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Over 380K people vote against private health care in referendum conducted by advocates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

Health care advocates took to at Queen’s Park Wednesday to oppose what they call “the gutting and dismantling of public hospitals.”Almost 400,000 people voted across Ontario, including 100,000 in Toronto in what’s being described as a citizen-led referendum organized by the advocacy group Ontario Health Coalition. The ballots were hand-delivered to the provincial government on Wednesday.The question on the ballot was: do you want our public hospital services to be privatized?Ninety-nine per cent or almost 380 thousand people voted no. “That is not insignificant, and if this government wants to continue to call it a stunt or whatever, I challenge them [to hold your own referendum,” said Marit Stiles, the Ontario NDP Leader. “And actually consult with the people of this province if you’re going to gut our healthcare system.”Bill 60 allows more private clinics to offer certain publicly funded surgeries and procedures in an effort to...

Quebec premier announces Michael Sabia as new CEO of Hydro-Quebec

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

Quebec’s government has officially tapped Michael Sabia as the next head of Hydro-Quebec.In a tweet, Premier François Legault announced Sabia would serve as president and CEO of the Crown corporation, succeeding Sophie Brochu.Legault says Sabia “is an experienced man who will be able to pursue and overcome the challenges of Quebec’s energy transition,” according to a translation.Sabia has served as Canada’s deputy minister of finance since 2020.Prior to that, he worked at the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office before joining the private sector.He is a former chief executive of the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec and a former chief executive of BCE Inc.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2023.The Canadian Press

5 children hospitalized after smoking substance at Chicago elementary school

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

CHICAGO -- Five children were taken to local hospitals after reportedly "smoking a substance" at a Chicago elementary school Wednesday.According to the Chicago Fire Department, five children were transported to local hospitals after reportedly "smoking a substance" at Harvard Elementary School on Chicago's south side Wednesday. Waukegan man trying to stop fight outside bowling alley shot, killed The children involved are reportedly 9-years-old and are all in good condition, according to the CFD.No further information has been provided at this time.Stay with WGN as this story develops.

Video: Car launches over tow truck in Georgia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — It looks like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster. A sedan rockets into the air after driving up the ramp of a flatbed tow truck on a Georgia highway. And the whole crash is caught on video by an officer's body camera.Shocked motorists and law enforcement watched in horror as the Nissan Altima was launched 120 feet down the highway in Lowndes County, according to a police report on the May 24 crash.The driver was a 21-year-old woman from Florida, the report says. She was taken to South Georgia Medical Center with serious injuries, Georgia State Patrol spokesperson Courtney Floyd said Wednesday.After landing upside down, the Nissan struck another car then tumbled end over end before coming to a rest 23 feet down the roadway, the report said. Even before the car stops, the officer whose body cam recorded the crash begins sprinting to render aid to the stricken motorists. Man catches more than fish; fire department helps reel in a big one A Lowndes County sherif...

A few NASCAR legends get a look at Chicago Street Race course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

CHICAGO — While the newest generation of drivers will get to experience it, a few former drivers in NASCAR are just as eager to see what will happen in the "Windy City" in early July.That's why a few of them were in downtown Chicago on Wednesday along with two current drivers to check out the 2.2-mile street race course. NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Jarrett along with 21-race winner Jeff Burton joined current driver AJ Allmendinger were in town to see the layout of the circuit in The Loop. Their visit comes a month before the drivers of the Cup and Xfinity Series take to the course for the first time for the inaugural Chicago Street Race on July 1 and 2. It's arguably the most intriguing event on NASCAR's 2023 36 Cup and 33 Xfinity race schedule. ‘It’s gotten the most attention’: See what Joe Gibbs has to say about Chicago’s NASCAR races "This is facinating," said Earnhardt of the Chicago Street Race. "Never would I have thought that NASCAR would do a street ...

