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WestJet cancels 100-plus flights as pilot strike looms and customers scramble

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

MONTREAL — WestJet cancelled more than 100 flights on Thursday after talks with the pilots’ union hit a “critical impasse,” throwing travel plans into turmoil for thousands of passengers ahead of the May long weekend.Some 1,800 pilots at the carrier and its Swoop subsidiary are poised to walk off the job as of 3 a.m. MT after the Air Line Pilots Association served a strike notice Monday.WestJet issued a statement early Thursday saying negotiations were stuck “in a stalemate.”“We remain at a critical impasse with the union and have been left with no choice but to begin taking the painful steps of preparing for the reality of a work stoppage,” CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a release.Would-be travellers voiced their frustration on social media Thursday, with some saying they’d been stuck on the customer service line for hours and others posting screenshots of problems with refund processing.Raahina Somani found herself marooned in Calgary on her way back to Vanco...

Crews work to reach Italian towns isolated by floods as toll rises to 13 and cleanup begins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

FAENZA, Italy (AP) — Rescue crews worked Thursday to reach towns and villages in northern Italy still isolated by heavy rains and flooding, as the death toll rose to 13 and authorities began mapping out cleanup and reconstruction plans.The extreme weather behind this week’s disaster — a prolonged drought punctuated by 36 hours of intense rainfall, two weeks after another downpour — led to two dozen rivers and tributaries bursting their banks. The force of water sent torrents of mud tearing through entire towns in Emilia-Romagna, flooding storefronts and basements.Local mayors warned that some remote villages were still completely cut off because landslides had made roads impassable and phone service remained severed. That has prevented rescue teams from reaching residents and authorities from understanding the full scope of their needs, said Mercato Seraceno Mayor Monica Rossi. “If it rains any more, the situation will be tragic,” Rossi warned on Sky TG24, standing on a road w...

Group plans to put legalization of medical marijuana on Nebraska ballot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

A group led by a Nebraska state lawmaker plans to again try to put the question of legalizing medical marijuana before state voters in November 2024. It will be the third time Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana launch a petition effort after two previous efforts failed.In 2020, the group came close to placing the issue on the general election ballot after meeting signature requirements. But opponents led by Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner sued, arguing that it violated state rules requiring ballot measures to focus on a single question. Instead, they argued, the measure posed two separate questions: whether residents should have the right to use marijuana for medical purposes, and whether private companies should be allowed to grow and sell it. The state Supreme Court sided with the effort’s opponents and prevented it from going to voters.Last year, with only months to gather the roughly 87,000 signatures needed from registered voters, organizers failed to collect enough v...

Illinoisans with unclaimed tax refunds owed more than $1,000 on average by the IRS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

(STACKER) — You wouldn't think that anyone would forget to collect a tax refund, but it happens. Typically, taxpayers have three years to file and claim their tax returns. However, because the 2020 tax season coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the filing deadline for 2019 earnings has been extended until July 17, 2023. Anyone with unclaimed tax refund money from their 2019 earnings stands to lose this cash if they don't file their return by this fast-approaching date.MoneyGeek analyzed 2019 unclaimed tax refund data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and estimated the average amount of unclaimed tax cash per affected resident in every state. We found that while the average resident in some states could gain more from filing their taxes, Americans across the board are sitting on significant refunds.KEY FINDINGS:There's still $1.5 billion in total unclaimed tax refunds for 2019 earnings — that's an average of $1,006 per eligible individual.Six of the 10 states...

Father found Naperville Snapchat predator hiding in daughter's closet, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A Naperville man, accused of using Snapchat to arrange a sexual encounter with a 13-year-old Rockford girl, appeared in court on Friday.Junsuk Park was charged with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse last August. Park, 39, allegedly met the victim through Snapchat, identifying himself as "James," a supposedly 16-year-old from Elgin. Park reportedly messaged the victim about sneaking into her house and performing sexual acts, according to court documents. Feds: Rockford child pornographer tried to purchase an infant According to court records, police were summoned to the victim's home in the early morning hours of August 1st, 2022. The victim's father told responding officers that Park had entered the house through the victim's bedroom window and he had found him hiding in her bedroom closet. The girl's father told police that Park left prior to their arrival, but a Toyota Prius that was registered to Park was found parked in the driveway, court...

