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Elmhurst community hosts watch party for team on verge of Little League World Series

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

ELMHURST, Ill. — The boys from Elmhurst Little League are one step away from making it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania — and on Wednesday — the local community organized a watch party for their game against New Albany, Ohio.Friends, family, and local supporters of the team gathered at Doc's Victory Pub in Elmhurst to watch their favorite Little Leaguers play, while the team itself prepared to take the field in Whitestown, Indiana, where they are playing for a regional championship."We all have confidence in our boys," said Margaret Wente, a parent of a player on the team. "This group of boys is good and they work so hard. They play well together."This is the first time Elmhurst Little League has made it to a Little League regional championship, where they are representing the state of Illinois in the Great Lakes Regionals. More on Elmhurst's journey: Elmhurst baseball team on the brink of Little League World Series If Elmhurst wins their matchup aga...

What's expected out of Justin Fields in Bears' preseason opener?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - There are usually two main questions that are presented to a head coach ahead of a preseason opener: How much will the starters play and will the starting quarterback take the field? Matt Eberflus had an answer when it came to the Bears' signal caller on Wednesday. "Yes," said the head coach when asked if Justin Fields will play against the Titans in the team's preseason opener on Saturday at Noon at Soldier Field.How much time he'll see, along with the rest of the starters, is still being sorted out as the Bears still have another practice before the contest with Tennessee. Ebeflus said they'll have a discussion about how many reps each player will play in the contest, and that's the case for Fields as well. So what is Eberflus looking for out of the quarterback when he steps on the field for the first time in a game situation this season, even if it is just an exhibition contest?"When you're looking at the quarterback position, the operation No. 1," said Eberfl...

Disney+ to begin cracking down on password sharing, CEO says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Following in the footsteps of Netflix and Costco, Disney will soon begin cracking down on account sharing on its streaming service, the company's CEO announced Wednesday. In a move to "drive monetization," CEO Bob Iger said the password-sharing crackdown for Disney+ will begin in 2024, The Wrap and CNBC reported, citing the company's third-quarter earnings call. “We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family,” Iger said, adding that changes will come to subscriber agreements later this year. He explained that account sharing is "significant." Netflix could introduce ads later this year: report The announcement comes as Disney+ reports another drop in subscribers — it's the second quarter in a row the streaming service has shed viewers. Disney will also be raising prices for its ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. In October, the Disney+ version will rise to $14 wh...

Biden touts climate efforts on tour of western United States

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – President Biden is touring western states, touting his administration's accomplishments addressing climate change and announcing new actions as well.In New Mexico on Wednesday, President Biden and allies such as New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham lauded the administration's accomplishments in fighting climate change.“We can be climate leaders for the world,” Lujan Grisham said. The governor highlighted the administration making “the largest investment in clean energy jobs…because this president had the courage to make it a reality.”The president says companies are making major investments in green energy projects across the country in states like New Mexico, Colorado and New York.“CS Wind broke ground on what will be the world's largest wind tunnel manufacturing plant,” Biden added. “Every one of these companies has pointed to the clean energy law that we originated, and I signed as the reason for making these investments.”While visiting Arizona on Tue...

Pentagon: 'US will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes'

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Pentagon on Wednesday doubled down on its support for Ukraine as it confronts new challenges in the Russian invasion."We knew this was going to be a tough fight," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. "The United States is going to continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes."Ukraine's counteroffensive is struggling to retake significant territory held by Russian forces. But Singh said the Pentagon is confident in the weapons and training it has provided to the Ukrainian army.At the same time, a June Pew Research survey found a growing number of Americans, especially Republicans, are losing patience with the war. Forty-four percent of Republicans said the U.S. was giving too much aid to Ukraine, four percentage points more than in January."Americans want to know what the plan is," U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said. "They want to know, is this going to be a 10-year thing, is this a two-year thing?"She said Congress must attempt to provi...

