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Insurance association warns federal dental plan could lead employers to drop coverage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

OTTAWA — An association of health insurance providers warns it might not be worth it for small businesses to provide dental benefits to some employees once the government launches a national dental plan.The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has pitched the idea of a federal tax credit for small businesses to convince them not to drop their coverage. “When governments provide free coverage for any type of benefit, employers will naturally ask if they should continue to pay for those or whether their employees would be as well-served … moving to the public plan,” said association president Stephen Frank.“The risk is that a number of employers will say to themselves, ‘Is there an opportunity for me to allow my employees to have equivalent coverage, but me not to have to bear that burden?'”The Liberals announced in their latest federal budget that they would spend $13 billion over the next five years to provide uninsured low- and middle-income ...

Former industry minister Navdeep Bains gets Rogers job two years after leaving office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

OTTAWA — Former Liberal industry minister Navdeep Bains is joining Rogers as the company’s new chief corporate affairs officer.Rogers announced several new appointments to its executive leadership team on Thursday, including Bains and a former Shaw executive. “This is a terrific opportunity to build on my commitment to champion critical issues facing both Canada and Canadians,” Bains said in a statement. “It’s an exciting time to join the company and to work with Tony and the team to help grow the digital economy and deliver more choice, more value and more connectivity for consumers.”Bains served in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet as federal industry minister from 2015 until early 2021, and chose not to run for re-election that year.The industry minister is responsible for overseeing the country’s national industrial strategy, including regulating national sectors such as telecommunications.Bains is joining Rogers after serving as a...

Biden signs order prioritizing ‘environmental justice’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order that would create the White House Office of Environmental Justice.The White House said it wants to ensure that poverty, race and ethnic status do not lead to worse exposure to pollution and environmental harm. Biden tried to draw a contrast between his agenda and that of Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. GOP lawmakers have called for less regulation of oil production to lower energy prices, while the Biden administration says the GOP policies would give benefits to highly profitable oil companies and surrender the renewable energy sector to the Chinese.“Environmental justice will be the mission of the entire government woven directly into how we work with state, local, tribal and territorial governments,” Biden said in remarks at the White House.The order tells executive branch agencies to use data and scientific research to understand how pollution hurts people’s health, so that work can be done ...

Judge in Prince Rupert, B.C., strikes arguments as ‘stupid’ in contempt case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

PRINCE RUPERT — A provincial court judge in Prince Rupert, B.C., has sentenced a 46-year-old man to a year in jail for contempt of court, ruling he tried to circumvent the justice system with “pseudo-legal” and “stupid” arguments. Judge David Paterson says in a ruling his issued this week that he sentenced Prince Rupert resident Cameron Hardy to a year in jail, in part to deter others from subjecting the court to the theory known as “organized pseudo-legal commercial arguments.” Paterson’s ruling says Hardy, who was facing a charge of resisting arrest in 2021, considers himself a “freeman,” meaning he won’t accept that courts have jurisdiction over him and falsely believes Canadian law doesn’t apply to him.The ruling says Hardy, who represented himself, was charged with contempt for refusing to recognize the court’s legitimacy or to follow the court’s orders and take part in the trial process. The decision...

Child ejected, infant hurt in I-57 DUI crash near 119th Street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

CHICAGO — A Georgia man is facing DUI and child endangerment charges after a single-vehicle crash Monday night on Interstate-57 in Chicago. The wreck occurred just before 8:30 p.m. on I-57 southbound near 119th St. Responding troopers learned a child had been ejected from the vehicle and suffered life-threatening injuries. An infant was located inside the vehicle with serious injuries. Woman killed after falling out of Jeep onto Dan Ryan was not wearing seat belt: ISP The driver, identified by troopers as 27-year-old Taylor Dungey, was also hurt. All three were taken to a nearby hospital for medical aid. Upon the completion of ISP's investigation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the aggravated DUI resulting in great bodily harm and child endangerment charges. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAccording to ISP, Dungey remains hospitalized and under the custody of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. He is being held with no bond.

