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See where Metra is adding extra trains for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

CHICAGO — Spectators heading to the first NASCAR race ever held in downtown Chicago will have a few extra train options to get there. On Thursday Metra announced an expanded schedule for the Chicago Street Race that will be held Saturday, July 1, and Sunday, July 2 on a 2.2-mile course around Grant Park.Two lines will see expanded service for the event: BNSF to Aurora and Rock Island Line toward Joliet. Here are the additions to those schedules on those lines. A Guide to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race BNSF (Saturday and Sunday)Inbound9504 – Departs Aurora 7:10 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union Station9506 – Departs Aurora 8:10 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union Station9512 – Departs Aurora 10:15 a.m., makes all stops to Downers Grove and then expresses to Chicago Union StationOutbound:9523 – Departs Chicago Union Station at 6:35 p.m., expresses to Downers Grove and then makes all st...

Did the Titan crew ever reach the Titanic site?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — The dayslong search for the Titan submersible and her five crew, all bound for the wreckage of the Titanic on the Atlantic Ocean's floor, has come to a tragic end after the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Thursday that debris from the vessel has been found. The submersible, belonging to OceanGate, Inc., suffered a "catastrophic implosion" less than two hours after it began its underwater journey, authorities have determined. The cause of that implosion remains under investigation. Rescuers searched frantically for the Titan, using ships, planes, and deepsea robots. Ultimately, pieces of the Titan, including its nose cone, parts of the hull, and bells, were found 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic. Officials: Titan sub passengers dead in ‘catastrophic implosion’ Despite the proximity to the ship's wreckage, it's unlikely those aboard ever saw the Titanic, retired Navy submariner Mark Martin told Nexstar's WFLA. "The reason for that is, if the unconfirmed report of a sou...

Director James Cameron 'struck' by similarities between Titan implosion, Titanic sinking

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

(The Hill) — James Cameron, the director of the 1997 film "Titanic," said on Thursday that he was “struck” by the similarities between the sinking of the actual ship in 1912 and the recent “catastrophic implosion” of the Titan submersible during a dive to see the wreck.“I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice field on a moonless night and many people died as a result,” Cameron told ABC News.  How long had the Titan journeyed before its ‘catastrophic implosion’? “For a very similar tragedy, where warnings went unheeded, to take place at the same exact site with all the diving that’s going on all around the world, I think is just astonishing,” he added. “It’s really quite surreal.”Cameron, who has himself made 33 dives to the wreck of the Titanic, noted that several people had previously expressed concerns about the Titan submersible’s tourist expedit...

Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Chicago, according to Yelp

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

Theres something special about taking in a meal while enjoying the air outside, and it could even contribute to your happiness, particularly if there are plants around. During the pandemic, having outdoor seating was a lifeline for many restaurants, allowing them to operate both takeaway and dine-in services.Many also used the opportunity to show off their personality with decor and furniture that fit their vibe. Are you partial to a luxurious fake garden? Or are you more into lawn chairs and tiki vibes?Globally, many people may have associated the outdoor dining experience with the cafes of European cities or street food stalls in Asia. Travelers and locals alike often spend hours sipping coffee and eating delicious and cheap food. In the U.S., outdoor seating can take the form of small tables, semi-private nooks, or communal-style seating for the masses, like at a beer garden. Key to a good outdoor table is shade from the sun and, in urban settings, walls or barriers that can cut ...

Memo: DPS returning to Austin July 2

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety will resume its partnership with the Austin Police Department on Sunday, July 2, according to a memo sent to the mayor and city council.The initiative, called the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force (AVCTF), began on March 30 as a way to assist APD, as the department faces a staffing shortage. The program halted on May 14, so troopers could focus their attention on border cities in the wake of the expiration of Title 42.The Austin Police Department currently has about 300 vacancies. Where DPS patrolled in Austin and why Since the program began, there have been “significant decreases in violent crime, response times, and calls for service,” according to APD. The department used a data-driven approach to identify crime “hot-spots” as well as high-travel roads most common for crashes – and deployed troopers to those locations.During the June 5 Public Safety Commission meeting, APD said the department saw an uptick in ...

