Vallas, Johnson campaign for allies ahead of first mayoral runoff debate

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:56 GMT

CHICAGO — With the April 4 runoff four weeks away, the mayoral candidates continue to line up endorsements.On Tuesday, outside the Cook County building, Brandon Johnson received support from President Toni Preckwinkle, who, like Johnson, is a former teacher turned politician. "I am very hopeful that Brandon Johnson is going to be the next mayor of the city of Chicago and I’m going to work very hard for him," Preckwinkle said. Over at Paul Vallas’ campaign headquarters, longtime former principal of Whitney Young High School, Dr. Joyce Kenner, praised Vallas’ work as CEO of Chicago Public Schools. Vallas, Johnson receive dueling endorsements in push for Black voters "When Mr.Vallas became CEO, he made everybody accountable and some people afraid," Kenner said. As the campaigns hunt for allies, Vallas has moved quickly to try to capitalize on his most prominent endorsement so far. On Tuesday, he began airing a TV commercial starring Illinois’ most popular Democrat, fo...

Almost 60 school districts in Texas have now made the switch to four-day weeks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:56 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — Almost 60 school districts across Texas have now switched to four-day school weeks, often in a bid to prevent teacher turnover.According to a KXAN analysis, at least 59 districts have made the switch. Some of those districts have recently approved the change effective for the 2023-24 school year.At least seven other districts offer a hybrid schedule, with four-day weeks for part of the year. Central Texas school district moves to 4-day school week Districts in all parts of the state have made the change, with the schedule proving particularly popular in rural districts in north and east Texas.In 2015, Texas lawmakers passed a bill that changed how classroom instruction was timed. Districts no longer had to provide 180 days of classes, but instead a minimum of 75,600 minutes. Requiring minutes instead of a set number of days gave districts more flexibility in how they scheduled classes.Crosby ISD, in Harris County just outside Houston, recently became the lar...

Amateur D.B. Cooper investigator to sue FBI to examine plane hijacker's tie

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:56 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An amateur D.B. Cooper investigator plans to sue the FBI because he thinks he may have found a key to solving the case.Eric Ulis has been investigating the case of D.B. Cooper, the man who hijacked a flight in the 1970s before leaping from the plane and disappearing. Ulis is now hoping to examine the hijacker's tie because he believes investigators may have missed a feature that could contain DNA. Ulis tells Nexstar's KOIN that he discovered a spindle in a tie "precisely like DB. Cooper's," that rises up. He says he talked to previous D.B. Cooper FBI investigators who told him they didn't realize the tie has the adjustable spindle. RELATED: D.B. Cooper, the most infamous skyjacker in US history KOIN spoke with Ulis, who is traveling to Washington D.C. to file a federal lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act on Wednesday to try to force the FBI to allow him and a DNA expert to examine the tie, then use ancestry genealogy."That gives us the a...

SunnyD gets an adult beverage makeover

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:56 GMT

(WGN) - A staple of childhood in the 90s wants to be a staple of adulthood in the 2020s as SunnyD, aka Sunny Delight, gets an alcoholic makeover.According to a release on PR Newswire, Harvest Hill Beverage Company, which bought the orange beverage in 2017, is launching SunnyD Vodka Seltzer. The seltzer was "crafted...to have the same great orange taste as the SunnyD our fans know and love." Hershey introduces plant-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate bars It's being sold as 12oz cans with 4.5% ABV, 95 calories, and zero grams of sugar. The drink gets its sweetness from the use of Stevia. SunnyD Vodka Seltzer is being sold as a single can and as four-pack boxes starting on Saturday, March 11 at select Walmart stores nationwide.

Ben Bradley to participate in 'Chicago Celebrity Spelling Bee'

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:56 GMT

CHICAGO -- WGN's Ben Bradley will hit the Park West stage Thursday night to test his wits during "The Tutoring Chicago Celebrity Spelling Bee" against some well known Windy City natives.The Tutoring Chicago Celebrity Spelling Bee will be hosted by comedians Ryan Asher and Jeff Murdoch Thursday at Park West. Former WGN sports anchor Dan Roan will be judging the event.All proceeds will ensure 1,000 first through ninth grade Chicago students facing financial barriers will receive one-to-one, personalized tutoring, at no cost to their families. NASCAR unveils names, logos for Chicago Street Race ESPN's Sarah Spain and Jarrette Jones, who starred in the second season of Netflix's "Love is Blind," will also be participating in the event.Tickets include admission to Park West, a seat for the event, dinner and open bar.Attendees must be 18 years or older to attend.Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for cocktail hour and a "Chicago Classics" buffet dinner. The competition is set to begin at...