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Decaying Pillsbury mill in Illinois that once churned flour into opportunity is now getting new life

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — It was the dog, stuck atop skyscraping grain silos on Springfield’s northeast side in 2019, that forced Chris Richmond’s hand.The stray had found its way to the top of the behemoth Pillsbury Mills, for decades a flour-churning engine of the central Illinois city’s economy but now vacant more than 20 years. Rescue was too risky amid such decay, officials said. The brief but precarious appearance by the dog, found dead at ground level days later after ingesting rat poison, represented the hopelessness posed by the vacant campus, Richmond recalled. “That’s when I said, ‘This is just unacceptable in our community,'” said the 54-year-old retired city fire marshal, whose father’s Pillsbury paycheck made him and his brother first-generation college graduates.A year later, Richmond and allies emerged with a nonprofit called Moving Pillsbury Forward and a five-year, $10 million plan to raze the century-old plant and renew the 18-ac...

New migrants face fear and loneliness. A town on the Great Plains has a storied support network

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

FORT MORGAN, Colo. (AP) — Magdalena Simon’s only consolation after immigration officers handcuffed and led her husband away was the contents of his wallet, a few bills.The hopes that had pushed her to trudge thousands of miles from Guatemala in 2019, her son’s small frame clutched to her chest, ceded to despair and loneliness in Fort Morgan, a ranching outpost on Colorado’s eastern plains, where some locals stared at her too long and the wind howls so fiercely it once blew the doors half off a hotel.The pregnant Simon tried to mask the despair every morning when her toddlers asked, “Where’s papa?”To millions of migrants who have crossed the U.S. southern border in the past few years, stepping off greyhound buses in places across America, such feelings can be constant companions. What Simon would find in this unassuming city of a little more than 11,400, however, was a community that pulled her in, connecting her with legal council, charities, schools and soon friends, a unique...

Nevada tribe says coalitions, not lawsuits, will protect sacred sites as US advances energy agenda

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The room was packed with Native American leaders from across the United States, all invited to Washington to hear from federal officials about President Joe Biden’s accomplishments and new policy directives aimed at improving relationships and protecting sacred sites.Arlan Melendez was not among them.The longtime chairman of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony convened his own meeting 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) away. He wanted to show his community would find another way to fight the U.S. government’s approval of a massive lithium mine at the site where more than two dozen of their Paiute and Shoshone ancestors were massacred in 1865.Opposed by government lawyers at every legal turn, Melendez said another arduous appeal would not save sacred sites from being desecrated.“We’re not giving up the fight, but we are changing our strategy,” Melendez said.That shift for the Nevada tribe comes as Biden and other top federal officials double down on their vows to ...

Financial pressures forcing Etobicoke church housing refugees to close by end of December

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

A Toronto church that has been on the front lines of the refugee housing crisis says it will be forced to close its doors as of December 28 due to a lack of funds.Nadine Miller with Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles in Etobicoke says they have been working around the clock since July to make sure refugees have a roof over their heads and warm food to eat.“Canada itself is known as a place of refuge. Internationally we have danced well, we have done well, we give well but now it’s in our country and we cannot allow Black people to sleep on the street,” she said.“We really need a helping hand at this point. We need those with a voice to stand up with us.”Miller says the cost to keep Pilgrim Feast Tabernacles running as a shelter has put the church into debt to the tune of between $700- to $800,000.“On a given month with all the different locations that we have, it’s $30,000. And then you have staff, that another $100,000. Every month we’re in at...

SFFD: 3 food truck workers in Union Square injured after stove ruptured

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

(KRON) -- Three food truck workers in Union Square were taken to the hospital Saturday evening after an incident in the kitchen, the San Francisco Fire Department said. The three workers suffered burn injuries after a stove inside the truck "ruptured."SFFD said the food truck was in the area of Stockton and Geary streets. There was no fire and no danger to people near the food truck.Video from the Citizen App shows the scene of first responders tending to the incident. Watch in the media player above. SFFD first tweeted about the incident at 8:28 p.m. No other information was immediately available. Pro-Palestine protestor climbs on Christmas tree in Union Square Earlier in the day, police advised the public to avoid Union Square due to protestors committing crimes that range from assault to damage to property. That scene has since been cleared, and several suspects were arrested, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

