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Bank of Canada launches public consultations on digital currency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

The Bank of Canada says it wants to hear from Canadians on what kind of features it should include in a potential digital currency.In an online survey running until June 19, the central bank asks what people think about a range of design options including being able to use the currency offline, to recover funds lost from theft and to make transactions without a bank account.A digital currency would be different from cryptocurrencies as it would be backed by the central bank and its value wouldn’t change since it would be just another form of Canadian currency.The Bank of Canada says that while it doesn’t see a need for a digital dollar now, it’s preparing for the potential need ahead.It says a digital currency might be necessary if cryptocurrencies or digital currencies issued by other countries become widely enough used in the country that they start to compromise the role of an official, centrally issued currency.The Bank of Canada says a digital currency could a...

Waukegan High School volleyball coach shot and killed while driving: police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

WAUKEGAN — A Waukegan High School volleyball coach was shot and killed while driving over the weekend.Niolis Collazo, 23, of Waukegan, was killed in a shooting on 10th Street and Lewis Avenue in Waukegan around 10:45 p.m. Saturday. Police said Collazo's vehicle was one of two vehicles struck by gunfire.According to officials, a man, who occupied the first vehicle that was hit, was not injured. The second vehicle was occupied by Collazo, who was struck by the gunfire. She was transported to Vista East Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.The school sent out the following email Monday to its community confirming Collazo's death, saying, in part:It is with great sadness that we report the unexpected passing of Ms. Niolis Collazo. Ms. Collazo worked as an assistant boys volleyball coach at Waukegan High School. She was also a counselor with Youth Guidance’s Working On Womanhood program, where she worked with young ladies at Smith Middle School. CPD investigates death of 24-ye...

Police name suspect accused of hitting 18 at Texas bus stop, killing 8

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (KVEO) — A Brownsville resident with a lengthy criminal history has been identified by police as the driver accused of smashing into a crowd at a bus stop in the Texas border town Sunday. Eighteen people were hit, eight of whom were killed. At a Monday press conference, Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda identified the suspect as 34-year-old George Alvarez. Sauceda said he attempted to flee the scene after the crash, but was held down by people on the scene.Alvarez was charged with eight counts of manslaughter, 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond is set at $3.6 million. Gerardo Salinas/ValleyCentralThe crash happened at 8:30 a.m. Sunday in front of the Ozanam Center, which is a shelter for migrants and homeless people in Brownsville. The SUV ran a red light, lost control, flipped on its side and hit the 18 victims, Sauceda said. 8 dead, 10 injured when SUV strikes crowd near migrant shelter When police arrived on scene, officers f...

Soft lockdown lifted at Glenbrook South HS after fake school threat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

GLENVIEW, Ill. — Police in Northbrook responded to Glenbrook South High School after receiving a "swatting call," though the threat was deemed false. The school has since resumed its normal activities. Glenbrook High Schools District 225 announced on social media Monday that the school was under a suspended schedule.SEE ALSO | Friday classes canceled after fire at Glenbrook South High SchoolThe soft lockdown was lifted after the 'all clear' was given by Northbrook police. Last month, several Illinois counties were targeted with swatting calls, with Illinois State Police investigating nearly two dozen in one day alone. All threats were unfounded. SEE ALSO | Illinois police investigate nearly 2 dozen school threatsThe "swatting call" response comes days after classes were canceled at Glenbrook South High School on Friday following a fire the day prior. No one was injured.

Special Olympics to take off at Solider Field Tuesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

CHICAGO — The Special Olympics are coming to Soldier Field, representing Chicagoans from all across the city. More than 2,000 athletes gathered for the opening ceremonies Monday morning for the special Olympics which date back to 1968.Competitors are coming from 77 neighborhoods, a variety of schools, community organizations and city parks.The Spring Games will have more than 25 track and field events held at Dunbar Park starting Tuesday and running through Friday, including retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, who was there since the beginning. Justin Fields has a big weekend at Ohio State "We had a hard time encouraging people to really support people who had learning differences but we got 26 states to come and here we are 55 years later. The world thinks people of differences are not different anymore," Burke said. "What do you think of seeing all these athletes here with you? Well, I’m so happy because these fans I love them so much," athlete Jorge Herandez sai...

