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This Illinois city ranks among the nation's best for recreation: report

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

ILLINOIS (WMBD) – Being active often means having a spot where you can reliably get some great exercise, but that can be challenging if your city doesn’t have facilities for you to use.Depending on where you live, you might have a slew of opportunities for recreation. In some cities, it's easy to stay active with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.A new ranking released by WalletHub, a personal finance website, ranked cities based on the best and worst recreation destinations. For the ranking, the 100 largest U.S. cities were compared across 48 key metrics that demonstrate the importance of recreation. Each city was assessed based on its living costs, the quality of its parks, the accessibility of entertainment facilities and recreational facilities, as well as the weather.As a final step, WalletHub calculated each city's weighted average score across all metrics before ranking the cities.According to the study, Chicago is the 10th best city in the U.S. for recreation. Chica...

Attention turns to legacy admissions after affirmative action ruling

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

(The Hill) — The target on the back of university legacy admissions grew larger after the Supreme Court ruled against the use of race-conscious admissions. Every year, thousands of students are able to get into top schools through their ties to family alumni or wealthy donors, a practice that largely favors applicants who are rich and white.  Nearly a quarter of Republicans say classified docs charges make them more likely to support Trump: poll After the Supreme Court ruled institutions cannot use race as a factor in the admissions process, calls from both Democrats and Republicans went out to end legacy admissions. “I think the question is how do you continue to create a culture where education is the goal for every single part of our community?" Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is running for president, said. "One of the things that Harvard could do to make that even better is to eliminate any legacy programs where they have preferential treatment for legacy kids, not allow fo...

State of Texas: New property tax relief plan aims to help renters

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As top Texas Republicans show scant signs of progress towards a deal to lower property taxes, some Democrats in the Texas House are taking the impasse as an opportunity to present their own ideas.State. Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, led a small coalition of progressives on Thursday in supporting a new package of property tax relief measures that tops out larger than any other proposal yet.His bill proposes $20.9 billion to provide homestead exemptions of up to $200,000, cash rebates to renters, permanent pay raises to teachers, and some cuts to school district tax rates."Texans pay the fifth highest property taxes in the nation, yet our state is 44th in its support for public education. Neither ranking is acceptable," Bryant said. "We believe a property tax relief plan should simultaneously address both."A recap of the 9:30 a.m. news conference is available in the video player below. House Bill 62 increases the basic allotment for publ...

Minnesota Aurora’s perfect season comes to end

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

The high-flying Minnesota Aurora were cut down on Saturday.The amateur women’s soccer club’s perfect season ended in a 1-0 defeat to Indy Eleven in the USL W League Central Conference Championship in Flint, Michigan.Aurora was 13-0-0 across the regular season and its playoff opener, outscoring opponents 61-4, but were shutout by Indy.The difference was Indy’s Sam Dewey redirecting a free kick for a goal in the 57th minute.“I’m really proud of this team, it just didn’t go our way,” Aurora head coach Nicole Lukic said. “Overall, we’re really happy, they’re a fantastic group to work with every single day. To be honest, that’s the saddest part of this — that we have to wait a long time to get together again. We’ll be back for 2024.”Aurora was undefeated in its debut season in 2022, but fell in the USL W League final.Related ArticlesSoccer | Five takeaways from new Loons striker Teemu Pukki’s introduction Soccer | New Loons winger Ismael Tajouri-Shradi br...

Pilot makes emergency landing on road in Blaine after getting oil pressure warning

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — A small plane made an emergency landing on a road in a Minneapolis suburb Saturday after experiencing a mechanical problem shortly after takeoff.Blaine police said the pilot received an alert about low oil pressure after he took off from an airport in Cambridge, which is about 30 miles north of Blaine.Initially, the pilot planned to divert to the Anoka-Blaine Airport, but instead he landed the Cessna 172 on 125th Avenue Northeast near Legacy Creek Parkway just before 2 p.m. He had originally been planning to fly to Eden Prairie on the southwest side of the metro area.Police said no one was injured and the plane was not damaged in the landing. The pilot has 13 years of flying experience and was the only person on the plane.Related ArticlesLocal News | Day centers for the mentally ill like a version of the ‘Cheers’ bar — ‘They know when you’re having an off day’ Local News | Obituary: Longtime director...

