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Pittsburgh synagogue attack survivors testify about overcoming physical and emotional wounds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Officer Tim Matson described in federal court Wednesday how a resilient weed helped to restore his will to live after his body was shattered by bullet wounds in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.Matson was shot in his head and body on Oct. 27, 2018, when he and other police officers charged into Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue to halt the massacre that left 11 worshippers dead. The SWAT police officer was hospitalized for months, endured off-the-chart pain and underwent 25 surgeries. He had to relearn how to walk. “I was in a pretty dark place,” he testified, admitting to suicidal thoughts.“I got to the point where I had enough, I was in constant pain, I knew I would never be the same,” Matson said. But in his yard, which had recently been weed-whacked, he found a weed in a bucket that was growing still.“Somebody tried to kill it,” yet it survived, he said. Matson realized then the importance of the support from his family and colleagues.“I...

Jason Aldean’s new music video was filmed at a lynching site. A big country music network pulled it

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

Country music star Jason Aldean ‘s latest music video for “Try That In A Small Town,” lasted just one weekend on Country Music Television before the network pulled it in response to an outcry over historically charged references.In the video, Aldean — who has been awarded county music artist of the decade by the Academy of Country Music — performs in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee. This is the site of the 1946 Columbia race riot and the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate. Aldean’s video, which was released last Friday, has received fervent criticism online, with some claiming the visual is a “dog whistle” and others labeling it “pro-lynching.”Interspersed between performance footage of Aldean are news clips of violent riots and flag burning. A Fox News chyron reads: “State of emergency declared in Georgia.” “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you...

Quebec needs to do more to protect traffic signallers on work sites, union says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

MONTREAL — After a hit-and-run that killed one traffic signaller and injured another last week in Montreal, a union representing traffic controllers says the province needs to do more to protect them.A 39-year-old signaller died on Monday as a result of his injuries, police confirmed Wednesday. The other worker, also 39, suffered minor injuries. The driver who allegedly caused the July 12 collision, a 68-year-old man, surrendered to authorities and was later released.Martin L’Abbée of United Steelworkers, the union that represents around 1,000 traffic signallers in the province, says the incident marks Quebec’s 19th traffic controller death in the last three decades, including signallers and workers installing signage.He called the figure “inconceivable,” likening the work controllers do to protect road users to that of police officers.“This has to stop,” he said. “They’re not policemen, but they’re protecting everyone.”Uni...

Gunman toting heavy ammo and explosives cased scene before fatal ‘ambush’ shooting on Fargo police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

FARGO, N.D. — A man armed with 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a grenade and other explosives in his car ambushed officers who were investigating a crash, killing one and wounding two before a fourth stopped him, thwarting what authorities described as plans for further mayhem, officials said Wednesday.Mohamad Barakat, 37, shot Officers Jake Wallin, Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes from inside his car on Friday before they could even draw their guns, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said at a news conference. Wallin was killed while Dotas and Hawes remain hospitalized in critical condition. Wrigley said Barakat also shot and injured a bystander.But Officer Zach Robinson disabled Barakat’s .223 -caliber rifle with a shot from his 9 mm handgun from 75 feet (22.86 meters) away, Wrigley said, leaving about 20 rounds still in the magazine. Robinson ordered Barakat 16 times to drop the handgun he continued to wave as he moved in closer and finally killed the suspect in a confronta...

CP NewsAlert: Surrey, B.C., police issue Amber Alert for brother and sister

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

KELOWNA, B.C. — An Amber Alert has been issued across all of British Columbia for an eight-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother. Surrey RCMP say Aurora Bolton and Joshuah Bolton were last seen in Krafty’s Kitchen and Bar in Kelowna.Police say the suspect is Verity Bolton, who is five-foot-two-inches tall, with brown hair and eyes. The three are possibly travelling in a blue Dodge D250 pickup with licence plate number SJ2708. Aurora is described as three-feet-11-inches tall, with shoulder length brown hair and eyes, while her older brother has brown hair and blue eyes. Police say that anyone spotting the vehicle or the suspect should not approach and should call 911. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.  The Canadian Press

