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Bid to boost tax break for volunteer firefighters as brigades struggle with retention

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

Alberta volunteer firefighter Alison Archambault calls it her “soul work.”But that doesn’t mean some more help at tax time wouldn’t be welcome too.A tax credit for volunteer firefighters currently stands at $3,000, but Archambault, a volunteer in Redwood Meadows outside Calgary, said “any increase is appreciated” to help with costs such as vehicle maintenance.“Volunteer fire departments in general are having recruitment challenges and retention challenges and (an) increase in the tax writeoff is just another tool to make being a volunteer firefighter more attractive and staying a volunteer firefighter more attractive,” said Archambault, whose regular job is in public relations.Others agree, and a push is underway to raise the tax credit after Canada’s worst wildfire season on record.B.C. member of Parliament Gord Johns has been working with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to try to boost the credit for volunteer firefight...

1 dead, 3 injured after boarding school partially collapses in central Romania

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A boarding school building partially collapsed in central Romania on Monday, leaving one person dead and three injured, authorities said.Emergency workers raced to find the four people in the rubble of the collapse in Odorheiu Secuiesc in Harghita County, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said. The affected area was about 200 square meters (239 square yards).All were recovered. Of the three survivors, one was seriously injured. “The fourth victim did not respond to resuscitation efforts,” authorities said.They did not say what caused the collapse.Photos of the scene shared by emergency authorities showed a collapsed portion of an old building’s facade. Wooden beams and pillars were strewn amid rubble of bricks and mortar.The Associated Press

18-year-old repeatedly punched delivery man in head at Tony's Finer Foods in Niles: police

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

NILES, Ill. — An 18-year-old man fom Park Ridge has been charged with punching a delivery man in the head numerous times at a supermarket in Niles, according to police.Michael Soto faces an aggravated battery charge for the incident that occurred around 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Tony's Finer Foods, located at 8900 North Greenwood Avenue.Police said the 48-year-old man was making a delivery to the business and stocking items on a shelf, when he was approached by the 18-year-old who asked him a question regarding the location of a product.The victim told the 18-year-old man that he did not work at the store. The two men then got into a verbal dispute that escalated into the 18-year-old punching the victim in the head numerous times, according to police. COPA investigating shooting involving off-duty officer The victim was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.The 18-year-old was identified through surveillance video and taken into custody by Niles police o...

Charges pending against 21-year-old man who hit woman in the face in the Loop

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A 21-year-old man has been arrested for hitting a woman in the face in the city's Loop.The incident happened around 1:15 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of South State Street. Police said the man was arrested after he was identified as the offender who struck the 48-year-old woman in the face with his hands.The woman refused treatment at the scene and no further details have been provided. 18-year-old repeatedly punched delivery man in head at Tony’s Finer Foods in Niles: police According to police, charges are pending against the man.

Ruby Franke, parenting advice YouTuber, pleads guilty to child abuse in plea deal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

ST. GEORGE, Utah (KTVX) – Ruby Franke, the YouTube vlogger out of Southern Utah accused of child abuse, entered a plea deal on Monday. Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse. She was charged with six counts in early September. The remaining two have been dismissed as part of the deal. The most frequently banned book in prison is about ramen Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were taken into custody in early September after two of Franke's children were found emaciated in Hildebrandt's Washington County home. Franke's 12-year-old son was reportedly able to escape and went to a neighboring home asking for food and water. The neighbor called 911, saying the boy had tape on his ankles and wrists and had "deep lacerations from being tied up with rope."“I think he’s been … he’s been detained,” the caller said, his voice breaking up. “He’s obviously covered in wounds.”Franke's 10-year-old daughter was also found at Hildebrandt'...

James McCaffrey, 'Max Payne' voice actor and 'Rescue Me' star, dead at 65

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

(WGHP) — A veteran television actor best known for voicing the titular character of the "Max Payne" video game franchise has died after a fight with cancer.James McCaffrey, 65, died Sunday, a representative for the actor confirmed to news outlets including Variety and TMZ. A source for the latter said McCaffrey had previously been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells. Matthew Perry’s death caused by ‘acute effects of ketamine’, L.A. examiner says In addition to voicing the character of Max Payne, McCaffrey had a television and film career spanning nearly four decades, with recurring roles in "Suits," "She's Gotta Have It," "Jessica Jones" and "Blue Bloods," among others. He also appeared in FX's "Rescue Me" as Jimmy Keefe, a firefighter who died on 9/11.James McCaffrey attends the Screen Actors Guild Foundation 2nd Annual New York Golf Classic at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 29, 2014, in Briarcliff Manor, New York. ...

