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B.C. secures largest civil forfeiture of its kind at $10 million

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says its civil forfeiture office has secured $10 million from a company that provided payment processing services for people found guilty or who are alleged to have been running scams against vulnerable seniors. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says the settlement agreement with PacNet Services Ltd. is the largest forfeiture in the history of the program that started in 2006. Under the settlement deal, there is “no admission or finding of unlawful activity on the part of PacNet” or its principals, while the company agrees to forfeit $10 million.Farnworth says in a statement that the forfeiture is “a clear message” that the province will “continue to take decisive action against suspected proceeds of unlawful activity.”The government statement says PacNet was a money-service business that was headquartered in B.C. but processed payments for clients around the world, including individuals who allegedly oper...

ACLU of Montana challenges law defining the word ‘sex’ in state code as only male or female

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The ACLU of Montana has filed a lawsuit challenging a law that defines the word “sex” throughout state code as either male or female, based on a person’s biology at birth. The plaintiffs argue the law denies legal recognition and protections to people who are gender non-conforming. The plaintiffs — a transgender man, a two spirit Native American, a nonbinary person, an intersex individual and a nurse practitioner — also moved for a summary judgement in Monday’s filing in state court in Missoula, asking for the law to be declared unconstitutional.Republican lawmakers who supported the bill “seem to think they can simply legislate away the diversity of Montana’s residents,” Akilah Deernose, the executive director of the ACLU of Montana, said in a statement. The sponsor of the legislation said it was needed to clarify from a legal standpoint that the words “sex” and “gender” aren’t interchangeable. That was in response to a ruling by a state...

Advocates urge Toronto to adjust criteria to open up warming centres

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

Advocates for those unhoused in Toronto are concerned after warming centres remained closed on Monday night as the temperature threshold of -5 C, despite the wind chill being below that.The current strategy, implemented on Nov. 15, is when temperatures reach -5 C, the city’s 170 spaces will be activated in four warming centres. The wind chill is not a factor which can lead to confusion.Diane Chan McNally, with the All Saints Community Centre, said the problem is the decision is made too early, and the city is not flexible.“When the city triggers the opening, they look at what the weather is going to be like at 7 a.m. in the morning. And then make a decision there. There’s no flexibility during the rest of the day or with changing weather conditions like we saw last night,” said McNally. She added that there is a real worry that people can be left stranded.“We know that people are going to be stranded outdoors in weather where they absolutely can die. Or...

Judge weighs whether to block removal of Confederate memorial at Arlington Cemetery

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge expressed strong misgivings Tuesday about extending a restraining order that is blocking Arlington National Cemetery from removing a century-old memorial there to Confederate soldiers.At a hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston said he issued the temporary injunction Monday after receiving an urgent phone call from the memorial’s supporters saying that gravesites adjacent to the memorial were being desecrated and disturbed as contractors began work to remove the memorial. He said he toured the site before Tuesday’s hearing and saw the site being treated respectfully. “I saw no desecration of any graves,” Alston said. “The grass wasn’t even disturbed.”While Alston gave strong indications he would lift the injunction, which expires Wednesday, he did not rule at the end of Tuesday’s hearing but said he would issue a written ruling as soon as he could. Cemetery officials have said...

Car crashes into building, catches fire in Northbrook

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — A driver was hospitalized after a fiery crash in Northbrook on Tuesday afternoon.According to authorities, the vehicle veered off the Edens Expressway, traveled down a ditch and crashed into a building in the 800 block of Skokie Boulevard.Authorities say after the vehicle crashed into the building, which houses "Lewis Floor & Home," it burst into flames. Woman found dead after apartment fire in Waukegan Fire crews were called to the scene and were able to extinguish the blaze, and officials say the driver was taken to a Highland Park hospital for treatment.Authorities have not identified the driver or offered details on the extent of their injuries.Currently, it is unclear what led up to the crash and officials say the building was not badly damaged in the fire.

