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Greens win second Ontario seat in provincial byelection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

The Green Party of Ontario doubled its ranks in the provincial legislature with a byelection Thursday sending a second representative to join party leader Mike Schreiner.Aislinn Clancy won handily in Kitchener Centre over the New Democratic candidate, in what had been an NDP riding since 2018. Clancy, a social worker and city councillor, is now just the second Green member of provincial parliament in Ontario after Schreiner, who represents the nearby riding of Guelph.“The Green Party has a caucus now,” said Andrea Perrella, an associate professor of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University.“Two heads are better than one and one head (Schreiner) is already doing quite a bit of work. Likely the dynamics will be that much more interesting. Now, it’s not as if the Greens will have much more of a say, as a backbench party. The capacity for interventions in legislative affairs is fairly limited. But just the same, their visibility has doubled.”Mike Mor...

'Dude, where's my car?': Winter parking ban goes into effect tonight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

CHICAGO — There are just hours left until Chicago's winter parking ban goes into effect, but what does that exactly mean for street parking in the City?"Starting at 3 a.m., tow trucks will be lining up to move cars parked along 107 miles of some of the city’s busiest streets," said Cole Stallard, commission for the City's Department of Streets and Sanitation.From Dec. 1 until April 1, there is no parking allowed from 3-7 a.m. on streets that display the signs below:A map of the 107 miles of streets affected by the winter parking ban can be found at the end of this article.According to Stallard, 242 cars were towed on Dec. 1 last year when the winter parking ban went into effect last year."I look down my window, don’t see my car down there," said one Chicagoan who was among the 242 towed on Dec. 1 last year. "I look down the street and see just a bunch of tow trucks. So I sprint down and I'm like telling this guy, 'I'll give you cash, just give me my car back!' and he was like, 'you ...

Survivors of Our Lady of the Angels tell their story on solemn anniversary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

CHICAGO — Sixty-five years ago Friday marks one of the worst school fires in our nation’s history.Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School in Chicago’s Humboldt Park left a staggering number of children and three nuns dead.Our Lady of the Angels parish was the center of the community, home to generations of families who grew up attending the school and the church. But their lives were forever changed on that frigid Monday in 1958.The fire which started in a paper-filled barrel in the basement slowly simmered. Fifteen minutes later, it grew. enveloping the North Wing of the school trapping hundreds of students on the second floor.Laura Bisconti was in Room 208. “Sister Canice, our nun, she went to the open door and more smoke came in so she said, ‘Keep it closed. Do not go out. “ay on the floor and put your head down and just pray,’” Bisconti said.Ron Sarno was 10, trapped in Room 210 with his younger sister, Joanne. “We got separated in the chaos and I managed to get to the ...

Report: Residents near Sterigenics facility could face increased risk of cancer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

CHICAGO — If you lived or worked within a mile radius of the Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook, a new study finds you could be at an increased lifetime risk of cancer."For the risk of certain lymphoid cancers, including non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, as well as for breast cancer," said Lydia Hoadley, an environmental health scientist.The Willowbrook facility used ethylene oxide (EtO), a cancer causing gas, to sterilize medical equipment and other goods. Sterigenics used EtO at the facility from 1984 until 2019. PREVIOUS: Sterigenics paying $408M to settle 870 lawsuits While it was closed in 2019, researchers with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Register (ATSDR) studied levels of ethylene oxide in the air prior to the closing.During a virtual meeting, scientists with the agency explained the results of the study and answered questions about the findings."If you are concerned about your past exposure to EtO and your health, we would encourage you to speak to your doctor," Hoa...

Texas judge orders release of Uvalde shooting records, but DPS could still delay

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) -- A Travis County state district judge has ordered the Department of Public safety to release law enforcement records related to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, more than a year after a consortium of news organizations sued for access.261st Civil District Court Judge Daniela Deseta Lyttle ordered DPS to fulfill 28 records requests filed by the news organizations, which include The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, subject to redactions such as personal information of police officers and blurring the faces of minor victims in crime scene photographs.The files would shed light on the disastrous police response that day, in which officers waited more than an hour to confront the shooter after learning he had an AR-15 style rifle.Lyttle issued a preliminary order in June; the one issued Tuesday is the final judgment. It requires DPS to provide the records sought within 20 days, unless the state police agency appeals the ruling.“DPS promised to disclose the re...

