Category: News
“Italian Job” Style Armored Truck Heist Caught On Video In Italy
“Italian Job” Style Armored Truck Heist Caught On Video In Italy
In a scene straight out of The Italian Job movie, local Italian broadcaster Sky TG24 posted a dramatic video on X on Monday that appears to show at least one “armed commando” carrying out a brazen armored truck heist in broad daylight on an Italian highway.
“Moments of fear this morning on the 613 Brindisi-Lecce superstrada, at the Tuturano exit, where an armed commando attacked an armoured cash-in-transit van,” the local outlet said.
Momenti di paura questa mattina sulla superstrada 613 Brindisi-Lecce, all’altezza dello svincolo di Tuturano, dove un commando armato ha assaltato un furgone portavalori ▶️ https://t.co/0hxZik8Vp0 pic.twitter.com/2aVV9GBTHK
— Sky tg24 (@SkyTG24) February 9, 2026
The Mirror provided more details about the heist:
An armoured van was attacked this morning, local news reports, on State Road 613 in Italy, which connects the cities of Lecce to Brindisi, in the region of Puglia, known as the ‘heel of Italy’.
The dramatic clip shows masked men armed with automatic weapons on the highway, believed to be gang members who reportedly going into a firefight with armed officers from the local Carabinieri police force.
. . .
The armoured van, owned by the security company BTV, was forced to stop to avoid the blazing vehicle, giving the crooks, who were using a vehicle with blue flashing lights, posing as an escort to the van, the chance to strike.
It’s clear from the video that whoever placed the shaped charge on the side of the armored van to blast a hole in it was a professional.
Authorities have not disclosed what the armored van was transporting, whether it was simply euros or something more valuable. It’s also still unclear whether the armed criminal gang managed to secure whatever was inside before fleeing the scene.
Not quite the armored truck heist from The Italian Job remake in 2003 …
… but it’s still one of those scenes that never gets old.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/09/2026 – 17:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/italian-job-style-armored-truck-heist-caught-video-italy
Catherine O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism. Cancer was the underlying cause.
LOS ANGELES — Catherine O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism, with cancer as the underlying cause.
A Los Angeles County death certificate issued Monday lists the pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs, as the immediate cause of the actor’s Jan. 30 death at age 71. Rectal cancer was the long-term cause.
Catherine O’Hara, Emmy-winning comedian of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and ‘SCTV’ fame, dies at 71
The oncologist who signed off on the certificate indicated that he had been treating O’Hara since March of last year, and last saw her on Jan. 27. She died at a hospital in Santa Monica, California.
The beloved Canadian-born comic actor and “SCTV” alum starred as Macaulay Culkin’s mother in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmy as the dramatically oblivious wealthy matriarch Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek.”
Her death was a surprise to most, and an initial statement from her representatives said only that she died “following a brief illness.”
Collaborators including Culkin, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy and Pedro Pascal paid her loving tribute after her death.
The document said she was cremated. It lists her profession as “actress” and her business as movies. It said she practiced her trade for 50 years.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/catherine-ohara-cause-of-death/
Feds Have Charged 158 Anti-ICE Agitators With Federal Crimes In Minnesota
Feds Have Charged 158 Anti-ICE Agitators With Federal Crimes In Minnesota
Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness,
Since the start of the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, federal prosecutors have reportedly charged 158 anti-ICE agitators with federal crimes, including “FACE Act violations, conspiracy charges, and obstruction of federal agents.” Some of the offenses carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week that she “expect more arrests to come” as the Justice Department is poised to crack down on similar anti-ICE insurgencies nationwide.
Those arrested in Minnesota include nine agitators who disrupted a church service (including Don Lemon, and a number of “ICE Watch” insurgents who “blocked, assaulted, or attempted to otherwise restrict ICE officers in the state,” according to Fox News.
Bondi last week announced the arrests of 16 Minnesota protesters for “allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement — people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents.” According to a criminal complaint published by the Justice Department, the alleged actions include the use of multiple vehicles to “box in” federal immigration officers; spitting on ICE officers during an arrest; attempting to throw a brick at an ICE officer; and other obstructive and violent actions.
Another 16 individuals have been charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 111, which punishes anyone who “forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates or interferes” with officers engaged in carrying out their official duties.
