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Building safer spaces for teenagers online

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

Life online can be immensely rewarding. Every day, billions of people around the world use the internet to connect with like-minded people, view and create videos, listen to and make music, learn more about the world, have fun and forge deep friendships. But, as with all environments, there can be risks. Since 2018, Instagram and its parent company, Meta, have offered young users of the app a suite of tools and resources to help them protect themselves online and ensure that their internet usage remains safe and healthy. “We want to help keep young people safer online, which includes supporting parents and guardians to be more involved in their teens’ experiences,” says Ciara Farren, marketing director for Europe at Meta.Safety mattersProtection begins from the moment an account is opened. Across Europe, Meta has implemented policies that reduce advertisers’ access to user data of minors for targeting purposes.By default, users under 18 can not be messaged by adults they don...

From Gilmore to Jordan to Winter, meet the 13 people in the Chicago Bulls’ inaugural Ring of Honor class

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson and 11 other legendary Chicago Bulls players, coaches and executives will be honored in January as the team celebrates its history with the creation of a Ring of Honor.The Bulls announced the inaugural class Tuesday. In addition to Jordan and Jackson, it includes Artis Gilmore, Johnny “Red” Kerr, Dick Klein, Jerry Krause, Toni Kukoč, Bob Love, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Jerry Sloan, Chet Walker and Tex Winter.The entire 1995-96 team — which went 72-10 on its way to the NBA championship, the Bulls’ fourth of six titles in an eight-year span — also will be inducted into the Ring of Honor. That includes players Jordan, Kukoč, Pippen, Rodman, Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, James Edwards, Jack Haley, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, John Salley, Dickey Simpkins and Bill Wennington; coaches Jackson, Winter, Jim Cleamons, Erik Helland, John Paxson and Jimmy Rodgers; and front-office members Krause, Ivica...

San Diego County home sales down, prices up slightly in November: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Home sales in San Diego County declined while prices up-ticked this month, according to a report.The Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR), a company that uses data from the San Diego Multiple Listing Service (SDMLS), released its study Monday showing single-family resale home sales, were down by more than 17% in November compared to October. The median price of single-family homes rose 2% to $980,000.Condominiums and townhomes sales, which were nearly 15% lower than last month, have a median price of $667,500, a 1% jump compared to October, according to SDAR. San Diego ‘street vet’ makes history after honored as CNN’s 2023 Hero of the Year “Home sales dropping as we enter the December holiday season is a very typical phenomenon in a yearly housing market cycle,” SDAR President Frank Powell said. “While families begin to spend more on travel and gifts, home buyers and sellers become busier and more cash strapped, creating an anticipated dem...

Delegates have a new, stronger climate proposal at COP28 as nations push for an end to fossil fuels

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A new compromise floated early Wednesday at United Nations COP28 climate talks called for the world to eventually wean itself off planet-warming fossil fuels in a global rallying cry stronger than proposed days earlier but with loopholes that upset critics.The new proposal doesn’t specifically use the language of calling for a “phase-out” of fossil fuels, which more than 100 nations had pleaded for. Instead, it calls for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade.” The transition would be in a way that gets the world to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 and follows the dictates of climate science. It projects a world peaking its ever-growing carbon pollution by the year 2025 to reach its agreed upon threshold, but gives wiggle room to individual nations like China to peak later.Intensive sessions with all sorts of delegates went we...

Brother of former Harvey mayor convicted in strip club shakedown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

HARVEY, Ill.  — The brother of former south suburban Mayor Eric Kellogg has been convicted of shaking down operators of a strip club in Harvey.After a week-long trial, a jury convicted 71-year-old Rommell Kellog, a Harvey Resident, of obtaining money by threat from the strip club.According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Illinois, Kellog was convicted on five counts, including conspiracy to commit theft and intimidation and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote theft and intimidation.The conviction was announced in a press release sent out on Tuesday afternoon. Police identify 2 killed in Chicago Lawn shooting Prosecutors said Rommell Kellog and a cousin used their relatives' high-ranking positions in Harvey as leverage to get $3,000 payments from the club every two weeks for years.The cousins were accused of threatening to have the City of Harvey shut the business down if the money stopped flowing. Man fatally struck by semi w...

