Latest news with #Springfield
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cardinals No. 3 Prospect Dazzles in Double-A Return
Cardinals No. 3 Prospect Dazzles in Double-A Return originally appeared on Athlon Sports. St. Louis Cardinals No. 3 prospect Tink Hence made his first start with Double-A Springfield on Friday night after being activated from the 60-day injured list earlier in the week. Advertisement The 22-year-old held the Houston Astros' Double-A affiliated Corpus Christi Hooks hitless, allowing just one baserunner on a walk while striking out eight batters in 4 1/3 innings of work. Hence was limited to just 66 pitches in his first start since being activated, but he was efficient on the mound. Notably, the once-flame thrower's velocity was rather slow compared to what he was hitting on the radar gun last season. He only reached 96 miles per hour twice with his four-seamer sitting in the low 90's for the majority of the start - a large contrast from last year when he was consistently pitching in the high 90's while occasionally touching 100-plus. St. Louis Cardinals No. 3 prospect Tink Storry-Imagn Images The drop in pitch speed could potentially be due to a new mechanical approach that Hence is taking on the bump. Advertisement "I was kind of getting a little stiff on the mound (before the injury), so (I've) just been working on getting more athletic again," Hence told reporters on Thursday. The work seems to have blossomed into a new stance - and possibly a higher arm slot - on the mound, one in which the righty is more upright and less bent over while throwing pitches. "It was a really good reset for me to really learn (about) myself as a pitcher," Hence said of the lengthy IL stint. "I think it's paying off." The belief around the Springfield organization is that Hence will make just a few more "prove it" starts before being promoted back to Triple-A Memphis, where he was slated to start the year prior to his injury. Advertisement Related: Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt Talks Development, More in Exclusive Interview Related: MLB Announces Major Yadier Molina News on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
17 hours ago
- Washington Post
R. Kelly claims prison officials plotted to kill him. Judge denies his release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A judge has denied singer R. Kelly 's request to be freed from prison, saying she lacks jurisdiction to consider the convicted sex offender's allegations that federal prison officials plotted to murder him . U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold canceled Friday's scheduled arguments in Chicago, and instead issued a five-page ruling denying his emergency request to serve his time on home detention during a temporary furlough.
Associated Press
17 hours ago
- Associated Press
R. Kelly claims prison officials plotted to kill him. Judge denies his release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A judge has denied singer R. Kelly 's request to be freed from prison, saying she lacks jurisdiction to consider the convicted sex offender's allegations that federal prison officials plotted to murder him. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold canceled Friday's scheduled arguments in Chicago, and instead issued a five-page ruling denying his emergency request to serve his time on home detention during a temporary furlough. Born Robert Sylvester Kelly, the 58-year-old Grammy-winning R&B singer is serving sentences at a prison in Butner, North Carolina, for child sex crimes and racketeering. Pacold noted that federal courts have only limited power in such cases, and one by one she examined and rejected various ways Kelly's request could be considered. 'Jurisdictional limitations must be respected even where, as here, a litigant claims that the circumstances are extraordinary,' Pacold wrote. 'Kelly has not identified (nor is the court aware of) any statute or rule that authorizes the court to exercise jurisdiction. Thus, the court cannot award relief in this case.' Kelly claimed in a series of filings this month that prison officials solicited white supremacist leaders to kill him, to halt the disclosure of information damaging to prison officials. Kelly's attorney says he was then moved to solitary confinement and purposely given an overdose of medication, which required hospitalization and surgery for blood clots. Pacold noted that Kelly offers no evidence to back up his claims. Government lawyers suggested Kelly had spun a 'fanciful conspiracy.' Known for such hits as 'I Believe I Can Fly,' Kelly was found guilty in Chicago in 2022 of three charges of producing child sexual abuse images and three charges of enticement of minors for sex. In New York in 2021, he was found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. He is serving most of his 20-year Chicago sentence and 30-year New York sentence simultaneously. His appeals have been unsuccessful, including to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kelly has also sought President Donald Trump's help.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shawn Askinosie, Rose O'Neill among 2025 inductees to MSU Public Affairs Hall of Fame
