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Family remembers Alberta pilot who died fighting wildfire as big man with big heart

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

WHITECOURT, Alta. — A pilot whose helicopter crashed while he was fighting a forest fire in northern Alberta is being remembered as a big man with a big heart. “He travelled and made an impact wherever he went,” Ryan Gould’s family said in a statement Friday shared by family friend Kassy Goodyer. Gould was a skilled pilot, with family roots in aviation.  On Wednesday, Gould’s helicopter crashed near Haig Lake, 140 kilometres northeast of Peace River, Alta. The 41-year-old was flying the helicopter alone.His death was the third in recent days involving wildfire-fighting efforts in Canada.Gould leaves behind his wife, Carlyn, and two young boys. The couple, who got married in 2009, had recently bought a farm — “a peaceful place to call home” — south of his hometown of Whitecourt, Alta., to set their roots after living in a few places in southern Alberta. Gould’s co-workers called him a “panda” for his big stature and kind heart. &#...

US pulls plug on authorization for lithium exploration next to a national wildlife refuge in Nevada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Federal land managers have formally withdrawn their authorization of a Canadian mining company’s lithium exploration project bordering a national wildlife refuge in southern Nevada after conservationists sought a court order to block it.The Center for Biological Diversity and the Amargosa Conservancy said in a lawsuit filed July 7 that the project on the edge of the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge outside Las Vegas posed an illegal risk to a dozen fish, snail and plant species currently protected under the Endangered Species Act.They filed an additional motion this week in federal court seeking a temporary injunction prohibiting Rover Metals from initiating the drilling of 30 bore sites in search of the highly sought-after metal used to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles.But before a judge in Las Vegas could rule on the request, the Bureau of Land Management notified Rover Metals on Wednesday that its earlier acceptance of the company’s notice of its ...

Former Liberal MPP Monte Kwinter dead at age 92

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

Former Liberal MPP Monte Kwinter has died at the age of 92. The longtime Liberal politician represented York Centre for more than three decades. When he left political office in 2018 he was the oldest MPP to ever serve at Queen’s Park at the age of 87. The Canadian Jewish News was among the first to report Kwinter’s passing and several of his friends and colleagues took to social media to express their condolences. “His lifetime of service to others is his legacy,” tweeted MPP Monte McNaughton, the current Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development in the Ford government. “I remember meeting Monte while he was an opposition MPP, when I served as a legislative page. Then I got to know him, and his kindness, while we both served as MPPs together.”“His legacy of service will long endure,” said Michael Levitt, the former Liberal MP for York Centre and current President and CEO of the Canadian regional office of the Fr...

Body of girl found in river believed to be that of 2-year-old lost in Pennsylvania flash flood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (AP) — The body of a young girl was recovered Friday in the Delaware River and was believed to be a 2-year-old who was one of two children swept away from their family’s vehicle by a flash flood last weekend, authorities said.The body was found in the early evening near a Philadelphia wastewater treatment plant about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from where Matilda Sheils was carried away, authorities said in a nighttime news conference. By physical description, authorities believe the body to be Matilda’s. The Philadelphia coroner will conduct an autopsy Saturday. The search continues for Matilda’s 9-month-old brother, Conrad.The family from Charleston, South Carolina, was visiting relatives and friends when they got hit by a “wall of water,” according to Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer.Their mother, 32-year-old Katie Seley, was also killed in the flood, authorities said. The children’s father, Jim Sheils, grabbed the couple’s 4-year-old son, w...

1 critical after being pulled from water at North Avenue Beach in Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

CHICAGO — A person is in critical condition after being pulled from the water Friday night at North Avenue Beach in Chicago.According to the Chicago Fire Department, the person was rescued from the water around 9 p.m. FBI looking for 2 people who robbed bank in Addison Chicago Fire Department personnel began CPR and took the person to Northwest Medical Center in critical condition.Additional details haven't been released at this time.

Paul Lisnek on Trump trial date, Jan. 6 target letter and SAFE-T Act

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

CHICAGO — WGN Political Analyst Paul Lisnek joined WGN Evening News to discuss several big stories from the week.The topics include the latest on former President Donald Trump, his Jan. 6 investigation target letter, the SAFE-T Act and more.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesWatch this story in the player above.

Chicago continues to dodge the extreme heat which continues to plague virtually the entire southern U.S. from California to Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

Daytime heating to produce 40% coverage gusty t-storms under the "NW" upper flow Sat & Sun; heat & humidity due next weekPhoenix logged a record 22nd day with high temperatures above 110 and is on track to log 100 degrees or hotter high temperatures the remainder of JulyAdd to Phoenix, Arizona’s weather woes, as it moves into its 22nd consecutive day with a high of 110 degrees or higher predictedAnd, the very real prospect that every day the remainder of July, 2023 will see temperatures over 100 degreesThe fact: the 2023 monsoon has been a “no show” to date, and hot pavement (up to 185 degrees) has produced severe burns in 85 people and the heat related death toll has reached 257 according to the financial timesThe following post by the Financial Times John Burn Murdoch (https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch) this morning underscores just one of the impacts of the horrendous heat which is baking the Phoenix, AZ—a city of 1.65-million:“NEW: 85 people in Arizona suffered severe bur...

Lampasas man pleads guilty to 2021 double homicide, will spend life in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

BURNET COUNTY, Texas -- A Lampasas man pleaded guilty in connection to a 2021 double homicide in Burnet County, and he will spend the rest of his life in prison without parole, according to court documents. Man arrested after 2 found dead at Burnet County home In September 2021, Burnet County Sheriff's Office deputies found a 39-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man dead at a home in the Overlook subdivision. James Joseph Luckenbach, 33 at the time of the incident, had been previously charged with capital murder of multiple persons, according to the BCSO.

Water restrictions rolled back for some, not all in Georgetown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — After water supply issues, high demand, and infrastructure interruptions last week, the City of Georgetown has loosened water restrictions for some. Those left in Stage 3 restrictions are still regulated to hand-watering only outdoors.This week, the city announced that residents west of D.B. Wood Road and southwest of Williams Drive will remain in Stage 3 restrictions through Sept. 4.According to the city's update FAQ on the restrictions, customers not in the affected area have returned to Stage 2 restrictions. Those allow watering one day a week.The FAQ goes on to list that water customers still in Stage 3 restrictions include:Southwest of Williams DriveWest of D.B. Wood RoadWest of SW BypassParksideSanta RitaLiberty Hill ETJParmer RanchWater OakIn a statement, Mayor Josh Schroeder said the heat is playing a major factor in keeping these restrictions in place.“We know Georgetown water customers take pride in their homes, and not being allowed to water our...

Fire near Jarrell drops to 286 acres, 90% contained

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:56 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Officials are responding to a large grass fire between Georgetown and Jarrell in Williamson County. The Texas A&M Forest Service is helping respond to the fire, named the Cobb Creek Fire, and estimates the fire is about 286 acres and is 90% contained as of 9 p.m. Friday.The forest service initially estimated the fire to be about 100 acres on Wednesday but said in an updated tweet Thursday morning that it was an estimated 500 acres. The service said the increase in acreage is a result of more accurate mapping. On Thursday afternoon, the forest service said crews built a containment line "closer to the fire's edge," dropping the estimated size of the fire to 300 acres. "Aviation and ground crews are making good progress," the Texas A&M Forest Service wrote on social media.The grass fire started Wednesday afternoon at 1001 Cobb Creek Road shortly after 4:30 p.m., according to a news release from Williamson County. Shortly before 9 p.m., Willia...