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‘The buck stops with me’: Can the Ford government survive the Greenbelt scandal?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

Can Doug Ford survive the Greenbelt scandal? Will the controversy get worse? Insiders from across the political spectrum have been pondering what’s next for the Ford government a week after the bombshell Greenbelt report rocked Queen’s Park. Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s scathing report found the decision to open protected Greenbelt lands up to housing development favoured developers with ties to the housing minister’s chief of staff and that the selection of those lands was “biased,” “seriously flawed,” and was “dismissive of effective land-use planning.”“There are people who have clearly given money to his political party who are netting a massive, massive gain. When that all happens it’s hard to say you’re different than everybody else when you’re involved in those sort of activities, so I think to a certain extent he’s taken a hit,” said Bob Richardson, a former Liberal chief of staff and now senior counsel at National Public Rela...

Canada-wide warrant issued for 3rd suspect in death of man in Weston neighbourhood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

Toronto police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a third suspect wanted in the death of a 67-year-old man in the city’s west end last week.Faysal Mohamed, 25, of Toronto is wanted for first-degree murder in connection with the death of Ahmed Hassan, whose body was found inside an apartment in the area of Bellevue Crescent and Weston Road just after 6:30 p.m. on August 9. An investigation determined Hassan’s death to be suspicious but police have not revealed the cause of death. Two others are already in custody and facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the case. Sonya Ahenakew, 38, of Toronto, was arrested on Tuesday while 29-year-old Kidus Kidane of Toronto was arrested on Wednesday. Police have confirmed a relationship existed between Hassan and Ahenakew but did not elaborate on the exact nature of their relationship.

New York City suggests housing migrants in jail shuttered after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York City officials want to ease pressure on overcrowded homeless shelters by housing migrants in a federal jail that once held mobsters, terrorists and Wall Street swindlers before being shut down after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide.The proposal, suggested in an Aug. 9 letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, came as New York struggles to handle the estimated 100,000 migrants who have arrived in the city since last year after crossing the southern U.S. border.The city is legally obligated to find shelter for anyone needing it. With homeless shelters full, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, has taken over hotels, put cots in recreational centers and school gyms and created temporary housing in huge tents.The letter, written by a senior counsel for the city’s law department, identifies several other sites in which migrants could potentially be housed, including the defunct Metropolitan Correctional Center, which closed in 2021.That ...

3 deaths suspected in the Pacific Northwest’s record-breaking heat wave

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Three people may have died in a record-shattering heat wave in the Pacific Northwest this week, officials said.The Multnomah County Medical Examiner in Portland, Oregon, said Thursday it’s investigating the deaths of three people that may have been caused by extreme heat.One death was reported Monday in southeast Portland, according to a statement from the medical examiner. At Portland International Airport, the daily high temperature Monday of 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 Celsius) broke the previous daily record of 102 degrees (38.9 C), the National Weather Service said.The second death occurred Tuesday when the temperature outside was about 102 degrees (38.9 C), officials said Wednesday. That death was reported by a Portland hospital. A third person who died was found Wednesday in northeast Portland when the temperature was also about 102 degrees (38.9 C), the medical examiner said. Further tests will determine if the deaths are officially related to the heat...

Body recovered from Wilmette Harbor identified as missing swimmer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

WINNETKA, Ill. — The body of a swimmer who went missing on Tuesday was recovered from the Wilmette Harbor Thursday afternoon.The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the body pulled from the Wilmette Harbor on Thursday as 18-year-old Ebrahim Akhoon."We extended our condolences to his family and friends for their loss," a spokesperson for the Village of Winnetka said. PREVIOUS: Search called in Winnetka for missing swimmer in Lake Michigan The search for Akhoon began early Tuesday morning after he and two others went swimming in Lake Michigan in at Elder Beach in Winnetka. Around 2:15 a.m., authorities were called after Akhoon was pulled under the water and didn't resurface.Emergency personnel, including the U.S. Coast Guard, tried to launch a boat, but high waves made it too dangerous.They continued searching on Wednesday.

You won't see Justin Field in the 2nd Bears' preseason game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS — If you were hoping to see the Bears' No. 1 quarterback in the preseason game No. 2 on Saturday, you're going to be disappointed.That's because Justin Fields will be watching the game at Lucas Oil Stadium from the sidelines.After the team's second and final joint practice with the Colts in Westfield, Indiana, head coach Matt Eberflus announced that the team's top signal-caller won't take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night. Fields, along with a few other select starters, are being held out of the second of three exhibition games for the team ahead of their season opener with the Packers on September 10. Ebeflus said the reason for holding him out was because of "the work we've done here, referring to Wednesday and Thursday's workouts with the Colts"The joint practices, that's not something that we'll always do. I can't say that. But it's something that we're doing this year, and we thought it was best for our football team at this time," said Eberflus, who...

Maui's emergency services chief resigns after facing criticism for not activating sirens during fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, who has been heavily criticized for not activating disaster sirens during last week’s wildfire response, resigned Thursday, citing health reasons.Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Herman Andaya effective immediately, the County of Maui announced on Facebook. Chicago-based groups help with Maui relief efforts “Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon,” Bissen said in the statement.As the death toll rose to 111 a day earlier, Andaya defended not sounding sirens as flames raged. Hawaii has what it touts as the largest system of outdoor alert sirens in the world.“We were afraid that people would have gone mauka,” Andaya said Wednesday, using a navigational term that can mean toward the mountains or inland in Hawaiian. “If that was the case, then they would have...

National Hurricane Center now monitoring 4th area, one of which has 70% chance of development

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Hurricane Center is now monitoring a fourth area, one of which has a 70% chance of development within the next seven days. The newest system is located out in the Atlantic, south of two other areas of possible development, according to the National Hurricane Center. Another system has a low chance of development in the western Gulf of Mexico. (Courtesy of the National Hurricane Center)Disturbance 2, which is located a few hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Island, has a 70% chance of development within seven days, according to the National Hurricane Center. Disturbance 1, located 1,000 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands has a 50% chance of development within seven days. Disturbance 3 is located 500 miles east-southeast of the Lesser Antilles and Disturbance 4 is located north of Hispaniola and will move into the Gulf of Mexico by early next week, according to the National Hurricane Center. Disturbance 3 has a 20% chance of development ...

More officers, beefed up fence line security for Minnesota State Fair. ‘We’re ready,’ police chief says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

More officers will be at work during the Minnesota State Fair this year, officials have beefed up the fence line around the fairgrounds, and additional security cameras are in place, the Fair’s police chief said Thursday.Walking on the fairgrounds one week before opening day, Chief Ron Knafla said, “I think things are looking good. We’re ready.”Officials increased the police presence in the midst of last year’s Fair following reports that groups of young people were causing disturbances and starting fights on the second Saturday of the Fair. On that evening, a male was shot in the leg in the fairground’s Midway area; police at the time said it wasn’t random.While there have been shootings near the fairgrounds, Knafla said in his 35 years of working at the Fair he doesn’t know of another such crime on the grounds.Also last year, a shooting that injured an 18-year-old near the fairgrounds marked the third year of a security incident on t...

Nominations for Henry Johnson Award due Aug. 18

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:31 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- August 18 is the last day to nominate someone for Albany's Henry Johnson Award for Community Service. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The award is given in the spirit of Sgt. Henry Johnson, who lived in Albany and risked his life to save others during World War I. The award goes to someone who has shown leadership and selflessness in social justice, volunteerism, arts or education. Applications can be submitted on the city of Albany website.