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Residents of West Kelowna fire zone get brief home access but restrictions extended

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

WEST KELOWNA, B.C. — Residents of wildfire-ravaged Wilson’s Landing in West Kelowna, B.C., were granted a four-hour window Friday to access their homes to retrieve important items as an area-wide restriction order was extended to Sept. 15.The Central Okanagan Regional District says in a statement residents were temporarily permitted entry to the evacuation zone, but no further access is expected this weekend.Evacuation alerts were lifted near Lytton and Lillooet in the Fraser Canyon, as areas that had been threatened by the Kookipi Creek and Stein Mountain wildfires were given the all-clear.However the province remains under a state of emergency, with the BC Wildfire Service reporting 413 active wildfires across the province, 182 burning out of control and seven new fires being reported in the past 24 hours. The McDougall Creek wildfire that destroyed scores of homes when it swept down on West Kelowna three weeks ago continues to be battled by almost 300 firefighters and suppo...

Teacher shortage closes Vegas schools and forces combined classes during union contract battle

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Staffing issues in Las Vegas-area schools reached a critical point this month, with classes being canceled or combined across the nation’s fifth-largest school district during bitter contract negotiations. The Clark County School District and the teachers union, which represents about 18,000 licensed employees, have been negotiating a new contract since late March over topics such as pay, benefits and working conditions.School district officials said in a statement earlier this week that “CCSD students should not be used as bargaining leverage” by the Clark County Education Association. But union leaders say they aren’t behind the recent wave of teachers who have called in sick, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.In Nevada, it is illegal for public employees to strike.After an unexpected number of staff members at a Las Vegas high school called in sick last Friday ahead of the Labor Day weekend, classes were combined in “larger areas of the campus to ...

Indianapolis officer gets 1 year in prison for kicking a handcuffed man in the face during an arrest

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indianapolis police officer who pleaded guilty to kicking a handcuffed man in the face during a 2021 arrest was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison Friday by a judge who said the attack “shocked the conscience.”The sentence is less than the 1 1/2 to 2 years in prison that prosecutors had sought for Sgt. Eric Huxley, who pleaded guilty in May to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for his attack on Jermaine Vaughn in September 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson cited Huxley’s lack of criminal history, his family’s needs and his acceptance of responsibility for what he did in giving him a yearlong prison term, The Indianapolis Star reported. Magnus-Stinson also ordered Huxley to two years of supervised release after he completes his prison term, with home detention for the first six months.Magnus-Stinson admonished Huxley for committing an act that “shocked the conscience” and said she “physically pulled away” when ...

Judge says civil trial over Trump’s real estate boasts could last three months

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — An upcoming civil trial over allegations that former president Donald Trump lied about his wealth could last as long as three months, according to a schedule laid out Friday by the judge hearing the case.Opening arguments are expected Oct. 2 in the trial over a lawsuit filed against Trump and his family business by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In the suit, James has said Trump deceived lenders, potential business associates and others by chronically exaggerating the value of his real estate holdings.The trial is expected to feature extensive amounts of expert testimony over how much Trump holdings, like his golf courses and skyscrapers, were actually worth. Judge Arthur Engoron, in an order filed Friday, said the trial should end by Dec. 22, though he added that the lawyers handling the case could ask for additional time if necessary.Trump has defended his asset valuations, saying that his estates, skyscrapers and golf clubs were luxurious, unique propert...

