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Sophomore guard Audrey LaFleur is stepping into a lead role this season for Burlington Central. She immediately did some soul searching after the first half of Tuesday’s season opener. “We had a good talk in the locker room at halftime,” LaFleur said of not letting anything fester. “I was kind of upset by the way I…

Chicago is expected to see its first snowfall of the season on Wednesday evening after an unusually warm fall. Scattered “bursts” of rain, snow and sleet are expected to begin in the late afternoon on Wednesday, with occasional snow showers continuing throughout the night, said National Weather Service meteorologist Gino Izzi. Chicago weather: Here’s what’s…

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump says he has chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO, the bedrock Western alliance that the president-elect has repeatedly expressed skepticism about. Trump, in a statement, said Whitaker was “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced…

The Porter County Coroner’s Office released the identity Tuesday of the South Haven pedestrian killed after being struck by three cars in Portage as Douglas Smith, 65. Smith died at the scene late the afternoon of Nov. 13 at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Samuelson Road, according to Portage Police. Police and the coroner’s…

Two newly established Valparaiso bodies seek members to guide and oversee the best interests for community ethical decisions and to ensure environmental standards are upheld. Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas said Valparaiso first established its Ethics Commission in 2005 and ranks as one of just a few communities in the region served by an independent ethics…

Soon, next year we are told, the heretofore hidden history of Illinois’ Underground Railroad will begin to be assembled, documented, recorded and made public. And it only took 200 years. Soon, we are told, the stories of those who traveled in silence and the paths they took, aided by the good will of others, and…

Some of our fellow Illinoisans don’t like us. They want nothing to do with their compatriots in northeastern Illinois. These folks are in seven Downstate counties who in the Nov. 5 election voted to secede and form the 51st state. Specifically targeting Cook County, they apparently don’t know that Lake, DuPage, Kane and Will counties…

The Chicago White Sox signed veteran outfielder Austin Slater to a major-league contract Monday, a source confirmed to the Tribune. The move is pending a physical. Slater, who turns 32 next month, has a .252/.342/.385 slash line with 60 doubles, 40 home runs and 171 RBIs in 634 career games during eight seasons with the…

The United States Postal Service might have found a way to unite a nation bitterly divided after this month’s election: It’s releasing a Betty White stamp. The beloved actor known for roles in “The Golden Girls,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Boston Legal,” and others will be on a 2025 Forever stamp, USPS announced Friday.…

NEW YORK — New York City politicians are calling on Whoopi Goldberg to apologize for suggesting on air that a local bakery had declined to make “The View” co-host a batch of desserts for her birthday because of her political beliefs. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella was among the local leaders and supporters who…

SAO PAULO — Joe Biden will become the first sitting American president to set foot in the Amazon rainforest during a brief stop Sunday in the Brazilian city of Manaus as the incoming Trump administration seems poised to scale back the U.S. commitment to combating climate change. The massive Amazon, which is about the size…

Rich Bender is trying to rewire his brain. The former Thomas Jefferson Science Olympiad co-coach, along with Carol Haller, has his late fall and early afternoon winters free for the first time since he graduated from college. They are no longer tethered to their study lab, strategizing about events like “Helicopter” and “Write It Do…

McDonald’s is investing $100 million to bring customers back to stores after an outbreak of E. coli food poisoning tied to onions on the fast-food giant’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. The investments include $65 million that will go directly to the hardest-hit franchises, the company said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said…

ATLANTA — Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party’s prodigious fundraising operation raised more than $1 billion in her loss to Donald Trump, but the vice president is still pushing donors for more money after the election. Democrats are sending persistent appeals to Harris supporters without expressly asking them to cover any potential debts, enticing would-be…

Crown Point Momentum Church: 2200 N. Main St. —Momentum Church’s monthly young adult gathering will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 17 and welcomes young adults across the region to gather for relationship building, spiritual growth, and positive action. For more information, visit: https://allevents.in/crown%20point/monthly-young-adult-gathering/200027437630701. Gary Cathedral of Holy Angels: 640 Tyler St. —…

A Fremont Middle School student was taken into custody after threatening to carry out a school shooting and displaying a shotgun during a video call with a classmate, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Friday. The Mundelein-area youth has been charged in juvenile court with unlawful possession of a firearm and aggravated assault, police said.…

An hours-long torrential downpour didn’t sour the mood of the casually dressed 20- and 30-somethings who came to see Tinashe on Friday night at the Aragon Ballroom. Long lines and the venue’s notoriously messy security protocols meant many fans were stuck outside as Tinashe took the stage around 9 p.m. But they were soon in…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 home games at the New York Yankees’ nearby spring training ballpark amid uncertainty about the future of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field, Rays executives told The Associated Press. Stuart Sternberg, the Rays’ principal owner, said in an interview that Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is the…

With the Bulls and Blackhawks seasons in full swing and Comcast carriage negotiations stalled, the Chicago Sports Network is moving forward this week with its direct-to-consumer streaming service, bypassing the pay-TV middleman to reach blacked-out viewers. The app, which launches Friday, will offer live access to CHSN, including all Bulls, Blackhawks and White Sox games,…

The Lake County Board approved $17 million in agreements with various engineering and construction companies for a list of roadway projects during Tuesday’s board meeting, part of the larger Transportation Improvement Program the board approved in July. The largest projects authorized Tuesday included $6.8 million for resurfacing, restoring and rehabilitating a portion of Deep Lake…