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MacKenzie Scott gave 17 nonprofits $97 million in the first half of 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

MacKenzie Scott’s quest to give the bulk of her wealth to charity continues.So far this year, 17 nonprofits have announced they’ve received unrestricted donations from Scott through her Yield Giving fund, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy tally. The gifts total $97 million and range from $1 million to $15 million. Nearly half went to charities focused on early-childhood education and early-childhood development. Scott has now given more than $14.1 billion to at least 1,621 charities since 2020.To encourage people to focus on the charities rather than on her, Scott has stopped announcing her donations as she had in the past. Now she leaves it up to the charities to decide whether to publicize her gifts. Given the scale of her giving in previous years, it is likely the 17 announced contributions represent only a portion of what she has actually donated so far this year.Charity leaders say they appreciate Scott’s decision to let nonprofits choose whether to publicize the gifts b...

Donald Trump's bond is set at $200,000 in Georgia case over efforts to overturn 2020 election

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

Donald Trump's bond has been set at $200,000 in the Georgia case accusing the former president of illegally scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss, according to court papers filed Monday. The bond agreement, outlined in a document signed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Trump's defense attorneys, also bars Trump from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case — including on social media.The order says Trump cannot make any “direct or indirect threat of any nature” against witnesses or co-defendants. It explicitly includes “posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media.” He is also prohibited from communicating in any way about the facts of the case with any co-defendant or witness, except through attorneys.The order sets Trump's bond for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations — or RICO — charge at $80,000, and adds $10,000 for each of the 12 other counts he is facing. Willis has set a deadlin...

Illinois lottery player wins largest-ever Fast Play jackpot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

ILLINOIS — The Illinois Lottery's Fast Play winning jackpot record has been broken for a third time this year, and through the same game.One iLottery player won $1,248,040 Monday morning by playing Twenty 20s; a progressive jackpot game which begins with a $50,000 prize and grows with each ticket sold statewide until the jackpot is won. https://wgntv.com/news/wynonna-judd-announces-rosemont-stop-on-back-to-wy-tour/ This win bested an April prize of $1,000,056, which in turn bested a February win of $979,168.Fast Play games can be purchased in person at participating retail locations or online through the Illinois Lottery's website or mobile app.Fast Play was first introduced by the Illinois Lottery in Sept. 2020. At that time games had to be purchased in person. However they expanded to online play less than two years ago on Nov. 15, 2021.Currently there are 20 Fast Play games offered at various price points and game play.

15-year-old struck by semi wheel while changing tire in Northwest Indiana dies

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. — A 15-year-old boy struck by a semi-truck's disengaged wheel while he was changing a tire on I-80/94 in Northwest Indiana died Friday.On Tuesday, authorities responded to eastbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 0.4, close to the state line, on the report of a person struck by an object.The boy, later identified as William Bell, was on the shoulder helping change a tire with four other people. At the same time, a semi-truck traveling eastbound had a wheel disengage from the rear tandem due to a mechanical issue. Previous: Teen, 15, struck by disengaged wheel from semi in NW Indiana The tire, still attached to the rim, struck the barrier wall and then Bell. He was transported in serious condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center. He died of his injuries on Friday.The four other people sustained non life-threatening injuries.

CPD: Man diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar missing since last week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 28-year-old man who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Deon Allen, 28, was last seen by his brother, Donnell, on Wednesday, Aug 16. GoFundMe created for brothers killed while shielding three-year-old cousin from gunfire in Glenview Allen is described as 5-foot-9, weighing 250 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was reportedly last seen wearing a white t-shirt, black jogging pants, and red timberland boots.Allen reportedly has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He was reported missing by his grandmother, Doris Bozeman.Anyone with information regarding Deon Allen's whereabouts are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-746-8251.

