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This Illinois highway named most feared in the state

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

(WTVO) — A recent survey has unveiled which route Illinois drivers are most scared to take.The survey by Gunter Mitsubishi complied the results from 3,000 road trippers. They said that US Route 24 is the worst in Illinois, ranking number 19 out of 50 overall across the country.The road runs 255 miles from the Mississippi River to the Indiana border. People are scared to take the route since improvements and maintenance has fallen behind, according to the Belleville News-Democrat.The route eventually narrows from an undivided four-lane highway to a two-lane road, leaving cars being very close to each other while passing at high speeds.This stretch of the road saw 23 left turn crashes between 2010-2015, according to the Peoria Journal Star, resulting in 30 injuries.The 2024-2029 Rebuild Illinois Highway Improvement Program includes over $33 billion into different infrastructure improvements over the six years. This includes an 8.6-mile stretch of Route 24 just outside of Peoria that w...

Credit card skimmer found at Des Plaines grocery store

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — A credit card skimmer was discovered Saturday morning at a grocery store in Des Plaines.Just after 8:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to Shop & Save Market, located in the 500 block of Metropolitan Way, on the report of a suspicious incident.A manager of the store reported that he found a skimming device placed on one of the credit card machines at a cash register. Niles introduces feral cat program for rat control Police believe the device was installed at around 6:30 a.m. on Friday.No suspects are in custody.Skimmers typically attack the most vulnerable cards which require the swipe of a magnetic strip.Earlier this year, FICO released the following tips.What should consumers look out for?When consumers go to make a payment, they should take a close look at the part of the device where they insert their card. If anything about it seems loose or looks disconnected from the actual system, that should be a red flag. If something looks suspicious, you should ...

'Protect our carriers': Chicago postal workers call for end to violent attacks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Postal workers in Chicago called for an end to violent attacks against them amid a rally Tuesday night. Already a week into August, a mail carrier was shot in Kilbourn Park. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) involved.In other recent incidents, postal workers were robbed in Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Berwyn. SEE ALSO | CPD: 24 armed robberies throughout Northwest Side since SaturdayOfficials with the National Association of Letter Carriers say postal workers have been targeted in more than 90 reported incidents this year. Rally-goers on Tuesday sought public support, in addition to added resources from law enforcement and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Demonstrators also seek harsher penalties for offenders. "Rain, sleet, or hail, but we don't do bullets," said Mack Julion with the National Association of Letter Carriers. "Somebody is going to have to figure it out. Someb...

Check your numbers! $1 million winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Austin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday's $1.58 billion Mega Millions prize might have been won in Florida, but an Austin resident just became a whole lot richer in the same drawing.A winning ticket, worth $1 million, was sold at Circle K at 8205 Brodie Lane in south Austin.According to the Texas Lottery Commission, the ticket matched all five white balls (13-19-20-32-33) but not the Mega Ball number (14).Another $1 million-winning ticket was sold in Socorro, near El Paso. In total, more than 575,000 Texans won at least $2 in Tuesday’s drawing. Here’s what’s more — and less — likely to happen than you winning the lottery The jackpot, won in Florida, was the largest Mega Millions prize in history, and the third-largest lottery win ever in the U.S.Two Powerball prizes have been bigger, including one worth more than $2 billion in November 2022.

Austin's 33-day streak of consecutive 100° days is the longest in recorded history

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is currently experiencing the longest stretch of triple-digit heat in recorded history.Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has reached 100° or hotter every day since July 8.That means temperatures have reached the century mark for 33 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that's the longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin. MORE HEAT RECORDS: What is Austin's hottest month ever? The previous record of 27 days was set between July 17 and Aug. 12, 2011. That summer went on to have a record-breaking 90 days of triple-digit heat. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade Meanwhile, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's streak of triple-digit days came to an end Thursday, July 27, with temperatures only reaching 99°. The airport had been above 100° every day since July 9. The 18-day streak ranks as the fourth-longest triple-digit streak since records began t...

