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Major reforms to air passenger rights needed, says House committee report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

MONTREAL — A parliamentary committee has recommended sweeping changes to Canada’s air passenger rights framework, including tougher enforcement and compensation rules around flight delays.Tabled Tuesday, the report comes after chaotic travel seasons over the summer and winter holidays brought on by soaring demand, labour shortages and poor weather.Its 21 recommendations include bigger monetary penalties for airlines, smoother processing of compensation claims and automatic payout offers for customers after significant flight disruptions or denial of boarding.It further suggests putting the burden of proof on airlines to show why compensation should not be awarded, and placing the cost of resolving claims to the regulator on the carriers’ shoulders. If the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) determines a customer’s rights have been violated, all passengers on the same flight should be informed and offered refunds or compensation, the report states.The committee also sugg...

8-year-old admits to bringing loaded handgun magazine to suburban school, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — An 8-year-old boy on Tuesday allegedly told his teacher that he bought a loaded handgun magazine to school, prompting a school lockdown while Evanston police investigated.The boy has since been released to his family and will not be referred to juvenile court due to his age, police said. The department's probe found that the boy did not intend to cause harm. The recovered magazine was from a handgun that belonged to a family member.SEE ALSO: Northwestern criticizes its own response to deadly shooting steps from campusThe handgun is now in Evanston police's possession. Officers responded to Lincolnwood School in the 2600 block of Colfax Street and searched the grounds. Once a check for firearms yielded no results, District 65 officials lifted the lockdown. More Evanston news and headlines hereThe investigation is ongoing and the family is cooperating, police added.

One killed, five injured after parking garage collapses in Lower Manhattan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) -- One person is dead and four have been hospitalized after a parking garage partially collapsed in Lower Manhattan Tuesday.The collapse happened around 4:15 p.m. ET at a parking garage that is located by Ann and William Streets near Pace University, roughly half a mile from the New York Stock Exchange.A Citizen app image showed vehicles piled on top of each other after the roof collapsed. In another video posted to social media, dust could be seen rising from the parking garage with vehicles teetering on the edges of broken concrete. Authorities said during a Tuesday evening press conference that they believe six workers were inside the building at the time of the collapse. One worker was declared dead after they became trapped under the debris while four others were taken to the hospital in stable condition. A sixth worker refused care. Rescue crews rushed to the scene to search for victims but the FDNY was forced to pull its members ...

Just before NASCAR, another sporting event is coming to Soldier Field

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

CHICAGO — A busy time along the lakefront just got a little busier as another major sporting event will be making its way to the city at the end of June.It also arrives just ahead of major road closures for a first time race in Chicago.On Tuesday, the schedule for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup was released with the United States Men's National team playing a Group A game at Soldier Field against Jamaica on Saturday, June 24 at 8:30 p.m. This will be the only match of the tournament staged in Chicago as the USMNT will play on Wednesday, June 28 in St. Louis against a preliminary tournament winner at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 2 against Nicaragua in Charlotte. at 6 p.m. central time.Soldier Field last hosted CONCACAF Gold Cup games in 2019 when it was the site of the tournament final. Mexico defeated the United States 1-0 in front of 62,493 fans at the venue. In 2021, Chicago didn't host any games in the Gold Cup, which was won by the United States with the final being played at All...

Executive order aims to reduce caregiver costs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — On Tuesday, President Biden signed a sweeping executive order designed to reduce the cost of caregiving.The order directs federal agencies like the Department of Labor, Veterans Affairs and Education to find new ways to improve wages and work conditions for care workers and provide more flexible options to families seeking services."Family care workers are doing God's work taking care of our children, our parents,” Biden said. "We're doing all of this why? Because the cost of care is too high,” Biden said.Ai-jen Poo, the president of National Domestic Workers Alliance, called it a “huge step forward,” saying improving wages for care workers is vital."You have high rates of turnover that also impacts the services and access to care that families need, so it becomes a vicious cycle whereas if we make them good jobs it actually becomes a virtuous cycle,” said Poo.This executive order does not include new spending to directly subsidize child care costs. To do that...

