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President Biden says the looming shutdown isn’t his fault. Will Americans agree with him?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Staring down a likely government shutdown, the White House wants to make sure any blame falls at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue — specifically on House Republicans. After all, it’s House Republicans who have been paralyzed by their inability to pass a funding package, and Republicans who don’t want to uphold a bipartisan spending agreement from earlier this year. President Joe Biden is hoping the rest of the country will see things the same way. It’s a murky proposition at a time of extreme political polarization, with many Americans dug into their partisan corners regardless of the facts of the matter.A shutdown would arrive at a tenuous moment for Biden, who already faces low poll numbers and concerns about the economy as he seeks a second term in office, partially on the pitch that he offers steady stewardship in Washington.If no spending bill passes Congress by the end of Saturday, federal workers stop getting paid, air travel could be e...

Saturday Forecast: Low 80s and sunny

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

Saturday: Sunny & warmer -- except lakeside. SE 0-10 mph. Air quality is in the Good category for Chicagoland.  High 82, upper 70s by the lake. Saturday night: Mostly clear & mild for the season. Patchy fog after midnight. SE 0-5 mph. Near: 60Sunday: Sunny & warm. Cooler by the lake.  SSE 0-5 mph. Highs low 80s, cooler lakeside. Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Extended outlook calls for sunshine and temps in the mid to low 80s for Mon/Tue and possibly Wednesday too as we see increasing clouds. Showers and possible thunderstorms look likely for Thursday with temps in the mid 70s and wind developing. Some rain at times and highs near 70 for Friday. 

Weekend Break: America's First Responders Fest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

Check out Weekend Break with Christine Flores where she visit's Americas First Responders Fest in South Elgin. Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Tip screen fatigue? Here's how much Americans are actually tipping: survey

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Whether it's an airport self-checkout machine or a $14 beer at a concert, the controversial tipping option is often the last step — but how many people actually tip at the suggested percentages, usually 20% and up?A recent Forbes Advisor survey of 2,000 Americans suggests that while most people tip more when they leave a digital tip, they don't often surpass 20%.While the vast majority of respondents said they tip always or often (76%), the average gratuity amount was 16%.When did tipping become so divisive?Several factors have ratcheted up consumers' emotions around the practice in recent years. After the pandemic crushed foot traffic to a number of service-oriented businesses, many Americans started tipping more to support their servers, bartenders, hair stylists and gig workers. Nearly a third (32%) of those surveyed said they still tip more now than before the pandemic.Digital transactions and the seemingly ubiquitous tipping screen have only pressurized the decision...

Toby Keith speaks out about cancer battle: 'I lean on my faith'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJW) – Country star Toby Keith says he's been leaning on his faith after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021.The "Should've Been a Cowboy" singer spoke with reporters on Thursday before the inaugural People's Choice Country Awards in Nashville, where he told Fox News that he's doing "all right" amid his cancer battle."I lean on my faith and I just pray and lean into it," Keith told the outlet. "It was my rock." Singer Maren Morris leaving country music, blames the ‘Trump years’ Keith went on to tell E! News that the journey has been "a roller coaster.""You get good days and, you know, you're up and down. … It's always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today," he said.Toby Keith attends the 2023 People's Choice Country Awards at The Grand Ole Opry on September 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)The 62-year-old country singer went on to win the Country Icon Award during the ceremony. ‘I’ll go to jail....

What to do if you're caught in hail while driving

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

(KXAN) — A storm with hail moved through Central Texas late Sunday, damaging cars and homes. If you’re driving through a hail storm like this, here’s a few tips for drivers to keep themselves, their passengers and others safe.If you do need to drive during hail, drivers should slow down, pull over and stay clear of other vehicles, according to AAA Texas.The average hail claim for AAA Texas was nearly $6,000 in 2021, according to spokesperson Daniel Armbruster, and hail can be more damaging to your car if you’re driving at a higher speed. Large, damaging hail pummels parts of Central Texas If you pull over, drivers should avoid overpasses because they can become congested with other drivers seeking relief, leading to a traffic jam or accident. Wind also becomes more dangerous underneath a bridge, Armbruster said.“When it comes to other drivers, it’s hard to see outside if the rain is coming down, so it can be hard to see other drivers,” Armbruster said. “If you’re all trying to pul...

