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Juneteenth: The long road to becoming a federal holiday

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

Sue Johnson was born and raised in Galveston, Texas, a city on the Gulf Coast. She still remembers every year when she and her family would pack up the car and head to the beach for a day of celebration to commemorate America’s second independence day: Juneteenth. So when the day became America’s newest federal holiday in 2021, she was thrilled. “I was as jubilant as many,” said Johnson, founder and executive director of Galveston’s Nia Cultural Center.  “I was very happy that it will be commemorated throughout the country … and I was also curious to see how it would play out in the new arena of being nationally sanctioned.” Juneteenth is recognized on June 19 to commemorate the last of the enslaved peoples being freed in Galveston by Union forces. Though the city of Galveston has celebrated the holiday since 1866, the push to make the day a federal holiday dates back more than 100 years. On June 19, 1865, Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, whic...

Man fatally shot inside fast-food restaurant on Far South Side

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

CHICAGO — A 32-year-old man was shot and killed during a fight inside a fast-food restaurant on the city's Far South Side.The shooting happened just after 11 p.m. Sunday in the 11600 block of South Halsted. Police said the 32-year-old was in the vestibule of the restaurant and was involved in a physical altercation with another man who pulled out a gun and fired shots.The 32-year-old was shot in the back and pronounced dead on the scene. Sheriff: 22 injured,1 dead in shooting at Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook Township No one is in custody. Area Two detectives are investigating.

Strawberry products sold in 32 states recalled over Hepatitis A risks — including Illinois

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Multiple packages of frozen fruit, specifically strawberries, are being recalled due to possible Hepatitis A contamination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Willamette Valley Fruit Co. of Salem, Oregon is voluntarily recalling select packages of frozen strawberries and a frozen fruit blend containing strawberries. The impacted strawberries were grown in Mexico and are potentially carrying Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus, which can be spread through close contact with someone who is infected, or by eating foods or consuming beverages that have been contaminated, according to the CDC.Illnesses can be mild, lasting a few weeks, or serious, with symptoms lasting for several months, the FDA explains. This can include fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine, and pale stool. Hepatitis A can also lead to liver failure in rare cases. Google’s $23M settlement: How to file a claim a...

FOUND: High risk 14-year-old missing from Albany Park: CPD

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 14-year-old who was missing from Albany Park since early Saturday morning was safely found. Man shot in head in River North, suspect in custody

Long Island officers use YouTube app to reunite ducklings with mama duck

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (WPIX) –  Long Island police officers rescued a group of ducklings that had fallen through a sewer grate in Massapequa on Saturday, officials said.Officers received a 911 call about an agitated mother duck dangerously walking into traffic on Old Sunrise Highway because her four baby ducklings had fallen into the sewer. The annual Mermaid Parade comes alive at Coney Island Upon arrival, officers could hear the ducklings in distress below ground, about 8 feet down. Police were unable to see them and they were unable to remove the sewer grate to retrieve the ducklings, sources said.It took four patrol officers and two Emergency Service Unit officers working together to retrieve the ducklings. Together they traced the paths of the sewer systems to a nearby reservoir where they could hear the ducklings in distress. How AI is changing the 2024 election The officers then utilized the YouTube app on their phones to play a series of mother duck calls to l...

APD: Person of interest in custody amid homicide investigation

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A person of interest in a homicide investigation was taken into custody Monday morning after a person died in north Austin overnight. A public information officer with the Austin Police Department said a fight broke out around 3:20 a.m. Monday in a tent community in the 1000 block of Rundberg Lane, close to the North Austin YMCA. APD said someone in the community called 911 to report a person was injured. When officers arrived, they found a person with "obvious signs of trauma who appeared to be beyond help." According to APD, the person was injured in a fight that had broken out in the community, and they were pronounced dead on the scene. APD homicide detectives are investigating with Austin Fire Department arson investigators. APD said a fire was involved in the incident, but it's not clear how or to what extent. A person of interest was taken into custody, and police are questioning witnesses, APD said. This is being investigated as Austin's 33rd homicide of the ...

TCOLE reform signed into law, expanding authority to set police standards

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation Sunday expanding the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement’s authority to set standards for law enforcement hiring, licensing, creating new departments and more.Though the long-awaited legislation was expansive and touted by some law enforcement experts as a positive step, one union executive expressed concerns about how it could remove due process protections for officers with negative reports in their personnel files.The bill, SB 1445 by Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, was built from years of work and recommendations made by the Sunset Advisory Commission. It was revised multiple times as it worked through both sides of the Legislature.TCOLE was under Sunset Commission review for years. A previous bill to reform the agency failed to pass in 2021 when lawmakers and stakeholders – like police unions – struggled to agree on changes to TCOLE’s authority. The Sunset Commission found TCOLE was “toothless” and had hardly any power over l...

Texas named one of the 'most fun' states to visit in rankings by WalletHub

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas is one of the most fun states to visit, according to a new report by WalletHub.The website graded all 50 states in a number of categories to determine which had the "greatest number and variety of fun and cost-effective options."Texas ranked No. 7 on the list, boosted by high scores for restaurants, movie theaters and amusement parks per capita.California claimed the top spot as most fun state to visit, ahead of Florida and Nevada. New York and Illinois rounded out the top five, with Colorado in sixth place, one ahead of Texas.Mississippi ranked last, behind West Virginia and Delaware.Other categories used to determine the rankings included golf courses, arcades, beaches and access to national parks. Average beer, wine and movie prices were also factored in, along with music festivals, casinos and even time of last call.

Colonie man arrested after fleeing traffic stop

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Colonie man was arrested on June 15 after fleeing from a traffic stop five days prior, according to New York State Police. Anthony Hawkins, 30, faces multiple charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On June 10, around 11:21 p.m., troopers pulled over a car on I-87 in Clifton Park for multiple vehicle and traffic law violations. Police later identified the driver as Hawkins, saying he was uncooperative and gave them false identifying information.Police say Hawkins did not follow the trooper's instructions and fled in his car, nearly hitting the trooper. His car was found abandoned a short distance away. Granville man sentenced to over 10 years for cocaine distribution State police say a further investigation found Hawkins had multiple previous DWI convictions in the last ten years. Charges:Felony driving while intoxicatedSecond-degree reckless endangermentSecond-degree obstructing governme...

Blazing Chicken Shack II’s soul food is a family affair | Opinion

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:00:19 GMT

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).I was lucky enough to move to Northeast Denver from Capitol Hill in the early 2010s, when housing prices were low and a handful of neighborhood favorites still remained — undisturbed by landlords who would soon jack up rents and renovate storefronts to attract yoga studios, CBD retailers and condo developers.A plate of three fried chicken wings with a side of collard greens, a favorite, at the Blazing Chicken Shack II on Oct. 4, 2022. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)Minus the condos, that didn’t pan out so great. The drive pushed out mainstays from this formerly working-class, fast-gentrifying residential area such as A&A Fish Market at 29th and Fairfax streets, or Cora Faye’s Cafe (formerly Colorado and 29th, n...