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47th ward smashes pumpkins for the environment post-Halloween

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Getting a lesson in composting the remnants of Halloween, it was a gourd time for all. By wagon, stroller and hand — people of the 47th ward came together for their annual tradition to smash pumpkins at Coonley Elementary School "Last year we missed the pumpkin smash, and they sat around and rotted for several weeks so really happy to move onto the next season and get them out of the porch," said North Center resident Sara Nutt. For Emery Gagne, it was the first one. "I haven’t’ smashed them before but I’ve brought them here and put them in the huge dumpster," Gagne said. More from Sean: Chicagoland veterans take part in Habitat for Humanity build It's a way to enjoy the day, be good to nature and burn off some of that Halloween candy energy. "I think it’s a lot of fun and it gives everyone a good opportunity for a post sugar out and smash some pumpkins and also put them where they’re not in my trash," dad David Gagne said.

Warmer and more humid weather through midweek

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Fog Sunday morning will be lighter and a bit less widespread than what we woke up to Saturday, when dense fog affected some UT tailgates. Expect a mostly cloudy sky both Sunday and Monday with unseasonably warm, humid weather.Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday morning, bringing sunrise and sunset times an hour earlier on Sunday. This will mean darker evening commutes, but lighter mornings.A dry, abnormally warm weather pattern continues through Wednesday as temperatures approach record highs.We are tracking a cold front that will draw in tropical moisture from the Pacific, leading to cooler and wetter weather beginning Thursday. We currently expect 0.5"-0.75" of rain in most areas over the next week, with locally higher amounts possible. BLOG: El Niño into 2024: What that means for winter and spring BLOG: NOAA releases winter forecast Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for ou...

St. Paul Highland Park girls take home silver at Class AA cross country meet

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

The Highland Park girls’ cross country team placed second at the Class AA meet on Saturday.The team scored a total of 101 points, tied for second with Alexandria. Highland Park was then given second place after beating Alexandria via tiebreaker. First place went to Marshall, with a total of 81 points.Highland Park had two runners place in the top 10. Junior Grace Lewis-Mosher finished in eighth place with a time of 18 minutes and 38 seconds, and senior Luna Scorzelli finished in ninth with a time of 18:46. Both runners earned all-state accolades, as they each finished in the top 25.Lewis-Mosher said the team worked hard and ran great all season, and that individually, she really enjoyed every race.“Our team has been really strong this season, we have a really strong junior class,” she said. “I’m really happy with how the season has gone. I’ve been trying to really appreciate every race and have gratitude for every race, I just love this sport so much.”Luna Scorzelli, who took first ...

Area college football: Bethel sends longtime coach Steve Johnson out with an MIAC Skyline division title, and a chance for more

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

Bethel University football coach Steve Johnson announced on Monday that he would retire as the Royals’ football coach at the end of the 2023 season.But retirement is the last thing on his mind right now. And the Royals are living proof of that, clinching a spot in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game for the third year in a row on Saturday with a convincing 31-14 victory over Concordia (Moorhead) at Royal Stadium in Arden Hills, Minn., in a battle of the last two unbeaten teams in MIAC Skyline division competition.A 1979 Bethel graduate, Johnson became the Royals’ head coach in 1989 and has produced 251 career victories in his 35 years leading the program. He currently ranks as the all-time wins leader among active Division III football coaches.With 29 winning seasons in a row, he has led the Royals to 11 NCAA Division III playoff appearances, two Final Four appearances, four Elite Eight appearances and five MIAC championships.And, obviousl...

Gophers collapse late in 27-26 loss to Illinois

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

The Gophers have been preaching the need to play complementary football all season long.Midway Saturday’s fourth quarter against Illinois, Minnesota’s defense and offense synced into harmony.But they soon fell back to contrasting ways and lost 27-26 to the Illini at Huntington Bank Stadium.Cody Lindenberg’s forced fumble and Justin Walley’s recovery gave the U great field position at the Illini 34-yard line. Almost immediately, Athan Kaliakmanis hit Daniel Jackson on a 31-yard touchdown and a 26-21 lead with six minutes left.On the next drive, Tyler Nubin intercepted Luke Altmyer, but Minnesota’s offense couldn’t ice the game and punted to Illinois. The Illini converted on fourth and 11 and then backup quarterback John Paddock found Isaiah Williams on a 47-yard touchdown with 50 seconds remaining.The Gophers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) failed to clinch bowl eligibitly against Illinois (4-5, 2-4). The U loss resembled the 21-point lead it coughed up in an overtime loss to Northwestern in Sept...

