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Alberta raises Crown agency’s loan guarantee capacity, cites economic reconciliation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

EDMONTON — Alberta’s premier has announced the government is expanding the loan guarantee capacity of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp.Premier Danielle Smith says Indigenous Peoples have historically been overlooked and underserved within Alberta’s economy, and that her government is looking to change that.The province says it has doubled the Crown corporation’s loan guarantee capacity to $2 billion and will increase it to $3 billion in 2024-25. The Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp., which launched in 2019, is intended to address long-standing barriers for Indigenous groups by reducing the costs of borrowing and increasing the amounts that can be borrowed for major infrastructure projects.Alberta Indigenous Relations Minister Rick Wilson says the federal Indian Act does not allow First Nations to use their land as collateral and makes it hard for them to borrow money for such projects.Chana Martineau, CEO of the Crown corporation, says that since 2019...

2 teens are arrested in the fatal shooting of a Rocky Mountain College student-athlete

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A freshman football player at Rocky Mountain College was fatally shot over the weekend and police in Billings, Montana have arrested two teenagers, officials said.Chandler Wyatt Stalcup, 18, of Crystal River, Florida, was shot early Saturday. He remained on life support until Monday when his organs were harvested for donation, the Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office told KULR-TV.Police were responding to a report of a gun being discharged during a fight at a house party just before 3 a.m. Saturday when they received a call about the shooting near campus, police Lt. Matt Lennick said. A 16-year-old male suspect was arrested about six hours later and was being held in juvenile detention. Investigators recommended a deliberate homicide charge. A second suspect, a 17-year-old male, was arrested Monday on suspicion of accountability to deliberate homicide and was also being held in juvenile detention, Lennick said.Stalcup had gone to the house party to pick s...

North, NW suburban homeowners hit hardest by new Cook County tax bills

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

CHICAGO -- A Cook County Assessor's Office employee is calling the increase in property taxes for many homeowners a once in a generation event due to a number of factors.Residents living in several North and Northwest suburbs in Cook County are expected to be surprised when they open their property tax bills with an average increase of nearly 16% in the area, the highest increase in 30 years."The vast majority about 80% of tax payers are going to get higher bills this year," the Director Research at Cook County Treasurer's Office Hal Dardick said.The second installment bills for 2023 reflect new valuations from the Cook County Assessor.Across Cook County, taxes rose for 1.3 million homeowners and 94,000 commercial property owners from $909 million to $17.6 billion, a 5.4% higher than last year, but below 8% rate of inflation for 2022.In Chicago, property taxes increased around 3% in 2023, while homeowners in the south suburbs saw an average of 3.9% increase. For property owners nort...

Northwestern proposing new concessions for Evanston in hopes of new stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

EVANSTON -- Northwestern University is coming to the table with Evanston residents Monday to unveil their latest concessions for the new proposed Ryan Field.Northwestern University wants to tear down 97-year-old Ryan Field to replace it with a brand new privately funded $800 million stadium, one at which they also want to host concerts and other events.Some residents have been campaigning for the plug to be pulled on that plan, citing a variety of issues.Northwestern representatives are expected to present concessions worth $100 million over 10 years for the city of Evanston during Monday's meeting.The university want to get the green light on this project, which would require the re-zoning of the area to a commercial entertainment district.The concessions on the table include an annual payment to the city of $3 million into a “good neighbor fund," that would include, $1 million annually to Evanston non-profit organizations and the establishment of a fund worth at least $2 million a...

Highland Park parade shooting suspect will not testify at father's trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — The father of the suspect in the Highland Park parade shooting appeared at another court hearing Monday.Lawyers confirmed on Monday that Crimo III will not testify in his father's upcoming reckless conduct trial.Prosecutors allege that Robert Crimo Jr. was criminally reckless at the time that he helped procure a FOID card for his son Robert Crimo III.Prosecutors also allege by helping his son obtain a FOID card, Crimo Jr. was a contributing cause to the bodily harm suffered by the homicide victims in the mass shooting that occurred on July 4, 2022.On Monday, lawyers from both sides argued over the admissibility of text messages and other alleged evidence having to do with Crimo III's mental health.Judge George Strickland, among other pre-trail rulings, left the door open to possible testimony from a prosecution witness. Highland Park City Council to discuss remembrance committee to help develop memorial for mass shooting victims Long before the 2022 Highland ...

