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West Virginia atheist inmate sues over Christian programming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — An atheist and secular humanist is suing multiple officials in charge of the agency that runs West Virginia’s jails and prisons, accusing the state of violating his constitutional rights by requiring Christian-affiliated programming as a condition of release. Andrew Miller, who is currently incarcerated at Saint Marys Correctional Center and Jail, filed a lawsuit in a federal district court Tuesday alleging the state is forcing Christianity on incarcerated people and has failed to accommodate repeated requests to honor his lack of belief in God. The suit claims Miller encountered “religious coercion” in June 2021 when he entered the Pleasants County correctional facility. Miller is serving a one- to 10-year, nondeterminative sentence for breaking and entering.Miller alleges the federally-funded substance abuse treatment program he is participating in — which is a requirement for his parole consideration — is “infused with Christian practices,” includin...

S&P/TSX composite ends down more than 100 points, U.S. stock markets mixed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index closed down more than 100 points as losses in base metal, energy and technology stocks weighed on the market, while U.S. stock markets put in a mixed showing.The S&P/TSX composite index ended down 116.21 points at 20,159.55.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 80.34 points at 33,482.72. The S&P 500 index was down 10.22 points at 4,090.38, while the Nasdaq composite was down 129.47 points at 11,996.86.The Canadian dollar traded for 74.31 cents US compared with 74.37 cents US on Tuesday.The May crude contract was down 10 cents at US$80.61 per barrel and the May natural gas contract was up five cents at US$2.16 per mmBTU.The June gold contract was down US$2.60 at US$2,035.60 an ounce and the May copper contract was up about two cents at US$3.99 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X)The Canadian Press

End of legacy funding to send close to 4,000 children with autism back to school

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

Ontario’s Autism Coalition is sounding the alarm over the decision to reduce funding for 4,000 children with autism and moving them into the school system, starting as early as this week.They say the schools aren’t ready for them.Michelle MacAdam has two daughters with autism, some of the lucky few thousand children who had been receiving funding in the legacy program, which means they received full funding for therapy-based needs.However, the Ford government has just ended that program meaning legacy funding will now be capped. MacAdam’s daughters will now receive the same as other children who are enrolled in core services, a fraction of what they are used to.She said she doesn’t object to sending her children to school, she just fears the schools won’t have enough Educational Assistants to help them.“If they are put in a mainstream classroom, I don’t know if they will have support. My biggest fear for my girls is safety and being a flight...

Dog owners on high alert, risk to humans remains low after pet dog dies of avian flu

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

Experts are warning GTA residents to be hypervigilant after pet dog has died of avian flu in Oshawa as Toronto confirms avian flu has been detected in the city.The dog was infected after chewing on a wild goose. It’s the only case of its kind in Canada so far.Toronto Animal Services confirmed there have been six confirmed cases in birds tested between late 2021 and the end of 2022 and one raccoon that tested positive in late 2022.They say the City and Toronto Public Health continue to monitor the situation.While the risk to humans is low, more avian flu cases are being reported in birds in nearby regions and dog owners are on high alert.Matthew Miller, director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research said, in some ways, it was inevitable that this would happen.“We do know domestic animals like dogs and cats are susceptible to influenza virus,” said Miller. “We’ve already heard reports of skunks and raccoons and other scaveng...

Man charged in case of woman missing from Navajo Nation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a New Mexico man on assault and carjacking charges in connection with the 2021 disappearance of a Native American woman whose case has helped to raise awareness about missing people and unsolved slayings in Indian Country. The indictment naming Preston Henry Tolth, 23, was unsealed Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate Friday in northern Arizona for a detention hearing and formal arraignment. Federal prosecutors alleged that Tolth assaulted Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who was 62 at the time, took her pickup truck and drove it across state lines. Begay has not been found.“This indictment is an important first step in determining the truth about what happened to an elderly victim on the Navajo Nation,” U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino of Arizona said in a statement, stressing that the investigation was ongoing.Begay’s truck was seen the morning of June 15, 2021, leaving her home in the remote commu...

