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Chicago Tool Library expands on West Side with more than just books

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Tool Library, where you don't just find books, recently expanded to a new space on the city's West Side. The Chicago Tool Library is a non-profit library, but instead of books, the organization has much more — from home repair and gardening, to sewing, cooking and camping.Executive director Tessa Vierk co-founded the library in 2019, six months before the pandemic hit."Our resources were more important than ever, people were home cooking, doing more projects, in their yards and we were there for them. It was really great to be able to do that," Vierk said.The library first resided in Bridgeport, but now can be found in West Garfield Park.The library's philosophy is that instead of buying a new tool that may hardly be used, people can borrow up to seven items at a time for a week with an option for renewal. The library also recently launched paid memberships for small organizations."I think we can all relate to having too much stuff that we don’t use all the ti...

15 tornadoes touchdown in Chicago area, NWS confirms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

CHICAGO — NWS Chicago has confirmed 15 total tornadoes in Northern Illinois including one in Belvidere where a roof collapse at the Apollo Theater left one person dead. According to the NWS, one was reported west/southwest of Baileyville and one was reported near Caledonia.On Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed a third tornado, an EF-1, impacted Machesney Park. The fourth tornado was an EF-1 tornado that went across portions of Ogle, Winnebago and Boone counties. The NWS said wind speeds peaked in Belvidere and caused the roof to collapse.A fifth tornado was confirmed Sunday afternoon to have touched down in Merrillville, Illinois and the Hobart/Green Acres area on Friday. The National Weather Service classified the tornado as an EF-1.Other tornadoes included: EF - 1 near Wellington, ILEF - 1 near Stockland, IL EF - Lombard to Addison, IL EF -2 near Oxford, IN EF - 2 near Fowler, IN EF - 1 Near RemingtonEF - 0 from Montgomery near Orchard Road to Aurora near P...

LIVE BLOG: Severe storm threat ends in Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Parts of Central Texas are seeing severe storms Sunday evening. While most of the activity remains to our north, we could see a few strong to severe storms in our part of the state.Much of the area is under a Slight risk for severe storms (category 2 out of 5), especially north and northwest of Austin. A Tornado Watch is currently in effect for Milam County through 11 p.m. FORECAST: Tornado watch issued for parts of Central Texas The severe weather risk looks greatest from 5 p.m. until around 10 p.m. marching west to east. Large hail will be the main risk but damaging straight-line winds will also be possible, and there will be a threat of an isolated tornado. View of a severe storm near Killeen as seen from Lampasas on April 2, 2023. (Courtesy Robin England)View of severe storms from just north of Georgetown on April 2, 2023. (KXAN Viewer Photo)View of severe storms from Leander on April 2, 2023. (KXAN Viewer Photo)Weather ResourcesHow to talk to your kids ab...

Record heat to start the week with a low severe risk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Tornado Watch for Lampasas, San Saba and Milam Counties on Sunday has been cancelled after producing golf ball sized hail and 75mph winds through Bell County and a tornado warned storm into Milam County.The remainder of the night should be dry as the last of our isolated storms pull out.Low clouds build back in for the Austin metro and our eastern counties to begin Monday. Some areas of fog could develop too. Overnight lows drop down into the upper 60s making for a very warm night.Low clouds will give way to sun by late morning through the afternoon. UPDATED April forecast increases chances for rain After humidity rushed in on Sunday, we'll add more heat for the start of the work week with highs in the low 90s Monday and Tuesday.Highs next few daysThe record high for Monday, April 3 is 90° set in 2017. The record for Tuesday April 4 is 92° set four years ago.A very low (10%) chance of storms exists for Monday afternoon-mid-evening. Areas north of Austin may ...

You Paid For It: St. Louis County Council may soon get a pay hike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

CLAYTON, Mo. – Members of the St. Louis County Council may be on their way to a pay hike.Voters approved setting up a special pay commission to see if the council should get an increase and, if so, by how much.Commission chairman Tim Fitch, a former member of the county council, said the council has not had a raise in a long time and has long deserve one.When asked if the raise would be as large as the increase St. Louis City aldermen gave themselves, Fitch balked.The city doubled the pay for aldermen, from $37,500 to $72,000, because the size of the board was cut in half; from 28 members down to 14.Fitch said that is too much money for what the lawmakers do, adding there’s no way he would commend county council members get that much. He points out that the council districts have more people than the new city wards.Th county pay commission will make its recommendations by the end of May. The county council will then vote whether to accept or reject those recommendations.