6 Chicago area spots rank among 100 best doughnut shops in the country, according to Yelp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Do you “go nuts” for doughnuts? Sure you do. We all do. They’re made from fried dough and sugar. We’d be fools not to be interested.But we don’t go gaga over just any doughnut. We all have our favorite shops and flavors, and we’re always on the lookout for newer, tastier varieties. And while there’s no shortage of shops providing exactly what we crave, there are also plenty of mediocre doughnut purveyors that, frankly, no one has ever gone nuts for.  To help us find the best of the best, Yelp’s team of analysts have compiled their second annual ranking of America's top 100 doughnut shops based on the ratings and reviews of Yelp’s online community. The 2023 list — released ahead of National Doughnut Day on June 2 — includes shops from 27 states and Washington, D.C., though some are more well-represented than others. California and Florida, for instance, are each home to 10 of the top-rated doughnut shops on Yelp’s list. (It's worth noting that Yelp's list-makers only...

Five more Austin police officers indicted after 2020 protests, police union says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 31, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cases for three Austin police officers were presented to a special grand jury last week — and cases for an additional two officers were presented this week — stemming from May 2020 protests in Austin, according to the Austin Police Association."The special grand jury issued true bills for all five officers in the riot cases presented over the past few days," said APA President Thomas Villarreal in an email to members. RELATED: 2 more APD officers indicted related to 2020 protests Sources tell KXAN the district attorney presented said three of these cases involve deadly conduct charges. The attorneys for the two officers whose cases were presented this week were informed on Memorial Day their clients would face the special grand jury on Tuesday morning, according to Villarreal. KXAN reached out to the Travis County District Attorney's Office to ask if that timeline was customary, ...

TIMELINE: What we know of Raul Meza's criminal history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A man charged in connection with the death of an 80-year-old Pflugerville man earlier this month was previously convicted of murder in the 1980s, and law enforcement officials now say he might be linked to several cold cases.Raul Meza Jr., 62, was identified and arrested and charged after confessing to the murder of his roommate Jesse Fraga, 80. Meza also implicated himself in the murder of Gloria Lofton, 66, in 2019, three years after Austin Police said he was released from Travis County Jail. RELATED: Police say man arrested in ‘multiple murders’, city official calls him ‘serial killer’ Meza's criminal history dates back decades, including convictions in aggravated robberies as well as murder. Here's what we know about his previous crimes and convictions.1975: Aggravated robberyOn New Year's Eve in 1975, Meza joined three others in robbing an Austin convenience store. During the robbery, the store manager was shot in the back.Surviving the gunshot wound, the man...

Lynx losing games on the defensive end

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

Amid an 0-5 start, the Lynx finally feel as though they’re making some strides on the offensive end.An 89-point showing in Tuesday’s loss in Dallas that featured four starters scoring in double figures while the fifth — rookie Diamond Miller — had eight points in 12 minutes before getting injured, suggested the insertion of Tiffany Mitchell into the first five provided Minnesota with the offensive jolt it needed to get on track.Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve noted that was Minnesota’s best offensive outing of the young season, with the Lynx shooting 49 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep.“Offensively, we were good enough,” Reeve said. “We’re going to stay the course there.”But what about the other end of the floor?“We have to change the course defensively,” Reeve said.Minnesota simply isn’t good enough to get stops at the moment. The Lynx rank 11th out of the 12 WNBA teams in defensive rating, allowing 106.6 poin...

When should social workers separate families? A federal lawsuit raises thorny questions.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:41 GMT

BOSTON — When child welfare workers and police knocked on Sarah Perkins’ and Joshua Sabey’s front door well past midnight one weekend last summer, the parents were shocked to learn the state of Massachusetts had come to take their two young sons.It’s the kind of harrowing scene that plays out daily across the country as social workers motivated by a desire to protect children run up against confused and concerned parents.What followed was emotional anguish, a bureaucratic battle, vindication for the parents and a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a legal advocacy group. The couple hopes for a favorable ruling that will increase oversight of child removals nationwide.The children were taken in Massachusetts because of a child abuse report stemming from a hospital visit. On July 13, 2022, Perkins whisked their 3-month-old son Cal to an emergency room. He had a 103-degree fever.An X-ray checking for pneumonia found a rib fracture the couple hadn’t noticed. After speaking with the boy...