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Western premiers disappointed by delay to federal bail reform on repeat offenders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

WHISTLER, B.C. — Premiers from Western Canada say they are “extremely disappointed” in the federal government for not passing reforms to the bail system to target repeat offenders before Parliament rose last week for the summer.Speaking at the conclusion of the western premiers’ conference in Whistler, B.C., host Premier David Eby urged the federal government to prioritize passing the bill that would amend the Criminal Code as soon as possible. Leaders from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories were attending the daylong conference.Eby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also say the provinces and the territories want “equivalency” in federal funding for programs such as immigration and infrastructure, so that each jurisdiction can address their own challenges.Eby says B.C. has not received its fair share of funding, and he called for more per-capita federal support in critical areas including hou...

Labor group requests ethics probe of Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate over campaign solicitation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A prominent labor group on Tuesday requested an ethics investigation of Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron for soliciting and accepting campaign donations from executives of a substance abuse treatment organization under scrutiny by his office since last year.The Kentucky State AFL-CIO, which has strong Democratic ties, asked the state Executive Branch Ethics Commission to investigate “circumstances surrounding” the donations to Cameron’s gubernatorial campaign. State AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan said it raises “serious concerns” about Cameron’s compliance with campaign finance laws.It continued a back-and-forth over campaign finances in the Kentucky governor’s race. Cameron is challenging Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in one of the nation’s most closely watched elections this year.Beshear’s campaign was put on the defensive recently by an influx of campaign donations — linked to a single credit card — that went to th...

Family of teen pinned to ground by CPD officer in Park Ridge files lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

PARK RIDGE, Ill. — The family of a Park Ridge teenager is suing the city and a Chicago police sergeant over an incident last summer. A Cook County Circuit Court judge cleared Michael Vitellaro of all charges in relation to a 2022 incident where he pinned a teenager to the ground in front of a Starbucks in Park Ridge.Vitellaro accused the boy of stealing his son's bicycle.  Chicago cop found not guilty of pinning down teen in front of Park Ridge Starbucks Nicole and Angel Nieves on Facebook shared the video of Vitellaro kneeling on the back of her 14-year-old son, Josh, as the teen’s friends yelled at the officer to get off on June 1, 2022. Nieves, who believed the act by Vitellaro was racially motivated, said her son had his bike with him.Now the Nieves family is filing a civil lawsuit. “We firmly believe that the outcome of the criminal trial was wrong. Period. So we press on and we will fiercely fight for justice and accountability, which we have every right to do," Angel Nieves...

Arrest made in November shooting of 16-year-old found dead in forest preserve

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — A 17-year-old from Robbins is charged with the November 2022 shooting death of a teenage boy discovered inside a Cook County forest preserve.According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, on April 17, an arrest warrant was issued for Jahqwan Castillo on the charge of first-degree murder. A subsequent warrant was issued on May 18 for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon following a separate, unrelated investigation, deputies added. Hundreds of teens takeover Lakeview, destroying neighborhood Authorities later arrested Castillo on Monday in Lansing.Now facing a first-degree murder charge, Castillo will be tried as an adult, deputies said. He is being held without bail at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.Photo of Jaiden Howard. (Photo courtesy of Legal Help Firm)On Nov. 1, 2022, Cook County Sheriff’s Office was requested by Cook County Forest Preserve police to conduct a shooting investigation at the Kickapoo Meadows Forest Preserve, located near...

Search underway for Oak Lawn bank robbery suspect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

OAK LAWN, Ill. -- The Oak Lawn Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying the suspect involved in a armed bank robbery Tuesday afternoon.According to the Oak Lawn Police Department, officers responded to the Chase Bank on the 5700 block on 95th Street on Tuesday just before 2:30 p.m. on reports of a armed bank robbery. Hundreds of teens takeover Lakeview, destroying neighborhood The suspect involved has been described as a white man, between 40 and 50-years-old, wearing a short dark wig, facial hair, khaki jacket, dark blue t-shirt, khaki pants and gray shoes. He reportedly entered the bank armed with a semi-automatic handgun demanding money from the bank tellers.The suspect was last seen on foot heading south on the 9500 block of Major Avenue with an undetermined amount of money.Anyone that can help identify the offender are asked to call the Oak Lawn Police Detective Division at 708-907-4051 or text tips to 708-613-8477.

