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Chicago Bears dismiss running backs coach David Walker — the 2nd assistant to exit since the regular season began

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

The Chicago Bears have dismissed running backs coach David Walker, a league source told the Tribune on Wednesday morning.It is the latest sign of tumult for a 2-6 team that has yet to win consecutive games under the two-season watch of general manager Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus.It is unclear yet what precipitated Walker’s removal.He is the second assistant coach from Eberflus’ staff to exit since the regular season began. In September, defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from the organization for what the Tribune learned from multiple sources was a conduct-related departure.The Bears remain in last place in the NFC North and are coming off a 30-13 blowout loss on “Sunday Night Football” to the Los Angeles Chargers. On Tuesday, just ahead of the league’s trade deadline, Poles sent the team’s 2024 second-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for defensive end Montez Sweat.After leading the NFL in rushing a year ago ...

Bruins bring up top prospect Mason Lohrei from Providence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

In the wake of Charlie McAvoy’s four-game suspension and Matt Grzelcyk’s upper body injury, it appears one of the Bruins’ prized prospects is poised to make his NHL debut.The B’s brought up from Providence first-year pro Mason Lohrei as well as fellow defensemen Ian Mitchell and Parker Wotherspoon.Grzelcyk was placed in long-term injured reserve and Jakub Lauko, currently out with an eye injury, was placed in IR.Lohrei, the B’s second round pick in 2020 who left Ohio State early to join the organization, had four assists in seven games with the P-Bruins.The B’s get back in action Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Garden.

Salem State University basketball player shot and killed in car near campus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Authorities say they are investigating a shooting that killed an 18-year-old student at Salem State University early today, hours after Halloween festivities had concluded.Salem Police found Carl-Hens Beliard, a freshman listed on the men’s basketball team, inside a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds on Forest Avenue, several blocks away from campus.Beliard, of Worcester, was taken to Salem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.Authorities responded to the scene of 22 Forest Ave. after receiving a report of the shooting at about 1:24 a.m. The incident does not appear to be a random act of violence or that there is any threat to the Salem State community, according to a preliminary investigation.“This senseless gun violence is tragic not only for the victim’s family but for the SSU community and beyond,” Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said in a statement.“State Police detectives assigned to my office are working closely with the Salem Police Department and Salem State...

Tories brought in double the money that Liberals donors contributed in third quarter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives continue to hold a sizable fundraising advantage over the Liberals, collecting twice as much money from donors as the governing party did in this year’s third quarter. The Tories raised just over $7 million in donations from around 42,000 contributors between July and September, a drop from the first two quarters in 2023. Figures from Elections Canada show the party had raised about $8.3 million from January to March and nearly $8 million between April and June.   Data show the Liberals brought in just over $3 million from over 29,500 contributors in the third quarter, a slight drop from the $3.2 million they had raised in the previous three months. The NDP raised more money than they did in the previous quarter, bringing in over $1.5 million from more than 16,000 donors. The Green party raised almost $344,000, while the Bloc Québécois brought in under $250,000. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2023. The Canadian ...

Quebec increases immigration target by 10,000, imposes French requirement for workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

MONTREAL — The Quebec government is increasing its immigration target to about 60,000 people next year and imposing new French-language requirements for newcomers.Premier François Legault says the official target will remain steady at 50,000 people a year — but a document his government released today shows that number will rise by 10,000 when immigrants admitted through other programs are factored in.The premier told reporters today his government will require all economic immigrants, who are chosen by the province, not Ottawa, to pass a French test before they are admitted.Quebec will also begin requiring all temporary foreign workers — except those who work on farms — to pass a French test if they want to stay in the province longer than three years.As well, the premier says the province will ask Ottawa to reduce the number of asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees who settle in Quebec.Quebec’s new immigration targets will be in place for two years. This report by The Canadi...

