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Illinois prison guard sentenced for inmate beating death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) -- A former correctional officer at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Ill., was sentenced Thursday for beating an inmate to death in 2018.According to a United States Attorney’s Office press release, 31-year-old Alex Banta was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release in connection to the death of Larry Earvin.Banta and two others assaulted Earvin as they were transporting him from residential housing to segregated housing. Earvin was handcuffed at the time.Earvin suffered serious bodily injury, including multiple broken ribs, a punctured mesentery, and other serious internal injuries, which resulted in Earvin’s death in June 2018.Banta and the other defendants attempted to falsify documents filed with the prison and lied to state police about the incident. Illinois prison guard pleads guilty to inmate beating death Banta was sentenced for conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation o...

Illinois launches $30M program to distribute air purifiers in schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois will distribute more than 60,000 HEPA purifiers to schools across the state to help reduce transmission of respiratory viruses, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday.The IDPH is using $29.6 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.The state said it will target school districts that serve lower-income communities, and counties with elevated air pollution counts. Illinois bill would put the brakes on video conference calls while driving "There is nothing more important to me than keeping Illinoisans safe and healthy—especially when it comes to our youth," said Governor JB Pritzker."We know that our children need to stay healthy and study in classrooms that are well-ventilated in order to thrive and succeed. Thanks to this $30 million investment, schoolchildren will experience cleaner air—preventing illness and absenteeism, while improving our children...

WATCH: SpaceX launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

CALIFORNIA — SpaceX has launched one of its Falcon 9 rockets Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. WGN Morning News' St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza kicks off at Bourbon Street! The space-centric company sent 52 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E). The launch took place at 2:26 p.m CT.Watch the full launch, and landing of the rocket back on Earth, in the video above.

Taco Bell bringing back 'Volcano' menu items, including one from the '90s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

IRVINE, Calif. (WBOY) — Taco Bell announced Thursday the return of its "Volcano Menu," which stems from an item introduced nearly three decades ago in 1995.The Volcano Menu, to be available in late June, features three main offerings in its lineup: the Volcano Burrito, the Volcano Taco, and an optional "Lava Sauce" (a spicy cheese sauce) which can be added to any menu item. Taco Bell of the future: New restaurant opens with 4-lane drive-thru system The Volcano Burrito was the first of "Volcano" item to debut on Taco Bell's menus in 1995 as a promotional tie-in to the film "Congo," according to an online Taco Bell resource hosted by Fandom, which was created and edited by fans. (A representative for Taco Bell was not immediately available to confirm the debut dates.) A commercial released upon the Volcano Burrito's debut detailed its ingredients, which included seasoned beef, beans, rice, a three-cheese blend and "fiery red sauce." Other items, including the Volcano Taco, Volcano ...

Records: Travis County judge sentences son for father’s 2022 murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A son convicted in the January 2022 murder of his father was sentenced to serve 20 years in state prison Wednesday.Travis County court records said 32-year-old Rico Manalang pleaded guilty to the murder the same day he was convicted and sentenced.In addition to the 20-year prison sentence,  Manalang must also pay $445 in court fees. RELATED: Police: Son killed father via ‘blunt force trauma’ while both living out of pickup According to a past KXAN report, Austin Police arrested Manalang in connection with the Jan. 23, 2022, death of his father, 59-year-old Joseph Manalang. At the time, both were experiencing homelessness and living out of a pickup truck.The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy revealed Joseph died of “blunt force trauma.”APD said Manalang was connected to his father’s death from “evidence seized inside the truck,” according to the previous report.Travis County jail records showed Manalang was booked into the facility Jan. 28, 2022. ...

