Stories by Associated Press

White Sox Hire Will Venable as Manager of Beleaguered Team, AP Sources Say

Will Venable, who turned 42 on Tuesday, is stepping in for Pedro Grifol, who was fired in August with the White Sox on their way to breaking the modern major league record for most losses in a season. With Grady Sizemore serving as interim manager, the club finished with a 41-121 record.

Campaign Closing Arguments Show the Stark Choice Between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

Two nights and 200 miles apart, the dueling closing arguments outlined in stark terms the choice U.S. voters face on Nov. 5 when they will weigh two very different visions of leadership and America’s future.

US Supreme Court’s Conservative Justices Allow Virginia to Resume Purge of Voter Registrations

The high court, over the dissents of the three liberal justices, granted an emergency appeal from Virginia’s Republican administration led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The court provided no rationale for its action, which is typical in emergency appeals.

US Economy Grew at a Solid 2.8% Pace Last Quarter on Strength of Consumer Spending

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, accelerated to a 3.7% annual pace last quarter, up from 2.8% in the April-June period. Exports also contributed to the third quarter’s growth, increasing at an 8.9% rate.

Bob’s Burgers’ Actor From Chicago Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison for Role in Capitol Riot

Jay Johnston, 56, of Los Angeles, joined other rioters in a “heave ho” push against police officers guarding a tunnel entrance to the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnston also cracked jokes and interacted with other rioters as he used a cellphone to record the violence around him, prosecutors said.

PepsiCo to Close Chicago Bottling Plant, Impacting 150 Workers

PepsiCo said the decision was difficult but it described the 60-year-old building as a facility with “physical limitations.” The company said it would pay workers for the next 60 days even though they won’t be required to work.

With 1 Week Left, Here’s What to Watch for in the Presidential Campaign

Uncertainty reigns entering the final full week of the 2024 campaign with Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump locked in a fiercely competitive presidential contest. What happens in the coming days will be pivotal in deciding the winner.

Puerto Rico Bristles After Comedian Calls it ‘a Floating Island of Garbage’ at Donald Trump Rally

While Puerto Ricans cannot vote in general elections despite being U.S. citizens, they can exert a powerful influence with relatives on the mainland. Phones across the island of 3.2 million people were ringing minutes after the speaker derided the U.S. territory Sunday night, and they still buzzed Monday.

Chicago Rapper Lil Durk Charged With Orchestrating 2022 Los Angeles Killing

Lil Durk, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the slaying of Saviay’a Robinson, 24, who was gunned down on Aug. 19, 2022, according to an FBI affidavit released Friday.

Filmed in Chicago, Seth Meyers is Trading Politics for Parenting in New Standup Special

The special was shot live at the Vic Theatre in Chicago where Meyers got big laughs when talking about mundane things like not knowing how to fold a stroller and the risks of playing board games with his children, who are 8, 6 and 3 years old.

Amid Renewed Interest, Prosecutors to Recommend Resentencing Menendez Brothers in 1989 Killings of Their Parents

An official with knowledge of the decision who was not authorized to speak on the record ahead of a planned press conference confirmed that Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón would recommend resentencing for the brothers.

DNA Links Suspected Chicago-Area Serial Killer Who Died in 1981 to a Woman’s 1979 Death

The DNA of Bruce Lindahl, who is believed to have killed as many as a dozen women and girls, was confirmed to be on Kathy Halle’s clothing, authorities said.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Here’s How to Stay Safe From Scams

As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online.

New Campus Protest Rules Spur an Outcry From College Faculty

To faculty, new protest rules threaten freedom of speech — and the freedom to think, both central to university life. This semester, some of the most visible demonstrations have involved professors speaking up for the right to protest itself.

More Frozen Waffles and Pancakes Recalled Over Possible Listeria Contamination, Oak Brook-Based Company Says

TreeHouse Foods Inc., of Oak Brook, Illinois, said the updated recall includes all products made at a factory in Ontario, Canada, and sold at stores including Albertson’s, Aldi, Dollar General, Kroger, Publix, Target, Walmart and others. 

In North Carolina, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris Navigate a Hurricane and a Rollercoaster Governor’s Race

The presidential race in North Carolina is playing out in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and alongside a governor's race in which the Trump-endorsed GOP nominee, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, has seen his campaign collapse amid multiple controversies, potentially splintering GOP unity.

Thelma Mothershed Wair, Member of the Little Rock Nine Who Integrated an Arkansas School and Later Moved to Illinois, Has Died

Thelma Mothershed Wair worked in the East St. Louis, Illinois, school system for 10 years as a home economics teacher and for 18 years as a counselor for elementary career education before retiring in 1994. 

North Carolina Early Voters, Still Recovering From Hurricane Helene, Top Turnout in 2020

The State Board of Elections said Friday that a record 353,166 people cast ballots at more than 400 early voting sites statewide on Thursday, compared to 348,599 on the first day in October 2020.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Seek Arab American Votes in Michigan in Effort to Shore Up ‘Blue Wall’ States

Michigan is one of three “blue wall” states that, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, will help decide the election, and the diverse voting blocs are key to winning the state.

Former Chicago Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler Charged With DUI, Possession of Handgun After Traffic Accident

Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and possession of a handgun after a minor collision on Thursday.

Tim Walz Unveils Kamala Harris’ Plan for Rural Voters as Campaign Looks to Cut Into Donald Trump’s Edge

The Harris-Walz plan includes a focus on improving rural health care, such as plans to recruit 10,000 new health care professionals in rural and tribal areas through scholarships, loan forgiveness and new grant programs, as well as economic and agricultural policy priorities. 

Donald Trump’s Economic Plans Would Worsen Inflation, Mainstream Economists Say

Most mainstream economists say Trump’s policy proposals wouldn’t vanquish inflation. They’d make it worse. They warn that his plans to impose huge tariffs on imported goods, deport millions of migrant workers and demand a voice in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policies would likely send prices surging.

In Chicago Appearance, Donald Trump Says It Would Be a ‘Smart Thing’ If He Spoke to Putin But Won’t Confirm He Has

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was pressed on his communication with the Russian president during a wide-ranging — and sometimes contentious — interview with Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait at the Economic Club of Chicago.

Lowriding Is More Than Just Cars. It’s About Family and Culture for Mexican Americans

A movement of expression with origins in Mexican American and Chicano communities, lowriding is an aspect of Latino history in the U.S. in which people show their pride, honor family and uplift culture. But misrepresentation of the culture in entertainment and media has often associated the lowriding’s “low and slow” motto with gang culture.

Walgreens to Close 1,200 US Stores as Illinois-Based Chain Attempts to Steady Operations in US

The company said Tuesday that about 500 stores will close in the current fiscal year and should immediately support earnings and free cash flow. Walgreens didn’t say where the store closings would take place.

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya Breaks World Record by Nearly 2 Minutes at Chicago Marathon

Ruth Chepngetich became the first woman to break 2:10 in the marathon. She also won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022 and finished runner-up last year.
 

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