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CTA sees decrease in crime 1 year after unveiling plan to transform agency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

CHICAGO — In a new report, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) says it has made significant improvements to rider safety and service since unveiling its “Meeting the Moment" action plan last year, which sought to transform the agency in the wake of the pandemic.The years-long trend of increasing crime on the CTA seems to be shifting, with the new report showing that the CTA is making progress in its efforts to reduce crime. Chicago files lawsuit against Kia, Hyundai over rise in car thefts "I've been taking the CTA in the city for maybe five years, and I’m getting less episodes of violence and theft and stuff like that," frequent bus rider Mahmud Rahman said.New police data verifies Rahman's observation. According to the new report, overall crime is down 9% since the start of the year and 21% compared to July 2022. The report says violent crime has also decreased by 13% since the beginning of the year.In reaction to a spreading sense of unease on public transportation, the CTA say...

Student arrested after threatening Glenbard North High School principal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. -- A student at Glenbard North High School has been arrested after making a threatening comment directed at the principal on Thursday.According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, 18-year-old Zachary Kurzeja, of Carol Stream, made a threatening comment directed towards the principal at Glenbard North High School on Thrusday. 2 Chicago area defendants in Trump Georgia election case surrender Kurzeja was at Glenbard North High School when he allegedly commented to another individual at the school, “Hey man, if you heard someone shot at principal at the head, don’t look at me.”Following an investigation, the 18-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday.Kurzeja has been charged with disorderly conduct and his bond set at $250,000.

27 migrants living at Chicago Police Department 10th District weeks after sexual misconduct allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

CHICAGO -- Members of the 10th police district council said there are currently 27 migrants living at the station weeks ago after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct.On July 7, roughly 40 migrants were moved out of the CPD 10th district location after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) opened an investigation after reports officers had improper sexual relations with migrants at the police station in North Lawndale.The incident has been under investigation with the Chicago Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs, but have reported they have been unable to locate a victim.The city confirmed that asylum seekers are also back at the 19th district in Lakeview where there was an allegation of sexual misconduct as well.Since August 2022, the city of Chicago reports 204 buses have arrived.As of Friday morning, there are more than 16-awaiting shelter placement and more than 1,300 of them are living at Chicago police districts across the city.Elainne Bahana with ...

'Total disbelief': Mother, daughter given same dorm room 33 years apart

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An incoming freshman at Miami University in Ohio was floored when she was assigned the very same dorm room that her mother occupied in the fall of 1990.“When my mom told me, we both screamed over the phone," first-year student Sarah Bowling said in a university release. "I was in total disbelief."Laura Everett Bowling, Sarah's mom, graduated from the university in 1994, according to the release. Moms are cracking eggs on kids’ heads on TikTok. Why? “My first reaction was total and complete surprise, and absolute shock," Laura said. "I just couldn’t believe it."With 4,472 residence hall rooms on campus, the odds of being assigned to the same residence hall of a parent are about 0.02, according to Dr. John Bailer, Distinguished University Professor emeritus of statistics."The likelihood of being placed in the same room 33 years later is 1,099 to 1,” Dr. Bailer explained. “You are more likely to be audited by the IRS than to be placed in the same room as a paren...

Judge issues injunction, temporarily blocking transgender youth health care ban from going into effect, state appeals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (Nexstar) — A Travis County district judge issued a temporary injunction Friday, blocking Texas' ban on transgender health care for minors from going into effect next week. Parents, doctors sue Texas to block transgender minor health care ban A group of Texas families with transgender children and doctors sued the state over Senate Bill 14, a bill passed this legislative session that prohibits transgender minors from getting health care to assist in their gender transition. The bill cites puberty-blocking medication, hormone therapy or surgery — although surgical procedures are rarely performed on minors seeking gender-affirming care. Texas doctors who provide this type of care could also lose their medical licenses.The judge's order pauses SB 14 from going into effect on Sept. 1. The state is expected to appeal the case, but the court ordered that the injunction will stand until a judgment in this case is entered or the lawsuit is otherwise dismisse...