In one case, an agitator allegedly tailed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in his van “before approaching their vehicle with a baseball bat in hand.”
Penalties for a conviction on 18 U.S.C. § 111 range from one to 20 years in prison, depending on the circumstances, including “the involvement of a potentially dangerous weapon and whether bodily injuries were suffered,” Fox reported. The cases could carry longer sentences if additional charges are tacked on.
“People need to understand their actions have consequences and that obstruction, assault and impeding are not protected under the disguise of protesting,” stated John Condon, the acting director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
On Thursday, the feds also arrested Kyle Wagner, also known as “Antifa Kyle,” the cross-dressing anti-ICE domestic terrorist who threatened to assault, kill and doxx officers in Minneapolis.
Wagner was charged with numerous federal crimes, including Impeding/Retaliating Against a Federal Officer, Threatening Injury to Family, Interstate Domestic Violence, Conspiracy to Impede or Injure an Officer, Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence, and Interstate Communications,” the Department of Homeland Security posted on X.
The feds are also investigating the well funded and highly organized shadow network of anti-ICE militants who use the encrypted Signal messaging platform to track, dox and impede federal immigration enforcement officers.
These anti-ICE “digital Minutemen” use military-grade surveillance tactics to track law enforcement across 13 databases, Fox News revealed in an extensive report detailing the seditious operation.
Retired Special Forces Warrant Officer, Eric Schwalm, compared the anti-ICE effort in Minneapolis to the insurgencies he fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We have an entire nation of collectors against our country’s law enforcement—it’s extremely dangerous,” Schwalm told Fox.
On January 26, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the Bureau is investigating the “ICE Watch” operation being organized on Signal.
“We immediately opened up that investigation because that sort of Signal chat being coordinated with individuals, not just locally in Minnesota, but maybe even around the country — if that leads to a break in the federal statute or a violation of some law, then we are going to arrest people,” Patel said.
U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan vowed last week that the organizers and funders behind the ICE-hunting groups in Minnesota will be held accountable.
“The organization and funding of attacks on ICE—they will be held accountable, Homan stated. “Justice is coming.”
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/09/2026 – 17:00
Clarendon Hills Downtown Improvement Plan open house deemed ‘constructive’
More than 100 people turned out last week for a community open house, which was held to introduce a draft Clarendon Hills Downtown Improvement Plan and offer an opportunity to review proposed improvements and design concepts.
Nik Davis, of Houseal Lavigne — the firm hired by the village as a consultant, said the open house also was an opportunity for his firm to collect opinions from area residents.
“Our recommendation would certainly recognize the public feedback we’ve received,” he said.
A draft plan of the Downtown Improvement Plan is expected to be presented in March to the Village Board, said assistant village manager Mera Johnson.
“The open house went very well,” she said. “Many residents thought it was constructive and liked the many options presented. We’re looking at changes that we can make to have the things we need to efficiently do the events we have planned, and what are our future needs.”
Discussion about plans for the future of downtown Clarendon Hills has, at times, been controversial, as some residents have been very outspoken against the possible addition of a downtown plaza on Prospect Avenue.
The Sloan Triangle area of Clarendon Hills is set up for a downtown watch party for the Clarendon Hills Little League Aug. 16, 2025. The area would be incorporated into a new downtown district in plans being considered by village officials. (Brett Johnson/Pioneer Press)
The plaza would be between Railroad and Park avenues and would include the elimination of the right-turn lane, or slip lane, from southbound Prospect onto Park. That turn lane now is part of what the village calls the Sloan Triangle, an area that would become a large part of the plaza and used for gatherings.
One of the residents at the open house was Angie Sartori, who has been very outspoken against doing away with the slip lane and adding a plaza in that location. She also created an online petition against that downtown plaza, which has accumulated more than 1,000 signatures.
“Most residents do not want our downtown permanently altered for infrequent Chamber (of Commerce) and village events, nor for children to be playing in the middle of our business district, so close to moving traffic and to so many trains,” Sartori said after the open house.
“It is unsafe and makes no common sense whatsoever. And we are even more determined, after this brutal winter, that we absolutely need our road and our storefront parking. All of it. 24/7, 365 days a year. Without that road kept fully intact, our small businesses will not stay open for long. No more empty plazas are needed or wanted in Clarendon Hills.”
Sartori said she believes the concepts presented at the open house created some confusion.