Indiana’s near-total abortion ban set to take effect as state Supreme Court denies rehearing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s near-total abortion ban is set to take effect within days after the Indiana Supreme Court on Monday denied a rehearing in the case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana.The denial of the rehearing means the ban will take effect once a June 30 ruling upholding the ban is certified, a procedural step expected to take just days, court spokesperson Kathryn Dolan said in an email to news media.The state’s highest court ruled June 30 that the abortion ban doesn’t violate the Indiana constitution. That removed a major hurdle to enforcing the ban Republicans approved last summer ahead of a wave of restrictions by conservative states in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.SEE ALSO: Battle over abortion access moves from Indiana to IllinoisIn a 4-1 decision Monday, the Supreme Court reaffirmed its order that Planned Parenthood and other health care providers “cannot show a reasonable likelihood of success” with their challenge to the abo...

Another group of former Northwestern writes a letter on recent controversies

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — For the second time in less than a week, a group of former Northwestern athletes has put their thoughts about the recent controversies concerning the athletic program in writing.This time, it's focused on two key leaders of the university.In a letter obtained by WGN News, over 80 former Wildcats' student-athletes expressed their displeasure with the way that head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, believing the decision lacked due process. The longtime coach of the program was fired on July 10 when more serious allegations of hazing surfaced after the completion of an investigation into whistleblower claims by former Illinois inspector general Maggie Hickey. Initially, Fitzgerald was suspended for two weeks without pay in July by President Michael Schill, but was fired four days later when more revelations surfaced."We write to express our deep dismay concerning President Michael Schill and Vice President of Athletics Derrick Gragg’s decisions and rhetoric regarding the...

See it: Home made almost entirely of foam being constructed in Texas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

JONESTOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- With a breathtaking view overlooking central Texas' Lake Travis, a new home being built in Jonestown is drawing some attention from neighbors. The nearly 7,500-square-foot house has zero wood, brick, or insulation. It is completely made of foam. "I think the neighbors might have thought I was crazy when they saw the truckloads of foam pull up," Aaron Rowsell, the homeowner of the three-story house in Jonestown, explained. Rowsell, a former contractor himself, first heard of homes being built with foam about 20 years ago. He said if he ever was going to build his dream home, foam was the material he wanted to use. Strata International Group Inc. is the Phoenix-based company that developed this groundbreaking building technique. It is known as SABS, or Saebi Alternative Building System, named after its creator Dr. Nasser Saebi. How does it work? The company creates large blocks of foam, which are made up of 98% air, that can be shaped and glued together to c...

Biden campaign targets battleground states with $25M ad campaign

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

President Biden's campaign is launching a $25 million advertising campaign focused on several key battleground states, ramping up its messaging early in the election cycle.The campaign on Sunday announced the 16-week campaign, which marks the third major ad buy since Biden officially announced he would seek a second term.The campaign will air television ads in major markets in Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It is also running targeted ads focused on Hispanic voters in Florida."The buy includes both the largest and earliest media buy for a reelection campaign into constituency media ever, as well as the largest overall buy for a reelection campaign at this point in time ever, ensuring that President Biden’s message is heard throughout this year’s Republican primary," the campaign said in a statement.The states targeted by the ad campaign are all battlegrounds Biden won in 2020, with the exceptions of North Carolina, which he lost by fe...

Candidates face tricky balancing act on Trump at first GOP debate

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:27 GMT

Republican candidates attending the first GOP presidential debate Wednesday will face the challenge of having to separate themselves from former President Trump while also not alienating his devoted supporters.Trump said Sunday he won’t attend the debate, giving his rivals a chance to make the case for their respective candidacies without having to compete for attention with the former president.But the situation poses a conundrum for candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R), who must be careful not to cross Trump’s supporters while also winning over at least a portion of them."If I were thinking of it as a strategic matter, I'd like to be able to emerge from this debate as the principal non-Trump alternative,” said Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist who worked on former President George W. Bush’s campaigns.Throughout much of the 2024 race so far, the Republican candidates have largely avoided direct cr...