Category: News
From Border Incursions To Stadiums: Counter-Drone Systems To Protect World Cup Games
From Border Incursions To Stadiums: Counter-Drone Systems To Protect World Cup Games
Whether the brief shutdown of El Paso airspace was driven by a reported U.S. military directed-energy counter-drone weapon or what senior U.S. officials characterized as a Mexican cartel drone incursion remains unresolved at the moment.
Our assessment is that, with FIFA World Cup matches just months away, the Trump administration is racing to deploy counter-drone systems. After all, President Donald Trump signed last year’s “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty” executive order, which set the stage for accelerating counter-UAS and airspace security technology.
On Tuesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that, through the federal Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program, four New York public safety agencies will use $17.2 million to fund equipment and systems that “detect, identify, track, monitor and/or mitigate unmanned aircraft systems” during the FIFA World Cup matches.
“With the evolution of technology comes new ways it can be used to harm others,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will go a long way to keep New Yorkers safe while allowing historic events like the 2026 World Cup and our nation’s 250th birthday to be celebrated safely and securely.”
Earlier this morning, defense tech firm Fortem Technologies announced it had received a multimillion-dollar contract to deploy its net-equipped DroneHunter at U.S. venues during soccer games this summer.
Last month, U.S. military, federal agencies, and local authorities gathered for a two-day summit near U.S. Northern Command headquarters, bringing together federal agencies, 11 U.S. host committees, and FIFA’s security heads to prepare for matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“We’re never going to not worry about a dirty bomb,” Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosanna Cordero-Stutz, who participated in the planning session, told Politico. “But we also recognize that there’s a lot of other things that we need to worry about as well.”
“You can’t just give counter-UAS mitigation equipment to law enforcement that hasn’t learned how to use it yet,” said White House FIFA World Cup Task Force Coordinator Andrew Giuliani, who coordinated the federal government’s role in tournament preparations and addressed the drone threat at the summit.
To FIFA officials and U.S. government leaders, the fastest-growing threat to the host cities across North America will be drones.
Last month, we outlined the theme that the rise of “Next-Gen Counter-Drone Security” was certainly upon us, but our focus was on securing data centers.
We pointed out that Wall Street analysts largely end their analysis at the financing and construction of next-generation data centers, with limited discussion regarding the modern security architecture required once these facilities are built and become instant high-value targets for non-state actors or foreign adversaries (read this); traditional perimeter measures such as metal chain-link fencing and standard surveillance systems are rendered utterly useless in the world of emerging AI threats, including coordinated autonomous drone or swarm-based attacks.
Our view is that the counter-drone industry is set to see a rush of investment in companies developing and deploying detect-and-identify systems, as well as defeat systems such as soft-kill or hard-kill options that could include kinetic sentry systems.
If you’re wondering what a hard-kill option looks like …
… Allen Control Systems has that covered.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 18:50
Congreso de Perú anuncia próxima reunión para votar destitución de presidente interino José Jerí
Associated Press
LIMA (AP) — El Congreso de Perú anunció que el próximo martes se votará siete pedidos de censura contra el mandatario interino José Jerí por sus reuniones ocultas con empresarios chinos que podrían removerlo del cargo y devolverlo a su puesto de congresista, que ejercía antes de subir al poder en octubre.
El presidente del Parlamento Fernando Rospigliosi informó el viernes que el único tema de la reunión parlamentaria será la censura de Jerí del cargo interino de mandatario que ocupa por sucesión legal desde el 10 de octubre de 2025 luego que el Congreso destituyó a la entonces presidenta Dina Boluarte (2022-2025).
Boluarte no tenía vicepresidentes por lo que la Constitución ordenó que en ese caso quien lo tenía que suceder era el presidente del Parlamento, que en ese momento era José Jerí.
A mediados de enero, la prensa reveló varias reuniones ocultas de Jerí —realizadas entre diciembre e inicios de enero— con al menos dos empresarios chinos Yang Zihua y Ji Xiaodong. Yang es contratista estatal y Ji está investigado por la fiscalía en una trama de presunto tráfico de madera de la Amazonía.