America's first published female cartoonist, a chocolatier who supports sustainable farming, and a builder of affordable housing will be inducted into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. The 2025 inductees include Shawn Askinosie, Marie Carmichael and Rose O'Neill. Up to six citizens with a connection to the state of Missouri, who serve as examples of global citizens, are selected each year. They must work to benefit others. This year, the legacy award will be presented to O'Neill. 'Each inductee has left an indelible mark on their community and beyond. They exemplify what it means to lead with purpose and serve with heart,' said MSU President Richard "Biff" Williams, in a June 16 news release. 'It's an honor to celebrate their outstanding contributions.' The induction ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 5 at The Old Glass Place in Springfield. Tickets for the black-tie optional dinner event are $50 and can be purchased online. In 2006, Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean-to-bar chocolate factory and never looked back. Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch, award-winning chocolate factory located in Springfield, Missouri. Askinosie graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and worked at a Dallas firm for three years before starting Askinosie Law Offices in Springfield. A former Missouri Lawyers Weekly Lawyer of the Year, Askinosie is now a Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame inductee and was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Small Companies. More: 'A force for good': Chocolate University prepares students for trip to Tanzania His 2017 book co-authored with his daughter Lawren Askinosie, 'Meaningful Work: The Quest To Do Great Business, Find Your Calling and Feed Your Soul,' is a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon. Carmichael grew up in Galena, Kansas, where her family owned a small grocery store. Her parents, from a Lebanese immigrant background, taught her the value of education and hard work. She moved to Springfield more than 50 years ago and began her career as a teacher. She later served 12 years on the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education and now chairs the Missouri Development Finance Board. She and her husband, Joe, run Affordable Homes Development, which has built over 700 affordable housing units across Missouri. Her work has earned several awards, including the Kurt Wallace Vision Award and the HOME Team Award. Born in Pennsylvania in 1874 and raised in Nebraska, O'Neill was America's first published female cartoonist and creator of the iconic Kewpie characters. Her Kewpies debuted in Ladies' Home Journal in 1910 and became wildly popular dolls by 1912. O'Neill became the highest-paid female illustrator of her time, owning properties in Italy, New York, Connecticut and Missouri, where her Bonniebrook home in Taney County became a creative retreat. More: This Missouri museum celebrates Kewpie doll creator Rose O'Neill's legacy in art, toys A writer and women's suffrage activist, she used her art and influence to champion social change. For her lasting impact, O'Neill received posthumous honors, including induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame (2019), Comic-Con Hall of Fame (2022) and National Toy Hall of Fame (2023). She died in 1944. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Rose O'Neill among 2025 inductees to MSU Public Affairs Hall of Fame
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield teachers need help funding creative classroom projects. How you can help
The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools is raising money to fund innovative projects and critical classroom needs requested by teachers. This month, the foundation launched the "Back to SPS" campaign, which directly supports teachers. This year's theme is "You Invest. We Connect. Kids Thrive." "Springfield's dedicated teachers champion our students every single day, fostering an environment where every child can thrive," said Natalie Murdock, executive director of the foundation, in a news release. "By investing in our schools and providing timely resources, we empower our teachers to continue their innovative work and equip all students for a bright future. If a teacher can dream it, we can fund it — with your help." In 2024, the Back-to-School Grant program awarded more than $260,000 to fund a range of initiatives in areas such as literacy, student mental health, hands-on learning and family engagement. According to the foundation, the need is significant because more than half of SPS students qualify for free or reduced price meals, a national measure of poverty. The foundation is reviewing this year's grant applications, which are filled with teachers' ideas for creative classroom projects. To get involved, go to More: Shawn Askinosie, Rose O'Neill among 2025 inductees to MSU Public Affairs Hall of Fame "We invite everyone in our community to join the 'Back to SPS' campaign," said Murdock, adding the funds "can make a real and lasting difference in our classrooms and in the lives of our students." This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: SPS foundation raising funds for teachers' creative classroom projects
