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Tropical Storm Harold makes landfall in South Texas, causing power outages in Corpus Christi

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Thousands of homes and businesses in the South Texas city of Corpus Christi are without power Tuesday after the state’s first tropical storm of the hurricane season made landfall, bringing strong winds and welcome rain following months of dry weather.Tropical Storm Harold, which never reached hurricane status, made landfall about 10 a.m. near South Padre Island on the Texas Gulf coast, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Joshua Schroeder in nearby Brownsville.“Although it formed over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it moved so quickly it just didn’t have time to intensify into a hurricane,” Schroeder said.Schroeder said the rain is mostly welcome.“There’s pockets of heavy rainfall, 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) and isolated areas are seeing up to 6 inches (15 centimeters),” Schroeder said. “But we’ve been very dry down here in South Texas and this (rain) will be beneficial.”Dry conditions have prevailed in South Texas fo...

Large explosion in Prince George, B.C., sends three to hospital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Authorities in northern British Columbia say they are searching for a cause of a large explosion at an abandoned building in downtown Prince George that sent three people to hospital.Prince George RCMP say the blast happened around 7 a.m., and power to the area was shut down.  Video footage of the aftermath posted online shows thick black smoke pluming into the air as firefighters doused the flames.Police spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Cooper says one of the people sent to hospital has serious injuriesB.C. Emergency Health Services says it took two patients to hospital, while a third was taken by a different party. Fortis and BC Hydro are at the scene to try to help firefighters contain the blaze and aid in the investigation. Police are asking people to avoid the area. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.The Canadian Press

It’s a girl! Brookfield Zoo welcomes giraffe calf

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — Brookfield Zoo has welcomed a new addition to their animal family.Arnieta, a 16-year-old giraffe, gave birth to a female calf early Saturday morning after nearly a 15-month wait.The baby is approximately six-feet-tall and weighs close to 130 pounds. Both Arnieta and her calf are expected to make their public debut in early September.Shortly after birth, the calf stood up and began nursing from her mother. 16-year-old giraffe expecting calf at Brookfield Zoo “We are so excited to welcome this new addition and look forward to our guests coming out to see her,” said Joan Daniels, senior director of hooved mammal care and conservation for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo. This is Arnieta’s second calf, previously giving birth to a male in 2012. According to the zoo, the female calf is the 60th giraffe born at Brookfield since 1940. Credit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCred...

Woman dies after fall from apartment window in Uptown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

CHICAGO — A 31-year-old woman critically injured after falling from a window in a third-story building in Uptown has died. Jillian Schappa was pronounced dead at Saint Francis Hospital Monday afternoon after she was discovered on Saturday, Aug. 19, in an alley at Kenmore and Argyle. A preliminary investigation indicates that the woman may have been pushed, causing her to fall out of the window.The Chicago Sun-times says, according to a police report, Schappa told responding paramedics someone pushed her. Family is asking the public for any information about what may have occurred. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesNo one's in custody. 

Defense begins case in federal trial to decide whether Tim Mapes lied to protect Mike Madigan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

CHICAGO — The federal perjury trial of a former chief of staff to longtime former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan continued Tuesday, as lawyers for Tim Mapes began presenting their case.Mapes is accused of being offered immunity under oath, but prosecutors say he repeatedly lied to cover for his old boss. Mapes is also charged with attempted obstruction of justice. At the Dirkson Federal Courthouse on Tuesday, Mapes’ wife, Emily Wurth, a one-time official in Madigan's political organization, took the stand. There, Wurth told the jury about the depression her husband fell into after he was forced out of the Speaker's office in 2018 after sexual harassment investigation at the Capital.  Federal trial to decide whether ex-chief of staff lied to protect his boss, Illinois House speaker Last week, prosecutors wrapped up their case, calling more than a dozen witnesses and playing hours of Mapes grand jury testimony for the jury. Wurth told the jury that months after he left the S...

Dean’s A-List Interview: 'Gran Turismo’ stars David Harbour and Archie Madekwe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

WGN Entertainment Reporter Dean Richards sits down with actors David Harbour and Archie Madekwe to talk about new movie “Gran Turismo.”Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Tropical Storm Harold racing across south Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) --Tropical Storm Harold, born at 1 a.m. Tuesday, moved onshore at Padre Island at 10 a.m. with winds up to 50 mph. Winds retreated back to 45 mph as of the 1 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. T.S. Harold is the first storm to make landfall in the United States in 2023.The storm is moving to the west-northwest at 21 mph heading to the Rio Grande south of Eagle Pass. It is being steered in that west-northwest direction from the large area of high pressure aloft, the one that has led to the onslaught of heat all summer.Harold weakening over land and heading quickly to the Rio GrandeTropical Storm Warnings remain for the Texas coast from Port O'Connor southward to the Mouth of the Rio Grande. A Tropical Storm Watch continues from Port O'Connor north to Sargent. Coastal Flood Warnings are also in place for affected areas.Only minor wind damage is expected along the coast, along with 1-3 feet of "storm surge" ocean level rise. Flooding rainfall amounts of up ...

Crews recover body from 'remote' area of Mt. Bonnell

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Aug. 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Crews recovered a body Tuesday afternoon that was located in a remote area of Mount Bonnell in west Austin. The Austin Fire Department said on social media Tuesday shortly after noon its Special Operations crews were working with STAR Flight to recover the body.According to AFD, crews rappelled into heavy brush to access and remove the body. AFD posted an update at 12:37 p.m. that the recovery was completed and crews were clearing the scene. It's not clear how the body was discovered or how the person died, but KXAN has reached out to the Austin Police Department for details and will update this story when a response is received. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Tropical Storm Harold impacts on Central Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tropical Depression #9 became Tropical Storm Harold at 1 a.m. Tuesday. Landfall on Padre Island happened at 10 a.m. with winds up to 50 mph.The Tuesday 1 p.m. update from the National Hurricane CenterThe 1 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center founds that the center of T.S. Harold was moving to the west-northwest at 21 mph. Tropical Storm Harold became the first tropical weather system to make landfall in the United States in 2023.Heavy rain and gusty winds will continue to affect South Texas and Mexico. The storm will move to the west-northwest and weaken now that it's over land. Early-afternoon wind gusts were averaging around 20 to 30 mph. Early-afternoon rain totals included 3.06" at Corpus Christi, 0.37" at Brownsville, and .07" at Victoria.Flooding rains possible from south Texas into northeast MexicoThe impact on Central Texas' weather will be more in gusty east winds. Speeds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 25 to 30 mph are forecast this aftern...

Elementary student accidentally discharges handgun on school bus in Seguin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:09 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Aug. 22, 2023.SEGUIN, Texas (KXAN) -- A student accidentally discharged a handgun Tuesday morning while the school bus they were riding was pulling into the parking lot of a Seguin elementary school. According to a post from the Seguin Independent School District Facebook, it happened while the bus was entering the parking lot of Jefferson Elementary School. Seguin is southeast of New Braunfels and northeast of San Antonio. No one was injured during the incident, according to the district. The district said the bus driver immediately recovered the handgun from the student, and the Seguin Police Department was contacted. Local law enforcement is investigating the incident. Seguin ISD said while reports show the student did not threaten anyone, this is "a very serious situation and a significant breach of our school safety protocols." The student remains off campus while the investigation continues.Students from ...