Jerí se ha defendido indicando que se reunió porque quería coordinar el Día de la Confraternidad Peruano–China, que se celebró por segundo año consecutivo el 1 de febrero, una festividad a la cual finalmente Jerí no asistió. Jerí ha indicado que también se reunió con ellos porque quería comer comida china y caramelos chinos.
La fiscalía también abrió una investigación preliminar contra Jerí por los presuntos delitos de patrocinio ilegal de intereses particulares y tráfico de influencias en agravio del Estado.
Un grueso de legisladores al parecer no cree sus descargos y a fines de enero presentó siete pedidos diferentes para censurar a Jerí. El viernes se acumularon también 78 firmas de legisladores para que, según el reglamento del Parlamento, se solicite una sesión extraordinaria, la cual se realizará el martes.
Ese día se necesita apenas el voto de una mayoría simple de los legisladores presentes en la reunión para que Jerí sea destituido del cargo de presidente y retorne a su cargo de congresista. Entonces, según la ley, los legisladores tendrían que elegir un nuevo presidente del Parlamento quien luego asumiría la presidencia hasta el 28 de julio de 2026, fecha en que debe entregar el cargo a quien triunfe en las elecciones generales de abril cuando los peruanos elegirán a un nuevo presidente.
Hard-throwing Grant Taylor aims to build on solid rookie season for Chicago White Sox — and to prove he belongs
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Grant Taylor served as an opener and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his first major-league start on June 20 in Toronto.
The Chicago White Sox called on Taylor for the ninth inning of the series finale against the Blue Jays two days later, and he reached 102.2 mph while earning his first big-league save.
In the process, according to STATS, Taylor became the third Sox pitcher since 1969 to start a series opener and earn the save in the finale — joining Dennis Lamp (July 29 and Aug. 1, 1982, against Boston) and Francisco Barrios (Aug. 20 and 22, 1976, against Baltimore).
Taylor made 36 appearances, including two starts, last season after being called up from Double-A Birmingham on June 10. He took plenty away from each opportunity.
“All those different experiences make you a better player,” Taylor told the Tribune on Thursday at Camelback Ranch. “Closing games, in those leverage situations, you’re kind of put at the peak of nerves and excitement so being able to do that, manage that and learn with that, it helps you with whatever role you end up in the long term.”
The Sox plan on utilizing Taylor and his blazing fastball as a late-inning option again this season.
“(I) learned a lot (in 2025),” Taylor said. “I think I learned what makes me successful at the big-league level and how to attack guys, how to use my stuff effectively. That was a huge takeaway and something I took into the offseason and kind of leaned into and tried to sharpen those skills and hopefully come out with a few more as well.”
Taylor, 23, went 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 15 walks in 36 2/3 innings. He reached 100 mph with a pitch 37 times, which ranked seventh in the American League.
“Grant was great and I think the thing that stood out was that we put him right in the fire and we put him — not only right in the fire — but in a lot of different situations that were really challenging,” manager Will Venable told the Tribune on Thursday at spring training media days in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“We were hungry for a leverage arm, to be honest. And to have that type of an arm back there, it was really enticing to put him in there as much as you could.”
White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor high-fives teammates in the dugout during a game against the Guardians on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Rate Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Taylor finished with six saves and nine holds.
“We did push him and put him into some really big spots, and he handled it really well,” Venable said. “It didn’t always go smoothly, and what I appreciate about Grant is that when he was challenged with those things, when it didn’t go well, the way that he responded was amazing.
“And he did it in a way that really gives you confidence that beyond the stuff that this guy is a resilient guy that wants the big moment and he’s going to be able to handle it.”
Taylor began 2025 as a starter for the Barons. He shifted to the bullpen while still in Double A as the organization monitored his workload coming off a 2024 affected by a lat injury.
This year, he could be used in a multi-inning role.
