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Improving transparency ‘not a priority’ for the Trudeau government: info watchdog

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government’s key transparency provision has steadily eroded to the point where it no longer serves its intended purpose, says information commissioner Caroline Maynard.In her annual report to Parliament tabled Tuesday, Maynard said chronic issues continue to plague the access-to-information system, with no solutions in sight. For a $5 fee, Canadians can use the access law to request federal records, from briefing notes and reports to emails and invoices. However, requesters have long complained the system is clumsy, slow and full of loopholes that allow government agencies to refuse to release information. Maynard, an ombudsperson for users of the law, noted that despite calls for meaningful change, a federal review concluded with a report last December that outlined no firm commitments and proposed no legislative change. The commissioner, who took office five years ago, said money to bolster the system has evaporated, commitments to transparency have vani...

Report: Canada’s Atiba Hutchinson retiring from club, international football

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

Canada men’s soccer team captain Atiba Hutchinson is retiring from club football and will likely make his final international appearance at this month’s Nations League Finals, according to a report by Joshua Kloke of The Athletic.Hutchinson, 40, has made 104 appearances for his country, including at the World Cup in Qatar this past November where he was the oldest outfield player. The tournament marked just the second time the Canadian men had qualified for the event.The veteran midfielder, who was born in Brampton, Ont., has played in the Turkish league with Istanbul club Besiktas since 2013, but he made just five appearances this past season for the team, scoring once.His club career has seen him play in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, in addition to Turkey and his time in Canada, for a total of 568 games.

'Half of them don't even know football': Bears' Justin Jones has no love for Packers fans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — He was the first player to take to the podium at the Chicago Bears' mandatory mini-camp in 2023 and he made two things very clear to the reporters in attendance. First, Justin Jones is very confident in his team's chances to compete after a 3-14 season in 2022. The defensive tackle also isn't a fan of those who root for the Bears' biggest rival.Both topics came up when Jones was asked about his impressions of the NFC North in his first season in the division last year, and how it changes with Aaron Rodgers gone. That's when he took aim at Packers fans, remembering the Week 2 loss at Lambeau Field in 2022."I wish he played one more year with Green Bay, honestly," said Jones in response to the question on the division and Rodgers' departure. "We went up there and we played a pretty good game, but they got away from us at the end, obviously, and they won. But their fans are really (expletive). Yeah, I wanted to go back up there and I wanted to play them and I wante...

Suburban man charged after accidentally shooting himself while dreaming

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

LAKE BARRINGTON, Ill. — A Lake Barrington man with a revoked FOID card accidentally shot himself while dreaming, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.Deputies said they responded to a report of a person with a gunshot wound around 9:50 p.m. on April 10 in the 100 block of shoreline Road. When deputies arrived at the home, they found 62-year-old Mark Dicara with a gunshot wound to the leg.Deputies applied a tourniquet to Dicara’s leg, as he was losing a significant amount of blood.Further investigation revealed Dicara had a dream that someone was breaking into his home. In his dream, he retrieved his .357 magnum revolver and shot at who he believed was the intruder.When he fired, he shot himself instead and apparently woke up from the dream.Dicara was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for his wounds and later released.It was also confirmed there was not a burglary attempt at Dicara's residence. 5 injured after school bus overturns on Dan Ryan Expressway Deputi...

Save Street Ball: How an organization commits to restoring basketball courts in Chicago

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

CHICAGO — An organization in Chicago is working to try to restore basketball courts in a number of neighborhoods throughout the city. It's a problem that Jahmal Cole saw first-hand. "I stopped at Columbus Park, Cole Park, Seward Park, you name it, every weekend I go to a different park," said the co-founder of "My Block, My Hood, My City," an organization that empowers youth in Chicago. "What I'm noticing is that I'm starting to see rims that are taken off of backboards and also anti-theft steering wheel locks that are being placed on hoops to prevent kids from shooting. "There's a widespread belief in Chicago that by taking basketball rims down, it makes your neighborhood safer. There's no evidence, there's no correlation between basketball and violence."Cole and "My Block, My Hood, My City" is trying to reverse that trend with their "Save Street Ball" initiative this summer. The organization is gathering donations on its website to raise $100,000 to help restore those courts that ...