Timeline of events surrounding failed talk leading to the B.C. port strike

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

The union representing about 7,400 port workers in British Columbia has issued a new 72-hour strike notice that could shut down cargo movements across the province again on Saturday.Here is a timeline surrounding the events.2022Nov. 30: The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association provides notice to commence collective bargaining to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada.2023Feb. 16: Negotiations begin.March 20: The ILWU serves a notice of dispute to the federal government, signalling an impasse, and requests the appointment of a conciliation officer.March 29: Talks enter a 60-day conciliation period.March 31: The existing collective agreement between the BCMEA and the ILWU expires.May 30: Conciliation ends. Talks enter a cooling-off period of 21 days.June 5: The ILWU’s negotiating committee authorizes a strike vote to be conducted on June 9 and 10.June 12: The ILWU says members voted 99.24 per cent in favour of supporting strike action if necessary.June...

Biden administration tells judge that its new asylum rule is not a reboot of Trump’s efforts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration argued Wednesday that its new asylum rule is different from versions put forward under President Donald Trump in a court hearing before a judge who threw out Trump’s attempts to limit asylum on the U.S.-Mexico border.“2023 is not 2019,” said Erez Reuveni, the Department of Justice lawyer who argued the case.The rule makes it extremely difficult for migrants who come directly to the southern border to get asylum unless they use a government app to make an appointment or they have already tried to seek protection in a country they passed through on their way to the U.S.Opponents say it’s essentially a rehash of Trump efforts — a question that gave the online hearing Wednesday a sense of deja vu. The San Francisco-based federal judge who will decide the case, Jon S. Tigar, ruled against the Trump administration’s two attempts to limit asylum. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted its rule on May 11 with the ex...

Skilling: Cloudy with possible showers Thursday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

Chicago's weather remained comfortable today even as much of the country to the south—all the way from California to Florida---baked. There have been 860 record high temps broken in the past 7 days nationally.  Extreme heat is making news on three continents in the northern hemisphere, taxing electrical grids given the demand for fans and air conditioners.  Meantime, a combination of heat and drought in Canada has nearly 900 fires still burning in that country's worst fire season on record.  Two-thirds of those fires are out of control. Exhausted firefighters who have never had to fight so many fires so early in a fire season are being supplemented by 1,000 Canadian military personnel.  Every time steering winds shift into the Lower 48 from Canada,  a veil of smoke sweeps into Chicago's airspace.Air quality has actually improved a bit today coming in at the low end of the "MODERATE" range on EPA's 6 tier air quality scale.Chicago logged its 4th con...

Where baseball fans can get free hot dogs in July

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

CHICAGO — Wednesday is National Hot Dog Day, and it's the first time that baseball fans enjoy one of Chicago's favorite foods for free as part of a contest at local baseball venues.That's through a promotion between Miller Lite and Chicago-based Vienna Beef, who are hosting tailgates at three different ballparks in July as part of a contest to find the "Hot Dog Champ of Chicago."There is also a chance that you can name your own hot dog that will be served at one of the ballparks in town. Starting on Wednesday and continuing through the end of the month, fans will have the opportunity to taste a sample of a hot dog from each restaurant and then vote on which one is best.Those up for consideration include Lola's Coney Island, Flub a Dub Chub's, Cozzi Corner Hot Dogs & Beer, and George's Hot Dogs - all of which are based in the Chicago area.Here are the three tailgates being hosted by Miller Lite and Vienna Beef.Wednesday, July 19 - Wrigleyville (Event 21 & Over)Rizzo's Bar &am...

Tupac search involves documents at Las Vegas home of murder witness: sources

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:19 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The Las Vegas Metro police search at a Henderson home involves documents and personal items belonging to Duane "Keffe D" Davis who publicly said he was in the car with the gunman who killed Tupac Shakur in 1996, sources told Nexstar's KLAS.In his book and in several interviews, Davis, 60, has said he was in the car with a person who fired into the BMW carrying Shakur and record executive Suge Knight. Shakur died six days later from his injuries.Davis said the car pulled up side-by-side to the BMW at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane before someone in the backseat fired a gun."When we pulled up, I was in the front seat," Davis said in a 2018 BET interview. "Happen to see my friend, Suge." Alabama woman had ‘highly unusual’ search history before her disappearance, police say "You said the shots came from the back," the interviewer said to Davis in the BET video. "Who shot Tupac?""Going to keep it for the code of the streets," Davis said. "It just c...