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Illinois Gov. Pritzker unveils butter cow and the state fair's theme: 'Harvest the Fun'

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Lorilee Schultz, whose childhood memories include munching cream puffs in the Dairy Building at the Illinois State Fair, had a special reason for attending this year's unveiling of the famed butter cow: She's part of it.The 102nd edition of the Dairy Building's crown jewel features a butter model of Schultz ready to milk one of her 60 head at Mil-R-Mor Farm in Orangeville, 131 miles (211 kilometers) northwest of Chicago. The 800-pound sculpture, created by Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines, Iowa, was unveiled Wednesday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II, serving as a soft opening for the annual agricultural extravaganza.“This year's butter cow sculpture celebrates the Illinois dairy families like mine who ‘Harvest the Fun’ of dairy every day on our farms,” Schultz told gathered reporters, slipping in a reference to the theme of this year's fair. “What is more fun than ice-cold milk, creamy ice cream and gooey cheese made with ...

CPD launching nightlife patrol to monitor Near West Side entertainment strips

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department are launching a new unit to patrol entertainment districts on the Near West Side.Block Club Chicago reports that six officers and a sergeant from the 12th district will focus on parts of West Loop, West Town and Pilsen, including Greektown, parts of Taylor Street, the University of Illinois Chicago and part of Division Street. RELATED: Fulton Market developers, restaurant groups look to hire private 24 hour security The unit will be created to police safety in the entrainment districts following a string of shootings, armed robberies, and break in's. Also, the new unit will monitor late night loitering and to ensure venues comply with their pump place of amusement licenses.The assigned officers will reportedly work 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. It's unclear at this time what days of the week the patrol will work.Sgt. Mike Karczewski, business, licensing, and special events supervisor for the 12th District, told Block Club Chicago they hope to have the u...

McDonald's orders featured in hit movies, TV shows now have their own meal

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

(KTLA) - McDonald’s is giving its fans a chance to eat like their favorite character with its newest meal offering that includes items featured on TV shows and movies throughout the years.Known as “The As Featured In Meal,” customers will soon be able to order food that was featured in TV shows and movies like “Seinfeld,” “I'm Not Rappaport” and “Coming to America.”"It's not only our real-life fans who have a go-to order; for decades, our favorite movie and TV characters have, too,” Morgan Flatley, global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures at McDonald's, said in a statement."The As Featured In Meal" will include a choice of 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, or Big Mac Sandwich along with Medium World Famous Fries, a Medium soft drink and the newly branded Sweet 'N Sour Sauce. (McDonald's) “The As Featured In Meal is our biggest Famous Order yet, celebrating the most memorable McDonald's references across the world of entertainment."The m...

Illinois man to celebrate 70th first day of school

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

VIENNA, Ill. -- Imagine going to school for 70 years.A southern Illinois man will take part in his 70th first day of school on Friday.Max Hook spent his first 12 years in school at Vienna Grade and Vienna High Schools. After graduating from high school, he went on to earn his bachelor's degree in education at McKendree College.Max HookHe then started his career as a teacher and coach at Breese Central before making his way back to Vienna where he has served as a teacher and coach since 1982.“I was one of his many math students while in high school. He was and is an excellent teacher," said Vienna High School Superintendent Joshua Stafford. "Since that time Mr. Hook has continued to be a teacher and mentor to me. While he has taught me a great deal about math, the life changing influence that he had on numerous people is incalculable."Hook and his wife have two sons and five grandchildren, most of which have had or will have him as a teacher and maybe even as a coach.This year, Hook ...

APD responds to bomb hotshot call at St. David's Medical Center

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live's top headlines for Aug. 9, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police are responding to a call regarding a possible bomb at a central Austin hospital.APD said the bomb hotshot call at St. David's Medical Center came in at 5:23 p.m.A hotshot call is defined by APD as "incidents which are in progress and are an immediate threat to life and/or public safety."KXAN has reached out to the Austin Fire Department for additional details. This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN for more information.

