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Montreal will not replace toppled John A. Macdonald statue that stood downtown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

MONTREAL — The City of Montreal says it won’t replace a toppled statue of Canada’s first prime minister in a downtown park.The city’s executive committee says it will instead partner with a local institution to display the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in a different location with more contextual information for onlookers.Erected in 1895, the statue was frequently the target of vandalism before protesters tore it down from its pedestal in downtown Montreal’s Place du Canada in August 2020.Macdonald championed the assimilation of Indigenous people and is considered to be the architect of the residential school system.The statue remained in storage while the city considered its future.The now-empty pedestal, meanwhile, will remain in Place du Canada as a reminder of the statue’s history.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2023.The Canadian Press

Lawsuit accuses University of Minnesota of not doing enough to prevent data breach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A lawsuit filed on behalf of a former student and former employee at the University of Minnesota accuses the university of not doing enough to protect personal information from a recent data breach.Attorneys for the two plaintiffs said in the lawsuit filed in federal court Friday that the university “was fully capable of preventing” the breach, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday.The university declined comment on the lawsuit but spokesperson Jake Ricker told the newspaper in an email that the safety and privacy of everyone in the university community is a top priority.After being questioned by the Star Tribune, the university acknowledged last week that it learned July 21 “that an unauthorized party claimed to possess sensitive data allegedly taken from the University’s systems.”The university did not specify how it learned of the issue. But also on July 21, the Cyber Express, a news site focused on cybersecurity, posted a story about a hacker’s claim...

Woman shot at White Sox game denies bringing gun into ballpark: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman who was hit by gunfire at a Chicago White Sox game says she did not carry a gun into the ballpark, according to the Chicago Tribune.The Tribune reports an attorney for the 42-year-old woman shot in the leg denies bringing a gun into Guaranteed Rate Field. WGN has also learned that the 26-year-old woman, who suffered a graze wound to her stomach, is a Chicago Public Schools teacher.The shooting happened in left field during the third inning of Friday's game against the Oakland Athletics.The brother of the 26-year-old woman told the Chicago Sun-Times they heard a pop, but didn't think it was a gunshot. They weren't sure what happened until they looked behind them to see the other woman who had been injured.Security and police cleared out the section where they were sitting, but the game continued. Initially, police had asked the White Sox to pause the game — but it was later determined there was no active threat so the game continued. Police said they did not want to...

U.S. DOT Secretary Buttigieg visits Gary airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

GARY, Ind. — U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in the Chicago region Wednesday to visit a local airport.Buttigieg is kicking off a three-day tour of Indiana, plus a stop in Chicago, by touring ongoing projects at the Gary / Chicago International Airport. This includes improvements to the airport's cargo operations "which support manufacturing and our national supply chains," according to a press release from his office. SKY STRIKER: Midwest’s tallest pendulum thrill ride coming to Six Flags Great America in 2024 Gary Mayor Jerome Prince, INDOT Commissioner Michael Smith, and U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan are expected to join the secretary for the tour and the related press conference.This stop is the first in a series across Indiana intended to "highlight how the Biden-Harris Administration is investing in America and creating good-paying jobs in Indiana and across the country," according to the press release. He also has planned stops in Elkhart to cele...

Dundee-Crown High School on lockdown; students, staff deemed safe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. — Dundee-Crown High School is on lockdown Wednesday morning.In a message to parents and students, Supt. Susan Harkin said all students and staff are safe.However, no one is currently allowed to enter or exit the building."Walkers, bike riders and families dropping off students at Dundee-Crown this morning are advised to await the direction of the building administration until we communicate that the lockdown has been lifted. Students who take bus transportation must remain in their bus until the lockdown has been called off," Harkin said in a note.Parents are advised to monitor emails regarding the situation.SkyCam9 at the scene showed a large police presence.WGN News will update this story once more information becomes available.

US questions Tesla move to allow hands-free driving longer with Autopilot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla is allowing some drivers to use its Autopilot driver-assist system for extended periods without making them put their hands on the steering wheel, a development that has drawn concern from U.S. safety regulators.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered Tesla to tell the agency how many vehicles have received a software update making that possible and it's seeking more information on what the electric vehicle maker's plans are for wider distribution.“NHTSA is concerned that this feature was introduced to consumer vehicles, and now that the existence of this feature is known to the public, more drivers may attempt to activate it,” John Donaldson, the agency's acting chief counsel, wrote in a July 26 letter to Tesla that was posted on the agency's website. “The resulting relaxation of controls designed to ensure that the driver remain engaged in the dynamic driving task could lead to greater driver inattention and failure of the driv...

Dean fires up the grill for Labor Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

WGN's Dean Richards shares some recipes involving the grill — just in time for Labor Day!Pasta salad with grilled vegetables  Ingredients:1 lb. uncooked orzo1/3 cup basil pesto2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)1 (15-oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved1 green zucchini,  sliced lengthwise1 yellow zucchini,  sliced lengthwise ½ pound asparagus1 tsp. kosher salt4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup), divided1/2 cup chopped roasted salted pistachiosDirections:Cook orzo according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch.Cut the zucchini into medallions. Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces.   Sprinkle with olive oil,  salt and pepper.Seal into a foil packet. Grill over medium/high heat for 10 minutes; ...

Person gets sick, dies from amebic infection after swimming in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A Travis County resident got sick and died after developing an illness caused by an amebic meningitis infection after swimming in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson earlier this month. Austin Public Health reported the death of the resident and urged people to take precautions when swimming in natural bodies of water amid the ongoing, intense heat Texas is experiencing. Toxic algae confirmed in several Austin waterways, including Barton Springs According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, amebic meningitis, or primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), is a rare brain infection that is caused by Naegleria fowleri and is usually fatal. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living ameba that lives in warm fresh water and soil around the world and infects people when the ameba enters the body through the nose. "Although these infections are very rare, this is an important reminder that there are microbes present in natural bodies ...

Austin Restaurant Weeks returns Friday with donations going to Central Texas Food Bank

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – More than 100 Austin-area restaurants, bars and breweries will take part in an annual program starting on Friday designed to help a local food bank.They will offer prix-fixe menus, specialty menu items and drink specials with a portion of sales donated to the Central Texas Food Bank until Sept. 17, according to organizers of Austin Restaurant Weeks (ARW).“Austin Restaurant Weeks is an exciting time for our city,” said Sari Vatske, president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank. “September is Hunger Action Month, so Austin Restaurant Weeks is an easy and fun way to take action and help end hunger while enjoying some of the best food and drink Austin has to offer. When you eat during Austin Restaurant Weeks, you’re helping others eat as well.”According to organizers, participants will be offering one or more of the following options during ARW:A two-to-three-course lunch priced at $20A three-to-four-course dinner priced at either $40 or $60Specialty menu it...

Travis County approves voting locations for 2023 election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County Commissioners Tuesday approved a list of 32 early voting locations and 145 Election Day locations for the Nov. 7, 2023 election, according to the County Clerk's office.Although the announcement did not name every site on the list, it did note several changes.Among them, a new polling location at Cepeda Branch Library, 651 N Pleasant Valley Rd. The Clerk's office said library is near Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center, which was no longer able to be utilized as a polling site due to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance issues and the March 2022 agreement between the US Department of Justice and Travis County. The office said the library is is located in the same voting precinct as Parque, and provides adequate accessibility for all voters, including voters with disabilities.According to the Clerk's office, Huston-Tillotson University will host both an early voting site and an Election Day site. St. Edward’s University will host an Election Day ...