“We just want to continue to build his workload at the major-league level,” general manager Chris Getz said Monday. “He’s just getting his major-league career started. So we’re very open-minded on where his career goes. But as it stands going into ’26, we view him as a bullpen arm. And Will and the pitching staff, they’ll find ways to use Grant Taylor.”
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Taylor has a couple of new teammates who are in the 100-mph club after the Sox signed reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year deal and acquired Jordan Hicks — who has experience as a starter and reliever — as part of a trade with the Red Sox.
“Love that, especially if it leads to outs,” Venable said Friday at Camelback Ranch. “We’ll see how it all shakes out. It’s nice to have some guys that can throw hard, for sure.”
Taylor came into camp having worked on his slider and cutter.
“I did a lot of work in the offseason to get the slider in the zone, the movements that I want,” he said. “Being able to throw that to hitters and go into spring knowing when I can use certain pitches to big-league hitters is going to be really huge for me.”
It’s all part of taking the next steps as a major-leaguer.
“Last year, I was trying to prove that I was ready to be a big-leaguer,” Taylor said. “This year, it’s proving why I should continue to be a big-leaguer. There’s a little bit more emphasis on going out there and doing what I do best and trusting, instead of trying to prove why I even belong in the locker room.”
Former White Sox coach dies
Former Chicago White Sox coach Joe Nossek died Thursday, the team announced. He was 85.
Nossek was on the Sox coaching staff from 1984-86 and 1990-2003. He played parts of six major-league seasons with Minnesota (1964-66), the Kansas City Athletics (1966-67), Oakland (1969) and St. Louis (1969-70).
“He was a valued member of the White Sox organization,” Venable said. “Somebody we hear stories about, his coaching tactics. Just a brilliant coach and a valued member of the organization, so wanted to send condolences to the Nossek family.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-white-sox-grant-taylor-bullpen/
EEUU apoya uso de drones con glifosato sobre cultivos de coca en Colombia como técnica innovadora
Por ASTRID SUÁREZ
BOGOTÁ (AP) — El gobierno estadounidense apoyó el viernes el programa en Colombia que busca erradicar cultivos de hoja de coca rociando el herbicida glifosato con ayuda de drones, en reemplazo de la controvertida fumigación desde aviones que está prohibida en el país.
El Departamento de Estado informó que la Sección de Asuntos Antinarcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley (INL, por sus siglas en inglés) ha apoyado a Colombia en el lanzamiento de la erradicación con drones de los cultivos ilícitos, lo resaltó como una tecnología que podría ser “revolucionaria”.
Desde la red social X, indicó que permitiría disminuir los cultivos de hoja de coca, dar más seguridad en Colombia y llevar menos “drogas letales” a las calles estadounidenses, lo que salvaría vidas. “Una gran oportunidad para obtener mayores resultados en la lucha contra el narcotráfico”, agregó.
El apoyo público del gobierno estadounidense ocurre después de que el presidente Donald Trump recibiera en la Casa Blanca a su homólogo colombiano Gustavo Petro, en un encuentro que distendió las relaciones bilaterales, maltrechas por dichos mutuos que llegaron a sanciones contra Petro.
La reunión tuvo como uno de sus ejes la lucha contra el narcotráfico, un punto crítico entre los mandatarios. Estados Unidos descertificó a Colombia en la lucha contra las drogas, por considerar que no había hecho lo suficiente para disminuir el récord de 253.000 hectáreas de hoja de coca, según la última medición disponible de la ONU en 2023.
Colombia se ha mostrado dispuesta a recurrir a técnicas más agresivas, como el glifosato, para mejorar los resultados y ha defendido su política antinarcóticos, al resaltar la incautación de cocaína, e ir sobre “los capos” de la droga.
El gobierno colombiano autorizó en diciembre pasado la erradicación de cultivos ilícitos mediante aspersión con drones, lo que han calificado como una técnica “terrestre”, por realizarse a pocos metros del suelo y no aérea, pese a que son un vehículo aéreo no tripulado, previendo que no haya dispersión masiva del herbicida.
