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Keith Spicer, Canada’s first official languages commissioner, dead at 89

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

OTTAWA — Keith Spicer, Canada’s first commissioner of official languages, died Thursday in Ottawa at 89.Canadians who closely followed the constitutional debates of the early 1990s might remember him as the man who starkly described the “fury in the land” against the prime minister who had named him to lead a commission on national unity.Those nearest to Spicer remember him as a hard-working family man who brought a sense of humour to his often high-ranking roles — and someone who preferred to drink his beer from a wine glass.“Because that’s how they drink it in Paris,” his son, Nick Spicer, said in an interview Monday after arriving in Ottawa to be with his father in hospital.“He had his way of having fun.”The son told The Canadian Press that his father died Thursday morning.“His tireless work over decades helped shape Canada’s linguistic landscape as we know it — a torch we continue to hold high as we work to achieve substantiv...

Woman abandoned her dog at Pennsylvania airport before flying to resort, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

A woman accused of intentionally abandoning her dog at a Pennsylvania airport before she boarded a flight to a resort in Mexico earlier this month has been charged with animal cruelty and related charges, authorities announced Thursday.Allegheny County Police say Allison Lyn Gaiser, 44, tried to bring her brown-and-white male French bulldog with her on a flight departing from Pittsburgh International Airport on Aug. 4. But the dog was denied boarding by the airline because it did not meet the criteria for an emotional support animal and did not have a proper kennel as required.After leaving the ticket counter, Gaiser was seen on surveillance cameras pushing the dog in the stroller back toward a moving walkway enclosure next to glass exit doors in the airport’s short-term parking lot.She was later seen heading to an area where a county police officer found the dog unattended in the stroller about 40 minutes later, authorities said.This photo provided by the Allegheny County, Pa...

PHOTOS: Brookfield Zoo animals keeping cool in muggy heat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicagoans aren't the only ones attempting to brave - and beat - the heat.Brookfield Zoo on Thursday released photos of some of the animals keeping cool amid dangerously hot temperatures. Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blogHudson, one of Brookfield Zoo’s polar bears, took advantage of his chilled pool water to stay cool. (Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)Hudson, one of Brookfield Zoo’s polar bears, took advantage of his chilled pool water to stay cool. (Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)Hudson, one of Brookfield Zoo’s polar bears, took advantage of his chilled pool water to stay cool. (Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo) Animal care staff at Brookfield Zoo provided a water feature and sprinklers to help the Bennett’s wallabies beat the heat. (Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo) Animal care staff at Brookfield Zoo provided a water feature and sprinklers to help the Bennett’s wallabies beat the heat. ((Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)A Galapagos tortoise at Brookfield...

How to hydrate during the heat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

Is plain water enough? As temperatures rise, a local dietitian weighs in on what fluids will fill you up.Sweating is our body’s way of shedding heat, registered dietitian Vicky Retelny said.“We lose 17 to 24 ounces of water just from perspiration, which is normal,” she said. “But in the heat, we lose more than that.”On a typical day, drinking two to three liters of water does the trick – that’s about nine, 8-ounce glasses for women and 13 for men. Kids ages 4 to 13 require about six to seven cups a day.“So, when it’s this hot, typically, we can lose more than we take in,” Retelny said.   More Med Watch: Ok Boomer, let’s move! Class focuses on better balance, strength to help prevent and recover from falls Retelny says 80 percent of our water intake should come from fluids, primarily water, the other 20 percent can come from food.“High-water foods are fruits, vegetables, you can get water in fruit smoothies and soups,” Retelny said.  Keep water close by so it’s easy to sip thr...

Young adults use their own health challenges to help others like them

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

Naomi Sharon and Jen Rubino don't know one another but both share a common bond — having to battle a disease from a young age and using that as platform to fight for other kids.While other kids are soaking up the final days of summer, 11-year-old Naomi Sharon is hard at work figuring out how to raise a lot of money."Naomi raised over $30,000 last year as part of this event and the event truly was a party," her dad Nim Sharon said.Just years after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Naomi threw a massive Halloween fundraising party called “Ghost, Goblins and Glucose.”"They thought it was amazing and all the people who showed up,” she said.This year she's back plotting another fall party at Brother's Field in Long Grove on September 9 in hopes that someday, it will make it easier for another young person like herself. Complete with hayrides, a gaming truck, tiki bar for the adults and a band in which the lead singer is also living with diabetes. More from Erin: ‘A week of blessing...