Family, police looking for missing veteran who left Summit shelter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

SUMMIT, Ill. — Family and authorities are looking for a missing veteran with dementia who left a shelter in Summit on Monday.James Bonney was last seen at the shelter BEDS Plus, located in the 7600 block of 63rd Street in Summit, at around 10 a.m.He left with bus cards and McDonald's gift cards. Family, who lives in Chicago, believes he took the 63rd Street bus into the city.Bonney, 71, was last seen wearing a blue jean jacket, blue or black slacks and a cap on his head, family said."He is a loving person," his daughter told WGN News. "His 30 grandkids are all waiting to hear from him."Bonney, who has early onset dementia, is 5'7" and weighs 150 lbs. Family said he will respond to James or Jimmy.Anyone who sees him can call 911 or Summit police at 708-563-4830.

Changes coming to high school basketball rules next school year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recently announced some changes to free throws and fouls for the upcoming school year.Beginning next year, high school basketball teams will shoot two free throws once the foul bonus has been reached. The bonus qualifications will also be changing. A bonus is reached when a team commits five fouls in each quarter. Team fouls will reset each quarter as well.Previously, teams would be given a "one-and-one" bonus when the opposite team reached seven fouls in a half and two foul shots when ten fouls were reached each half. A "one-and-one" foul shot is when the first free throw is a live ball if missed and a second free throw is given if the first shot is made. 11 teams have never won the NBA Finals: Could that change this year? The NFHS said these changes will make the game flow better and reduce the risks of injuries in rebounding situations. "The rules committee studied data that showed high...

Gophers women’s golf: A focus on fun has Simley grad Isabella McCauley competing for NCAA title

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

There is one major adjustment for golfers to adapt to at the college level, and that is the sheer number of events. The Gophers women’s golf team, for instance, played four tournaments in just more than a month’s time in the fall.This spring, the NCAA Championships, which begin Friday at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., will mark Isabella McCauley’s eighth tournament in less than three months.The packed schedule was an adjustment for the U freshman. In junior golf, McCauley would play some in the summer, but there were only a few events on which she would zero in. But in college, the events come hot and heavy, one after the other.The cadence made it nearly impossible for McCauley to stay in her own personal tournament mode of the past day in and day out through all the travel and 36-hole days of competition. So early this spring, after a fall season during which she fell short of her personal expectations, the Simley High School grad made the decision to simply let go.“The m...

NCAA softball: As long as Gophers have pitching ace Autumn Pease, they know they have a chance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

Gophers pitching ace Autumn Pease is always quick to credit her teammates. Asked earlier this week about being named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, following in footsteps of program legends Sara Groenwegen and Amber Fiser before her, Pease immediately mentioned the defense behind her.The only issue with that assessment from Pease? She tends to make life pretty easy for everyone else around her.“I joke around that when I play behind here in center field I’m like, ‘Good pitch Autumn,’ ” centerfielder Natalie DenHartog said. “Then I’ll take another step and I’m like, ‘OK, good job. I’ve got it if they hit it to me.’ ”“It’s honestly amazing,” catcher Taylor Krapf said. “She just makes the hitters look silly when she’s on her game. She’s so confident in herself. It’s cool to catch someone who has as much confidence as she does.”That confidence is something the Gophers sof...

Minnesota Aurora looks to build on wildly successful debut season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:41 GMT

After one year, the “Aurora Way” has essentially become an avenue of excellence.Minnesota Aurora FC, the amateur women’s soccer club in Eagan, had huge responses in the amount of community ownership and fund raising to soar off the ground in 2022. Attendance for matches topped some professional women’s clubs, while on the field, the new team had a near-perfect season.Nicole Lukic, the club’s second-year head coach and sporting director, defined the “Aurora Way” in a soccer sense.“Very attacking-minded, fun, we want to score as many goals as possible,” Lukic said during the club’s media day in early May. “… We might give up a few goals here and there, but we’re confident that our way — we’re just going to keep scoring goals. … That’s what makes soccer fun. That’s what brings people in here. They want to see the players celebrating.”Aurora’s second season in the USL W League begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Rochester (Minn.) FC at the Vikings’ TCO Stadium in ...