Toronto approves several new bike lanes as some mayoral candidates vow to stop installation

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Toronto approves several new bike lanes as some mayoral candidates vow to stop installation Toronto city council has approved several kilometres of new bike lanes despite a number of mayoral candidates saying they would stop the installation if elected.The plan approved on Wednesday includes the installation of close to 8.6 kilometres of new bikeways, including along a stretch of Bloor Street West from Runnymede Road to just east of Kipling Avenue.Ex-Toronto police chief and mayoral candidate Mark Saunders has pledge to deprioritize the Bloor Street West bike lane expansion if he were to be elected. Saunders has also said he would remove bike lanes on University Avenue, reverse the decision to make the Yonge Street bike lanes permanent, and immediately suspend all bike lane expansions.Former MP Olivia Chow remains the frontrunner in the race for mayor with less than two weeks to go until the byelection. Chow, an avid cyclist herself, has said bike lanes are a vital addition to the city’s transportation network.Coun. Stephen Holyday argues that many residents in the w...

Donor nations scramble to find billions of dollars of funding for Syrian aid

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Donor nations scramble to find billions of dollars of funding for Syrian aid BRUSSELS (AP) — Donor nations from across the globe were scrambling Thursday to find billions of dollars to extend their aid commitment to millions of Syrians who have been battered by hunger, poverty, civil war and a massive earthquake. Amid pressing needs across the globe from Ukraine to Sudan, the annual donor conference hosted by the European Union in Brussels has even more political overtones as Syrian President Bashar Assad is slowly carving his way back from being an international pariah to the regional mainstream. Finding hard cash, though, remains key. “My appeal is simple: Help us help the Syrian people. We are asking for $11.1 billion, our largest appeal worldwide,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres said. “We have no time to spare.” Funding from the conference will help provide aid to Syrians in the war-torn country and to some 5.7 million Syrian refugees living in neighboring countries, particularly Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.But for nations hit by economic difficu...

SIU investigating after man critically injured in apparent fall at downtown hotel

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

SIU investigating after man critically injured in apparent fall at downtown hotel The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating after a man was sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries following an interaction with police at downtown Toronto hotel.Officers were called to the Holiday Inn Express in the area of Jarvis and Richmond streets around 3 a.m. on Wednesday for reports of a person in crisis.Paramedics confirm a man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. A source tells CityNews the man sustained his injuries in an apparent fall.Photos from the scene show broken glass, pillows and other debris scattered on the street and sidewalk. A third floor window of the hotel appears to be smashed.The Special Investigations Unit is investigating after Toronto police responded to a call on Jarvis Street in downtown Toronto on June 15, 2023. CITYNEWS/Bertram DandyThere remains a large police presence in the area,Jarvis is closed in both directions from Richmond to Adelaide Street for the investigation.The SIU is called in to invest...

Landmark home built before Great Chicago Fire damaged in Austin blaze

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Landmark home built before Great Chicago Fire damaged in Austin blaze CHICAGO — Fire crews battled a fire at one of Chicago's oldest homes early Thursday morning. The fire started around 1 a.m. on the top floor of the Seth P. Warner House in the 600 block of North Central in the Austin neighborhood.The two people inside the home were able to make it out safely and no other injuries were reported. The 150-year-old home was damaged in the fire. The house was designated landmark status by the city last year. It was built in 1869 and is one of just a few homes still standing that predate the Great Chicago Fire. It is said to be the oldest home in the Austin neighborhood.The home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1992. ‘I had 6 surgeries’: Chicago teen, family speak out after hit-and-run incident near Midway Seth Warner was one of Chicago's earliest settlers. According to city documents, the home has been somewhat of a museum, a place for fine arts and music, as well as a home to several families.The current owners have lived...