Illinois AG blocks push for Metro East county to join Missouri

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

JERSEY COUNTY, Ill. - The Illinois Attorney General recently struck down a push for one Metro East county to leave the state and join Missouri. Illinois AG Kwame Raoul returned an opinion document on Oct. 17 that essentially means Jersey County will remain part of Illinois for the foreseeable future. "It is my opinion that non-home-rule counties, such as Jersey County, do not have the authority to secede from the State of Illinois and join another state," the document states. According to the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, the effort has been sought by some groups within the county since at least 2021, with one board member floating the idea of a ballot referendum to switch statehood. Remembering Donn Johnson – FOX 2 mourns loss of longtime journalist With a non-home-rule county designation, as Raoul pointed out, Jersey County must abide by the legal opinion of the state of Illinois. Raoul adds that even if Jersey County were authorized to leave the state, there isn't a statutory ...

No. 1 Georgia holds off No. 14 Missouri, 30-21, behind late key plays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse's fourth-quarter interception helped protect No. 1 Georgia's slim lead and the Bulldogs beat No. 14 Missouri 30-21 on Saturday for their 26th consecutive win.Georgia (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 2 College Football Playoff) had to rally to win the key SEC East matchup against Missouri (7-2, 3-2, No. 12 CFP).The Tigers led 13-10 early in the second half. Georgia answered with two straight touchdowns, a 15-yard run by Kendall Milton and Carson Beck's 5-yard scoring pass to Oscar Delp. Beck completed 21 of 32 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.Georgia led 27-21 when Stackhouse, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound senior, picked off Brady Cook's short pass. Stackhouse rambled all the way to the Missouri 5, but a blindside block penalty against Bulldogs linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. pushed Georgia back to its 30.Daijun Edwards' 22-yard run helped set up a 48-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring, the freshman...

Missouri starts to test wastewater for flu, RSV

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Researchers in Missouri have been testing wastewater for spikes of COVID-19 for nearly four years, but could the same be done to test for the flu and RSV?Missouri is currently reporting less than 200 flu cases. That's down significantly from last year at this time, when the state was reporting 2,000 cases. Those low numbers aren't slowing down the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) from testing sewer water. For the last several weeks, it's been fairly low," said Jeff Wenzel, chief for the Bureau of Epidemiology for DHSS. "We only have about seven locations that have seen an increase in viral load. Our testing is pretty unique in the way we do it. We're able to find those new lineages without really knowing it's there." Remembering Donn Johnson – FOX 2 mourns loss of longtime journalist It's a dirty but important job: testing your wastewater for COVID-19. For nearly four years, the state's health department has partnered with the University of Mis...

Air Force has six turnovers in loss to Army, likely squandering chance at New Year’s Six bowl and Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

Air Force fell flat on its face on the big stage Saturday.And with that, the Falcons said goodbye to an undefeated season and winning the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy outright, while their hopes of playing in a New Year’s Six bowl were dealt a serious blow.Army dominated the Falcons, 23-3, by owning the first half and capitalizing on an array of uncharacteristic Air Force mistakes. The Falcons entered the game 8-0 and ranked No. 17 in the AP poll, the team’s highest ranking when playing Army since 1985, but turned the ball over six times in the first contest between the service academies held at Empower Field at Mile High.“We’ve had a pretty good go of it for a while this season, and yet (today) makes you realize how hard it is to win,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said. “Credit to Army — they played really hard, they played really well.“I don’t think it was (the emotions of a rivalry game in an NFL stadium) that got to us. It was...

Prep volleyball: Archbishop Mitty rallies past St. Francis to win CCS Open Division title

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:51 GMT

PALO ALTO — Staring at a Central Coast Section Open Division championship scoreboard that read “25-22” in favor of rival St. Francis after one set, there was no worry in Katelyn Cook’s or any of her Archbishop Mitty teammate’s eyes. Mitty remained calm, made the passes, kills, digs and rallies it needed to make, and ended the afternoon as section champions after winning the final three sets 25-20, 25-22, 25-19 at Palo Alto High to add another CCS title to an already crowded trophy case.“They had a proper response to a punch in the face,” Mitty coach Jon Wallace said. Archbishop Mitty coach Jon Wallace prepares his team to play St. Francis in the CCS Open Division Volleyball Championship at Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) After St. Francis had won all six meetings between the programs in 2022, including last year’s section title, the teams had split its four previous matches this season. Each...