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‘Debtor’s prison’ lawsuit filed against St. Louis suburb resolved with $2.9 million settlement

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri city will pay nearly $3 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it and six other St. Louis suburbs of violating the constitutional rights of residents by jailing them and forcing them to pay fines and fees amounting to millions of dollars, often for minor traffic violations.The $2.9 million settlement with the city of Florissant was approved by a federal judge on Tuesday and announced Wednesday by ArchCity Defenders, a St. Louis-based public interest law firm. The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2016.Florissant was among several St. Louis County cities whose policing and court practices were scrutinized after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson. Brown, a Black 18-year-old, was killed by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014.Wilson was not charged, but the shooting led to months of protests and prompted a Department of Justice investigation. The federal agency in 2015 accused Ferguson of racially biased polici...

PMO clarifies Trudeau and family stayed ‘at no cost’ during vacation in Jamaica

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office is clarifying that he and his family are vacationing in Jamaica “at no cost at a location owned by family friends” after initially saying the family was paying for their stay.The Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement that the federal ethics commissioner was consulted “on these details prior to the travel to ensure that the rules were followed.” The office offered the clarification the day before Trudeau’s holiday on the Caribbean island is set to conclude. Before his family left on Boxing Day, Trudeau’s office said it consulted with the ethics commissioner and the family would cover the cost of their stay and reimburse the public for the cost of travelling on a government plane.Officials are not saying where Trudeau is staying, but CBC and Radio-Canada reported last spring that during the family’s last New Year’s trip to Jamaica, they stayed at a luxury estate owned by P...

Last remaining charge dropped against Virginia elections official

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped the last remaining charge against a northern Virginia elections official who had been accused of misconduct related to the 2020 elections.A judge on Monday formally dismissed a misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of duty against Michele White, the former registrar in Prince William County, a suburb outside the nation’s capital, after prosecutors requested the dismissal.The most serious charges against White had already been dismissed. The Virginia Attorney General’s Office said it was forced to drop felony charges of corrupt conduct and making a false statement because a key witness had revised their testimony.White was indicted back in 2022, and the office of Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares never spelled out publicly or in court papers exactly what it alleged White did wrong. Court records indicated only generally that the allegations had to do with 2020 election results, and county officials said back when White...

Kentucky’s former attorney general Daniel Cameron to help lead conservative group 1792 Exchange

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has been hired to help lead a group pushing back against what it sees as “woke ideology” in the corporate sector, marking the Republican’s next chapter since losing his bid for governor in one of the nation’s most closely watched elections in 2023.Cameron accepted the job as CEO of 1792 Exchange, a role that will include trying to thwart investing that considers environmental, social and governance factors. It was an issue Cameron dealt with as attorney general and frequently talked about during his unsuccessful attempt to unseat Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who notched a convincing victory for a second term last November.Cameron, 38, who was pegged as a rising Republican star with ties to U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and former President Donald Trump, didn’t rule out another run for elected office but said he’s looking forward to delving into his new role in the meantime....

Possible relief from grey days on Thursday with some sunlight in the forecast

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

If you are feeling a little low energy, it might not be the typical post-holiday blues that has you down. Toronto and the GTA has been blanketed by mostly grey and miserable weather over the last few weeks and there is some relief in sight.Steven Flisfeder, a Warning Preparedness Meteorologist with Environment Canada, says after over several days of grey skies, there is a chance of some sunlight on Thursday.“We’re expecting a cold front to push across southern Ontario some time tomorrow, which is going to give a chance for some sun. Not that much is expected. There is still going to be some lingering cloud, but there should be some parts of the day where we do see some sunshine.”But he adds it’s not unusual to see this many grey days during this time of year.“In late December, January, we tend to have a fairly active bit of weather. So a lot of low pressure systems coming through the southern Ontario region, which gives a lot of precipitation, typically...

