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75-year-old veteran with stage 4 cancer loses home in Texas wildfire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Michael Hinz and his son Travis walked through smoldering devastation on the land where they just lost their Texas home of 45 years. "It's just total devastation. It's just torn down to the bare ground," Hinz said. Their home is now a pile of ash and rubble that was engulfed by flames in the Oak Grove wildfire on Saturday.Michael (right) and Travis Hinz (left) stand in front of their burned down home. (KXAN Photo)Michael (right) and Travis Hinz (left) stand in front of their burned down home. (KXAN Photo)Hinz, 75, is a veteran and has stage four prostate cancer. He said his family got him out of the house just in time."My daughter and son-in-law just came out to pick me up, and they noticed smoke, and they said, 'We got to get out of here, because we don't know which direction it's going to go.'"The family said they didn't expect the home to be totally lost to the fire. "Sunday afternoon after church, we came out expecting to see that the fire had moved o...

People fleeing Hawaii wildfires pulled from ocean

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Wildfires in Hawaii fanned by strong winds burned multiple structures in areas including historic Lahaina town, forcing evacuations and closing schools in several communities Wednesday, and rescuers pulled a dozen people escaping smoke and flames from the ocean.The U.S. Coast Guard responded to areas where people went into the ocean to escape the fire and smoky conditions, the County of Maui said in a statement. The Coast Guard tweeted that a crew rescued 12 people from the water off Lahaina.The county tweeted that multiple roads in Lahaina were closed with a warning: “Do NOT go to Lahaina town.”Fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an area of the town popular with tourists, County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday. Traffic has been very heavy as people try to evacuate and officials asked people who weren’t in an evacuation area to shelter in place to avoid adding to the traffic, she said.The National Weath...

No jail for owner of Michigan meat processing company after teen loses hand in meat grinder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

IONIA, Mich. (WOOD) — A judge declined to impose any jail or probation for the owner of a Michigan meat processing company after a teenage worker lost his hand in a 2019 incident with a meat grinder.The owner of US Guys Processing, 55-year-old Darin Wilbur of Saranac, was ordered Tuesday to pay a $500 fine, a $500 cost, two fees totaling $143 and any residual restitution owed to the young employee.The victim, who was 17 at the time, lost his hand in November 2019 while operating a meat grinder under Wilbur's supervision, according to the Michigan Attorney General's Office.The AG’s Office said Michigan Wage and Hour Division investigators found that the teen was employed illegally under the state’s Youth Employment Standards Act and that he didn’t have the work permit needed for people under 18.In June, Wilbur pleaded guilty to employing a minor in a dangerous profession. Child found under Florida roller coaster track with traumatic injuries, officials say During Wilbur's sentencin...

VIDEO: 7 spider monkeys discovered in backpack near southern Texas border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Seven spider monkeys were discovered in a backpack by border patrol agents in Brownsville, Texas, authorities said, resulting in one arrest.Footage released by the US Border Patrol’s RGV Sector shows the animals huddled in a backpack which appears to have air holes punched through. People in Hawaii flee into ocean to escape wildfires that are burning a popular Maui tourist town US Border Patrol said the monkeys were discovered during an arrest at Fort Brown Station, in Brownsville. The animals were handed over to US Fish and Wildlife.Spider monkeys live in rainforests from central Mexico to Bolivia.Credit: US Border Patrol RGV Sector via Storyful

WGN Pat Tomasulo's wife on debilitating facial condition, 9th annual 'Laugh Your Face Off' fundraiser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

CHICAGO — Amy Tomasulo, the wife of WGN's Pat Tomasulo, joined the Morning Show Wednesday to talk about the 9th annual "Laugh Your Face Off" comedy fundraiser event.Back in 2015, the Tomasulos created the event to fund research for trigeminal neuralgia — a very rare, facial pain condition that Amy has. It is a debilitating facial condition that doctors classify as "the worst pain known to man." There is currently no cure for it.Since their annual fundraiser kicked off, it has raised over $3.1 million for research.The next "Laugh Your Face Off" is on Sept. 23 at the Park West and tickets are on sale now.For tickets, go to: laughyourfaceoff.orgLove the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

WATCH: Bears swim in pool, enjoy summer day in Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

SIERRA MADRE, Calif. (KTLA) – Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre, California, on Tuesday.The bears were first spotted near a café around noontime, witnesses said.The trio were then seen roaming around town before jumping into a pool to enjoy a refreshing dip at an apartment complex.They later climbed trees in the area before sniffing around a few front gardens and then heading back home towards the mountains.Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on August 8, 2023. (RMG)Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on August 8, 2023. (RMG)Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on August 8, 2023. (RMG)Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on August 8, 2023. (RMG)Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs ...

