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Toronto needs to do more for vulnerable residents during air quality alerts: advocate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

Air quality alerts have become more frequent in Ontario as the country deals with widespread forest fires. At one point on Wednesday, Toronto had the worst air quality of any city in the world. Its expected to remain a concern throughout the summer and Toronto Public Health has warned spending time outdoors could pose various health risks if conditions are bad.But outreach worker, Lorraine Lam, tells CityNews the city has failed to accommodate vulnerable and unhoused populations when issuing alerts.“The reality is there are no options for people to go, and once again, we’re seeing the city is really inadequately prepared for this.”Lam said the city should be providing 24/7 low-barrier respite spaces for people who are vulnerable.“For a lot of people I work with, they also have underlying conditions around cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses as well that we know are exacerbated in these air quality conditions,” said Lam.This will lead to more people...

Anti-2SLGBTQ+ flyer passed out at Oshawa church

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing.A priest at an Oshawa Catholic church allowed an insert containing anti-2SLGBTQ+ messaging to be distributed in a weekly bulletin.A flyer was passed around at St. Gertrude’s Parish church on Sunday, the same day as many annual Pride events took place in the GTA and Durham region.A Reddit user posted in the r/Oshawa forum photos of the flyer titled “On Pride Month and Flying the Rainbow Flag over our Catholic Schools”.The letter writes inaccuracies about the 2SLGBTQ+ community, including commenting on the colours of the flag as different “agendas” of the community.Further, under a section headlined “here are some Catholic facts to keep in mind,” the author writes that the green stripe of the flag “normalizes demonic behaviour” and finishes with “this insanity has gone too far.”At the end of the letter the author writes, “remove the ungodly Prid...

Anti-gang community defense activist Hipólito Mora killed in Mexico

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The leader of an armed civilian movement that once kicked a drug cartel out of the western Mexico state of Michoacan has been killed, authorities confirmed Thursday. Tributes quickly rolled in for slain “self defense” leader Hipólito Mora. He was one of the last surviving leaders of Michoacan’s armed vigilante movement, in which farmers and ranchers banded together to expel the Knights Templar cartel from the state between 2013 and 2014. Mora was one of the few fighters to reman in his hometown after the struggle, tending to his lime groves. But Mora complained in recent years that many vigilante forces were later infiltrated by the cartels, and that gang violence was worse than ever.“He was a man who could not be corrupted, a natural leader, an authentic voice,” said Rev. Gregorio López, a Catholic priest who accompanied and participated in the self-defense movement of that time. All the leaders of the movement were in constant danger, and López was known for wea...

DuPage County shelter waiving adoption fees for large dogs due to overcrowding crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. — After nearly 50 dogs were taken in earlier this week, DuPage County Animal Services is waiving adoption fees for large dogs due to overcrowding.On Tuesday, the shelter, located at 120 N. County Farm Rd. in Wheaton, received 47 dogs in addition to some cats and chickens.WGN News has been reporting on the crisis area shelters are facing since the pandemic, with more animals coming in then being adopted and fostered out, and DuPage County Animal Services is no different.While many animals call these shelters home longer than they would want to, large dogs are particularly affected."We are seeing large breed dogs having a large length of stay," Operations Manager Laura Flamion said. "They are harder to place with landlords placing size restrictions on dogs over 40 lbs."So in an effort to help clear their kennels, the shelter is waiving adoption fees for the time being for large dogs — which they consider over 40 lbs.It's a dire situation at the shelter."We only hav...

Commerce Department launches pilot program to bolster jobs, distressed economies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – The U.S. Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for a grant program to help communities create jobs and better economies.The new pilot program aims at investing hundreds of millions of dollars in communities with distressed economies and job markets.“There's a lot of communities that need to transition but they need investment to transition,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.Raimondo says the grants will create opportunities in people's hometowns.“Maybe a coal community or maybe a rural community where they're just stuck, and they need an investment,” Raimondo said. “We have $200 million in total.  We will be selecting somewhere between four and eight communities, so each community will receive tens of millions of dollars.”Secretary Raimondo says the flexible funds can be used for different types of programs like job training or opening up new office buildings.“The recompete pilot program is really exciting because this is meant to be a...

Arkansas judge modifies Hunter Biden’s child support terms, settling dispute

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KARK) – An order issued in Independence County on Thursday modifies the conditions of presidential son Hunter Biden’s child support.The order, signed by Circuit Judge Holley Meyer, changes the terms of Biden’s child support payments, the specific dollar amount being sealed by court order, and puts an end to a long-running legal struggle for both sides. Hunter Biden sits for deposition in Arkansas child support case Other than the monthly child support, the order also requires Biden to assign a number of his paintings to the child. The specific number, like the financial terms, are sealed, with the sale of the paintings going to Lunden Roberts, the mother of the child and the person who filed the original suit for child support.The order also has Biden paying a monthly fee to the Lancaster Law Firm, which represented Roberts in this case. The monthly payment amount is also sealed.Roberts had originally asked her child to be allowed to change his last name to Bide...

4th of July traffic: These should be the best and worst times to drive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Fourth of July weekend is always a popular time to travel, but AAA believes this will be a record-setting year, with more than 50 million Americans expected to drive at least 50 miles. On July 4, 2022, the national average for gas prices was $4.80 per gallon, according to AAA. Currently, the average is below $3.60 per gallon, which is a big reason why AAA predicts an additional 2 million people on the road relative to last year. Still, if you don't want to spend your gas money idling in traffic, you may want to time your drive to avoid sharing lanes with millions of other Americans. AAA projects these hours as the best and worst hours to jump behind the wheel:DateBest TimeWorst TimeThursday, June 29Before 12 p.m.4 p.m. – 6 p.m.Friday, June 30Before 10 a.m., After 6 p.m.10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday, July 1Before 12 p.m.1 p.m.Sunday, July 2Minimal traffic expectedMinimal traffic expectedMonday, July 3Minimal traffic expectedMinimal traffic expectedTuesday, July 4...

Search underway for missing Hermosa man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 31-year-old man who has been missing for three weeks.Tony Tarasiuk, 31, was last seen on the 4600 block of West Palmer Street in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood on Friday, June 9. Search underway for missing River Grove teen Tarasiuk is described as 5-foot-8, weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.Anyone with information regarding Tony Tarasiuk's whereabouts are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-746-6554.

WHO to declare aspartame a possible carcinogen: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – The World Health Organization is planning to declare aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in diet sodas, soft drinks, and other reduced-sugar gums and condiments, to be a possible carcinogen, according to a report published by Reuters.WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will publicly announce its decision July 14, Reuters reported.Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose, among others, were already declared to be ineffective at helping users with long-term weight control. In May, the health agency urged consumers to avoid sweeteners in order to “improve their health,” linking continued usage to “undesirable effects” such an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults.WHO’s expected announcement on July 14 could potentially put cancer into that category — for aspartame specifically — calling the sweetener "possibly carcinogenic to humans," according to sources cited by Reuters. Fortune ...

Deputy acquitted of all charges for failing to act during Parkland school shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:51 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting.Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as the verdicts were read. The jury had deliberated for 19 hours over four days.After court adjourned, Peterson, his family and friends rushed into a group hug as they whooped, hollered and cried. One of his supporters chased after lead prosecutor Chris Killoran and said something. Killoran turned and snapped at him, “Way to be a good winner” and slapped him on the shoulder. Members of the prosecution team then nudged Killoran out of the courtroom.The campus deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Peterson had been charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz during his six-minute attack inside a three-story 1...