A jet’s carbon-composite fiber fuselage burned on a Tokyo runway. Is the material safe?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

The fuselage of the jetliner involved in a collision on a Tokyo runway was made from carbon-composite fibers, and the incident is renewing concern about the challenges of putting out fires involving the material.The fire is shaping up as a key test of the safety of composite materials compared with conventional airplane fuselages made of aluminum.Investigators appear to be focusing immediately on communication between the pilots of both planes and air traffic controllers at Haneda Airport. A transcript released Wednesday indicated that the landing Japan Airlines A350 had permission to use the runway but the Japanese coast guard plane did not.Safety experts are praising the airline’s crew after everybody was able to escape the burning jetliner. Five people on the coast guard plane were killed.Composites have been used for many years on structures inside commercial planes, such as the floorboards. Notably, Airbus A350s like the one involved in Tuesday’s crash and Boeing 787s als...

17.4 per cent raise over 5 years for Quebec’s ‘common front’ public sector unions

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

MONTREAL — Around 420,000 Quebec public sector workers will receive salary increases of 17.4 per cent over five years.The labour alliance representing the workers confirmed today the settlement that led to a Dec. 28 agreement in principle with the provincial government.The agreement includes a clause that would protect the purchasing power of union members during the three final years of the deal.The alliance — known as the “common front” — had been seeking a three-year contract that would have tied wage raises to the consumer price index, plus an additional increase of two to four per cent.Union leaders representing workers in sectors such as education and health care are evaluating the offer, which will be presented to members during assemblies that should begin mid-January.The proposed deal gives psychologists and specialized workers higher increases than other union members.The government has also reached a deal in principle with a teachers union that has about 66,00...

Waukegan police officer charged after throwing handcuffed person to ground

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

WAUKEGAN, Ill. -- A Waukegan police officer has been charged after he allegedly threw a handcuffed individual to the ground last month.According to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, Waukegan police officer Richard Tabisz has been charged with felony official misconduct and misdemeanor battery to a civilian after an incident on Thursday, Dec. 14.Tabisz allegedly threw a handcuffed civilian to the ground in front of several officers in December. The civilian had reportedly been cooperative with the other officers at the scene prior to Tabisz's arrival. ‘Stop coming here’: Suburban man pleads guilty after killing wife considering court order "Besides Tabisz, other officers on the scene acted very professionally throughout the encounter," Reinhart wrote in a statement.The Waukegan Police Department provided the State's Attorney's Office with evidence related to the incident, including several body camera recordings, on Friday, Dec. 15.The Lake County State's Attorney's Office...

Free admission on certain days is back at the Shedd Aquarium for Illinois residents

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

CHICAGO — New year, same admission at no cost for Illinoisans looking to visit the Shedd Aquarium on specific days during the first half of the calendar year.Much like in 2023, with proof of residency, Illinois residents will receive free admission to Chicago’s aquatic animal world on certain days through the end of June. The Illinois Resident Free Days include access to all open animal and permanent exhibits, in addition to the seasonal Stingray Touch. Free days at the Shedd begin next Tuesday, Jan. 9. Hours vary based on the date. Events that shaped Chicago: 2023 Year in Review January9-16, 23-25, 30, 31February1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29March5, 12, 19, 26April2, 9, 16, 23, 30May7, 14, 21, 28June 4, 11, 18, 25A breakdown of the free admission schedule 2024 Free Tuesday Evenings: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Free Tuesday Evenings at the Shedd begin in March, with admission times at no cost slotted for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. While entry to the Shedd will be free on the days listed abo...

As other free agency dominos fall, Cody Bellinger return to Cubs becomes more likely

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:28:25 GMT

CHICAGO — During an offseason where many considered the Chicago Cubs to be prospective big spenders, the club has been relative quiet when it comes to their pocketbooks, leaving fans feeling as if they are sitting on pins and needles, waiting to see if Cody Bellinger returns to the North Side.According to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine, both sides of the Bellinger free agency equation are playing a game of chicken, waiting for the other side to budge first."Now that Bellinger is the top player on the market … [Scott] Boras being 'he,' he's the one waiting for this marketplace to develop," Levine said Tuesday on Marquee Sports Network. "Meanwhile, the Cubs are smart and waiting for the market not to develop. Therefore, it's January 2nd moving forward, and there's no movement yet."At the end of the day, the devil is in the details — specifically the contract length each side is seeking, plus the average annual value of the deal, according to Levine."Do you want to pay a six-year contrac...