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Police warn of items related to sodium nitrate that can cause self-harm circulating in community

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

Peel police are asking members of the public to be on the lookout for items that can cause self-harm circulating in the community.It comes as they continue their investigation into a Mississauga resident accused of distributing sodium nitrite online across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that resulted in two deaths.In an online video posted Friday, police asked that people be on the alert for any packaging or labels identifying sodium nitrate, including hoods and/or masks that can be used to cause self-harm.“We are concerned that members of the community are in possession of these items and ask everyone to be vigilant of any online transactions made by your loved ones from these noted companies: Academic / ACademic, AmbuCA, Escape Mode / escMode, Imtime Cuisine, and ICemac,” said Const. Sarah Patten.“If you or someone you know received a package containing the described items from these businesses or have information about an incident please contact your local polic...

Chicago police sergeant fired for role in botched raid where Black woman was handcuffed nude

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago police sergeant has been fired for his role in a botched 2019 raid at the home of a Black woman who was handcuffed while naked after police officers were sent to the wrong address.The Chicago Police Board voted 5-3 Thursday to fire Sgt. Alex Wolinski for multiple rules violations and “failure of leadership” in the raid at the apartment of Anjanette Young, according to a 31-page written ruling, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.Young, a social worker, was getting ready for bed in February 2019 when several officers serving a no-knock warrant stormed into her apartment on Chicago’s Near West Side searching for a man believed to have an illegal gun.Police body-camera footage of the raid showed that officers handcuffed Young, who was naked when police arrived, as she repeatedly told them that they were in the wrong place. The city’s law department said Young was naked for 16 seconds but the covering officers put on her kept falling off before she was al...

Surrey, B.C., to stay with RCMP over independent force, costing the city millions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — The mayor of Surrey, B.C., says council has voted to revert its policing back to the RCMP, a move than will cost the city millions of dollars. Mayor Brenda Locke told reporters that she has spoken to Premier David Eby and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth about council’s decision.The B.C. government recommended in April that Surrey continue its transition to the independent Surrey Police Service, offering $150 million over five years to help the city cover costs, but saying it would not pay the estimated $72 million in severance for officers if council decided to go back to the RCMP.The transition to the independent police force was well underway when Locke was elected on the promise to return policing to the Mounties. Locke says she couldn’t estimate the cost of the move back to the RCMP, saying only that it will “obviously be millions.” Farnworth said the government’s decision to recommend staying with the independent force was a safety issue ...

Manitoba RCMP, community leaders look to Saskatchewan after deadly crash

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

The mayor of Dauphin, Man., and a city councillor in Humboldt, Sask., are members of a club that no one wants to belong to: community leaders responding to unimaginable and unexpected tragedies. Fifteen people were killed and 10 more were sent to hospital Thursday after a firey crash between a bus full of seniors en route to a casino and a semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg.The 25 people on the bus were from Dauphin and the surrounding rural area. Mayor David Bosiak said there’s a collective feeling of shock in the tight-knit community of about 8,600, some 190 kilometres north of the crash site. “It’s just a tremendous tragedy for our little community,” Bosiak said.In Humboldt, a small Saskatchewan city east of Saskatoon, the Manitoba crash has brought many residents back to April 2018 when a semi ran through a stop sign at a rural intersection, striking a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team. Sixteen were killed and 13 were injured.“I we...

Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked Pentagon Papers, dies at 92

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Daniel Ellsberg, the history-making whistleblower who by leaking the Pentagon Papers revealed longtime government doubts and deceit about the Vietnam War and inspired acts of retaliation by President Richard Nixon that helped lead to his resignation, has died.He was 92.Ellsberg, who announced in February that he was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, died Friday morning, according to a letter from his family released by a spokeswoman, Julia Pacetti.Until the early 1970s, when he revealed that he was the source for the stunning media reports on the 47-volume, 7,000-page Defense Department study of the U.S. role in Indochina, Ellsberg was a well-placed member of the government-military elite. He was a Harvard graduate and self-defined “cold warrior” who served as a private and government consultant on Vietnam throughout the 1960s, risked his life on the battlefield, received the highest security clearances and came to be trusted by officials in Democratic and Repub...

