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Shooting at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee leaves 3 wounded

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Shooting at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee leaves 3 wounded

Six Flags Nice America is working with native authorities to search out the offenders liable for a drive-by taking pictures Sunday evening on the Gurnee theme park.

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Police stated three folks have been injured when folks in a white sedan opened fireplace within the Six Flags parking zone round 7:50 p.m. after which sped off.

“Based mostly on the preliminary investigation, a white sedan entered the Six Flags parking zone and drove towards the entrance entrance of the park,” Gurnee police spokesperson Shawn Gaylor stated in an announcement.

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“Suspects exited the automobile and started taking pictures at one other particular person within the parking zone. The suspects received again within the white sedan and shortly left the world,” Gaynor stated.

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A 17-year-old boy from Aurora was shot within the higher leg and a 19-year-old girl from Appleton, Wisconsin, was shot within the decrease leg. Each have been transported to an space hospital.

A 3rd sufferer, whose age was not launched, was grazed on the shoulder and declined medical therapy, the spokesperson stated.

SIX FLAGS CEO PLANS TO RAISE PRICES, SAYS PARKS TURNED INTO ‘DAY CARE CENTER FOR TEENAGERS’

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Police stated “quite a few” businesses helped to filter the park, however Gaylor famous that it “seemed to be a focused incident outdoors the park.”

“This was not an energetic shooter incident contained in the theme park,” Gaylor stated.

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An worker stated the park was crowded with households, attempting to benefit from the final little bit of summer season earlier than faculty resumes.

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Brian Donda was on the cellphone along with his son Charlie at Six Flags when the gunfire erupted within the parking zone Sunday night.

” they heard what gave the impression of fireworks go off. Then they went operating,” Donda stated. “They latched onto a household and adopted them. They jumped over a fence and hid behind a hill. They have been looking for a approach to discover to get out of the park.”

Lastly, they noticed firefighters who waved them to security.

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Movies posted to social media present a big police presence. Some movies stated folks ran between rollercoasters and jumped over fences to flee the park. Different movies present folks operating and screaming.

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Anthony Shannon, 17, was working on the entrance gate and urged everybody to return again into the park.

He stated he didn’t concern for his security however is glad nobody else received damage when the group ran for security, “I felt like they paid to have enjoyable, to not depart and get shot.”

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At round 11 p.m., a police truck over a speaker drove across the perimeter saying repeatedly: “Consideration, anyone within the park. That is the police. There isn’t a menace, it’s secure to return out.”

Gurnee Mayor Tom Hood stated swift motion by regulation enforcement prevented others from being damage.

Native politicians took to social media Monday morning to reward the fast response by first responders, whereas saying extra must be executed to handle gun violence.

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“Whether or not they will faculty, work, or Six Flags, Individuals mustn’t must concern for his or her lives due to gun violence. I’m grateful for the fast motion by first responders in Gurnee final evening, however we’ve extra work to do to handle the gun violence epidemic,” stated Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ailing.

Three folks have been shot Sunday evening within the parking zone of Six Flags Nice America in Gurnee. Quite a few police businesses responded to studies of a taking pictures and helped to evacuate the park. (Kaitlin Washburn/Solar-Occasions)

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Rep. Brad Schneider known as the taking pictures “unacceptable” and stated extra must be executed to “sort out the basis causes” of gun violence.

“We are able to and should discover a approach to hold our children secure in colleges, folks secure of their homes of worship, and households secure whether or not at amusement parks, neighborhood parades or just strolling down the road,” Schneider stated in a tweet.

Six Flags launched an announcement saying the park could be open on Monday.

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New board elects President Trump chair of Kennedy Center

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New board elects President Trump chair of Kennedy Center

Education Artist-In-Residence Mo Willems supervised a 2019 rehearsal at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America

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President Trump is the new chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following through on a promise the president made last week. He posted the following on the social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon.

“President Donald J. Trump was just unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The President stated, “It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees. We will make The Kennedy Center a very special and exciting place!”