What is the HOME initiative? What to know about Austin's latest push for more housing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you're paying attention to Austin politics, you're probably hearing a whole lot about the "HOME" initiative. There's both staunch opposition and support for the measure. Austin City Council will have a public hearing on Dec. 7 before discussing amendments -- which are still being finalized by council members -- and voting on the overall ordinance. Here's what you need to know. First thing's first: What is HOME? HOME, an acronym for Home Options for Middle-income Empowerment, is a series of proposed changes to Austin's land development code -- and other incentives for creating or preserving housing. It has several elements to it, and there are expected to be additional phases moving forward. The following are the proposed changes in phase one: Three units: Bumping the number of units "by right" allowed on a single-family lot to threeTiny Homes: Patching loopholes in Austin's land development code to more easily allow for tiny homes to be considered a unit on a lo...

Tesla Cybertruck rolls out in Austin-- would you drive one?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) —  In Texas, a good barbeque spot can draw a crowd, just ask Sheri Kurland who stopped at La Barbeque in East Austin for some dinner."I am sold on Texas Barbeque," said Kurland, who was visiting Austin from California.There's something else that can draw a crowd as well, like the New Tesla Cybertruck."It was pretty awesome," Kurland said. "I didn't know it was going to be here."Phillip Sarofim, the new owner of the Tesla Cybertruck, and on this day he got the best of both worlds, a little barbecue and a new ride."Today was delivery day so I was lucky enough to be in the first 20 people to get cars," Sarofim said. Tesla plans to spend $700M+ to expand Austin gigafactory Sarofim lives in LA and made the trek to Austin when he heard he would be getting one of the first Cybertrucks at the Giga Factory in Austin, Texas."It's like driving a spaceship," Sarofim said.Sarofim was nice enough to show KXAN some of the features."Here is the door, you press here and open it,...

Israel knew Hamas’ attack plan more than a year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli officials obtained Hamas’ battle plan for the Oct. 7 terrorist attack more than a year before it happened, documents, emails and interviews show. But Israeli military and intelligence officials dismissed the plan as aspirational, considering it too difficult for Hamas to carry out.The approximately 40-page document, which Israeli authorities code-named “Jericho Wall,” outlined, point by point, exactly the kind of devastating invasion that led to the deaths of about 1,200 people.The translated document, which was reviewed by the New York Times, did not set a date for the attack, but described a methodical assault designed to overwhelm the fortifications around the Gaza Strip, take over Israeli cities and storm key military bases, including a division headquarters.Hamas followed the blueprint with shocking precision. The document called for a barrage of rockets at the outset of the attack, drones to knock out the security cameras and automated machine guns a...

Connor Dewar paces Wild’s blowout win at Nashville with first NHL hat trick

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Wild insist they’re taking it one game at a time as they try to dig out of a deep early hole under new head coach John Hynes.So far, so good.Connor Dewar scored his first NHL hat trick, Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and assist as Minnesota dismantled the Nashville Predators on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena for the second victory in as many games under Hynes.Jake Middleton and Pat Maroon also scored goals, and Filip Gustavsson stopped 24 shots as Minnesota won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Wild ended a seven-game skid on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over St. Louis at Xcel Energy Center.It was Minnesota’s 15th victory in 43 games at the Predators’ arena (15-22-7) since joining the NHL for the 2001-02 season.Dewar scored a fourth goal on a power play goal with 3 minutes, 57 seconds remaining, but Nashville coach Andrew Brunette challenged for an offsides call and won.The Wild were ready from the jump and kept the Predators fro...

Timberwolves blitz Jazz in second half for another home victory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:49 GMT

Minnesota sleepwalked through the first half Thursday at Target Center, and it made no difference in the end. The Timberwolves simply put their foot on the gas in the third quarter to pull away from and breeze past Utah for a 101-90 victory.Leading 49-47 at the break, Minnesota outscored the Jazz 35-16, continuing a run of strong third quarters this season. It was a similar formula for success, too.The Timberwolves leaned on their league-best defense to generate stops, then parlayed those into easy transition buckets. Minnesota finished with 25 fast-break points — nine of which came in the third — and 20 points off Utah’s 21 giveaways.Usually, it’s Anthony Edwards leading those transition pushes. With the 22-year-old star guard out with a hip pointer Thursday, Nickeil Alexander-Walker took charge in just about every facet. He was his usual lockdown defensive self, while also starring offensively.Alexander-Walker finished with 20 points and seven assists. He also tallied ...