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Humid air threatens scattered thunderstorms in Saturday’s opening hours — arrival of cool air aloft sets stage for numerous thunderstorms to “bubble up” later Saturday and Saturday night; Sundays showery “NNE” winds to drop temps; Hot, humid July 4th follows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

Friday’s morning’s Chicago area haze (and dense fog) isn’t just Canadian wildfire smoke—Chicago air qualities are actually marginally less onerous than Thursday thanks to the Thursday afternoon thunderstorms in and nearby. The Friday haze is the product of an influx of muggy tropical air and 70+degree dew points. Another severe weather outbreak expected downstate FridayIt’s been DENSE WILDFIRE SMOKE off Canada’s tragic and record wildfires which has shrouded the Chicago area slashing visibilities, often to a mile or two (and lower) in recent days. But, Friday’s hazy pall is as much a product of humid tropical air as it is smoke.Make NO mistake. Air qualities Friday will win NO AWARDS in Chicago, but at least the air quality here is better than in Washington DC, New York, Toronto and Montreal and the AQI readings are half what they were yesterday.We can thank Thursday afternoon’s thunderstorms which helped “MIX” the air, thinning out smoke and pollution concentrations even as the sto...

'The Firecracker Open' kicks off at historic Austin golf course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — July 4th weekend means more than just fireworks in Austin, there will be parades and gatherings, but also the historic Firecracker Open.The golf tournament started back in 1946 and has moved around to a few different Austin golf courses over the years, but the majority of those tournaments has been at Lion's Municipal Golf Course.The tournament will start on Saturday morning and run through Monday."The Austin community is really invested in this tournament, they are really invested in this course and to have my name on a trophy somewhere associated with this means a lot to me," said former champion Scott Roudebush, who won in 2009. ‘Hearing your stories changes everything;’ Austin group wants to hear stories about Lion’s Municipal Golf Course Roudebush will be competing in this years tournament which golfers have to qualify for to enter.Randy Petri, who won the tournament in 1959, 1962 and 1965 says he grew up playing Muny and loves spending time on the course."194...

What's in the water? Toxic algae thriving

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Lady Bird Lake is a popular place for paddle boarders and kayakers. But with more signs of toxic blue green algae, it's getting some unwanted attention.Toxic blue-green algae thrives in warm, slow-moving water and as the temperatures rise in Austin, it's thriving.Lady Bird Lake recently made the top 10 list of troubled lakes to watch this toxic algae season."It made No. 6 on the list," said Lucia Ross with BlueGreen Water Technologies, the company that put the list together.This season the toxic algae is showing up sooner, and lake goers like Sam Helberg have noticed."It definitely makes me a little weary to get in the water," said Helberg said. "A lot of my friends won't even take their dogs down here because of the algae. I have seen people run and get their dogs before they have gone into the water."At high levels of exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the algae can cause symptoms ranging from stomach aches, to rashes, to respirato...

Twins break out the bats in 8-1 win over Orioles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

BALTIMORE — Whatever Kyle Farmer was offering, his teammates sure seemed eager to collect on it.Farmer was quiet on the specifics of his performance-based incentive system, preferring to keep those details within the clubhouse. But it’s clear the infielder will have a long line of teammates to reward after the Twins’ offense finally broke through on Friday night.It started with leadoff hitter Carlos Correa, thrust into the role for just the fourth time in his career. And the good at-bats continued throughout the game, an 8-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.Following an uninspiring series in Atlanta during which the Twins (41-42) were thoroughly outplayed for three days, the players held a meeting, allowing them the opportunity to put everything out in the open after a first half in which the offense underperformed expectations.Farmer, one of the veterans who spoke, noted that players always play better when there are incentives baked into their contract...

‘One of the better arms’ in Twins system, Saints’ Andrew Bechtold becomes two-way player

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

The story has a Hollywood feel to it.It was late April in Rochester, N.Y., and Saints utility player Andrew Bechtold was catching as various pitchers threw a bullpen session. When the work was done, Bechtold asked if it would be OK if he got on the mound and throw a few.Saints pitching coach Pete Larson picks things up from there:“We still had the (video and pitch speed-measuring equipment) running and he started going up the ladder a little bit — 94 (mph), 95, 96, 97 — and then had a rounded-up 98.”Word soon spread throughout the organization about what had taken place. Within a week, Bechtold was on a program aimed at turning him into a two-way player.Skip ahead to late June in Toledo, Ohio, with the 27-year-old Bechtold — who had never been a pitcher, going as far back as high school — making his professional pitching debut. He followed that up with his second outing on Thursday at CHS Field.The only thing missing is the storybook ending, and Larson said it might just be a matter...

