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Suburban school program empowers children with hearing loss through music

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

WOOD DALE, IL. — A music program at a suburban school is helping young children with hearing loss build their communication skills and confidence. Music To My Ears is a partnership between merit schools of music and the Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources (FHSR) at Child's Voice in Suburban Wood Dale.Wendy Deters is the executive producer there. "We believe that music actually enhances kids ability to listen and talk," Deters said.Deters said Child’s Voice is a listening and spoken language program for children with hearing loss.Sally Blandon with Merit helped to develop the curriculum and teaches classes for the program that launched in January 2020, building on research, showing the many benefits of music for children with hearing loss. "We’ve had children that start out in early intervention and they’re scared to vocalize or they might just whisper quietly and then after having music for a couple of weeks and sometimes months they will vocalize" Blandon said. Tom Skilli...

Mother organizes brunch for moms who have lost loved ones to gun violence

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

CHICAGO — Tonya Burch, a mother who lost two sons to gun violence, organized her annual 'Taking Back Our Community' Brunch Saturday.Every year ahead of Mother's Day, Burch organizes the event as a means to help mothers come together and cope with the tragedy of losing children to gun violence by celebrating their memory."I just love to hear stories from other people because it uplifts me," said Sharon Purnell, who lost her only son, Damien, and her husband to gun violence. "It gives me a chance to hear somebody else's story and I can relate to them."The day was filled with food and fellowship among the mothers in attendance, with each going home with earrings bearing pictures of their sons and daughters. Delphine Cherry, whose son and daughter both died from gun violence, went home with a picture of one child in each earring. Tom Skilling ‘switches on summer’ and the Buckingham Fountain "I have been in this fight ever since," Cherry said. "[I'm] trying to get as many guns off the ...

Volunteers plant sunflowers in vacant Chicago lot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

CHICAGO — Just a few blocks away from Washington Park, a vacant lot is providing the grounding force for planting seeds of hope. Near 54th and South Prairie next to Green Line, a field of sunflowers will soon greet so many. PHOTOS: WGN anchors and reporters celebrate moms in honor of Mother’s Day! "I wanted to come out and be part of it to help beautify the community," Tamara Robbins said. Robbins was one of the many volunteers who came to help on Saturday. Just a few weeks ago and a few blocks away, WGN News showed you a takeover of tulips at 53rd Street. It was inspired by Ghian Foreman's trip to Amsterdam a few years ago. ‘Proof not promise:’ Former United Airlines CEO reflects on tenure, talks aviation’s future "I saw a field of tulips and just thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen," Foreman said. His Emerad South Economic Development Collaborative picked the site to plant the first sunflowers, a sign of happiness, health and hope."They help to remediate sto...

Weekend Break: Team Blonde in Forest Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

FOREST PARK, Ill. — WGN Weekend Morning News went to Forest Park to check out Team Blonde.Weekend Break stopped by to check out the stop that is part spa and part gift shop. MORE STORIES: Weekend Break Watch this story in the player above.

State of Texas: Efforts aim to expand state border enforcement power

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) - In the days leading up to the end of Title 42 immigration restrictions, state leaders made moves to prepare for an anticipated surge of migrants. On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott deployed a newly-formed unit he calls the Texas Tactical Border Force. He announced the deployment at a news conference at an airport runway in Austin. Behind him, military aircraft loaded with equipment prepared to take hundreds of National Guard troops to their mission."They will be deployed to hotspots along the border to intercept to repel and to turn back migrants who are trying to enter Texas illegally," Abbott told reporters.The Governor ordered a similar deployment last December - when he sent troops to El Paso to seal off areas where people were crossing the border illegally.Border enforcement is supposed to be handled by the federal government. But Texas lawmakers are moving closer to creating a way for the state to have more enforcement ability.House lawmakers approved HB 7,...

