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BuzzFeed to close news division, cut 15% of all staff

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

Pulitzer prize winning digital media company BuzzFeed will shut down its news division as it cuts about 15% of its entire staff.In a memo sent to staff, co-founder and CEO Jonah Peretti said that cuts would also occur across its business, content, tech and administrative teams, according to multiple media reports. BuzzFeed is also considering making job cuts in some international markets.Peretti said in a memo to staff that he “made the decision to overinvest” in the news division, but failed to recognize early enough that the the financial support needed so sustain operations was not there.“I’ve learned from these mistakes, and the team moving forward has learned from them as well,” Peretti wrote. “We know that the changes and improvements we are making today are necessary steps to building a better future.”He added that the company will now have one remaining news brand, HuffPost. The announcement comes just a few months after BuzzFeed said that it would be cutting 12% of its work...

Montreal police ask for public help as they investigate assaults on two Hasidic Jews

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

MONTREAL — The Montreal police hate crimes unit is asking for the public’s help as it attempts to identify a young man who assaulted two Hasidic Jews on the night of Jan. 20.In a security video of the first attack, the suspect can be seen walking down a sidewalk in the city’s Outremont borough while a man dressed in clothing typical of the Hasidic community walks in the other direction on the road.The suspect pauses before running between two parked cars and violently pushing the Hasidic man from behind.The victim falls forward onto the road as the suspect runs away, joining a group of people further up the sidewalk, who also begin running.Police say that around half an hour later, a few blocks away, the same suspect kicked another member of the Hasidic community in the back, knocking him to the ground.Police describe the suspect as a white male around 18 years old and say they released images of him, even though he may be a minor, because they hope members of the public...

Cause of death released for missing Navy sailor found in Lake Michigan

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — The body of a missing U.S. Navy sailor was recovered Wednesday evening from Lake Michigan in Waukegan, according to the Lake County Coroner's Office and police.Waukegan police said the body and clothing description matches that of U.S. Navy Sailor Seamus Gray, who went missing on March 18. The coroner's office later confirmed Wednesday evening was identified as Seamus Gray. NCIS, rescue canines join search in Waukegan for missing Navy sailor On Thursday, an autopsy concluded that Gray died from drowning and there was no significant injury which "would have contributed to his death."Waukegan Police Department Chief Edgardo Navarro said ComEd workers were doing routine work around 7 p.m. near the harbor when they found the body and flagged down officers. Officer Roscoe went into the water and brought the body back to shore, Chastain said.Gray was reported missing from Ibiza bar on North Genessee Street in downtown Waukegan following St. Patricks Day. Police said he ...

Bears make history with their latest staff hire

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

LAKE FOREST — During the 2023 offseason, the Bears have made some history when it comes to their football operations staff.The Bears have announced the hiring of Darby Dunnagan as Dir. of Video Operations..She was @NUFBFamily Dir of Player Development & replaces Dave Hendrickson, who’s retiring in June after 28 years..Dunnagan is the highest ranking woman in football video in the NFL..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/Z1UtHeqTOd— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) April 19, 2023This week, the team announced that Darby Dunnagan has been hired as the director of video operations, becoming the first woman to hold that role in team history. She comes to Lake Forest from Evanston, where she was the director of player operations for Northwestern University's football program. As Dunnagan takes the position, she will become the highest-ranking woman in football video in the National Football League. Dunnagan will replace Dave Hendrickson, who will be retiring from the position after 28 years wi...

My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell ordered to pay $5M over debunked 2020 election data

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

(The Hill) – My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, an ally of former President Trump who has aggressively pushed baseless 2020 election denial theories, has been ordered to pay $5 million to a software developer who debunked Lindell’s data around the election.Lindell, who promised to pay the $5 million award to anyone who could debunk his data that purportedly proved election fraud, was ordered to pay the sum by a private arbitrator, who ruled that Robert Zeidman, a software expert, successfully disproved Lindell's claims, in a decision first reported by CNN.The ruling from the arbitrator said that Lindell repeatedly claimed to have data that he said was captured during the 2020 election and proved that China interfered in the contest. He repeatedly made the claim in public appearances and TV guest-spots. Lindell then launched the “Prove Mike Wrong Challenge,” offering $5 million to anyone who could prove that the data was not valid. Zeidman entered the contest, submitting a report that ...