Common wildfire terms and what they mean, per the Texas A&M Forest Service

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In the midst of wildfire season, you may come across a lot of terminology that can be confusing to interpret. Luckily, the Texas A&M Forest Service has a glossary of wildfire-fighting terms and their definitions. Below are some common terms KXAN comes across and uses in wildfire coverage, and what they mean. The full glossary of terms and definitions can be read in the document below. Wildland-Fire-Glossary-of-terms-TFSDownloadNote: The below terms and definitions were copied directly from Texas A&M Forest Service and were not created by KXAN. This is a compilation of common terms. Wildfire seasons are expanding for much of the country Brush FireFire burning in vegetation that is predominantly shrubs, brush and scrub growth.Contain a FireWhen a fire is contained, it is surrounded by a fuel break. This break can include natural barriers as well as line constructed manually or mechanically. The fire is not extinguished at this point.Control a FireWhen a fir...

Messi to play in Minnesota? A soccer fan’s dream closer to reality

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

When Lionel Messi jolted the soccer world by joining Inter Miami in July, the first chance to see the world’s best player live in Minnesota appeared to be during the 2024 MLS regular season — if the schedule broke Minnesota United’s way.Now it might happen Aug. 19 in St. Paul.The Loons and Miami have both advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Leagues Cup competition, and if the clubs each win two more matches, Messi and Co. would travel to Allianz Field to play the Loons in the final of the new North American tournament.But the two clubs are not on a clear collision course. For starters, their winding paths begin on other sides of the bracket.First, MNUFC must beat favored Nashville on the road on Friday night. Then the Loons will have to face a North American titan — either Los Angeles FC or Monterrey — in a semifinal. Those two sides square off in a quarterfinal Friday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.Messi — who is tied with MNUFC winger Bongi Hlongwane as the tournamen...

Child shot in north St. Louis County, third in metro area this week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - An investigation is underway after a child was shot Wednesday morning in north St. Louis County. This is the third investigation into a shooting involving a child this week in the St. Louis metropolitan area.The shooting happened around 9:40 a.m. Wednesday in the 10700 block of Spring Garden Drive in the Glasgow Village area. Check the radar -- Storms expected Wednesday The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reports a 9-year-old was shot. The child was reportedly inside a home when someone outside fired several shots at the home, at least one that struck the child.Police say the child is currently being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a hospital.In two shootings near St. Louis City earlier this week, one in Berkeley, Missouri, and one in Belleville Illinois, one child had died from gunfire in both instances.This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.CORRECTION: A previous version of this story sta...

Five things to watch toward the end of an off-beat 2023 Cardinals season

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A Red October is not looking likely for this year's St. Louis Cardinals.The Cardinals currently hold the National League's second-worst record at 49-65 and sit 10 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. Even with a miracle run, the odds of making it into the postseason are slimming each and every day. It's certainly an unusual spot. The Cardinals have only played eight regular-season games while eliminated from postseason since their last World Series title in 2011. At their current pace, they would likely double that this year. How Mark McGwire’s hitting lessons helped a Cardinals closer to All-Star form For fans loyal enough to keep watching Cardinals baseball through Oct. 1, the final date of the 2023 regular season, there could be some avenues to enjoyment. Keep the following five considerations in mind if you want to change the channel to a game or attend at least one more game at Busch Stadium this year: Adam Wainwright's sendoff and push for 200 winsAdam Wai...

Smithfield Foods to close dozens of Missouri hog farms

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:45:00 GMT

PRINCETON, Mo. — The world's largest pork processor will soon close dozens of hog farms across northern Missouri. According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice filed with the state, Smithfield Foods will close 35 hog farms in Putnam County and Mercer County later this fall. Three Kansas City Chiefs stars make NFL Top 100 for 2023 The company is slated to close 13 sites in Newtown, 12 in Lucerne and 10 in Princeton, Missouri, on Oct. 8. Approximately 92 employees are expected to be laid off as a result of the closure, according to the WARN notice.News of the closure comes just a few days after Tyson Foods announced plans to close four chicken processing plants in Arkansas, Indiana and Missouri.