“But two things were crystal clear,” she added. “Residents overwhelmingly demanded that the slip-lane and traffic-triangle-roundabout be kept exactly as-is, and that a parking garage next to our train station would be a complete eyesore and isn’t needed at all.”
Both Johnson and Davis declined to comment on Sartori’s statements.
The open house followed a community survey, along with public meetings in October and November 2025 to gather input.
‘The entire process as a whole was an opportunity for the community to provide feedback,” Johnson said.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/clarendon-hills-downtown-plan-meeting/
El entrenamiento de primavera en MLB se centra en árbitros robot y el Clásico Mundial
Por RONALD BLUM
Apenas 102 días después de que una emocionante Serie Mundial terminara con los Dodgers de Los Ángeles convirtiéndose en el primer campeón consecutivo en un cuarto de siglo, los lanzadores y receptores están de vuelta en el campo el martes mientras comienza el entrenamiento de primavera con un enfoque inicial en el sistema automatizado de bolas y strikes y el Clásico Mundial.
En lo que podría ser la última temporada completa antes de una confrontación laboral sobre una posible propuesta de tope salarial, los jugadores se están preparando para los robots, dando a los equipos la oportunidad de apelar las decisiones de lanzamiento del árbitro de home.
Estoy realmente emocionado por esto. Obviamente lo he visto en Triple-A por un tiempo. Siempre escuchas el murmullo desde el dugout hacia los árbitros. Es como: Oye, desafíalo. Veamos qué tienes”, señaló Blake Butera de Washington, entre los ocho nuevos managers y con 33 años el más joven en 54 años.
El ABS (las siglas en inglés del sistema) fue probado en 13 estadios de entrenamiento de primavera el año pasado, y los equipos ganaron el 52.2% de 1.182 desafíos, que promediaron 13,8 segundos. El comité de competencia de 11 miembros de las Grandes Ligas de béisbol votó en septiembre para aprobar su uso en la temporada regular para 2026.
Cada jugador será medido para su zona de strike desde las 10 de la mañana hasta el mediodía de manera continua durante el entrenamiento de primavera —la hora del día para mantener la uniformidad— y los datos serán verificados por el Instituto de Investigación del Suroeste.
La mayoría de los equipos parecen reticentes a permitir que los lanzadores desafíen, prefiriendo que los receptores y managers tomen las decisiones.
“El primer mes probablemente será el más difícil. Tal vez la primavera ayude un poco. Pero en la primavera, puedes intentar y fallar y no es tan negativo”, indicó el manager de Detroit A.J. Hinch, un ex receptor. “Haces eso en San Diego o Arizona o en un juego inaugural en casa contra San Luis, y es un poco más costoso. Tendremos un registro continuo de quién es bueno en eso y quién no. Porque podría haber algunos jugadores de posición a quienes se les quite su opcionalidad de la llamada desafiada”.
Tampa Bay se estará preparando para un regreso al Tropicana Field en St. Petersburg, Florida, reparado después de los daños causados por el huracán que obligaron a los Rays a jugar partidos en casa el año pasado en el Steinbrenner Field de los Yankees de Nueva York en Tampa.
Cambio de jugadores
La mayoría de los principales agentes libres han firmado antes del entrenamiento de primavera, y los acuerdos más grandes incluyeron a Kyle Tucker y Edwin Díaz uniéndose a los Dodgers, Alex Bregman a los Cachorros de Chicago, Pete Alonso a los Orioles de Baltimore, Dylan Cease a los Azulejos de Toronto, y Bo Bichette a los Mets de Nueva York.
Los agentes libres que se quedaron incluyeron a Kyle Schwarber de Filadelfia y Cody Bellinger de los Yankees de Nueva York.
El derecho Freddy Peralta fue adquirido por los Mets de Milwaukee en el intercambio más notable.
Entre los jugadores japoneses que llegan a MLB sobresalen el infielder Munetaka Murakami, quien firmó con los Medias Blancas de Chicago; el infielder Kazuma Okamoto con los Azulejos, y el derecho Tatsuya Imai con los Astros de Houston.
El Clásico Mundial regresa
Japón irá por su cuarto título y segundo consecutivo cuando los jugadores dejen sus clubes para la sexta edición del torneo, que se jugará del 5 al 17 de marzo en Houston, Miami, San Juan, y Tokio.
