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Chicago native spreading message of kindness on World Down Syndrome Day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

CHICAGO - More than anything, Nate Simon, a Chicago native with Down syndrome, wants more people to be kind and supportive of those with the condition. He's hoping his clothing line, 21 Pineapples, spreads awareness and acceptance about the genetic disorder."I just want more love and support," Nate Simon told WGN News.The 20-year-old and his mom, Holly Simon, appeared on the WGN News at 4 p.m. to talk about World Down Syndrome Day and their work to change people's perception of those with Down Syndrome and special abilities "one Hawaiian Shirt at a time."Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines"When Nate was born, they told me an entire book's worth of what Nate wouldn't be able to do, but no one came in the room and said, 'he could be a CEO;' 'he could be a model;' so I as a mom had to pave those ways for him. And we're doing a great job at it. We've got so many friends out there that are creating their own companies and businesses and showing people that kids with Down Syndrome ar...

A one-woman mission to save 15 duck eggs from being destroyed in Cedar Park H-E-B parking lot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Mieka Davenport was headed Saturday to her local H-E-B in Cedar Park when she spotted two black-bellied whistling ducks in the parking lot. “There's no water or anything around, so they were kind of out of place,” Davenport said. “We were curious as to what they were doing because they seemed a little distressed.”Davenport is a self-described “crazy bird lady,” so she wanted to figure out why the ducks were behaving abnormally. She noticed a blighted tree with a hole in the center. When she approached the tree to look inside, the ducks began frantically quacking. “And sure enough, [there was] a whole bunch of eggs – 14, 15 or more eggs,” Davenport said. “I was very concerned because they're not going to make it in a parking lot [and] there's no water.”And, even more concerning, she said there was a marker on the tree, indicating it would be removed. Davenport contacted Austin Wildlife Rescue, which advised her to wait a couple more weeks before re...

Affidavit: Suspect accused of $5K fraud, impersonating victim's grandson in jail

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

BEE CAVE, Texas (KXAN) — Police said a person has been charged, accused of stealing $5,000 from a victim in Bee Cave after the suspect pretended to be the victim's grandson in jail seeking bond, according to an arrest affidavit issued Tuesday. The Bee Cave Police Department issued the warrant for a suspect accused of financial abuse of an elderly individual. Court records show the suspect has not been arrested yet.The victim told Bee Cave police in December that he received a phone call from someone who pretended to be his grandson. The caller said he was in jail and needed to be bonded out, the affidavit said. The victim was told an attorney would soon call him, the affidavit said. He answered another phone call and was instructed to put $5,000 in a Wells Fargo account, which the they did Dec. 27.The victim spoke to his grandson the next day and learned he was frauded, according to police.The affidavit said police generated a subpoena and identified the receiving party of the bank ...

Climate report: Situation more dire than ever, but it's not too late to act

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The recently-released Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a clear message from the world's best climate scientists: Drastic changes are needed immediately to secure a livable future on this planet.Chief Meteorologist David Yeomans interviewed Dr. Ben Kirtman of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School -- a climate science Ph.D and one of the authors of a previous IPCC report -- on KXAN News at 4 p.m. Tuesday.Dr. Kirtman said this latest climate assessment paints a stark contrast to previous reports in terms of how quickly and drastically changes to greenhouse gas emissions need to occur in order to cap global warming at 1.5°C (approximately 3°F) by the year 2050. In fact, the scientists in the report found that we now have a greater than 50% chance of surpassing 1.5°C of warming by 2050.Local Texas impactsCentral Texas is expected to become more arid as rainfall becomes less reliable and higher tempe...

WTAMU President provides reasoning on canceling on-campus drag show in letter to students, staff, faculty

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

Update (March 21, 4:04 p.m.) In an additional petition, posted Tuesday on the Conservative Change website, students with the Young Conservatives of Texas's West Texas A&M University branch, as well as other community members, are voicing their support for Wendler, stating that they "Stand with Dr. Wendler and WTAMU to ban drag shows on campus." In the petition, which as of around 4 p.m. Tuesday has 215 signatures, the community member is asking the public to sign the petition to "encourage Dr. Wendler and WTAMU to not be swayed by the angry voices of those who are opposed to the truth about drag shows." "We are not alone in our fight for true freedom and we must support those who are seeking to defend it," the webpage reads. Update (March 21, 11:20 a.m.) MyHighPlains.com reached out to officials with West Texas A&M University, asking for clarification on how Wendler's letter lines up with approved expressive activity on campus rules from member academic institutions of the T...