New regulations would require iron mining industry to reduce emissions of toxic mercury

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. — Federal authorities have proposed new regulations that would force the Minnesota and Michigan iron mining industry to slash its mercury emissions.The rule announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week follows two decades of litigation and other pressure by tribes and environmental groups who have long urged the agency to adopt mercury limits.The six iron ore processing plants in northeastern Minnesota would be required to cut their emissions by 57% by the end of 2026. They’re the largest source of mercury pollution in Minnesota, accounting for about half its emissions. The rule also applies to two mining operations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Virtually all U.S. iron ore processing occurs at those Michigan and Minnesota mines.“We’re glad to see some limits at long last on this pollution,” James Pew, an attorney with Earthjustice, told Minnesota Public Radio. He sued the EPA on behalf of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa an...

Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall pushing himself as he learns basics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

The football jumps out of Jaren Hall’s hand. There’s no doubt about that.Watch him throw and it’s not hard to figure out why the Vikings selected the 25-year-old quarterback in the fifth round of last month’s draft.Now the key for Hall is familiarizing himself with the offense as soon as possible. He got the playbook shortly after being drafted and crammed as much as he could ahead of rookie minicamp. He got a chance to showcase his knowledge over the weekend as he and dozens of other players descended upon TCO Performance Center in Eagan.Asked for his biggest goal coming out of rookie minicamp, Hall emphasized that he simply wants to get a little bit better every day. He knows if he can do that he will put himself in a good position moving forward.“Just get comfortable with some of the basics,” Hall said. “The fundamentals within the offense are a little different than what I’ve done in the past.”Because of that, Hall has alread...

St. Louis BBQ joint named 'best road trip food stop' in Missouri

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

ST. LOUIS - We're getting closer to that time of year when families travel all around the United States for summer road trips. Of course, if you're heading somewhere unfamiliar, there's one part of the experience that can really lift spirits. The food. You might pick a restaurant based on friendly recommendations or something you're craving. Whatever the reason, food experts from Insider.com want to help. They just released a report naming the "best road trip food stop in every state," can't-miss selections that are backed by Yelp reviews. I-64 open after massive flooding from a main break If you're passing through the Midwest and you're hungry, hopefully St. Louis is on your way. One well-known barbecue joint in the Gateway City takes the title as the "best road trip food stop" in Missouri. Insider has bestowed the honor to Pappy's Smokehouse, located at 3106 Olive Street in Midtown. Open since 2008, Pappy's has won numerous awards for its BBQ, including "Best Ribs in America" b...

Two teens hurt from drive-by shootings in St. Louis

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Two teenagers are hurt after a pair of early-weekend drive-by shootings in St. Louis. The victims, two 16-year-old boys, were both treated for critical injuries. The first of these two shootings happened just before 9 p.m. Friday in the 3800 block of Sullivan Avenue in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. Investigators say the victim was shot in an alley and suffered an apparent gunshot wound to his collarbone. The victim was reportedly shot by someone in an older model grey sedan. Trending Story: Mother delivers healthy baby boy thanks to Pike County 911 Dispatcher The second shooting happened around Union and Bircher boulevards in north St. Louis. The victim was walking across from a gas station when he noticed a driver in a black Mazda 3 heading north on Union. Someone inside the vehicle, while wearing a black ski mask, leaned out of the passenger side window and fired multiple shots. The victim was struck on the lower right side and his arm. The St. Louis Metropolit...

Broncos minicamp observations: Walmart jokes, searching for diamonds and Sean Payton settling into the new job

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:26 GMT

Sean Payton had just been telling Broncos CEO Greg Penner about the strong impression quarterback Ben DiNucci made on Day 1 of Denver’s minicamp before DiNucci served up Day 2’s highlight.The veteran quarterback, fresh off a strong showing in the XFL, played on the same field here last August for the Dallas Cowboys during a joint practice session. Now he’s back for Denver’s rookie minicamp as a 26-year-old trying to make his way back into the NFL.On this day, he threw a quick, out-breaking route in 7-on-7 that Broncos third-round rookie linebacker Drew Sanders intercepted and returned up the sideline.“I was telling Greg before practice that this Ben DiNucci was doing well,” Payton said. “So I told Ben, ‘He owns Walmart. If it doesn’t work out here, there will be, I’m sure, a greeting opportunity somewhere at one of his local stores.’”The quarterback said after practice that he got a “good laugh” out of the wise crack.“It happens. I’d rather it be in a 7-on-7 than a team period...