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Man charged with arson after allegedly lighting North Side Halloween decorations on fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

CHICAGO — A man accused of lighting a Halloween display on fire in Roscoe Village has been charged.Mario Munoz, 34, has been charged with arson and criminal damage to property.It's in connection to two incidents, one in North Center and one in Roscoe Village earlier this month.Authorities responded to a home in the 2200 block of West Roscoe on Oct. 11 at around 3:45 a.m.Footage provided to WGN News shows the man allegedly light a decoration set involving two pumpkins on fire. The homeowner quickly came out to extinguish the blaze.Munoz is also charged in connection to a property damage incident on Oct. 12 in the 4100 block of North Maplewood.On Oct. 17, Chicago police released a community alert involving several other Halloween decoration arsons throughout Lincoln Square, North Center and Roscoe Village. Previous: Suspected arsonist targeting North Side Halloween decorations It's unknown if Munoz will face more charges in connection to the community alert.Anyone with information c...

Attorney Ben Crump retained by mother of 6-year-old boy fatally stabbed in Plainfield Township

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

CHICAGO — The mother of a 6-year-old boy who was murdered in unincorporated Plainfield Township has retained nationally known Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump.Wadea Al-Fayoume was fatally stabbed 26 times on Oct. 14 by Joseph Czuba, the family's 71-year-old landlord. The boy's mother, Hanan Shaheen, was stabbed 12 times in the attack and is still recovering.Czuba has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crime and two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. ‘He was my best friend’: Mother recuperates after 6-year-old boy killed in attack police call a hate crime Authorities said Czuba singled them out because of their Muslim faith and as a response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war.In a statement released Tuesday, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump announced he had been retained by Hanan.Crump has released the following statement:"There is no tolerance for hate crimes...

A Chicago native will play in the 2023 World Series for Diamondbacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

CHICAGO — A native of Chicago is going to get his chance to take part in the "Fall Classic" for the first time in his career. It comes as Alek Thomas is concluding his second season in Major League Baseball, and has had a few moments during the National League Playoffs. The Chicago native and former Mount Carmel High School Star helped the Diamondbacks to the National League pennant as they defeated the Phillies in seven games in the league championship series. Thomas has taken part in all 12 games for the Diamondbacks this postseason, getting an at-bat as a pinch hitter in the 4-2 win over Philadelphia in the deciding Game 7 at Citizen's Bank Park. It helped Arizona clinch their first National League pennant since 2001. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Many will remember the outfielder playing a big part in making that happen thanks to his effort in Game 4 at Chase Field in Phoenix. With two outs in the eighth inning and the Diamondbacks trailing the Phillies 5-3, Thomas hit a game...

Mother of wounded Marine fought for her son, now she's fighting to keep family home after his death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - For nearly two decades, Christine Cooley took care of her wounded veteran son, but now she's at risk of losing their specially built home following his passing.Josh Cooley first served as a Pasco County Sheriff's Deputy, earning his way onto the department SWAT team as a sniper.His brother, Chris Cooley, said Josh wanted to be a cop since he was a kid. "Josh ... he just wanted to protect and serve, and that's just who he was," Cooley said.Then, 9/11 happened, and Josh joined the U.S. Marine Corps."He was a strapping man, and he just had a command presence about him," Cooley recalled of his brother. But on July 5, 2005, tragedy struck. As Josh was on patrol in Iraq, an explosion happened next to his vehicle. His body was severely burned, and a piece of shrapnel tore through his brain."The doctors told my mother that, that was it. He wasn't going to make it," Cooley said. His mother flew to a U.S. Military hospital in Germany to be by her son's side. The do...

Hurricane Tammy strengthens in the Atlantic; Otis slams Mexico as Category 5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Tammy continued to strengthen over the open Atlantic on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.As of the latest forecast, Tammy's winds have increased to 105 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane. Florida middle school students to send experiment to International Space Station The NHC said Tammy is located about 515 miles south-southeast of Bermuda. The storm is expected to make a northward turn on Wednesday, followed by a slower northwestward motion on Thursday and Friday.Tammy is forecast to begin weakening as it nears Bermuda and will become a powerful post-tropical cyclone by Thursday, according to the NHC.Hurricane Otis slams Mexico as a Category 5 stormThis satellite image provided by NOAA on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, shows Hurricane Otis approaching Mexico's Pacific coast near Acapulco. Otis is forecast to make landfall early Wednesday and there is a hurricane warning in effect from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo. (NOAA via AP)To...

