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Mattapan youth football team fundraising for trip after clinching spot in national tournament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

They are the 14U Mattapan Patriots and for the first time in 40 years, they have made the national tournament in Naples Florida. The team recently clinched its spot as one of two teams from New England headed to the American Youth Football League’s tournament in Florida. While they don’t currently have enough funding for their trip, they are not giving up hope, now working hard to raise the money they need to play. “I was at a loss for words,” said coach Mick Brunache, describing the moment he learned the team had qualified for the tournament. “I couldn’t believe it. Brunache has been coaching the Mattapan Patriots for the past three years. Speaking with 7NEWS, he said the moment he broke the tournament news to his players kicked off “pandemonium.” “Guys running around the field, guys saying that they can’t wait to go swimming,” he said. “I’m like, ‘You got to focus on football,’ but whatever.” The team has been putting in the work. Just ask its defensive phenom,...

REVIEW: May December is an actor’s dream, and a family’s nightmare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

To be an actor is to inhabit a character. That could be a fictional person, a character simply created for a production. But an actor can also play real people, which can be a huge challenge. To capture their charms and quirks, their essence. To represent them in a way so that those close to them and those who know nothing of them can understand who this person is. Whether Chadwick Boseman in Get On Up, Liam Neeson in Schindler’s List, or Meryl Streep in the Iron Lady it’s a fine line to walk between imitation and character creation. But what if the person an actor is playing is someone who committed a terrible crime?May December. (L to R) Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in May December. Cr. Francois Duhamel / courtesy of NetflixMay December isn’t about any real people, but it does run with this question as its premise. It stars Natalie Portman (from Black Swan) and Julianne Moore (from Still Alice). Portman plays Elizab...

Lawsuit filed hours after CTA Yellow Line crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Of the dozens of people injured in the CTA Yellow Line crash Thursday, one is now a client of Clifford Law Offices, who have filed a lawsuit against the CTA on his behalf."It’s not something anyone would ever want to go through," Henry Simmons told WGN's Jenna Barnes in a sit-down interview Thursday evening.The lawyers — Simmons and Joseph T. Murphy — said 52-year-old Cleon Hawkins was seated in the second car of the Yellow Line train when the collision sent him flying into one of the metal poles in the car, injuring his shoulder and leg."Metal and the human body when there’s force," Simmons said. "Metal usually wins."Murphy and Simmons filed the lawsuit just hours after the crash and said that time is of the essence to figure out what went wrong."This isn’t just some random piece of equipment that was on the tracks, it was another CTA vehicle," Murphy said. "One hand should be talking to the other, and that’s not what happened." At least 23 injured after CTA train crash...

Hall of Fame hopeful Devin Hester helping son Dray follow in his footsteps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

The moment Devin Hester retired, he traded in his cleats for a clipboard after watching his kids' coaches struggle to grasp the game."Parents were like, 'I'm sorry, we don't know football, but we'll volunteer when there's no one else to volunteer' type of people," Hester told WGN's Jarrett Payton. "So, I was like aahhhh! This is how you do it and this is how you do it — and after a wild two days — they were like, ‘we need you on the staff!’”Hester has three sons — Devin Jr, Denali and Drayton — who goes by Dray, or another nickname he earned at an all-star combine following 3 undefeated seasons in AAU flag football.“This one kid that they had was pretty good that played in another league," Hester said. "When they found out he was coming, it was one of the biggest, quote-on-quote, matches to see, and [Dray] put a clinic on for them.”“After that, they gave him the nickname ‘Ankle Bully’ and [Dray] took that name and ran with it,” Hester added.Dray's left a lot of tacklers in his dust,...

Gas bill hikes expected for Peoples, North Shore customers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

CHICAGO -- Gas bills will be going up in Chicago, but consumer advocates are applauding the scaled-back plan.Peoples and North Shore Gas customers can expect higher bills, but a decision by the Illinois Commerce Commission cut back on some of the companies requests."The residential customers nowadays are paying $50 in fixed costs before they even use any gas and a lot of this is the result of Peoples Gas mismanaged pipeline replacement program," Sarah Moskowitz said. Illinois electric vehicle rebate program out of funds Moskowitz is the Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group fights for better policies and lower utility rates in the state.She said the initial $400 million request from Peoples Gas to increase rates was unnecessary.Moskowitz said cleaner and more affordable options have been developing, which make this decision by the ICC a win for consumers."They really sent a signal that this is not going to be a return to business a...

