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Crime prevention a major priority for small businesses in downtown Toronto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

Crime reduction is the number one priority for small businesses here in Toronto, according to a survey that comes just days before the new mayor is elected.Yonge and Dundas is one neighbourhood grappling with some of those complex issues.Stone Harryman runs a computer repair shop on Dundas Street, just east of Yonge Street. His door is no longer open for business.“I keep my door locked out of safety. I’m mostly appointment only at this point,” explained Harryman. “A lot of stores are sort of doing that now.When asked if he felt that way before the COVID-19 pandemic,  he said no. “It’s night and day.”Up and down the heart of the city, stores are decorated with signs related to this. One reads “Acts of aggression and violence will not tolerated.”Many no longer have open washrooms. A nearby Tim Hortons has removed all indoor dining tables and another business near the busy Yonge and Dundas intersection is now asking customers to knock aft...

'Kindness and compassion': Suburban man passes away after 10-year ALS battle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — A suburban man who fought to raise awareness and improve communication skills for ALS patients died Sunday following a 10-year battle with the horrible disease.Eric von Schaumberg, 39, of Hoffman Estates, lived life to the fullest.In 2013, his brother Josh told WGN News Eric started noticing slurred speech and other issues, prompting doctor visits. After every other possibility was tested, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.Eric and his familyIn ALS, nerve cells break down which causes muscle deterioration all over the body. There is no cure and patients typically die two to five years after diagnosis.Eric lived over 10 years with the disease, something his brother attributes to his lifelong grit and positive spirit."He had a love for life, would say 'I'm going to beat this thing," his brother told WGN News. "Doctors talk about having that state of mind does help patients. He lived with my parents for...

Naperville police officer charged after running license plate for personal reasons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — A Naperville Police Department officer was arrested Thursday after he allegedly ran a license plate for personal reasons, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.Anthony Cimilluca, 48, turned himself in Thursday afternoon after he was charged with Official Misconduct, a Class 3 Felony, according to a news release. Neuqua Valley High School employee arrested after allegedly making personal purchases on district card According to the release, on Feb. 14, Cimilluca allegedly used the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, known as LEADS, to run a license plate in violation of the LEADS administrative code.“While the allegations against Mr. Cimilluca are very serious, I would like to stress that these allegations are in no way indicative of the outstanding work of the men and women in the Naperville Police Department,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “The Naperville Police Department is one of the finest police depar...

Internet troll possibly behind Nicki Minaj Hidden Hills petition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect new information about the source of the online petition.(KTLA) – An online petition calling for Nicki Minaj to leave her Hidden Hills residence may have been orchestrated by an internet troll and not a concerned neighbor. It appears the petition was started by a fan of rapper Cardi B and appears to be unaffiliated with both women personally. TMZ found that the Twitter account CleverlyCardi2 mentioned starting the petition in a tweet dated December 2022, the same month Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty moved in. They paid a whopping $19.5 million for the property, according to TMZ.The petition was started in December by a person named Beverly Bardan, in a tweet the user admitted to using the alias. "Garbz are so slow Beverly Bardan… cleverly cardi… I had to make it sound familiar to my Twitter user while sounding like a real name," the tweet read from the user in December.The user also admitted to starting the petition. "We, as...

Meta to follow through on Facebook, Instagram block in Canada after payment bill advances

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

(The Hill) – Canadians will no longer be able to share news content on Facebook and Instagram after its legislature passed a law requiring the social media platforms to pay news outlets to share their stories.Meta, the parent company of the platforms, announced on Thursday that it would follow through on plans to block the platforms.“We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply with Bill C-18, passed today in Parliament, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada,” Meta leaders said in a statement reviewed by The Washington Post.The Online News Act is part of a package of measures by the Canadian government to rein in American tech giants. Legacy media outlets have praised the bill, saying it takes away the dominance of Big Tech, such as Meta and Google, in the news distribution industry. The tech companies are not required to comply with the new law for six months.The Canad...

