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GOP legislative leaders’ co-chair flap has brought the Ohio Redistricting Commission to a standstill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s latest attempt to draw fair political maps crumbled amid Republican infighting Wednesday, begging the question of whether a commission unable even to appoint its co-chairs will be able to negotiate a bipartisan redistricting solution within the few short weeks it’s been allotted.Gov. Mike DeWine grudgingly gaveled the reconstituted Ohio Redistricting Commission to order. That was despite fellow Republicans Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Jason Stephens — presumably from separate locations somewhere off-site — failing to come to any agreement on who the GOP’s co-chair should be.Without their joint appointee, the panel was unable to begin the business of fixing Statehouse district maps that the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans five different times.“Our fear is more of the same,” said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.As commissioners were ...

Writers’ Trust announces nominees for LGBTQ+ Dayne Ogilvie Prize

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

TORONTO — A memoir, a play and a short story collection have been nominated for the Writers’ Trust of Canada’s Dayne Ogilvie Prize. The $10,000 award goes to an emerging LGBTQ+ writer for their debut book in any genre. The organization says jurors selected “Scenes from the Underground,” a memoir by Gabriel Cholette and translated by Elina Taillon, for its unapologetic approach to telling queer stories of excess. The jury praised the play “Body So Fluorescent” by Amanda Cordner and David di Giovanni as a rousing examination of anti-Blackness in queer spaces. And they nominated “Chrysalis” by Anuja Varghese, saying the collection blends Hindu folklore with magical realism to explore issues of colonialism and queerness.The award will be handed out at the annual Writers’ Trust Awards on Nov. 21.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2023.The Canadian Press

Canada to match donations to Red Cross to help earthquake-stricken Morocco

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

The federal government says it will match donations to the Canadian Red Cross over the next two weeks to help Morocco recover from a devastating earthquake.International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says every donation to the Red Cross made by individuals from Sept. 8 to 28 will be matched by the government, to a maximum of $3 million.Global Affairs Canada says the money will help the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement deliver life-saving services, such as emergency food, water, emergency cash and vouchers, and sanitation and health services.Another $2 million in federal assistance will go toward immediate needs.The magnitude 6.8 earthquake had caused more than 2,900 deaths and several thousand injuries as of Tuesday.Global Affairs Canada says it is in close contact with Moroccan authorities and humanitarian partners to respond to evolving needs.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2023.The Canadian Press

WestJet ‘non-partisan,’ will revisit policy after Poilievre speech on PA system: CEO

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

OTTAWA — The CEO of WestJet says the company will revisit its policy after the airline faced backlash for allowing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to speak on the PA system on a recent flight. A video circulating online shows Poilievre making short remarks on a Sunday night flight that was leaving Quebec City for Calgary after the Conservative Party of Canada’s convention. Poilievre’s campaign-style speech lasts for about 45 seconds and is met with laughter and cheers from passengers. The airline’s top executive, Alexis von Hoensbroech, said the flight was added specifically for the convention and was largely filled with Conservative delegates who were attending the event. “The leader of the party was given the opportunity to greet delegates onboard (which is not unusual), but this was not a political endorsement nor should it be interpreted as such. We are non-partisan by nature and will revisit our policy on this,” von Hoensbroech said on Wednesd...

How they got him: Escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante arrested after 2-week pursuit in Pennsylvania

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

UNIONVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Thermal imaging equipment in the air, experienced search teams working through a stormy night, a search dog and the element of surprise all played critical roles in the capture of escaped murderer Danelo Souza Cavalcante on Wednesday morning after a 14-day manhunt across southeastern Pennsylvania’s rolling farmlands and forests.Some of the hundreds of law enforcement personnel searching on foot and from the air finally located Cavalcante near the outer perimeter of a nearly 10-square-mile (16-square-kilometer) search area set up when he was seen Monday just after dark crouching near a tree line and, two hours later, fleeing from a garage.Here’s how they caught Cavalcante, according to Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens:BURGLAR ALARMThe first possible sign of Cavalcante that alerted searchers shortly after midnight Tuesday was a burglar alarm. Law enforcement personnel investigated it, and did not find Cavalcante. But the alarm attract...