Traffic Alert: Portion of US-183 frontage road closed for roadway repairs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Crews began working to repair a damaged roadway off U.S. Highway 183 in east Austin Tuesday, according to officials with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.CTRMA said there were pavement issues on a stretch of road but could not provide any information on the cause of the damage. The damage is just after 51st Street on Ed Bluestein Boulevard but construction impacts stretch between Loyola Lane and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.“Once the repairs are complete, we’ll do some assessments and make some determinations on potential causes,” CTRMA said.Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Officials said the plan was to repair the concrete on one si...

Brief heat relief, but even hotter temperatures are on the horizon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Scattered storms during the morning and early afternoon are moving east and fading. Rain chances will drop from 20% early in the afternoon to just 10% by late afternoon. CENTRAL TEXAS RAINFALL TOTALS The benefits of the extra cloud-cover and scattered storms will be to delay the warm-up and keep many of us out of the triple digits today!Afternoon highs will still reach the upper 90s today, but it's a far cry from the 106º from just a few days ago. Keep in mind, despite a slight decrease in air temperatures, heat index values are still likely to exceed 105° in most areas.A Heat Advisory is now in effect through Friday night as the "feels-like" temperatures will still be dangerous at times.Heat advisory through Friday nightIf we're lucky, we'll avoid triple digits for one more day on Friday, but hotter temperatures return this weekend.Weekend forecastEven hotter weather is possible next week. We may have to wait until after the 4th of July for a weather pattern cha...

Antioch’s TJ Schuyler, the 2023 News-Sun Baseball Player of the Year, works out at Indiana as MLB draft nears

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

The page has turned to a new chapter in TJ Schuyler’s baseball story.Now closed, but not soon forgotten, is Schuyler’s four-year varsity career at Antioch during which he grew to dominate as a hitter, catcher and pitcher.Schuyler’s first step forward involved his arrival at Indiana on June 13.“Right now, I’m planning on being at IU, getting stronger and better, and if something happens, I’ll make a decision,” he said. “At the end of the day, all I really want is to stay in baseball as long as I can.”The “something” is hearing his name called during the MLB draft, which begins July 9. That’s a real possibility, given the skills he continued to display this season.Schuyler, the 2023 News-Sun Baseball Player of the Year, hit .427 with a .541 on-base percentage, three home runs, 31 runs scored, 25 RBIs, 21 walks and 22 stolen bases for the Sequoits (20-14-1). When he wasn’t catching, he was on the mound, where...

3M announces $10B national ‘forever chemical’ settlement

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

3M Co has reached a $10.3 billion national settlement with public water systems to resolve water pollution claims tied to “forever chemicals,” the Maplewood-based company announced on Thursday.The company said the settlement provides funding for water systems across the country for PFAS treatment technologies without the need for further litigation, including funding for mitigating contamination that may be detected in the future.It also resolves current and future multi-district litigation, based in Charleston, S.C., over drinking water contamination claims related to the use of firefighting foam that contained the chemicals.It also provides funding for nationwide testing for PFAS.3M, which is facing thousands of lawsuits over PFAS contamination, did not admit liability, and said the money will help support remediation at public water systems that detect PFAS “at any level.”Lawyers for cities and towns that had sued 3M over PFAS contamination did not immedia...

New immigration office welcomes new citizens

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:41 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — It's been a long time in the making but finally, a group of ten immigrants are officially becoming American citizens. A special ceremony was held Thursday at the new Albany immigration field office … paving the way for future immigrants who will make this same journey. District Director Denis Riordan told NEWS10 how this new relocated facility will be an improvement over the last. “More office space, individual office space in the future we will be doing our work in different ways...and we just have the facility to do all the things” he said. 10 people from all around the world became new Americans. One of them is Marsha Grant. The Jamaica native left the green, gold and black for the red white and blue in 2014. Marsha achieved the classic American dream, overcoming health struggles and buying a new home with her husband and children. She hopes to pursue her dream of becoming a dental assistant.  “ It’s great here because it has a lot of ...