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For Chicago-area natives Mike Tauchman and Ryan Borucki, Chicago Cubs camp represents opportunity — and Bears trade talk

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

Mike Tauchman’s big-league career has taken him coast to coast.Five major-league seasons with three teams has brought him to 24 major-league ballparks. One in particular, though, has eluded him. Tauchman is trying to rectify the Wrigley Field omission in the next month. For the Palatine native who grew up a Cubs fan, Tauchman’s opportunity to make the opening-day roster grew exponentially when the team lost right fielder Seiya Suzuki for the start of the season because of an oblique injury.Tauchman, 32, homered in Saturday’s 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers, improving to 7-for-21 (.333) this spring with three extra-base hits, two RBIs, six runs scored and three stolen bases in 10 games.Tauchman spent 2022 in the Korean Baseball Organization where he posted a .289/.366/.430 line and hit 37 doubles and 12 home runs in 144 games. At times Tauchman had to rely on himself because of the language barrier, though his team, the Hanwha Eagles, had a couple coaches wh...

More coverage disruptions at BBC as Lineker crisis deepens

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The BBC’s sports coverage faced a second day of severe disruptions Sunday as dozens of staff refused to work in solidarity with top soccer host Gary Lineker, who was suspended by the broadcaster after he tweeted criticism of the British government’s asylum policy.Pressure was mounting on the BBC to resolve the crisis, with growing calls for its bosses to step down over allegations of political bias and suppressing free speech. The BBC suspended Lineker, one of English soccer’s most lauded players and the corporation’s highest-paid presenter, on Friday after he tweeted a criticism of the U.K. government’s new migration policy and compared the its language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany.That triggered a huge backlash, and many of the BBC’s sports presenters and reporters walked out of their jobs Saturday in support of Lineker.As a result, several daytime soccer shows were pulled at the last minute and “Match of the Day,” a popul...

Prostate cancer treatment can wait for most men, study finds

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

Researchers have found long-term evidence that actively monitoring localized prostate cancer is a safe alternative to immediate surgery or radiation.The results, released Saturday, are encouraging for men who want to avoid treatment-related sexual and incontinence problems, said Dr. Stacy Loeb, a prostate cancer specialist at NYU Langone Health who was not involved in the research.The study directly compared the three approaches – surgery to remove tumours, radiation treatment and monitoring. Most prostate cancer grows slowly, so it takes many years to look at the disease’s outcomes.“There was no difference in prostate cancer mortality at 15 years between the groups,” Loeb said. And prostate cancer survival for all three groups was high – 97 per cent regardless of treatment approach. “That’s also very good news.”The results were published Saturday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at a European Association of Urology...

Youngkin scores some legislative wins as he eyes White House

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who quickly shot from political newcomer to potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, kicked off his state’s legislative session in January by telling lawmakers that he wanted “to get more done and to get it done faster.”As the dust settles on his second session working with Virginia’s politically divided General Assembly, the former private equity executive has earned a series of wins, including measures taking a tougher stance against China, that his allies say could help him in a possible White House race.But many of his legislative priorities, such as a push for more tax cuts, are tied up in budget negotiations. Others, including proposals to restrict abortion access or tighten penalties for criminals, were stymied by Democrats controlling the state Senate.Youngkin is among the Republican governors eyeing the White House who have hoped to gain political momentum after presiding over productive legislative sessions ...

2 19-year-olds, teen, shot in shootings on West Side

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

CHICAGO — Two 19-year-olds and a teen were injured in shootings that took place on the city's West Side Saturday. According to police, a 19-year-old man was standing outside near the 4900 block of West Van Buren Street when an offender fired shots at him. He suffered gunshot wound to the left ankle and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where he is listed in good condition.Police reported that a 17-year-old boy was shot in the wrist in the city's South Lawndale neighborhood near the 2800 block of South Pulaski Road Saturday evening. Police say the boy heard a loud noise and felt pain. He was transported to Mount Sinai with a gunshot wound to the wrist. He is listed in good condition as well. Off-duty cop found dead in North Side home, ID’d Police responded to a report of a 19-year-old shot in the city's West lawn neighborhood Saturday evening. Police found the man near the 6000 block of South Pulaski Road with a gunshot wound to the foot. Police say he was unable to provide ...