DC crime lab appears to regain partial accreditation after losing ability to process evidence

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

Washington, D.C., has been unable to fully utilize its crime lab since 2021, when, after months of scrutiny and evidence errors, the forensics lab had its national accreditation suspended. However, that problem appears to be entering the embattled agency’s rearview mirror.Recently published certificates from the ANSI National Accreditation Board appear to return accreditation to the District’s forensic biology laboratory through December of 2026.The news comes just months after D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau highlighted improvements in the crime lab and a path to reaccreditation by 2024. Previous details shared by the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences mirrored these estimates.“I was really excited to learn that last month they filed for reaccreditation of the Forensic Biology and Forensic Chemistry Units which helps us address, crime and evidence here in the District of Columbia,” Nadeau said during a visit to the forensics department Thursday.Both chemistry ...

Anthony Edwards scores 34 points as the Timberwolves beat the Kings 110-98

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 34 points and 10 assists, Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 17 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Sacramento Kings 110-98 on Saturday night. Jaden McDaniels had 20 points and Kyle Anderson scored 10 for the Timberwolves in place of star center Karl-Anthony Towns, who sat out with left knee soreness. Minnesota improved to 22-6, tied with Boston for the best record in the NBA.De’Aaron Fox had 27 points and six assists for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis finished with a triple-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.The Kings shot 8 of 33 from beyond the arc, the fewest 3-pointers they’ve made in a game this season. Minnesota outrebounded Sacramento 43-40 and forced 11 turnovers. After the Kings cut their deficit to 11 going into the fourth quarter, Minnesota went on a 12-2 run to open the period. Sacramento trimmed it to 100-95 on a layup by Trey Lyles with two minutes left. But on the next Kings possession, Lyl...

Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras score lacrosse-style goals on NHL’s final night before break

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

On the NHL’s final night before its holiday break, Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras combined for a stylish celebration of lacrosse.Bedard and Zegras each scored a lacrosse-style — or “Michigan” — goal on Saturday in a pair of highlights that likely will be watched repeatedly before the league returns to action on Wednesday night.It is commonly referred to as a Michigan goal in honor of Mike Legg, who pulled it off while he was playing for the Wolverines during the 1996 NCAA Tournament.The 18-year-old Bedard executed the move for the first time since he was selected by Chicago with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft.With the Blackhawks down 1-0 in the first period at St. Louis, Bedard got a pass from Philipp Kurashev behind the Blues net. The center then cradled the puck with his stick before slamming it into the corner, over the left shoulder of goaltender Jordan Binnington.“There was just no one there, and just thought it was a good play, and yeah, kind of w...

Zegras gets another lacrosse goal, but Dunn, Tatar lead Kraken past Ducks 3-2 before holiday break

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists, Tomas Tatar scored his second goal since joining Seattle last week, and the Kraken overcame a late lacrosse-style goal scored by Trevor Zegras for a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night.Oliver Bjorkstrand also scored and Joey Daccord made 32 saves for the Kraken, who have earned points in six straight games, including three consecutive road games. Tatar added an assist in his second multi-point performance in his first four games with the team, and Matty Beniers had two assists.“We’ve played very consistently over the last few weeks,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “I think we’ve gone one game in our last eight that we haven’t got points, so our guys are playing hard, regardless of what our lineup may or may not look like. Whoever’s available is going out and doing the job, working hard together. We’ve put a good string together here now, (and) three days will be valuable rest time.”The Krake...

UConn center Donovan Clingan out about a month with a right foot injury

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:37:29 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Fifth-ranked UConn will be without star center Donovan Clingan for about a month because of a right foot injury, the school said Saturday.The 7-foot-2 sophomore was hurt coming down under the basket during the second half of the Huskies’ 15-point loss at Seton Hall on Wednesday.Tests showed Clingan hurt a tendon in the foot, the school said in a statement that did not elaborate on the extent of the injury.Clingan missed a month of the preseason with an injury to the same foot, but UConn coach Dan Hurley said Friday that the two injuries are not related.Clingan is averaging just under 14 points and a little more than six rebounds.The announcement came just before the Huskies (11-2, 1-1 Big East) beat St. John’s (8-4, 1-1) 69-65 on Saturday night in Hartford. UConn won’t play again until it returns to campus on Jan. 2 for a game against DePaul.___Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here___ AP colle...