Category: Chicago, Illinois Local News

Good morning, Chicago.

Preventing patient sexual abuse is an issue that’s gained national attention amid the fallout from scandals such as Dr. Larry Nassar’s abuse of female athletes; the hundreds of allegations leveled at former University of Southern California gynecologist George Tyndall; and Columbia University’s acknowledged failures regarding gynecologist Robert Hadden, also accused of sexually abusing hundreds of patients.

In Illinois, the Tribune recently exposed how several large Illinois health systems allowed health care workers who were accused of sexually abusing patients to continue working, sometimes leading to additional harm.

In one of the most egregious local cases, at least 30 patients have accused gynecologist Fabio Ortega of sexually assaulting them. Several women alleged in lawsuits he assaulted them after NorthShore University HealthSystem – now known as Endeavor Health – already knew he was under police investigation. Ortega pleaded guilty in 2021 to sexually abusing two former patients and was sentenced to three years in prison; his medical license was permanently revoked. Endeavor has settled 21 civil lawsuits related to Ortega.

The Tribune found that Endeavor and other health systems have faced few consequences from state or federal regulators for allowing providers accused of sexually abusing patients to continue working. Sometimes, all regulators required was a plan to do better in the future. The Tribune also found that the state agency that regulates many medical licensees can be slow to take disciplinary action, and providers who worked outside of hospitals sometimes practiced for months while police investigated allegations against them, due to loopholes in state law.

In addition to addressing those issues, some medical experts and survivors of sexual abuse say broader use of chaperones may be one way to prevent patient abuse.

Read part 4 of our investigation.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.

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Trump’s Illinois delegates: Some tout election denials, others claim vaccines were useless or QR codes lead to government tracking

The 51 Illinoisans running as Republican Party delegates in the March 19 primary who are pledged to make Donald Trump the GOP nominee for president include two members of Congress, several candidates for the U.S. House, former and current locally elected officials and a few frequent and often unsuccessful contenders for other public offices across the state.

A deeper examination of the delegates’ backgrounds, their public comments and social media posts shows some also have repeatedly promoted the belief that COVID-19 vaccines were useless — including a state veterans’ home nurse — and some have pushed conspiracy theories that 5G phone transmission towers, wind turbines and QR codes lead to digital government tracking.

A year after John Lausch’s departure, Chicago’s next U.S. attorney still in limbo

April Perry, a former federal prosecutor, was nominated by President Joe Biden to succeed Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch as the first woman to ever hold the office. And though Perry was confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, she’s still no closer to assuming the role six months later.

Democratic incumbents face primary competition as party seeks to keep hold on Illinois legislature

Democrats will try to maintain their supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly in this year’s elections, with several incumbents facing challenges in the March 19 primary and big money pouring into some races.

Some young people planning fewer or no kids because of climate change

Collin Pearsall has friends who have started having children. But he has chosen a different path — due, in large part, to climate change.

Pearsall worries about the greenhouse gas emissions a child would add to a planet already experiencing the effects of rising temperatures.

And he is concerned about the impact climate change would have on the child: “the feeling of impending doom, every day, for their whole life.”

Illinois abortion providers praise Walgreens, CVS plans to carry mifepristone

The move comes as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a challenge from conservative groups who are trying to curb access to and use of mifepristone. The high court could decide to limit the use of mifepristone to earlier in pregnancy or require an in-person appointment with a physician for a prescription, which would curtail telehealth services and pill-by-mail programs that have significantly expanded access to medication abortions in recent years.

For man with almost 1 million Cubs baseball cards, show in St. Charles a home run

Beau Thompson is closing in on a magic number when it comes to baseball cards of Chicago Cubs players.

“I’ve been collecting cards now for over 30 years and as of now I have 997,286 and I’m going to crack one million on April 5 of this year,” said Thompson, of Madison, Wisconsin, on Saturday morning at the Premier Card Show at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. “It’s going to happen at Wrigley Field because I’ve planned it out.”

Chicago Bears pitch $2 billion for a publicly owned stadium on the lakefront to replace Soldier Field

The lakefront site would replace Soldier Field and increase open space on the museum campus by 20%, and provide a prime location to host the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and year-round community events, a source familiar with the deal said.

Column: Defensive line may be the top priority as Chicago Bears free-agency plans take shape

The negotiating window opens at 11 a.m. today and leads into the start of free agency when the new league year begins at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The work general manager Ryan Poles has completed in advance provides some clues for what could be next.