Feds take action on suicide inside VA Hospital after Fox Files investigations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The feds just released a report outlining failures that led to a VA patient dying by suicide in the ER. FOX 2 first uncovered the case when it happened in 2021.A 47-page report from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, lays out the deficiencies we exposed in a series of FOX Files reports. It also uncovered a doctor’s alleged attempt to interfere with the federal investigation.On September 29, 2021, a military veteran walked into the emergency room at the John Cochran V.A. Medical Center. Kenneth Hagans, 61, was found dead by suicide about two and a half hours later.According to the newly released O.I.G. report, Hagans told hospital staff, “I don’t want to die,” and reported he was “dissatisfied with life.” The report also criticized the hospital for taking six months to disclose its failures to the patient’s family. Expired tag or derelict? Police called as city tows truck from private driveway Hagan’s son, Graie talked with FOX 2's team vir...

Severe weather postpones Cardinals game and other events in St. Louis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - It started with triple-digit temperatures, and then it turned to downpours. Still, many filled the streets throughout St. Louis on Friday."I'll still be there, rain, regardless," said Alexis Shaw, who came out to Ballpark Village with her brother.Much like Shaw, the temperatures and the rain did not stop people from showing up, and much of the reason was the big game."To see the Yankees play the Cardinals," said John Most.He came from California to visit family and watch an anticipated game.As the heat moved to heavy rain, progressively getting worse, batting up to the plate was postponed. The Cardinals quickly issued a release rescheduling the game for Saturday at 6:15 p.m., making it a double-header event. The second game, originally planned for Saturday, will proceed as scheduled at 1:15 p.m. Expired tag or derelict? Police called as city tows truck from private driveway The crazy conditions are something some have seen at Busch Stadium before."My parents have actua...

Widespread storm damage in Columbia, Illinois 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

COLUMBIA, Ill. - Storm damage left behind downed tree limbs and widespread power outages in Columbia, Illinois, on Friday.Jeff Barrett was visiting his girlfriend in the Columbia Lakes subdivision when the storm passed through. He said there was a round of hail, but then the skies turned sunny. He thought the worst was over."All of a sudden, it just got windy,” Barrett said. Expired tag or derelict? Police called as city tows truck from private driveway He said tree debris in the area was widespread.It was pretty scary,” said Tom Soltysiak, a neighborhood resident.“All the trees back here have got some kind of damage to them.”The Columbia Police Department reported that there is extensive damage in various locations, with power lines being down in numerous areas. It is advised that residents steer clear of those downed power lines and immediately report them to the authorities so that the necessary repairs can be carried out.

APA of Missouri warns of heat danger for pets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. - Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park in Maryland Heights had a few bicyclists, walkers, and joggers on the trail Friday afternoon. During the peak of the heat, there were no dog walkers in sight.Kelly Williams was walking the trail that wraps around the lake but left her dogs behind.“It’s too hot,” she said. “The pavement will burn their pads, so we stay in the house when it’s this hot. We don’t walk.”Kim Brown is the vice president and COO of the Animal Protection Association of Missouri. She encourages pet owners to be mindful of the toll extreme heat can take.“Excessive panting would be a sign of heat concern," Brown said. This St. Louis suburb named among Money.com’s ’50 best places’ to live Drooling, fatigue, nausea, or being unsteady on their feet are also indications, it’s time to seek cooler air.Brown said that even if the AC goes out at your home, there are other steps you can take to keep your pets cool. She suggests taking your pets to the basement or ...

Biden vows to pursue student debt relief with a different law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:54:54 GMT

Even as he denounced the Supreme Court ruling striking down his student debt forgiveness program and blamed Republicans for going after it, President Joe Biden said Friday that his administration would start a new effort to cancel college loans under a different law.The law Biden cited, the Higher Education Act of 1965, contains a provision — Section 1082 of Title 20 of the U.S. Code — that gives the secretary of education the authority to “compromise, waive, or release any right, title, claim, lien, or demand, however acquired, including any equity or any right of redemption.”Some proponents of student debt relief had proposed that the Biden administration invoke this law as the basis of the president’s original loan cancellation program. In February 2021, for example, a group of Democrats including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, introduced a resolution urging that step.But as the COVID-19 pandemic swelled, the Bide...