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Liberal minister promises plan on Access to Information as MPs highlight woes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

OTTAWA — Treasury Board President Mona Fortier says she hopes to share a plan in coming months for improving the key federal transparency law and how it is managed.Fortier is telling a House of Commons committee today she expects the plan for making the Access to Information Act more effective will come before the end of the year.MPs are peppering Fortier with questions at a meeting about the much-maligned access regime.For a $5 fee, people can use the access law to ask for a range of federal documents — from internal emails and invoices to briefing notes and policy memos — but it has long been criticized as outdated and poorly implemented.Federal agencies are supposed to respond within 30 days or provide valid reasons why more time is needed to process a request.The law has not been significantly updated since its introduction 40 years ago, and many users complain of lengthy delays, heavily blacked-out documents or blanket denials in response to their applications.This report by Th...

What Canada’s looming public-service strike would look like for hybrid workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

Canada’s federal public servants will need to show up at the picket line for four hours each day if they go on strike — even if their union has been trying to negotiate permanent work-from-home arrangements with the government.The Public Service Alliance of Canada says that if it doesn’t reach a deal with the federal government by 9 p.m. EDT tonight, some 155,000 federal workers across the country are prepared to strike as of Wednesday.Many of those employees work in an office only two or three days a week, but the union’s president says they will have to scan a barcode at a picketing location every day in order to receive strike pay.Chris Aylward says there will be exceptions to the rules for those who have mobility issues, disabilities or have discussed their circumstances with the union.They will be given other administrative duties to complete in lieu of picketing.The president of the Ontario Federation of Labour says there are many ways that workers can ...

Downtown beating witness: 'They were going to kill that young man'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

CHICAGO — Lenora Dennis not only witnessed the attack of a couple on Wabash Avenue Saturday night, she stepped in to help. “They were going to kill that young man,” she said. “They were stomping his head into the concrete.”Dennis ran across Wabash and said she yelled and cursed at the teenagers who were hitting and robbing the couple. She was relieved to see a police car approach but said officers, faced with multiple reports of violent acts downtown, didn’t stop.  “I literally stepped in front of a squad car and motioned them over to see this was an assault on the street in progress; and the police just drove around me,” she said. Related: What we know and don’t know about video of downtown beating She said the group of young people briefly ran down the street but then returned.  “When they came back they were beating the couple again,” she said.Police reports reviewed by WGN Investigates say the couple, who was visiting from out of town, both suffered blows that l...

Alicia Keys coming to Chicago this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

CHICAGO -- Alicia Keys will be taking her talents on the road this summer.The 15-time Grammy Award-winner will be stopping in Chicago as part of her "Keys to the Summer Tour" on Tuesday, July 18.Keys hit the mainstream with her first number one hit "Fallin'," from her debut 2001 album "Songs In A Minor." She received her most recent Grammy nomination for "A Beautiful Noise," which was nominated for Song of the Year in 2020. Chicago & House Music: A relationship over four decades in the making The "Keys to the Summer Tour" will stop at the United Center in Chicago. The event will take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18.Tickets will be available for public purchase on Friday, April 21.For ticket information, click here.

Man charged with shooting Kansas City teen Ralph Yarl surrenders, released on bond

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — An 84-year-old man has surrendered to law enforcement and been released on bond following the shooting of a Kansas City teen who arrived at the wrong address while trying to pick up his siblings. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Nexstar's WDAF that Andrew Lester surrendered himself at the Clay County Detention Center Tuesday afternoon. By Tuesday afternoon, he has posted his $200,000 bond and was released from custody. Under the conditions of his release, he is not allowed to possess weapons of any type or have any contact with the teenager or his family.Lester has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl. Man charged in Ralph Yarl shooting after KC teen went to wrong home Kansas City police say on April 13, Yarl intended to pick up his younger brothers at a home on N.E. 115th Terrace, but he mistakenly went to a house on N.E. 115th Street. When he arrived at the home and rang ...

Parking garage collapses in Lower Manhattan; reports of people trapped inside

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) -- The roof of a parking garage collapsed in Lower Manhattan Tuesday.The collapse happened at a parking garage that is located by Ann and William Streets near Pace University. A Citizen app image showed vehicles piled on top of each other after the roof collapsed.Rescue crews were responding to the scene after reports of people being trapped inside but the FDNY was forced to pull its members out due to structural concerns. New York City Council member Christopher Marte tweeted from the scene that there are a “few” people stuck in an elevator and in the building.New York Mayor Eric Adams is heading to the scene, spokesperson Fabien Levy told The Associated Press. He described what happened as a partial collapse.This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

Illinois joins antitrust lawsuit against Google

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

CHICAGO, Ill. — Illinois is one of several states joining in a lawsuit against Google, alleging the company abused its dominance of online advertising. The lawsuit is in collaboration with the Department of Justice and 15 other states. The antitrust suit was initially filed in January. "The complaint alleges that over the past 15 years, Google engaged in anticompetitive and exclusionary conduct that neutralized or eliminated competitors by pursuing acquisitions, relying on its dominance in digital advertising markets to force advertisers to use its products and preventing the ability to use competing products," a press release stated. "As a result, Google established its dominance in tools relied on by website publishers, online advertisers and the digital advertising exchange that runs advertising auctions." Judge tentatively OKs $725M Facebook settlement: How to apply for a payout Google has denied any wrongdoing and has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit. “Google has ...

Lawmakers propose stock trade ban for members of Congress

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers want to prohibit members of Congress from owning stocks because they say it create conflicts of interest and ethical problems.Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley says stock trading by members of Congress is wrong and should be banned.“It's corrupt because members use advantageous access to information -- information not available to the general public -- to win stock market returns that beat the market year after year,” Sen. Merkley (D-OR) said.Moves by some lawmakers to sell off stock just before the pandemic lockdowns created concerns and Senator Sherrod Brown says there are more recent examples of potentially problematic trading.“As Silicon Valley Bank was closed, even during that period there are reports that members of Congress were trading bank stocks. I mean, imagine that,” Sen. Brown (D-OH) said.Supporters of a trading ban say there's too much temptation for lawmakers and say owning stocks can also create other conflicts of inte...

Largest-ever Fast Play jackpot in Illinois won by iLottery player

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

ILLINOIS — An online Illinois iLottery player has broken the $1 million winnings mark.The state's newest lottery millionaire officially won $1,000,052 playing Fast Play Twenty 20s on Saturday, according to the Illinois Lottery. It's a draw-style game where the jackpot begins at $50,000 and grows with each ticket sold statewide until it's won. Mega Millions mints millionaire in Elgin The previous Fast Play jackpot win record was set in Feb. when a winning Twenty 20s ticket was purchased at a Shell gas station in Chicago, netting that lottery player $979,168.Twenty 20s is one of 20 different Fast Play games available in Illinois at varying prices and play styles. Each can be purchased in-person or online.

Man accused of robbing same Lakeview business 11 times since December, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:33 GMT

CHICAGO — A man who allegedly robbed a Lakeview business more than 10 times since December is now behind bars, Chicago police said Tuesday. Donte Elbert, 36, of Chicago faces 12 felony counts of retail theft and one misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing. Authorities linked Elbert to 11 retail thefts of a business in the 3200 block of N. Clark. The alleged incident spanned from December 2022 through April. Cook County correctional officer charged; accused of beating inmate ‘more than 30 times’ Elbert is also charged in connection with stealing from a business in the 3200 block of N. Broadway on Monday.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesElbert was due in court on Tuesday.