Las plantillas de los 20 equipos nacionales incluyen a 306 jugadores bajo contratos de grandes ligas y ligas menores, incluidos 78 All-Stars.
“Era algo de lo que realmente quería ser parte. Creo que este equipo está comprometido totalmente”, dijo el capitán estadounidense Aaron Judge.
Shohei Ohtani, quien ponchó a Mike Trout para sentenciar la victoria de Japón por 3-2 en la final de 2023, se limitará a batear.
Gran cambio en el banquillo
Habrá ocho nuevos managers en el día inaugural, uno menos de empatar 2003 y 2020 por la mayor cantidad que no eran el piloto del equipo al final de la temporada anterior, según el Elias Sports Bureau.
Butera se une a Craig Albernaz (Baltimore), Skip Schumaker (Texas), Derek Shelton (Minnesota), Craig Stammen (San Diego), Kurt Suzuki (Los Ángeles Angels), Tony Vitello (San Francisco) y Walt Weiss (Atlanta). Además, Warren Schaeffer fue nombrado manager permanente de Colorado después de obtener el trabajo de manera interina el pasado 11 de mayo.
Todos menos Schumaker y Shelton son pilotos novatos en las mayores.
Butera es el más joven desde Frank Quilici con los Mellizos de 1972. Un cambio generacional ha visto a Ron Washington (73) y Bruce Bochy y Brian Snitker (ambos 70) dejar sus trabajos de manager.
Vitello, quien había sido el entrenador de la Universidad de Tennessee, hizo el raro movimiento directamente de entrenador universitario a manager de grandes ligas, siguiendo el camino de los miembros del Salón de la Fama Hughie Jennings y Casey Stengel.
“Creo que para ese salto directo, el béisbol universitario tenía que acercarse más a lo que es el béisbol profesional”, dijo Vitello.
“Si quieres llamarlo conejillo de indias o cordero sacrificial o si sale bien o no sale bien, ¿a quién le importa? Supongo que debería”, añadió. “Desearía que hubiera alguien con un corte de pelo más corto y más reputado aquí para decir que es hora de que el béisbol universitario y las Grandes Ligas se unan un poco más por muchas razones diferentes.”
¿Paro?
Los jugadores y los equipos se están preparando para una confrontación cuando el acuerdo de negociación colectiva de cinco años expire a las 11:59 de la tarde de Nueva York el 1 de diciembre.
Es probable un cierre patronal, al igual que cuando expiró el acuerdo anterior en 2021. Se llegó a un acuerdo para preservar el calendario de 162 juegos después de un cierre patronal de 99 días el 10 de marzo de 2022, 10 días después de la fecha límite inicial fijada por MLB para mantener una temporada completa.
La conversación sobre una posible propuesta de tope salarial tiene a ambas partes preparándose para la posibilidad de la primera interrupción de la temporada desde 1995.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Lake County homeless count revised due to funding questions: ‘A period of federal uncertainty’
In January of last year, more than 100 Lake County volunteers bundled up and set out into the night as part of the 2025 Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
There was no such effort this year.
Late last month, just days before volunteers were set to go out once again, the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless announced it had cancelled the unsheltered portion of the 2026 PIT count, citing changes to federal funding that required a shift in the staff’s priorities.
“This decision reflects a careful balance between current realities and our commitment to maintaining high-quality data and a stable local homeless response system,” the release said.
While Lake County’s PIT counts have included the unsheltered portion every year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which mandates the annual PIT count, only requires it every other year. Lake County successfully conducted an unsheltered count in 2025.
This year, the release said the Lake County Continuum of Care team and homeless management information system administrator collected the required data for people experiencing homelessness staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent housing programs. That data will be released in the spring.
“We remain confident that the sheltered count and housing inventory data collected will provide valuable information to support planning and informed decision-making across Lake County,” the release said.
The decision to cut the unsheltered portion of the 2026 PIT count wasn’t universal in the region. Reporting indicates the city of Chicago moved ahead with the unsheltered portion of its count, as did at least some Cook County suburbs.
But the cancellation reflects uncertainty that has plagued numerous local government organizations since the start of the second administration of President Donald Trump, as questions swirl around the future of federal funds.
Malin Gembra, Lake County’s Continuum of Care program coordinator, said there has been “significant back-and-forth at the federal level” around HUD’s continuum of care funding process over the past several months.