Embattled Congress lurches toward midnight shutdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

Congress is lurching toward a shutdown that would begin early Sunday morning, with House Republicans battling one another and the Senate moving forward with a bipartisan plan that Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has not committed to bringing to a vote in the House. Senators are poised to vote Saturday afternoon on a bill to fund the government until Nov. 17. The legislation includes $6.15 billion for Ukraine and $6 billion for disaster relief. McCarthy has drawn a line in the sand on Ukraine funding, and floated the idea Friday night of a "clean" measure that would not include funding for Ukraine.A number of conservatives in McCarthy's conference would oppose such a measure, and it would need Democratic support to pass. The Senate bill, if approved by the upper chamber, would likely pass the House if it were given a vote on the floor. But a majority of the House GOP conference voted against a measure Thursday on Ukraine aid, and bringing the bill to the floor could come with polit...

APD makes progress in recruiting 911 dispatchers, call-takers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  The Austin Police Department is making progress in hiring enough staff for its Emergency Communication (ECOMMS) center, according to a memo. Staffing shortages in the department have led to slower-than-normal pick-ups for emergencies in the last couple of years. APD said it has been “hyper-focused” in addressing the large number of vacancies, which has led to the implementation of some effective programs, per the memo. MORE: APD: Latest average 911 hold time was roughly 3 minutes There are 75 dispatchers and 104 call-taker positions available in the department. From October 2022, APD has been successful in filling 91% of the dispatcher roles and 69% of the call takers, per a city memo. Further, APD said it has hired new leadership, expanded its recruiting team, brought on new IT support members to bolster the division’s technology infrastructure and recently launched a comprehensive citywide and national recruiting campaign to fill the remaining vac...

Soucheray: The question remains: Where is everybody?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

Just two months ago, in a front-page story in this newspaper, we learned that St. Paul and Ramsey County officials, along with the St. Paul Downtown Alliance, were calling for more workers to return downtown. The COVID pandemic invented new ways to work, hybrid, flex, remote and Zoom. A ghostliness had settled over downtown, giving a whole new meaning to the old saw about shooting off a cannon at 5 p.m. and not hitting anybody.Even a professional curmudgeon knows that we will never return to the halcyon days of bustle and honking horns and newspapers hawked on the corner. And we don’t expect the old Christmas tinsel spread across Wabasha Street.This is about money, as in city, state, county and federal workers not putting theirs where their mouth is. We have our own version of the Fermi Paradox.Having lunch one day in the summer of 1950, Enrico Fermi, a physicist, asked a bunch of other smart guys at the table, “Where is everybody?”By which Fermi, intrigued by UFO reports and ...

Gophers will be without tailback Darius Taylor vs. Louisiana

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:27 GMT

The Gophers will be without star freshman tailback Darius Taylor for homecoming against Louisiana on Saturday, according to the Big Ten’s status report Saturday morning. ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news.Taylor has been a sensation to start the season. The Detroit, Mich., native has rushed for 532 yards and is second in the nation with 133 yards per game this season. But he left the Northwestern game with a leg injury late in the fourth quarter.Without Taylor, the Gophers backfield will rely on Bryce Williams and possibly Sean Tyler and Zach Evans. Tyler did not have a carry against Northwestern, while Evans has not had a carry this season.Tyler has 30 carries for 136 yards this season, while Williams has 11 carries for 30 yards.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Beer release, coupled with P.J. Fleck’s comments, becomes big help for Gophers’ players College Sports | ‘Special’ homecomings: It’s a family affai...