Narcan: The new CPR? Local pharmacist wants to teach people how to use the life-saving nasal spray

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

CHICAGO — In the midst of the national opioid crisis, access to Narcan, the nasal form of the opioid overdose antidote, is easier than ever. But would you know how to use it? Well, a local pharmacist says learning how to administer Narcan should be as common as CPR training.Northwestern Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Sterling Elliott always has Narcan nasal spray on hand, because someone might need a life-saving opioid overdose reversal at any moment."I’ve actually got two of these that I carry in the bag at any one time," Elliott says. "If the need comes on, I know what I’m doing."And he wants others to know, too, giving pharmacy students lessons on the life-saving spray they'll offer on the job. It goes for $45, and it's over-the-counter. "It's been exposed to us more and more, especially as it’s been offered over-the-counter in recent years," Purdue University pharmacy candidate Jack Moen said.Added Rosalind Franklin University pharmacy student Kelsey Lanigan: "It could help someon...

16-year-old cat survives Tennessee tornado while owner was out of town

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

MADISON, Tenn. (WKRN) — An elderly cat survived a devastating tornado in Tennessee over the weekend and will be reunited with its owner, who was out of town during the storm. The feline, named Sandy, was found curled up in some bedding near a home in Madison, a Nashville suburb where three people were killed Saturday afternoon in the tornado.Nashville resident Erica Williams said she was scrolling through Facebook on Sunday when she stumbled upon her friend's livestream, which showed the storm damage in Madison. Williams said she noticed an animal in the rubble and zoomed in. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, that is a little kitty cat!'" she told Nexstar's WKRN. PHOTOS: Aftermath of deadly tornado outbreak in Middle TN She sent messages to her friend, Ricky Sessum, who initially didn't see the cat. After going back to the home where he filmed his live video, Sessum located the sandy-colored cat and brought it inside his truck. Williams said Sessum told her the cat was alive but "barely ...

Former Benton County attorney acquitted of sexual assault charges involving teenage girl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

A former chief prosecutor in central Minnesota’s Benton County was acquitted Friday of two counts of second-degree sexual conduct after a two-week jury trial in Mille Lacs County.Former County Attorney Philip Kent Miller, 63, was previously charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct, according to a complaint filed in July 2021.Those charges alleged Miller of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl once in March 2020 and another instance a month or two later, according to court documents. The girl told investigators Miller entered her bedroom and assaulted her more than once while she was sleeping or pretending to sleep, according to a filed complaint.Shortly after several news outlets published stories about the charges, Miller’s legal team released a statement, according to court documents.“Mr. Miller staunchly denies the allegations and asserts his innocence — which he was [sic] been doing since the inception of the investigation,” the statement read.“As a veteran prosecuto...

Parents persist in summer camp safety fight after child's death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The parents of a 6-year-old boy who drowned at his summer camp in south St. Louis County are fighting for changes that up until this point have largely met with resistance from politicians.“We need change,” Olga Mister said before confronting the St. Louis County Council. “We need to regulate all camps in St. Louis County.”Olga and her husband Travone’s 6-year-old son, T.J., drowned in July 2022 at a St. Louis County-run summer camp that was understaffed and missing life-saving equipment.The county settled the Misters’ lawsuit in July 2023 and County Executive Sam Page ordered new safety rules for county-run summer camps, including required background checks and CPR training.FOX 2 was in attendance at the official announcement this past October at a playground dedication in T.J.’s honor. Olga said the safety rule changes are not enough.“We appreciate the gesture, but we will continue the fight,” she said. 12-year-old shoots mother’s boyfriend following argu...

Violent collision flips St. Louis police vehicle; officers not seriously injured

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:19 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Two St. Louis police officers were not seriously injured after their vehicle was flipped over following a violent collision at a north city intersection.The crash happened just after 8:30 p.m. in The Ville neighborhood, at North Sarah Street and St. Louis Avenue.Police claim a white Nissan was traveling north on Sarah, blew through a stop sign, and smashed into a squad car traveling west on St. Louis.The force of the impact rolled the police car onto its roof, coming to a rest in front of a convenience store.The driver of the Nissan was not seriously injured. A blood alcohol test will be administered.