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Tickets for Metra Holiday Trains go on sale Wednesday

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

CHICAGO — It's almost that time of year for sleigh bells on the train tracks. Metra is bringing Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and all the holiday magic to five rail lines this December with unique train rides. Participating lines include the Metra Electric, BNSF, Milwaukee District West, Rock Island and Union Pacific Northwest lines.Tickets for Metra's holiday trains go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1. Tickets cost $5 each and must be purchased in advance. Metra rolls out new train-tracking website Tickets on the Metra electric line will also include a visit to the North Pole Winter Wonderland at Millennium Station. Passengers can enjoy treats, holiday music, face painting and other fun activities.  The trains will run three Saturdays in December — Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16.Dec. 2Metra ElectricBNSFMilwaukee District WestDec. 9Rock IslandUnion Pacific NorthwestDec. 16Metra Electric Line“This is our way to bring the spirit of the holidays and the spirit of My Metra to our riders,” said Me...

A reunion, charity & victory over No. 1: A unique afternoon for Illinois

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

CHAMPAIGN — The game won't count in the standings, but it certainly was something that people at the State Farm Center will remember for a while. It was an exhibition basketball game that included a reunion, charity, and the victory for the hosts over a No. 1 ranked team. Not bad for a chilly Sunday in Champaign in October for essentially a training game for Illinois and Kansas.(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)With a common goal to raise money for the victims of the wildfires this summer in Maui, Hawaii, the Illini and Jayhawks played an exhibition contest at the State Farm Center. Proceeds from the game went to the Hawai’i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund. The game raised over $1 million for those affected by the fires. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)That meant that Bill Self would be returning to Champaign, and that's something significant for the coach and Illinois fans. It was in 2003 that the talented head coach, who led Illinois to two Big Ten co-regular season and a tourna...

Biden admin proposes new student debt relief plan: Who could qualify?

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

(The Hill) — The Biden administration is moving forward with a new student loan relief plan that is narrower than its original proposal, which was struck down by the Supreme Court over the summer. The Department of Education released regulatory draft text on Monday showing the new plan for student debt forgiveness is only targeting specific groups instead of providing cancelation for all 45 million borrowers like officials originally planned last year. The administration is planning for the debt relief to go to borrowers who:Have federal student loan balances that are greater than what they originally borrowedHave loans they’ve been paying off for 25 years or moreAttended schools with high student loan default rates or programs that created high debt but low wagesWere eligible for targeted relief programs in place such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program“President Biden and I are committed to helping borrowers who’ve been failed by our country’s broken and unaff...

Utah 13-year-old found with tetherball rope around his neck dies in apparent accident

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

SEVIER COUNTY, Utah (KTVX/KUCW) – A 13-year-old Utah boy died over the weekend after he was found with a tetherball rope wrapped around his neck.Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said what happened Saturday evening appears to have been an accident as there was “no evidence of foul play or suspicious activity.”According to the sheriff, the boy, identified by relatives as Maximus Knight, was helping clean up his family’s corn maze in Venice when they noticed he was missing. After a short search, they found the teenager with a rope from a tetherball pole wrapped around his neck. He was not breathing, nor did he have a pulse. American hockey player dies after ‘freak accident’ during game Emergency dispatchers instructed the 911 caller on how to perform CPR. When EMS arrived, they were able to get a pulse from the teenager. An ambulance rushed Maximus to a hospital, and he was later taken to a Wasatch Front facility for critical care.Despite the life-saving efforts of medical worker...

Felon accused of bringing loaded AR-15-style rifle to party in Antioch

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

ANTIOCH, Ill. —  A convicted felon is accused of bringing a loaded weapon to a large party in Antioch over the weekend.Tabiest Hearton, 23, of Beach Park faces multiple weapons charges — three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count of illegal possession of a weapon by a felon —  after police say he had a loaded AR-15 rifle in the floorboard of his vehicle. Another photo of the AR15 that was seized during the arrest. (Photo: Antioch PD)AR15 inside Hearton’s vehicle. (Photo: Antioch PD)Booking photo of Tabiest Hearton. (Photo: Antioch PD)The safety was reportedly disengaged and the gun had a 50-round high-capacity magazine. Man charged in North Lawndale shooting that wounded 15 Antioch police added the gun was loaded with so-called 'penetrator rounds,' which the department said would have had an enhanced ability to pierce through 'hard' targets. The discovery was made after police responded to a loud noise complaint about a large party in the 200 block of Ida...