Los drones, explicó el gobierno colombiano, trabajarán de manera focalizada sobre cultivos de hoja de coca donde otras modalidades —como la erradicación voluntaria de los campesinos— no haya sido viable.
La fumigación aérea con glifosato, un herbicida químico que elimina plantas inhibiendo su crecimiento, fue suspendida en Colombia desde 2015 por una orden de la Corte Constitucional como precaución ante posibles daños en la salud humana por riesgo de ser cancerígeno.
Los drones harían el trabajo de los soldados que se arriesgan ingresando a zonas convulsas con presencia de grupos armados ilegales para erradicar los plantíos ilícitos. El año pasado fallecieron 12 policías como consecuencia del ataque a un helicóptero de la policía colombiana que apoyaba a soldados en tierra que erradicaban cultivos de hoja de coca.
FBI Warns Of Romance Scams Ahead Of Valentine’s Day
FBI Warns Of Romance Scams Ahead Of Valentine’s Day
Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Love is in the air, but it might be too good to be true for some hopeful romantics searching for love online, according to the FBI.
The FBI warned dating app surfers ahead of Valentine’s Day to beware of criminals using romance scams.
“The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable,” the FBI said in a statement on Feb. 11. “Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites.”
Scammers want to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endearing themselves to their victims to gain trust, according to the FBI.
The scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that never happens. Then, they ask for money, the FBI said.
The con artists often claim they work in the building-and-construction industry and are based outside the United States.
“That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they ask for money for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee,” the FBI stated.
If someone asks to meet online and needs bank account information or asks to deposit money, they are most likely using the account information to carry out theft or fraud schemes, the FBI warned.
In one case, Glenda, 81, fell for an online romance scam and landed in custody charged with federal crimes, according to a video on the FBI’s YouTube channel.
Glenda, whose last name was withheld, said in 2014 she met someone online who worked in Nigeria. The scammer said he needed money to leave the country and sent her electronics to pawn and send him the money. She said she eventually fell in love with the scammer and became a money mule.
In 2021, she pled guilty to two federal felonies, according to the video posted by the FBI.
Romance scams are a huge problem, according to AARP.
Reported losses totaled $1.12 billion in 2023, with median losses per person of $2,000. This is the highest reported form of any imposter scam loss, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
A survey in 2023 by the FTC shows the most commonly used lies that romance scammers adopted were:
· “I or someone close to me is sick, hurt, or in jail.”
· “I can teach you how to invest.”
· “I’m in the military or far away.”
· “I need help with an important delivery.”
· “We’ve never met … but let’s talk about marriage.”
· “I’ve come into some money or gold.”
· “I’m on an oil rig or ship.”
· “You can trust me with your private pictures.”
The FBI advises people to search for photos and profiles online to see whether the image, names, and details appear elsewhere.
The agency also suggests asking many questions, being suspicious, and never sending money to anyone without meeting them in person.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 18:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/fbi-warns-romance-scams-ahead-valentines-day
Former Tribune and Sun-Times Chair Michael Ferro canceled Epstein meeting at last minute, emails show
While there is no implication of wrongdoing, a once-prominent Chicago media figure is among the notable names appearing in the Epstein files.
Michael Ferro, the former chair of the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, was set to meet with Jeffrey Epstein at the disgraced financier’s home in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 15, 2019, according to emails published online by the Department of Justice.
On the morning of the scheduled meeting with the convicted sex offender, Ferro’s assistant emailed an eleventh-hour cancellation.
“I found out who he was, canceled immediately,” Ferro told the Tribune. “Never met the guy in my life, never talked to him.”
Ferro was connected with Epstein on April 8, 2019, through an introductory email by mutual acquaintance. Three days later, Ferro agreed to meet with Epstein.
Confirmed via email for 1 p.m. on April 15, the meeting was canceled by Ferro’s assistant at Merrick Ventures, his technology investment firm, who notified Epstein just three hours before it was to take place. The reason given was that Ferro was unavailable and had been “called out of town,” according to the email posted online.