Cook County Crime Stoppers present civilian award for bravery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

CHICAGO -- Two men who helped catch one of the brothers charged with killing Chicago police officer Ella French were honored Thursday with an award for bravery.The men were attending a family cookout when they heard a series of gunshots. A man carrying a gun ran their way and tried to climb a fence to get away. The two wrestled him to the ground and held him until police arrived. Illinois releases monarch butterfly license plates Ella French’s partner, Carlos Yanez, Jr., who was also severely injured that night as well as the two people who are receiving the Crime Stoppers Civilian Award for Bravery.Thursday night awards were presented by Cook County Crime Stoppers, which also honored local and federal law enforcement for their work. WGN’s Ben Bradley emceed emceed the event.

Ed Burke trial resumes, opening statements begin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

CHICAGO — After a week-long interruption because of COVID-19, the Ed Burke trial is set to resume Thursday.The judge in the high-profile case wants jury selection wrapped up by noon on Thursday and opening statements took place in the afternoon.She got her wish with 12 jurors and four alternates being selected after lunch Thursday.One week ago, Judge Virginia Kendall announced this trial would be delayed after a defense attorney tested positive for COVID-19. At the beginning of Thursday, she addressed all parties saying she hoped everyone was feeling well.One potential juror was excused after testing positive for COVID-19.Former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke and his wife Anne arrived at the Dirksen Federal Building around 8 a.m. on Thursday. This is the second week of his high-profile corruption trial.He is charged with 14 counts of racketeering, bribery, and extortion. Prosecutors say he abused his public office for private gain, but withholding permits unless business owners used...

TikTok 'aggressively' removing content praising Osama bin Laden after letter goes viral

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

(The Hill) — The social media platform TikTok said it is “aggressively” removing content that praises Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to America.”The letter, published about a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was bin Laden’s attempt to justify the targeting and killing of American civilians. It has been recirculating online recently.Bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2011. Long-haul carrier Emirates orders 15 Airbus A350 after engine dispute during Dubai Air Show Many videos supported bin Laden’s argument and urged others to read the letter in the wake of the United States’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas.“Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism,” TikTok Policy posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform.”TikTok said the number of videos supporting bin Laden’s message is small, altho...

Dense fog may disrupt your Friday morning commute

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Following a foggy, misty start on Thursday, areas of dense fog may slow down your morning commute again on Friday.Mostly cloudy skies are streaming into Texas from a large storm system slowly moving toward the California coast. Low clouds and fog build in early Friday as more moisture has moved into the area. Patchy mist and drizzle may wet your morning drive.A weak cool front moves into the area late Friday, continuing our stretch of comfortable temperatures under a mix of clouds and sun.The California storm eventually clips our area with mostly cloudy skies and just a few isolated showers Sunday and Monday. Rain looks spotty and light with most areas tallying 0.25" or less.Generally light and limited rainfall Sunday and MondayA stronger cold front blows through late Monday, bringing colder than normal temperatures through Thanksgiving Day. Very strong north winds are in the forecast Tuesday behind the front, potentially gusting to 40 miles per hour in some communi...

Class 6A state football semifinal: Centennial reaches championship game for first time since 1984

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:30:50 GMT

Daylen Cummings made sure Centennial will play for a state title for the first time since 1984.The senior quarterback rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another to lift his team past Lakeville South 20-13 in a Class 6A state semifinal matchup that pitted Cougars vs. Cougars Thursday night at U.S. Bank Stadium.Centennial (11-1) advances to meet the winner of Friday night’s other semifinal between Edina (8-3) and Eden Prairie (11-0) in the Class 6A championship game at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 at U.S. Bank Stadium. It marks the program’s first trip to a state title game since falling to Hutchinson 32-7 in the Class A championship matchup in 1984.Lakevillle South — which won a state title in 2021 — finished its season 10-2 overall.Junior running back Connor Cade got his team going on the first play of Lakeville South’s second possession, rumbling 45 yards up the middle for a touchdown that established an early 7-0 lead. Centennial then got a huge break when a botched snap on a p...