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Ed Burke trial: Jury deliberations begin after judge issues lengthy instructions Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Ed Burke was once the most powerful of the 50 Chicago City Council members. Now, he’s powerless as his fate rests in the hands of 12 jurors.Deliberations in Burke’s historic corruption trial began Monday afternoon after the 12 jurors headed into the jury room following lengthy instructions from Judge Virginia Kendall.Jurors were called into Kendall's 25th-floor courtroom in the Dirksen Federal Building just after 9:30 a.m. Monday. The judge then read more than 325 pages of jury instructions to the panel of nine women and three men.Over the course of the six-week trial, dozens of supporters came to court to support Burke.But Monday afternoon, there was only one: his wife of more than 50 years.She sat behind her husband for nearly four hours as Kendall read aloud instructions to jurors. Burke is charged with 14 counts of racketeering, bribery and extortion."These instructions are the law that you took an oath to follow, even if you disagree," Kendall told jurors.Kendall gave...

The U.S. is pushing Israel to pull back on its military campaign in Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The Biden administration is increasing pressure on Israel to scale back its military campaign in Gaza.  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with leaders in Israel and described U.S. support for Israel as unshakeable.But amid growing international outcry Austin says Israel must be more strategic."Lower intensity and more surgical operations," he said.Austin says he encouraged Israel’s war cabinet to take steps to reduce civilian deaths in Gaza.The war, now in its third month, has left more than an estimated 19000 Palestinians dead.Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says, "We are fighting a brutal enemy that hides behind civilians."Israeli officials insist they are already following international law but they also signaled their forces will make adjustments."We need to get to a different performance on the ground before we move to the next phase," Gallant added.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is clear Israel will not stop its military campaign u...

Rare vase bought at Virginia Goodwill sells for over $100K at auction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO (WGN) — A Chicago auction house just sold a rare piece of art for over $100,000 after a woman bought it at a thrift store in Virginia."A solid piece of glass, that I could tell," said Jessica Vincent of the Italian vase she bought. "It was iridized, it was beautiful."Vincent spotted this colorful vase while browsing the Goodwill store in Hanover County, Virginia. Vincent said she's an avid thrifter who visits different stores wherever she travels.She said she knew this vase was special the moment she laid eyes on it. IRS warns of January deadline for some taxpayers "I took it to the register, and the lady looked at it. And she said, '$3.99.' And I said, 'Yes, thank you,'" Vincent explained. "I took it home and immediately started to research what I could about the mark."The piece bears a unique marking on the bottom, a stamp reading "Venini Murano Italia."Vincent contacted Richard Wright who runs an auction house on Chicago's West Side."She reached out, sent an email to m...

2 Chicago men accused of killing man to leverage power in South Side street gang

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Two Chicago men accused of killing a man to leverage power in a South Side street gang have been indicted on federal racketeering charges.A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Illinois said 24-year-old Diontae Harper and 21-year-old Amonti McClure have both been charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering. Woman in custody after 1-year-old found dead on South Side The charges were announced in a news release issued on Monday afternoon.According to an indictment returned in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, the charges stem from their alleged role in the 2020 killing of Paul Harris, which was allegedly motivated by their attempts to maintain and elevate their positions in the South Side street gang "Faceworld."Authorities say Harris was fatally shot on May 13, 2020, in the 8600 block of South Halsted Street in Auburn Gresham, while he was sitting in his car. According to the indictment, members of the street gang are ...

Austin police searching for endangered 47-year-old woman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department are searching for a 47-year-old woman, adding they are worried about her wellbeing after she was last seen on Sunday in northwest Austin.At approximately 10:46 p.m., the APD Missing Person's Unit was called to assist in finding Kathryn Annette Gragg, after her car and personal items were found abandoned on U.S. Highway 183 near Balcones Woods Drive, according to a news release from APD.Kathryn Annette Gragg | Photos provided by APDAlthough police said Gragg's absence was considered voluntary, they said they were still worried for her well-being, the release said.Here is a description of Gragg released by APD:White female47 years of age5’7” tall145 lbs.Hazel eyesShoulder-length, brown hairShe was last seen wearing a light-colored t-shirt, black pants, and dark-colored tennis shoes.If anyone has any information on Gragg's whereabouts, they are urged to call 911 or APD's Missing Person's Unit at (512) 974-5250.