PHOTOS: Celebrities visit Austin for festival

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — South by Southwest is off to an exciting start. The big event brings together the worlds of tech, politics, fashion, music, comedy and film, to name a few. It's always guaranteed to bring big names. Artists making an appearance to promote their work or give their insight include Nick Jonas, Ali Wong, Kerry Washington, PinkPantheress and much more.Here’s a round-up of stars spotted in the capital city during SXSW 2023!Robert Downey Jr. takes part in the Featured Session: Online Crime: An American Crisis at the Austin Convention Center during the South by Southwest Film and Interactive Festivals on Saturday, March 11, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)Regé-Jean Page at the 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas. (KXAN/Ricky Garcia) AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 10: Sara Bareilles celebrates new Audible Original Series “Breakthrough” at the Audible Sound Studio at SXSW on March 10, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Boczar...

Families behind Texas missing persons law push for more police participation

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

Investigative Summary: A KXAN investigation in February found Texas police might not always be complying in reporting missing persons cases to a national, public database. Additional data obtained found discrepancies in reporting since the law took effect. Now the lawmaker behind the legislation is reviewing the effectiveness as families who pushed for it try to raise awareness. READ: Texas passed missing persons reporting law, but does it work? EXPLORE: KXAN's complete missing persons coverage LISTEN: 'My Dad didn't die in vain' ul.kxan_summary_bullets li { list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: disc; } John Joseph Almendarez from Houston went missing in 2002. (Courtesy Alice Almendarez) AUSTIN (KXAN) — In the almost two years since "John and Joseph's Law" has been in effect, Alice Almendarez has heard more pleas for help from families with missing loved ones. John Joseph Almendarez from Houston went missing in 2002. (Courtesy A...

Mild today followed by a cooldown

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Most afternoon temperatures Saturday soared to the upper 80s to low 90s. Camp Mabry's high of 90° yesterday came within two degrees of the record.A cold front is moving south this morning leaving a north wind. This afternoon's highs will be much lower than Saturday's. Today's normal high is 72°The day will be partly cloudy with north winds 10 to 15 mph and gusty. Clouds will increase overnight leading to a mostly cloudy sky Monday morning. Most lows will be in the middle/upper 40s to around 50°.Tomorrow and Tuesday will be cooler. Monday's highs will generally average the middle 60s. Most highs Tuesday will only make the upper 50s to low 60s.There will be a low chance for rain Tuesday from a weak disturbance moving across the state. Any rain measured will generally only be a few hundredths of an inch. NEW BLOG: La Niña has ended — Here’s what’s next and when El Niño could beg Wednesday will be dry and seasonably mild with temperatures rebounding to the low 70s. Cl...

New podcast explores missing in Texas solution: 'My dad didn't die in vain'

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Families of a Texas missing persons law’s namesake react to the discovery that police might not have complied with potentially thousands of cases.Listen to the podcast episode here

5 Texas law enforcement agencies explain missing persons reporting gap

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — New data on missing persons in Texas reveals some discrepancies in what law enforcement agencies and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, are reporting.A law that went into effect in September 2021 requires police across the state to enter missing persons cases into the system within 60 days of someone filing an official missing persons report. READ THE INVESTIGATION: Families behind Texas missing persons law push for more police participation In roughly the year after the law went into effect, NamUs data obtained by KXAN investigators shows 450 Texas cases were entered by professional users, which include police. By comparison, data obtained from the Department of Public Safety shows Texas police have received 6,466 missing persons cases that weren't cleared within 60 days in that same time frame.KXAN investigators reached out to the agencies with the most cases in the DPS data beyond the 60-day time frame and asked for a...