Trump was elected by a board that excluded the 18 Democratic appointees purged by the president last week. New board members, according to a statement from the Kennedy Center, include the Vice President’s wife, Usha Vance as well as Susie Wiles, Dan Scavino, Allison Lutnick, Lynda Lomangino, Mindy Levine, Pamela Gross, John Falconetti, Cheri Summerall, Sergio Gor, Emilia May Fanjul, Patricia Duggan and Dana Blumberg.

In a statement sent to NPR marking her departure, former Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter said, in part:

“The goal of the Kennedy Center has been to live up to our namesake, serving as a beacon for the world and ensuring our work reflects America. I depart my position proud of all we accomplished to meet that ambition. From the art on our stages to the students we have impacted in classrooms across America, everything we have done at the Kennedy Center has been about uplifting the human spirit in service of strengthening the culture of our great nation.

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“I have been motivated my whole life by the fundamental values of America – freedom, equality, and a deep belief in the American dream. Core to our American experience is also artistic expression. Artists showcase the range of life’s emotions – the loftiest heights of joy and the depths of grievous despair. They hold a mirror up to the world – reflecting who we are and echoing our stories. The work of artists doesn’t always make us feel comfortable, but it sheds light on the truth.

“Much like our democracy itself, artistic expression must be nurtured, fostered, prioritized, and protected. It is not a passive endeavor; indeed, there is no clearer sign of American democracy at work than our artists, the work they produce, and audiences’ unalienable right to actively participate.”

Trump has boasted about never attending a performance at the country’s national cultural center. He skipped the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018, traditionally attended by sitting presidents. A few of that year’s honorees had vocally criticized his leadership and politics, including the singer Cher and theater artist Lin-Manuel Miranda.

On Monday, a longtime ally, Richard Grenell, was named interim executive director. 

For more than a decade, the Kennedy Center’s board was led by philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, who had deferred retirement until next year and told the New York Times that he believed he was on friendly terms with the president. Until recently, the 36-member board was notably bipartisan, with members split equally between Republicans and Democrats. Several had been appointed by President Biden shortly before he stepped down; they included former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and his longtime aide and advisor, Mike Donilon.

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Board members are appointed to six-year terms, and typically, those terms are fulfilled. The Kennedy Center’s leadership addressed the legality of Trump’s actions in a statement on Friday.

“Per the Center’s governance established by Congress in 1958, the chair of the board of trustees is appointed by the center’s board members,” it said. “There is nothing in the center’s statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members; however, this would be the first time such action has been taken with the Kennedy Center’s board.”

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Disneyland visitor launches class-action suit over new, stricter disability passes

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Disneyland visitor launches class-action suit over new, stricter disability passes

Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability exemption at a booth just outside the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks.

The Disability Access Service, or DAS, pass she wanted would have allowed her to avoid waiting in time-consuming lines for popular Disney rides.

Malone met with personnel representing Disney for her DAS application interview. In that public setting, they solicited private medical information from the disabled woman.

After a short exchange, Malone was rejected, as her disability did not meet new, stricter DAS standards.

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That denial was detailed in a 32-page class-action complaint Malone filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts along with partner Inspire Health Alliance in Orange County Superior Court on Monday.

Malone’s complaint claims Disney breached confidentiality and invaded her privacy, and violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act and several California civil rights codes.

The woman’s attorneys claim in the complaint the new DAS pass standard “unlawfully excludes individuals with other disabilities.” The complaint did not provide any details on the plaintiff’s disability.

She is asking Disney to revert to a previous, less restrictive version of DAS pass enforcement. She is also looking for statutory damages, restitution and the cost of attorney’s fees.

The Ontario-based McCune Law Group, which is representing Malone, issued a statement on her behalf, saying the case is about the people the DAS pass is meant to benefit.