Homes evacuated for 15-acre brush fire near Pflugerville

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Some homes have been evacuated Wednesday as emergency crews respond to a 15-acre brush fire off Jesse Bohls Road near Pflugerville. ‘Home ignition zone’ inspections can help with wildfires Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2, the Manor Fire Department, STAR Flight and the Texas A&M Forest Service are working to contain the fire, Travis County ESD No. 2 Fire Chief Nick Perkins said.Homes on Scoria Drive and Elk Horn Drive were evacuated as a precaution, according to Travis County ESD No. 2.This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Texas wildfires: 'Home ignition zone' inspections can help prepare

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- Wind speeds combined with low moisture, dry trees, and possible dead limbs and vegetation left over from the winter freeze likely created ideal conditions for a Cedar Park wildfire to spread, according to experts."I'm intimately familiar with their operations," said Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway, who was previously a fire marshal in Cedar Park. "They have an excellent fire department that did an unbelievable job in their response yesterday and how they handled the situation that was thrown at them."On Tuesday, Cedar Park released new aerial video of the 50-acre Parmer Lane wildfire. It shows how the fire tore through grass and brush while appearing to stop short and spare dozens of townhomes and apartments. VIDEO: Drone footage shows scope of Cedar Park brush fire damage Callaway credits the emergency response on the ground, the good separation between the buildings and undeveloped land and how they were built. "It's going to be in reg...

Construction zone near Round Rock High School may affect commutes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

Round Rock (KXAN) – With Back-To-School, morning and evening rush hour traffic in Austin is about to ramp back up. KXAN Traffic Anchor, Erica Brennes, has been highlighting construction zones in or near school zones. One of those is the RM 620 Roundabout project in Round Rock, just west of Interstate 35.Round Rock ISD returns to school on Aug. 15, and the RM 620 Roundabout project from I-35 to Deep Wood Drive will likely impact commutes to Round Rock High School and Round Rock Christian Academy.That means it will be busy for Round Rock ISD students, parents and drivers who use RM 620 during their commute.The project is adding an overpass at Chisholm Trail and Lake Creek Drive, a roundabout at 620 and Chisholm Trail beneath the new overpass, widened lanes, new frontage roads and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.If this is your route, TxDOT recommends planning for added delays through the construction zone."You'll have a school zone and a construction zone going on at the same ti...

UT researcher innovates new device to purify water from creeks, streams

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In response to recent natural disasters that have left millions of Texans without water for extended periods, a University of Texas at Austin researcher was motivated to innovate a device that can purify water from streams in creeks in minutes. D. Emma Fan, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, led a team that developed a mug-sized device that uses a small jolt of electricity to remove bacteria from water. They tested the device using water from Waller Creek in Austin and found that within 20 minutes, 99.997% of E. coli bacteria were cleared from the water sample. “I think we need to improve the resilience of society during these natural disasters because they [are becoming] more frequent because of climate change,” Fan said. “I have developed the technology in the last few years…We are very confident this [device] is working.” Fan said the key to the device's success is what is called a “branched” electrode – something Fa...

St. Paul City Council approves $21 million tax incentive for office-to-residential conversion at Landmark Towers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:25:53 GMT

Developer Chris Sherman of Sherman Associates said he’s little more than a week away from finalizing a deal to acquire the 26-story Landmark Towers office building off Fourth Street, the first step toward a complete office-to-residential conversion that will create 187 new units of market-rate housing downtown, filling commercial space that’s increasingly becoming vacant.“We need a transformation of our downtowns, and it needs to happen starting now,” said Sherman, calling the alternative more vacancy and more blight. “There’s a long, long list of office users who are at risk of not renewing their leases.”Eager to close on the sale, Sherman on Wednesday appeared before the St. Paul City Council with a $21 million ask — a “tax increment financing” request that generated several concerned remarks from the seven-member council, given the lack of affordable housing in the proposal.Still, they approved the new TIF district following a...