Pleasant weather, but a holiday weekend storm system is coming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We have another sunny day with temperatures a few degrees lower than Sunday. Most of our highs this afternoon will peak in the middle to upper 60s. A few stations could reach 70° in some of Caldwell and Fayette Counties given readings reported at noon.Today's normal high is 63°Breezes will be up this afternoon with a north to northeast wind gusting into the mid to upper teens. Wind speeds will lower approaching the 5:33 sunset. Similar gusts will be repeated Tuesday.This does not bode well for cedar sufferers. Today's cedar count soared to more than 2700 grains per cubic meter of air. Yesterday's count was 175.Central Texas will stay dry until Thursday. The sunny day today will be followed by a partly cloudy sky tomorrow and a mostly cloudy sky Wednesday.Another upper-level low will move parallel to the California coast shifting the upper-level winds to come from the southwest, pulling up moisture from the Pacific. The low will then head across the northern Baja Pen...

What to know about Austin Trail of Lights parking before heading out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After receiving reports of last-minute parking lot closures and traffic issues at the Austin Trail of Lights this weekend, KXAN reached out to event organizers for details behind the alleged problems, and ways the holiday display is prepping for possible weather impacts ahead of forecasted rain later this week.The Polo Field parking area at Zilker Park closed Friday due to afternoon rain. A spokesperson for the Austin Trail of Lights told KXAN all visitors who had purchased parking passes for Friday evening "were alerted by email of the field closure and a forthcoming parking pass refund." The spokesperson added news of the parking lot closures were posted to the event's social media channels, along with other parking options available. How to get to, from Austin’s Trail of Lights this holiday season "[I]f the Polo Field parking area at Zilker Tree is closed or sold out, guests should be aware there is limited, pre-paid parking available at Austin High School, on t...

LIVE: Gov. Abbott signs border security bills into law at wall construction site

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott is in the Rio Grande Valley Monday, where he's expected to sign border security bills passed during the third and fourth special legislative sessions.Earlier this month the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 3, a measure that will send $1.5 billion toward further construction of a border wall along the 1,200 mile Texas-Mexico border. In November, state lawmakers also approved Senate Bill 4, which makes it a state crime to enter Texas illegally, giving state and local law enforcement the ability to arrest those who cross between ports of entry. SB 4 will also allow Texas police to effectively deport those who cross illegally, through an order obtained by a state judge. Currently, that is a power solely reserved for federal authorities.Abbott is expected to sign both SB 3 and SB 4 into law, as he previously indicated on social media, calling it “historic progress for border security.”Supporters of the bills say they are necessary steps...

Texas Longhorns flip nation's No. 2 safety recruit Xavier Filsaime from Florida Gators

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the early signing period for Division I football closes in, the Texas Longhorns flipped a 5-star recruit from a future Southeastern Conference opponent.According to Mike Roach of 247Sports, McKinney's Xavier Filsaime switched his commitment from the Florida Gators to the Texas Longhorns on Monday, two days before the early signing period begins Wednesday. LBJ graduate Andrew Mukuba transferring from Clemson to Texas Filsaime is considered one of the top defensive back recruits in the nation by 247Sports, ranked No. 2 in the country at safety and No. 7 overall in Texas. Filsaime told Roach that after Gators defensive back coach Corey Raymond was fired, he started to rethink his commitment and eventually chose Texas because he wants to be closer to home and, "I know I'm going to be surrounded by guys who want to win."Filsaime plans to enroll early at Texas and participate in bowl practices, Roach said.The Longhorns jumped up a spot to No. 5 in the 247Sports team r...

Year after year, most Texas police departments report zero hate crimes. Here’s why.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) -- Bertha Germany was looking after the children at her day care when her neighbor called. She needed to come home immediately. Someone had vandalized her home.After closing, she zipped across Texarkana, the northeast Texas town divided by the state’s boundary with Arkansas. As she pulled up, she saw a racial slur derogatory to Black people and the image of male genitalia spray painted across the side of her house.“It kind of frightened me a bit,” said Germany, who is Black. Why had she been singled out?Charles Norton, a neighbor who owns a power washing business, offered to remove the graffiti. Moved by the offer, Germany made a Facebook post recounting the incident. The post spread and neighbors who also had been vandalized contacted her.They were all Black.It didn’t take long for the police to arrest two suspects — Taylor Carrell, 22, of Bloomburg, and Charlie Dillard, Jr., 17, of Longview — who turned themselves in for the May 2021 crime wave. The men,...