15-acre brush fire near Pflugerville under control

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — An evacuation notice has been lifted Wednesday for some homes near a 15-acre brush fire in Pflugerville. The fire off Jesse Bohls Road is under control as of 5:55 p.m., Travis County ESD No. 2 said. ‘Home ignition zone’ inspections can help with wildfires Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2, the Manor Fire Department, STAR Flight and the Texas A&M Forest Service worked to contain the fire, Travis County ESD No. 2 Fire Chief Nick Perkins said.Homes on Scoria Drive and Elk Horn Drive were evacuated as a precaution, according to Travis County ESD No. 2.This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

New Austin Energy GM on preventing power outages, increasing energy bills

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One month into his role as Austin Energy's new general manager, Bob Kahn is already bracing for at least 80 to-do list items from the fallout of hundreds of thousands of power outages during February's winter storm.He told KXAN in a sit-down interview he expects an after-action report released later this month, outlining changes and recommendations from the ice storm, which left almost a third of Austin Energy customers without power at its peak. TIMELINE: How long did it take Austin Energy to restore power during ice storm? Kahn took over the role in July, following the departure of former General Manager Jackie Sargent in March. At the time, the utility provider was facing criticism from citizens and city leaders about how it communicated restoration times during the storm. While Kahn was not in charge when the ice began to accumulate on tree limbs that fell and took down countless lines in the Austin area, he said he believes the utility needs to be more transp...

Longhorns 5th-year linebacker David Gbenda's UT journey is one of patience, commitment

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite being in the transfer portal era of college football, Texas Longhorns fifth-year senior linebacker David Gbenda never thought about trying to find greener pastures elsewhere.With the ease of the one-time transfer option and how the portal system expedites the free agency-type movement in NCAA athletics, Gbenda would rather learn from others who play his position and grind with fellow Horns in the weight room than try to go somewhere else.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersAfter a training camp session Tuesday night, Gbenda was candid when talking about how he sees himself now as a player and why he's still wearing burnt orange."I never really was a guy that just quit," he said. "I believed in this university and I told myself I was going to get a degree here. I 100% committed to the university, regardless of what else was going on."He played in 11 ...

Ken Paxton, lawyers test limits of gag order restricting comments on impeachment trial

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton and his legal team appear to be testing the limits of a gag order from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that seeks to limit commentary on Paxton’s September impeachment trial before the Texas Senate. Patrick, the presiding judge in the trial, issued the sweeping gag order July 17, banning all involved parties from making comments that could prejudice the trial or impair the impeachment court’s ability to be “fair and impartial.” The gag order, however, permits the parties to make statements “reciting, without comment, information contained in public records.”Paxton’s team has leaned on that provision in recent days to issue news releases drawing attention to its latest court filings once they are publicly available on a Senate website. And on Thursday, Paxton’s lead lawyer, Tony Buzbee, went on a Dallas radio show and mostly read from the filings verbatim, including passages that disparaged the case against Paxton and expressed doub...

TxDOT warns roads are in high-risk due to extreme heat

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 GMT

Waco, TX (FOX 44) -- Texas roads and highways are facing constant pressure to serve their purpose in the extreme heat we are seeing right now.Extreme heat can cause the road to expand and eventually buckle.These problems can cause damage to your vehicle."It'll make the road impassable, so that's why it will likely require a closure or a fix," said TxDOT Waco District public information officer, Jake Smith.Smith says road buckles occur in two places."First, bridge joints that can malfunction in extreme temperatures and concrete pavement seams, and typically where old concrete or pavement meets new pavement," said Smith.The paved concrete sections are tied to function together but face the risk of breaking in extreme temperatures."When you have ambient temperatures of around 100 degrees, roadways or surface temperature can reach up to 140 degrees," said Smith.Smith says road buckles can happen at any time.We asked Smith if there were any heat-related road problems in Waco.Smith says n...