There are 27 documents referencing Ferro out of the 3.5 million pages published by the Justice Department in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. All of the Ferro mentions were related to setting up a possible meeting with Epstein. There are no subsequent references to Ferro after he abruptly canceled the April 15 meeting.
Ferro, a successful tech entrepreneur who became one of the largest, and at times most controversial, Chicago media owners during the new millennium, is just one of many prominent figures whose name was released as part of the congressionally ordered Epstein files publication.
Other entries on Epstein’s April 2019 itinerary — besides the canceled meeting with Ferro — included lunch with new age spiritual leader Deepak Chopra and dinner with “Woody and Soon Yi” (an apparent reference to Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn), according to documents published on the government website.
Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida state charges of solicitation of prostitution with a minor and received an 18-month sentence in 2008 that included a widely criticized work release provision.
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested on federal charges that he engaged in sex trafficking of minors. Epstein died one month later of an apparent suicide in his New York prison cell.
Ferro’s one-week email exchange and canceled meeting with Epstein was ostensibly the extent of their relationship.
In March 2018, Ferro stepped down from the board of Tribune Publishing, then known briefly as Tronc, hours before Fortune published a story online accusing him of inappropriate sexual behavior toward two women while in his previous role as head of a Chicago investment firm.
Ferro had been chair of Tribune Publishing’s board since February 2016, when he took a major stake in the Chicago-based newspaper chain that included the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and other publications.
In 2011, Ferro entered the Chicago media business at the helm of Wrapports, a local investor group that bought the struggling Sun-Times and 38 suburban newspapers for about $20 million.
Ferro relinquished his interest in the Sun-Times and became the largest shareholder and nonexecutive chair of Tribune Publishing in 2016 when he spent $44.4 million for a 16.6% stake.
In November 2019, Ferro sold his accumulated 25.2% stake in Tribune Publishing to Alden Global Capital for $117 million. In May 2021, the New York-based investment firm purchased the Tribune Publishing chain for $633 million and took it private, folding it into a growing newspaper portfolio.
Ferro and his investment firm have since relocated to Florida.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/michael-ferro-epstein-files/
Hamptons Real Estate Surges To New Highs As 2026 Rental Demand “Strong As Ever”
Hamptons Real Estate Surges To New Highs As 2026 Rental Demand “Strong As Ever”
The Hamptons is once again in the spotlight as one of the country’s hottest luxury real estate markets.
Known for its beaches, upscale villages, and sprawling estates, this stretch of Long Island has seen home prices climb to record levels.
At the same time, summer rentals for 2026 are being booked far earlier than usual, showing that demand for the area remains as strong as ever, according to Vocal.Media.
By the end of 2025, home values in the Hamptons had reached new highs.
The median price rose to about $2.3 million, while average luxury sales approached $3.8 million. Properties priced above $5 million are selling in greater numbers than before, and even homes in the lower luxury range are commanding steep premiums. Limited inventory and steady interest from high-income buyers have made competition especially intense.
Several factors are fueling this surge. There are simply fewer homes available than buyers want, which keeps pressure on prices. At the same time, wealthy buyers from finance, technology, and entertainment continue to view the Hamptons as both a lifestyle destination and a long-term investment. Its proximity to New York City, along with ocean views, privacy, and prestige, adds to its appeal.
The report says the rental market is just as competitive. Many properties for the summer of 2026 have already been leased months in advance.
Seasonal rates vary widely, with entry-level homes starting around $50,000, mid-range properties reaching well over $150,000, and top-tier oceanfront estates climbing toward $1 million or more.
Homes with pools, modern interiors, and prime locations tend to rent the fastest.
Rental patterns are also shifting.
July has become more popular than August, and renters are planning further ahead than in the past.
While some landlords adjust pricing closer to the season to fill remaining vacancies, the most desirable homes rarely remain available for long.
For buyers, the current market means facing stiff competition and historically high prices.
Acting quickly and working with experienced local agents can make a significant difference. Renters, meanwhile, need to secure properties well in advance and remain flexible about timing or location to improve their chances of finding good options.