Lake Mead and Lake Powell are swelling. Here's what that means for the water supply

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Lake Mead will rise 33 feet higher than expected this year because of snowpack levels in the Upper Colorado River Basin, according to estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.Snow that will melt and feed the Colorado River is causing major adjustments in government plans to store water in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Nexstar's 8NewsNow.com reported on April 12 that water flows have already increased from Lake Powell, a fact confirmed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's latest 24-month study.Historic (10 year) Release volumes from Lake Powell. (Source: USBR)Now the government is revealing plans that include increasing the amount of water released from Lake Powell by 35% this year. The plan to release 7 million acre-feet has been adjusted to 9.5 million acre-feet – a difference of more than 800 billion gallons of water – by the end of the year. Snowpack peaks at 160% of normal as Colorado River water flows toward Lake Mead It's the good new...

16 people rescued from flash floods, fire chief explains what to do

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – During Thursday night's severe weather, the Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 saved 16 people stuck in their vehicles during a flash flood. Thankfully, no one was injured.The department can expect to get around 37 calls during a typical 24-hour period, but by the end of last night, they had received 60. Travis County ESD No. 2 Fire Chief Nick Perkins said flash floods, particularly in Travis County, can be extremely dangerous. KXAN First Warning Weather forecast “I cannot stress how dangerous floodwater is. Our county has seen significant impacts from floods in the past. Floods are deadly. We're just really fortunate [and] really grateful that no one was seriously injured or killed last night,” Perkins said. What to do in extreme weatherPerkin’s number one piece of advice to residents is to stay off the roads when there is a risk of flooding. “Unfortunately, a lot of times, it's hard to see water over the road until it's too late,” he said.&...

Seven years after his death, MN lawmakers want to name a highway after Prince

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

The Minnesota House unanimously approved a bill Friday to rename a section of Minnesota Highway 5 in the cities of Chanhassen and Eden Prairie as the “Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway.”The move comes on the seventh anniversary of his death at his Paisley Park residence and recording studio from an accidental fentanyl overdose. Prince was 57 at the time of his death.“It’s a tremendous privilege to work with Minnesotans and all the advocates to recognize and honor Prince’s contributions to our state, our country, and the world,” said Rep. Lucy Rehm, DFL-Chanhassen, who is chief sponsor of the bill to change the name of the highway.Companion legislation is expected to pass the Senate and Gov. Tim Walz has signaled he will sign off on the name change.Prince was born and raised in Minneapolis. At the age of 19 he signed a record deal with Warner Bros. and went on to become one the of greatest musicians of his generation.  He recorded music at the Paisley Park studio in Chanhas...

Legal pot bill vote scheduled Monday in Minnesota House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

After months of committee hearings in the Minnesota Legislature, a bill to legalize recreational marijuana is headed for a vote in the House of Representatives.A legalization bill that would allow marijuana possession, expunge marijuana conviction records and create a new regulatory scheme for the substance cleared its final committee in the House on April 17, and is scheduled for a vote this coming Monday.It’s not the first time legalization has come this far in the Legislature, but with a Democratic-Farmer-Labor trifecta in state government, the odds of passage appear higher than ever.“We’re very close to getting this done and gaining momentum every day,” bill sponsor Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, tweeted on Thursday, April 20.While the DFL-majority House passed a legalization bill in 2021, it never moved forward in the Republican-controlled Senate.With a slim DFL majority in the Senate, it’s still uncertain if legalization will pass this year. But advocates s...

Capital Region Restaurant Rundown: April 17-21

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:57 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The restaurant industry is ever-changing with restaurants opening, closing, relocating or just doing their thing. Here’s a recap of the latest Capital Region restaurant news from this week, April 17 through 21. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Glens Falls brewery opening taproom in TroyMean Max Brew Works, a brewery in Glens Falls, is set to open a new taproom on River Street on Monument Square in Troy. Owner Matt Barry hopes to open the taproom in May.Simone’s Kitchen reopening Coxsackie locationSimone’s Kitchen, a Mediterranean restaurant, is reopening its Coxsackie location. The restaurant closed in August 2021 due to a labor shortage from the COVID-19 pandemic.Pinhead Susan’s in Schenectady closes, owner looking to leasePinhead Susan’s, an Irish pub at 38-40 North Broadway in Schenectady, has closed. Property owner Joey Faizy said the restaurant closed on Friday.Herbie’s Burgers opening new locati...