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Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says he is not opposed to cutting back on how many plastic products are made as the world works toward a global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution.But he says that may become one of the biggest sticking points in the negotiations, which are supposed to conclude at the end of next year.The second round of those talks wrap up in Paris today and Guilbeault says Canada is going to host the next round about a year from now.Environment groups say the only true way to eliminate plastic pollution is to make less plastic in the first place.Canada has not formally backed those calls in the treaty talks but in an interview Guilbeault says he is “not opposed to it.”Guilbeault also says the government is about to announce new policies to prevent plastic waste from being exported from Canada without knowing what happens to it after that.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2023.The Canadian Press

Wegmans is closing one of its largest grocery stores. Its unusual location hurt business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

NATICK, Mass. (AP) — The Wegmans supermarket chain is closing one of its largest and most unusual stores because it has not attracted enough business, the company said.The Natick, Massachusetts store will close on an undetermined date this summer, the Rochester, New York-based company said in a statement on Thursday.“Making these decisions is never easy. However, we do it for the long-term benefit of our people, our customers, and our communities,” Brien MacKendrick, the regional human resources director, said in the statement. “Unfortunately, with this nontraditional location we are unable to attract enough customers for our business model to work.”The 134,000-square-foot (12,450-square-meter) store opened in 2018 in a space within the Natick Mall once occupied by a JCPenney department store. It was the supermarket chain’s first two-level store within a major mall.The store also had a full-service Mexican restaurant, until it closed in 2019.The store has 365 employees and all...

Toronto mayoral candidates resume campaigning after suspect arrested for making threats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

Campaigning resumed on Friday, less than a day after a man was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot candidates in Toronto’s mayoral race.Olivia Chow said she personally didn’t feel threatened and took the opportunity to highlight her safe city pledge during an announcement on Friday morning in which she accepted the endorsement of two Toronto councillors.Ana Bailao appeared to have developed a new slogan for her campaign.“I will not be intimidated as a candidate and I will definitely not be intimidated as your mayor.”Mitzie Hunter said the incident caused her to review security details with her team.“In some cases, we’ve enhanced those security protocols and what we will continue to do is review them on a day-to-day basis,” she said.Junior Francois Lavagesse, 29, of Toronto, has been arrested in connection with Thursday’s incident, which forced the cancellation of a scheduled debate at the Ontario College of Art & Design Uni...

Gardiner, DVP to be closed most of Sunday for cycling fundraiser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

Drivers in Toronto will have to pack their patience on Sunday when a cycling fundraiser will close large potions of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway for most of the day.The Bike for Brain Health, which raises money and awareness to help defeat dementia, will see thousands of cyclists take over the key Toronto throughways.The following road closures will be taking place starting at 2 a.m. and remain in effect until 4 p.m.Don Valley Parkway from Gardiner Expressway to York Mills RoadGardiner Expressway from South Kingsway to Don Valley Parkwayadditional roads surrounding Exhibition Place Toronto police are trying to give drivers plenty of warning time, sending out a release on Friday that advises people to explore alternate routes or better yet, leaving the car behind in favour of public transit.“Motorists can expect significant delays in the downtown core, particularly on the arterial roadways,” police said.

Nearly 700 more international firefighters coming to Canada to help battle fires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

OTTAWA — Almost 700 firefighters from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the United States are set to arrive in Canada over the next two weeks to help with the unusually severe start to the wildfire season.There are already more than 500 international firefighters, incident commanders and other workers in Alberta, which has been battling multiple severe fires since early May.Most of the additional help will also go to Alberta, though some are being sent to Nova Scotia where out-of-control fires have been wreaking havoc since last weekend.Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says the Canada Interagency Forest Fire Centre ensures that crews from across the provinces and from other countries are sent to areas that need the most help.Blair says this fire season has been unprecedented both for the number of big and uncontained fires this early in the year and the number of provinces affected at the same time.There are 214 fires burning and 93 of them are out of contro...

'He wanted better:' 14-year-old killed, 4 wounded after shooting involving police on South Side; 1 in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

CHICAGO — A 14-year-old boy was killed in a shooting that left four others wounded, including the alleged suspect, on the city's South Side. Three police officers were also injured and hospitalized for observation.Among the wounded was a 14-year-old boy who was shot in the chest and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He has been identified as Pierre Johnson.A family friend told WGN News that Johnson was loved by his friends, family, baseball coaches and teammates."He didn't want this life, he wanted more, I just can't believe this happened to him," Chris Cozzi, a family friend said. Family members told WGN Johnson was the second family member they have lost to gun violence in the past five years. He recently made the baseball team at Perspectives Academy and was looking forward to travel season this summer."He didn't deserve it. He was such a good boy, he was such an athlete, such a good brother," Cuzzi said.According to a prelimin...

Illinois' Lotto jackpot reaches record-breaking amount

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

ILLINOIS — The record has officially been broken, again, for largest Lotto jackpot in Illinois as yet another drawing has passed without a top prize winner.To date, the largest Lotto prize ever won was in June 2020 to the tune of $16.5 million. Thursday's drawing inched past it with a jackpot of $16.55 million. Now, however, the jackpot has risen to $16.7 million. Chase online banking bug causing double transactions, fees The jackpot has been growing since it was last won in October, 2022. That winning ticket was sold in River Grove for a total prize of $4.85 million. 98 drawings have now come and gone without a jackpot winner.Want a crack at the largest Lotto jackpot ever? The game's next drawing is set for Saturday. Tickets must be purchased by 9:15 p.m.

Fort Bragg officially renamed during ceremony at military installation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

FORT BRAGG, N.C (WNCN) – Fort Bragg was officially redesignated as Fort Liberty in a ceremony at the North Carolina military installation on Friday.“The name changes, the mission does not change,” base spokesperson Cheryle Rivas said. The U.S. Department of Defense had announced plans to rename Fort Bragg in January after concluding its Naming Commission Process. Defense Sec. Lloyd J. Austin III accepted the renaming recommendations months earlier in September 2022, after a push to rename military installations that had been named after confederate soldiers. Fort Bragg, as it was previously known, had been named for North Carolina Confederate General Braxton Bragg, a slave-owner and a figure associated with the loss of key Civil War battles. Stolen military medals returned but decades-long crime remains unsolved The Black Lives Matter demonstrations that erupted nationwide after the killing of Georg Floyd by a white police officer, coupled with ongoing efforts to remove Confederat...

Dean's Reviews: 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,' 'Boogeyman'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

Check out Dean's Review on 'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse' and 'The Boogeyman,' now in theaters. Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

LIVE: Gov. Abbott expected to counter Patrick on property tax proposals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:48 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott is set to deliver remarks Friday afternoon at a post-session fireside chat with a conservative think tank, following a public clash this week with the lieutenant governor over differing property tax proposals. On Tuesday the Texas Public Policy Foundation hosted Patrick for a similar event, where he gave a boisterous speech slamming House Speaker Dade Phelan and promising to "not back down" from the Senate's plan for property tax relief. Who will win from proposed Texas property tax relief plans? The Texas Legislature, which finished its regular session Monday, already set aside $17.6 billion from the state's budget to give Texans property tax relief. However, ideological differences between the two chambers about how to deliver that stalled lawmakers Monday from adjourning. They inevitably gaveled out sine die, or indefinitely, without a deal. Hours later, Abbott called them back for a first special session with demands for lawmakers to strike ...