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First Nations health gets $8.2B in funding; may be used on ‘social determinants’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

VANCOUVER — Federal funding of $8.2 billion over 10 years for the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia will give Indigenous communities unprecedented control over how to use the cash to improve wellness, including the possibility of building housing, said one of the negotiators of the agreement. Wayne Christian, the deputy chair of the First Nations Health Council, said the funding announced Friday is a game-changer because it opens up the possibility of individual communities deciding to use funds towards “social determinants of health,” which may include affordable housing.“The communities will need to sit down and decide what do they really want to do in relation to social determinants,” said Christian, a 40-year veteran in Indigenous community advocacy.He was one of the First Nations leaders who negotiated the new funding agreement over two years with the federal government. “One of the issues that keeps coming up as an example is hous...

TikTok ban gets final approval by Montana’s GOP legislature

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana’s House gave final passage Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers envision due to concerns over potential Chinese spying. The House voted 54-43 in favor of the measure, which would make Montana the first state with a total ban on the app. It goes further than prohibitions already put in place by nearly half the states — including Montana — and the U.S. federal government that prohibit TikTok on government-owned devices. The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who declined to say Friday if he plans to sign it into law. A statement provided by spokesperson Brooke Metrione said the governor “will carefully consider” all bills the Legislature sends to his desk. Gianforte banned TikTok on state government devices last year, saying at the time that the app pose...

Grand jury indicts Alaska illustrator on threat charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A grand jury has indicted an Alaska children’s book illustrator on charges of terroristic threatening after authorities said he posted around the capital city transphobic notes that referenced shooting children.Thursday’s indictment against Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, was announced by the state Department of Law on Friday. Watley is scheduled for arraignment in state court on April 25. A phone message seeking comment was left for Watley’s attorney.Watley is accused of leaving business card-size notes at a grocery store, state office building and a Costco store with an image of an assault rifle, the colors of the transgender flag and the text “Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children,” according to the complaint filed in the case.He was arrested April 2, after several notes were found at a Costco and officers reviewed security footage that showed a man, later identified as Watley, leaving a note in the store, the complaint alleged.Terms of his release on bon...

A list of winners in the major TV categories of the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

TORONTO — The Canadian Screen Awards celebrated the best in homegrown television with an in-person gala on Friday. A look at some of the winners:Best comedy series – “Sort Of,” CBCBest drama series – “The Porter,” CBC Best lead performer, comedy – Bilal Baig, “Sort Of” Best lead performer, drama – Hamza Haq, “Transplant,” CTVBest lead performer, TV movie – Martha Henry, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women,” CBCBest supporting performer, comedy – Ennis Esmer, “Children Ruin Everything,” CTVBest supporting performer, drama – Christopher Plummer, “Departure,” GlobalBest guest performer, comedy – Amanda Brugel, “Sort Of,” CBCBest guest performer, drama – Alfre Woodard, “The Porter,” CBCBest live entertainment special – “The 2022 Juno Awards,” CBCBest host, live entertainment special – Simu Liu, “The 2022 Juno Awards,” CBCThis report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2023.The Canadian Press

Community backlash to proposed Science Centre relocation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

Premier Doug Ford’s musing about relocating the Ontario Science Centre as part of a refurbished Ontario Place plan has spawned a negative reaction from residents in the community that is home to the centre.Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park are two densely populated neighbourhoods that would be directly impacted by the loss of the Science Centre, an attraction considered part of the fabric of the community. “They shouldn’t be moving it from here,” one area resident tells CityNews. “Just look around the area. There are close to 300,000 people here and all young families. Where do they go? They go to the science centre”“I think that this is a very special place,” said another area resident. “I’ve come here my whole life growing up as a child. I’ve come here pretty often just to see films at the IMAX. I think it would be a great tragedy if we were to lose this position and just build housing.”RELATED: ‘I think it’s a g...

Gary man gets 2 life sentences in bank robbery where guard slain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

GARY, Ind. (AP) — A northwestern Indiana man will spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of a security guard during a bank robbery.Hailey Gist-Holden, 28, of Gary was convicted by a jury and sentenced to two consecutive life terms, the U.S. attorney's office in Northern Indiana said Friday.Guard Richard Castellana, 55, of Tinley Park, Illinois, was ambushed and shot outside First Midwest Bank in Gary in June 2021. About $9,000 was taken in the robbery. Driver dies after falling out of Jeep, being struck by 2 vehicles on Dan Ryan Expressway Gist-Holden was arrested about a week later near Valdosta, Georgia, after leading law enforcement there on a high-speed car chase. The government alleges he carried out the robbery to bail out his semipro football team, the Illini Panthers.Authorities said Gist-Holden needed money to pay his players, their hotel bills and rent on his Gary home. They alleged Gist-Holden enlisted James King Jr., one of his football...

SCOTUS temporarily blocks restrictions on abortion pill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it was temporarily keeping in place federal rules for use of an abortion drug, while it takes time to more fully consider the issues raised in a court challenge.In an order signed by Justice Samuel Alito, the court asked both sides to weigh in by Tuesday over whether lower court rulings restricting the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug, mifepristone, should be allowed to take effect while the case works its way through federal courts. The order suggests the court will decide that issue by late Wednesday.The justices are being asked at this point only to determine what parts of an April 7 ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas, as modified by an appellate ruling Wednesday, can be in force while the case continues. The order expires late Wednesday, suggesting the court will decide that issue by then.The court finds itself immersed in a new fight involving abortion less than a year after conse...

Phase I of Texas Capitol Mall is now complete

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The first phase of the Capitol Mall project was completed, and the mall between 16th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is now open. However, it's not a street anymore. It's a public space with grass and walkways.With the return of the Longhorns spring game this weekend, it also means the return of football fans and tailgating, but there's a big change on where you'll be able to party.“We don't allow tailgating on the Capitol grounds, and we won't allow tailgating here on the main part of the Capitol Mall,” Chris Currens with the Texas State Preservation Board said. “Again, there are lots of other spaces and opportunities for tailgating in the Capitol complex, but this isn't monetized space.”The Capitol Mall will become a civic space for several events. However, the state preservation board is waiting to schedule events until the landscaping has matured and some additional construction is completed.

City of Austin to conduct Disaster Preparedness survey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As we get deeper into severe weather season here in Central Texas, the City of Austin said it wanted to make sure it could respond to potential disasters for everyone.Austin Public Health and the Office of Resilience began conducting a community survey on public health emergency response.Teams began going door-to-door for the community assessment for public health emergency response in the Eastern Crescent of the city and Travis County, which is mainly east of Interstate 35.APH said there are health questions and weather questions about emergency preparedness, such as having a preparedness kit, as well as if they have ever received text alerts.The teams started Friday, and they are going to continue Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda, feeling lingering soreness, on board with plan to skip start

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

NEW YORK — Kenta Maeda expected the Twins would skip his start from time to time this season as he comes back from the Tommy John surgery that wiped out all of his 2022 season.The right-handed pitcher just didn’t know when it would be.“Did I expect it to be this early? No, but it just happened to be,” Maeda said through interpreter Daichi Sekizaki.It happened to be this early — Maeda originally was supposed to pitch on Saturday but the Twins skipped him, called up Minnesota native Louie Varland to pitch Friday and pushed Tyler Mahle back a day — because of some lingering soreness after his last start.Maeda left his first start in Miami in the sixth inning after shaking out his arm and the Twins said at the time that he was fatigued. His stuff was slightly down in his last start, which came on April 10, and he said there’s some “general soreness, tightness” since then.“It was a collective decision,” Maeda said of skipping his start. “I was very involved. I spoke with (man...