'Hobo hunting': 2 men arrested in connection with homeless woman's death in San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) — Two suspects arrested in connection with the May murder of a homeless woman in California pleaded not guilty in court this week.Ryan Hopkins, 19, and William Innes, 18, were arrested at separate San Diego residences last Thursday amid a homicide investigation related to the death of 68-year-old Annette Pershal, who authorities say was found unconscious in the city's Serra Mesa neighborhood on the morning of May 8. She died three days later.Prosecutors say Pershal was shot with a pellet gun about five times while she was sleeping. On the day of the crime, prosecutors also alleged that Innes sent an incriminating text to about 150 members of a group he belonged to — one which performed dangerous stunts at intersections."I'm going hobo hunting with a pellet gun," the text read, according to prosecutors. Neighbor charged in fatal shooting of 9-year-old; witnesses say he was upset over noise Pershal was homeless at the time and was sleeping at an encampment in Serra ...

Cedar Park brush fire now 50 acres, 60% contained; apartment building destroyed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

Editor's note: The City of Cedar Park has updated the location of Red Cross shelter operations to the Hill Country Bible Church CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — A grass fire still burning Wednesday destroyed a building containing 24 apartments and damaged another building, according to the latest update from Cedar Park leaders. During a news conference Wednesday morning, Chief James Mallinger with the Cedar Park Fire Department said the fire spread from the grass Tuesday into a tree and jumped to the building. The fire also damaged three other buildings in the same complex. However, crews are going to allow the people who live in those affected buildings to return home Wednesday morning. MAP: Acres burned in Central Texas wildfires this year The Texas A&M Forest Service shared the Parmer Lane Fire burned an estimated 50 acres and is now 60% percent contained. It also said in a social media post on Wednesday morning that dozer crews made progress overnight with building a containmen...

Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis hit with low national ranking

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

The Gophers football program received 16 votes in the USA Today coaches poll this week and fell well short of its preseason top 25. But that wasn’t the ranking that turned heads at the U.Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was pegged 67th out of 69 projected starting QBs at the Power Five conference level going into the 2023 season, according to 247sports on Tuesday.Kaliakmanis’ statistics last year as a redshirt freshman were not impressive. Thrust into a bigger role with sixth-year senior Tanner Morgan’s midseason concussion issues, Kaliakmanis completed 54 percent of his passes (60 for 111) for 946 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.But Kaliakmanis, who saw significant playing time in six games, progressed as the season continued. His best game was for Paul Bunyan’s Axe against Wisconsin, when he completed 19 of 29 passes for 319 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in November.Late in the fourth quarter of that game, Kaliakmanis took a risk and completed ...

Ohio’s Issue 1 would have made protecting abortion rights harder. Data shows why it failed.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:12 GMT

By ROBERT YOONWASHINGTON (AP) — Ohio voters rejected a proposal that would have made it more difficult for voters to amend the state constitution, including one measure set for the November ballot that would guarantee abortion rights in the state.The Associated Press has called Tuesday’s race, determining that supporters of the proposal known as Issue 1 fell short in their effort to require future changes to the state constitution to win the support of 60% of voters instead of a straight majority.Votes cast against the measure, or No votes, lead Yes votes by more than 350,000, with nearly 90% of the expected vote tallied and some of the state’s largest and most Democratic-friendly regions, including Cuyahoga County, yet to report complete results.Advance votes, which are cast by mail or in-person before Election Day, broke heavily for No, about 70% to 30%. More than 700,000 votes were cast before Election Day.The No side also appeared to narrowly lead among voters who cast their bal...