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Stocks edge higher as they close a holiday-shortened week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is edging higher Thursday but the S&P 500 remains in the red for the week, heading for its first losing week in the last four, following some discouraging reports on the economy.The S&P 500 was 0.3% higher in afternoon trading, and it’s on pace for a 0.2% loss for the week. The U.S. stock market will be closed Friday in observance of Good Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 13 points, or less than 0.1%, at 33,493, as of 12:54 p.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.5% higher. A report on Thursday morning showed that fewer U.S. workers filed for unemployment benefits last week, though the number was still higher than expected. The government changed how it tracks the numbers, which could cause some swings, and the number of workers getting continuing claims for benefits rose to the highest level since December 2021. Thursday’s data followed a string of reports on the economy earlier in the week that were weaker than expected...

Former NBA guard Ben Gordon arrested on weapons charge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Former NBA guard Ben Gordon was arrested on weapons and threatening charges after he began behaving erratically in a Connecticut juice shop, police said.The episode started just before 10 a.m. Tuesday when several 911 callers reported “a male acting aggressively and in a bizarre manner” inside a juice shop in Stamford, the city’s assistant police chief, Richard Conklin, said Thursday.The man, identified as Gordon, continued to act erratically when officers arrived and tried to take him into custody, Conklin said.The officers eventually subdued Gordon and placed him under arrest. They found a folding knife clipped to Gordon’s pocket, and a stun gun and brass knuckles in his backpack, Conklin said.Gordon was arrested on charges including carrying a dangerous weapon, second-degree threatening and interfering with an officer.The former basketball star, who played for the University of Connecticut before a decade-long NBA career that ended with the 2014...

Man shot in the face while packing up from fishing on North Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

CHICAGO — A 23-year-old man was shot in the face while he was packing up from fishing on the city's North Side.The shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 3100 block of West Carmen. Police said officers responded to a person shot and found the man with a gunshot wound to the face.According to police, he was just packing up from fishing when he was confronted and shot.The 23-year-old was transported to St. Francis Hospital where he is listed in critical condition. The victim told police he was approached by several men who began shooting and then fled the scene on foot. Firefighter dies after Gold Coast high-rise blaze; second in last 2 days No one is in custody and Area Five Detectives are investigating.

Suburban ringleader gets 9 years in USPS mail-for-cash scheme

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

CHICAGO — A suburban ringleader has been sentenced to nine years for recruiting USPS employees for an elaborate mail-for-cash scheme.Davey Hines, 30, of Naperville, was indicted along with several others, including five USPS employees, in 2021. He pleaded guilty to four counts charging conspiracy, receipt of stolen mail, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft on July 8, 2022Hines was the ringleader of "Operation Cash on Delivery" — which occurred between June 2018 and December 2019. The federal investigation identified USPS employees who stole credit cards and other financial instruments and provided them to Hines and others in exchange for cash or other items.Hines, who also recruited most of the USPS employees, then worked with the others to unlawfully obtain the USPS customers’ personal information — including dates of birth and Social Security numbers.Over the course of the conspiracy, more than 650 credit cards were stolen. The group made more than $460,000 in fraudu...

Northwestern doctor donates kidney to Virgina woman, husband donates to Chicago patient

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

CHICAGO — This all started with a Northwestern doctor who cares for patients with kidney failure and decided she wanted to donate one of her own. Two months ago, Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk went into surgery.Her kidney went to someone she didn't know — Ginger who lives in Virgina. Ginger's husband, Gary, wanted to donate but he was not a match for his wife. His kidney went to Arturo Reyes who lives in Chicago. Two lives saved in this paired exchange. Dr. Gmurczyk has been sharing her experience on Tik Tok. She says the surgery and recovery process is easier than one would think. She walked home after a short hospital stay and was back at work two weeks later.  National Burrito Day: How to get free or discounted food at Chipotle, Taco Bell and other chains During a press conference at Northwestern Thursday morning, the Virginia couple logged in through zoom getting to meet with Dr. Gmurczyk and Reyes for the first time. "I'm so glad to meet you, I know you’re going to ta...

Suburban man charged following break-in at Michael Jordan's mansion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — A suburban man has been charged in connection to a break-in Tuesday at Michael Jordan's mansion.Raiden Hagedorn, 18, of Mundelein, is facing three charges after officers arrived to Jordan's mansion, located in the 2700 block of Point Lane in Highland Park, on the report of a break-in.Hagedorn was charged with criminal damage to property under $500, criminal damage to property and criminal trespass to a residence — all misdemeanors.He was taken into custody and released on a recognizance bond. Suburban man accused of exposing himself to 2 girls near playground Jordan hasn't lived in the home in several years and it's currently listed for nearly $15 million. It has been on sale since 2012.

Walmart to add electric vehicle charging stations to thousands of locations by 2030

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

(The Hill) – Walmart announced that it will add charging stations for electric vehicles to thousands of U.S. stores by 2030. The company plans to add these EV charging stations at various Walmart and Sam's Club locations, said Vishal Kapadia, Walmart's senior vice president of energy transformation. "With a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a convenient charging option that will help make EV ownership possible whether people live in rural, suburban or urban areas," Kapadia said in a statement. Kapadia added that Walmart already has nearly 1,300 of these stations at more than 280 locations throughout the country. Walmart closing some ‘underperforming’ locations Sales of electric vehicles surged in 2022, with purchases increasing by two-thirds amid an overall auto industry slump. Yet the infrastructure challenges of producing enough charging stations to support the increase in electric vehicles on the road...

Mom died protecting kids in tornado, brother says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

WYNNE, Ark. (WREG) — A mother was killed while protecting her children during a tornado, family members in Wynne, Arkansas said.The brother of 29-year-old La'Kristen White said her three children are now recovering from serious injuries, but are alive. La'Kristen Wright (photos courtesy family)Wynne, Ark. (Shay Arthur)Wynne, Ark. (Shay Arthur)Wynne, Ark. (Shay Arthur)White's home off West Garfield Avenue is now just a pile of rubble. It was decimated during last week's tornado.But before it hit and claimed her life, she called her brother Brandon Johnson in Little Rock to give him a warning.She said "I just got wind that it's coming towards you, and so you need to take cover and be careful. You always looking out for me," Johnson remembered. Five people in one trailer died when a tornado sucked it away That was the last time they spoke. Johnson said he tried to check in hours later, but his sister never answered. Johnson says his sister died protecting her three children — ages 2...

Honda recalls CR-Vs in cold states over rust problem

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling nearly 564,000 older small SUVs because road salt can cause the frame to rust and rear suspension parts to come loose.The recall covers certain CR-Vs from 2007 through 2011 that were sold or registered in states where salt is used to clear roads in the winter.U.S. safety regulators say in documents posted Thursday that salt can accumulate and cause corrosion, and the rear trailing arm can detach. That can cause drivers to lose control, increasing the risk of a crash. Rear trailing arms connect the rear axle to the chassis. Democrats express outrage over Clarence Thomas luxury travel report The recalled CR-Vs were either sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.Dealers will inspect the SUVs and install a support bra...

Around Town checks out 'Pompeii: The Exhibition' at Museum of Science and Industry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:32 GMT

Pompeii: The Exhibition will run at MSI through September 4, 2023. Tickets and more information can be found at msichicago.org/pompeii