Discount Mall vendors say sales plummeting due to construction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Vendors who still have shops inside a Discount Mall in Little Village say their businesses are suffering since some other owners were forced out.  The news comes after dozens of vendors left the mall in May after their leases expired and they lost a legal dispute with the mall owner.  The remaining vendors say their sales have dropped between 60-80% because many shoppers think the mall is closed. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Displaced Little Village Discount Mall vendors find new home Vendors say construction outside the building also gives potential customers that impression. "We really want people to come visit us and support our small businesses," said Discount Mall vendor Daniela China.Some vendors were first notified in February that they had a little more than one month to pack up their shops and move out of the mall. Despite assistance from local leaders, attempts to halt the eviction were ultimately unsuccessful.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesRead more: Latest Chica...

First locally transmitted malaria cases detected in US in decades: What you should know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

(The Hill) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory over the spread of a few malaria cases in Florida and Texas, marking the first time locally acquired infections of the disease have been detected in the U.S. in 20 years.Five cases of malaria caught by people in the U.S. have been identified so far, four in Florida and one in Texas, in the past two months. The fact these individuals were infected in the U.S. is what is causing concern among health officials as infections like these haven't been seen since 2003.As the CDC noted in its alert, malaria infections in the U.S. aren't unheard of. The country saw about 2,000 annual malaria cases every year before the COVID-19 pandemic. US reports first spread of malaria cases since 2003, CDC says However, cases in the U.S. are almost always found in people who traveled outside of the country to regions where malaria transmission is more common. The five infections in Florida and Texas being caug...

Mississippi deputies fired, accused of torturing two Black men

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) - Multiple sheriff's deputies in Mississippi have been fired or resigned after they allegedly beat and sexually assaulted two Black men in January 2023 before shooting one of them in the mouth. Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey said Tuesday that the deputies were initially placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Due to recent developments, including findings during the department's internal investigation, the deputies that were still employed were terminated. Some had already resigned.A lawsuit, filed on behalf of Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, is seeking $400 million in damages for alleged abuse by Rankin County deputies. The 14-count suit goes into detail about the alleged misconduct on the night of January 24 in the town of Braxton when Jenkins was shot in his mouth. Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws, nephew reportedly killed in apparent murder-suicide Jenkins and Parker said six deputies from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Dep...

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett dies in apparent drowning in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett has died while vacationing in Florida. He was 35.Mallett was reportedly among a group of people in the water near a sandbar off the shores of Destin, Florida on Tuesday, according to Nexstar's WKRG. The group was struggling to make their way out of the water, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office reported, when Mallett went under.Lifeguards said he was not breathing when he was pulled from the water. Despite life-saving measures, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said Mallett was pronounced dead at a Destin hospital. Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws, nephew reportedly killed in apparent murder-suicide Mallett was a five-star football recruit out of Texarkana (Texas) Texas High School who first went to Michigan but later transferred to Arkansas for the 2009-10 seasons.Following his career at Arkansas, Mallett was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Mallett played for the Patriots fr...

MN urges dog owners to pursue vaccination for canine influenza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:27 GMT

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is encouraging dog owners to visit their veterinarian and get their pets vaccinated against the highly contagious canine influenza virus after a recent outbreak of the disease in the state.Canine influenza is a respiratory disease that can spread rapidly. Dogs often exhibit a cough, low-grade fever, tiredness, disinterest in food, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. Vaccination helps reduce the severity and duration of these symptoms if a dog becomes infected. Any dog showing signs of canine influenza, vaccinated or not, should be isolated from other dogs for 30 days.There have been four confirmed and nearly 200 suspected cases in the state in recent weeks.. Vaccine manufacturers are starting to fulfill orders for Twin Cities veterinary clinics where Minnesota’s outbreak has had the greatest impact. However, some clinics may still not have adequate supply due to vaccine shortages.Dog owners who send their dogs to day care, attend commun...