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Wicker Park bar named one of the nation's best by Food & Wine

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

CHICAGO — Cheers are in order for one Chicago bar's national recognition. The Violet Hour in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood is ranked among the best in the United States, as voted by readers of Food & Wine. Located at 1520 N Damen Ave., the James Beard Award-winning bar cracked the 2023 top-10 list for its “artisanal cocktails in the heart of Wicker Park" and "attentive staff.""Whatever direction [staff] point you to (drinks are broken down by Shaken or Stirred), you’ll come away with something as distinctive as it is delicious," the online magazine wrote. The list includes the following entries:SEE ALSO: A new cocktail book from The Violet Hour’s Beverage Director1.) The Fox: Nashville, Tennessee2.) Chez Zou: New York, New York3.) Chandelier Bar: New Orleans, Louisiana4.) Pebble Bar: New York, New York5.) Overstory: New York, New York6.) Bar Marilou: New Orleans, Louisiana7.) The Bar at The Spectator Hotel: Charleston, South Carolina8.) Bemelman’s Bar: New York, New York9.)...

Erykah Badu coming to Chicago this summer

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

CHICAGO -- Considered to be one of the queens of R&B, Erykah Badu will be stopping in the "Windy City" this summer. Erykah Badu will be performing at the United Center in Chicago as part of her "Unfollow Me Tour" on Saturday, July 1. Chicago & House Music: A relationship over four decades in the making Badu won four Grammy's for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the 1996 hit "On & On," and Best R&B Album for her 1997 debut album "Baduizm." She also won Best Rap Performance by a duo or group for her 1999 feature on The Roots' "You Got Me," and Best R&B Song in 2002 for "Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)."The 19-time Grammy Award nominated artist was last in Chicago for the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2021.Yasiin Bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def, will also be apart of the "Unfollow Me Tour."The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 1.For ticket information, click here.

Best high schools for sports in Illinois

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

More than 7.6 million high school students played sports across the U.S. during the 2021-22 academic year, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Those athletes participated in a slew of sports: from football—the most popular sport for high school boys with 1 million players nationwide—to track and field, which is the most popular sport amongst high school girls in the U.S. with more than 488,000 athletes.The dynamic landscape of high school sports has created competition not only between athletes but the institutions they represent. With more than 23,500 public and private secondary and high schools across the country, determining the best options for athletes is an arduous process.High schools across the country are vying to be crowned the best institution for athletes in America and not only has the battle become personal but regional as well. States like California and Florida, which have high-profile high-school athletic prog...

L.A. man accused of tossing caged puppy over fence, police say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — A man was arrested for animal cruelty after reportedly tossing and injuring a caged puppy in Los Angeles' Tujunga area.The suspect was identified as Daniel Arias, 25, by the Los Angeles Police Department.Police were alerted to a “disturbing video showing a suspect throwing a caged puppy over a fence near Renaissance Drive and Cardamine Court" on March 27. Elon Musk pays for LeBron James, Stephen King and William Shatner’s Twitter check marks Arias was reportedly shown on video exiting his SUV and opening the rear gate before grabbing a dog crate with a two-month-old puppy still inside, police said.Arias then walked to the side with the caged dog and tossed it over a fence, said LAPD. Officers later responded to the area and contacted a resident who had discovered the injured pup along the Tujunga wash.L.A. Animal Services took the puppy in and a physical examination revealed “several injuries that doctors noted were most likely due to the fall from being throw...

Execution date withdrawn for Texas death row inmate Ivan Cantu

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- A judge in Collin County ordered that the execution date for convicted murderer Ivan Abner Cantu be withdrawn "pending further order" from the court.Ivan's execution had been scheduled for April 26.Collin County District Court Judge Benjamin Smith signed the order on Wednesday, the same day that Ivan's mother, Sylvia Cantu, went to the Texas Capitol to advocate for a stay of execution from the Governor's Office. PREVIOUS: Mother of death row inmate Ivan Cantu seeks new trial after key witness recants testimony The order also notes that the court determined the necessity of further hearings in the case. No dates have been set for those proceedings.You can read the full order below:0230416-Proposed-Order-Motion-to-WithdrawpdfDownloadOne group assisting Sylvia in her son's case is the non-profit Death Penalty Action. Abraham Bonowitz, that organization's executive director, issued a statement in a press release Wednesday night: U.S. Supreme Court sid...

