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Kansas man sentenced to nearly 57 years in death of 2-year-old daughter who went days without food

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man whose 2-year-old daughter died after going days without food while he was passed out drunk has been sentenced to nearly 57 years in prison.The sentence ordered Friday was the maximum that could be imposed after Jeffrey Exon was convicted in April of charges that included aggravated child endangerment and first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.Exon, a 47-year-old who goes by the name of James, called 911 on Jan. 5. 2021, telling a dispatcher that his daughter, Aurora Exon, had stopped breathing. He also said she recently had been “starving herself.” She was cold to the touch when found, and appeared to have been dead for several days, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said. The coroner blamed her death on a form of malnutrition called marasmus. Five empty liquor bottles were found in Exon’s bedroom, investigators said. They determined that Exon would not feed or attend to his children for...

Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels ‘ increasingly contentious effort to lay the groundwork for a moderate third-party presidential ticket in the 2024 election. He gives the embattled organization another prominent ally amid escalating concerns from Democratic officials that the No Labels campaign could unintentionally help Republican Donald Trump return to the White House.Nixon, a 67-year-old lawyer, is stepping back into national politics for the first time since leaving office in 2017 and will serve as No Labels’ director of ballot integrity. He said in an interview that he was drawn to the role after learning that well-funded groups aligned with Democrats were working to stop No Labels from securing ballot access in key states.He said that those seeking to block the group’s right to appear on the presidential ballot are attacking a pillar of American democracy.“What do I say to those Democrats? I say, ‘You’re entitl...

Saturday Forecast: Cooler, decreasing clouds, low 80s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

Saturday: Decreasing clouds, much cooler & less humid. NNE 5-15 mph. Air quality is in the Good category for today. Low 80s inland mid 70s by the lake. Saturday Night: Mostly clear skies and a bit breezy. NNE 5-15 mph. Lows in the mid to upper 60s in the city, cooler outlying areas.Sunday: Mostly sunny & comfortable temps. N 5-10 mph. Upper 70s inland, lower 70s by the lake. Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Extended outlook calls for showers/thunderstorms to sneak back into the forecast by late Tuesday. Warmer and muggier as we get highs back towards 90 by next Friday with showers/thunderstorms likely. Next weekend looks cooler back towards the low 80s. =-=-=

Wicker Park fest coming back for 19th year this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

Join WGN Weekend Morning News where we hear more about Wicker Park Fest coming back for a 19th year this weekend.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Taylor Swift concerts in Seattle produced seismic activity on same scale as a small earthquake, seismologist finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

(KOIN) – She's just gonna shake, shake, shake the earth.Taylor Swift's July 22 and 23 concerts in Seattle allegedly produced seismic activity on par with a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, according to a Western Washington University geology professor and seismologist.Jackie Caplan-Auerbach tracked the seismic activity emanating from Swift's Lumen Field performances earlier this month, finding similar and overlapping seismic waves on both dates. She later added that she couldn't be sure whether the fans or the sound systems had caused the activity, but plans to continue investigating."I'm not yet convinced that it's all dancing – the signals between the two nights are ridiculously similar and people tend to be messy," Caplan-Auerbach wrote on Twitter.She added that concertgoers were likely unaware of any geological activity at the time, saying the data recorded by the seismometer was "mostly below the range of human hearing." Taylor Swift urged to postpone Los Angeles-area shows Swift's ...

Another crack in the coaster? 'Weld indication' found on Carowinds ride after July repairs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) – A "weld indication" has been discovered on the Fury 325 coaster at Carowinds in North Carolina — the same ride that had a support column replaced due to a crack found roughly one month ago.The North Carolina Department of Labor confirmed with Nexstar's WJZY that the agency was notified of the structural issue found on the popular coaster this week. A "weld indication" could be either a break or a crack on the coaster, the department said. Carowinds to hold ‘extensive tests’ before reopening roller coaster "No certificate of operation has been issued nor do we have a timeline of when the certificate of operation will be issued for the Fury 325," officials with the department said Friday. Carowinds has since issued a statement concerning the find. "We are conducting a full maintenance review of Fury 325 during this testing process. This maintenance review — which is consistent with routine off-season procedures — includes a review of the steel superstructur...

The next 3 meteor showers peak on weekends: What to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Right now, there are three active meteor showers. Their peak viewing times are approaching in the next few weeks, and they are, conveniently, all going to be on Saturday and Sunday. For optimal meteor shower viewing, it's best to be in an area with little or no light pollution. PerseidsAccording to NASA, the Perseid Meteor Shower is the best one happening this year, and viewers can see up to 100 meteors per hour. The shower became visible in the northern hemisphere on July 14 and will be around until Sept. 1.If you want to see the Perseids at its peak, plan a night of stargazing for Aug. 12 or 13, according to NASA. For best viewing, NASA says to look during the pre-dawn hours, although meteors and fireballs could be visible as early as 10 p.m. The meteors will originate near the Perseid constellation and will be more easily-found constellation Cassiopeia. We could be seeing the northern lights more often: Here’s why The Perseids shower is expected ...

What's Illinois' most popular cocktail?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

ILLINOIS (WMBD) – Cocktails, anyone?When you’re thirsty for something a little more fun than a beer, cocktails are the perfect substitute to bring flavor and presentation to life.But which cocktail is the most popular in Illinois? Upgraded Points, an online information website, aimed to find out. They started by compiling a list of the most popular cocktails around the country. Then, they looked at Google Trends data from the past 12 months to see which cocktail Americans searched for most.You may be surprised to learn Illinois’ most popular cocktail is a mimosa, according to Google Trends. It wasn't just Illinois either – it was the top-searched cocktail in six states and was searched for more than any other cocktail.For those who don’t know, a mimosa is typically made by combining orange juice and champagne, and the cocktail is usually served during brunch. The bubbly citrus is a wake-up call for anyone looking to turn their midday lunch into a boozy brunch.Not every website agree...

Austin comedy club helps bring the laughs to 6th Street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin has a reputation as the "live music capital of the world," but it's not the only kind of show you can catch around town. Just off Sixth Street, near the intersection of Lavaca and Seventh, sits the Fallout Theater. Lisa Friedrich, co-owner of the Fallout Theater, says that the Austin comedy scene is booming."There's a ton of stand-up clubs downtown you would not have seen three years ago," said Friedrich. While downtown has changed around the theater, Fallout Theater's Mason Pitluk said that the historic building the venue is in has helped them keep their spot right off of Austin's most famous drag. But that might not always be the case. "We don't have to worry too much about things being totally overhauled," said Pitluk, "but I'm sure it comes for us all at some point."The Fallout focuses on local acts, with events ranging from sketch shows to stand-up comedy performed on treadmills. The theater also offers comedy classes in stand-up, improv, and sketch cla...

MnDOT says it spent record $174 million to battle record snowfall during winter of 2022-23

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:36 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation spent a record $174 million to keep state highways clear of snow and ice for the brutal winter of 2022-23, the most severe winter in the past decade, according to a new report.And that total doesn’t include cities, counties or townships costs to clear their roads and streets.MnDOT officials said it was not only the most money ever spent to keep state roads clear of ice and snow, but was fully 25% above the most recent five-year average.Statewide, an average of 90.2 inches of snow fell last winter. The Twin Cities recorded 90.3 inches, making it the third snowiest winter on record. Duluth and St. Cloud broke all-time seasonal snowfall records.“This was an extremely challenging winter season, but our crews worked tirelessly to conquer each storm and keep travelers safe and moving in Minnesota,” Nancy Daubenberger, state transportation commissioner, said in a statement released with the report. “MnDOT has more than 1,600 snowplow operators tha...