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West suburban 7th grader competing in National Spelling Bee

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

FOREST PARK, Ill. — A seventh-grader from the western suburbs hopes to spell her way to success.Forest Park middle schooler Emme Whitebone is competing in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. (Photo/Nexstar) Emme Whitebone is competing in this week's National Spelling Bee, set to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington, D.C.Emme, who has won the School Citizen of the Year Award twice, has been in training for weeks after advancing through her own school spelling competition. The former Girl Scout says she's up to the challenge."I like spelling onomatopoeia, not because I like the word, but I just don't know anyone that can spell it," the seventh-grader joked. "So I sound so cool when I do."Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesWhitebone says she also hopes to visit the Smithsonian and the National Museum of African American History while visiting the nation's capital. The 13-year-old Forest Park middle schooler loves performing musical theater, plays the cello, an...

Ralph Yarl, teen shot after knocking on Kansas City door, walks at brain injury event

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) – Seventeen-year-old Ralph Yarl, who was shot in the head last month after knocking on the wrong door, participated in an annual Memorial Day race over the weekend.The event raises awareness for thousands of people in Kansas City who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. Alicia Keys surprises Ralph Yarl's Staley classmates with concert trip Ralph Yarl was shot in April after he mistakenly went to the wrong house to pick up his siblings. Prosecutors said the Kansas City homeowner, 84-year-old Andrew Lester, fired through a glass door, and Yarl did not enter the home.Doctors said the 17-year-old faces a long recovery but is expected to fully recover from the two gunshots and traumatic brain injury he suffered during the shooting.Lester is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in Clay County. On Monday, Yarl's family attended the annual Going the Distance for Brain Injury Run at Loose Park, which helps raise money for those af...

Baby dies in hot car as parents attend church in Florida: police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A baby died after being left in a hot car for approximately three hours on Sunday in Palm Bay, according to police.The Palm Bay Police Department found an unresponsive 11-month-old baby around 1 p.m. The child was left in the car while her parents attended a church service.The baby was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead.“This is an unfortunate incident, and our condolences and prayers go out to the family,” Police Chief Mario Augello said. ‘Terrifying’: Passenger recalls experience aboard Carnival Sunshine during storm The investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been filed as of Tuesday. More than 30 children died of heatstroke in vehicles last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In early March, a 2-year-old Florida boy died after his father allegedly left him in a car for several hours. The boy was later pronounced dead at a hospital, and charges were filed against his father.An Alabama father was arre...

Police: Austin man charged after he shot gun from backyard, close to a family

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin man has been charged with deadly conduct – a misdemeanor –and endangering a child – a felony – after shooting dozens of rounds of bullets from his backyard into a wooded area with his children, according to police documents. The bullets he shot ended up coming close to a nearby family, according to police documents.  Austin Police responded to a call Wednesday evening from someone who had heard multiple gunshots coming from a southeast Austin home. APD went to the house where the shots were reportedly coming from and found 52 spent cartridges on the back patio. Upon interviewing the Austin man, APD found that he was practicing shooting with his children, the arrest affidavit said. While interviewing the accused man, APD received another call from a mother whose family was using a disc golf course – located behind the accused man’s home – and said multiple bullets were “whizzing” by them while they were playing the game, police said. The woman told...

Westlake eyeing a trip to state, taking on SA Johnson in 6A regional baseball finals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Westlake Chaparrals baseball team is two wins away from a berth in the UIL Class 6A semifinals.Following a two-game sweep of Eagle Pass in the Region IV semifinals last week, the Chaps take on San Antonio Johnson in a best-of-three series Thursday-Saturday for the region championship and the right to play at Dell Diamond.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe series kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Woerner Field on Westlake's campus, then shifts to San Antonio's Northeast ISD Sports Park for Game 2 at 7 p.m. Friday. If the series needs to go to a third game, it'll be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos.Along their road, the Chaps swept Vandegrift and San Antonio Brandeis before going to three games with Round Rock. After beating Eagle Pass with relative ease 7-2 and 4-0, the third-ranked Chaps face a Johnson team that eliminated Lake Tra...

St. Paul Port Authority never paid for downtown parking ramp, but appeals court says seller can’t sue

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

A Minnesota Court of Appeals panel has affirmed a lower court decision and sided with the St. Paul Port Authority in a three-way dispute involving Wells Fargo Bank and the seller of a troubled downtown parking ramp.The saga began in 1999 when the Port Authority made a deal to buy the Capital City Plaza parking ramp at 50 E. Fourth St. from Peter Luzaich and his company, Metro Real Estate Services LLC for $1.5 million. The Port Authority pledged to make payments at 14% interest using a cash-flow note funded by ramp profits.But because the ramp never made any money, the Port Authority never made any payments, according to the non-precedential appeals court opinion filed Tuesday.Business at the ramp was so bad that the Port Authority couldn’t even keep up with payments to Wells Fargo, the construction bond holder, and defaulted in 2009.Wells Fargo finally foreclosed on the property in December 2021, cutting off any chance of payment to Luzaich’s company. During the foreclos...

17 graduate from Albany Fire Department Academy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- It was a proud day for the Albany Fire Department as 17 members graduated from the academy on Tuesday. The new members joined 260 others in the department.They spent the last few months learning and training together, but one graduate said the hard work doesn't stop after graduation. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Training is very important -- to continue to train to continue to learn to get better," Zeph Kozakiewicz said. "The job shows you something new every day, so continue to train to get better at what we do and prepare for the things that we might see is very important not only for us but the citizens that we serve."The Albany Department of Civil Service officers a written exam for firefighters every two years.

FBI meets with Schoharie limo crash victims families

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEWS10) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation met with the families of the victims of the deadly 2018 Schoharie limousine crash on Tuesday to discuss the agency's possible role in the tragedy. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Shahed Hussain, the owner of the limo company involved, was a longtime FBI informant. Lawmakers from both parties had been looking into whether his role with the FBI impacted the charges against his family and asked for an internal review.The FBI briefed lawmakers on its investigation earlier in the year.

New police chief named in Saratoga Springs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The city of Saratoga Springs has a new police chief. Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino named Lt. Tyler McIntosh as the city's new chief. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! He's replacing Shane Crooks, who is retiring after working in law enforcement for more than 25 years.

Troy man charged in connection to Hedley Building break-in

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:33 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Troy police made an arrest in connection with April's burglary at the building that houses city hall. Jacob Smith, 29, was charged in connection with 12 incidents at a variety of locations around the city over the past several weeks. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Smith is accused of stealing items from several floors of the Hedley Building on April 8 or April 9. City Hall was closed for a day as a precaution although investigators said nothing was taken from city hall, and no one was hurt. The 12 separate incidents involved a variety of locations, including commercial buildings, stores and private residences. Over two dozen criminal charges have been filed against Smith, including multiple counts of Burglary, Grand Larceny, Petit Larceny, Identity Theft, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property.