B.C. to boost minimum wage to $16.75 an hour, matching inflation with 6.9% hike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s minimum wage will increase to $16.75 an hour, a boost that the government says fulfils a promise to tie the benchmark pay level to inflation.The new minimum wage kicks in on June 1 and represents a 6.9 per cent increase from the current $15.65 an hour.Labour Minister Harry Bains says the measure is a key step to preventing the province’s lowest-paid workers from falling behind.He says the same percentage increase will apply for residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers and camp leaders.A ministry statement says the wage increase matches B.C.’s 2022 average inflation rate and will benefit about 150,000 workers, most of them food service staff, grocery store workers, retail workers and others who were essential workers during the pandemic.The $1.10 increase is much greater than the 45-cent boost in 2022, which matched the previous year’s 2.8 per cent inflation rate.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Ap...

White House addressing antisemitism at the start of Passover; opportunity for all faiths to combat hate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - On Wednesday, Jews around the world will celebrate the first night of Passover, and the White House is using the occasion to address antisemitism in the U.S."It really is a cautionary tale about what is also going on right now in America. Unfortunately, antisemitism is on the rise," White House Jewish Liaison Shelley Greenspan said.Greenspan says President Biden is sending a message to the Jewish community and all Americans."He is with them, that we will condemn antisemitism, every step of the way," Greenspan said.In 2021, an FBI report showed Jews were the target of more than half of religiously-motivated crimes."No one should ever feel unsafe to practice their religion and to express their identity," Greenspan said.During this year's Passover, Christians and Muslims are also observing their own holidays of Easter and Ramadan. Greenspan says it's a special opportunity for each faith to combat hate together."Working in an interfaith capacity, building bridges ...

Country star Brad Paisley to headline Firestone Legends Day Concert ahead of Indy 500

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS – Brad Paisley will bring some star power to this year’s Firestone Legends Day Concert.The country megastar will perform at the TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park on Saturday, May 27. Special guests Russell Dickerson and Jackson Dean will open the show at 7 p.m.The concert brings the celebration surrounding the Indianapolis 500 to downtown Indianapolis on the night before the race. Bulls will have an MVP in their organization in 2022-2023 “Concerts build tremendous energy and excitement in the lead-up to the green flag on Race Day,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “As fans enjoy country hits at the Firestone Legends Day Concert under the lights of downtown in a fantastic venue, we’ll have IMS ready to welcome more than 300,000 people beginning at 6 a.m. the following morning.”Legends Day starts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the Public Drivers’ Meeting and autograph sessions. After that, the party heads downtown with the AES 500 Festival Parade a...

Man convicted on aggravated kidnapping, sexual assault charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Court records showed a 49-year-old man was convicted Tuesday in Travis County on charges of aggravated kidnapping involving bodily injury of a child younger than 17, as well as 2 counts of sexual assault of a child.According to records, Ronald Martin pleaded guilty to the three charges March 23, and he was sentenced by a judge Tuesday to serve 15 years in state prison.Records showed the charges stemmed from a December 2021 incident.Previous coverage:APD: Missing Kentucky teen found in AustinSex offender caught assaulting child in south Austin, police sayAPD: Man faces additional kidnapping charge in child sex assault caseAccording to past KXAN reports, APD officers said Martin was caught during a sexual act with a child outside a south Austin building Dec. 27, 2021. Investigators said he met the 14-year-old victim on social media and traveled to another state to pick up the victim and return to Austin.

Soaking rain spreads in overnight through Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The rain that fell this morning was just an "appetizer" for the persistent soaking that arrives for the next two days.The "big winners" from this morning's rainIsolated showers and storms slowly increase in coverage this evening, but widespread rain doesn't arrive until Thursday morning. Overnight lows drop down to 50 on a cool night by recent standards.Tonight's forecastThursday morning's rain starts to spread northwest from our eastern counties to the I-35 corridor. As the rain overspreads the area the Hill Country will be the last to see the widespread soaking rain, but just about everyone will have rain by late morning or early Thursday afternoon. Rain will be heavy at times with the low risk for an isolated strong or severe storm with hail up to 1" in diameter. Thursday severe weather risk (SPC)Flash flooding is a slightly higher concern, but not all that high given our drought and need for rain. Still, the Weather Prediction Center has the Austin Metro and our...