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Minnesota town is believed to be the first to elect a Somali American as mayor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) — A suburban Minneapolis town became what is believed to be the first in the U.S. to elect a Somali American mayor when 27-year-old Nadia Mohamed was chosen to lead St. Louis Park, Minnesota.“This is a milestone. This is not the destination,” Mohamed told supporters after the results came in Tuesday. “As mayor, I want to ensure people see themselves reflected in our policies.”Mohamed won handily over retired banker Dale A. Anderson, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. She had served on the City Council since she was elected at age 23 in 2019.Deqa Dhalac of South Portland, Maine, was the first Somali American to serve as mayor of an American city, but she was selected by that city’s six-member council in 2021, not elected by the voters.Mohamed campaigned in support of investing in community policing and programs to make homeownership more affordable. Mayor Jake Spano did not seek re-election, and he endorsed Mohamed.Mohamed spoke Tuesday night about her ...

Winnipeg woman sues Tim Hortons alleging cream in tea led to hospitalization

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg woman is suing Tim Hortons alleging a staff mistake that added cream instead of almond milk to her tea led to a severe allergic reaction and stopped her heart for several minutes. The lawsuit for Gabrielle Lien Ho, 25, was filed last week against the popular coffee and food chain, along with Restaurant Brands International, which is the company that owns Tim Hortons, and the operator of the franchised Winnipeg location that Ho visited.The statement of claim alleges the defendants failed to properly train employees on how to handle drink requests that require modifications or substitutions. The document also alleges Tim Hortons failed to advise Ho of the risks of ordering through the app and staff at the location failed to properly check the order.It says Ho’s injuries were the result of cream being added to her tea instead of almond milk.None of the claims have been proven in court and none of the companies have filed statements of defence.An email from T...

Tickets to 2024 NHL All-Star Fan Fair in Toronto on sale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

The best players in the NHL will take over Toronto when the 2024 NHL All-Star Game is played in Toronto next February. On Tuesday, the league announced the four-day hockey fan festival that will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building from February 1 to February 4.The 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair will have interactive hockey games for fans of all ages and fans can expect special appearances by NHL Alumni and current NHL players. Throughout the festival, there will be NHL memorabilia and trophies on display including the chance to take a photo with the Stanley Cup.If you miss out on getting a ticket to the All-Star Skills competition, there will be official watch parties.Individual tickets for each day of the 2024 Hyundai NHL Fan Fair are available for purchase at NHL.com/FanFair.The last time Toronto hosted the All-Star game was in 2000.

Partial reopening of Highway 3 near Keremeos, B.C., after slide forced evacuations

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

KEREMEOS, B.C. — Crews have partially reopened a major highway through southern British Columbia as they deal with a rock slide that blocked the route west of Keremeos on Sunday.A geotechnical survey was done Tuesday and DriveBC, the province’s online traveller information system, says Highway 3 between Keremeos and Hedley opened to single lane traffic in each direction by late afternoon.The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says it has lifted the local state of emergency declared shortly after boulders crashed down on the section of highway about 300 kilometres east of Vancouver.The evacuation order has also been ended for the two properties, including an RV park, along the strip of land between Highway 3 and the Similkameen River.FortisBC, which provides electricity in the region, says power is restored to 114 customers in the rural area, but the Telus website says internet, home phone and 911 landline links are among the telecommunication systems still knocked out b...

Moderate 5.3 magnitude earthquake recorded in sparsely populated western Texas county

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

MENTONE, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey reports a 5.3 magnitude earthquake was recorded Wednesday in a sparsely populated and remote county in western Texas.The USGS reports the earthquake struck in Loving County shortly before 4:30 a.m. about 23 miles (37 kilometers) southwest of the unincorporated town of Mentone, about 405 miles (652 kilometers) west of Dallas.A 5.3 magnitude earthquake is considered a moderate temblor that can damage buildings, according to the USGS, however no damage or injury has been reported. A message left with the county sheriff’s office Wednesday morning was not immediately returned.The U.S. Census Bureau reports Loving County, one of the least populated counties in the U.S., had an estimated population of 51 in 2022 and Mentone has a population of about 10.Reports to the USGS said the earthquake was felt as far away as Ferris, Texas, near Dallas, and 437 miles (703 kilometers) east of Mentone.The earthquake was followed by three other quakes, th...

