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Federal legislation proposed to protect Coast Guard Academy cadets who file sexual assault reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — Bipartisan federal legislation was introduced Tuesday that would protect cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy who report a sexual assault from being disciplined for minor collateral misconduct, such as underage drinking.The change would put the Connecticut service academy in line with policies at Department of Defense military academies. The U.S. Coast Guard is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.The legislation comes amid recent revelations that the service did not widely disclose a six-year internal investigation it conducted, known as Operation Fouled Anchor, into dozens of cases of sexual assault and misconduct between 1988 and 2006. The Coast Guard also apologized for not taking “appropriate action” years ago when it failed to adequately handle cases of sexual assault and harassment at the academy in New London.Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, whose district includes the academy, noted in a statement how the Department of Defense “swiftl...

Toronto man creates app to discover and rate sensory-friendly places

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

A Toronto resident has created a new app aimed at making the world more inclusive for autistic people or sensory issues.Leo Lagnado developed NeuroHub after his six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with autism. The app is free and allows those who use it to discover and rate sensory-friendly places.“We’ve always really struggled with finding places that can be welcoming to her,” said Lagnado. “Every single place that’s rated opens the door to a family like mine.”When she was first diagnosed, he searched for apps in hopes to find something that rates businesses based on accessibility for autistic people, but came up short.“I didn’t find anything and I said ‘Why didn’t no one think of this or build this.?’ So I said maybe I’ll try to figure out how to code and build it myself.”Lagnado said he learned how to code and built NeuroHub app, then tested the app with the help of 70 neurodivergent people and released it in the Apple Store last su...

Federal NDP targets blue seats in Alberta, bets on urban prairie appetite for change

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal New Democrats are eyeing Alberta’s urban-rural divide as a way to flip blue seats in the next general election.Jennifer Howard, chief of staff to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, sees an opening in the Prairie province.She believes Alberta’s recent provincial election shows voters in the urban Prairies are rejecting politicians who peddle conspiracy theories, talk about the World Economic Forum and bash the media. Howard says while these are topics conservative politicians want to raise, she believes city dwellers are more focused on health care, the cost of living and climate change. In May, the Alberta New Democrats gained 14 seats, shutting out the United Conservative Party in Edmonton, and winning more seats in Calgary, the UCP’s traditional urban base. Howard says it’s not always a straight line from provincial to federal support, but she feels hopeful this will allow the federal party to expand its reach, especially in Edmonton and Saskato...

Father of NFL cornerback Caleb Farley killed in apparent explosion at North Carolina home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The father of Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley died in an apparent explosion around midnight on Monday that destroyed the NFL player’s North Carolina home and left another person injured, authorities said.Robert M. Farley, 61, was found dead in the debris of the Lake Norman, North Carolina house Tuesday morning, the Iredell County Fire Marshal’s Office said in a statement.First responders went to the house around midnight. They found one victim exiting the collapsed structure. The person, who has not been identified publicly, was transported to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte with non-life-threatening injuries, county officials said.County property records list the NFL player as the homeowner. The Titans player was not there at the time of the reported explosion, said Kent Greene, director of Iredell County Fire Services and Emergency Management. Property records list the tax value of the home as nearly $2 million. Titans coach ...

Return of live shows after COVID closures revived performing arts industry: StatCan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

A new report from Statistics Canada says the return of live shows and events after pandemic restrictions revived the country’s performing arts industry in 2022, with significant revenue and salary growth in specific sectors.The report says promoters and presenters of performing arts, sports and similar events hit hard by COVID-19 cancellations in 2020 and 2021 saw revenue increases of nearly 146 per cent in 2022, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the non-profit performing arts industry saw revenues increase by 71 per cent, while the for-profit industry had an increase of more than 56 per cent in 2022.StatCan says 2022 was the first full year of true recovery in these industries and it used data from the goods and services tax sales and payroll deduction files, among other sources, to estimate related revenue and salary growth.The report also looked at Canada’s film and television industry — currently impacted by the U.S. actors’ and writers’ strikes —...

