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Poor air quality warnings issued in three provinces as number of fires increase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

OTTAWA — Smoky, dangerous air is settling over parts of western Quebec and eastern Ontario this morning and the number of forest fires burning across Canada is creeping higher once again.The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says there are 465 fires burning across the country, including 240 that are out of control.That’s up from 420 fires burning one week ago, largely due to an increase in fires in Alberta and Ontario.Nearly 72,000 square kilometres of forest land has burned this year so far, an area nearly four times the size of Lake Ontario.Residents in Ottawa and its Quebec twin city of Gatineau are being advised to avoid or severely limit outdoor activities today as the air quality index hit the very high risk marker again.Environment Canada also says there will be dangerously poor air quality today in Montreal, Québec City, Laval and Trois-Rivières in Quebec and in Winnipeg and Flin Flon in Manitoba.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2023...

US Navy: Hefty salvage system not required in probe of fatal Titan implosion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

The U.S. Navy said Sunday that it won’t be using a large piece of salvage equipment that it had deployed to the effort to retrieve the Titan submersible.The Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System had the capability of lifting an intact Titan back to the surface. The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Thursday that debris from the submersible had been found roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic in North Atlantic waters. The Titan submersible imploded on its way to tour the Titanic wreckage, killing all five on board. Debris was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater.The Navy would only use the ocean salvage system if there were pieces large enough to require the use of the specialized equipment.“Efforts are focused on helping map the debris field in preparation for recovery efforts and to support investigative actions. Efforts to mobilize equipment such as the Flyaway Deep Ocean Salvage System have been discontinued,” a Navy official told The Associated Press.The ...

Salman Rushdie and Cheryl Strayed among endorsers of anti-censorship initiative

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Salman Rushdie, Cheryl Strayed, Carl Hiassen and Ibram X. Kendi are among hundreds of authors who have endorsed an announcement by the American Library Association and the Association of American Publishers that calls attention to the 70th anniversary of a Freedom to Read Statement issued by book publishers and librarians during the height of the McCarthy era. With book bannings surging nationwide over the past two years, the library and publishing associations are urging “all members of the book community” to affirm their commitment to the June 1953 declaration, which includes such propositions as ”It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.” Sunday’s press announcement reads in part: “Today, as we grapple with a new wave of censorship in schools, libraries, and bookstores targeting...

One dead, several injured after riders plunged from a roller coaster in Sweden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — One person was killed and several others injured when a roller coaster derailed in Stockholm on Sunday, Swedish TV reported.Park officials told public broadcaster SVT that one of the carriages on the Jetline rollercoaster derailed and people fell to the ground at the Grona Lund amusement park.“It is incredibly tragic and shocking,” park spokeswoman Annika Troselius told SVT. “Unfortunately we have been informed that one person is killed and many are injured.”Police said seven people, both children and adults, were hospitalized. Man who gave up seats on Titan submersible says OceanGate CEO was ‘dismissive’ of concerns The amusement park was evacuated to facilitate the work of rescue crews.SVT reporter Jenny Lagerstedt, who was standing in line for another ride, said the carriage was at a high altitude.“Suddenly I heard a metallic thud and then the rides started to shake,” she said. Rescuers had to remove other passengers who were stuck in other carriages on the rol...

Marcella's final Weekend Break: Gene's Sausage Shop & Delicatessen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

Check out marcella's final weekend break at Gene's sausage shop & Delicatessen.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

UofC Education lab and Youth Guidance team up to tackle mental health of young girls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

Dr. Monica Bhatt, senior research director of University of Chicago Education Lab and Wow director of program and staff development at Youth Guidance partnered up to study and tackle mental health of young girls who reportedly have high rates of PTSD, anxiety and depression in the city of Chicago.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Why are restaurants sneaking in service charges? They say they have no choice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – In case your $20 salad and $15 cocktail weren't expensive enough, your restaurant tab might have a few more line items tacked on. Diners are more frequently encountering service charges, a fee added to their bill that doesn't always count as tip. Sometimes it's called a "living wage" charge or "kitchen fee," and is used to better pay back-of-house staff like cooks and dishwashers. Other times it's a fee the restaurant says it uses to cover employees' health care. Sometimes it's a mandatory minimum gratuity that gets split by all restaurant employees. For many restaurants, service charges started as a way to cover the sudden added costs of operating during the pandemic, such as purchasing PPE and setting up new safe workspaces, explained Denise Mickelsen, communication director at the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation. But even if the era of social distancing is basically over, running a restaurant hasn't gotten cheaper, she said. Food delivery fees ad...

Missing Washington County man found safe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Columbia County Sheriff's Office announced that a missing Washington County man has been found safe. Darrell Dutcher, of Salem, NY, was located in good health by the East Greenbush Police Department. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The missing alert for Dutcher went live on June 23. Before being found, he had last been seen on June 3 in the town of Chatham.

Knife-wielding homeless man shot by police at Little Tokyo hotel 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

An armed man was shot by police after allegedly threatening hotel staff with a knife early Sunday morning, police said. Authorities say the suspect walked into the lobby of the Miyako Hotel on 1st Street in Little Tokyo around 3:30 a.m. armed with a knife. "He was inside the lobby with a knife, and he refused commands given by the officers, at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred,” said LAPD Captain Elaine Morales.  An armed suspect was shot by police after allegedly threatening hotel staff with a knife early Sunday morning. (KeyNewsTV)An armed suspect was shot by police after allegedly threatening hotel staff with a knife early Sunday morning. (KeyNewsTV)An armed suspect was shot by police after allegedly threatening hotel staff with a knife early Sunday morning. (KeyNewsTV)The LAPD’s Force Investigation Division is handling the investigation. (KTLA)The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital and is said to be in stable condition. Authorities said th...

Human remains discovered on Mount Baldy near search for Julian Sands

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:57:20 GMT

Human remains were discovered by hikers on Mount Baldy Saturday morning in an area where authorities have been searching for missing British actor Julian Sands.At around 10 a.m., hikers contacted the Fontana Sheriff’s Station after coming across the remains in the Mount Baldy Wilderness Area.Deputies along with the sheriff’s Emergency Operations Division responded to the scene.The remains were transported to the coroner’s office where officials are working to identify the body. Authorities said positive identification is expected next week. No further details were released.Back in January, search efforts were underway when two hikers went missing in Mount Baldy including British actor Julian Sands, 65. Two other hikers were also found dead in the area before Sands went missing. Julian Sands (San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office)Jin Chung in a photo from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.Missing hikers in Mount Baldy. From left: Julian Sands, Robert Gregory, and J...