Loudspeaker message outside NYC migrant shelter warns new arrivals they are ‘not safe here’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New Yorker upset that the city has been housing homeless migrants on his suburban block has set up a loudspeaker to deliver an unwelcoming message to his new neighbors: “The community wants you to go back to New York City. Immigrants are not safe here.”The message, recorded in six languages, blares all day from a loudspeaker on Scott Herkert’s well-groomed front lawn on Staten Island, urging migrants brought to a temporary shelter inside a long-vacant Roman Catholic high school not to get off the bus. The message also claims the building has rats and cockroaches.It is one of several ways some people have let shelter residents know they are not welcome on Staten Island, which, despite what the recording says, is part of New York City. Hundreds of protesters have also held a large rally outside the former school, urging the city to house migrants elsewhere.The women and families placed by the city inside the former Saint John Villa Academy have heard the messag...

Fallen CFD Lt. Kevin Ward laid to rest Wednesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

CHICAGO — A fallen Chicago firefighter was laid to rest Wednesday.The funeral service for Lt. Kevin Ward began at 11 a.m. at the The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, located at 126 East Chestnut Street, just off Michigan Avenue.Ward was one of three firefighters injured in a blaze Aug. 11 in the 8300 block of West Balmoral in the city's Norwood Park neighborhood. He died days later.Ward, 59, joined the department in 1996 and worked out of Truck 9, located in the 5300 block of North Cumberland. CFD lieutenant dies following Northwest Side fire earlier this month The Chicago Fire Department will fly flags at half-staff until sunset Wednesday to honor his service.Ward’s death is the third line-of-duty death the department has dealt with in 2023. In the same week in April, CFD lost Jermaine Pelt, 49, and Jan Tchoryk, 55, in separate fires.

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s with cooler conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Wednesday morning with a 20 percent chance of showers and decreasing clouds. Winds: NE 5-10. High: 68. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly clear tonight. Winds: NNE 5-10. Low: 52.Thursday Forecast: Mainly sunny, E 5-10. High: 71.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

DoorDash removes delivery driver from platform after video appears to show him spitting on customer's order

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A delivery driver for DoorDash is no longer employed by the company after he appeared to spit on an order he had just dropped off at a residence in Miami.The customer, a 13-year-old, reportedly watched the driver spitting on the bag in real time via a doorbell camera, according to Telemundo 51.“I wanted to vomit because who does that?” Elias Crisanto, the young customer, told the outlet. DoorDash customer says driver ate his chicken wings, left surprising note in bag As seen in the video, which has been shared on the "Only in Dade" Instagram account, the driver leaves a bag of food outside the customer's door, then looks at his phone. He grumbles about an alleged lack of tip, then appears to lean down and spit on the bag three times.Cristanto, however, claims he left a $3 tip for the driver, telling Telemundo 51 he felt the amount was sufficient given that the restaurant was a half-mile from his home.A representative for DoorDash did not immediately respond to a reques...

In a doubleheader split, the White Sox snap an odd streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:56 GMT

CHICAGO — As the season winds down, there is no chance of a turnaround for the club that's now just trying to prevent losing 100 games in a season.But the White Sox were able to end one unusual streak that they've had during the 2023 season in the first game of their doubleheader against the Royals Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. It was a stat concerning their pitchers.In a 6-2 victory in Game 1, a quartet of White Sox pitchers struck out 14 Kansas City batters over nine innings. That marked the 12th time that the team has had at least that many strikeouts in a game, but it's the first time all year they had come out with a victory.In the previous 11 games in which White Sox pitchers fanned at least 14 batters, they lost. Even Jerry Reinsdorf didn’t hold back on 2023 White Sox season Starters Dylan Cease had the majority of those as he had eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings where he allowed just one run. Bryan Shaw added three in 1 2/3 innings while Lane Ramsey had one in 2/3 of ...