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Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.But there may be some hope on the horizon, after the number of fires burning across the country fell overnight.The fires and the blankets of smoke affecting millions of Canadians prompted a debate in the House of Commons, during which members of Parliament expressed solidarity with the people affected and discuss the role climate change is playing in this year’s more-severe fire season.“Climate change is real and we are seeing and living its impact every day,” Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said during the debate.This, he said, is the worst fire season Canada has ever experienced and it has had devastating consequences.“People have lost everything,” he said.As debate continued over the motion brought forward by the Bloc Québécois, the air outside the Parliament B...

Liberals face growing calls to create LGBTQ envoy, modelled on Biden appointment

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The Liberals are facing mounting calls to appoint a senior diplomat to advocate for LGBTQ people abroad, including from within their cabinet.“Do we need an envoy? Do we want an envoy? Absolutely,” said Deputy Finance Minister Randy Boissonnault.“And they should be very focused overseas.”The Dignity Network, a coalition of Canadian groups that advocate for gender and sexual minorities abroad, says Ottawa should follow the Biden administration in creating a special envoy who can push for positive change.The woman who holds that role, Jessica Stern, says that if Canada follows suit, the envoy should focus on amplifying the work of grassroots groups in Canada and elsewhere, while speaking with clout from the country’s highest political office.“I have seniority to get things done. I have staff to support my agenda. I have access to the highest levels of the U.S. government,” Stern said in a Wednesday interview during a visit to Ottawa.&#...

How safe is the air? Here’s how to check and what the numbers mean

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — How can you check the air quality in your area and what do the numbers mean?The Environmental Protection Agency monitors the air around the country and compiles an air quality index, or AQI.Here’s what to know about the index and how to keep tabs on your area, especially in U.S. regions dealing with smoke from Canadian wildfires.WHAT DOES THE AIR QUALITY INDEX MEASURE?The index rates how clean or polluted the air is each day. The EPA uses this measure to keep tabs on five kinds of air pollutants. The main concern from the wildfire smoke is fine particle pollution, or PM2.5. These particles are tiny enough to get deep into the lungs. They can cause short-term problems like coughing and itchy eyes, and in the long run, can affect the lungs and heart.WHAT DO THE NUMBERS AND COLORS MEAN?The index runs from zero to 500. The higher the number, the worse the air quality. That range is broken down into six color-coded categories. Green or yellow — in the zero to 100 range — ...

Docs: Logan Square woman found nearly decapitated in duffle bag; boyfriend had cleaning supplies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man is being held without bail for the murder his girlfriend who was found nearly decapitated in a duffle bag in his Logan Square apartment, prosecutors said. Genesis Silva, 34, a registered sex offender, was charged in court Wednesday with one felony of concealing homicidal death and one misdemeanor count of obstructing a police officer in connection to the murder of Brittney Battaglia. Prosecutors stated on June 2, around 6:30 p.m., Battaglia told her roommate she was going to her boyfriend's (Silva) apartment, and then going to a party. Her apartment is a block away from Silva's.Police said her roommate tried to contact her brother Sunday, concerned about her whereabouts but was unsuccessful. Battaglia's brother learned that she never made it to the party and that she stopped sharing her location with him on June 1. Both Battaglia's roommate and brother filed a missing person's report on June 4. Brittany Battaglia (Photo/CPD)Police began to monitor the area su...

Father of 3 Kenwood Academy star athletes killed in South Side shooting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The father of the three Kenwood Academy star athletes was killed in a shooting Monday on the city's South Side.Kevin Laron Thunderbird, 36, was the victim of a shooting that happened around 11:45 p.m. in the 5100 block of South Dorchester. According to police, Thunderbird was walking when a vehicle approached and someone inside fired shots at him.Thunderbird returned fire but was shot in the stomach, police said.He was transported in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he later died. A handgun was recovered at the scene.No one is in custody as Area One detectives investigate.The fatal shooting comes just two weeks after the Thunderbird brothers, Kevin Jr., K’Vion and Kevari, celebrated the first ever baseball city title with the Kenwood Broncos. Thunderbird brothers help Kenwood win first Chicago Public League baseball title A vigil and balloon release will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m. behind Simeon High School, where Thunderbird gradua...