Body found just north of Temple identified as missing Austin woman

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

BELL COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) -- A body found in Bell County has been identified as a missing person out of Austin.Bell County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded Friday morning to a report of a dead person in a bar-ditch near the 1300 block of Berger Road - just north of Temple. Investigators identified the person as 25-year-old Tiera Strand - who was listed as a missing person out of Austin. She was last seen on Sunday, April 16 near the 400 block of E. 6th Street in Austin. Investigators coordinated with the Austin Police Department to notify the victim’s next of kin, officials said. The cause and manner of death are unknown - pending a determination from the medical examiner, the release.This is a joint investigation between BCSD and the Austin Police Department's Homicide Unit. If anyone has any information regarding this case, you can call the BCSD CID at (254) 933-5442 or the Austin Police Department's tip line at (512) 472-8477.

DFL senator files ethics complaint over message with link to ‘disturbing’ video

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Minnesota Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Glen Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe, over an email he sent to the chamber’s 34 Democrats containing a link to a video labeled “transgender surgeries on minor children.”Maye Quade said the video included images of “children’s genitalia” that Gruenhagen himself called “extremely graphic and disturbing.” Maye Quade said the email was against Senate rules because it amounted to a violation of “accepted norms of Senate behavior, that betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor or disrepute.”Maye Quade mentioned the ethics complaint during a news conference Friday before the Senate was expected to debate legislation making Minnesota a refuge for families where transgender youth can receive gender affirming care.“This crossed the line,” Maye Quade said of the email.Sen. Erin Maye QuadeIn response to the complai...

Wild want the puck on Kirill Kaprizov’s stick

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Kirill Kaprizov was a big reason the Wild were competitive in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series against St. Louis last season, finishing Minnesota’s loss with seven goals and an assist in six games.That’s a tall order to repeat, but the Wild will likely need more out of their young left winger to get past Dallas in this year’s first-round series against the Stars, which was knotted at a game apiece before the series moved to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday at Xcel Energy Center.Kaprizov scored on a deflection in the Wild’s 3-2, double-overtime victory in Game 1, but he didn’t make much of an offensive impact in Wednesday’s 7-3 loss in Game 2 at American Airlines Center.Kaprizov, in fact, finished that game with more hits (5) than shots on goal (2). In two games, he has one point and just eight shots on goal.“We need Kirill to have the puck a little bit more, probably, make them chase him a little bit more,” coach Dean Evason said after his team’s morning skate Friday.Af...

More bones found buried in Schenectady yard

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An unusual discovery in Schenectady has led police to opening an investigation surrounding a side yard on Paige Street. It all started when a jaw bone was found buried in the ground.It's not your usual springtime dig. Investigators with the New York State Police and Schenectady Police Department were sifting through dirt on Friday after a woman prepping her yard the day before found what police said is likely a human jaw bone. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Friday morning, police discovered more bone fragments at the site. They said some were animal bones, and the others were too small to identify at the moment. Experts at the New York State Museum, who are not involved in the investigation, said it's usually easy to determine."If you're an archaeologist or bioarchaeologist, you'd be pretty quick at knowing which features to look for, even if it was broken, to know whether it was human," Rober...

'Viking Fest' coming to Glens Falls

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A horde of Vikings storms Glens Falls this Saturday - sort of. "Viking Day" comes to City Park from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday, April 22. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Organized by the teen center at Crandall Public Library, the Nordic festivities are free to the public. Viking reenactors from the enthusiast organization Vykeland will be onsite, performing demonstrations with heavy traditional weapons, as well as crafts. Viking Day is also a chance for other reenactor groups to shine. Medieval reenactment group Shire of Glenn Linn will offer brave members of the public a chance to get into "boffering" - the art of simulated handheld combat using a foam-padded weapon. Glens Falls welcomes its Japanese sister city to town Viking Day runs from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday. City Park is getting its schedule topped off, with Glens Falls Wing Fest coming next weekend, and Glens Falls Pet Fest taking its own...