Texas Poison Center Network reports 500% increase in calls related to 'weight loss drugs,' like Ozempic

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As some drugs containing semaglutide that can lead to weight loss — such as Ozempic and Wegovy — have increased in popularity, so have the number of calls to U.S. and Texas poison control centers. The Federal Drug Administration has approved three products that contain semaglutide. Among other things, these products are prescribed to lower blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 Diabetes and help people with obesity remove excess weight, the FDA said.While both Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide, the FDA has only approved Wegovy to help people ages 12 and over lose weight.“Since 2019, Texas poison centers have seen about a 500% increase in calls related to weight loss drugs like semaglutide,” said Lizbeth Petty, the public health education manager at the North Texas Poison Center.Up until Dec. 13, the Texas Poison Center Network had received 490 reports related to semaglutide thus far in 2023, compared to only 86 calls in 2019, Petty said. “In terms ...

Damp weather returns starting Wednesday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Clouds lower and thicken on Wednesday as a period of on-and-off wet weather returns through much of the holiday weekend.An upper-level storm system is moving southeastward along the California coast. This system is going to set up to our west and send waves of moisture and energy toward Texas, leading to periods of rainfall at times, especially later this week.A Pacific storm system will lead to wet weather locallyScattered mist, drizzle and light rain showers begin late Wednesday, then passing rain showers become more likely Thursday and Friday. Trail of Lights plans may be damp starting Wednesday evening, and are more likely to be impacted by rain Thursday and Friday.The timing of rainfall this weekend is difficult to pin down several days in the future, but overall, periods of wet weather are likely to continue at times Saturday and on Christmas Eve day.A cold front sweeps through the area early Christmas Day, clearing out the rain and dropping temperatures to se...

Lawsuit alleges new details in fatal Austin airport truck incident

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The family of a man who died after being hit by a fuel truck at Austin's airport is now suing the aviation company involved, according to court records obtained by KXAN.On Oct. 31, Aviation Department employee Michael Wills was hit by a truck near a service road that goes by the tarmac at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according the Austin Fire Department. In the lawsuit filed this week, Wills' family names the driver of the fuel truck in this incident and accuses his employer, Menzies Aviation, of negligence. Menzies provides ground-handling services such as fueling and cargo loading for commercial airlines, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit alleges the company failed to properly train and supervise their employees or contractors on the "safe use and operation of equipment." Background: Employee dies after being hit by fuel truck at Austin airport On the morning of the incident, the driver of a fuel truck owned by Menzies Aviation was waiting to re-fuel a p...

UPDATE: ERCOT misattributes cause of record-hot 2023, avoids mentioning climate change

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

Editor's note: This article has been updated with information from the ERCOT Board of Directors meeting held Tuesday, Dec. 19AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state's electric grid operator, released its winter outlook for power supply and demand ahead of a Board of Directors meeting held on Tuesday. Weather can heavily influence the power grid, as Texas experienced in the February 2021 freeze.In its 2023-2024 winter outlook, ERCOT mentions that it has been a record-warm year in Texas and worldwide (January through October). But climate scientists say that the factors ERCOT is attributing the record heat to are not true and echo talking points of those who deny climate change.We spoke with Dr. Andrew Dessler, professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University and Director of the Texas Center for Climate Studies, about ERCOT's claims and what is responsible for the heat.Claim No. 1: Hunga Tonga volcanic eruptionThe first thing ERCOT blames for...

Texas added more people than any other state in the past year, new census estimates show

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:26:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas' population increased more than any other state over the past year, new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show.As of July 1, 2023, an estimated 30,503,301 people reside in Texas, making the state second only to California, which has just under 39 million residents. New population estimates show which areas of Texas grew the most in 2022 The figures show Texas' population increased by an estimated 473,453 people since July 2022, or 1.58%.Florida's population grew by more than 365,000 over the past year, while North Carolina and Georgia each added more than 100,000 new residents.In total, 42 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in population, while eight states and Puerto Rico saw a decline in population.Most notably, New York lost more than 100,000 residents, while California's population fell by 75,000.When looking at percentage change, Texas is the third-fastest-growing state, with a population increase of 1.58% between 2022 and 2023.South...