Carlos Santana gives anti-trans speech during New Jersey concert

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Guitarist Carlos Santana, of the rock and roll band Santana, is under fire Thursday after comments he made during a recent concert in Atlanta City, New Jersey, surfaced online. The comments, which Santana has confirmed he made, are considered by many to be offensive to the transgender community.In the clip, which can be seen across several outlets, including Consequence, the "Smooth" musician can be heard saying: "When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are. Later on, when you grow out of it, you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that sounds good, but you know it ain’t right. Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man. That’s it. Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that’s your business. I’m OK with that." Don’t miss the deadline to claim a Facebook privacy settlement payment During the same concert, Santana also stopped to express support for comedian Dave Chappelle, who has made seve...

Texas grid conditions expected to be 'extremely tight' Thursday, ERCOT CEO says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — During a Public Utility Commission of Texas open meeting Thursday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) CEO Pablo Vegas said they expect to be in emergency operations Thursday evening due to the extreme heat."We are expecting as we move through the peak this evening... to have extremely tight conditions," Vegas said. Understanding ERCOT’s emergency alert levels Earlier Thursday, ERCOT issued a Conservation Appeal from 3 – 10 p.m. due to extreme temperatures, continued near-record demand, and forecasted low wind-power generation."What we're seeing is conditions that are more tight than what we have seen any other day this summer," Vegas said. "At this time, it's a high likelihood that we expect to be in emergency operations this evening."Going into emergency operations means the demand is expected to be at near-record levels, he said."We have very, very high heat again across the state of Texas," he said.Vegas said this high demand is from a combination...

Hot and humid with isolated rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- While the hottest summer on record continues in Central Texas, daily rain chances have made a welcome return for the next five days.Hot, humid weather rules the forecast this week into the weekend with a Heat Advisory and Excessive Heat Warning in effect. Exercise caution when outdoors for extended periods of time, and make sure to keep pets cool and hydrated.The heat dome positioned north of us is moving farther away for the next five days, allowing daily heat and humidity to bubble up into a few isolated showers and thunderstorms during the afternoons and evenings. While it will not rain at your house every day, we are more optimistic that some areas should pick up 0.01"-0.50" of rainfall over the next week.A cool front is expected to move our way early next week, focusing shower and thunderstorm development along it and dropping temperatures and humidity behind it. Scattered storms appear most likely Monday and Tuesday, when rain chances rise to 40%.Tracking the ...

Austin mayor touts opening of new emergency homeless shelter near airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

Part of the mission of KXAN News is to foster a more informed and engaged community. We deliver in-depth coverage on topics like affordability, safety and mobility that affect the daily lives of Central Texans. And we explore sustainable solutions to economic, systemic and social problems. One way to achieve those goals is providing direct and consistent access to leaders who make decisions that shape local policy — seeking to understand their stances, holding them accountable for promises and asking tough questions when needed. This series of interviews with City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is designed with that in mind.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the near $81 million dollars earmarked for homeless services in the city budget is already being spent on vital shelter services. PREVIOUS: Mayor Watson talks $65M to fight Austin homelessness, ‘Death Star’ litigation The budget allocated $80.9 million toward homelessness response resources and efforts.Earlier this we...

DPS reports vehicle inspection system outage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN New Today's top headlines for Aug. 24, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said it was experiencing a vehicle inspection system outage, preventing proper inspections in "safety-only" counties.DPS said the issues with the system began Wednesday and remained ongoing. Texas removed mandatory vehicle safety inspections. Do I still need an emissions test? “This issue does not allow stations in safety-only counties to conduct proper inspections. At this time, emission inspections are not impacted by this outage. Station license renewal applications are also unavailable,” DPS said in a statement.The department said it was working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.Safety inspections in TexasGov. Greg Abbott signed a bill this summer eliminating safety inspections for most vehicles in the state. The law goes into effect in 2025.Under current state law, most vehicles statewide are required to undergo ann...