Looking ahead, there are few signs that the Hamptons market is slowing down.
With strong demand, limited supply, and growing interest from affluent buyers and renters, the area continues to stand out as a place where luxury living, investment potential, and coastal lifestyle come together.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 18:00
From the Farm: Gourmet Goddess earns top honors with recipes and community give-back
As the author of four published cookbooks and my byline for this weekly newspaper food column I’ve penned for nearly 25 years, I was extremely honored last month to present the 2025 “Citizen of the Year” award on behalf of the Munster Chamber of Commerce to a kitchen wiz and branding genius.
Whether readers know her as Katie Sannito or as her entrepreneur identity as The Gourmet Goddess, this is an everyday influencer with an appetite for not only her own business success but also guiding so many others to achieve their business success.
As last year’s recipient of the same honor, it was my duty to be the presenter of this year’s award during the Munster Chamber of Commerce 70th Annual Gala Dinner on Jan. 31 in the ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster.
From January 2024 to December 2025, Katie served as the president of our Munster Chamber of Commerce, with her prior experience as an executive board member beginning in January 2022, and board member status starting in January 2018.
Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, she is a 1996 graduate of Griffith High School and a proud alum of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business before earning her Culinary Arts Certificate in 2006 from the Illinois Institute of Art.
In September 2012, Katie created and launched her Gourmet Goddess brand identity as a private chef and caterer and by the following year, she joined the Munster Chamber of Commerce, leaving her previous 12-year career in account management as a pharmacy benefit manager.
Katie has used her board member and leadership roles with the Munster Chamber to refocus attention on the small business community and build better communication and networking connections. She created the Small Business Development committee to design opportunities for small businesses to learn and be better business owners through a variety of free workshops and brainstorming events.
In January, Katie joined the Board of Directors for the Northwest Indiana Food Council, which of course is another perfect fit for her talents. Whether in her apron or in a power business suit, Katie the Gourmet Goddess is always cooking up inventive recipes for success.
“I love my Italian heritage and refer to it often when sharing stories about making the Christmas ravioli or using the roasting pan from my great-grandfather’s restaurant,” Katie said.
“I was blessed to grow up in a family where it was important to slow down and savor our time together, always with an abundance of incredible food down the middle of the table. The memories made around that table are priceless. The best times of my childhood are connected to my uncles arguing over the last ravioli, our annual trip to Brookfield Zoo with the most incredible picnic spread ever, eating entirely too much antipasti on Christmas Eve.”
After her first year in the catering business, Katie told me she soon realized not everyone has the same kitchen cherished memories and heirloom shared recipes as she and those I describe so often in my own columns and cookbooks.
Columnist Phil Potempa presents The Gourmet Goddess Katie Sannito with a signed copy of his 2019 “Back From the Farm” cookbook, along with her mounted glass plaque award naming her the 2025 Munster Citizen of the Year during the Munster Chamber of Commerce 70th Annual Gala, Jan. 31, 2026, in the ballroom of The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. (Photo by Sanjin Bosnjak)
“I know how rich my life is because of the deep connection my favorite memories have to the food that was on the table,” she said.
“I wanted to give my clients a taste of the same type of experience because of how important it has been in my life. My service became more than just cooking a meal. Creating memorable moments around the dinner table is what drives my passion for cooking good food and sharing that experience with others.”
Katie says often it can be the simplest of recipes that can be the most satisfying, with the bonus being a quick and easy prep time of just a few basic ingredients, like her catering menu’s often requested caramelized onion dip.
“I’m sharing my caramelized onion dip recipe for you to pass along to readers and for good reasons,” Katie said.
“It’s a Goddess fan favorite and one that I love to share because everyone should have a good dip recipe in their arsenal for family and friend gatherings. I just made 24 pounds of this for Super Bowl orders. People can’t get enough!”