Ballwin police dedicate new station to officer shot in line of duty

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

BALLWIN, Mo. - The Ballwin Police Department has dedicated its new police station to an officer shot in the line of duty.Seven years ago, on July 8, 2016, Ballwin officer Mike Flamion was shot in the line of duty while conducting a traffic stop. On Saturday, the police department dedicated its new police station in his honor. This Missouri home for sale comes with an underground cave Flamion was wounded and left paralyzed after the shooting. He suffered a gunshot to the left side of his neck caused injuries to his spinal cord.Flamion worked in Ballwin for two years prior to the shooting. Before that, he worked for the De Soto Police Department for seven years.Ballwin's new police station is at 302 Kehrs Mill Road. Police hosted an open house Saturday to wish him the best in his recovery. On the five-year anniversary of the shooting in 2021, Flamion told FOX 2 he was lucky to be alive.

Rockies lose to Giants for 12th time in 13 games

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The formula that delivered the Rockies a rare victory over the Giants on Friday night — solid starting pitching and a heroic homer — was nowhere to be found Saturday afternoon.The Giants’ hitters roughed up right-hander Connor Seabold early and Colorado’s bats went silent for a good chunk of the game as the Giants prevailed, 5-3, at Oracle Park.San Francisco, which has won 12 of the last 13 games vs. Colorado, improved to 33-10 against its National League West foe since the start of the 2021 season, the best record by any team in a divisional matchup over that span.Colorado staged a two-out rally in the eighth, scoring a run on Kris Bryant’s ground-rule double to left, followed by singles from C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. But San Francisco right-hander Tyler Rogers, who served up the game-winning homer to Ezequiel Tovar Friday night, got pinch-hitter Elias Diaz to pop out to short.Seabold’s start wasn’t pretty but it could h...

Air quality ozone alert issued for Front Range until Sunday afternoon

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

An ozone alert was issued Saturday afternoon for the Front Range’s urban corridor after storms move through the region and leave behind warmer, stagnant weather.The ozone action alert will be in effect from 4 p.m. Saturday until at least 4 p.m. Sunday and it will stretch from Douglas County to Larimer and Weld counties, according to an advisory from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Regional Air Quality Council.Ozone concentrations were in the good category most of Saturday.On Sunday, however, they are expected to reach moderate to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, which include the elderly and people with asthma. People who are affected by unhealthy air quality should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor activities from noon until 8 p.m. on Sunday, the CDPHE advisory said.Exposure to unhealthy ozone can trigger asthma attacks and other acute respiratory problems.The highest ozone concentrations on Sunday are expected in the southern and wester...

Alex Wood deals, Austin Slater has pinch-hit homer to lead Giants over Rockies

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — This might not be the long-term plan to get the most out of Alex Wood, but using their $25-million lefty in relief is looking like a decent strategy right now.For the second time in four tries while pitching out of the bullpen, Wood was spectacular on Saturday, when he shut down the Colorado Rockies over five innings as the Giants rolled to a 5-3 win in front of 34,568 at Oracle Park.Wood, who is in the final year of a two-year, $25-million deal, relieved Ryan Walker in the third inning and took over the game. With a steady dose of sinkers and changeups, Wood held the Rockies scoreless on just three hits and one walk, striking out three.When Wood is throwing strikes, the Giants are feeling good.As wild as he’s been this year, there’s been one constant in his productive outings: the lack of walks. He’s allowed one walk or fewer in seven of his 13 outings this year. In those outings, he has a 2.63 ERA. He has a 7.15 ERA otherwise.The 32-year-old has had a tough s...

Gilroy police arrest one in connection to arson, robbery

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:53:34 GMT

(KRON) -- A man has been arrested in connection to a fire set at a Gilroy business, the Gilroy Police Department announced on Saturday. 2 adults, 6 children rescued from the water near Oracle Park On Friday afternoon around 4 p.m., officers arrested a suspect named Chase Harlow, 26, of Gilroy, in connection to a fire set at a business on First Street. Officers found Harlow and reported they were able to find evidence tying him to the investigation. Photo: Gilroy Police DepartmentHarlow was placed under arrest and taken to the Santa Clara County Jail for charges in connection to the fire. He is also facing charges in connection to a robbery that happened at a business on San Ysidro Avenue, police said. GPD is still searching for another suspect who set fires to multiple dumpsters in apartment complexes across the city. Police say they do not know if the two suspects were working together or if the incidents were isolated. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detect...