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Longtime PC cabinet minister Merrilee Fullerton resigns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

Merrilee Fullerton, a longtime cabinet minister in Premier Doug Ford’s government, has resigned.Fullerton, who shuffled through three cabinet posts and was in charge when thousands died of COVID-19 in Ontario nursing homes, said Friday that she was stepping down immediately.She did not detail why she was stepping down.The family physician left medicine for politics in the lead-up to the 2018 election when she won her Ottawa-area riding of Kanata-Carleton. She won that seat again, handily, in 2022.“A strong sense of duty brought me to politics after decades as a family physician serving my community, to continue my work toward solutions that would address the shortcomings of our health-care system and improve health services for individuals,” she wrote in her resignation letter to Ford.“To serve the people of this province has been a profound honour.”This afternoon I spoke with the Premier and tendered my resignation as MPP for Kanata-Carleton and as Min...

Geothermal developer wants to delist endangered Nevada toad

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

RENO, Nev. (AP) — In an unusual move that could pit two Biden administration agencies against each other, the developer of a planned Nevada geothermal power plant says it intends to sue U.S wildlife officials to overturn the endangered species listing of a toad in adjacent wetlands.Ormat Technologies said in a 60-day notice of its intent to sue the Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service that the listing of the Dixie Valley toad in December was illegal.“The toad does not meet the definitional standard for a threatened — let alone endangered — species, and the service failed to base its decision on the best scientific and commercial data available,” Reno-based Ormat said.It’s the latest legal maneuver in a series of conflicts underscoring challenges President Joe Biden faces in vowing to protect fish and wildlife while also pushing development of so-called green energy projects on U.S. lands to help combat climate change.A court battle over the toad’s listing woul...

CPD opens up 'expedited' re-hiring process for former officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

CHICAGO — After years of officer departures, the Chicago Police Department on Friday announced the creation of two programs that would expedite the rehiring of officers who have recently left the department and allow officers from other municipalities to join the CPD.The “rehire program” would allow officers — age 50 or younger — who left the CPD in the last three years to return to the department at the rank of police officer, regardless of which rank they held when they left. Rehires will be paid at the same rate as when they left the CPD.Meanwhile, the “lateral hire program” allows officers in other municipalities to join the CPD while receiving credit for service time in other police departments. To qualify for the lateral hire program, those officers must be younger than 40 at the time of hire and complete a 12-month probationary period and “an individualized training plan,” according to a statement from the CPD.The terms of the programs were agreed upon last month by the CPD a...

Elgin man dies after falling from chairlift at ski resort in Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — A man from Elgin died last week after he fell from a chairlift at a ski resort in Colorado.John Perucco, 60, of Elgin, died on March 17 when he fell while trying to remove snow from the seat, according to the Summit County, Colorado Coroner's Office. The sheriff's office said the restraint bar was in the up position. 2 Illinois teens die in sledding accident in Colorado after landing on ice The incident happened at a ski resort about 80 miles west of Denver."We are committed to conducting a thorough and comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of this tragic incident," Summit County Coroner Amber Flenniken said in a release. Chicago suburb tops ‘Best Places to Live in Illinois’ list The coroner's office said they are reminding skiers and snowboarders to follow safety guidelines at all times and to use the restraint bar for additional safety.

Southwest suburban playground named one of the most inclusive nationwide

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. —A playground in southwest suburban Downers Grove was named one of the most inclusive school playgrounds in the United States. Owen’s Playground for Kids of All Abilities at Hillcrest Elementary School in Downers Grove Grade School District 58 ranked third on the top-10 list.  The school and healthcare staffing company Soliant compiled the list. Several factors were considered, including inclusive design, quality and quantity of accessible play features and any unique stories behind the playground’s origin.    Downers Grove North shoots for history in IHSA Final Four The idea behind Owen's Playground came from an eighth-grade student whose brother struggled with mobility issues from cerebral palsy. “Owen’s Playground for Kids of All Abilities came to fruition thanks to the incredible generosity of the Hillcrest community and many local businesses and organizations,” said District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. “We appreciate their support very much! Distr...

Biden, Trudeau celebrate 'inseparable' US-Canada relations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, “inseperable” U.S.-Canada relationship and declared their nations' shared values have never been more important for a world facing both tumult and possibility.Biden, making his first visit to Canada as president, said the U.S. is lucky to have Canada as its neighbor as both countries grapple with the rapidly changing global economy, climate change, war in Europe and more.On immigration, Biden and Trudeau used the visit to announce an agreement aiming to stem the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings from the U.S. to Canada.The accord eliminates a loophole under existing rules and will allow both countries to turn away asylum seekers at their borders At the same time, however, Canada announced that 15,000 migrants from the Western Hemisphere will be given official slots to apply to enter the country.Before their speeches before Parliament, the leaders sat down ...

Millions at risk of losing Medicaid coverage as pandemic provision ends

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – During the pandemic, states were prohibited from kicking people off Medicaid. But that provision is soon coming to an end and millions of Americans could lose healthcare coverage, including people who still qualify for Medicaid.On April 1, states will resume removing people from Medicaid who no longer qualify after a three-year pandemic pause.“Fourteen to 18 million people are expected to be disenrolled from Medicaid,” said Jennifer Tolbert of the Kaiser Family Foundation.This includes 6.8 million who could lose coverage even though they still qualify. However, many children will still qualify for Medicaid even if their parents don’t.“Maybe they don't get the renewal notice in the mail, maybe they get the notice, and they don't quite understand it,” Tolbert said.The Kaiser Family Foundation says many of those Americans who lose Medicaid will still qualify for other subsidized care like Obamacare because of their income levels. Moda Center will close during s...

Biden administration brainstorms how to help families 'stretch food dollars'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Biden administration says it is rolling out new public-private initiatives to help Americans confronting high food prices."To make sure that everyone is fed and everyone is fed well," Secretary of Agriculture Tim Vilsack said.More than 34 million Americans, including 9 million children, are considered food insecure, according to the federal government. Administration officials met with anti-hunger groups at the White House Friday to talk about how to tackle the problem head-on."Figuring out ways in which we can help families stretch that food dollar. Looking for ways in which we can create what are called double-buck programs where basically every dollar you spend as a SNAP family gets matched by a nonprofit," Vilsack said.The Biden administration this month ended pandemic-era increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food stamp benefits. Vilsack said that at the same time, his agency has ramped up resources for food banks, increased SNAP bene...

Florida principal resigns after parents complain about 'pornographic' Michelangelo statue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

This story has been updated with additional commentary provided by Hillsdale College regarding its curriculum content.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The line between art and pornography is at the center of an education dispute after a Tallahassee charter school principal resigned, following accusations that middle school students were shown inappropriate adult content.At issue? Students in the school were shown images of a Renaissance period sculpture, the "David," leading to complaints that the children were shown pornographic material. ‘Toxic political ideology’: Florida English professor fired over racial justice unit blames DeSantis Tallahassee Classical School, a private institution focused on "training the minds and improving the hearts of young people through a content-rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue," gave its principal an ultimatum to quit or be fired after three parents complain...

Austin family in Paris amid protests of Macron's pension plan shift

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN/AP) -- More than a million people took to France's streets Thursday to protest a bill pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in parliament, according to the Associated Press. Transportation, schools, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and trash collection are just some of the services being impacted by protests and strikes, the outlet reported. READ MORE: Violent French pension protests erupt as 1M demonstrate "We were out having dinner one evening and saw caravans of police vans going around town. That was our first introduction to that there was something going on," Austin-area woman Krista Wise said. She has been in Paris since last Thursday with friends and family for a holiday. Krista Wise and her friends and family are on vacation in Paris (courtesy of the family)Wise said the sight seeing they've wanted to do hasn't been impacted by protests so far, but Thursday, the largest demonstration seen in t...