TDCJ transferring hundreds of inmates around state after Huntsville fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Nexstar) -- The Texas Department of Criminal Justice will transfer about 400 inmates to facilities across Texas after a major fire damaged an historic Huntsville prison early Friday morning.TDCJ evacuated more than 650 inmates from the Walls Unit after an attic fire broke out, damaging the west side of its cellblocks and some administrative areas just before 2:30 a.m. Friday. The Walls Unit holds about 1,600 inmates, according to officials."They're still here. They're in a secure location inside of this facility. And if they need to be transferred throughout the state, we are prepared to do so. All staff are safe as well," TDCJ's Amanda Hernandez said Friday.Hernandez later confirmed TDCJ will complete the transfer of about 400 inmates by the end of Friday.Families of those incarcerated had difficulty learning updates regarding their loved ones throughout the day. TDCJ has cancelled visitation at the unit."I couldn't believe it. It took a while for it to sink in. ...

2 seriously injured after falling from 3-story construction site in east Austin, ATCEMS says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN New Today's top headlines for Aug. 25, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Two people were seriously injured after falling from a third-story construction site in east Austin Friday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on Twitter.Shortly before 3:30 p.m., medics and the Austin Fire Department responded to the construction site at 1333 Shore District Drive for the incident, according to Twitter.Both patients, who were not identified Friday, were taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with serious injuries, medics said.No other information was available, and the incident remained under investigation Friday.

How cool are trees? Austin tree canopy is growing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin is growing. But not just in the ways you might think. The City of Austin recently released data showing it made progress in the goal to increase Austin’s tree canopy to 50% by 2050. The tree canopy is the total percentage of a jurisdiction covered by trees, leaves and branches. The city calculates the canopy percentage every four years. For 2022, it was 41% – up 6% since 2018 and 11% since 2006, when it was at 30% coverage. "Having a healthy and robust urban forest is an asset to the city in so many ways,” said Emily King, the Urban forester for the city. “We're in a very hot time, so providing shade to cool down people, surfaces, and critters – that part is very, very valuable in our context,” King continued.“Trees also kind of act as nature's air conditioners through a process called evapotranspiration, where they literally make the air around them cooler,” King said. One group helping the city achieve this goal is TreeFolks, which has planted...

Pakistani doctor who sought to support Islamic State terror group sentenced in Minnesota to 18 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — A Pakistani doctor and former Mayo Clinic research coordinator who sought to join the Islamic State terrorist group to fight in Syria and expressed interest in carrying out attacks on U.S. soil was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison.Muhammad Masood, 31, pleaded guilty a year ago to attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors said he attempted unsuccessfully to travel from the U.S. to Syria via Jordan in 2020, then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with someone he thought would help him travel by cargo ship to IS territory.But FBI agents arrested him at the Minneapolis airport on March 19, 2020, after he checked in for his flight.U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson handed down his sentence Friday in St. Paul.Prosecutors said Masood was in the U.S. on a work visa. They alleged that starting in January 2020, he made several statements to paid informants — whom he believed were IS members — pledging his a...

Judge lifts injunction for 30 cannabis licensees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

KINGSTON N.Y. (WTEN) -- A ruling coming out of the Ulster County Courthouse left some recreational cannabis applicants with more questions than answers on Friday morning. The hearing was in response to four service-disabled veterans who claim the application process unfairly kept them from opening shop.Just a few weeks ago, Supreme Court Justice, Kevin Bryant, issued a temporary restraining order that halted all cannabis licensing in New York. On Friday, Bryant lifted that injunction, but only for 30 licensees. "As such, those licenses identified by the office of cannabis management will be deemed exempt from the injunction," said Bryant. Those applicants were deemed “ready to be open” through the Cannabis Control Board and municipality where they’ll open shop, but that doesn’t account for the 400 others trying to open up a dispensary, including Scott General, "We didn’t get a whole lot of answers, that's for sure."General was approved for a license on June 15th. He was hoping to op...