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Tax break for offshore wind energy developer Orsted narrowly approved in New Jersey Legislature

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A bill to let Danish offshore wind energy developer Orsted keep tax credits that it otherwise would have to return to New Jersey ratepayers was approved by the slimmest of margins in the state Legislature Friday afternoon and went to the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy, a strong supporter of offshore wind farms.The measure initially failed to gather enough support in the Senate but won one additional vote in a subsequent try — just enough to pass it.The bill to allow Orsted to keep federal tax credits was designed to help counter what lawmakers termed lingering economic effects on the developer from the COVID-19 pandemic and elevated inflation.It applies to Orsted’s first project in New Jersey, Ocean Wind I, which aims to generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.The New Jersey legislation highlighted a sharp partisan divide over offshore wind projects, with Republicans mostly opposing them as harmful to the environment, marine life and the fishing and tourism...

Fox News reaches $12M settlement with former Tucker Carlson producer who testified in Dominion case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News will pay one of its former producers $12 million to settle her claims that she faced a discriminatory workplace and that the network coerced her into giving false or misleading testimony in Dominion Inc.’s defamation lawsuit, her lawyer said Friday.The payout to Abby Grossberg will settle all litigation that she brought against Fox Corp., Fox News Network and her former co-workers, including former Fox host Tucker Carlson.The settlement was revealed with the filing of a “Notice of Voluntary Dismissal” in a lawsuit she had brought this year in Manhattan federal court. The judge accepted the filing and closed the case.Although the notice did not reference the terms of the settlement, Grossberg’s attorney, Parisis G. Filippatos, said in an interview that his client will receive $12 million.In a statement, Fox News said: “We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation.”Grossberg said in a statement that while ...

Saudi Arabia is being considered by the women’s tennis tour for possible business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Like other sports, women’s tennis is looking into the possibility of getting into business with Saudi Arabia. And while holding a tournament there is not imminent, WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said Friday that he visited that country with some players in February as part of the evaluation process.“It’s a very difficult and very challenging topic that’s being, obviously, measured by many, many different groups right now,” Simon said at an event in London to mark the 50th anniversary of the meeting that led to the founding of the WTA.He acknowledged there “are still tons of issues in Saudi Arabia” with regard to women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.Simon’s comments came a few days after the St. Petersburg, Florida-based WTA announced it was setting up a “pathway to equal prize money” so women earn the same as men at certain tournaments by 2027 and others by 2033. Simon said Tuesday additional money would come from incremental boosts by the events themselves a...

Commerical-grade fireworks found inside Joliet casino hotel room, parking garage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — A bomb squad on Friday determined what a housekeeper thought were explosives inside a casino hotel room in Joliet were commercial-grade fireworks.Just before noon, the housekeeper called Joliet Police Department officers after they found what they thought were unmarked explosives inside a guest's room. Why are fireworks illegal in Illinois? According to a news release from police, the Cook County Sheriff's Police Bomb Team determined they were commercial-grade fireworks.The team also found commercial-grade fireworks inside a vehicle in the casino's parking garage, according to the news release.Additional details haven't been released. Joliet police are still investigating.

Skilling: Cloudy, wet weekend for Chicagoland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

June's final day logged a 91-deg high at O'Hare---the sixth 90 of the year to date; less than the 9 which had occurred by this time a year ago. The hottest Friday max temp I've found was a 94-deg temp near downtown Chicago—but many area highs remained in the mid to upper 80s. The area ended up with just 60% of its possible sun.  Many Friday afternoon heat index readings hover near 90-deg with stifling low and mid 70-deg dew points indicating moisture levels which supported the day's haze—and contributed to area of dense fog Friday morning west of the city and in scattered areas of northwest Indiana.JUNE 2023 CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT---and goes into the books in Chicago as A DRY MONTH WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPS.The month saw only a little more than half (58%) its normal rain—JUST 2.36" versus the normal of 4.10". That means June finished among the driest 29% of Junes on the books here over the past 153 years dating back to 1871.The period since April maintains a huge deficit,...