Why the ‘A League of Their Own’ TV show continues to resonate with fans — and why the Rockford Peaches remain timeless

Roughly 90 miles west of Chicago, Beyer Stadium’s brick ticket booth stands eight decades later as a physical reminder to the history embodied at the baseball field.

The Rockford Peaches and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League still resonate within baseball and pop culture. Penny Marshall’s 1992 film “A League of Their Own” starring Geena Davis, Lori Petty and Tom Hanks remains the highest-grossing baseball movie after bringing in nearly $133 million worldwide.

Massive preservation project underway to save one of the oldest public art pieces in Chicago area

The United Electrical Workers union is teaming up with an art group to save a historic mural — considered one of the oldest public art pieces in the Chicago area — inside its Near West Side meeting hall, a space that will soon be developed into apartments.

The sprawling mural, titled “Solidarity,” spans the building’s two lobbies and central staircase, narrating the history of industrial unionism. A team of artists painted the vibrant work in the style of Diego Rivera between 1973 and 1974.

Review: The Eagles play it proudly old-school on their Long Goodbye farewell tour

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Eagles know their audience, writes Bob Gendron. Friday at the first of a two-night stand at a packed United Center, the veterans made no attempt to disguise their old-school methods and untrendy style.

‘Oppenheimer’ wins best picture at Academy Awards

“Oppenheimer,” a solemn three-hour biopic that became an unlikely billion-dollar box-office sensation, was crowned best picture at a 96th Academy Awards that doubled as a coronation for Christopher Nolan.

After passing over arguably Hollywood’s foremost big-screen auteur for years, the Oscars made up for lost time by heaping seven awards on Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, including best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and best director for Nolan.

The most closely watched contest of the Academy Awards went to Emma Stone, who won best best actress for her performance as Bella Baxter in “Poor Things.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Oppenheimer,” a solemn three-hour biopic that became an unlikely billion-dollar box-office sensation, was crowned best picture at a 96th Academy Awards that doubled as a coronation for Christopher Nolan.

After passing over arguably Hollywood’s foremost big-screen auteur for years, the Oscars made up for lost time by heaping seven awards on Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, including best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and best director for Nolan.

In anointing “Oppenheimer,” the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences did something it hasn’t done for more than a decade: hand its top prize to a widely seen, big-budget studio film. In a film industry where a cape, dinosaur or Tom Cruise has often been a requirement for such box office, “Oppenheimer” brought droves of moviegoers to theaters with a complex, fission-filled drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb.

“For better or worse, we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world,” said Murphy in his acceptance speech. “I’d like to dedicate this to the peacemakers.”

As a film heavy with unease for human capacity for mass destruction, “Oppenheimer” also emerged — even over its partner in cultural phenomenon, “Barbie” – as a fittingly foreboding film for times rife with cataclysm, man-made or not.

Sunday’s Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles unfolded against the backdrop of wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and with a potentially momentous U.S. election on the horizon. Awards for the documentary winner, “20 Days in Mariupol,” and best international film, “The Zone of Interest,” brought geopolitics into the Oscar spotlight.

The most closely watched contest went to Emma Stone, who won best best actress for her performance as Bella Baxter in “Poor Things.” In what was seen as the night’s most nail-biting category, Stone won over Lily Gladstone of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Gladstone would have become the first Native American to win an Academy Award.

Instead, Oscar voters couldn’t resist the full-bodied extremes of Stone’s “Poor Things” performance. The win for Stone, her second best actress Oscar following her 2017 win for “La La Land,” confirmed the 35-year-old as arguably the preeminent big-screen actress of her generation. The list of women to win best actress two or more times is illustrious, including Katharine Hepburn, Frances McDormand, Ingrid Bergman and Bette Davis.

“Oh, boy, this is really overwhelming,” said Stone, who fought back tears and a broken dress during her speech.

Sunday’s broadcast had razzle dazzle, including a sprawling song-and-dance rendition of the “Barbie” hit “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling, with an assist on guitar by Slash and a sea of Kens who swarmed the stage.

But protest and politics intruded on an election-year Academy Awards. Late during the show, host Jimmy Kimmel read a critical social media post from former president Donald Trump.

“Thank you for watching,” said Kimmel. “Isn’t it past your jail time?”

Nolan has had many movies in the Oscar mix before, including “Inception,” “Dunkirk” and “The Dark Knight.” But his win Sunday for direction is the first Academy Award for the 53-year-old filmmaker. Addressing the crowd, Nolan noted cinema is just over a hundred years old.

“Imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater,” said Nolan, who shared the best-picture award with Emma Thomas, his wife and producer. “We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to know that you think that I’m a meaningful part of it means the world to me.”

Downey, nominated twice before (for “Chaplin” and “Tropic Thunder”), also notched his first Oscar, crowning the illustrious second act of his up-and-down career.

“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the academy, in that order,” said Downey, the son of filmmaker Robert Downey Sr.

“Barbie,” last year’s biggest box-office hit with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, ultimately won just one award: best song (sorry, Ken) for Billie Eilish and Finneas’ “What Was I Made For?” It’s their second Oscar, two years after winning for their James Bond theme, “No Time to Die.”

Protests over Israel’s war in Gaza snarled traffic around the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, slowing stars’ arrival on the red carpet and turning the Oscar’ attention toward the ongoing conflict. Some protesters shouted “Shame!” at those trying to reach the awards.

Jonathan Glazer, the British filmmaker whose chilling Auschwitz drama “The Zone of Interest” won best international film, drew connections between the dehumanization depicted in his film and today.

“Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people, whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel, or the the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims, this dehumanization, how do we resist?”

A year after “Navalny” won the same award, Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing chronicle of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, won best documentary. The win, a first for The Associated Press and PBS’ “Frontline,” came as the war in Ukraine passed the two-year mark with no signs of abating.

Chernov, the Ukrainian filmmaker and AP journalist whose hometown was bombed the day he learned of his Oscar nomination, spoke forcefully about Russia’s invasion.

“This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honored,” said Chernov. “Probably I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I’d never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this (for) Russia never attacking Ukraine.”

In the early going, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Frankenstein-riff “Poor Things” ran away with three prizes for its sumptuous craft, including awards for production design, makeup and hairstyling and costume design. “Poor Things” fared second best to “Oppenheimer,” with a total of four awards.

Kimmel, hosting the ABC telecast for the fourth time, opened the awards with an monologue that emphasized Hollywood as “a union town” following 2023’s actor and writer strikes, drew a standing ovation for bringing out teamsters and behind-the-scenes workers — who are now entering their own labor negotiations.

The night’s first award was one of its most predictable: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for best supporting actress, for her performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers.” An emotional Randolph was accompanied to the stage by her “Holdovers” co-star Paul Giamatti.

“For so long I’ve always wanted to be different,” said Randolph. “And now I realize I just need to be myself.”

Though Randolph’s win was widely expected, an upset quickly followed. Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” won for best animated feature, a surprise over the slightly favored “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Miyazaki, the 83-year-old Japanese anime master who came out of retirement to make “The Boy and the Heron,” didn’t attend the ceremony. He also didn’t attend the 2003 Oscars when his “Spirited Away” won the same award.

Best original screenplay went to “Anatomy of a Fall,” which, like “Barbie,” was penned by a couple: director Justine Triet and Arthur Harari. “This will help me through my midlife crisis, I think,” said Triet.

In adapted screenplay, where “Barbie” was nominated — and where some suspected Greta Gerwig would win after being overlooked for director — the Oscar went to Cord Jefferson, who wrote and directed his feature film debut “American Fiction.” He pleaded for executives to take risks on young filmmakers like himself.

“Instead of making a $200 million movie, try making 20 $10 million movies,” said Jefferson, previously an award-winning TV writer.

The Oscars belonged largely to theatrical-first films. Though it came into the awards with 19 nominations, Netflix was a bit player. Its lone win came for live action short: Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” based on the story by Roald Dahl.

The win for “Oppenheimer” offered Hollywood a chance to celebrate despite swirling storm clouds in the film industry. Nolan’s film debuted last year just as actors joined screenwriters in a prolonged strike over streaming economics and artificial intelligence. The actors’ strike ended in November, but little of Hollywood’s unease subsided. Streaming has proved less lucrative for most studios not named Netflix.

But “Barbenheimer” was the kind of unplanned phenomenon Hollywood needs more of. The two films could also give a lift to the Oscar telecast, which has historically benefitted from having big movies in contention. The Academy Awards’ largest audience ever came when James Cameron’s “Titanic” swept the 1998 Oscars.

___

AP’s Ryan Pearson and Krysta Fauria contributed to this report

___ For more coverage of this year’s Academy Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards

The 96^th Annual Academy Awards caused a bit of a stir before the ceremony even started because of WHEN they started: six minutes past the scheduled 6 p.m. Central Time, with a comfortable and confident Jimmy Kimmel handling host duties for the fourth time. Some in the audience stood to greet Kimmel, who ad-libbed, “Thank you for that partial standing ovation” and noted, “We’re already five minutes over and I am not joking.”