Left in blood: How a Michigan cold case was solved, 35 years later

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

This report contains graphic crime scene photos and details. Reader discretion is advised. THREE RIVERS, Mich. (WOOD) — The killer of 19-year-old Cathy Swartz left behind more than just his victim's baby, unharmed, in the room down the hall.There was also a fingerprint and a footprint, both left in blood.And, what of the cryptic message left on Cathy's leg?From the start, detectives were certain that they had all they needed to quickly solve the brutal murder.But along the way, some of their evidence was lost. Opportunities were missed. An innocent man was left to live under suspicion for nearly 35 years.Cathy Swartz, front left in the jean jacket, in high school. (Courtesy) PART 1: THE CRIME SCENECathy Swartz, her baby Courteney, and her fiancé shared a small, two-story apartment at Riverside Townhouses, a gathering of tidy brick and aluminum-sided rentals on the edge of Three Rivers, Michigan.A fully decorated Christmas tree stood in a corner of apartment 102, partially blocking t...

Gov. Abbott to sign border security bills into law at wall construction site

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott is in the Rio Grande Valley Monday, where he's expected to sign border security bills passed during the third and fourth special legislative sessions.Earlier this month the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 3, a measure that will send $1.5 billion toward further construction of a border wall along the 1,200 mile Texas-Mexico border. In November, state lawmakers also approved Senate Bill 4, which makes it a state crime to enter Texas illegally, giving state and local law enforcement the ability to arrest those who cross between ports of entry. SB 4 will also allow Texas police to effectively deport those who cross illegally, through an order obtained by a state judge. Currently, that is a power solely reserved for federal authorities.Abbott is expected to sign both SB 3 and SB 4 into law, as he previously indicated on social media, calling it “historic progress for border security.”Supporters of the bills say they are necessary steps...

Three dry days to four rainy days

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We have another sunny day with temperatures a few degrees lower than Sunday. Most of our highs this afternoon will peak in the middle to upper 60s. A few stations could reach 70° in some of Caldwell and Fayette Counties given readings reported at noon.Today's normal high is 63°Breezes will be up this afternoon with a north to northeast wind gusting into the mid to upper teens. Wind speeds will lower approaching the 5:33 sunset. Similar gusts will be repeated Tuesday.This does not bode well for cedar sufferers. Today's cedar count soared to more than 2700 grains per cubic meter of air. Yesterday's count was 175.Central Texas will stay dry until Thursday. The sunny day today will be followed by a partly cloudy sky tomorrow and a mostly cloudy sky Wednesday.Another upper-level low will move parallel to the California coast shifting the upper-level winds to come from the southwest, pulling up moisture from the Pacific. The low will then head across the northern Baja Pen...

Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury only a ‘little bit’ disappointed not to be starting in Pittsburgh

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

PITTSBURGH — Marc-Andre Fleury said Monday he’s disappointed he won’t be the Wild’s starting goalie in what might be his last game in the Penguins arena, where he started his career 20 years ago and won three Stanley Cups.But only “a little bit,” he said. He’ll start Tuesday night in Boston, and for the first time this season, the Wild are winning — 7-2-0 in their past nine games.“Team’s been good. Team’s been winning lately,” Fleury said after Monday’s morning skate at PPG Paints Arena. “Gus has been awesome. Just gotta keep it rolling.”Filip Gustavsson has been lights-out during the Wild’s hot streak, which started when John Hynes became head coach on Nov. 27, going 6-1-0 with a 1.21 goals-against average and .953 save percentage.“That’s just kind of the plan that we have,” Hynes said about the decision to start Gustavsson, “and (goaltending coach) Freddie (Chabot) talks to the goalies prior to the year and knocks some things out with them, and then we do it month by month.”Four g...