON, Ill. — An Aurora man is accused of threatening harm to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker by voicemail last month. Steven WoletzSteven Woletz, 46, is charged with one felony count of threatening a public official after prosecutors allege Woletz called the Governor’s Office of Constituent Affairs on April 15 and left a threatening voice message directed at Pritzker. SEE ALSO | AG: Chicago man charged with hate crimes after threatening Foxx, LightfootAccording to prosecutors, some of the comments left by Woletz included: “(Expletive) you and your (expletive) mother” and “I’m going to (expletive) kill you, you (expletive) silly (expletive) (expletive).” Illinois State Police troopers identified Woletz as the suspect. He was taken into custody on Tuesday and released on Wednesday after posting bond.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesHis next appearance in court is scheduled for Monday, May 22.

All Oregon residents could soon choose to pump their own gas as bill advances

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill that would allow all Oregonians the option to choose between pumping their own gas or having an attendant pump it for them may soon receive a vote from the Senate. Oregon is one of only two states - New Jersey being the other - that require attendants to pump gas for customers. There are currently laws in place allowing people in rural Oregon counties to pump their own gas, and drivers of diesel vehicles can also pump their own gas.If passed, House Bill 2426 would change Oregon law and require gas stations statewide to allow customers to pump their own gas if they choose. It would require that gas cost the same amount no matter what service a person chooses and would not allow stations to have more self-service pumps than they have attendant-service pumps.  HB 2426 passed the House on March 20. On Tuesday, May 2, a public hearing on the bill was held in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee. At the public hearing, verbal testi...

A little bad luck puts Cubs catcher Yan Gomes on IL

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

WASHINGTON D.C — An unfortunate break early in Monday's game against the Nationals means that one of the catcher's in the Cubs' rotation will be out for a bit. Cubs catcher Yan Gomes is headed to the 7-day concussion IL. .Javier Assad has been called up from Triple-A Iowa..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/hfwF1flEKJ— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) May 3, 2023Yan Gomes was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on Wednesday retroactive to May 2 ahead of the Cubs' third of a four-game series against Washington at Nationals Park.Pitcher Javier Assad was called up for a third time this season from Triple-A Iowa to take his spot on the roster.This comes after he was injured on a bit of a freak play early on Monday when Jeimer Candelario's backswing hit the catcher in the top of the helmet in the first inning. He was removed from the game before the next inning and wasn't in the lineup on Tuesday night. In his second year with the Cubs, Gomes was off to a solid start in 2023 as he ha...

Illinois attorney general fighting to keep abortion pill

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is fighting to preserve access to the drug used in the most common method of abortion.Raoul joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general who filed a brief in defense of "mifepristone" with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. Illinois city backs abortion pills ban, defying legal risks They urged the appellate court to reverse a lower court ruling to suspend the FDA's long-standing approval of the drug.The attorneys general said that it will harm millions of Americans, under-served groups in particular.The Supreme Court allowed access to mifepristone last month to continue while the appeals process plays out.

Man dies after being placed in chokehold by subway rider in NYC

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (WPIX) – A man who was acting erratically on a New York City subway train died after another rider put him in a chokehold, according to a witness and police.The incident happened on a northbound F train at the Broadway–Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street subway station in Manhattan on Monday around 2:30 p.m., NYPD officials said. A 30-year-old man, identified as Jordan Neely, boarded the subway train and started acting erratically, police explained."I don't have food, I don't have to drink, I'm fed up … I don't mind going to jail and getting life in prison … I’m ready to die," Neely allegedly said, according to journalist Juan Alberto Vazquez, who recorded video of the incident that was shared on Facebook.Neely was showing signs of mental illness, according to Vazquez. A 24-year-old subway rider, who is also a Marine, according to authorities, then went up to Neely and put him in a chokehold, video of the incident showed. Woman dead after plunge from Manhattan hotel r...

