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Suburban English teacher helps students grow through writing, seeking truth

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

LANSING, Ill. — School is back in session and our first teacher of the month is an English teacher and the newspaper advisor at a south suburban high school.Students say Christopher Jones brings an encouraging presence to the classroom helping them grow through writing, reading and seeking truth.Jones is the first to tell you, he’s not a man of many spoken words.“I never thought I had it in me to be a teacher because I don’t like speaking in public,” he said.But written words? That’s another story. His background in writing and a desire to give back brought him to Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing.“I always tell my students in my classes that every little thing you do — newspaper, yearbook, chess — might be an opening to a job,” he said.And he says he wants them to know if he can do it, so can they.“I was a very average student and if I made it, that there’s opportunity for them,” he said.He’s now is his 16TH year as an English teacher and an advisor for the student n...

Christie takes swipe at Jill Biden during debate

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

(The Hill) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) took a swipe at first lady Jill Biden's status as a teachers union member at the GOP debate Wednesday. "This public school system is no longer run by the public. It is run by the teachers unions in this country," Christie said. "Randi Weingarten and her crew, they are absolutely strangling — they are taking the worst of their members and defending them rather than advocating for our kids." "And when you have the president of the United States sleeping with a member of the teachers unions, there is no chance that you can take the stranglehold away from the teachers union every day. They have an advocate inside the White House every day for the worst of their teachers, not for their students to be the best they can be." "A president of the United States has to take on the teachers union. I did it in New Jersey, and I will do it as president of the United States." The comments came during a portion of the debate that...

Pence calls for expedited death penalty for perpetrators of mass shootings

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

(The Hill) — Former Vice President Mike Pence during Wednesday night’s second GOP debate called for an expedited federal death penalty as punishment for the perpetrators of mass shootings. “I’m someone that believes that justice delayed is justice denied. ... As a grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I’m sick and tired of the mass shootings happening in the United States of America," Pence said from his podium on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library stage in Simi Valley, Calif.  Ramaswamy: Kids 16 and under shouldn’t use ‘addictive’ social media “And if I’m president of the United States, I’m going to go to the Congress of the United States, and we’re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting, so they will meet their fate in months, not years," Pence said.  The former vice president said it’s "unconscionable” that the perpetrator of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman-Douglas ...

GOP Debate: Christie sends message to Trump, 'We're gonna call you 'Donald Duck'

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

(The Hill) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) sent a message to former President Trump during the second GOP presidential primary debate on Wednesday night, calling the frontrunner out for his absence from the stage once again.“I want to look at the camera right now and tell you, Donald, I know you’re watching. You can’t help yourself. I know you’re watching, okay? And you’re not here tonight not because of polls and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight because you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record,” Christie said from his podium on the Simi Valley, Calif., stage.  "You’re ducking these things. And let me tell you what’s going to happen, you keep doing that, no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore, we’re gonna call you 'Donald Duck,'" Christie said.  Trump, who boasts a significant lead over the rest of the GOP presidential field...

GOP candidates pressed on unions, economy at second debate

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

(The Hill) — The subject of labor unions and picket lines led off the second GOP primary debate Wednesday night in California, just a day after President Biden set a new precedent by joining striking auto workers in Michigan.The first candidate to speak, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), walked back his incendiary comment from earlier this month — “If you strike, you’re fired” — which he said earlier this month on the campaign trail in reference to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike that’s currently underway in Detroit.“Obviously, the President of the United States cannot fire anybody in the private sector,” Scott qualified on Wednesday night. DeSantis attacks Trump for not taking part in debate But Scott remained critical of unions.“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line,” he said.The National Labor Relations Board, which administers U.S. labor law, is now investigating a charge against Scott filed by UAW president Shawn Fain that was prompted by Scott’s comment.As unions are seein...

Police investigating deadly east Austin crash, victim not identified

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is investigating a crash that occurred in east Austin last week that left one person dead, according to a APD news release.Shortly before 7:40 p.m., Sept. 21, APD responded to the 1500 block of 51st Street for the single-vehicle crash, the release said. According to Austin-Travis County EMS, the vehicle crashed into a pole. One dead after car crashes into pole in east Austin, ATCEMS says One person was pronounced dead on the scene, according to police. By Wednesday, the person was still not identified.This is now being investigated as Austin's 66th fatal crash of 2023, which resulted in 69 fatalities for the year, police said. On the date of this crash in 2022, 74 fatal crashed resulted in 76 deaths, the release said.Anyone with any information should contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at (512) 974-8111. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling...

Pablo López makes final start before the playoffs in Twins’ win over Athletics

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

After 32 starts, Pablo López’s regular season has reached its conclusion. Next up: the postseason.The starter had his final tune-up on Wednesday in the Twins’ 6-4 win over the Oakland Athletics at Target Field. The next time he takes the ball, it will be in the Wild Card Series where the righty is currently lined up to start Game 1.López went 4 1/3 innings in a start that the Twins had planned to be short. He finished the regular season at 194 innings pitched, the most he’s thrown in his career, with a 3.66 earned-run average.For the second straight year, López stayed healthy throughout the entirety, taking the ball every fifth day and never skipping a start. In his 32 starts, he struck out 234 batters, the most by a Twins pitcher since his role model, Johan Santana, fanned 235 in 2007.Now, the starter, whom the Twins acquired last offseason for infielder Luis Arraez, will have nearly a week to prepare for the second postseason start of his career and his most important in a Twins u...

New York National Guard holds ceremony for new commander

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The New York National Guard headquarters in Latham got a new commander on Wednesday. Capt. Darren Hagan, a New Windsor resident, took over Joint Forces Headquarters Detachment from Major Douglas Berinstein, of Clifton Park, who led the detachment since 2021. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hagan began his military career in 2011 when he enlisted in the New York National Guard as an infantryman. He later became a targeting officer where he was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait.

Shed restoration complete at Port of Albany

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Renovations have been completed at the Port of Albany. A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday to celebrate a project to revitalize the port's oldest maritime shed, which officials had previously planned to destroy.Instead, they renovated it. Space was added for cargo ships and customer activity. Officials said it will help boost the local economy. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "With a new, modern facility, the shed offers enhanced temporary storage for goods moving in and out of the port," Janet Ho, NYSDOT Asst. Commissioner for Finance and Integrated Modal Services, said. "It builds capacity for commerce, and it keeps it here in the Capital Region."The port is currently undergoing additional upgrades and expansion worth about $750 million.

Cash photo used to nab alleged international scammer

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

O’FALLON, Mo. – Police in O’Fallon, Missouri, say they’ve arrested three people who were part of an international fraud ring.The bizarre plot was reportedly going down in St. Charles County parking lots. It then ended at a Target store parking lot on Highway K, south of Interstate 70, where the suspects were greeted with one heck of a surprise.A trunkful of rolled-up cash is what suspected international scammers thought they were going to steal from an elderly man, as Sgt. Bryan Harr described the twist.“When (the suspects) showed up at the location to pick up the money … they opened the trunk, it was just a piece of wood in there, and then they were taken into custody safely,” he said.One suspect, Ankurkumar Patel, was charged with financial exploitation of the elderly in a case that has now been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security. Court records allege, “Patel is part of an international fraud ring.”The other suspects were released pending warrant application review...