2 men rob Walgreens store in West Ridge: Chicago Police

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

2 men rob Walgreens store in West Ridge: Chicago Police CHICAGO -- Police are searching for two men after a Walgreens store in West Ridge was robbed late Wednesday night.According to police, two men entered the store in the 3000 block of West Peterson Avenue around 10:52 p.m. and announced a robbery while displaying a weapon. Landmark home built before Great Chicago Fire damaged in blaze in Austin neighborhood Reports say the men took an unknown amount of money from the register before fleeing.There were no injuries and there is currently no one in custody. Police are investigating the incident.

Thursday Forecast: Temps in low 80s, hazy

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Thursday Forecast: Temps in low 80s, hazy Thursday: Mostly cloudy, 20% thunderstorms, temp crash, NNE 10-15 G25. High: 81, Low: 76Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, NNE 10-15 G20. Low: 53Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Friday: Morning clouds, afternoon sun, NE 5-10 G15. High: 72, Low: 67wgntv.com/weather

'I’ve cried because of frustration,' Austin’s MetroAccess riders say service is repeatedly late

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

'I’ve cried because of frustration,' Austin’s MetroAccess riders say service is repeatedly late AUSTIN (KXAN) --- In the lobby of Sanchez Elementary School, Rebecca Ramirez waits on the MetroAccess bus to pick her up from work.Ramirez has used the paratransit service for people with mobility disabilities since 2019 when she began using a wheelchair.She says from the start – the service has been unreliable for her. For years, she describes often being left stranded with no other option but to wait.“I’ve cried because of frustration,” Ramirez said. Rebecca Ramirez gets on the MetroAccess bus after work. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) CapMetro said its MetroAccess service has provided over 2 million rides since 2019. The agency said its complaint record is below 1%.Records KXAN obtained show more than 900 complaints from 2019 to the start of 2023 from riders who said the paratransit bus shows up late repeatedly. Other riders said that even when they are picked up within their scheduled window, they spend hours in the vehicle and ultimately a...

Trump faces court dates, legal deadlines from summer into primary season

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Trump faces court dates, legal deadlines from summer into primary season As former President Trump campaigns to return to the White House, he also is set to defend himself in a slew of legal battles that may unfold in courtrooms from New York to Washington, D.C., to Florida.The Justice Department’s (DOJ) recent indictment of Trump for his handling of classified documents has only added to his legal woes.Trump and his legal team are already juggling two indictments and civil cases with filing deadlines or court dates stretching through the summer into the heart of 2024 campaign season. Two other criminal investigations could bring more charges.Here’s a look at Trump’s major legal battles going forward.Federal classified document criminal caseOn Tuesday in Miami, Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 federal criminal charges that he allegedly held onto classified national security documents after his term in the White House and resisted attempts by the government to recover the materials.The charges, which include 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act, follow ...

Troy man pleads guilty in storage unit burglary case

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

Troy man pleads guilty in storage unit burglary case MALTA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Troy man pleaded guilty to burglary relating to a storage unit burglary that happened in February. Michael Fox, 37, was arrested in March following an investigation. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On February 14, New York State Police got a complaint about a storage unit in Malta that was broken into and had multiple items stolen. Through investigation, police identified Fox as a suspect and found he was one of a few that entered the storage facility without being authorized, broke the lock on the unit, and took items that weren’t his.Fox was later arrested on a warrant. He was taken from the Saratoga County Correctional Facility, where he was being held on unrelated matters, and processed at Saratoga State Police.According to the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office, Fox pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 26 at 10:30 a.m.

5 things to know this Thursday, June 15

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:19:54 GMT

5 things to know this Thursday, June 15 ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Friday eve! Per Meteorologist Jill Szwed, we're currently in between systems. We can expect more dry time before showers return on Friday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! An area contractor was arrested in connection to the death of one of his employees. Also, officials weighed in on the possibility of losing Rensselaer County's only Maternity unit. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Thursday morning. 1. Area contractor arrested in connection to employee deathThe Northville Village police have arrested an area construction contractor in connection with the death of one of his employees.2. Officials weigh in on the possibility of losing Rensselaer County’s only Maternity unitBoth healthcare and government officials are now weighing in on St. Peter’s Health Partner’s decision to shut down the labor and delivery unit at Samaritan Hospital in Troy. Because then ...