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CP NewsAlert: B.C. announces total campfire ban amid huge surge in wildfires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia is imposing a total campfire ban across the entire province, except Haida Gwaii, after lightning combined with tinder-dry conditions to spark a huge surge in wildfires over the weekend.More coming.The Canadian Press

West Virginia University reviews academic programs amid budget shortfall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia University announced Monday nearly half of its academic programs are under evaluation as it looks for ways to trim amid a $45 million budget shortfall.Among the departments being reviewed are law, engineering and mineral resources, education, art, music, agriculture, English, math, communications, chemistry, pharmacy and public health. The departments were identified in part through enrollment trends since 2018. The university said in a statement the goal of the review is to align its academic programs with student demand, career opportunity and market trends while ensuring an efficient delivery of its offerings.Some programs are exempt from the review along with its Potomac State and WVU Tech campuses and the WVU Extension Service, the university said.Preliminary recommendations will be made to individual colleges and departments by Aug. 11 and appeals will be heard starting later that month. The WVU Board of Governors is scheduled to make fin...

Novak Djokovic wants Wimbledon to start matches earlier at Centre Court. Good luck with that

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic is a bit tired of not getting on Centre Court at Wimbledon until nearly 9 p.m. The waiting. The uncertainty. The rushing to try to finish matches by the 11 p.m. local curfew — or the annoyance at having to stop midway through a contest and wait until the following day to resume.He offered a solution Monday afternoon after winning his 32nd consecutive match in the grass-court tournament by wrapping up a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Hubert Hurkacz that began Sunday evening but was halted after two sets: Start play in the All England Club’s main stadium earlier than 1:30 p.m. Maybe at noon, say.“It would make a difference,” said Djokovic, who is now into the quarterfinals and three wins away from what would be a fifth championship in a row at Wimbledon, an eighth overall at the place and a 24th career Grand Slam title.“There are different ways that I’m sure they will address this issue,” said Djokovic, whose shoes are stamped with the...

Northwest Territories to increase minimum wage by nearly 5.6 per cent

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — The Northwest Territories government says it plans to increase the minimum wage by almost 5.6 per cent to reflect an increase in the consumer price index.The territory says its minimum hourly wage will increase from $15.20 to $16.05 beginning Sept. 1.The Northwest Territories last increased its minimum wage by $1.74 in September 2021, when it had been unchanged since April 2018.The territorial government says beginning this year, the minimum wage will be adjusted each September.This is the first time it is using a new formula based on the percentage change in the consumer price index for Yellowknife and the percentage change in the average hourly wage in the territory for the preceding calendar year.The Department of Education, Culture and Employment says it is to conduct a public survey on the new method, which aims to take the cost of living into account, this fall.“We recognize that the minimum wage needs to work for both employers and employees,” Minist...

Justin Steele won't get another first at All-Star Game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

SEATTLE — Despite a strong first half of the season, and teammates speaking up on his behalf, Justin Steele won't have another first in the "Midsummer Classic."While a strong candidate for the honor, Cubs pitcher Justin Steele was not named the starter for the National League for the 2023 All-Star Game on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park in SeattleInstead, that honor went to Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks, who is making his first appearance in the contest. In 19 games this season with Arizona, he was 11-3 with a 3.04 ERA with 125 strikeouts compared to 23 walks.Steele was certainly a candidate to start the All-Star Game after he was selected for the first time in his career. A 2014 fifth round pick of the Cubs, he's enjoyed a strong start to his third year at the MLB level, going 9-2 with a 2.56 ERA with 82 strikeouts compared to 19 walks. In June, Steele posted a 1.56 ERA in his three starts after going on the IL with a left forearm strain, allowing three earned runs in 17 1/3 innings with...

Suspect in Tylenol poisonings that killed 7 people has died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area and triggered a nationwide scare has died, police confirmed on Monday.Officers, firefighters and EMTs responding to a report of unresponsive person about 4 p.m. Sunday found James Lewis dead in his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, Cambridge Police Superintendent Frederick Cabral said in a statement. He was 76, police said. Report: Main suspect in 1982 Tylenol murders found dead “Following an investigation, Lewis’ death was determined to be not suspicious,” the statement said.No one was ever charged in the deaths of seven people who took drugs laced with cyanide. Lewis served more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to Johnson & Johnson, demanding $1 million to “stop the killing.”When he was arrested in 1982 after a nationwide manhunt, he gave investigators a detailed account of how the killer might have operated. Lewis later admitted sending the lett...

Illinois Lotto jackpot continues to climb, now at $19.1 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

ILLINOIS — Another Illinois Lotto drawing has come and gone without a jackpot winner, forcing the grand prize ever higher.The jackpot for the Illinois-only game now stands at $19.1 million which is the largest since December 2018's $22.5 million win. The next drawing is scheduled for tonight. Threads hits 100 million sign-ups within first week Meanwhile, a fellow Monday night drawing is also on the rise after a streak of jackpot-missing drawings: Powerball's top prize is at $875 million. One Illinoisan came close to its jackpot on Saturday, missing the life-changing amount by one number. However the South Beloit-purchased ticket will still delivery a cool $1 million to its owner.

Video captures Jamie Foxx on Chicago River in first public sighting: TMZ

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

CHICAGO (WGN) — Actor Jamie Foxx was recorded in public Sunday for the first time since he was hospitalized in April for a medical complication.Video from TMZ shows the Oscar winner on a luxury boat cruising down the Chicago River on Sunday afternoon. The video shows Foxx with members of his family, waving and smiling at other boats. It was a popular national monument, until it was robbed to extinction "Boat life," Foxx tweeted Sunday. "Celebrating summer with @brownsugarbbn. Stay blessed!"Foxx has reportedly been seeking treatment at a major medical facility in the city for the undisclosed condition. Jamie Foxx being treated in Chicago: report This is Foxx's first public sighting since his health issues were initially reported back in April.The actor was filming the movie “Back in Action” with Cameron Diaz before he was hospitalized.

Families of school shooting victims call for change at Texas Capitol

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gun safety advocates and families impacted by school shootings spoke at the Texas Capitol building Monday in conjunction with the Parkland High School Bus Tour in Austin.The parents of Joaquin "Guac" Oliver, a student killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, are driving a bus across the country, "to shed light on the dire effects of gun violence across the nation."Manuel and Patricia Oliver were joined by Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin and families impacted by the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde and the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting near Houston."Joaquin was shot four times. He suffered. He died slowly," his father, Manuel said. "And that was not enough for the whole nation to learn the lesson. Shame on us."The Olivers will visit more than 20 more cities touched by gun violence as part of their bus tour."I am sad that we need to do this, but this is our duty today," Patricia Oliver said. "There's nothing we can do to bring Joaquin...

Heat Advisory in effect through Wednesday night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Hotter than normal July weather refuses to loosen its grip on Central Texas this week with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees every day.Camp Mabry had a low this morning of 79°, tying a record warm morning low for the date. There may be a few more record warm lows tied or set during the next seven mornings.Austin is up to three days this month of a triple-digit high. Add seven more to reach ten by the time this current 7-Day Forecast ends. This new heatwave means seven more days of 100sThe 1 p.m. heat index reached 108° at Flatonia and La Grange and 105° at both Camp Mabry and Lockhart. These numbers will increase some so that our higher indices will peak within the 106° to 112°. Many heat index readings today will be greater than 105°This is Heat Advisory criteria. The current one runs through 9 p.m. An update from the National Weather Service due later this afternoon will let us know if the Advisory will be continued past this evening.The only rain that is show...