How Sarah Jindra’s Choregraphed Wedding Video Was Received by Co-workers

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

WGN Morning News’ Sarah Jindra had gotten married with one of those choreographed wedding videos. Guess who doesn’t dig those?  Not to worry we all love each other. WGN celebrates 75 years with special report For more great WGN at 75 stories, check out WGNtv.com/stories

North Carolina senator wants Disney World to move to the Tar Heel State

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) – If Walt Disney World needs a place to land after a fallout with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, North Carolina State Sen. Michael Garrett has an idea: Come on up to the Tar Heel State.Garrett, a Democrat from Guilford County, has filed Senate Bill 594, the “Mickey’s Freedom Restoration Act,” to give Disney a place to move the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Center, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and all those other parks, hotels and golf courses. North Carolina bill could ban drag ‘impersonators’ at events with anyone younger than 18 DeSantis (R) has been feuding with Disney after the company opposed his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation and then usurped his legislative move to take over the special taxing district that was created for the company in the 1960s.The new board tasked with overseeing Walt Disney World's entertainment district has said their predecessors put into place an agreement that "completely circumvents" the new board's authority to gov...

BuzzFeed News shutting down

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

(The Hill) - BuzzFeed is shutting down its news division. In a memo to staff and obtained by CNN, BuzzFeed Chief Executive Jonah Peretti said the company would lay off about 15 percent of its workforce as part of that shuttering.Peretti called the decision "deeply painful," in his memo and cited "a tech recession" and "a tough economy" as factors leading to the major cost-cutting measure. "Additionally I made the decision to over invest in BuzzFeed News because I love their work and mission so much," Peretti said. "This made me slow to accept that the big platforms wouldn't provide the distribution and financial support required to support premium, free journalism purpose built for social media."BuzzFeed has long been known as a news, quiz and games website that has struggled to stay profitable among a changing media landscape. It is one of a handful of major news and tech companies to slash jobs in recent months. BuzzFeed last made headlines in January when Peretti announ...

Officials in Florida mistakenly send early-morning emergency alert to devices statewide

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Folks across Florida awoke Thursday morning to an emergency alert on their phones — a sound usually reserved for an Amber Alert or severe weather warning.This time, though, it was a mistake. Across the state, Floridians' phones sounded off around 4:45 a.m. and lit up with a screen reading "TEST – This is a TEST of the Emergency Alert System. No action is required." Juice Jacking: Feds warn against using public phone charging stations Plenty of residents were soon left wondering why a "test" would be scheduled so early.Turns out, the test wasn't meant to go to Floridians' phones.According to the Florida Association of Broadcasters, the test alert is scheduled to occur every other month around 4:50 a.m. But the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced that the alert was intended to be broadcast on TV, not on the phones of sleeping citizens statewide."[Florida Division of Emergency Management] wants to apologize for the early morning text," the departme...

$135M airport improvements, e-scooter maintenance changes on deck at Austin City Council

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:27:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Thursday, Austin City Council will decide whether to open up conversations on permitting more buildings along major highways, a $135 million sticker price for airport improvements and greenlight affordable housing bond use. Here are all the items we're tracking at Austin City Hall Thursday.Changing requirements for special event permits: ApprovedCouncil approved offering prioritization for special events based on the number of years it's been held within the city. Instead of offering priority on a first-come, first-served basis, the change will allow special events that have "historically been held on the same date for the greatest number of years" to have top priority.The item will also lead to some alterations to sound equipment uses and requirements.Approving city use of affordable housing bonds: ApprovedThe City of Austin will issue $350 million in public improvement bonds for affordable housing expenditures, following voter approval of the bond initiative in...