Quebec releases new road safety plan, includes higher fines for drivers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec is rolling out a sweeping series of proposed regulations to deter dangerous drivers by increasing fines and adding speed cameras across the province. Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault presented a five-year road plan today, which includes higher financial penalties and more demerit points for drivers who commit infractions in school and construction zones.Also included in the 27-point plan is a provincewide, 30-kilometre-per-hour speed limit in school zones, a deployment of speed cameras and funding to better secure pedestrian and bike paths.The new road safety plan is so far just an outline of objectives, many of which will require the government to draft new laws and regulations.The plan doesn’t specify, for example, how much fines will increase for unsafe road behaviour.Guilbault says the province is dedicating more than $180 million to realize the plan.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.The Canadian Press

NYC man convicted of attempted murder for terrorizing Black Lives Matter activists with bladed glove

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City man who menaced Black Lives Matter protesters wearing a glove with serrated blades and then got in his SUV and tried to run them over has been convicted of nine counts of attempted murder and other charges, prosecutors announced.Frank Cavalluzzi, 57, was found guilty on Monday after a two-week trial for threatening peaceful demonstrators on June 2, 2020, during a wave of protests over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.Cavalluzzi faces up to 25 years to life in prison for each of the attempted murder charges when he is sentenced in October.“A dangerous man is going to jail,” Katz said in a news release. “It’s a good day for New York and the First Amendment.” According to prosecutors, Cavalluzzi was driving through the Whitestone neighborhood of Queens when he encountered a group of demonstrators with Black Lives Matter signs and posters.Cavalluzzi stopped his SUV and start...

Tropical Storm Harold makes landfall in South Texas, causing power outages in Corpus Christi

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Thousands of homes and businesses in the South Texas city of Corpus Christi are without power Tuesday after the state’s first tropical storm of the hurricane season made landfall, bringing strong winds and welcome rain following months of dry weather.Tropical Storm Harold, which never reached hurricane status, made landfall about 10 a.m. near South Padre Island on the Texas Gulf coast, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Joshua Schroeder in nearby Brownsville.“Although it formed over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it moved so quickly it just didn’t have time to intensify into a hurricane,” Schroeder said.Schroeder said the rain is mostly welcome.“There’s pockets of heavy rainfall, 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) and isolated areas are seeing up to 6 inches (15 centimeters),” Schroeder said. “But we’ve been very dry down here in South Texas and this (rain) will be beneficial.”Dry conditions have prevailed in South Texas fo...

Large explosion in Prince George, B.C., sends three to hospital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Authorities in northern British Columbia say they are searching for a cause of a large explosion at an abandoned building in downtown Prince George that sent three people to hospital.Prince George RCMP say the blast happened around 7 a.m., and power to the area was shut down.  Video footage of the aftermath posted online shows thick black smoke pluming into the air as firefighters doused the flames.Police spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Cooper says one of the people sent to hospital has serious injuriesB.C. Emergency Health Services says it took two patients to hospital, while a third was taken by a different party. Fortis and BC Hydro are at the scene to try to help firefighters contain the blaze and aid in the investigation. Police are asking people to avoid the area. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.The Canadian Press

It’s a girl! Brookfield Zoo welcomes giraffe calf

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — Brookfield Zoo has welcomed a new addition to their animal family.Arnieta, a 16-year-old giraffe, gave birth to a female calf early Saturday morning after nearly a 15-month wait.The baby is approximately six-feet-tall and weighs close to 130 pounds. Both Arnieta and her calf are expected to make their public debut in early September.Shortly after birth, the calf stood up and began nursing from her mother. 16-year-old giraffe expecting calf at Brookfield Zoo “We are so excited to welcome this new addition and look forward to our guests coming out to see her,” said Joan Daniels, senior director of hooved mammal care and conservation for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo. This is Arnieta’s second calf, previously giving birth to a male in 2012. According to the zoo, the female calf is the 60th giraffe born at Brookfield since 1940. Credit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCredit: CZS-Brookfield ZooCred...