“The issuance, rescission, and reissuance of guidance, along with shifting timelines, created a high level of uncertainty for communities nationwide,” Gembra said in a statement.
While those changes haven’t reduced funding to specific programs or grants in Lake County, Gembra said they’ve impacted capacity and planning around activities that rely heavily on staff time, coordination and volunteer management.
The unsheltered count, a complex operation running late into the night with numerous teams of volunteers scouring the county, was just such an activity.
In the current environment, Gembra said they chose to use their “limited resources to help providers and partners meet renewal requirements and keep systems running … rather than conducting a full unsheltered count during a period of federal uncertainty.”
Gembra said they are continuing to monitor a “very dynamic situation,” with uncertainty around what, if any, changes or cuts could mean for programs. However, she said they have no concerns about next year’s PIT count.
Lake County Board member Mary Ross-Cunningham, a major proponent of the homelessness count on the board, expressed frustration that the unsheltered portion had to be cancelled due to federal issues, but said with the collaboration between various agencies for the sheltered portion, this year’s data will not be severely impacted.
She praised the county’s work on reducing homelessness, saying she hasn’t received the same level of calls from those facing a shelter crisis as she has in the past. She noted the work of PADS Lake County, which is renovating a former Waukegan hotel into a fixed-site shelter with room for about 240 people.
Ross Cunningham said she is not concerned about next year’s count. While she does have concerns about federal funding, what happens next may be impacted by the upcoming elections, she said.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/lake-county-homeless-count-2/
Lincoln-Way East celebrates competitive cheer state championship
Kate Nelson’s basement in her Frankfort home was vacant Saturday afternoon.
That’s just the way she liked it.
That’s the way the entire Lincoln-Way East competitive cheerleading team liked it.
Except for the 2021 season when COVID-19 forced the meet to be run virtually, the Griffins made it to the second day of the Illinois High School Association state meet each year since 2011, collecting seven state titles in the process.
That came to a screeching halt in 2025, when they finished 12th in the preliminaries, missing a top-10 finish by 0.21 of a point.
After the shock of missing out wore off, the Griffins came home. Nelson, then a junior, gathered the team together in her basement to watch the finals on a big-screen TV.
“I thought ‘we have to be together on his day’’’ Nelson said. “We wouldn’t have been in the best state if we were all alone. I thought we might as well watch the competition all together. It was so fun.”
An empty basement, however, was even a lot more fun. Not only did the Griffins make it to the second day Saturday, they won their eighth state championship.
East racked up a 97.92 score to top Lockport’s 97.00 to win the Class 3A title at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington. It was a banner day for the Lincoln-Way area as Lincoln-Way Central finished fifth and Lincoln-Way West 10th in Class 3A, and Providence Catholic took third in Class 2A.
Hundreds of people celebrate Lincoln-Way East’s cheerleading championship Feb. 8, 2026, in the gym in the Frankfort campus. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
Also from the Southland area, Marist took eighth in Class 3A while Shepard and Thornton were eighth and ninth respectively in the coed division.
The Griffins came home to a couple of celebrations in the Frankfort school’s gym. They made an appearance at a turnabout dance Saturday night, and hundreds of friends and family members joined the team Sunday morning in a celebration.
Coach Jayson Polad had a light moment Sunday when he accidentally dropped his championship medal.
“That’s OK, I have seven more,” he said with a smile.
Lincoln-Way East cheerleading coach Jayson Polad, who has won eight state championships, speaks Sunday at a celebration honoring the Griffins cheerleaders. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
It’s a smile that has been plastered on his face all year as he enjoyed watching how his team recovered from last season’s hiccup to this year’s championship.
“It’s incredible,” Polad said. “It’s not easy to pick yourself up from that. It was the first time ever we made it to state and didn’t make it to Day 2. As a coach, you worry that it might stick.
“You don’t know that on Day 1 — is that going to be on the back of their minds?”
He said once the music turned on during Friday’s preliminaries, he knew he didn’t have anything to worry about.
In Friday’s round, Lockport was the leader with 97.11 points and Lincoln-Way East was second at 96.24 and safely in position to give itself the confidence for a state championship run Saturday.
