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Emergencies minister mobilizes military to help fight B.C. wildfires

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

OTTAWA — Emergencies minister Bill Blair says federal assistance including military resources are being mobilized to help British Columbia’s fight against hundreds of wildfires.Blair says he’s approved a request for federal assistance to aid firefighters and emergency management personnel who are “working tirelessly” in B.C.He says in a tweet that the assistance will come from across federal departments and the Canadian Armed Forces.B.C.’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said Thursday she had made the request, while Blair said earlier that he expected B.C. to seek “fairly substantive” assistance. Blair said at the time that federal help could include military assistance for airlift evacuations from remote locations, as well as troops trained as firefighters who can “mop up” to keep blazes from reigniting.The BC Wildfire Service says the total number of active fires in the province has topped 360,...

Former Maple Leaf Galchenyuk allegedly used racist slur, intimidated officers: police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

Editor’s Note: The following story contains offensive language and views that could be disturbing to some readers.Alex Galchenyuk repeatedly used racial slurs toward a police officer in training and threatened to have two officers killed during a traffic stop last weekend, police said in a report, actions that led the Arizona Coyotes to terminate the player’s contract on Friday.A Scottsdale Police Department report said Galchenyuk was erratic and aggressive toward officers after apparently crashing a car into a sign.Galchenyuk cited connections in Moscow while saying, “I’m gunna chop you, your wife, your daughter” and “One phone call and you’re all dead, your whole family, your bloodline is dead,” police said in the report.Galchenyuk, who was born in the U.S. to Belarusian parents and spent much of his childhood in Russia, uttered a racial slur several times while referring to the officer in training, the report said.The Coyotes termin...

Heat wave could break Vegas record as visitors stay inside chilled casinos and ER doctors are busy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Visitors to Las Vegas on Friday stepped out momentarily to snap photos and were hit by blast-furnace air. But most will spend their vacations in a vastly different climate — at casinos where the chilly air conditioning might require a light sweater.Meanwhile, emergency room doctors were witnessing another world, as dehydrated construction workers, passed-out elderly residents and others suffered in an intense heat wave threatening to break the city’s all-time record high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2 degrees Celsius) this weekend.Few places in the scorching Southwest demonstrate the surreal contrast between indoor and outdoor life like Las Vegas, a neon-lit city rich with resorts, casinos, swimming pools, indoor nightclubs and shopping. Tens of millions of others across California and the Southwest, were also scrambling for ways to stay cool and safe from the dangers of extreme heat.“We’ve been talking about this building heat wave for a week now, and now the most...

Florida woman gets 6 years in prison for attacking officers during the US Capitol attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Florida woman was sentenced Friday to six years in federal prison for attacking police officers during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Audrey Ann Southard-Rumsey, 54, of Spring Hill, Florida, was sentenced in District of Columbia federal court, according to court records. She was found guilty in January of seven felony charges, including three counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers, three counts of civil disorder and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Southard-Rumsey was arrested in June 2021.According to court documents, Southard-Rumsey joined with others in objecting to Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over then-President Donald Trump. A mob stormed the Capitol to try to stop Congress from certifying election results for Biden over Trump, a Republican, authorities have said. Five people died in the violence.According to the criminal complaint, Southard-Rumsey amplified calls for revolution on social ...

Updated criteria for new FBI headquarters announced, boosting Maryland locations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The General Services Administration announced changes in criteria for choosing a location for a new FBI headquarters on Friday, boosting two potential places in Maryland, which has been competing with Virginia for the bureau’s new home.The new criteria give more weight to cost and social equity concerns than proximity to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.Maryland officials, including Gov. Wes Moore, were encouraged that the announcement “corrects the flawed approach released in September that ignored taxpayer costs and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity,” they said in a statement.“Today’s revised guidelines are a critical step in the right direction,” said Maryland officials, including Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen. “This update is in line with the language we secured in last year’s omnibus funding bill that both delegations supported.”Maryland officials, including Rep. Steny Hoyer and six other members of the state’s...

