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Skilling: Breezy, less humid weekend ahead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

It was a hot, steamy FRIDAY with high temps which made it into the low and mid 90s—with dew points as high as 80-deg at a number of locations. As I mentioned in an earlier Facebook post, the t-storms which traversed the area overnight and in Friday's pre-dawn air tempered the heat producing capability of the air mass. We might well have hit 100-deg absent those t-storms. As it turns out. the highest temps I've found as of mid-afternoon across the Greater Chicago area have been 94 at Evanston and Barrington and 93 at Belmont Harbor here in Chicago and at Vernon Hills.Dew Points of 80-degrees indicate incredibly humid air! The highest dew points we've logged over the years here in Chicago have been in the low 80s. So we've got near "TOP TIER" atmosphere moisture levels. Precipitatable water measurements, which tell us how much moisture is evaporated in a column of air reaching 30,000 ft. into the atmosphere are approaching 2". I've mentioned in the past that I remember very few occas...

Man critically injured in Oak Park building fire dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

OAK PARK, Ill. — A man has died one day after being seriously injured in a building fire in Oak Park. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, the unidentified man passed away around 8:30 Wednesday night. He was initially transported to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition.SEE ALSO: Oak Lawn woman charged with bringing loaded handgun into DuPage County CourthouseOak Park Village officials told WGN News on July 26 that emergency personnel were called to the 200 block of S. Maple Avenue around 4:30 p.m. for a fire with collapsed wall sections at a multi-story building.“I started hearing people say, 'Call 911.' I thought it was maybe a car accident," said building resident Ethan Colchamiro. "But as soon as I walked outside, I could just see plumes of smoke building up."Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAt least 12 people were displaced as a result of the blast. Firefighters have not ruled out the possibility of an explosion. The cause of the blaze...

Oak Lawn woman charged with bringing loaded handgun into DuPage County Courthouse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

WHEATON, Ill. — An Oak Lawn woman has been charged with bringing a loaded handgun on Thursday into the DuPage County Courthouse.According to the state's attorney's office, Suheir Barham, 47, allegedly put her backpack with the loaded 9mm handgun inside on the conveyor belt and then went through the security checkpoint. Chicago rapper G Herbo pleads guilty in wire fraud conspiracy, lying to federal agents in court A DuPage County sheriff's deputy noticed the weapon and took her into custody.Barham is charged with one count of unlawful use of a weapon in a courthouse, a Class 3 Felony, and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 Felony, according to the state's attorney's office.“I commend the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for their heads-up work on this case,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release. “Every day, the DuPage County Government Complex, which includes the County Courthouse, receives thousands of visitors. These individua...

Who is Carlos De Oliveira, Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort manager?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

(The Hill) – Carlos De Oliveira was indicted on three criminal charges alongside former President Trump and his longtime aide Walt Nauda in a superseding indictment Thursday, part of the classified document investigation at Trump’s Florida club.De Oliveira, the Mar-a-Lago Club’s property manager, allegedly assisted Trump and Nauta in attempting to delete security footage that showed the men moving boxes of classified documents around the property to hide them from federal authorities.He was charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, destroying evidence and lying to the FBI. De Oliveira, 56, was hired as the Mar-a-Lago manager in January 2022, previously working there as a valet, according to the indictment.  Trump extremely ‘scared’ by federal charges, ex-chief of staff says Federal investigators claim De Oliveira helped Nauta move about 30 boxes of classified documents around Mar-a-Lago, and at one point told the club’s head of IT that “the boss” wants security camera...

Dept. of Education looks into legacy admissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Legacy admissions, in which universities give students related to alumni preference, could be on the chopping block after the U.S. Department of Education agreed to investigate the practice at Harvard University.The Lawyers for Civil Rights advocacy group filed the complaint that prompted the investigation."It's harmful to applicants of color," Michael Kippins of the organization said of legacy admissions. "Donor and legacy preference overwhelmingly favor white applicants and many of them are not as qualified as applicants of color."Lawyers for Civil Rights' complaint alleges applicants related to wealthy Harvard donors are seven times more likely to be admitted."This complaint targets Harvard specifically; however, the Department of Education has very broad power to ensure … programs and organizations that receive federal funding not discriminate," Kippins said.Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said the practice is among many being examined to ensure equa...