Lincoln-Way East athletes on the IHSA roster are Nelson, Marcie Duncan, Savannah Lyons, Delaney Drogemuller, Maddie Kohler, Fiona Hilbert, Nora Schlinger, Lily Warning, Bella Berner, Briana Drebot, Sinead Deiters, Emma Weyer, Jessica Drebot, Julia Scully, Mia Simon, Emma Carroll, Kesey Bulthuis, Morgan Powell, Harper Kostro, Kate Grotke, Libby Petrovich, Sarah Hellrung, Lexi Darnell, Jaela Griffin, Paisley Polad and Ashley Schoon.
Jayson Polad was emotional Sunday when talking about sharing the championship experience with his daughter, Paisley.
“I’ve had a lot of special moments here, but it made me so proud to walk with her across that stage,” he said.
He also announced that Drogemuller is this year’s MVP.
Lincoln-Way East senior Delaney Drogemuller holds up the state championship cheerleading trophy Sunday. She was named the team’s MVP. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)
Polad rarely designates an MVP because he said each athlete plays a big role in the success of the team.
He broke that self unwritten rule in 2023 when he named Kaitlyn Regnier as the MVP and broke it again this year with Drogemuller.
Interestingly, Rednier helped Drogemuller when Regnier was a freshman.
Drogemuller learned well.
“When we brought her up as a freshman and she was very green and had a lot to learn,” Polad said. “But you could just tell from the outset that her positive attitude and her mindset was special.”
Drogemuller said she came to the sport late in the game as an eighth grader at Hickory Creek Middle School.
Now she loves it so much, she hopes to continue cheerleading in college.
She will leave Lincoln-Way East as a champion and winning this year was huge for her due to last season’s disappointment.
“Last year was a shock and it was heartbreaking,” Drogemuller said. “It was super weird to not be there.
“But, literally everything happens for a reason and we knew we were going to come back even stronger this year.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/lincoln-way-east-competitive-cheer-champs/
Kelli’s Playground in Indian Head Park to get $385K upgrade
Indian Head Park has been awarded a $385,500 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to finance redevelopment of Sacajawea Park and Kelli’s Playground, one of the village’s most utilized recreational spaces.
Village officials explained the project will include replacement of aging playground equipment, installation of new ADA-compliant features, resurfaced walking paths, enhanced landscaping, and the addition of benches and picnic areas at the park, on Keokuk Road southeast of Plainfield Road and Interstate 294.
The village will provide the required local match for the grant to complete the $771,000 project, with the budgeted amount coming from its capital improvement fund, said village administrator Gavin Morgan.
“The Village Board prioritized this project because of its potential to serve a wide range of residents and because of concerns about the age and condition of the equipment,” Morgan said.
Needs for park improvements were identified through ongoing conversations with residents, public input during village meetings and longterm capital planning, said village President Amy Jo Wittenberg. “Sacajawea Park is a beloved space with deep roots in the community, but after more than two decades, much of its infrastructure is outdated and does not meet modern standards,” Wittenberg said. “The playground equipment is aging and the layout is no longer well suited for multigenerational or all-abilities use. We knew the time was right to revitalize this space for future generations.”
Pending final authorization from the state, detailed planning and permitting could begin this spring, with bidding to follow in the fall and construction completed by spring 2027, Morgan said.
The park will need to close temporarily during construction, Morgan said.
“We will communicate any closures clearly in advance and work to minimize disruption for residents,” he said. “We know Sacajawea Park is a valued community gathering spot, and we will work hard to return it to the public as quickly as possible, with major improvements in place.”
The village dedicated Kelli’s Playground and Memorial at Sacajawea Park in October 2012, marking the one-year anniversary of the death of Kelli O’Laughlin. The Lyons Township High School student was 14 years old when she was murdered on Oct. 27, 2011, after walking in on a burglary at her home. Her killer was sentenced to 160 years in prison in 2014 and died in 2023. The memorial at the park includes a tree, bench, plaque and boulder.
“I am deeply touched to see continued investment in Kelli’s Playground and Sacajawea Park,” Kelli’s mother, Brenda O’Laughlin, said in a statement provided by the village. “This space has always held special meaning for our family and for so many in the community who have kept Kelli’s spirit alive through their kindness and support. Knowing that the park will be renewed and made even more welcoming for children and families means more than words can express. I am grateful to the village, IDNR and everyone involved for honoring Kelli’s memory in such a beautiful and lasting way.”