Car with 'rubber bumper' leads to massive response, evacuations and school lockdowns in Tennessee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) – A parked car outside of a restaurant in Tennessee prompted multiple businesses to evacuate, and a major intersection to close early Tuesday morning.First responders were dispatched to the First Watch restaurant in Murfreesboro at around 9:30 a.m., responding to reports of what onlookers described as a possible bomb attached to the vehicle.Nearby buildings were evacuated, and several schools were placed on lockdown as investigators assessed the scene. Authorities reported the call resulted in a massive response from local, state and federal agencies. Researchers in Tennessee study how to stop ‘phantom’ traffic jams Leslie Huggins, who was evacuated from a nearby building, told Nexstar's WKRN that officials "told us there was a bomb threat and basically screamed at us to get out" amid the investigation.A section of road and a major intersection near the restaurant were also closed off as a precaution for nearly two hours.(Courtesy: Murfreesboro Police De...

Man fatally shot by police on Wisconsin school roof failed to enter the building, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

A man killed by Wisconsin police was acting erratically at a car repair shop and in the parking lot of a suburban Milwaukee school and unsuccessfully tried to enter the building before climbing on its roof and exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said Tuesday.Dozens of students were in the building during the exchange of gunfire but none were hurt, officials said.The incident began around 6:30 p.m. Monday when officers with the Germantown Police Department responded to a call of a man acting “erratically” in Kennedy Middle School's parking lot and trying to enter the locked school, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said. When officers arrived the man climbed onto the school’s roof and fired at them.Three officers returned fire, killing the man, the statement said. As many as 70 students were in the school, which went into a lockdown. The students were later bused to an elementary school where they were reunited with family.“This is believed to be an isolated incident," th...

6 Austin ISD schools deemed safe after 'swatting' incident

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN Live’s top morning headlines for Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District said six area campuses were deemed safe and "Secure" statuses were lifted following a "swatting exercise," or criminal act that involves reporting a false crime to elicit a police response.Police determined it was a "swatting exercise" after finding the source of the emails, the district said. Report: Politics drives school district leaders away The district told KXAN that Austin High School, O. Henry Middle School, Kealing Middle School, Rosedale School, Hill Elementary School and Casis Elementary School were the campuses that went into Secure after receiving emails containing a threat to the schools.The "Secure" school status was lifted around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. That status is different from a lockdown situation, as there isn't an active threat within the building. During a "Secure" situation, no one is allowed to leave or ...

Is West Campus safety, cleanup pilot program working?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — In August, the University of Texas announced a new pilot program to improve campus safety and keep the area clean.The West Campus Ambassadors program includes two teams of ambassadors: safety ambassadors and cleaning ambassadors who operate on foot, bicycle and by truck.Since the program started, both safety and cleaning ambassadors have been busy.In just over two months, the safety ambassadors have escorted more than 130 residents home. Students who feel unsafe or want someone to walk with can request an ambassador.Cleaning ambassadors patrol West Campus as well, looking for any trash or graffiti. So far they have hauled away more than 5,000 pounds of trash and removed about 2,600 pieces of graffiti.Their job goes beyond just clean up and safety though, ambassadors are there to help with directions and greet people with a smile.Ambassadors have helped give out directions about 2,300 times. ‘The walk home never feels safe’: UT students talk West Campus safety The s...

Blue Genie Art Bazaar returns for 23rd holiday season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austinites will have plenty of opportunity to spread some festive cheer and support local vendors this holiday season with the return of the 23rd annual Blue Genie Art Bazaar. The annual holiday tradition will include products created by more than 200 local artists and available for purchase at the Blue Genie Big Top, located at 6100 Airport Blvd. The holiday bazaar is open Nov. 17 through Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except for Christmas Eve, when the shop closes at 6 p.m.Each Monday during the holiday bazaar season, a portion of proceeds will go toward the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central & South Texas, officials said in a release. Vendor items available for purchase include jewelry, home décor, clothing, fine arts and other specialty gifts.“We love connecting local artists with Austinites for handmade gifts during the holiday season,” Dana Younger, co-founder of Blue Genie Art Bazaar, said in the release. “It’s a privilege to bring this tradition ba...