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RCMP watchdog investigates force how B.C. unit handles resource project protests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

OTTAWA — The RCMP watchdog has launched a systemic investigation of the national police force’s British Columbia unit that deals with protests against logging and pipeline projects.Civilian Review and Complaints Commission chairperson Michelaine Lahaie says in a statement issued today that the investigation will look into the activities and operations of the RCMP “E” Division Community-Industry Response Group.The group is tasked with providing a co-ordinated response to public order events related to large-scale resource-based industrial projects in British Columbia.Protesters against old-growth logging on Vancouver Island allege police have used excessive force, such as pepper-spraying people’s faces at close range, as well as shoving and throwing them to the ground.The complaints commission plans to assess if the group’s procedures followed the law and its own polices.It also intends to look at whether the group’s polices, procedures and trainin...

Former Trump lawyer censured for falsehoods about election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for Donald Trump ‘s reelection campaign and a prominent conservative media figure, has been censured by Colorado legal officials after admitting she made repeated false statements about the 2020 presidential election.Ellis acknowledged making 10 “misrepresentations” on television and Twitter during Trump’s fight to stay in power after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, according to the censure from the office of attorney regulation counsel in Colorado, where Ellis is from. The statements include claiming on Jeanine Pirro’s Fox News show on Dec. 5, 2020 that “we have over 500,000 votes (in Arizona) that were cast illegally” and telling the conservative network Newsmax on Dec. 15 that Trump was “the true and proper victor.”On November 20, 2020, Ellis appeared on the Newsmax show of former Trump spokesman Sean Spicer and said: “with all those states (Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia) combined...

Illinois woman leads police on 120 mph chase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

WHEATON, Ill. -- A 23-year-old woman has been charged after leading police on a high speed chase Tuesday.According to the DuPage County State's Attorney Office, an Illinois State Trooper pulled over Tianna Bryson, of Sleepy Hollow, just before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday after she was reportedly going 107 mph westbound on I-88 in Naperville.Tianna Bryson, 23, of Sleepy HollowWhen the trooper attempted to walk up to Bryson's vehicle, she fled the scene at a high rate of speed. The trooper then reinitiated the pursuit. FBI release pics of suspects wanted for armored car robbery in Orland Park Bryson reportedly weaved in and out of traffic, driving on the shoulder of the road, reaching up to 120 mph. Authorities then terminated the pursuit for safety reasons.Law enforcement was able to identify Bryson as the driver. She later turned herself in Tuesday evening.Bryson appeared before a judge Thursday morning where her bond was set at $25,000.She has been charged with one county of aggravated fl...

Big cat in Cincinnati tests positive for cocaine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) -- A big cat found in a tree in a Cincinnati neighborhood has reportedly tested positive for cocaine.The Hamilton County Dog Warden was dispatched on a report of a "leopard" in a tree in Oakley, a neighborhood in east Cincinnati, on Jan. 28. Crews worked to retrieve the cat, named Amiry, and it was taken to Cincinnati Animal CARE.At first, the care team at the CAC facility believed Amiry was a "Hybrid F1 Savannah," which is legal to have and own in Ohio. A representative of the facility said a big cat expert who was consulted was "pretty certain" the animal found was not a leopard, but rather a "serval," which is illegal to own in the state. Weekend events around the Miami Valley: March 9-12 The CAC medical team who examined the big cat took a DNA sample and tested it for narcotics. The DNA test confirmed the cat to be a serval, and it reportedly tested positive for cocaine. It wasn't immediately known how the cat came into contact with the cocaine. Since the C...

Virginia man filmed allegedly shooting drive-thru worker through car door pleads guilty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – A man accused of shooting and injuring a fast food worker in Virginia pleaded guilty to two charges at an arraignment on Monday.Jose Hernandez, 23, was arrested in connection with the shooting in November, several months after the incident occurred. Video shows Utah traffic stop ending in barrage of gunfire Police say Hernandez had driven a blue Toyota sedan into the drive-thru of a Cook Out restaurant in Chesterfield County on July 31, 2022, and ultimately shot a gun through the door of the Toyota — toward the drive-thru worker — after receiving his order. The employee was shot and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Video of the incident previously made public by the Chesterfield Police also appears to show the suspect paying for his order before firing the gun at the worker, and shattering his own window in the process. He then quickly drove off, according to police.The suspect in the shooting of a Virginia drive-thru ...