Wittenberg said the project is about more than physical improvements. “It’s about connection, memory and inclusiveness. We’re preserving and enhancing Kelli’s memorial and creating a space where people of all ages and abilities can gather, play, reflect and build community,” she said. “In addition to new playground equipment and accessible features, the project adds a bocce court, putting green, reading nook and sustainable landscaping, all designed to promote wellness, environmental education and community pride.”
The project can proceed after IDNR issues formal grant instructions and compliance guidance. The village applied for the grant last September, following a detailed planning process that included two public input meetings, Morgan explained.
“Our application to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program was supported by strong community feedback, a well-developed site plan and a history of collaboration; we previously received OSLAD support when the park was first developed in the late 1990s,” he noted.
IDNR awarded a total of $36 million to 67 communities throughout Illinois through this year’s OSLAD grant cycle, supporting projects that expand access to parks and open space statewide.
Jim Dudlicek is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/kellis-playground-indian-head-park-grant/
Will Bombshells Drop At Tuesday’s DC Hearing On Foreign Influence In America’s NGOs
Will Bombshells Drop At Tuesday’s DC Hearing On Foreign Influence In America’s NGOs
Asra Nomani at Fox News has reshaped how the corporate media outlet covers dark money-funded NGOs, the protest industrial complex, and the ongoing color revolution-style operation backed by left-wing billionaires and their Democratic allies against President Donald Trump and the “America First” agenda.
Nomani was the first to report that the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. ET titled “Foreign Influence in American Non-profits: Unmasking Threats from Beijing and Beyond.”
The hearing, Nomani said, will focus on “examining a network of nonprofits,” ranging from groups tied to Neville Roy Singham to organizations she alleges are linked to his left-wing nonprofit network, including The People’s Forum, CodePink, BreakThrough BT Media, ANSWER Coalition, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
She added that these nonprofit groups work closely with the Democratic Socialists of America and other activist networks to stoke chaos.
Adam Sohn, co-founder of the Network Contagion Research Institute, will be one of the five witnesses speaking with the committee on Tuesday morning. He published a new report finding that DSA’s rhetoric aligns with the anti-U.S. propaganda of foreign adversaries.
“The same rhetoric used to attack America abroad gets recycled at home to attack American law enforcement. Different stage, same script,” Sohn said.
🧵🚨 MAJOR BREAKING 2: The 2025 May Day trip of SLC Armed Queers to Cuba: “Well, if we’re terrorists, we’re proud to be terrorists”
I’ve obtained a now-deleted video.
In it, Ermiya Fanaeian and an unidentified man named Connor talk openly about:
👉 Palestinian students at… pic.twitter.com/CBkStDYjEO
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) September 16, 2025
According to NCRI’s new report, “Democratic Socialists of America: Policy, Advocacy and Narrative Convergence with Hostile Foreign States,” the organization has been engaging in a dynamic called “narrative convergence,” advancing narratives that stoke domestic unrest and delegitimize state institutions while advancing talking points aligned with “hostile foreign governments.”
The report said the DSA regularly circulates propaganda across its channels promoting delegitimization campaigns against President Trump, including equating him with “fascists” and declaring, “Socialism Beats Fascism.”
It continued that DSA “exhibits multiple indicators” warranting registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. It currently receives benefits registered as a nonprofit under Section 501(c)(4) of the tax code.
The report cites “repeated foreign-facilitated engagements, receipt of apparent in-kind benefits, and subsequent U.S. political advocacy aligned with the interests of the Venezuelan, Cuban, and Chinese governments.”
DSA applies “the same anti-legitimacy frame to domestic enforcement and to U.S. foreign-policy posture,” according to the institute, adding that the demonstrations are “explicitly linking domestic immigration enforcement to broader U.S. foreign policy actions.”
Other witnesses slated to appear include Capital Research Center president Scott Walter, Americans for Public Trust executive director Caitlin Sutherland, Dubinsky Consulting founder Bruce Dubinsky, and Public Citizen president Robert Weissman.