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“Disney has arbitrarily determined that a wide range of disabilities do not qualify as such under the ‘Disability Access Service’ program,” the emailed statement read. “The park cannot provide a ‘great experience for all’ while its DAS program continues to target and marginalize those it purports to support and protect.”

A Disney spokesperson who asked not to be named said the park strives to provide a great experience for its disabled visitors.

“Disney offers a broad range of effective disability accommodations and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that our guests’ individual needs are properly matched with the accommodation they require, and we believe the claims in this complaint are without merit,” the spokesperson said.

Disney’s DAS pass is not a license to skip waiting. Rather, it provides a pass holder a return time for an attraction, where they’ll be placed in line with those who have paid for express, or Lightning Lane, access.

In April, Disney announced it was changing the DAS qualifications. The new wording noted that the DAS program, then the most popular at the park, was “intended to accommodate those guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.”

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The changes went into effect May 20 at Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland.

Older standards were much broader, for guests “who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability.”

Disney said that as a result of that language, the program’s usage tripled between 2019 and 2024.

It’s these older standards, however, that Malone is requesting.

Malone is suing on behalf of several unnamed disabled clients denied a DAS pass since June 18. She included Inspire Health Alliance, which the lawsuit claims provided nurse practitioners who collaborated with Disney staff to determine DAS pass worthiness.

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Malone’s attorneys argue in the complaint that requiring guests to undergo a screening process with eligibility criteria that disproportionately affect individuals with physical disabilities is contrary to California’s Unruh Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA.

Unruh bans discrimination by California businesses based on age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin and a variety of other factors.

Disney has maintained in previous interviews with The Times that it offers many accommodations for its disabled guests.

Those include a sensory experience guide to indicate which parts of the park have loud noises, darkness and bumpiness, which rides are fast and which lift off the ground. Disney also offers sign language interpreters, wheelchair and scooter rentals, assistive handheld captioning and video captioning on some rides, and dialogue and narration of scripts on others.

As for ride waiting, Disney offers a “return to queue” process, which allows a party to hold a place in line for a guest with disabilities. There are a few other similar options, including a “location return time” accommodation offered to those in wheelchairs.

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Malone’s attorneys said those accommodations “failed to provide equitable access and imposed undue burdens, logistical challenges, emotional distress and safety risks.”

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PBS shutters DEI office

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PBS shutters DEI office

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger speaks at the PBS’s Executive Session at the 2017 Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. PBS is closing its DEI office following executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed at rolling back workplace DEI efforts.

Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP


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PBS is shuttering its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office after President Trump last month issued executive orders aimed at curtailing DEI workplace initiatives.

“In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the President’s executive order around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion we have closed our DEI office,” the public broadcaster said in a statement shared with NPR via email.

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“The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS. We will continue to adhere to our mission and values. PBS will continue to reflect all of America and remain a welcoming place for everyone.”

A memo from PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger that was shared with NPR says that on the advice of PBS’ legal council, the DEI office was closed and DEI staffers Gina Leow and Cecilia Loving are leaving PBS.

During his first term, Trump tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to axe or drastically reduce funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is a funder of both PBS and NPR.

According to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting website, more than 70% of its annual federal appropriation goes directly to more than 1,500 local public media stations. In fiscal year 2023, CPB says its funding constituted around 10% of the average public television station’s total revenue, and 6% of the average public radio station’s revenue.

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NPR also has a diversity office and dedicated DEI employees. It has not responded to requests for comment about whether it is considering closing the office.

The Federal Communications Commission is currently investigating PBS, NPR and their member stations’ underwriting amid Trump Administration concerns that sponsorship messages may be in violation of federal law prohibiting noncommercial educational stations from broadcasting commercials.

In addition, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the chair of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), has requested that PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher testify at a hearing in March concerning public media’s funding and journalism practices.

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Correspondent Chloe Veltman and edited by Culture Editor Jennifer Vanasco and Managing Editors Vickie Walton-James and Gerald Holmes. Under NPR’s protocol for reporting on itself, no corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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