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Police investigate ‘hateful and offensive graffiti’ found in Aurora park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

Police in York Region are investigating what they term “hateful and offensive graffiti” was found in a park in Aurora. Investigators with the Hate Crime Unit say they were called to Fleury Park around 7 a.m. on August 16 and discovered five vehicles along with park benches and signs that had been vandalized with graffiti. Police would not elaborate on the nature of the graffiti except to say that it included “profanities, offensive drawings and hateful language.”Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas called the vandalism unacceptable and intolerable. “I want to make it clear that such actions are utterly unacceptable in our town, province, and country,” he said in a social media post. “YRP has launched an investigation and if those responsible are apprehended, they will face full prosecution in accordance with the law.”Replies to the mayor’s post indicated the graffiti was “one swastika after another.”Investigators are asking anyone...

Police identify Brampton man accused of sexually assaulting minor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

Peel Regional Police have identified a man accused of sexually assaulting and exposing himself to a minor after he tried to sell her sunglasses.Investigators said an 11-year-old girl was walking in the Dufay Road and Sandalwood Parkway area around 3 p.m. on Tuesday when an unknown man approached her.It’s alleged that the suspect attempted to sell her sunglasses, made physical contact with her, and exposed himself.Investigators have identified the man as 33-year-old Sunil Tak of Brampton. He is described as having a thin build, approximately five-foot-nine, with black hair and a full beard.A warrant for Tak’s arrest has been issued on sexual assault and sexual interference charges.

As glaciers melt, a new study seeks protection of ecosystems that emerge in their place

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — A new scientific study published Thursday suggests the world should start preparing to protect the ecosystems that emerge from under the disappearing ice, as a warming planet is inevitably causing glaciers to melt.If nothing is done to stop global warming, the world could lose glaciers totaling the size of Finland by 2100. Even a best-case scenario — if the targets of the Paris Agreement to stop climate change are met — foresees glacier shrinkage the size of Nepal, according to the study published in the scientific journal Nature.The analysis from Swiss and French scientists adds to worries about glacier melt and a growing call to step up efforts to protect the planet from climate change.In their research, the scientists say humans have grown to live with glaciers for millennia, and the worrying retreat of the ice cover — currently amounting to 10 percent of the Earth’s land surface — will require both action to stop it and adaptation for its impact.Glaciers play a key...

WestJet, Air Canada adjust prices and schedules amid Yellowknife evacuation efforts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

Airlines are adjusting prices and adding capacity to help with evacuation efforts in Yellowknife.WestJet and Air Canada both said they are taking steps to avoid elevated prices, adding extra flights and swapping in bigger planes amid the rapidly unfolding situation up north.Residents of Yellowknife and two nearby First Nations have been ordered out by noon Friday while crews fight fires that have already forced thousands to evacuate.WestJet has added an extra recovery flight scheduled for Thursday between Yellowknife and Calgary, and added larger aircraft to operate previously scheduled flights between the cities, spokeswoman Julia Kaiser said in an email.WestJet has adjusted fare classes to avoid price escalation and has announced flexible guidelines for changes and cancellations for all guests travelling to Yellowknife between Aug. 17 and 22, Kaiser said.The airline has also increased its limits on pets in cabins so more guests can bring pets onboard and proactively cancelled six ...

Water managers warn that stretches of the Rio Grande will dry up without more rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The ongoing lack of rain and hot conditions have left one of North America’s longest rivers in dire shape again, prompting water managers on Thursday to warn farmers in central New Mexico who depend on the Rio Grande that supplies will be drying up in the coming weeks.That means stretches of the river through the Albuquerque area are expected to go dry — much like last year. Water managers and fish biologists at the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the Bureau of Reclamation say they’re working to mitigate the effects on the endangered silvery minnow — a shimmery, pinky-sized native fish.Water users in the Middle Rio Grande have been given notice to anticipate changes in availability and delivery schedules soon.Due to a higher-than-normal irrigation demand and lower than expected natural river flow, the conservancy district began releasing water on July 17 from the San Juan-Chama Project, which brings water from the Colorado River Basin ...

Authorities investigating threats to grand jurors who indicted Trump in Georgia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

Authorities in Georgia said Thursday they’re investigating threats targeting members of the grand jury that indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies.Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat’s office said investigators are working to trace the origin of the threats after the names of grand jury members and other personal information were posted online. The sheriff’s office said other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies were assisting. “We take this matter very seriously and are coordinating with our law enforcement partners to respond quickly to any credible threat and to ensure the safety of those individuals who carried out their civic duty,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.A Fulton County grand jury returned a 41-count indictment Monday charging Trump and 18 others with illegally conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.Though the grand jury proceedings were secret, the unredacted names of the grand jury memb...

Wilmette Public Library evacuated following bomb threat, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

WILMETTE, Ill. — The Wilmette Public Library has been evacuated following an apparant bomb threat that prompted the response of the area police department, village officials said. Wilmette Police was made aware of the bomb threat around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to a post by the Village of Wilmette. The building has since been safely cleared and the library will remain closed for the day. The Cook County explosives team is assisting the Wilmette Police in the search of the facility.Due to the ongoing investigation, Park Avenue from Wilmette Avenue to Central Avenue is closed. Locals are asked to avoid the area. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThis is a developing story. Check back with WGN News for updates.

Man pleads guilty to hate crime at now-closed UpRising Bakery and Café: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

MCHENRY COUNTY, Ill. — An Alsip man has pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime at a Lake in the Hills bakery that was set to host a family-friendly drag brunch last summer.The Daily Herald reports Joseph Collins, 25, used a baseball bat to break the windows at UpRising Bakery and Café and spray painted anti-gay slurs on the building. The incident occurred the day before the bakery was scheduled to host the drag show.  Over 1,000 former Northwestern athletes defend athletics culture at school in letter Collins was sentenced to six months in jail, two years of probation, and 200 hours of public service. He was also ordered to pay $6,000 in fines, fees, and restitution. According to the newspaper, the bakery's former owner, Corinna Bendel-Sac, said Collins' actions were "heinous" and caused "irreversible damages to my business" during Wednesday's sentencing.Collins was charged with felony criminal damage to property and felony hate crimes. Bendel-Sac said sales dropped and the bus...

Man charged after allegedly writing checks from Naperville Boy Scout troop to himself

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — A man is facing a felony theft charge after Naperville police said he wrote checks from a Boy Scout Troop to himself.John Miller, 59, of Aurora, was arrested Tuesday and charged with one felony count of theft, a Class 2 Felony, according to a news release from the Naperville Police Department. 9-year-old bicyclist seriously injured after being struck by truck in Aurora From May 2021 through November 2022, Naperville police said Miller allegedly deposited $21,838 of funds from the troop into his personal bank account.Police said Miller was the troop's treasurer.Naperville police were notified of thousands of dollars missing from the troop's account in February.

Former Illinois family services employee, 14 others charged in $3.2M fraud scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

CHICAGO — A former Illinois Department of Children and Family Services social worker and 14 others have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $3.2 million in state funds intended for childcare services.Shauntele Pridgeon, 54, of Chicago, allegedly orchestrated the fraud scheme from 2016 to 2022 while serving as a Community Social Service Planner for the Department of Children Family Services (DCFS) in Chicago.According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Pridgeon fraudulently entered the information of several of her co-defendants into the DCFS computer system and approved them to be paid as providers caring for foster children, the indictment states. Man charged after allegedly writing checks from Naperville Boy Scout troop to himself Pridgeon directed at least $3.2 million in State of Illinois funds to the co-defendants and others, each of whom agreed to receive the money even though they knew that no foster children were actu...