Tomorrow’s hearing on foreign influence that has infected the NGO world like cancer is Washington playing catch-up to our reporting, as well as many others, over the past year, including our most recent reports:
Is There A “Cuba Connection” Behind The Radicalization Of America’s Nonprofit Left
Cuba, Venezuela, China, And America’s Left-Wing Revolution
Growing List Of Democratic Billionaire Kings & Queens Funnel Millions Into Terror-Tied Nonprofits
If you want to understand why the radical left appears to hate America and seeks to implode the nation from within, it is not difficult to see that these ideas are rarely developed organically. More often, they are shaped and reinforced by outside influences. This chart helps explain why the radical left has become so radical.
Recall Seamus Bruner, Director of Research at the Government Accountability Institute, briefed President Trump last fall about the dark web of NGOs sowing chaos nationwide. Even Elon Musk chimed in…
Way more than $100M of US taxpayer money
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 8, 2025
Few would dispute that the charitable sector is overdue for a hard reset. NGOs should return to their core mission work that directly helps working-class people, rather than serving as a revolutionary vector for socialists and marxists that seek to destroy the nation.
After IQ <85 Democrats screamed like children about President Trump being “Russia, Russia, Russia” and an existential threat to “Democracy,” which turned out to be a giant hoax, the Democratic Party now faces an uncomfortable question: how can it claim to be safeguarding democratic institutions while allegations mount that align part of its party and activist networks, including DSA, and affiliated NGOs, may be entangled in foreign influence operations linked to China, Cuba, and Venezuela
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/09/2026 – 16:40
Lake Forest officials hope to make downtown parking simpler with new regulations being considered by city council
New parking regulations are likely to take effect in downtown Lake Forest later this year after the City Council approved changes designed to simplify the current system and increase turnover near businesses.
On Feb. 2, the City Council approved a series of staff recommendations that include revised time limits and designated parking areas for customers and employees. City officials say the plan is intended to make parking rules easier to understand while improving access to retail shops and restaurants.
The plan’s goals include simplifying parking zones and signage, placing customer parking closer to businesses, and improving enforcement and permit management through updated technology.
“Our proposed recommendations are intended to create a system that supports businesses, improves customer access and can be enforced consistently,” Assistant to the City Manager Keri Kaup said. “While we know we can’t give everyone everything, we do want to be cognizant of giving everyone something that is useful.”
Kaup said after the meeting that the new policies are designed to be more streamlined and easier for drivers to follow.
The updated plan includes:
• Most on-street parking downtown will be limited to 90 minutes.
• Thirty-minute spaces will be available near Deerpath Road and other high-turnover businesses, including quick-service restaurants and the U.S. Post Office at Northgate Street and Forest Avenue.
• Most lots near Market Square will allow free three-hour parking, replacing the current mix of permit and three-hour spaces.
• Free three-hour parking will also be available at the Quarta lot near Wisconsin Avenue and Bank Lane. The Bank Lane parking deck at Illinois Road and Bank Lane will continue to offer three-hour free parking.
• Additional 30-minute spaces will be designated near select businesses.
• Employee parking will be directed to perimeter lots to help keep spaces closest to businesses available for customers.
City staff also recommended purchasing a license plate reader system that would allow police to verify whether drivers are complying with time limits and permit requirements. According to staff, the equipment would cost about $53,500 initially, with annual maintenance costs of just over $11,000 for time enforcement and permit management.
Kaup said there will be a transition period before citations are issued under the new rules.
“We do want to give people ample time to understand the new regulations,” Kaup said. “We know these are big changes.”
Under the new plan, the city will no longer issue parking tags for downtown lots. Kaup said new signs will alert drivers to the updated rules, and the city will also offer an interactive parking map.
Council members reviewed the details of the proposal with staff and expressed support.
“I’m excited about the promise this has to make parking clearer and easier for everybody,” said Alderman Edward (Ted) Notz, 4th Ward.
Kaup said representatives of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce provided feedback during development of the plan. Chamber Executive Director Joanna Rolek declined to comment on the proposed changes.
One downtown business owner said he has reviewed the plan and offered tentative approval while continuing to study the details.
“I support any change for increased turnover,” said Mark Roberts, owner of Mark David Designs at Deerpath and Bank Lane. “That would be huge.”
A final vote for approval is scheduled for the City Council’s Feb. 17 meeting. Kaup said the city plans to review the new policies after implementation and may bring updated recommendations to the council in the future.
City staff began discussions last year with residents, employees, business owners, and visitors and presented an initial proposal to the council in December. The plan was later adjusted based on council feedback.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/lake-forest-officials-downtown-parking/
