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Wildfires continue in Alberta as premier, prime minister discuss aid plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she has received an assurance of support from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the province’s battle against wildfires.Smith says she and Trudeau spoke by phone, and Alberta has sent a letter to the federal government that outlines a request for assistance.Trudeau says the federal government will work with the Red Cross to set up a matching fund to help Albertans affected by the fires.He says the federal government will be offering support but did not divulge specifics.About 29,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes in several communities in recent days as more than 100 fires remain active.On the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, more than 40 structures, mostly homes, have been lost.Darryel Sowan, the emergency management communications co-ordinator, says some 3,700 people left the area quickly after the evacuation order was put in place last week.There is no road into the community, so people had to us...

Liberals move to speed up gun-bill debate, Conservatives call move undemocratic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal Liberals are moving to ensure gun-control legislation makes its way through committee soon by asking the House of Commons for the green light to limit debate and expand the bill’s scope to cover new elements.The move comes as the Liberals announce renewal of their multimillion-dollar program to fight gang violence and gun crime.A federal motion being debated in the Commons today would ensure recent amendments to the bill are within the scope of the legislation, including a definition of assault-style firearms to be prohibited.The motion would also limit the time devoted to consideration of each clause or amendment, and ensure additional committee time during the evening to scrutinize the bill.Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho calls the Liberal move a circumvention of the democratic process.Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says the government is earmarking $390 million over the next five years for provinces and territories, in...

North Dakota governor OKs law to ignore transgender pronouns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

North Dakota’s Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has signed a bill into law that allows public school teachers and state government employees to ignore the pronouns their transgender students and colleagues use, the governor’s office announced Monday.The new law also requires teachers to tell a parent or legal guardian if the student identifies as transgender. It also prohibits transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice without prior approval from a parent or guardian.It is effective immediately.Burgum said in a statement that the new law “largely codifies existing practices while reaffirming the First Amendment right to free speech … balancing the rights and interests of students, parents and teachers.”Opponents countered that the state’s Republican leaders are violating the constitutional rights of students and teachers by compelling the speech of adults and potentially exposing children to dangerous repercussions if an abusive parent doesn̵...

Family, friends gather at private funeral for Gordon Lightfoot in his hometown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

ORILLIA, Ont. — Close friends and family of Gordon Lightfoot came together for a small, private funeral on Monday held at the Orillia, Ont. church where he was once a choir boy.A group of roughly 50 people assembled inside St. Paul’s United Church for the nearly two-hour ceremony that included a choir performance accompanied by an organ.Underneath the virtually cloudless sunny sky, the local community went about the day as any other, with some doing yard work and a few curious onlookers wandering past the church to observe the activity.One neighbour set up a lawn chair outside his house to see if Canadian rock royalty the likes of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young might pull up.They didn’t seem to, however. Most of the visible mourners appeared to be Lightfoot’s extended family, band mates and others who worked with him over the years.After the ceremony finished, Lightfoot’s casket was loaded into a hearse and left the church grounds as a small crowd of people gathered ...

Opening statements begin for fatal NY limo crash trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

SCHOHARIE, N.Y. (AP) — A limousine company operator on trial for a crash that killed 20 people in upstate New York was portrayed by a prosecutor Monday as directly responsible for the deaths, while a defense lawyer argued he was simply in the dark about mechanical problems likely to blame for the wreck.Nauman Hussain, operator of Prestige Limousine, is charged with criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the 2018 crash in Schoharie, a village west of Albany.During opening statements Monday, special prosecutor Frederick Rench said Hussain intentionally failed to follow regulations for maintaining the 2001 Ford Excursion stretch SUV, which was loaded with friends on an outing when it spun out of control on a hill and crashed into a parked car, trees and an embankment.Hussain did not have the authority to operate his limo business, which was placed out of service multiple times before the tragedy, Rench said. The vehicle’s aging brakes, he ...

Search for teen in Philadelphia ambush zeroes in on Atlanta

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The search is focusing on the Atlanta area for a teenage suspect in a 2022 ambush that killed a 14-year-old and wounded several other teenagers outside a Philadelphia high school after a football scrimmage, authorities said Monday.U.S. marshals in Philadelphia are working with their counterparts in the Southeast and are seeking help from the public in light of “credible information” that as of November 2022, the now-17-year-old suspect was “hiding in the Atlanta, Georgia area,” a Marshals Service task force said in a news release.The reward for information leading to the arrest of Dayron Burney-Thorn, of Philadelphia, has been increased to $50,000, up from $45,000, according to the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.A judge in January ordered an adult and three other juveniles to stand trial in the shooting. All are charged as adults with murder, aggravated assault, firearms crimes and other counts. Authorities said five pe...

Man, 30, found shot to death on South Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A homicide investigation is underway after a 30-year-old man was discovered fatally shot on the city's South Side.Police said the man was found unresponsive in the 8000 block of South Champlain just before 10 a.m. Monday with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.He was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been released.According to police, circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation. No one is in custody.

Planet Fitness to give teens free gym passes for summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Planet Fitness is now offering a free summer gym pass to teenagers across the country. In the next week, teenagers between the ages of 14 to 19 can sign up for a free gym pass that runs from May 15 to August 31. Special Olympics to take off at Solider Field Tuesday Planet Fitness is also giving away $200,000 to high schools and students for teens who chose to participate in a video contest. Teens interested can sign up in person or online at Free Summer Gym Membership for Teens | Planet Fitness

Monday Forecast: Temps near 60 with showers likely

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Monday: Mainly cloudy, rain showers, cooler lakeside, E 5-10 G20. High: 50, low: 56Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Monday Night: Evening rain chance, mostly cloudy, NNE 5-15 G20. Low: 49Chicago Area Radar | WGN TVTuesday's weather forecast is looking Mostly sunny, cooler lakeside, N 5-10 G15. High: 67, Low: 58

Suspended schedule lifted at Glenbrook North HS after fake school threat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Police in Northbrook responded to Glenbrook North High School after receiving a "swatting call," though the threat was deemed false. The school has since resumed its normal activities.Glenbrook High Schools District 225 announced on social media Monday that the school was under a suspended schedule.SEE ALSO | Friday classes canceled after fire at Glenbrook South High SchoolThe suspended schedule was lifted after the 'all clear' was given by Northbrook police. Last month, several Illinois counties were targeted with swatting calls, with Illinois State Police investigating nearly two dozen in one day alone. All threats were unfounded. SEE ALSO | Illinois police investigate nearly 2 dozen school threatsThe "swatting call" response comes days after classes were canceled at Glenbrook South High School on Friday following a fire the day prior. No one was injured.