Air quality alerts extend for third day as smoke from Canadian wildfires pushes south

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Officials warned residents to stay inside and limit outdoor activities Thursday as a thick, hazardous haze of wildfire smoke loomed over daily life for millions of people across the U.S. and Canada for a third day and was expected to persist as long as the weekend. In a Canadian fire season that is just getting started but could well become the worst on record, more than 400 blazes — over a third of them in Quebec — burned Thursday. The smoke billowing from the fires sent plumes of fine particulate matter as far away as North Carolina and northern Europe.The weather system driving the great Canadian-American smokeout — a low-pressure system over Maine and Nova Scotia — extended “Code Red” air quality alerts in some places as forecasts showed winds continuing to push smoke-filled air south.U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said that means the smoke will probably be hanging around for a few days.“Conditions are likely to remain unhealthy, at leas...

CPS student earns district's first-ever scholarship for women's flag football

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A Solorio Academy High School senior is the first Chicago Public Schools student to ever earn a college scholarship for women's flag football. "I'm just really excited to continue the journey and I'll be glad to keep on working hard and go even further," said Karla Martinez, who had her own 'Signing Day' ceremony at the school Wednesday morning. Martinez committed to Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. She will be the first person in her family to go to college. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesMartinez was the captain of the flag football team this year. CPS' flag football league just finished its third season and has more than 50 teams. 

Can the Cubs prevent a third-straight 'June Swoon'?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

ANAHEIM — It's something that's become a little familiar to Cubs' fans over the last few years, and the feeling it could happen again might have crept in the last three games. "June Swoon" was a term used for teams on the north side decades ago when early hope would fade as summer begins. But lately, it's come back, and there are hints of it early in 2023.After losing the series finale to the Padres 5-0 on Monday, they watched as the Angels pulled away for a 7-4 victory on Tuesday then a 6-2 triumph on Wednesday. It drops the Cubs to 26-35, a season-high nine games under. 500, as they've gotten off to a 2-4 start in the month of June, which hasn't been kind to the Cubs over the last two seasons. Last season, any hope to make something of the season tumbled in the third full month of the season as the Cubs went 10-17, adding to what had already been a difficult first half. Back in 2021, the Cubs entered June in first place in the National League Central division, but the season colla...

Birthday celebration held for slain CPD officer Aréanah Preston

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Family and friends on Wednesday celebrated the life of fallen Chicago police officer Aréanah Preston on what would have been her 25th birthday.    A balloon release was held on Chicago's Southeast Side in Calumet Heights. Joining Chicago police in the remembrance of fallen officer Preston was her mother, Dionne Moon, who spoke about her daughter's passing.SEE ALSO | ‘She lived her life fearlessly’: Fallen Chicago police officer Aréanah Preston laid to rest"I went back (and read) all my posts that I had sent her on her birthday and I was just so full because I had always told her that I was so proud of everything that she did and that gave me some peace today," Moon said. Preston's family announced a new foundation to keep her memory alive called "Peace for Preston," which focuses on helping families who've lost loved ones to gun violence. Loved ones hope to raise money to provide programs for Chicago’s youth at a community center in Preston's honor...

Climate change makes flights bumpier, researchers find

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – If you have noticed increasingly bumpier flights over the years, new research suggests you may not be imagining it. Scientists have shown that as the earth has warmed airplane turbulence has intensified, and their research suggests that is only going to get worse. In a study published Thursday, scientists found that a type of air turbulence has increased by 55% from 1979 to 2020. Further, the researchers suggest that this type of turbulence -- clear-air turbulence -- will intensify in response to a worsening climate. What causes turbulence? “There are [several] causes of flight turbulence. One is things like clouds that you can see, and they create turbulence. There are also waves created by mountains when wind floats over them, and they create turbulence,” said professor Ramalingam Saravanan, head of the Texas A&M Department of Atmospheric Sciences. “The last two types, you cannot see it as you can a cloud. You see clear air, and a plane flies thr...