Child dies after being left at home while mom goes on vacation, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

CLEVELAND (WJW) — A Cleveland mother is facing a murder charge in the death of her 16-month-old child, whom the woman reportedly left home alone while taking a vacation.Homicide detectives have charged Kristel Candelario. Memes, jokes about Titan submersible draw criticism over insensitivity A court complaint says she admitted she went on vacation to Puerto Rico and Detroit, and she left her daughter alone and unattended.The complaint says the mother was gone from June 8 to June 16, and on June 16, she found her daughter unresponsive.The child died at a home on West 97th Street. 19-year-old passenger on Titan submersible was ‘terrified’ to go, family member says Police say a preliminary investigation revealed the child was extremely dehydrated.Prosecutors sought a high bond for Candelario, and it was set at $1 million during her arraignment Tuesday, Cleveland Municipal Court records show. Candelario is due back in court for a pre-trial on Wednesday, June 28.

Texas businessman at center of AG Ken Paxton's impeachment pleads not guilty to federal charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas real estate developer at the center of Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment has pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements to banks that loaned him more than $170 million.Nate Paul waived his scheduled arraignment before a U.S. district judge in Austin, according to court documents posted Friday.Paul figures heavily in 20 articles of impeachment filed against Texas' top law enforcement officer. Paxton is accused of abusing his power and bribery in order to help Paul, who gave the Republican a $25,000 campaign donation in 2018.There is no reference to Paxton in Paul’s indictment, which accuses the developer of making false statements to multiple banks in 2017 and 2018. But one of the banks later received a subpoena, issued in person, by an attorney Paxton hired as an “outside independent prosecutor” to pursue complaints Paul made after the FBI raided the businessman's offices.Paxton has denied wrongdoing and his impeachment trial is set...

Texas legislature passes several bills to increase film production in the state

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas legislature passed several bills this legislative session to incentivize more film, television and commercial production in the state. During the session, Texas lawmakers introduced a record-breaking 19 bills aimed at incentivizing film production in a variety of ways. Though not all passed, the Texas Motion Picture Alliance – an entity for film, TV, commercial, video game and digital media production industries – said what did make it through was a win for the industry. “We ended up with an amazing historic session,” said Mindy Raymond, communications director for TXMPA. “We are beyond happy with the outcome,” she continued. Perhaps most notably, the legislature approved a $200 million budget for Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program – an entity designed to build the economy through the moving image industry – which is a 400% increase from what it received last session. Raymond said this money, in turn, will pump $1 billion back into the ...

Infowars 'War Room' host Owen Shroyer pleads guilty to entering restricted area during Capitol riot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Infowars host Owen Shroyer, who promoted baseless claims of 2020 election fraud on the far-right internet platform, pleaded guilty on Friday to joining the mob of Donald Trump supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol.Shroyer, who didn’t enter the Capitol but led rioters in chants near the top of the building's steps, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of illegally entering a restricted area. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year behind bars.U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly scheduled a Sept. 12 sentencing hearing for the 33-year-old Shroyer, who has hosted a daily show called “The War Room With Owen Shroyer” for the website operated by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.Outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Shroyer stood in front of a crowd with a megaphone and yelled that Democrats are “tyrants.”"And so today, on January 6, we declare death to tyranny! Death to tyrants!" he shouted.Near the top of steps on the Capitol’s east side, Shroyer, who’s from A...

3rd teen charged with aiding and abetting murder in North St. Paul shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:54:52 GMT

A third person has been charged with aiding and abetting murder in the fatal shooting of a man in North St. Paul and his bail was set at $10 million Friday.Octavion Rayshawn Jones, 19, had nine warrants in other cases when he was arrested in the homicide, which is why the Ramsey County attorney’s office requested the high bail amount.Anthony R. Rojas, 24, was found fatally shot in an apartment in the 2100 block of North McKnight Road on Monday night. Responding officers discovered two open and empty gun safes and a 3D printer in the apartment. It appeared Rojas was using the printer to create lower receivers for handguns, according to criminal complaints in the homicide.Octavion Rayshawn Jones (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)A confidential informant told law enforcement that a person with the nickname “23” and “Octavion” “were just supposed to rob the guy of the ghost guns, but 23 shot him instead,” the complaints said. Ghost...