Woman who overcame homelessness wins $5M from California lottery scratcher

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

(KRON) -- One of California's newest millionaires was homeless just six years ago. Lucia Forseth recently bought a 2023 Scratchers ticket at a Walmart in the Northern California city of Pittsburg while getting an oil change when she scratched the top prize, lottery officials announced Wednesday."I only bought one ticket,” Forseth told the California Lottery. “I closed my eyes and picked that one, and it won! I first thought I’d won a free ticket, but I checked, and it said I won $5 million!” Five $1 million lottery wins in Illinois remain unclaimed Back in 2017, Forseth said she was homeless. This year, she plans to get married and complete her associate degree. She also told the Lottery she hopes to buy a house and invest the rest of her winnings."You never think you have a chance to win it. It is just random. Being homeless just six years ago, I never thought it would happen to someone like me,” Forseth said.According to the California Lottery, $5 million is the top prize availa...

Illinois city backs abortion pills ban, defying legal risks

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — An Illinois city on Tuesday banned the mailing or shipping of abortion pills, defying the state's Democratic attorney general and the American Civil Liberties Union, who have repeatedly warned that the move violates Illinois law's protection of abortion as a fundamental right.The ordinance passed the City Council in Danville, near Illinois' eastern border with Indiana, by one vote, a tiebreaker cast by Mayor Rickey Williams.This is not the first time since Roe v. Wade was overturned that local abortion restrictions have been adopted. Five local governments in Democrat-controlled New Mexico passed them, but the state’s supreme court in March blocked enforcement for now. And last year, a town in Ohio decided to rewrite its restrictions rather than defend them in court. US Supreme Court won’t take up Indiana’s abortion burial law It's not clear how Danville officials intend to enforce the ordinance. Illinois law has long shielded abortion rights. In 2019...

Police name woman shot, killed by husband in north Austin

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police released the name Wednesday of a woman shot and killed by her husband in their north Austin apartment earlier this week. Joyce Pingul Clarke, 55, died Monday evening from the shooting that happened at the apartment at 10015 Lake Creek Parkway. Police said her husband, 56-year-old Gary Clarke, shot and killed her before he took his own life. APD investigating homicide in northwest Austin after 2 found dead in apartment Police responded to the couple's apartment a little after 5:30 p.m. Monday after a neighbor reported hearing an argument and then gunshots. Officers went into their apartment and found Joyce inside with gunshot wounds. They said they later found Gary in a back bedroom with a gunshot wound. Both died at the scene. Police are asking anyone with information about this murder-suicide to contact them at (512) 974-TIPS. People can also submit tips anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Programs by visiting the group's website or by call...

Victim, suspect identified in April 27 suspected murder/suicide investigation

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department released an update surrounding an April 27 homicide investigation.APD said officers responded at approximately 12:12 p.m. to the 1200 block of Kenyon Drive in reference to a welfare check.Police said the caller had not heard from 47-year-old Shannon Norton and requested officers to check on her. According to a release, the caller also stated that Norton lived with her boyfriend, 52-year-old James Flom. PAST COVERAGE: APD says south Austin double homicide was ‘domestic violence incident’ At the residence, APD said officers entered the home and found Norton and Flom each with a gunshot wound.“Investigators determined that Flom shot and killed Norton and then shot and killed himself,” APD said. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2023? Austin Police said this case was being investigated as Austin's 26th homicide of 2023.

City of Dallas issues statement after ransomware attack compromises city servers

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:30:46 GMT

DALLAS (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, the City of Dallas confirmed in a statement that a number of its servers were compromised with ransomware.The city's security monitoring tools notified the agency's Security Operations Center (SOC) that a "likely ransomware attack had been launched within our environment," the statement said.Furthermore, the city also confirmed "a number of servers" were compromised with ransomware, which impacted several functional areas, including the Dallas Police Department website.The city team and its vendors were actively working to isolate the ransomware to prevent its spread, to remove the ransomware from infected servers and to restore any services that were impacted, the statement said.The Dallas mayor and city council were notified of the incident, as per the city's Incident Response Plan (IRP), according to the city. The city was still working to assess the complete impact of the incident and also said the impact on the delivery of city services to its res...