Russia seeks an 8-year prison term for an artist and musician who protested the war in Ukraine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian authorities on Wednesday demanded an eight-year prison term for an artist and musician who was jailed after speaking out against Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Sasha Skochilenko was arrested in her native St. Petersburg in April 2022, on charges of spreading false information about the military after replacing supermarket price tags with antiwar slogans decrying the invasion. Her arrest took place about a month after authorities adopted a law effectively criminalizing any public expression about the war in Ukraine that deviates from the Kremlin’s official line. The legislation has been used in a widespread crackdown on opposition politicians, human rights activists and ordinary Russians critical of the Kremlin, with many receiving lengthy prison terms. Skochilenko is on trial, and the prosecution delivered closing arguments Wednesday, asking the court to convict her and sentence her to eight years in prison. Independent Russian news site Mediazo...

17-year-old wanted in connection with murder of security guard at Pickering casino

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

Durham police are on the hunt for a teen in connection with the shooting death of a security guard at a Pickering casino last month.In an update into the investigation on Wednesday morning, investigators say a 17-year-old is wanted for second-degree murder in the fatal shooting at Pickering Casino Resort on Oct. 9.Officers were called to the entertainment complex in the early morning hours for reports of shots being fired. A man was found at the scene with a life-threatening gunshot wound and was later pronounced dead in hospital.The victim was identified as 34-year-old Michael Ferdinand, who was a security guard at the resort. Investigators said he was fatally shot while working inside the casino.“He was senselessly shot and killed,” said Det. Sgt. Brad Corner during Wednesday’s update. “The motive for the attack is still under investigation, it doesn’t appear at this point to be a planned attack.”Police have identified 17-year-old Tyjae Nosworth...

Giant screen installed as construction on Navy Pier flying attraction continues

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

CHICAGO — We have an update on the new attraction being built at Navy Pier in the space of the former IMAX theater.In April, crews began to gut the space to make way for FlyOver Chicago, a flying attraction that will take you on a journey through Chicago using a giant spherical movie screen. It's similar to the ride Soarin’ at Epcot at Walt Disney World. Previous Coverage: FlyOver Chicago immersive flying attraction coming to Navy Pier On Tuesday, WGN News crews were able to see an update. The large screen has been installed and all of the ride vehicles are installed as well.There are three levels of the ride.We were able to speak with flyover Chicago’s general manager Derek Poitras about where they are in the construction process and what the ride will be like when it opens. Up Next: Six Flags Great America closing two attractions, preparing for ‘future expansion’ He said they are about 90 percent finished with shooting the movie that will be shown during the ride. He also said...

Cherelle Parker becomes 1st woman elected as Philadelphia mayor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

(The Hill) – Former City Council member Cherelle Parker is set to become the first female mayor in Philadelphia's history, the Decision Desk HQ projected Tuesday night. Parker was running against Republican David Oh, another former City Council member, in the reliably Democratic city to become its 100th mayor, succeeding term-limited incumbent Mayor Jim Kenney (D). Parker will also become Philadelphia’s fourth Black mayor. Philadelphians have not elected a Republican mayor since the late 1940s.  5 takeaways from a winning election night for Democrats Parker made it through a competitive Democratic primary in May against several other notable Democrats. She ran during the primary and general election as a moderate candidate, focusing much of her candidacy on addressing crime and education. Parker has called for increasing funding and hiring more officers for the city’s police department and promoting a “constitut...

Kristin Chenoweth talks career, holidays on WGN Morning News

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:31 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the more versatile actresses was back on WGN Morning News Wednesday after a busy fall and a very full holiday season ahead. Kristin Chenoweth, who has multiple credits on stage and screen, talked with Dean Richards about a number of topics on her career during an appearance on behalf of the Command brand this holiday season. She talked with Dean Richards about a number of topics in her career and life, including her recent marriage, the 20th anniversary of "Wicked," along with her plans for the holidays during the segment. You can watch her full interview with Dean in this edition of the "A-List Interview" from the November 8 WGN Morning News in the video above.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!