Powerful earthquake strikes Morocco, causing shaking in much of the country

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, and shaking was felt from Rabat to Marrakesh. There was no immediate word on any casualties or damage.The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 and occurred about 18 kilometers (11 miles) below the surface.It said the quake hit at 11:11 p.m. and was centered about 56.3 kilometers (34.9 miles) west of Oukaimeden, a popular ski resort in the Atlas Mountains.The Associated Press

Auto union rejects wage offers from Detroit companies with strike deadline 6 days away

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union on Friday rejected wage and benefit offers from all three Detroit automakers, raising tensions just six days before a strike deadline for 146,000 employees.Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket. “The automakers have yet to offer our members a fair contract,” he said.Negotiations are continuing through the weekend, but Fain warned that if there aren’t agreements by 11:59 p.m. Thursday “there will be a strike at all three if need be.”On Friday, Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, made its first counteroffer to the union’s demands with a bigger pay raise than offers from Ford and General Motors. Stellantis offered wage increases in each year of a new four-year contract totaling 14.5%.Ford’s counterproposal offered 9% raises over four years, but it also included lump sum payments, while GM’s offered 10% plus lump sums....

Mayor Johnson proposes plan to house migrants in camps with military-grade tents

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago is working to solidify housing plans for more than 1,000 asylum seekers and migrants who are currently being housed in police station lobbies across the city.Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to relocate nearly 1,600 migrants and asylum seekers to winterized base camps where they would be housed in large military-grade tents.The mayor answered questions about plans to create tent-style housing for migrants and asylum seekers at an unrelated press conference Friday morning. 2 women tasked with constructing migrant housing plan lay out road ahead "We've identified multiple locations around the city that can be suitable to treat the families and individuals, who by law are seeking asylum constitutionally, legally, to have a place that recognizes their dignity," Mayor Johnson said.Over the past year, more than 13,000 asylum seekers have been bussed from Texas to Chicago, creating a humanitarian crisis in the city. While 16 shelters have been opened, hun...

Child safe after reported parental abduction in Elgin

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

ELGIN, Ill. — Authorities say a child has been located after reports of a parental abduction in Elgin.Police say the child was safely found just after 6 p.m. on Friday afternoon.According to the Elgin Police Department, officers responded to a report of a parental child abduction in the 1300 block of Amanda Circle just before 2 p.m. Taste of Chicago begins, Eli’s Cheesecake returns for 43rd year Elgin Police say the alleged abduction did not qualify for an Amber Alert, per the Illinois State Police.Police say the child was safely located and an investigation is ongoing. Officers did not provide updates on where the child was found

'I'll go to jail. Let's do it': Officials release details on musician Zach Bryan's Oklahoma arrest

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

CRAIG COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) — Country music singer Zach Bryan ran into problems with Oklahoma law enforcement this week, not once, but twice.Bryan’s second encounter with an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper led to his arrest in Craig County on Thursday night. A newly released affidavit reveals more information on what led up to the incident, according to arresting officers. Are men still afraid of wearing pink? The 27 year-old Bryan, an Oklahoma native, said he was headed to Boston when his security guard, who was driving in a different car, was pulled over in Craig County by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper. According to the affidavit, during the traffic stop, Bryan pulled up along the passenger side of his security guard’s SUV. "I'll go to jail, let's do it." Zach Bryan quoted in law enforcement affidavit Due to the nervous behavior of his security guard, the trooper said he “was already at a heightened sense of a potential threat to his safety.” B...

9-year-old Illinois boy struck and killed by freight train while riding bike to school

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:16:38 GMT

ROYAL, Ill. (AP) — A 9-year-old boy who was riding a bike to school was struck and killed by a freight train Friday in central Illinois, authorities said.Union Pacific railroad says the boy was struck by one of its trains in the village of Royal, Illinois, at about 7:45 a.m. CDT. It says the train crew was not injured.The boy was near other people who were not injured, said Lt. Curt Apperson of the Champaign County Sheriff's Office. Bally’s Casino temporary location officially opens Saturday Apperson called it a “tragic accident.” The railroad said its thoughts were with the family of the boy.The child was struck along tracks about two blocks from Prairieview-Ogden North Elementary, The News-Gazette of Champaign reported.No additional information about the boy was immediately released Friday by authorities.Prairieview-Ogden Superintendent Jeff Isenhower said grief counselors would be present at all three district schools Friday in Royal, Flatville and Ogden.The village o...