It was a tad ironic that Kimmel joked about the long running time for so many movies in a solid if hit-and-miss monologue that stretched past 15 minutes. Heavy on inside-baseball references and jokes, it ended on a strong note, with Kimmel bringing out dozens of behind-the-scenes crew members to thank them for refusing to cross picket lines during last year’s strikes. Nice to see the stars rising as one to thank all the union craftspeople whose names you see rolling on the screen after the movie is over!

The opening montage featured a gag reminiscent of Billy Crystal’s stints as host, with Kimmel edited into the park bench scene in “Barbie.” When Margot Robbie’s living doll said, “You’re so beautiful,” Kimmel replied, “I know, I was just thinking that. I haven’t eaten in three weeks. I’m so hungry. I have to go host the Oscars.”

A dig at “Madame Web” met with a tepid response. A visual gag involving Messi the dog from “Anatomy of a Fall” worked. Some wisecracks about Robert Downey Jr.’s past problems were helped because Downey played along from the audience. One of the best jokes to land: “Emma [Stone] played an adult woman with the brain of a child, like the lady who gave the rebuttal to the State of the Union on Thursday.” Zing!

Kimmel also noted that “48 years ago, Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster were nominated for ‘Taxi Driver,’ and they are both nominated again tonight. 1976 was the year. In 1975, Jodie Foster was young enough to be Robert De Niro’s daughter. Now, she’s 20 years too old to be his girlfriend.” Cut to shots of De Niro gamely laughing, and Foster wearing an expression that said, “He’s not wrong.”

No new cases of measles have been reported in Lake County in the wake of the first confirmed case of the disease in Indiana in five years announced Feb. 23 by the Indiana Department of Health.

IDOH identified Lake County as the site of the confirmed case and said this week that no additional cases had been reported. No further information on the individual such as age or community was available due to privacy concerns, according to IDOH.

Officials said the individual who contracted the disease was not vaccinated.

“IDOH and local health officials are still investigating and taking all recommended measures to prevent the spread of the disease, and no additional cases of measles have been reported,” Lisa Welch, media relations coordinator for IDOH, said.

“The risk to the public is low in this case. However, young children and unvaccinated individuals are particularly at risk, generally speaking. About one in five unvaccinated people in the United States who get measles is hospitalized, and 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will become sick,” Welch said.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles and one dose is about 93% effective, so vaccination is the best prevention, she said.

Three measles, mumps and rubella clinics were offered last week by IDOH in conjunction with the Lake County, East Chicago and Gary health departments. Those clinics saw little foot traffic despite the IDOH announcement. Lake County has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.

“Vaccination is the best protection, and we were able to vaccinate three people at Wednesday’s clinics (on Feb. 28). Anyone who would like to get vaccinated is encouraged to reach out to their healthcare provider or the local health departments in Lake County,” Welch said.

Just 42.98% of children aged 19 months to 35 months have completed the series of vaccinations recommended for that age in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to an overall state vaccination completion rate of 57.7% in 2022 for that age group, according to the IDOH website. Part of that series is the MMR vaccine.

Gary’s health officer Dr. Janet Seabrook said because of the contagious nature of measles, one case is considered an outbreak.

Veronica Collins, executive director of the Gary Health Department, said the department hosted the vaccination clinic with IDOH and has extended its hours vaccines are offered to accommodate any demand.

After the clinic, the department received phone calls about the vaccine’s availability, she said. Both adults and children can come to the health department for vaccinations.

“To educate the public, we will be getting out pieces on social media, newspapers, WLTH radio and billboards to let them know what’s going on. It will also be on our website,” Collins said. “We’re working with the state right now for Health First Indiana and extending our immunization clinics throughout schools.”

Dr. Chandana Vavilala, Lake County’s health officer, said officials have been aware of the low vaccination rates in Lake County before the outbreak and have been utilizing some of the Health First Indiana funding to increase vaccination rates in general.

Dates and locations for upcoming vaccine clinics will be posted on the department’s website. Anybody needing an MMR vaccine, or any other vaccine, who does not want to wait for a vaccine clinic may contact the health department at (219) 755-3655.

cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

WASHINGTON — On the surface, the Blackhawks‘ power play wouldn’t seem like a positive story coming out of Saturday.