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a weekly radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
The Gourmet Goddess Caramelized Onion Dip
Makes 2 pounds of dip
INGREDIENTS
4 large yellow onions, medium diced
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise (Hellman’s preferred…do not use Miracle Whip)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (or crushed with garlic press)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake (or ground cayenne pepper)
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Cut onions in half from top to bottom through the root end. Trim the stem end and peel the skin.
Place onions cut side down on the cutting board. Place your palm on the top of the onion to steady, then make 3-4 horizontal cuts into the onion that are about 1/4 inch apart, almost all the way across the onion, but not quite to the root end. Holding the onion steady with your non-knife hand, slice the onion vertically, again about 1/4 inch apart, towards the root end. Then turn the onion and cut from stem to root end for uniformly diced pieces.
Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring so that the onions are evenly coated with the butter and oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 more minutes or until the onions are browned and caramelized. Once done, move the pan off the heat and allow onions to cool.
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until a smooth, whipped consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sour cream and mayo. Beat until well combined. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Add in fresh chives now and stir to combine.
Transfer to a bowl, and serve with your desired chips of choice.
Leaders suspend latest effort to alter Illinois Constitution and curb partisanship in legislative mapmaking
A bipartisan push to let voters amend the Illinois Constitution to reduce politics in drawing state legislative maps has been suspended, with organizers saying the timing is “not ripe” amid a polarized climate shaped by mid-decade congressional gerrymandering wars nationwide.
In a statement released Friday, Bill Daley and Ray LaHood said that while the movement has been suspended, they have hopes of seeing it resurrected in 2028 and 2030 — ahead of the once-per-decade remap of Illinois House and Senate district boundaries following the 2030 federal census.
When organizers unveiled the effort on Aug. 19, they aimed to raise $5 million to promote and legally defend the initiative and to collect roughly twice the 328,171 valid signatures from registered voters needed by May 3 to secure a spot on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. But Fair Maps Illinois reported raising only $201,713 from 11 donors, according to reports from the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The suspension marks the third time in just over a decade that voters will not get a chance to cast a ballot on constitutional initiative to make the drawing of Illinois’ legislative maps more independent and reduce political gerrymandering of boundary lines. Similar proposals in 2014 and 2016 were struck down by the courts.
The proposal would have affected only state legislative boundaries, not congressional districts. But Daley, former chief of staff to Democratic President Barack Obama and the brother and son of two Chicago mayors, said the “initiative has been confused with the bitterly partisan national congressional gerrymandering in Texas, California, and elsewhere” led by Republican President Donald Trump’s efforts to try to keep a GOP majority in the U.S. House after the 2026 midterm elections.
“Unfortunately, the outrageous national gerrymandering battle initiated by President Trump has emboldened partisans to retreat to the extremes, but the vast majority of voters in Illinois and throughout the country know redistricting reform is desperately needed,” Daley said. “State legislative gerrymandering reform is deeply needed in Illinois, but the time is just not ripe for a successful effort.”
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood leaves the governor’s mansion to attend the funeral service for former Gov. Jim Edgar at Central Baptist Church in Springfield on Sept. 20, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
LaHood, who in Congress represented the Peoria area as a Republican before becoming Obama’s transportation secretary, said “extreme gerrymandering is wrong at the congressional level, and it’s wrong at the state legislative level.”
“Redistricting reform is an essential step to making government more accountable and less captive to the extremism and polarization that defines our national politics,” he said. “Absurdly drawn districts deny voters a meaningful role in our democracy, and it deepens distrust in government to an increasingly existential level.”
With the state under one-party rule in the last two redistricting years of 2011 and 2021, Democratic legislative majorities in the House and Senate passed and sent to Democratic Govs. Pat Quinn and JB Pritzker map lines designed to favor Democratic candidates and reduce Republican representation.
Pritzker, who is seeking a third term as governor, voiced support for an independent commission to draw legislative maps, but he signed the 2021 map. Saying he still supported an independent mapmaking process, Pritzker later said, “It’s not like I can force the legislature to do something like that.”
The current map adopted after the 2020 federal census has led to the election of overwhelming Democratic legislative majorities — 78 in the 118-member House and 40 in the 59-member state Senate.