Spotify Wrapped: When is the cutoff?

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Spotify Wrapped season is upon us — it's the time of year when Spotify users worldwide prepare for their year-end wrap-up of what they listened to (and how much of it) this year. But this year, Spotify has dispelled a long-held belief by many — weighing in on when exactly the cutoff isn't.Last week, entertainment news source Pop Base sent a reminder to its followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Spotify would stop counting their listens on Halloween. It's been a long-held belief by many that Oct. 31 was the official cutoff date. The company's customer support account Spotify Cares confirmed the cutoff date back in 2019. But this year, Spotify replied with a surprise. Matthew Perry called this movie his ‘best’ "Hmm, that doesn't sound right to us," Spotify's official account said. "Don't worry, Wrapped is still counting past Oct. 31." Response to the news ranged from shock to celebration by so-called "Swifties" that there was still time to make newly released Ta...

Why are orange and black considered Halloween colors?

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

(WHTM) – When you think of Halloween, you probably think of jack-o'-lanterns, spooky movies and trick-or-treaters. But there may be something else that comes to mind that many people associate with the holiday: the colors orange and black.But why do we consider those the colors of Halloween? According to Isle of Halloween, historically the Celts and the Druids celebrated a holiday called Samhain. Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, or "the dark half" of the year. It is celebrated during the evening of Oct. 31 and into Nov. 1 each year. Scary attractions found around Pennsylvania It is also seen as a time to celebrate the lives of those who have died. The Isle of Halloween says the color black is used during Samhain. Symbolically, that color is used to represent death and darkness. Samhain has close ties with Halloween and, according to the Isle of Halloween, the holiday is typically celebrated at night, so it is naturally...

A brand of pet food recalled due to salmonella risk

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

CHICAGO — A brand of pet food is issuing a recall due to a Salmonella risk.Mid America Pet Food is voluntarily recalling three lots of their Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula. This comes after a third-party company's random sampling found three lots that tested positive for Salmonella. No human or pet illnesses have been reported so far and there are no other products included in the recall. Here are the lot number for the recall. 1000016890 - 5-pound bag - 6/12/20241000016891 - 15-pound bag - 6/12/20241000016892 - 40-pound bag - 6/12/2024Retailers and distributors are asked to immediately pull recalled bags from their shelves while consumer are asked to destroy the food in a way that cannot be accessed by children, pets and wildlife.People with questions can contact Mid America Pet Food Consumer Affairs at info@mapf.com or 1-888-428-7544 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.More on the recall can be found here.

Pennsylvania gets closer to getting rid of 1965 frozen dessert law

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

PENNSYLVANIA (WHTM) - Pennsylvania is closer than ever to getting rid of a law regulating frozen desserts.The law dates back to 1965 and created strict testing requirements designed to ensure food safety. It also has very specific definitions of what constitutes a frozen dessert.Senate Bill 152 repeals the 1965 bill, which deems “frozen desserts” as “ice cream, frozen custard, French ice cream, French custard ice cream, artificially sweetened ice cream, artificially sweetened ice milk, ice milk, freezer made milkshakes, fruit sherbet, water ice, quiescently frozen confection, quiescently frozen dairy confection, whipped cream confection, bisque tortoni, mellorine frozen desserts as all such products are commonly known, together with any mix used in such frozen desserts and any products which are similar in appearance, odor, or taste to such products or are prepared or frozen as such products are customarily prepared or frozen, whether made with dairy or non-dairy products.”For ...

'Booty Patrol': Florida deputies warn drivers of truck impersonating law enforcement

Published Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:24:30 GMT

DESOTO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Deputies in Florida's DeSoto County are asking drivers to keep an eye out for the "Booty Patrol" — a white truck they accuse of impersonating law enforcement.The Chevy Silverado, which is equipped with red and blue lights, has also been impersonating officials in "several" other Florida counties as well, the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office said Monday. Florida man uses detailed note to rob CVS pharmacy of Oxycodone, Viagra, more The Silverado is described as having multiple green decals, including some that say "Booty Patrol" around the truck. One photo shared by deputies appears to show the words "National Booty Behavior Protection" on the passenger door.Photo courtesy of the DeSoto Sheriff's Office Photo courtesy of the DeSoto Sheriff's Office Photo courtesy of the DeSoto Sheriff's Office Photo courtesy of the DeSoto Sheriff's Office In addition to the "Booty Patrol" decals, the truck also features a decal that appears to be a social media handle that...