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National Association of Realtors CEO stepping down; ex Chicago Sun-Times CEO tapped as interim hire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The CEO of the National Association of Realtors is stepping down nearly two months before his planned retirement, a move that comes just two days after the trade group was dealt a punishing judgement in federal court over its guidelines on real estate agent commissions. The Chicago-based NAR said Thursday that Bob Goldberg would be stepping down after a 30-year career at the trade association. Nykia Wright, former CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, was tapped to take over on an interim basis, beginning Nov. 20. In June, Goldberg, 66, announced plans to retire on Dec. 31. His early exit comes during a rough week for the NAR. On Tuesday a federal jury in Kansas City, Missouri, ordered the trade association and some of the nation’s biggest real estate brokerages to pay almost $1.8 billion in damages after finding they artificially inflated commissions paid to real estate agents. The class-action suit was filed in 2019 on behalf of 500,000 home sellers in Missouri and some...

Pioneering scientist says global warming is accelerating. Some experts call his claims overheated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

One of modern climate science’s pioneers is warning that the world isn’t just steadily warming but is dangerously accelerating, according to a study that some other scientists call a bit overheated.The work from former NASA top scientist James Hansen, who since leaving the space agency has become a prominent protester against the use of fossil fuels, which cause climate change, illustrates a recently surfaced division among scientists about whether global warming has kicked into a new and even more dangerous gear.Hansen, who alerted much of the United States to the harms of climate change in dramatic congressional testimony in 1988, said Thursday that since 2010, the rate of warming has jumped by 50%. Hansen argues that since 2010 there is more sun energy in the atmosphere, and less of the particles that can reflect it back into space thanks to efforts to cut pollution. The loss of those particles means there’s less of the cooling effect that they can have.Hansen said a key calculat...

Joliet family files civil rights suit, say police raided wrong home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — The Joliet Police Department is at the center of a civil rights lawsuit after a family accused them of wrongfully raiding their home.According to a press release from the law firm representing the family, a 62-year-old woman with a physical disability, Adela Carrasco, and her four grandchildren, ages 10-14, opened their front door at 228 Comstock Street in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2021, to a group of armed law enforcement officers executing an arrest warrant for Elliot Reyes, who allegedly lived next door to them."I asked them to show me a warrant," Carrasco told WGN News Thursday. "They didn't show me nothing. They just pushed me aside and went in and I'm screaming the whole time to put down the guns because I'm scared they're going to shoot my grandkids."Adela Carrasco's four grandchildren.Carrasco's grandchildren on Halloween.Carrasco and one of her grandchildren.A family picture of the Carrascos.According to Zach Hofeld, an attorney representing the fami...

'Another pinch yourself moment': Football returns to Wrigley Field this weekend with Northwestern-Iowa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

CHICAGO — The "Friendly Confines" will once again play host to a sport which it has extensive history in the past and more recent history with a particular school.In fact, Northwestern is hoping that the third time will be the charm at Wrigley Field.That's because the Wildcats will play in the baseball stadium for a third time in school history as they host Iowa at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday afternoon. It's just the third football game held in the venue since the Bears moved to Soldier Field at the conclusion of the 1970, playing their last game against the Packers on December 13 of that season. "An opportunity to be a part of a football game at Wrigley Field, what a unique, special experience," said Northwestern interim head coach David Braun of the game at the "Friendly Confines." "To say that I'm getting an opportunity coach in that game, pretty, pretty special. Really excited for our fanbase to experience it, our players to experience this. Really excited for my two boys to get an o...

Skilling: Cloudy, windy start to the weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

Chicagoans enjoyed a sun-filled, 14-deg afternoon temp rebound from yesterday's chill. Highs today surge to 56-deg as Pacific air surged into the area replacing the arctic chill behind the Halloween snowfall on Tuesday and Wednesday's chilly 44-deg high.Interestingly—temps a year ago surged to 72-degrees. The opening days of November 2023 have come in 16.5-deg cooler than Nov 1-2 a year ago.We saw another 2 minutes and 28 sec of daylight disappear today (compared to yesterday). Days continue to shorten in the new month of November,  a trend that continues right up to the winter solstice (the first day of astronomical winter) which occurs Thursday, Dec 21 at 9:27 pm CDT.While October said goodbye to 80 minutes of daylight, the pace at which daily sunlight diminishes slows a bit in November—Chicago's fastest cooling month.  Between Nov 1 and 30th, 59 minutes of daylight will disappear.The shift from Daylight Saving Time to Central Standard Time this weekend means the sun, which sets t...

