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Anchorage adds to record homeless death total as major winter storm drops more than 2 feet of snow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Four homeless people have died in Anchorage in the last week, underscoring the city’s ongoing struggle to house a large homeless population at the same time winter weather has returned, with more than 2 feet (0.61 meters) of snow falling within 48 hours.The four bring the total number of people who died while living outdoors in Anchorage to 49 year this year, a record that easily eclipses the 24 people who died on the streets of the state’s largest city last year, according to a count kept by the Anchorage Daily News.Eleven of those deaths last year came during winter months.This week’s heavy snow covered tents and vehicles that homeless people set up in makeshift camps all over Anchorage when the city closed the mass shelter that was established inside the city’s sports arena during the pandemic.While the city cleared at least one of those large camps, some people have decided to rough it outside this winter instead of seeking shelter.Of the four recent dea...

Lake Tahoe ski resort worker killed in snowmobile accident during overnight snowmaking operations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (AP) — A worker at a Lake Tahoe ski resort has died in a snowmobile accident during overnight snowmaking operations, authorities said. Officials at Palisades Tahoe said the crew member was killed early Thursday on the Alpine Meadows side of the resort west of Tahoe City. Brian Gimbert, 34, was riding a snowmobile at slow speed on undeveloped property south of Alpine Meadows’ main lodge, the California Highway Patrol said. He struck a rock that was partially buried under snow and was thrown from the vehicle, which then landed on him.Palisades employees found Gilbert around 6:30 a.m., according to CHP.They attempted life-saving measures and called 911. He was taken to a hospital in Truckee, where he was pronounced dead.Resort officials said they are cooperating with CHP, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and OSHA as they investigate the accident.The Associated Press

Toronto man charged in fatal Mississauga shooting last month

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

A 43-year-old man is facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with a fatal shooting last month in Mississauga.Peel police were called to the area of Goreway and Morningstar drives shortly after midnight on Oct. 29. When they arrived they found the body of 49-year-old Alton Fisher of Peterborough, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Sane Stewart of Toronto was arrested on Friday and charged with second-degree murder.Police said at the time this was a targeted shooting but have not elaborated on the relationship between the two men.

Tensions running high at East Coast campuses over protests around Israel-Hamas war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Administrators of MIT suspended a number of students Thursday from the prestigious technology school after Israel-Hamas war protesters took over a prominent building for much of the day and then some refused to leave by a set deadline. It was far from the only disruption at college campuses in recent days over the war. Brandeis University banned a pro-Palestinian student group this week, while nearly two dozen students were arrested over a protest at Brown University. On Friday, Columbia University announced it was suspending Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace as official student groups through the end of the term. It accused both of repeatedly violating campus policies including an unauthorized event Thursday.The range of responses to these protests show that college administrators are struggling to address protests that have gotten heated and turned once-quiet spaces on campus into places where some students say they don’t feel safe.At...

Sexual misconduct survivors push for change in military as high-profile cases end

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

OTTAWA — Remembrance Day often brings mixed emotions for Donna Riguidel, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran whose career was cut short by a sexual assault. “You sign up believing very much that you’re coming in to serve your country and it’s a cause you believe in … and then it sort of ends with this feeling of shame and a little bit of disgrace.” Riguidel, the founder of a consulting group called Survivor Perspectives, said this year has come with particular challenges. A number of high-profile sexual misconduct cases that sparked a major reckoning in the Armed Forces have ended in recent months.“You’re watching these cases fall apart and there’s a very, very real human cost to all of that,” she said.Survivors of sexual misconduct have been at the forefront of public pressure for the military to make changes.Many of the cases that prompted heightened scrutiny on the military came to light in early 2021.That February, former chief o...

