CHICAGO (WLS) — McCormick Place is bustling with activity as the 117th NAACP National Convention takes center stage, gathering thousands of civil rights advocates, community leaders, and elected officials nationwide. The event is set to ignite discussions around civic engagement, voting rights, and inspiring upcoming generations of voters.

In the midst of America’s 250th birthday celebration, Chicago proudly plays host to this year’s convention under the resonant theme “We the People.”

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NAACP officials point out that this theme is selected to shine a spotlight on the significance of voter participation and civic involvement.

“The theme serves as a powerful reminder that we the people hold the key to influence, and without peace in America, our power is at risk,” explained Dominic Hawkins, who serves as vice president of communications for the NAACP.

With the November midterms on the horizon, the organization has rolled out a robust $20 million campaign aimed at mobilizing voters to participate in the electoral process.

“We’re here strategizing to turn out black voters, but to also to understand what our policy priorities are to fight for the future so this next 250 years is more representative for the people who live here in these United States,” Hawkins said.

Attendees from across the country said the message is especially important as the nation heads toward the midterm elections.

“We are in a state of emergency, as I see it, when it comes to our young people. It is time for us as the adults to pass the baton over to the younger generation,” said Jacqueline Scott of Canton, Ohio.

Pam Smith of Starr County, Ohio, said voting remains a critical way for people to make their voices heard.

“Your vote is your voice, and so when people realize that they start speaking up and using that voice,” Smith said.

“I think right now, ‘We the people’ are tired,” she added.

Gov. JB Pritzker also referenced this year’s theme as he addressed convention attendees.

“Generation after generation of members of this organization of NAACP have stood up, have organized, have marched,” Pritzker said.

“And we need you now more than ever.”

The five-day convention continues through Wednesday at McCormick Place.

In an unimaginable turn of events, a couple in California faced heartbreak instead of the anticipated joy of reuniting with their furry friend at a facility often described as “Disneyland for dogs.” Their cherished English bulldog’s life was tragically cut short when they were informed that the pet had drowned while under the facility’s care.

This tragic occurrence has sparked a full police investigation, accompanied by a public apology from Camp Canine. The facility openly admitted its failure to protect the pet, acknowledging, “We failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe.”

Bruce, a spirited 1-year-old English bulldog belonging to Chris and Ashley Merz from Ventura, met this untimely end on Thursday while staying at the Santa Barbara-based boarding and daycare center.

The Santa Barbara Police Department revealed to News Media that law enforcement officials had arrived at the facility located in the 800 block of East Montecito Street around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, responding to distressing reports of a dog drowning.

As part of the preliminary investigation, officers conducted interviews with both the grieving owners and those staff members who were on-site when this unfortunate accident occurred.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department is committed to a thorough investigation into this matter,” the department said in a statement to News Media. “The case is actively being investigated by our Criminal Investigative Unit and Animal Control Team.”

According to Ashley Merz’s mother, Alison Genet, who spoke with local outlet Noozhawk, Bruce is believed to have drowned sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The family says they were never notified about his death before arriving to pick him up around 3:30 p.m.

Genet told the outlet the family was instead informed of Bruce’s death when they arrived at Camp Canine.

Bruce had attended Camp Canine and trained there for about six months, according to Genet.

She said English bulldogs are not natural swimmers and that Bruce was typically placed with small or medium-sized dogs because of his size. However, she said he somehow ended up in the large-dog yard, which contains two unfenced pools.

According to Genet, Camp Canine’s owners acknowledged Bruce was not supposed to be in that yard but were unable to explain how he ended up there.

A GoFundMe created by Ashley’s sister, Savannah, to help cover Bruce’s cremation, memorial expenses and legal costs alleges the family’s pain was compounded by how the incident was handled.

“What was meant to be a normal day at Camp Canine turned into tragedy when their dog drowned while in the facility’s care,” the fundraiser states.

“The pain was compounded by the way the situation was handled—they were not contacted when the incident occurred, and only learned of their dog’s passing later that day when they arrived to pick him up.”

The fundraiser also alleges Bruce’s body was returned to his owners in “a storage container in the trunk of a vehicle” and says the family later learned he had not been transported to an emergency veterinary hospital before they were notified.

“My sister and brother-in-law are now left grieving the unimaginable loss of a beloved family member, while trying to understand exactly what happened that day,” Savannah wrote.

Camp Canine, which says it has served the Santa Barbara area for 40 years and describes itself on its website as the “Disneyland for dogs,” publicly apologized Saturday in a statement posted to Instagram.

“There are no words that can fully express the heartbreak we feel following the tragic loss of a beloved dog while in our care earlier this week,” General Manager Jayne Sigman wrote.

“A family entrusted us with a cherished member of their family, and they are now living with an unimaginable loss because we failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe.

“We are profoundly sorry. Our hearts are with them as they grieve, and we know that no words can lessen the pain they are experiencing.”

The facility said it has temporarily suspended daycare operations while it reviews its facility, safety procedures and emergency response protocols.