St. Charles water woes at center of mayoral race

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Tuesday is a big day for St. Charles voters, as they’ll decide whether to elect a new mayor or keep Dan Borgmeyer in office."People are excited for a change, I believe. The difference in our personalities is a big thing," said Tom Besselman, who is challenging Borgmeyer.Both candidates said a big concern they're hearing from residents is about the city's water issues."It's got to be the utilities that we didn't look at for the last three years. Or the first three years of his (tenure), you know," Besselman said. 3 people injured in crash on Highway 100 near Washington, Missouri Borgmeyer said he’s moved forward on the matter and pressed the Environmental Protection Agency while in office."We're purchasing equipment to take out contaminated well water and clean it to absolute zero contaminates while we build a new well field, which we're also investigating,” he said. “So, I can't wait three years for the bureaucrats to solve these problems.”The mayor said the cit...

Blues rally from 3-goal deficit, lose to Bruins in shootout

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Charlie Coyle scored the game-winning shootout goal as the Boston Bruins recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead to beat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 for its 60th win of the season.Linus Ullmark made 35 saves and stopped all three St. Louis shootout attempts to lead Boston to its third straight win.Jake DeBrusk, Tyler Bertuzzi and Oskar Steen all scored in regulation for Boston.Jordan Kyrou scored a pair of goals, and Torey Krug also scored for St. Louis.Jordan Binnington made 28 saves for St. Louis which lost its second straight game.Dmitry Orlov appeared to have scored the game-winner 2:24 into overtime, but after a quick review the goal was overturned as David Pastrnak was off-side entering the St. Louis zone.Kyrou scored his second goal of the game and team-leading 36th of the season with 25 seconds remaining in regulation after Binnington was pulled for an extra attacker to tie the game 3-all.Krug buried a rebound from Brandon Saad past Ullmark for his seventh goal of the...

Former Mizzou forward LaDhazia Williams helps LSU win national championship

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

DALLAS, Texas — A former Missouri women's basketball player is a champion with another SEC team.Former South Carolina and Mizzou forward LaDazhia Williams scored 20 points and five rebounds to help LSU win the women's basketball national championship over Iowa 102-85. LSU wins first NCAA championship, beating Caitlin Clark and Iowa Williams averaged 10 points and six rebounds in her graduate year with the LSU Tigers.She spent her first two seasons of college in Columbia, S.C. before heading to Columbia, Missouri to spend two years under coach Robin Pingeton. Mizzou extends contract for men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates She averaged 10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and shot 56% from the floor.The Bradenton, Florida native was a key piece in the Tigers' title run averaging 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 59.7% from the floor.

Oakland: Three people shot in East Oakland neighborhoods

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

OAKLAND — Three people were injured in shootings in East Oakland neighborhoods, including two a short distance outside BART’s Fruitvale station Sunday, authorities said.Just before 5:15 p.m., police responded to reports of ShotSpotter activity near the 3300 block of East 12th Street.When officers arrived, they found a man near a convenience store suffering from at least one gunshot wound to his arm. A short distance away, officers found a second man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his legs.Officers soon found evidence of an initial shooting, including shell casings and broken glass, outside the store, as well as casings outside a nearby apartment building.In response, BART briefly ran trains through Fruitvale station without stopping, but resumed within ten minutes, according to system updates.After providing care to both victims, the men were taken to a hospital for treatment. Both victims’ conditions were not immediately available Sunday evening.Shortly...

2 people shot near Fruitvale BART station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:37 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) -- Two people were shot near the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland on Sunday evening, briefly halting trains from stopping in the area. Police say they received calls of a person shot just before 5:15 p.m. in the 3300 block of E 12th Street. When officers arrived, they found two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. The Oakland Fire Department and Falck Ambulance personnel arrived and transported the victims were transported to a local hospital. Their conditions were unknown as of 7:20 p.m. Police say anyone with information about the shootings can call OPD's felony assault unit at (510) 238-3426. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved.