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Smith says she’ll consider changes amid concerns wildfires politicized in election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

EDMONTON — United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she will consider making changes amid questions over whether she is politicizing Alberta’s wildfire crisis by using party news conferences to deliver fire updates meant for the broader public.Smith says she is just trying to be helpful and deliver as much information as she can, but says she is open to another approach.“I’m happy if you want me to just refuse taking your questions on wildfires,” Smith told reporters in Calgary Saturday.“I just feel like this is information you want to know. And if you want to know it, I’m prepared to deliver it to you.”Smith had to begin walking a fine line of political convention this week after wildfires forced thousands to flee in the midst of an election campaign, with voters going to the polls May 29.She is expected to juggle her dual roles as premier and party leader: addressing the crisis as premier while separating it as much as possible from party matters to avoid the app...

Refocus, decommercialize Mother’s Day to return it to its roots, sociologist says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

A sociologist says it’s time to refocus Mother’s Day – but not in the way you might be thinking.Sarita Srivastava, a sociology professor and dean of arts and science faculty at OCAD University in Toronto, said the holiday has become overly commercialized and somewhat disingenuous.“It’s the one day to go, ‘Thank you mama for doing all the cooking, all the cleaning and all the domestic labour,”’ she said.Mother’s Day was originally conceived during the U.S. Civil War to highlight its effect on families, particularly women. In the last century-and-a-half, Srivastava said, the focus has shifted to be about celebrating mothers for the work they put in at home.She said some of those celebrations are performative – for example, when children make breakfast in bed for their mother, but the mother is then expected to clean it up.Instead, Srivastava said, society should return to treating Mother’s Day as a non-commercial call-t...

Welcome to the 942: Toronto to get new area code in 2025

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

Toronto is getting a fourth area code after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved the 942 overlay code.The CRTC says the new area code will take effect on April 26, 2025, one full year before it projects phone numbers using the current 416, 437 and 647 area codes will be exhausted.Initially, the commission projected a new code would be needed in Toronto by January 2024.“This lead time allows for volatility in the projected exhaust dates, and if these were to advance by a few months there would be no need to change the area implementation plans,” the CRTC said in its report. “This timing also provides telephone service providers and customers the necessary time to implement the new area code into their systems, databases and telecommunications equipment.”The new area code comes 14 years after the introduction of 437. The 647 area code came into existence in 2001, 54 years after the original 416 was implemented. British...

Alberta county warns of danger when residents fight wildfires themselves

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — As frustration mounts over the response to wildfires that have forced thousands of Albertans to flee their homes and rural properties, one county is warning its residents against “unsanctioned acts” it says put lives in danger.The County of Grande Prairie issued a statement saying a member of the public who was operating their own personal bulldozer on Friday “put themselves and crews in danger by knocking trees into the fire and nearly running over fire crews and their equipment.The statement says it’s “imperative” people understand that decisions on how to fight fires are highly coordinated and members of the public cannot act on their own, even if they mean well.”During an information session hosted by the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership earlier this week, one of the residents forced from their homes by the Dunes West fire said the blaze could have been stopped within 12 hours if the county had allowe...

Australian tennis player Owen Davidson, who won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles, dies at 79

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

Australian tennis player Owen Davidson, who won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles, has died. He was 79.The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Saturday that Davidson died on Friday. Longtime friend Isabel Suliga said he died in Conroe, Texas.He won 11 major titles in mixed doubles and two in men’s doubles. Davidson teamed with Billie Jean King to win eight of his Grand Slam trophies in a career that spanned from the early 1960s to mid-1970s.In 1967, Davidson became only the third player in tennis history to earn all four major mixed doubles titles in the same year, including three with King.“Our hearts are broken, but we find peace in the lifetime of wonderful memories we shared with our friend Davo,” King said in a tweet. Known for his strong lefty serve, Davidson won the 1972 Australian Open with Ken Rosewall and the 1973 U.S. Open with John Newcombe — when they beat Rod Laver and Rosewall.In singles, he reached the 1966 semifinals of Wimbledon by upsetting two-time defending c...

Fallen CPD Officer Areanah Preston honored at Loyola graduation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Fallen Chicago police Officer Areanah Preston was honored during Saturday's graduation at Loyola University.She was supposed to graduate but her mother accepted her Master's of Jurisprudence instead after she was shot and killed outside her home last week after finishing a shift. ‘It was my work’: Teen bragged to friend after officer Aréanah Preston’s slaying, prosecutors allege Family members held a photo of Preston, 24, as they received a standing ovation.Police said she was shot during a robbery outside her Avalon Park home near 81st and Blackstone.Prosecutors charged three young men and a 16-year-old boy with murder. 4 charged with murder of CPD officer Aréanah Preston; no bail Preston earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University and joined CPD three years ago. Those who knew her said she was looking forward to a long career in law enforcement.

Ohio inmate escapes, authorities searching

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

WAPAKONETA, Ohio (WDTN) — An Ohio sheriff's office is looking for a man who reportedly escaped the Augalize County Jail in Wapakoneta.According to the Auglaize County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement is looking for 30 year-old Brendan Reed. He is said to have escaped the jail on Saturday, May 13 around 12:30 p.m. and was last seen just south of the office, near the Wapakoneta Water Treatment Plant. Can folded dollar bills on the ground be deadly? What to know Authorities say he left by forcing open a locked door and fled from the the jail.Reed is described as 5'9" and weighs 190 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. An all-yellow jumpsuit and orange flip flops is the last clothing Reed was last seen in.He has ties to both Darke County, Ohio, and Portland, Indiana.Originally, he was being held on a drug violation, the sheriff's office said in a release.The sheriff's office urges anyone who sees Reed to call 911.

North Carolina governor vetoes 12-week abortion ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

(The Hill) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed legislation on Saturday that would establish a 12-week abortion ban in the state, potentially setting up the legislature for a battle to override it and make the ban law.Cooper held a rally on Saturday with about 1,000 abortion-rights activists and voters in the capital city of Raleigh to veto the legislation, which passed both houses of the state legislature along party lines. “The extreme abortion ban has been vetoed," Cooper tweeted. "Let’s work to keep it that way."Current state law bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, but the bill would mostly prohibit them after 12 weeks. DeSantis says GOP needs to reject ‘culture of losing’ to win in 2024 The legislation also include exceptions for instances of rape and incest up to 20 weeks and for fetal birth anomalies up to 24 weeks, as well as exceptions to save the life of the mother without any deadline. Republicans in the state General Assembly until re...

Illinois tornado warning expires, still some severe weather threats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A tornado warning issued Saturday in Madison County, Illinois has expired as of 4:45 p.m. This was the only tornado warning or watch in the St. Louis metropolitan area as of 4 p.m. Saturday. When a warning is issued, a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar and there is imminent danger to life and property. In that case, seek shelter immediately.If a tornado watch is issued, atmospheric conditions are favorable for a tornado to develop, but a tornado has not yet been sighted or indicated by weather radar.Along with this threat, there were some severe thunderstorms, gusty winds and small hail chances earlier Saturday afternoon. There are still some flood risks as storms move east into Illinois. The main storm system is heading toward the Metro East after rolling through parts of St. Charles County, St. Louis County and St. Louis City from 2-4 p.m. Some viewers tell FOX 2 they saw up to quarter-sized hail during that timeframe. St. Louis radar: See a ma...

PHOTOS: Hail hits St. Charles County, some close to golf ball-size

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:56 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Severe weather is moving to the east, but it led to some significant hail Saturday afternoon in the St. Louis region, especially in St. Charles County. Hail ranged from golf ball-size to quarter-size in St. Charles County. FOX 2 learned of multiple hail threats around 2 p.m. Some of these hail threats even moved into parts of Maryland Heights, Overland and St. Ann. I-64 open after massive flooding from a main break Hail precipitation happens most commonly during thunderstorms when the atmosphere updrafts rain above the freezing level. Some forms can prove quite dangerous and destructive. FOX 2 received several photos of hail from viewers on Saturday. Cynthia Morin - St. CharlesKatie Koepke - St. PetersLaura Simon - St. CharlesLori Rogers - WentzvillePhil Lancaster - St. CharlesTyler Dobbins - St. CharlesSevere weather threats remain through the early evening hours on Saturday, mostly in Illinois.