Appeals court says state agency set electricity prices too high during 2021 winter storm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — A Texas appellate court surprised the electricity world Friday by ruling that the Public Utility Commission overstepped its authority during the deadly February 2021 winter storm when it raised the price of electricity to the maximum, $9,000 per megawatt-hour.The price was set that high on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 by the commission in charge of regulating Texas’ electricity in an effort to tell the market that more power generation was urgently needed. Its leadership believed that the financial tool meant to adjust the cost of electricity was malfunctioning as electricity generators had fallen offline and grid operators cut power to homes and businesses, the ruling explains.The price of electricity is fluid in Texas; it goes up when demand is high in order to incentivize more production and keep the grid from being overloaded. But the state’s electricity market monitor said in the aftermath of the storm that Texas overcharged retail electricity providers by $16 b...

'They're essential': Austin nonprofit hands out 60 computers to refugees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Ramin Mohmand came to Austin from Afghanistan nearly six years ago. He said he was happy to end up in Central Texas but assimilating into his new home came with some challenges. “There are difficulties when you come [for the] first time from a different country as a refugee,” Mohmand said. “You don’t have bank history, you don’t have a work history, you don’t have a housing record.”  MORE: Want to help Ukrainian refugees? New site allows users to offer their homes “It's very hard to find housing, it's really hard to find a job on your own because you don't know how this job application will work,” he said. “It’s very difficult.” The Global Impact Initiative, an Austin Non-Profit established in 2020, tries to make adjusting to life in the States easier for refugees. Friday, the initiative handed out 60 computers to refugees from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Venezuela.“[Computers] are no longer a luxury; they are a necessity,” said ...

St. Paul’s Grand Pizzeria closes, hints at something ‘new and exciting’ to take its place

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

Grand Pizzeria, the pizza spot next to Grand Ole Creamery in St. Paul, has closed.The restaurant, which served pizza for more than 10 years, announced its closure on social media and hinted that something exciting will take the place of the pizzeria.The social media post reads in part:“We want to express our sincere gratitude to our loyal customers who have supported us over the years. While we are sad to say goodbye to Grand Pizzeria, we are thrilled that a new and exciting concept will be taking its place. We can’t reveal too much yet, but we promise it will be worth the wait!“We invite you to come today and enjoy our delicious pizzas one last time before we close our doors. And don’t worry, we will be sure to keep you updated on our new venture, so stay tuned!“Thank you again for your continued support and loyalty. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store for you next!”Attempts to reach the owners have been unsuccessful. We’ll let you know as ...

Loons finalizing deal for South Korean winger Jeong Sang-bin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

The newest Loon has landed in Minnesota.South Korean player Jeong Sang-bin traveled from Zurich to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Friday and went through medical exams in Blaine. It was one of the final steps before Minnesota United can announce the 20-year-old winger will join the club on a permanent transfer from Wolverhampton in the English Premier League.Jeong has signed a three-year contract with MNUFC, plus an option year for 2026, a club spokesman shared. Jeong will occupy one of three Under-22 Initiative slots.“We have to do a good job of this,” Heath said Friday. “It’s no good spending the money we are — and the belief that we have a top player on our hands — if we are not going to make him feel comfortable day-to-day.”One of Jeong’s agents is going to stay in Minnesota for the next month or so to help him acclimate to the U.S. The club is also working on a translator for Jeong, one of the rare South Koreans to play in MLS.The Wolves brought in Jeong fr...

Mining company wants 120 acres annexed to Cottage Grove

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:48 GMT

A mining company that operates a rock quarry in Grey Cloud Island Township wants part of its land to be annexed into neighboring Cottage Grove.Holcim MWR Inc., formerly Aggregate Industries, filed an annexation petition on Thursday to have 120 acres annexed to Cottage Grove; the company owns about 600 acres in the township. A public hearing on the request will be 7 p.m. April 19 at Cottage Grove City Hall.The annexation petition lists several reasons for the request, including concerns that “the township form of government is not adequate to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the community surrounding this property because of a shortage of staff and resources.”The annexation “would be in the best interests of the subject property because the existing levels of governmental services, including water, sewer, fire protection, law enforcement, street repair and land use approvals are inadequate for the property,” the petition states. “Furthermore, given p...