City council committee advances plan for migrant camp at vacant South Side lot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

CHICAGO — The city is one step closer to transforming vacant land on the South Side into a migrant shelter. On Monday, a Chicago City Council Committee advanced a plan to purchase a 67,000-square-foot vacant former Jewel and the surrounding 6.5 acres of land near West 115th Street & South Halsted Street. But local residents are organizing against the plan."We are here to stand up, to tell the people enough is truly enough," Kamilya Wilson, a community activist, said.  City announces plan to keep asylum seekers warm as temps drop The city’s all-hands-on-deck approach to migrant care has exacerbated tensions between Black and brown communities. Many African Americans say they’re frustrated the city is spending millions to house migrants in communities that have long suffered from disinvestment. "Are residents are concerned because time after time, there’s been promises made and they haven’t been kept," Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st Ward) said. In a statement to constituents, Mos...

What is a dry promotion and should you accept one?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

(NewsNation) — Employers are cutting costs by offering employees what are known as "dry promotions." Here's what you need to know about the practice."You get all the responsibility, you get all the work, you do get that title, but you do not get the pay bump that should be coming with said promotion," said NewsNation business contributor Lydia Moynihan.From a corporate perspective, bosses may see dry promotions as a sign they're invested in an employee and recognize their hard work by offering them a new title and additional responsibility."They see it as a way to basically give somebody a gold star, give somebody a slap on the back for doing a good job," Moynihan said. "They think this is a great thing." Most Americans have gone years without a raise: survey For employees, however, that deal might not look so great when those added responsibilities don't come with more money in their paychecks."A lot of job experts encourage employees to take advantage of the opportunity to negot...

Man found dead at Colorado amusement park was armed with guns, explosives: police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A man who was found dead inside the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park was heavily armed and wearing body armor.According to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, on Saturday morning, deputies were notified of a man who was found dead inside the park. His body was discovered prior to the park’s opening, and deputies said it was not related to any of the rides.The man illegally entered the park after hours when no employees or guests were around, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies continued their investigation over the weekend and identified the man as a 20-year-old from the Carbondale area. He was initially said to be 22 years old, but investigators corrected that Monday afternoon in a news conference. Goodwill employees in Wisconsin find ‘live cluster bomblet’ among donated items The man was found dressed in black-colored tactical clothing, bearing patches and emblems that gave the appearance of someone with law enforcement. He was heavily armed with a ...

Suspect wanted in connection with San Marcos homicide now in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- The San Marcos Police Department arrested a man wanted in connection with a homicide that officials said happened earlier Monday.Police were previously searching for Andre Symon, 32, a spokesperson with the City of San Marcos said, following a homicide in the 900 block of North Interstate 35.Shortly after 4 p.m., officials said Symon was taken into custody without incident, and the homicide remained under investigation.According to officials, this is the third homicide being investigated by SMPD in 2023. There were no homicides in San Marcos in 2022.

Iron Maiden announces Xcel Energy Center concert nearly a year in advance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden will play St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center for the third time on Oct. 22.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster. Neither the venue nor the promoter announced ticket prices.Formed in East London in 1975, Iron Maiden hit No. 4 on the British charts with their self-titled 1980 debut album. They didn’t find success in the States until their third release, 1982’s “The Number of the Beast,” the group’s first with vocalist Bruce Dickinson.For the next decade, Iron Maiden continued to release new music and tour heavily, including a handful of shows at the old Met Center. In 1993, Dickinson left Iron Maiden for a solo career. The group’s album sales plummeted with new lead singer Blaze Bayley and they reunited with Dickinson in 1999.In the years since, Iron Maiden has released a half dozen new albums and toured the world. In 2008, the group commissioned an Astraeus Airlines Boeing 757 to carry the band, the...