Skilling: Thunderstorms possible for Chicagoland on Wednesday, Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES! The area enjoyed 100% of its possible sun Tuesday—a development which boosted temps 15 to 20 degree above levels observed Monday. The day's high, likely to approach 58 degree after a chilly 32 degree low Tuesday morning will nearly reach the "normal" high of 60 Wednesday.A new spring storm is centered over Colorado and Wyoming and is set to impact Chicago's weather in a number of way in the next several days. Temps within its southern flank have hit 90 Tuesday afternoon in western Kansas with 80s nearby.  It's this warm air which is to be ushered northward behind a northbound warm front in the next 24 hour. That warm front will reach Chicago's southern suburbs with 70 to near 80 degree temps----even as a brisk east/southeast flow off Lake Michigan imports a chill over the city and North Shore much of the day Wednesday.  Scattered t-storms are to develop along and north of the warm frontal boundary Wednesday—impacting 30% of the Chicago area Wed afterno...

Former CEO, VP take stand for 'ComEd Four' trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

CHICAGO -- A former CEO and former Vice President of ComEd took the stand Tuesday in what's being called as the "ComEd Four" trial.Anna Pramaggiore testified in her own defense Monday before facing cross examination by federal prosecutors for over two hours Tuesday. Pramaggiore denied Monday she tried to bribe former House Speaker Mike Madigan.Assistant U.S. attorney Sarah Streicker questioned Pramaggiore about a secret recorded phone call from February 2019 with former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez, who agreed to help the FBI in their investigation.Pramaggiore told FBI agents in September 2019 that she forgot about the call and had by the time they served her with a search warrant months prior. She insists she would have shared the information with the FBI because she said it "proves (her) innocence."Lawyers for former ComEd Vice President and lobbyist John Hooker also began their case Tuesday, calling witnesses to the stand. Former CEO of ComEd takes stand in bribery trial Hooke...

UTPD dispatchers, dog serve campus community

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's National Telecommunicator Week, and the University of Texas at Austin Police Department (UTPD) wants to introduce to the community to Widget.Widget is one of the dispatcher's dogs. You'll often find the pup at the station. "Widget is a great part of our team," said Officer Gabriel Gallegos. "He's available for all of the officers to come in and say hi to, especially if we're having a long stressful day, lots of calls happening."The only thing Widget can't do is answer the phone.That's where people like Jessica Martinez come in. “I've just always wanted to help the community, and I feel like in this position I get to work directly with the community and be the first responder and that makes me happy," she said. A team -- and a mascot - dedicated to serving the UT community. "Just being patient with the caller," Martinez said, discussing the training that goes into her line of work. "You just never know what they're going through in that moment. But I do like bei...

Clinic prioritizing Hispanic healthcare to open permanent location in south Austin 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Suvida Healthcare, a clinic focused on serving Hispanic seniors, announced it will open a permanent south Austin site in June. Representatives from the clinic said they hope their services will make it easier for this population to access healthcare. “We want to be a valuable resource in the neighborhoods that we're placing our centers in. It is really important for us to be mutually beneficial for our entire community. And we understand that it's going to be a group effort to provide care for our Hispanic seniors. And we feel like we're just the missing puzzle piece,” said Vanessa Garcia, neighborhood center director for Suvida. Suvida’s goal is to focus on understanding the cultural values of Latinos where their clinics are located. Each center will have a “guia” – the Spanish word for “guide” – who will work with the patients and their family members to make navigating healthcare less overwhelming. “We're focused on the culturally relevant care to our Hispani...

Storm chance increasing late Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:21 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Mainly cloudy skies and a few sprinkles continue until the storm threat ramps up late Thursday.A weak disturbance combined with southerly flow ahead of a broad western storm continue this mainly cloudy, humid and breezy weather pattern. A few light rain showers remain possible, but will not add up to much in the rain gauge through Thursday morning.As the western storm makes its closest pass to Texas late Thursday, several clusters of late-day thunderstorms are expected to develop quickly. Storms may contain hail and wind damage in some areas.Active weather possible Thursday afternoonStorms possible Thursday eveningThe Storm Prediction Center's severe weather outlook includes much of the area in a 1-out-of-5 threat, and areas northeast of Travis County in a 2-out-of-5 threat.Storm Prediction Center's severe storm outlookA few heavy downpours may add up to 1"-2" east of I-35, with lower rain totals elsewhere. More scattered rain is in the forecast Friday before cooler...