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1-2-3 and counting: Las Vegas weddings could hit record on New Year’s Eve thanks to date’s pattern

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — For better or for worse, a wave of couples saying “I do” in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve could set a record for the city’s busiest wedding day ever.That’s because 12/31/23 is known in the massive Las Vegas wedding industry as a “specialty date,” thanks to the repeating 1-2-3 1-2-3 pattern, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.The icing on the cake? This specialty date falls on a holiday famous for blowout celebrations.“It’s a double whammy,” said Melody Willis-Williams, president of Vegas Weddings, which operates multiple venues. “Anytime you get these specialty dates, they’re always hugely popular. But tie that in with New Year’s Eve and it’s a showstopper.”The number to beat on New Year’s Eve is 4,492 — the single-day record for marriages in Las Vegas set on July 7, 2007. The second-most popular specialty wedding date on record with the county’s marriage bureau is Nov. 11, 2011, when 3,125 couples tied the knot.Typically, New Year’s Eve has drawn...

Four children taken to hospital after van slams into building in Foxboro

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

Four children were taken to area hospitals Tuesday after a van slammed into a YMCA location in Foxboro, officials said. Foxboro police in a post on Facebook said the crash happened around 4:30 p.m. at the YMCA at 67 Mechanic Street. Later speaking with reporters, police and fire officials said injuries were minor, mostly resulting from broken glass as the van smashed into a daycare area. “This is a horrific accident,” said Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace. “But, when we look at the whole scope of it, it could have been worse.”Officials said the van driver stayed at the scene and was cooperating with investigators as of Tuesday evening. While the investigation continued, the van remained embedded in the YMCA as of around 6:30 p.m. Foxboro police said the Foxboro building commissioner was on scene as of 5:30 p.m. checking the safety and integrity of the building. Officials, including the CEO of the Foxboro YMCA credited daycare staff, in the meantime, f...

Ticker: Wall Street posts gains to start week; Maersk readies for Red Sea return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

Stocks closed higher on Wall Street Tuesday at the start of a holiday-shortened week.Tech and industrial companies climbed, and energy companies rose along with oil prices. The S&P 500 and the Dow each rose 0.4%, and the Nasdaq climbed 0.5%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 3.90%.Trading was relatively light as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas Day holiday. Still, the latest gains were widespread, with advancers outnumbering decliners by nearly 3 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange.Biotech company RayzeBio doubled after agreeing to be acquired by pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb. Wall Street closed its eighth straight winning week with a quiet finish on Friday following reports showing inflation is on the decline even as the economy appears stronger than expected.Shipping firm Maersk says its going back to  Red SeaShipping firm Maersk says it is preparing to allow vessels to resume sailing through the Red Sea. It comes at the start of a U.S.-...

'Battle of the Bands' to kick off Holiday Bowl festivities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The City of San Diego is gearing up for the annual DIRECTV Holiday Bowl on Wednesday. To kick off the festivities, University of Louisville and University of Southern California marching bands will be battling it out at the third annual Snapdragon Bowl Bash Tuesday night in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego.The DIRECTV Holiday Bowl matchup will be broadcast live on FOX 5 from Petco Park this holiday season followed by a fireworks display across downtown San Diego. What to know before the Holiday Bowl and parade: Road closures, parking The Snapdragon Bowl Bash is a free event, and runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday night in the Gaslamp Quarter at the corner of 5th Avenue and Market Street. At 6 p.m., Louisville and USC's marching bands will be facing off in the streets of downtown with the Battle of the Bands.DIRECTV Holiday Bowl preparations at Petco ParkThe event also features live music, games, contests, photo booths, street performers, food and drink s...

Alabama agency completes review of fatal police shooting in man’s front yard

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Tuesday that it has completed an investigation into a fatal police shooting where a man was killed in his front yard during a dispute with a tow truck driver.The state agency did not announce any findings but said its investigative file has been turned over to the Morgan County district attorney. A telephone message left with the district attorney’s office was not immediately returned. Steve Perkins, 39, was shot and killed by police on Sept. 29 when Decatur police officers accompanied a tow truck driver, who told police he had been threatened by the homeowner when trying to repossess a vehicle, back to the home. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a September news release that Perkins was armed with a handgun equipped with a light and “brandished the weapon towards an officer with the Decatur Police Department, causing the officer to fire at Perkins.” An attorney for the Perkins’ family said officers im...