Memphis mom says missing girl was dead for weeks, body stored in bags: police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The mother of a 4-year-old initially reported missing on Thursday allegedly confessed to Memphis police that the girl had actually been dead for weeks, claiming her boyfriend attacked her and that she and her boyfriend stored the child's body in garbage bags in their house.This is according to a police statement dated 8:14 a.m. Friday, a day after police combed a North Memphis neighborhood looking for Sequoia Samuels. Remains found believed to be missing child, mother arrested Human remains were found nearby, and Memphis Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation called off the search Friday.The child’s mother, Brittany Jackson, is charged with aggravated child abuse-neglect, abuse of a corpse and false offense report. Jaylon Hobson, Jackson's boyfriend, is charged with false offense report.Search for Sequoia began Thursday The search for Sequoia Samuels began Thursday when she was reported missing from her home on Caldw...

Chicago teens, officials kick off Safe Spaces summer events

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Hundreds of Chicago's teenagers gathered Friday to find ways to give other teens opportunities and get them involved in activities.The 225 teens who were part of the summer kickoff event represent 15 regions that make up the city. Heather Mack pleads guilty in murder of mother in Bali They are paid positions and part of their job is to find ways for other youth to get involved through 11 events they call summer kickbacks.The teens are employed through community-based organizations. At Friday's graduation, they planned out and discussed what they wanted their summer to look like and mapped out ways to get other youths involved.They are encouraged to think outside of the box with no idea being too small or too big. The top requirements are the events have to be free and easily accessible.Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño delivered opening remarks.Johnson has been a vocal supporter of opportunities for the c...

Man taken into custody following incident in Pflugerville

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — The Pflugerville Police Department said a man was taken into custody Friday after locking himself inside a residence following a disturbance call.PPD said officers responded at 10:49 a.m. to a domestic disturbance involving multiple family members in the 16700 block of North Heatherwilde Boulevard in Pflugerville.“Three of the four individuals involved were successfully evacuated from the residence and received medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries. The fourth individual barricaded himself in the residence,” PPD said.According to officials, the man was armed with a knife and a firearm.“As a precaution, residences in the immediate vicinity were evacuated,” PPD said.Officials said at approximately 11:50 a.m., PPD officers entered the residence, and the man was safely taken into custody.

When do passed bills become law in Texas?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In Texas, bills passed by both legislative chambers go to the governor for consideration. However, his signature is not required for a bill to become law. Texas’ 88th Legislative Session: Which bills made it to the governor’s desk? During the legislative session, once a bill is sent to the governor, they have ten days (not including Sundays) to return it with objections. Otherwise, that bill becomes law regardless if the Governor signs it. The Texas Constitution grants the governor a longer window to consider bills passed near the end of the legislative session.For the 2023 legislative session, bills passed between May 18 and May 29 become law on June 18, unless vetoed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.When does a new law take effect?Some laws go into effect immediately, while others are delayed for a few months. Most laws from the 88th legislative session go into effect on Sept. 1 unless otherwise specified. Currently, 252 laws are effective immediately, such as:HB 3, a ...

19-year-old sentenced to 20 years in prison for 2021 Austin murder

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was convicted of murder June 8 and sentenced to serve 20 years in state prison, according to Travis County court documents.Records showed 19-year-old Charles Michael Walker entered a guilty plea May 17 in connection with the Sept. 2021 murder of Allan David Hernandez-Ferrera. RELATED: 17-year-old charged in Austin murder, arrested in Corpus Christi Walker was accused of using a firearm to intentionally shoot and kill Hernandez-Ferrera on Sept. 9 2021, according to records.Court documents showed that Walker had a jail time credit of 604 days at the time of sentencing.