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LIVE BLOG: Brandon Johnson elected Chicago mayor, defeating Paul Vallas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Former teacher and union organizer Brandon Johnson has been elected Chicago mayor, according to Associated Press projections.City Council seats, as well as suburban mayor and village presidents races, continue to be decided.The Chicago mayoral race pitted former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat endorsed by Chicago’s police union and several trade unions, against progressive Johnson, the Cook County Board Commissioner, who was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and several public sector unions. All Chicago and Illinois Election ResultsTuesday's runoff election is due to no candidate receiving over 50% of the vote on the Feb. 28 election. On that day, Vallas, 69, was the majority frontrunner. Johnson, 46, followed and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot finished third in the polls. The soon-to-be-ousted Lightfoot was the first city mayor in 40 years to seek reelection and lose.WGN News’ special coverage begins at 7 p.m. and will include analysis and ...

Who was elected to the Chicago City Council?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

CHICAGO -- Chicago residents voted for their new Alderperson's Tuesday night.Following the results of the Feb. 28 elections, 14 wards were still looking for their next City Council representative during the April 4 runoff election. 2023 Chicago Runoff and Illinois General Election results Find out below who was elected to represent your ward for the Chicago City Council:Ward 4LAMONT ROBINSONLamont Robinson has been a State Representative since 2019, representing parts of the South Side and South Loop. He is Illinois’ first black openly gay lawmaker. In Springfield, he helped pass $15M in funding for a new South Side LGBTQ community center. Robinson also owns his own Allstate Insurance agency.He has the backing of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (a former 4th Ward alderwoman), Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Robinson won 46.3% of the vote on February 28th.Ward 5DESMON YANCYDesmon Yancy is the Director of Community Organizing for Inter-city Muslim Action N...

Texas comptroller changes defunding determination against Harris County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) -- On Monday, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar took back his determination that Harris County illegally reduced funding for Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's office. His original determination was announced in February. The reversal of the decision came shortly after Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee filed a lawsuit against him on the determination.Both Hegar, a Republican, and Democratic Harris County officials each tried to claim victory in the matter. "I’m glad the Comptroller admitted his error and is no longer holding Harris County’s budget process hostage," Menefee said in a statement. "I hope that in the future, we can talk through these types of allegations, as the law requires, before the Comptroller makes a final decision."However, Hegar claims that his decision to rescind the defunding of Harris County was because of a review which showed that District 5 was being defunded, but in the context of countywide budget reductions, therefore allowable un...

Fact check: Fake Trump mug shots pop up in lieu of real one

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

NEW YORK — Donald Trump staring directly at the camera in a black T-shirt. Giving a side-eye in a suit and striped tie. Scowling in an orange jumpsuit.A slew of such images claiming to show the former president’s mug shot spread online Tuesday — even though Trump didn’t actually take one during his booking and arraignment in a Manhattan criminal court.The fabricated images, at least some of which were created using artificial intelligence text-to-image generators, fooled some social media users looking to track down the visual symbol of Trump being charged for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.Trump, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, also raised money off his own fake mug shot, which his campaign plastered on a T-shirt in an email to supporters Tuesday.Here’s a look at the facts.CLAIM: Images circulating on social media show mug shots of the former president captured on Tuesday.THE FACTS: These images were created or manipulated to look like booking photographs.Af...

Investigation continues following police pursuit, fatal crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis city police are investigating a car crash at Cora Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, stemming from a pursuit with St. Louis County police. Neighbors said the horrible accident is something that could have been avoided. "I feel like they should stop chasing cars when it's that high speed like that, you know?” Latrice Moore said.County police said they were called out to a robbery at a Family Dollar store on Halls Ferry where an employee was assaulted. Police tried to pull over the suspect in a red Kia three times. The third time involved stop sticks. Witnesses think the Kia was going at least twice the speed limit before crashing.  Top story: Crash survivor claims St. Louis firefighter took wallet "When they, I guess, they already spiked him and you're going that fast and a spike hit your car, it's going to make you spin out, and if you're going that fast and you can't control it and, look, we lost an innocent life," Moore said.City police said one ...