York Region school board dealing with a cyber attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

The York Region District School Board says it is dealing with a cyber security incident.In a statement released late Friday afternoon, the board says it became aware of the cyber attack on Wednesday night and its technology team took immediate action to “preserve and contain data” while protecting critical systems.There was no indication that any personal or sensitive data had been compromised in the attack or what systems are currently offline. However, the board said in a post on X that electronic delivery of elementary progress reports would be delayed and would be distributed “as soon as the network is restored.”Currently, the organization’s website is offline.“The board is working with third-party experts, including legal and technical, to analyze the extent of the incident and begin work to restore services,” said the board.“We know the public rely and trust the board to securely maintain its data; all our actions have been taken...

Body of South Dakota native who’s been missing for 30 years identified in Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The body of a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man who has been missing 30 years was identified in Colorado, where deputies have long been trying to put a name the suspected homicide victim. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office used genetic testing and a titanium rod in his leg to identify Jerry A. Mikkelson’s body this week, KELO-TV reported.Law enforcement believe Mikkelson was killed in Wyoming before his body was dumped off a forest service road in Colorado in October 1987. Mikkelson left Sioux Falls after graduating from high school in 1981. A relative eventually reported him missing, but police did not investigate because he was around 24 years old at the time and authorities did not suspect foul play. “The officer informed (the relative) since Jerry was an adult there was nothing police could do,” Sioux Falls police spokesperson Sam Clemens told the station. “No police report was made, just the info that (relative) left. At that...

Oklahoma trooper tickets Native American citizen, sparking outrage from tribal leaders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper ticketed a tribal citizen with a current Otoe-Missouria Tribe license plate for failing to pay state taxes, prompting an outcry from tribal leaders who blamed Gov. Kevin Stitt’s increasing hostility toward Native Americans.Crystal Deroin, an Otoe-Missouria Tribe citizen, was ticketed for speeding near Enid on Tuesday and received a second $249 citation for failure to pay state motor vehicle taxes because she did not live on tribal land. “After over 20 years of cooperation between the State and Tribes regarding vehicle tag registration, it appears the State has altered its position of understanding concerning tribal tags,” Otoe-Missouria Chairman John Shotton said in a statement. “This change was made without notice or consultation with all Tribes that operate vehicle tag registration.”Most Oklahoma drivers pay motor vehicle taxes each year through the renewal of state license plates. But many of the 39 Native American tri...

Republican faction seeks to keep courts from interpreting Ohio’s new abortion rights amendment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Four Ohio Republican state lawmakers are seeking to strip judges of their power to interpret an abortion rights amendment after voters opted to enshrine those rights in the state’s constitution this week.Republican state Reps. Jennifer Gross, Bill Dean, Melanie Miller and Beth Lear said in a news release Thursday that they’ll push to have the Legislature, not the courts, make any decisions about the amendment passed Tuesday.“To prevent mischief by pro-abortion courts with Issue 1, Ohio legislators will consider removing jurisdiction from the judiciary over this ambiguous ballot initiative,” said the mix of fairly new and veteran lawmakers who are all vice-chairs of various House committees. “The Ohio legislature alone will consider what, if any, modifications to make to existing laws based on public hearings and input from legal experts on both sides.”It’s the latest development in the struggle over abortion rights between the Republican-domin...

Daytime Emmys set for Dec. 15 in the first major awards show since Hollywood strikes ended

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Daytime Emmys are back on after being postponed by the Hollywood writers’ strike.The 50th annual ceremony honoring talk shows and soap operas will air Dec. 15 live on CBS and be livestreamed on Paramount + and will be hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner of “Entertainment Tonight.”It will be the first major awards show since the writers and actors went on strike. The Daytime Emmys, originally set for June 16, were postponed in May because of the strike by the Writers Guild of America. That walkout ended Sept. 26. The actors union joined the writers’ strike on July 14 and ended their labor action late Wednesday.Soap actor Susan Lucci will receive her lifetime achievement award at the ceremony at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles.“We know the loyal fans of daytime television have waited patiently to properly honor and recognize all of the deserving nominees and we look forward to the celebration we have all been waiti...