The APD/DPS partnership is over, but is it?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 28, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department said it still communicates with the Texas Department of Public Safety, "but whatever strategy [DPS] deploys is going to be up to them," APD Assistant Chief Jeff Greenwalt said. Earlier this month, Interim City Manager Jesus Garza suspended the City's partnership with DPS with the approval of Mayor Kirk Watson. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the added DPS staff members to continue their operations in Austin. He also directed an additional 30 troopers to patrol the streets. Mixed reactions as City of Austin suspends partnership with DPS Prior to the partnership, DPS was already in Austin, working highway patrol, special criminal operations and Capitol safety. When the partnership began, 80 additional troopers and 20 additional Criminal Investigations Division (CID) agents were deployed in Austin. "It was disappointing," Greenwalt said of the announcement to e...

Austin's 21-day streak of consecutive 100° days is the 2nd-longest in recorded history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is currently experiencing one of the longest stretches of triple-digit heat in recorded history.Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has reached 100° or hotter every day since July 8.That means, as of Friday, temperatures have reached the century mark for 21 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that ties as the second-longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin. MORE HEAT RECORDS: What is Austin's hottest month ever? The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days at or above 100°, which would extend the streak to 28 days. That would surpass 2011 as the longest of all time. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade The record streak currently stands at 27 days, set between July 17 and Aug. 12, 2011. That summer went on to have a record-breaking 90 days of triple-digit heat.Meanwhile, Austin-Bergstrom International Airpor...

Record-long heatwave shows no signs of abating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Friday was Austin's 21st-consecutive day with high temperatures reaching or exceeding 100°, and it is likely we will break the all-time record streak set in 2011.The longest-ever stretch of consecutive 100° days at Camp Mabry was 27 days in a row during our hottest summer on record in 2011. This is a number we will surpass next Friday as our streak reaches 28 consecutive days. Hazy skies brought on by a cloud of African dust will keep Austin's air quality in the moderate category for the next several days.We will likely wrap July, 2023 as Austin's hottest on record, meaning we will have had two consecutive hottest Julys in Austin out of 125 years of record. Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) Long-range computer models show little signs of a pattern change, barring a surprise tropical storm from the Gulf of Mexico, which are hard to detect more than a week in the future. Barring rain from the tropics, it is not out of the question that Austin could have 40-50 ...

Austin Energy works to expand discount program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Energy (AE) said it was working to expand its discount program, according to a memo sent to the Austin City Council and Mayor Kirk Watson.In the memo, AE provided an update on the completed and ongoing actions it was doing to support the expansion of bill discounts provided through its Customer Assistance Program (CAP).AE said CAP provided bill discounts on city utility services, weatherization, emergency financial assistance and arrearage management programs for income-qualified and medically vulnerable customers.“It is estimated that as many as 93,000 customers in the Austin area could be eligible for the program,” the utility said.The memo said June enrollments for the program reached more than 53,100 accounts, which surpassed its goal of 42,780 households.“Upcoming goals anticipate 72% of the eligible population being enrolled in the Discount program by June 2024 and 90% by June 2025,” AE said.According to the memo, the utility said it would continue to wo...

Lawsuit filed against Dan Patrick, Texas Senate over Paxton impeachment proceedings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A recent lawsuit filed in Travis County district court alleged improper handlings during the impeachment proceedings against suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The lawsuit was filed against the Texas State Senate, Texas Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Austin Osborn and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Gag order placed on Paxton impeachment participants The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Steven Hotze, a Republican activist, Allesan Paige Streeter, a Collin County resident in State Sen. Angela Paxton's district, and Molly White, a former Texas House of Representatives member.KXAN has reached out to the defendants in the lawsuit. This story will be updated when we receive a response.The lawsuit alleged the Senate rules created for the impeachment were done in secret."The process has been anything but transparent and has excluded Texans from participating and having their voices heard in a proceeding that could result in almost 30 million Texans being disenfranchised f...