Grandfather, 3 grandchildren who had lost their mother to cancer, killed in house fire, family says

A man and his three grandchildren were killed in a house fire in Illinois this week. (WBBM)

Crete, Ill.

Authorities in Illinois said a grandfather and his three granddaughters died after an overnight fire destroyed a home Wednesday morning.

Crete first responders said they were called to the property on Chalet Court just before 1 a.m.

Crews tried to search the home while battling the flames, but said they had to stop their search after a partial roof collapse.

The fire was eventually brought under control in about 40 minutes. When firefighters were able to reenter the home, they said they found the victims dead.

WBBM reported that the family identified those who died as 71-year-old Walter Palmer and his three grandchildren: Cassidy, 16; Mary, 10; and Ivy, 8.

Relatives shared that Palmer had been caring for his grandchildren after their mother died of cancer a few years ago.

“It’s devastating not just for me for the fire companies, for the fire companies, for the town, it’s devastating,” Crete Fire Chief Neal Haemaker said.

Neighbors said Palmer was always lending a helping hand to those who needed it.

“He was the greatest guy. He wanted to keep his granddaughters all together and [he was] doing a good job,” neighbor Rosie Wilson told WGN.

Fire officials said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Netflix raising prices on all streaming plans for 2nd time in just over a year

FILE -- Netflix image. (Pixabay | MGN)

Netflix is once again raising its prices, marking the second increase in just over a year.

The streaming service’s updated cost for its three plans in the U.S. was posted on its website on Thursday.

Netflix’s standard plan with ads will now be $8.99 a month, up $1 from $7.99. The standard plan without ads is increasing by $2 to $19.99 a month.

Additionally, Netflix’s highest-priced premium tier is also going up by $2, now costing customers $26.99 monthly.

“As we deliver more value to our members, we are updating our prices to enable us to reinvest in quality entertainment and improve their experience by updating our prices,” Netflix shared in a statement to Variety.

Last year, the company said it was adjusting prices after reporting its biggest-ever subscriber jump.

Netflix just launched MLB Opening Night on Wednesday, streaming the New York Yankees dominating win over the San Francisco Giants in the 2026 season opener.

US Army raises enlistment age, eases marijuana policies

FILE — U.S. Army soldiers. (U.S. Army / Jensen Guillory via MGN

Washington

The U.S. Army is raising its maximum enlistment age while loosening rules for recruits with certain drug convictions.

According to revised Army Regulation 601-210, the maximum age to enlist is moving from 35 to 42, effective April 20. The minimum enlistment age remains 18, or 17 with parental permission.

In addition to the age requirement change, the Army is also eliminating its restrictions for recruits who have a single conviction for possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia.

The Army’s enlistment age will now align more closely with other military forces. The Air Force and Space Force have a maximum enlistment age of 42. The Coast Guard and Navy set their limits at 41, while the Marine Corps’ maximum is 28.

This is the second time the Army has raised its age cap in the past two decades. In 2006, the service temporarily increased its maximum enlistment age to 42 amid combat operations in the Middle East, then dropped it back to 35 in 2016.

The policy changes come as the Iran conflict continues in the Middle East, with announced deployment plans for soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and thousands of Marines aboard several Navy ships in the region.

Kendra Duggar charged with husband Joseph Duggar as police announce new charges in case

Kendra Duggar charged alongside husband Joseph Duggar. (Source: Washington County, Arkansas, law enforcement)

Tontitown, Ark.

Arkansas authorities say Kendra Duggar is now facing criminal charges alongside her husband, Joseph Duggar, who was arrested earlier this week on charges that included child molestation.

The Tontitown Police Department announced Friday that the couple has been charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment.

Authorities said arrest warrants have been issued and served in district court for the misdemeanor offenses, and the case remains under investigation.

Previously, Florida authorities announced the arrest of former reality TV star Joseph Duggar, who on Friday waived his right to an extradition hearing.

Joseph Duggar, who appeared on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” was arrested Thursday in Tontitown, where he lives with his family.

According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Panama City, Florida, the 31-year-old’s charges include lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Florida authorities said Wednesday that a Tontitown police detective had contacted investigators about a report of past sexual abuse.

The 14-year-old victim reportedly disclosed during a forensic interview incidents involving Joseph Duggar that occurred during a family vacation in Panama City Beach when she was 9.

Authorities said this week that the girl’s father confronted Joseph Duggar about what happened. He then admitted his actions to the girl’s father and to Tontitown detectives.

Bay County, Florida, authorities have 30 days to transfer Joseph Duggar from the jail in Washington County, Arkansas, the sheriff’s office said.

Joshua Duggar, a sibling of Joseph Duggar who also appeared on the reality TV show, was convicted in 2021 of downloading and possessing child sexual abuse images.

Six Flags is selling 7 of its amusement parks

FILE — Worlds of Fun provided a picture of one of its roller coasters. (Worlds of Fun)

Charlotte, N.C.

Six Flags is selling about half a dozen of its parks.

The company said Thursday that it is streamlining its portfolio by selling six U.S. parks and one in Canada to EPR Properties.

According to Six Flags, there are definitive agreements in place for parks that include:

• Michigan’s Adventure (Muskegon, Michigan)

• Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston (Galveston, Texas)

• Six Flags Great Escape (Queensbury, New York)

• Six Flags La Ronde (Montreal, Canada)

• Six Flags St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri)

• Valleyfair (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

• Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri)

“This step allows us to concentrate on the Six Flags parks with the greatest potential for innovation, expansion and elevated guest experiences,” a company spokesperson said in the announcement. “We’re building the foundation for a stronger, more exciting future.”

The parks being sold will continue normal operations through the 2026 season, and season passes and active memberships will continue to be honored, Six Flags said.

EPR also retains the right to use the Six Flags brand through the end of the year.

The theme park operator said EPR Properties will be working to enhance the parks it will be taking over while ensuring a seamless transition.

“We understand how meaningful these parks are to the communities they serve and to the guests who have grown up visiting them,” Six Flags said. “We are confident in the future of these parks under the care of EPR and its operating partners.”

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation was operating a combined 42 properties following a 2024 merger with Cedar Fair.