Suspect recently released, wanted again after close look at case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Circuit Court and Circuit Attorney’s Office both want a man back in custody who was just released after a violent incident.On Jan. 7, two men were trying to steal cars at a Conoco gas station at Gravois and Interstate 55, when one of them was shot and killed by a car owner. The surviving suspect was arrested, charged with tampering, and released from custody.Now, a grand jury has added a murder charge, and authorities want him back in custody.Michael Bradley Murphy, 48, is now wanted for second-degree murder. It was the city’s first murder of 2023. Court records say Murphy was with Jesse Lopez, who was shot and killed during their alleged crimes. Top story: Crash survivor claims St. Louis firefighter took wallet On Feb. 13, city prosecutors charged Murphy with tampering with a motor vehicle. Two days later, a judge allowed Murphy to be released on personal recognizance, meaning the defendant would promise to return to court when asked. The grand jury adde...

Kyrou, Binnington key Blues to 4-2 victory over Flyers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou scored his 37th goal of the season to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Tuesday night.Kyrou has six goals in his last six games. Tyler Pitlick, Justin Faulk and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for the Blues.Jordan Binnington, starting his 57th game of the season, has won four of his last five starts. He made 29 saves.The Flyers made it close by scoring twice in the third period on goals by James van Riemsdyk and Marcel Frost.St. Louis snapped a two-game losing streak and is 7-2-2 in its last 11. The Blues were eliminated Sunday from playoff contention.The Flyers have lost four consecutive games. Philadelphia also will sit out postseason play.Flyers rookie goaltender Samuel Ersson faced the Blues for the first time. He stopped 28 shots.Kyrou scored at 5:53 of the first period. Kyrou picked off a pass by Frost and quickly scored from the top of the slot.St. Louis scored two goals in the second period. Pitlick gave the Blues a 2-0...

Special treat for St. Louis Honor Flight pilot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS - An extra special treat for Captain John Winkler, the pilot aboard Tuesday's Greater St. Louis Honor Flight. Winkler's father was among the 58 veterans on board the flight from St. Louis to Washington, D.C. He spoke to the passengers aboard the flight before takeoff to share what an honor it was to have his own father on board the flight.  Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Winkler's father was an Army officer, and his siblings, who were also on board, were all members of the military.The 101st Greater St Louis Honor Flight included two World War II veterans, 19 Korean War veterans, and 37 Vietnam War veterans. Everyone visited the war memorials in Washington, D.C. and attended the Changing of the Guard at Arl...

St. Louisans cast ballots on new 14-person Board of Aldermen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Ten years after voters approved cutting the St. Louis Board of Alderman in half, a new board has been elected. In a history-making municipal election in the City of St. Louis, voters have elected a board with 14 members instead of 28. The board approved the new 14-ward map in December 2021. City voters initially passed a measure back in 2012 to cut the number of wards and aldermen in half after the 2020 census.Earlier in the day, we asked voters what they hope to see with this new condensed board."We really need new and fresh leadership in the city," said Tyrell Manning. “I feel like we've had a lot of issues the last few years, with some of our alder-people not always being honest, and like coming up with different issues and financial things, and a lot of shady things." Election results: Voters cast ballots in Missouri & Illinois City officials projected a voter turnout of 18% to 19%.We have the unofficial winners of each ward listed below:Ward 1: ...

Man pleads guilty for threatening to murder superintendent of Ventura County school district

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:50 GMT

A Santa Barbara County man has pleaded guilty to making criminal threats against a local school district.Randall Graham, 45, of Goleta, appeared in Ventura County Superior Court Tuesday to enter his guilty plea. Graham was arrested by authorities in Ventura County after he left two voicemails in October 2022 in which he threatened to kill the superintendent of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, as well as other employees in the superintendent's office. How ‘swatting’ calls spread as schools face real threats The threats were made, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, because Graham was upset over undisclosed school district policies.Around the time of Graham's arrest, the school district's leadership team released a letter to parents and students in which it said no schools were ever threatened directly, but that the school district had become the target of unfounded rumors that resulted in "social media warfare and print disinformation campaigns."Ac...