The Hawks failed to score on any of their four power-play opportunities in a 4-1 loss to the Capitals, losing for the 23rd time in their last 24 road games — and for the 16th time in their last 18 games overall.

But the Hawks lost the game well before any of those power-play opportunities arrived, conceding three goals in a seven-minute span midway through the first period. A fourth Capitals goal during the same barrage was overturned after a long offside challenge, but the score had reached 4-0 after all before the Hawks began inspiring any dreams of a comeback in the third period.

And although the power play didn’t convert, it did generate 21 shot attempts for a second consecutive game. It looked nearly as dangerous Saturday as it did Tuesday against the Coyotes, when the Hawks scored four power-play goals in a single game for the first time since January 2018.

“That’s what you need out of a power play: you might not score every single time, but you’ve got to build momentum for the team,” said Tyler Johnson, who scored the Hawks’ lone goal (albeit at even strength).

“As a unit, we’ve gotten better as the season has progressed. In the last little bit, it’s been a lot better. We’ve just got to continue to do that.”

Connor Bedard was a shooting menace, recording a career-high 16 shot attempts — 10 of which came on the power play, and several of which hobbled Capitals shot-blockers.

He hit the post once, was robbed by Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren once and barely missed a couple more times, and he expressed some annoyance as his goal drought extended to eight straight games. But coach Luke Richardson loved his trigger-happy attitude.

“He’s so good at receiving a puck, [making] a head bob and a fake, getting on the inside and [taking] good wrist shots,” Richardson said. “But I think he’s got to hold them accountable on the PK, to [make them] front those one-timer shots. Eventually, he’s going to read those [situations] and create opportunities behind it if someone gets in front of him and gets down.”

The Hawks have practiced their power play extensively over the past few weeks, particularly focusing on their zone entries and their in-zone movement. It can be so beneficial to not only cycle the puck but also cycle players from spot to spot within the zone.

Johnson’s return in early February and placement in one of the down-low roles on the Hawks’ top power-play unit has helped the whole unit function better. He and Nick Foligno are decently adept at winning pucks and gathering rebounds behind the net and along the boards, and their presences create more space up high for Bedard, Seth Jones and Philipp Kurashev to maneuver.

“It’s really hard to defend the best skill players on the other team coming with speed,” Richardson said. “I think that’s what we’ve been lacking over the course of the year. We finally have some repetition now, with the same guys on the unit for a while, and they’ve really worked at it. And that gets us more [offensive]-zone time.”

Between Nov. 10 and Feb. 14, the Hawks’ power play averaged only 1.34 shot attempts per minute, the fewest in the league during that time period.

In the 11 games since Feb. 15, however, they’ve generated 2.19 shot attempts per minute, the most in the league. Not coincidentally, Feb. 15 is the exact moment Bedard returned from his injury.

They’re only a rather pedestrian 7-for-25 during that period in terms of actually scoring, but underlying improvement is arguably more important during a lost season in which the scoreboard results have become meaningless.

SEATTLE — Boeing has acknowledged in a letter to Congress that it cannot find records for work done on a door panel that blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon two months ago.

“We have looked extensively and have not found any such documentation,” Ziad Ojakli, Boeing executive vice president and chief government lobbyist, wrote to Sen. Maria Cantwell on Friday.

The company said its “working hypothesis” was that the records about the panel’s removal and reinstallation on the 737 MAX final assembly line in Renton, Washington, were never created, even though Boeing’s systems required it.

The letter, reported earlier by The Seattle Times, followed a contentious Senate committee hearing Wednesday in which Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board argued over whether the company had cooperated with investigators.

The safety board’s chair, Jennifer Homendy, testified that for two months Boeing repeatedly refused to identify employees who work on door panels on Boeing 737s and failed to provide documentation about a repair job that included removing and reinstalling the door panel.

“It’s absurd that two months later we don’t have that,” Homendy said. “Without that information, that raises concerns about quality assurance, quality management, safety management systems” at Boeing.

Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, demanded a response from Boeing within 48 hours.

Shortly after the Senate hearing, Boeing said it had given the NTSB the names of all employees who work on 737 doors — and had previously shared some of them with investigators.

In the letter, Boeing said it had already made clear to the safety board that it couldn’t find the documentation. Until the hearing, it said, “Boeing was not aware of any complaints or concerns about a lack of collaboration.”

Boeing has been under increasing scrutiny since the Jan. 5 incident in which a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9. Pilots were able to land safely, and there were no injuries.