Pfizer warns FDA of shrinking penicillin supply

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

(The Hill) - The ongoing drug shortages impacting the U.S. are now threatening to exhaust two commonly used forms of penicillin, Pfizer said in a warning to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday.Pfizer alerted the FDA that there is "a limited supply and impending stock out" of Bicillin L-A and Bicillin C-R, two of its injectable penicillin products.Bicillin L-A is used to treat strep infections in the throat, nose or skin; syphilis or syphilis-like infections; and also to prevent problems stemming from strep. Bicillin C-R is also used to treat strep infections in the throat, nose, skin or soft tissues as well as scarlet fever, pneumonia and ear infections. El Niño could mean the hottest year on record, meteorologists warn Bicillin injections are colloquially referred to as the "peanut butter shot" in the military due to the color of the drug. The injection is widely known as being particularly painful. Neither of these drugs are available in lower-cost generic forms.Pfi...

WATCH: Florida police officer drives off after he's stopped for speeding

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — An argumentative Orlando police officer was fired after authorities said he fled from a traffic stop in his police cruiser.Seminole County deputies say Officer Alexander Shaouni was on his way to work at the Orlando Police Department around 12:15 p.m. on June 6 when he was caught going 80 mph in a 45 mph zone. Deputies said they had to drive over 90 mph just to catch up with Shaouni as he blew past them.After several failed attempts to stop the officer, deputies pulled alongside Shaouni's cruiser and ordered him to pull over through the passenger-side window. Virginia 1st-grade teacher who was shot by student was fired, attorney says "What? I am going into work, my man," Shaouni can be heard shouting in a body camera video released by the sheriff's office. "Why are you trying to pull me over as I am going into work?""Because you are going 80 in a 45," one deputy responds. "Let me see your driver's license.""No," Shaouni fires back before climbing back into his...

A rescue group for pigeons — yes, pigeons

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

If there's one bird with a bad rap, it just may be a city pigeon.Liz Challoner is one of the founding members of one of the more unusual groups in the country, a full-time pigeon rescue called Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue."A lot of people think they're rats with wings. I did and I had a 180 and I'm glad I did," she said. “Talk about the ultimate feel good — helping a human, a creature, whatever, there's no bigger high.”While there are plenty of feral pigeons, the majority were bred and lost their way back home, marked by a band on its leg.In this country and all over the world, people bet on birds with purse money, just like horse racing, only the finish line is being the first to return after being released hundreds of miles from home.More information: The Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue website "These racing pigeons, there's a lot of fatalities and that's where we come in and try to help the ones that are injured or lost,” Susan Jicha said. "It's a beautiful thing to alleviate suffering an...

Company behind Instant Pot, Pyrex seeks bankruptcy protection as sales go cold

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

(AP) - The maker of Pyrex glassware and Instant Pot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as the company that was already struggling is stung by inflation, with Americans pulling back on spending.According to a filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas this week, Instant Brands, based outside of Chicago, has more than $500 million in both assets and liabilities.Inflation has buffeted consumers after a pandemic-fueled binge on goods for the home, but spending has also moved elsewhere as people are again able to travel, or go to restaurants and shows. Hobby Lobby doesn’t use barcodes: Here’s their explanation And Instant Pots, which became a must-have gadget several years ago, have been disappearing from kitchens.Sales of “electronic multicooker devices,” most of which are Instant Pots, reached $758 million in 2020, the start of the pandemic. Sales had plunged 50% by last year, to $344 million.Dollar and unit sales have declined 20% from last ...

Record-setting June heatwave builds

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We are forecasting Austin's hottest June 14-20 period on record with daytime highs reaching or exceeding 100° and little chance of rain.A ridge of high pressure dominates our weather pattern for the next week or more, leading to unseasonable and at times record heat, from day to night.High temperature forecast in AustinA Heat Advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. this evening and again from 1-8 p.m. Wednesday for a dangerous combination of heat and humidity leading to heat indices as hot as 113°. We expect these advisories to be issued daily through Father's Day weekend -- and may even be upgraded at times to more rare Excessive Heat Warnings.Feels like temperatures Thursday afternoon, as hot as 115 degreesHazy skies are being brought by a combination of high humidity and agricultural burning in Mexico, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Air quality has dipped into the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category.A stationary front parked to our n...