Several flights canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport ahead of busy holiday weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Thursday was a busy day at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for many travelers, many of whom were dealing with delays and cancelations.As of 4 p.m. Friday, more than 60 flights have been canceled at O'Hare. At Chicago's Midway International Airport, no flights have been canceled. Both airports are seeing delays less than 15 minutes.On Thursday, at least 190 flights had been canceled at O'Hare and only two fights were canceled.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThe delays and cancelations also come among the record-breaking holiday travel expected to start today. AAA predicts 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from their home over the weekend."What's happening is it's not just weather," Peter Greenberg, a flight expert, said. "It's a number of factors that got together to produce this perfect storm."Greenberg points to issues with airline staff scheduling, layovers with less than one-hour connecting time."Majority of the people flying to Chicago ...

Teamsters hold off on strike after UPS counteroffer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

Members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and UPS will not strike Friday and are going back to the negotiating table after the delivery company gave the union a new counteroffer amid heated contract negotiations.UPS offered the Teamsters "a revised counterproposal with significant movement on wages and other economic language" Friday afternoon, the union said in a statement, though it said it was not enough to win the support of Teamsters leadership.UPS also asked the Teamsters to continue negotiations until July 5, the union said.“UPS came back with real movement, but it isn’t enough," Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement. "After they left the room, our national committee had a long dialogue and the universal consensus was to continue our leverage campaign."O'Brien and top Teamsters officials are scheduled to hold press conference Saturday and give an update on the status of negotiations. The Teamsters did not say Friday if they would agree to...

Arrest made in shooting death of 18-year-old near Waukegan apartment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — An 18-year-old male is behind bars for his alleged role in the shooting death of another 18-year-old in Waukegan, police said Friday. Devion WashingtonAuthorities identified Devion Washington as a suspect in the death of Kyron Goode on the 500 block of S. Genesee St. on Thursday, June 8. Goode was shot dead outside an apartment in Waukegan around 2:30 p.m. $10M bond for suburban man accused of shooting at ATF agents According to police, Waukegan officers learned of Washington's whereabouts on Thursday and executed a search warrant at a home in the 900 block of Pacific Ave.Once in custody, Washington was booked at Lake County Jail for first-degree murder. His bail is $5 million.  While searching the residence, Waukegan Police also located an assault rifle, a loaded magazine for the rifle and assorted ammunition. Quenta WashingtonQuenta Washington, 38, of Waukegan was arrested and charged with being an armed habitual criminal, in addition to the two counts of unlaw...

'A once in a lifetime type situation': NASCAR turns to 2 Chicago artists to make street race trophies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Whoever takes the checkered flag in the NASCAR Street Races downtown this weekend will get to take home creations that are Chicago's very own. That's because the stock car company enlisted the help of two artists from the area to create trophies for the winner in the Xfinity Series' "The Loop 121" and the Cup Series' "Grant Park 220."Nicole Beck and Thomas Lucas were selected by NASCAR to head up the creation of one of the trophies each ahead of the July 1 & 2 event. They were given instruction to make a sculpture that would represent the city during the inaugural running of the street races, and both came up with their own style to make that happen.Courtesy: Thomas Lucas Courtesy: NASCARCourtesy: Thomas Lucas Courtesy: NASCARGetting the chance to design the trophy for the Grant Park 220 Cup Series race was quite special for Lucas since racing has been a part of his life since he was a child."I love cars," said Lucas. "I grew up around family - father, uncles - working...

Frozen fruit products sold at Walmart, Target recalled to potential listeria contamination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:57 GMT

(WRIC) — Check your freezers! A recent recall announcement by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration warns that some frozen fruit products may be dangerous.On June 21, SunOpta Inc's subsidiary, Sunrise Growers Inc. issued a recall of specific frozen fruit products linked to pineapple due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Biden plots new course to get relief for student borrowers Products were distributed via the following retailers:Walmart: Great Value Mixed Fruit, Great Value Dark Sweet Cherries, and Great Value Mango Chunks sold at stores in Virginia and other states from January 19, 2023, to June 13, 2023Whole Foods: 365 Organic Tropical Fruit Medley, 365 Organic Pineapple Chunks, 365 Pineapple Chunks, 365 Organic Whole Strawberries, 365 Organic Slice Strawberries and Bananas, and 365 Organic Blackberries distributed to select stores throughout the US from November 1, 2022, to June 21, 2023Trader Joe’s: Trader Joe’s Organic Tropical Fruit Blen...