Floods in a central province in Congo kill at least 22 people, a local official says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Flooding triggered by heavy rains in central Congo killed at least 22 people, including 10 from the same family, a local official said Tuesday.The hourslong rainfall in the district of Kananga in Kasai Central province destroyed many houses and structures, the province’s governor, John Kabeya, said as rescue efforts intensified in search of survivors. Five more deaths were confirmed later on Tuesday in addition to the initially reported death toll of 17, he said.“The collapse of a wall caused 10 deaths, all members of the same family in Bikuku,” said Kabeya.There was significant material damage caused by the floods, according to Nathalie Kambala, country director of The Hand in Hand for Integral Development nongovernmental organization.Flooding caused by heavy rainfall is frequent in parts of Congo, especially in remote areas. In May, more than 400 people died in floods and landslides brought on by torrential overnight rains in eastern Congo’s South Kivu...

Rescue attempt underway after authorities find driver trapped for days after crash along I-94

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

PORTAGE, Ind. — Rescue operations were underway along I-94 in Northwest Indiana on Tuesday afternoon after a man who crashed his car days ago was found injured beneath a bridge, authorities say. According to Indiana State Police, the injured driver told passersby that they had crashed the car several days ago and had been trapped ever since. SkyCam9 was over the scene around 5 p.m. when crews could be seen conducting rescue operations. Vehicle plunges from bridge over I-55, resulting in life-threatening injuries: State police Authorities say the man had significant injuries when he was found. A medical helicopter was then brought to the scene to transport them to the hospital.Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash.This is a developing story, stay with WGN News for the latest updates. 

Christmas has come and gone. The season of gift returns and exchanges is now here

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

CHICAGO — Goodbye Christmas cheer, the season of gift returns, exchanges, and bargains is here!Georgia Blaugh and her sister were amongst the many who flocked to Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, eager to cash in on some deals."We were here to get some new iPhones," Blaugh said. Ana Kimball and her mother ventured to the Skokie-area mall for deals, but returning gifts that missed the mark was first on the agenda.SEE ALSO | New Year’s Eve in Chicago: Where to watch fireworks across the city"We had a lot of returns. Lots of sizes that got mixed up or colors," Kimball said. "[So we're] looking for stuff to spend our money on."A busy day after Christmas is the norm, says Old Orchard Mall's general manager Serge Khamilimsky."Definitely not unusual after Christmas," he said. "Lots of crowds of people are ready to get back out, maybe exchange accessories for the gifts they got."But for locals visiting various stores for exchanges, expert Samantha Landau with TopCashback.com, says some things wil...

Skilling: Above normal temps across Chicagoland ahead of new year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

First, THE TUESDAY WEATHER HEADLINES---Another drab and damp day with temps that have been falling slowly all day Tuesday. The day's high of 50 degrees occurred at midnight. Reading by late in the day had fallen to the upper 30s.---The same slow-moving storm system, trapped within an atmospheric blocking pattern and therefore just crawling along, has days to run in its influence on Chicago's weather. It's likely to be Friday afternoon before this system frees Chicago's weather from its grasp.---The area is to sit beneath this system's cold, unstable pool of air aloft through Thursday night and into Friday morning as this system just creeps eastward—its forward progress is all but stalled by the atmospheric blocking pattern which is in place. This argues for an overcast continue to dominate Chicago's weather all the way.---What's more, we expect a counterclockwise (or "cyclonic" circulation aloft) to tap moisture and tug it westward into Chicago later Wednesday night and Thursday, in...

5-year-old girl killed in South Side apartment fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:44 GMT

CHICAGO — A family is mourning the loss of a 5-year-old girl who died in a devastating fire at an apartment on the South Side on Tuesday morning."We ask that in Jesus name keep this family happy," community activist Andrew Holmes said. "We know they're hurting and going to be hurting the rest of their life, Lord."As they fought back tears, Holmes and Mike Airhart, with the "All Kids Matter Foundation," placed teddy bears on the fence of the building in hopes of bringing the family some comfort."It just reminds you the smiling faces that, you know, that child had on their face opening those gifts. This is what it stands for. It's just that smile, It's just that we're here for you. We support you. We love you," Airhart said. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines At around 7:15 a.m. an ambulance crew was returning from a run when they noticed smoke billowing from the second floor of the multi-unit apartment building in the 500 block of West Marquette Road in Englewood.Chicago fire...