The Frenchie becomes a favorite — and a dog-show contender

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The United States' new favorite dog breed — the comical, controversial French bulldog — has never won the nation's pre-eminent dog show. Yet here, at an obliging trot, comes Winston. The Frenchie with NFL connections is a strong contender at this week's Westminster Kennel Club dog show, less than two months after the release of rankings showing that his kind has become the country’s most prevalent dog breed. Frenchies' rise has been stunning: from 83rd most popular to No. 1 in three decades. It also has been dogged by concerns about their health, debate over the ethics of breeding, denunciations of a gold-rush-like market with ever more “exotic” variations, and a recent spate of high-profile and sometimes fatal robberies.If all that says something about these stumpy-snouted, pointy-eared, deep-chested, quizzical little bulldogs, what does it say about the culture that loves them? THEIR MEDIA IMAGE IMPACTS THEIR POPULARITY“Just like humans, dogs get characterized for ...

Bidens to host UConn, LSU basketball teams at White House

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, plan to welcome the men's and women's NCAA basketball champions to the White House later this month.The University of Connecticut Huskies men's team beat San Diego State 76-59 in April to secure its fifth national title. The Louisiana State University Tigers women's team won its first championship by beating the University of Iowa 102-85.The invite to LSU became a source of controversy this year after the first lady said in a speech that the defeated Iowa women's team should also come to the White House “because they played such a good game.” In recent decades, the White House has usually hosted only champions. LSU star Angel Reese tweeted a link to a story about Jill Biden’s remarks. “ A JOKE,” she wrote, along with three rolling-on-floor-laughing emojis. On a podcast shortly after, Reese said her team should instead celebrate their title with former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.Read more: Late...

What to know about the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

CHICAGO — This could very well end up being a pivitol moment in the current Blackhawks' rebuild: The 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, which takes place on Monday night. It's the chance for general manager Kyle Davidson to have the shot to either draft a generational talent with the top selection or another potentially franchise-changing player in the top three.But the Blackhawks along with a few other teams will need a little lottery luck to get that done. Here's what to know about the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery.The NHL Draft Lottery from 2020.What time is the NHL Draft Lottery?This has actually changed within the last week as the league has moved the NHL Draft Lottery to a little bit later in the evening.The drawing will take place at 7 p.m. central time in Secaucus, New Jersey as the teams that didn't make the playoffs get to see where they'll select first in the 2023 NHL Draft.Ping pong balls will be drawn for the top two picks only, with the rest of the order being set by regular season fini...

Man wanted after 35-year-old battered, robbed on Blue Line train

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Authorities are seeking the public's help to identify a man accused of battering and robbing another man on a Blue Line train Friday morning.At around 6:15 a.m., police said a man approached a 35-year-old man on a Blue Line train near the Western stop, located in the 1900 block of North Western, and attempted to grab his belongings.The 35-year-old man was then struck and pulled to the ground. Police said the suspect took the man's property then fled.He's described as an African American man, 19-30, 6'-6'2", 250 lbs., wearing a green Oakland A's hat. The suspected robber also was wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt with an "RR" emblem on the left chest, yellow-colored undershirt, black sweatpants and white gym shoes. Warrants issued for parents after Northwest Indiana infant dies from ‘massive’ brain injury Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.

Unpaid meal debt totaled $19 million this school year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:50 GMT

(NewsNation) — As the school year is winding down for students, this one was the first for many families who had to navigate feeding their kids after a pandemic-era plan providing free school meals ended last summer. When the program was sunsetted, it left many with the tough choice to take on debt to cover meal costs. According to the School Nutrition Association (SNA), unpaid meal debt in 847 school districts across the country adds up to at least $19 million. It’s too much for some schools to chew, as they consume new levels of debt that vary across districts. At this Oregon school, kids do all the cleaning A Texas teacher told the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) that parents are simply not making payments for school meals. The educator said during the first three weeks of the school year, their small school district of around 3,000 students had a negative meal balance of roughly $20,000.“It is completely heartbreaking to tell a student, a child, they cannot eat when ...