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Ohio high court upholds 65-year prison term in thefts from nursing homes, assisted living facilities

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has upheld a 65-year prison term imposed on a central Ohio woman who pleaded guilty to stealing jewelry and other valuables from several dozen elderly residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.Former nurse’s aide Susan Gwynne pleaded guilty in 2016 to 46 of 101 charges, including burglary, theft and receiving stolen property. As part of a plea deal, she acknowledged stealing jewelry, watches and other items from residents of senior living facilities.Gwynne told the judge she began stealing items from patients’ rooms to support her cocaine habit while working as a nurse at an assisted living facility in 2004. She said she was later fired but kept going to facilities in Delaware County and Franklin County in her uniform and stealing from rooms. Investigators found more than 3,000 items at her home.The high court’s decision Wednesday follows a tangled history of appeals. The trial court imposed consecutive sentences, sa...

Mexico raises Hurricane Otis death toll to 43 and puts missing at 36 as search continues

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Mexico raises Hurricane Otis death toll to 43 and puts missing at 36 as search continues.The Associated Press

Human remains found in field near Chicago high school

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

CHICAGO — Human remains were found Saturday evening in a field near a high school in Chicago's Archer Heights neighborhood, according to police.The remains were found around 6:15 p.m. near Curie Metropolitan High School in the 4900 block of South Archer Avenue, according to information from the Chicago Police Department. 15 shot at Halloween party in North Lawndale: CPD At this time, the remains are unidentified.Area One detectives are still investigating. Anyone with information should contact them.

New math formula aims to prevent child tantrums on airplanes

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

(NEXSTAR) -- Flying with a toddler can be a hassle, especially if tears start flowing and arms begin to flail mid-flight, drawing the stares of fellow airline passengers. To help parents out, a mathematician at Oxford University in the UK developed a formula aimed at preventing these mile-high tantrums.The formula calculates the amount of time it might take for a child to throw a fit so parents can delay it from happening 35,000 feet in the air.  14 essentials every pro traveler packs Dr. Tom Crawford, an applied mathematics professor, teamed up with credit broker Asda Money to devise the formula, unveiled on Oct. 20. "The formula comes as new research by Asda Money reveals children are most likely to have a tantrum 27 minutes and 48 seconds into a flight, with each tantrum lasting an average of 15 minutes and six seconds," the company said on its website. "To some, this can feel like a lifetime when trapped inside a plane with a screaming child and upwards of 200 p...

1 driver dead, another injured in 'practice session' at Daytona International Speedway

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

DAYTONA, Fla. (WFLA) -- A driver is dead, and another was injured in an "on-track incident" during a practice session at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.In a statement to Nexstar's WFLA, the Daytona International Speedway said the incident occurred during an Audi Club track rental session. The driver tragically passed after being taken to the hospital. “We are saddened by the passing of a driver after they were transported to an area medical facility following an on-track incident during today’s Audi Club track rental session. Additionally, our thoughts are with the driver who was injured during the same incident. Daytona International Speedway will coordinate with both Audi Club and local authorities during their investigation into the cause of the accident," Daytona International Speedway said. American hockey player dies after ‘freak accident’ during game The events that led up to the incident and the injuries the other driver sustained have not yet been released...

Tips for making Halloween more fun for kids with autism

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Halloween is fast approaching and, for most kids, it's a fun time filled with activities, dressing up and, of course, trick-or-treating.But for children with autism and other sensory disorders, Halloween can be overwhelming, and even scary, according to Elizabeth Rivera from Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers in Terre Haute, Indiana."A lot of our kiddos are a mix of both. Some of them like a lot of the sensory stuff. They like the lots and they like a lot of pressure, and, some would rather not," Rivera said. "They would rather be in their little bubble and need the quiet."For this reason, Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers published a Halloween Guide for Kids with Autism. In the guide, experts offer tips for parents:Costume choices can make a big differenceWhen it comes to your child's costume, the fabric can make kids with autism or other sensory disorders uncomfortable."A lot of costumes have a very specific material," Rivera said. "So, if you know y...

Family, friends, co-stars react to Matthew Perry's sudden death

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

(KTLA) — The entertainment world is reeling from the news of "Friends" star Matthew Perry's death with fellow actors, studio executives, and fans paying tribute to one of America’s most iconic sitcom actors. Perry, 54, died at his Los Angeles-area home on Saturday. His assistant, who was asked by Perry to run an errand for him, returned to find him unresponsive in his jacuzzi, TMZ said. No foul play is suspected.In a statement to People, Perry's family said they are "heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.""Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend," the statement continued. "You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."Among the first to react to Perry’s death was Warner Bros. Television; all 10 seasons of "Friends" were shot at their studios in Burbank.  ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry dead at 54: reports “We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing,” the studio said on X, formerly T...

ACC launching new principal certification program next year

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Community College is set to debut its principal certification program in January amid ongoing teacher shortages and anticipated losses of school principals within the Austin area in upcoming years.A 28-school district study conducted by ACC earlier this year found approximately 50% of districts reported having campuses with principals who will be retiring in the next three to five years. Come January, between eight and 12 cohorts will participate in the program's inaugural semester, said Rebecca Miller, ACC's program coordinator for the new principal certification program. Miller told KXAN that ACC was trying to attract the best talent to the program to help create a robust network of new principals available to serve in the Austin area. That is all the more critical, she said, given the ongoing shortages facing the education profession here in Texas as well as nationally.Those shortages can tie back to a slew of reasons -- from educational changes since the ...

Irish tale explains the origins of Jack O’Lanterns

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The carving and lighting of pumpkins is an Irish tradition that stems back to a Celtic folktale about a man named ‘Stingy Jack’ who tricked the devil more than once.Legend says that Stingy Jack asked the devil to have a drink with him, but because Jack was so stingy he didn’t want to pay for the devil’s drink, so he asked the devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack would use to buy their drinks.Once the devil turned himself into a coin, Jack put the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross. He didn’t spend the devil, but the devil couldn’t switch back into his rightful form because of that cross.Jack freed the devil later but under one condition: the devil couldn’t bother Jack for a year. The deal was that if Jack died, the devil couldn’t claim his soul.The next year found Jack at it again. He asked the devil to climb a tree to pick a piece of fruit, and when that ole’ devil went up that tree Jack took out a knife and quickly carved a cross into th...

What the color of a trick-or-treater's Halloween bucket actually means

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:00:46 GMT

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Did you know that noticing the color of a child’s Halloween bucket is important for both those trick or treating and those handing out the candy?From epilepsy to autism, diabetes, and allergies to anxiety and depression, our little ones are living in a world of complex mental and physical issues that often get overlooked by those who haven't experienced these conditions first- or secondhand. Teal buckets stand for allergiesDid you know that one out of every 13 children has a food allergy? Many of the candies common during trick-or-treating can harm children with such allergies, even if the candy has only had cross-contact and does not contain the actual ingredient that causes an allergic reaction in the child.Also consider how warm costumes are — you don't a child want to feel too hot or too cold while trick or treating. Image: KTAL filesHomes that place Teal buckets by their front doors signify that they understand allergies are a major issue for a sig...