Drive-thru holiday lights experience coming to Six Flags Great America

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

GURNEE, Ill. — Whimsical lights and winter characters await Six Flags Great America amusement park-goers in celebration of the most wonderful time of the year. World of Illumination's Arctic Adventure, a drive-through lights experience inside the Gurnee area park, opens on select nights from Nov. 17 through Dec. 31. Cedar Fair and Six Flags will merge to create a playtime powerhouse in North America With valid admission to Arctic Adventures, families can enter the Carousel Lights & Market for holiday treats, photo ops, and décor in Carousel Plaza and Orleans Place. Six Flags Season Passes and Legacy Memberships will not be accepted as forms of admission, however. Tickets start at $39.99. Guests interested in going can save 20% on tickets through Nov. 10 using the discount SFGA.The light display will operate rain or shine. Six Flags Great America closing two attractions, preparing for ‘future expansion’ Click here for more information.

Riverdale mayor indicted on perjury, obstruction charges in federal court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

RIVERDALE, Ill. — A federal indictment has been filed against Village of Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson.He was charged with one count of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. Riverdale mayor accused of ‘stacking the deck’ in yearslong garbage dispute Jackson has been in the spotlight for years in connection to a legal fight over garbage pickup in the south suburb. For years, Jackson has been under tight surveillance. In May 2022, the FBI raided the Jackson's house. A day before the raid, federal prosecutors sent a subpoena to the Village of Riverdale for business records related to tri-state disposal, a waste management company located at 138th and Ashland.At one time, the company was contracted by the village for garbage pick-up.Now, suspicions about the village and Jackson's alleged illegal business practices are exposed in a federal indictment filed on Nov. 1. As WGN Investigates reported last year, Tri-State Disposal filed a 2018 civil lawsuit against Jackson and...

Florida man charged after threatening World Jewish Congress, DOJ says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

(The Hill) – The Department of Justice (DOJ) says a Florida man has been arrested and charged with calling the World Jewish Congress and threatening to kill Jewish people, part of a recent spike in antisemitic incidents.In a news release on Thursday, federal authorities said Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel, of Sarasota, was charged with transmitting an interstate threat to injure. According to the criminal compliant, Patel allegedly called the World Jewish Congress headquarters in New York City on October 21 and left a threatening voicemail message.  “If I had a chance, I would kill every single one of you Israelis,” he allegedly said, also identifying himself by name. “Every single one of you! Cause mass genocide of every single Israeli.”When authorities arrived at his residence, Patel confirmed that he called the organization but denied making any threats towards them. “When the officers asked Patel to describe the content of the telephone calls, he explained that he had ca...

White House announces plans for anti-Islamophobia strategy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — As the White House announced plans to develop a national strategy to combat Islamophobia, leaders in the Muslim community say they need more action following an surge in domestic threats."Islamophobia will continue to grow unless the violence overseas, which is fueling bigotry and unrest, stops," Council on American-Islamic Relations civil rights attorney Edward Ahmed Mitchell saidFederal law enforcement reported a surge in threats to both Muslim and Jewish communities since the war between Hamas and Israel erupted. "We've received 774 complaints in the two weeks after Oct. 7 — that's a 245% increase," Mitchell said.He said reckless rhetoric from Washington has made Muslims a target."A few weeks ago, the administrations language was not even recognizing the humanity of Palestinians or the suffering that Muslims in America were experiencing," Mitchell said.The White House this week announced that the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice are working with...

White Sox hire former big league infielder Paul Janish as director of player development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:58 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Former major league infielder Paul Janish is the Chicago White Sox' new director of player development.The team announced the hire Thursday. Janish, 41, takes over for Chris Getz, who became the team's senior vice president/general manager this past summer. On White Sox World Series title anniversary, Bobby Jenks gets a new baseball job in Chicagoland Janish has been on staff for Rice's baseball team since August 2017 and served as associate head coach for the Owls — where he was a member of the program's 2003 College World Series title — the past two seasons.Janish played in 473 big league games in nine seasons. He was with Cincinnati from 2008-11, Atlanta from 2012-13 and Baltimore from 2015-17."Paul brings a wealth of experience to our organization," Getz said. “He has lived every step of the development ladder.”