The proposal pushed by Daley and LaHood would have stripped the legislature of its direct mapmaking duties for the General Assembly and instead given that power to a 12-member commission, with the four legislative leaders each appointing one member of their caucus and two people who aren’t members of the General Assembly. The Supreme Court would have submitted two names in a random draw to break a tie.
The plan also would have prevented commissioners from considering voters’ past voting history. But map lines would have had to comply with federal laws, such as Voting Rights Act protections for racial and ethnic groups. Districts were to have been based more along geographic county, municipal and township boundaries with an emphasis on compactness.
Because the state Supreme Court has previously limited citizen-initiated changes to the state constitution to issues that affect both the structure and procedure of the legislature, the size of future General Assemblies would have been determined by a formula based on the state’s federal census population.
Organizers said a statewide survey conducted on behalf of the effort by Change Research showed the proposed amendment with 75% support, with Democrats backing it 75% to 11%, Republicans 78% to 9% and independents 64% to 13%.
Both Daley and LaHood said they hoped the state’s business and civic community would take up the cause in future years.
“Illinois voters overwhelmingly want redistricting reform because they know politicians should not be in charge of drawing their own districts,” LaHood said, adding that it “would pass if we could raise the resources to put it on the ballot and wage a campaign.”
“Illinois and our country need gerrymandering reform now more than ever, and our hope is that enough fair-minded leaders will step up and demand change before it’s too late,” LaHood said.
Daley said, “The business community and allied good government reform groups must lead the charge to fix the state’s problems, as they have done for generations.”
“We can’t give in to the cynicism that suggests Illinois — and this country broadly — is incapable of systemic reform,” Daley said.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/illinois-state-legislative-maps/
Triplete de Pedro Neto impulsa al Chelsea a 5ta ronda de la Copa FA; también avanza Wrexham
HULL, Inglaterra (AP) — Pedro Neto anotó un triplete, incluido un gol olímpico, y Chelsea goleó a Hull City 4-0 en la cuarta ronda de la Copa FA el viernes.
Además, Wrexham alcanzó la quinta ronda por primera vez en 29 años tras vencer a Ipswich 1-0 en un duelo entre equipos de la Championship.
Hull y Chelsea se habían enfrentado ocho veces antes en la Copa FA y Chelsea avanzó en todas. El anfitrión Hull nunca pareció capaz de frenar esa racha contundente, ya que el equipo de la Liga Premier tomó el control desde el inicio.
Un disparo potente de Pedro Neto desde las inmediaciones del área le dio la ventaja a Chelsea de cara al descanso, y su tiro de esquina rasante se coló entre una multitud de cuerpos y entró directo al arco a los seis minutos del segundo tiempo.
El joven brasileño Estêvão puso el 3-0 minutos después, cuando definió de primera intención con el interior del pie desde 12 metros, y Pedro Neto cerró un cuarto gol tras una buena jugada colectiva.
“Pedro Neto es un jugador increíble. Está jugando en una posición a la que ni siquiera está acostumbrado, pero mostró su calidad”, declaró Liam Delap, quien dio tres asistencias, a TNT Sports.
Wrexham sigue adelante Wrexham sabrá en el sorteo del lunes a quién enfrentará a continuación por un lugar en los cuartos de final.
Un gol en la primera parte de Josh Windass marcó la diferencia para Wrexham ante Ipswich, que no logró rematar a puerta.
Ambos equipos están en la pelea por el ascenso a la Liga Premier; Ipswich estaba tercero y esperaba un regreso inmediato a la liga que dejó el verano pasado. Wrexham estaba siete puntos por detrás, en sexto, y buscaba un cuarto ascenso consecutivo que lo llevaría a la máxima categoría por primera vez en sus 158 años de historia.
“Empezamos bien ambas mitades, pero no pudimos conseguir el gol. En la segunda parte intentamos de todo… pero simplemente no pudimos volver a meternos en el partido”, comentó a BBC Gales el técnico de Ipswich, Kieran McKenna.