In a preliminary report last month, the NTSB said four bolts that help keep the door plug in place were missing after the panel was removed so workers could repair nearby damaged rivets last September. The rivet repairs were done by contractors working for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, but the NTSB still does not know who removed and replaced the door panel, Homendy said Wednesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently gave Boeing 90 days to say how it will respond to quality-control issues raised by the agency and a panel of industry and government experts. The panel found problems in Boeing’s safety culture despite improvements made after two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.

Founder of Polished Pebbles Kelly Fair and program organizer Ariel Thompson joined WGN Weekend News to share more on celebrating 15 years of empowering young girls in Chicago.

Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Pisces.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Tread carefully because this is an accident-prone day. You might have strong feelings about something and suddenly overreact or do something spontaneously that triggers an unexpected event, especially with a team or a group of people, possibly a friend. Be careful.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Think twice when talking to bosses, parents and authority figures (including the police) because you might trigger a situation that gets out of hand. You might say something you regret, or you might provoke a response that is surprising or over-the-top. Don’t even go there. Stay chill.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Travel plans might suddenly change. Alternatively, you might spontaneously have to travel when you did not expect to do so. Likewise, authority figures (including parents and the police) might do something that is unexpected. “Busted!” Be careful today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Quarrels, disputes or something unexpected could impact issues related to shared property, inheritances, taxes or debt. Because of this, you might suddenly want to escape and run away. Something might create a desire in you to travel. Medical or legal matters might surprise.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Patience is the antidote to anger. Today you might need to be patient with partners and close friends because something out of the blue catches you off guard. Perhaps changes to a will, or how something is shared or divided, will alarm you? Be classy. Don’t blow your cool.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Your work routine will be interrupted today. Power outages, staff shortages, equipment breakdowns, delayed deliveries — something will throw a wrench in things for you. An unexpected health issue might arise. Or something to do with a pet? Take this in your stride. Remain calm and cool.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Parents should be extra vigilant today because this is an accident-prone time for your kids. Know where they are at all times. Remove toddlers from potential hazards. Meanwhile, social plans might change suddenly. They might be canceled or you might receive a surprise invitation? Romance is rocky.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Your home routine will change today. Small appliances might break down or a minor breakage could occur. Surprise company might knock at the door. Be smart and stock the fridge so you’re prepared for anything. Something unexpected related to your kids might occur.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Pay attention to everything you say and do today because this is an accident-prone day for you. It might be a minor accident or a verbal gaffe, or it could be something major. Meanwhile, family issues, especially with a parent, might surprise you. Never underestimate the power of courtesy.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Keep an eye on your finances and your belongings today because something unexpected could impact them. For example, you might find money; you might lose money. Do what you can to protect your belongings against theft, loss or damage. You might suddenly have to take a short trip.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You’re full of energy and feeling impulsive and impatient, which in some cases, could lead to an accident. Therefore, be cool. Be aware of what you’re doing at all times. Guard against knee-jerk reactions. Give everything a sober second thought before you speak or act. Caution against impulse shopping.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

This is a restless day for you. You have that feeling that you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Meanwhile, you feel independent and determined to do your own thing regardless of what others think. You’ve got the bit in your teeth and you’re ready to go after what you want. A hidden surprise is possible. Be prepared for this.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actor Oscar Isaac (1979) shares your birthday. You are adventurous, courageous and admired by others. Strong and independent, yet you’re sensitive and can be easily offended. This is a slower-paced year. Take time to rest and rejuvenate your energy. Focus on personal relationships and concentrate on your own needs. Find people who have your back.

DEWHURST, Wis. (AP) — Nine people were killed Friday in a crash involving a semitrailer and a van at a western Wisconsin highway intersection.

Preliminary reports about the early morning crash indicated the semitrailer traveling on State Highway 95 collided with the van traveling on County Highway J, southwest of the small city of Neillsville, Clark County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy James Hirsch said in a Facebook post.

The van entered the intersection and was struck by the semitrailer, he said. Eight of the nine people in the van, including the driver, died at the scene, while an injured passenger was taken to a nearby hospital, he said.

The driver was the only occupant of the semitrailer and also died at the scene, Hirsch said.

An investigation is ongoing.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all those involved, as well as the first responders who worked quickly to provide support at the scene,” Gov. Tony Evers posted on X.

The names of everyone involved in the crash will be released after family members are notified, according to the sheriff’s office.

Highway 95 was closed for hours. Overhead video footage showed both vehicles on their sides.

The area of the crash is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Eau Claire.