State boys basketball roundup: Defending champ Totino-Grace cruises into 3A semis

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

Patrick Bath scored 23 points in just 17 minutes as Totino-Grace’s starters played roughly half the contest as the top seed and defending Class 3A champ opened its title defense with an 86-36 win over unseeded St. Francis at Williams Arena.Taison Chatman added 16 points. Totino-Grace (22-8) shot a blistering 72 percent from the field – going 30 for 37 from 2-point range – and grabbed the offensive rebound on six of its 14 misses. The Eagles out-rebounded St. Francis 35-16.St. Francis (17-13) was led by 16 points from Matthew Bothun.Totino-Grace will meet fifth-seeded Alexandria in the semifinals at 12 p.m. Thursday at Target Center after Alexandria topped fourth-seeded Mankato East 62-57.Second-seeded Orono survived a second-half rally to edge Hermantown 84-82. The Spartans led by 14 with seven minutes to play, but the Hawks scored 31 points over the final seven minutes.Peyton Menzen hit a pair of free-throws to pull Hermantown within three with 15 seconds to play, but Orono was abl...

Twins reliever Jhoan Duran sets sights on lofty goals for sophomore season

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jhoan Duran’s first inning in the big leagues came with somewhat of a rude awakening.The first batter he faced, Mariners first baseman Ty France, smacked a 100.7 mph fastball to right for a single. The next, Jesse Winker, hit a liner to center on a splinker.“I said: ‘Oh. Damn. OK. I’m in the big leagues,’” Duran said.He then uncorked a wild pitch, advancing both runners.But it didn’t take long for the then-rookie to collect himself and recover. Duran struck out the next three batters and worked around a two-out walk in a scoreless second inning of work, prompting another thought.“I said, ‘OK. I’m here,’” Duran said.That he was, for good.Duran quickly became the Twins’ most important reliever and, armed with a fastball that averaged 100.8 mph, a splinker and a nasty curveball that opponents hit just .120 against, he spent the entire season flummoxing hitters.“Whenever I think about that great season, I’m working hard for that but I’m not waiting for that,” Duran sa...

1 dead in shooting at Howard Lake business, Wright County sheriff says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

One person is dead and another is in custody after a shooting Monday in Howard Lake, Minn., west of the Twin Cities.A statement from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to a report of a shooting just after noon Monday at 300 Dura Drive. That’s the address of a cabinet manufacturing facility.Deputies found 20-year-old Adrian Montano Medina, of Lester Prairie, suffering from a gunshot wound at the scene. Medina was pronounced dead there a short time later.Authorities did not release further details on the circumstances of the shooting, and did not say whether it happened inside or outside of the building.A caller at the scene provided information on a suspect vehicle. Authorities stopped the vehicle near Waverly and arrested 23-year-old Kevin Zelayo Asencio of Glencoe without incident. The sheriff’s office said deputies also recovered a firearm in the vehicle.Asencio remained in the Wright County Jail as of Tuesday morning. Charges are pending.Related Articles...

Minnesota Democrats’ budget plan would increase spending by $17.9 billion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

Minnesota Democrats plan to add $17.9 billion in new spending to the state’s next two-year budget, a 35 percent increase from the current $52 billion general fund spending plan, according to a budget framework released Tuesday.Much of the spending would be ongoing, but there also are at least $1.5 billion in one-time costs. High-profile items include $3 billion for tax cuts, $2.2 billion for public schools, $1 billion for housing and $1 billion for transportation projects.“This agreement moves us one step closer to ending childhood poverty,” Gov. Tim Walz said. “It invests in our families, it invests in workforce, it invests in infrastructure roads and bridges. This budget has it.”Minnesota Republicans were much less enthusiastic, calling the plans a “runaway train putting Minnesotan’s livelihoods at risk.”“Democrats’ massive spending increases are on new bureaucracies, includes tax increases on every worker and business, and rob...

House fire kills Pine River couple in north-central Minnesota

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:52 GMT

PINE RIVER, Minn. — By the time fire crews arrived at the scene of a Pine River house fire early Tuesday morning, the home and its two occupants were already gone, the fire chief said.“We were paged about 2:20 a.m.” to the home of Barbara and Charles Norman in the 3300 block of 40th Avenue Southwest, said Fire Chief Kraig King. “We arrived to pretty much a burned-down house already.”Over 20 firefighters, including some from neighboring departments, responded. Many were sent home at around 8 a.m., while others either stayed or returned later in the morning.During the course of their work at the scene in north-central Minnesota, crews located the bodies of the Normans inside the house. King and the rest of his crew finally left the scene around noon.The Normans’ daughter, Tammy Norman, and daughter-in-law, Carol Norman, kept friends and family informed on Facebook.“My parents entered heaven tonight as the result of a catastrophic house fire. I have ...