How U-Haul is helping storm victims in Chicagoland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

CHICAGO — Five U-Haul stores across the west and southwest suburbs are doing their part to help Chicagoland victims hit by heavy storms and tornadoes. The moving and storage resource company is offering 30 days of free U-box container usage to locals that suffered damage and need recovery assistance. Severe weather leaves damage around Chicago area The boxes provide 257 cubic feet of storage and a one-ton capacity - enough space to hold an average of one-and-a-half rooms of furniture and other belongings. "Secure storage is always in demand after storms, and we are in a fortunate position to help," said Angela Farley with U-Haul Company of Chicago Western Suburbs. "U-Haul is ready to assist our neighbors who were impacted by this storm and could use U-Box containers to store their items for one month at no cost."Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesA list of participating U-Haul stores is below:U-Haul Moving & Storage of Aurora1282 N. Lake St., Aurora, IL 60506(630) 859-878...

VIDEO: Man drives ATV into Ohio police cruiser

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Two people were taken to the hospital after an ATV crashed into a police cruiser in Dayton, Ohio, early Friday morning. According to the Dayton Police Department, an officer was out driving when he saw a four-wheeler carrying two people driving without lights. DPD said the officer made a U-turn, but the four-wheeler drove into the eastbound lanes and struck another police cruiser. Austin’s ‘I love you so much’ mural gets ‘Barbie’ makeover The driver and passenger were taken to Miami Valley Hospital in stable condition. No officers were injured in the crash. The driver of the four-wheeler was handed multiple citations for the crash, including an operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) citation.

LIVE BLOG: 730 fans donated, $194K raised so far for Family Eldercare Summer Fan Drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For more than 30 years, Family Eldercare has been running a Summer Fan Drive to keep people cool amid Texas' summer heat.This year's drive comes on a week with multiple days in a row topping out over 100°. KXAN meteorologists forecast the excessive heat will continue for the next one to two weeks. On Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., people can drop off their fans at KXAN, Roger Beasley Mazda locations and Whittlesey Landscape Supplies. They can also donate online. KXAN will be tracking the number of fans collected and money raised and will share updates in this story. How to donate to the 33rd Family Eldercare Summer Fan Drive Fan donations trackerMonetary donations trackerLive blog6 p.m.We now have 730 fans donated and $194,511 raised.4 p.m. We now have 714 fans donated and $148,100 raised. 3 p.m. So far, 685 fans were donated and $129,400 was raised. 1:45 p.m.2023 Summer Fan Drive with Jim Spencer (KXAN Photo)2023 Summer Fan Drive wit...

TxDOT accepting public comment on transportation upgrades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KTAL/KMSS) – The State of Texas is ranked number 1 in numeric population growth in the nation, and with such a massive population boom comes the need for a long-term plan that will address citizens’ transportation needs for the next decade and beyond.  TxDOT Director Marc Williams said it’s important to hear from the public to guide transportation improvements. Such improvement will address congestion and safety, connect communities, and preserve roadways already in existence.But transportation improvements are not limited to roadways. The state is also addressing maritime, aviation, rail, freight, and international trade, plus bicycle and pedestrian routes.A virtual public hearing is scheduled for July 25 at 2 p.m. You can join the meeting on the TxDOT website. Public comment on the plans will end August 7. Information will be provided in both English and Spanish, and comment forms are available in English, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish, and Vietnamese.The Tex...

‘Barbie the Movie Pop-up Closet’ at MOA from July 15-19

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:16 GMT

Can’t wait for the highly anticipated “Barbie” movie to drop on Friday, July 21?Here’s a fun idea to pass the time this weekend: Starting on Saturday, July 15, fans can step into Barbie’s closet at the Mall of America.“Barbie the Movie Pop-up Closet” will be open on the first floor (Level 1, North) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Wednesday, July 19.At the closet, wannabe Barbies can pose for photo ops and check out stylish Barbie looks from the upcoming movie from Warner Bros., directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie as Barbie (and Ryan Gosling as Ken).View the event listing at mallofamerica.com/events.Related ArticlesMovies & TV | Movie and TV stars join picket lines in fight over the future of Hollywood Movies & TV | New monthly film series to focus on films made in or by Minnesotans Movies & TV | Behind ‘Oppenheimer,’ a prizewinning biography 25 years in the making Mov...