“It is our responsibility to learn from this loss, to make meaningful changes, and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again,” the statement continued. “That work has already begun.”

News Media reached out to Camp Canine for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The New York Yankees are holding onto the second-best record in the American League, inching closer to the top position than they’ve been in over three weeks. However, despite this achievement, the atmosphere surrounding the team feels far from triumphant.

On Sunday, the Yankees managed to snatch a win in the final game of a three-day showdown against the reigning champion Dodgers by clinching a narrow 2-1 victory in the second game of a doubleheader. Yet, even as they celebrated this hard-fought win, the Yankees couldn’t shake off their most pressing concern. Throughout the entire weekend, they managed to score just five runs.

Aaron Judge’s importance to the team cannot be overstated, but unlike basketball, baseball shouldn’t depend so heavily on one individual. Nonetheless, his absence in the lineup is felt profoundly, akin to a fish deprived of water. Unfortunately, Judge is still far from rejoining the team as his recovery from fractured ribs is slated to take several more weeks.

A gentle reminder to the Yankees: the season hasn’t paused to wait for Judge’s return. While the Rays’ frequent losses have allowed the Yankees to inch closer in the AL East standings, the Red Sox are riding high on a 13-game winning streak, and the Orioles have won seven straight. Suddenly, the AL features seven teams with records at .500 or better, turning the league into a hotspot of fierce competition.

On Sunday night, New York City’s Times Square witnessed a flurry of arrests following Spain’s thrilling World Cup final victory over Argentina, which took place across the Hudson River. The atmosphere quickly shifted as celebrations gave way to chaos.

Exclusive images captured by The Daily Mail revealed that multiple revelers ended up handcuffed by police amid the euphoria. Ecstatic Spain supporters had flooded the midtown-Manhattan streets, turning the area near a public viewing party into an impromptu dance floor.

While the NYPD has not yet divulged specifics about the arrests, a spokesperson for the department informed The Daily Mail late Sunday night that the exact number of those detained remained uncertain as processing of the suspects was still underway.

According to the spokesperson, those taken into custody are primarily charged with disorderly conduct, reflecting the rowdy celebrations that ensued.

One striking image shows a fan sporting a Lamine Yamal jersey being escorted by two officers. Also detained was a man clad in a pink t-shirt and matching shorts, in addition to a shirtless individual captured on Instagram video, amplifying the chaotic scene.

Other Spain fans were seen raising replica trophies, blowing horns and crowd surfing in the wake of the country’s second World Cup win. 

And while many Spanish flags were being waved in Times Square, there were also several Palestinian flags as well, which isn’t a major surprise. Spain’s government has been largely supportive of refugees in war-ravaged Gaza, while Argentinian president Javier Milei has built close ties with Israel. 

Spain fans, not of all whom hail from the Iberian Peninsula, swarmed from one city tourist attraction to another following the 1-0 victory. 

In lower Manhattan, red-clad revelers took over the city’s High Line, which is a park raised on an old rail line 30 feet above the city streets. 

But Sunday’s most hectic scene was Times Square, which had been a beehive of activity throughout the tournament. Fans who couldn’t afford four-figure ticket prices had dozens of watch parties to choose from throughout the five boroughs, but no option proved as popular as Times Square’s seemingly endless array of towering electronic billboards.

And on Sunday, Times Square appeared to lean heavily in favor of the defending-champion Argentinians, at least before the match. 

‘We came across a few Spaniards but I don’t look at them,’ the blue-and-white-clad Florencia Luzinin, 30, told the AFP.

Afterwards, many of those Argentina fans appeared devastated, regardless of whether or not they actually claimed Argentinian citizenship. 

While America does have Spanish and Argentinian immigrants, those diasporas are far smaller than others in the country, which may have led Sunday’s turnout to be slightly smaller than some of the tournament’s previous matches.

‘It’s been slightly overshadowed,’ Howie Ray, 42, told the AFP. ‘I think there was fatigue after all the games of the group stage and then the US getting eliminated. Spain and Argentina are also relatively small immigrant populations.

‘You also have the regular folks leave for the weekend during the summer.’

Many visitors from Spain and Argentina did cross the Atlantic for the World Cup, but rather than pack into Times Square, they decided to splurge on tickets.

‘Money comes back,’ Buenos Aires resident Manuel Lopez Maccotta told The Associated Press. ‘This is once in a lifetime. You´re seeing the best player in the world [Lionel Messi] in his last World Cup. Money is worthless compared to this.’

And how much did he pay?

‘Almost 10K in American money,’ said Maccotta, whose friend got off relatively easy with a $5,000 ticket.

‘I bought the ticket before the World Cup final,’ Santiago Burcaco told the AP.

Argentina and Spain fans were comrades in this struggle.

Madrid’s Curro Sanchez spent $8,000 on his ticket, and will now be staying in the city through Thursday.

‘Had a big, big, big fight with my wife,’ Sanchez told the AP. ‘At the end of the day, she understood.’