Millions of Calico Critters children's toys recalled after 2 deaths

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

PINE BROOK, N.J. (WXIN) – More than 3 million animal figure toys are being recalled after two children died after playing with them.The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves all Calico Critters Animal Figures and Sets sold with bottle and pacifier accessories at Walmart, Meijer, and other stores. The toys were sold nationwide and online from January 2000 through December 2021.The recall was initiated after Epoch Everlasting Play LLC learned about three incidents, including two deaths, involving the pacifier accessory. One fatality involved a 9-month-old Japanese child in 2015, while another happened in New Mexico in 2018. YETI coolers recalled over injury risk According to a SaferProducts.gov report, the New Mexico case involved a 2-year-old girl who initially was thought to have choked on a piece of food. However, during an autopsy, the pacifier accessory was found in the child's bronchus. The toy was part of the Yellow Labrador Twins set within the to...

La Niña has ended — Here's what's next and when El Niño could begin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the first time in a year and a half, we're no longer in a La Niña phase, according to the Climate Prediction Center. As a result, the La Niña advisory has ended and the CPC has issued a Final La Niña Advisory, essentially putting a cap on the end of our most recent La Niña period and the third La Niña winter in a row.La Niña is the "cool phase" of the El-Niño-Southern-Oscillation or ENSO. It's marked by water temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean cooler than -0.5º C compared to the long-term average. These waters warmed to just -0.4º C compared to normal for the February monthly average, which takes us out of La Niña and into an ENSO Neutral Phase. Water temperature isn't the only component to measuring ENSO — how the atmosphere is acting or responding to the warmer or cooler water is also analyzed. There are some lingering signs of La Niña leftover in the atmosphere, but in general, even the atmosphere is trending toward a neutral phase.What's nex...

City working with Salvation Army to relocate remaining downtown shelter clients

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday, the City of Austin said it was working on a plan to relocate clients of the downtown Salvation Army shelter after the organization announced its closure.On Feb. 17, Salvation Army announced it would be closing its downtown shelter March 15, citing it could not continue to offer the desired level and quality of care due to the age and condition of the facility. Salvation Army’s downtown Austin shelter closing According to the City, the shelter’s closure would leave approximately 100 clients in limbo. In a meeting with the City Wednesday, Salvation Army said it was still working to relocate 32 clients.To address the situation, the City said it would announce detailed plans later this week on how the current guests of the downtown shelter will be helped.“This is a vitally important issue to Council and to the community,” Austin Interim City Manager Jesús Garza said. “We are exploring all options for placement and will have a solution by the end of this w...

UW-Stout adding men’s soccer for Fall 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

University of Wisconsin-Stout athletics is expanding to 20 varsity sports with the addition of men’s soccer starting Fall 2024.Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University has launched a national search for a coach to lead the NCAA Division III program. Soccer will be UW-Stout’s ninth varsity sports team for men.The team will play home games on the recently resurfaced Nelson Field, which is home to the Blue Devils women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. Stout joins three other WIAC members, 415 nationwide, with Division III men’s soccer programs.“We will continue to review our sports module and work with our administration as we look to the future expansion of Blue Devils Athletics,” UW-Stout athletics director Duey Naatz said in a statement.

Watershed district’s drawdown brings warnings of possible thin ice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

The Valley Branch Watershed District will implement emergency drawdown procedures for its flood-prone lakes in the northwest portion of the watershed starting Wednesday.Six outlets on lakes and ponds in Lake Elmo, Mahtomedi, Pine Springs and West Lakeland Township include adjustable weirs so that the district can lower lake levels under certain conditions, said Josh Phillips, a civil engineer with Barr Engineering Co.Numerous snowstorms and measurable rainfalls this winter have resulted in high water content in the snowpack. The lowering of water levels will help prevent flooding from spring snowmelt and precipitation, but it also could create areas of weakened ice.The emergency drawdown could last until April 15, but officials hope it will take only two weeks, Phillips said.This outlet system connects lakes in the northwest part of the watershed district to the St. Croix River. Extra caution will be needed when fishing, snowmobiling or doing other activities on the lakes because th...