As vacancies grow, Senate Democrats work to circumvent Tuberville’s blockade on military nominees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are trying a new workaround to confirm hundreds of military officers blocked by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, ten months after the Alabama Republican first said he would object to the nominations over a Pentagon abortion policy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday that the Senate will consider a resolution in the near future that would allow the quick confirmation of the more than 300 officers up for promotion. The Senate is currently at a stalemate on the nominations because Tuberville is objecting to the routine process of confirming the nominations all at once by unanimous consent, and voting on them individually could monopolize weeks or months of the Senate’s time. Schumer separately moved to hold votes as soon as this week on three top Pentagon officers affected by the holds — Adm. Lisa Franchetti to be the chief of naval operations, Gen. David Allvin to be chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and Lt. Gen. Christo...

Mexico to give interest subsidies, but no loans, to Acapulco hotels destroyed by Hurricane Otis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government said Wednesday it will assume half of the interest rates on bank loans to help rebuild the 377 hotels destroyed or heavily damaged after Hurricane Otis slammed into the resort city last week.But President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will not provide government loans to the hotels, the backbone of the local economy.The hotels currently have no cash flow — and face months of work to repair windows and walls blown out by the Category 5 hurricane — so it is unclear how many private banks would be willing to lend them money.López Obrador announced a package of $3.4 billion in aid for the resort. Much of that will be spent on payments of between $2,000 and $3,000 per damaged home, on temporary job programs and free electricity for residents for several months.He also said his government would build dozens of barracks to station National Guard troops in Acapulco, despite the fact Guard officers were already present in the port, but were unable to p...

State is paying fired Tennessee vaccine chief $150K in lawsuit settlement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The state of Tennessee has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by its former vaccine leader over her firing during the COVID-19 pandemic.The agreement in the case brought by Michelle Fiscus includes provisions that limit what each of the parties can say about each other, according to a copy provided by the Tennessee Department of Health in response to a public records request.The current and former health commissioners, and the state’s chief medical officer agreed that they will not “disparage” Fiscus. Fiscus, meanwhile, must reply “no comment” if she is asked about the lawsuit, negotiations and the settlement. Additionally, Fiscus or anyone on her behalf can’t “disparage” the defendants, the Tennessee Department of Health, the governor or his administration, or other former or current state officials and workers about her firing.Both the Department of Health and Fiscus declined to comment on the settlement.Fiscus was fired in the s...

Henry Winkler rises above dyslexia to write children’s books and a memoir: ‘There is always a way’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

If Henry Winkler is not a morning person, it’s impossible to tell. He’s logged onto Zoom for an interview about his new memoir but occasionally is interrupted by a phone call — which he answers with a cheery “Good Morning.” His granddaughter walks through his home office, as do his dogs. He introduces them. At one point, Winkler stops to point out roses on his desk that he picked from his garden. The beloved TV icon says this is a good example of his morning routine. He wakes up early and takes care of the dogs. He checks Twitter. “That’s the only social media I do. I like Twitter, but it’s getting tough,” Winkler said of the platform now called X. He also likes to play a game on his phone called Zuma. And he occasionally meditates in the middle of the day.“I listen to sounds of rain. A rainstorm in Cologne. A rainstorm in Scotland. I sit in an armchair and meditate. Two frogs next to a lake in Switzerland. It could really be a rainstorm in West Covina, California....

Delta says pilot accused of threatening to shoot the captain no longer works for the airline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Delta Air Lines says the pilot accused of threatening to shoot the plane’s captain during a flight no longer works for the airline, and federal officials say his authority to carry a gun on board was revoked.Jonathan J. Dunn was indicted Oct. 18 and charged with interfering with a flight crew over an incident that occurred during a flight in August 2022. The Transportation Department’s inspector general says Dunn, who was the first officer or co-pilot, threatened to shoot the captain after a disagreement over diverting the flight to take care of a passenger with a medical issue.“Out of respect for the ongoing aviation authority investigation of this incident, Delta will refrain from commenting on this matter but will confirm that this First Officer is no longer employed at Delta,” the airline said in a statement Wednesday.The brief indictment in federal district court in Utah said that Dunn “did use a dangerous weapon in assaulting and intimidating the crew member....