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S&P/TSX composite index up more than 100 points, U.S. markets fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock market rose more than 100 points to close out the week, driven by utilities, energy and financial stocks, while U.S. markets edged lower.The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 115.30 points at 20,236.04.“You’re seeing a big move up in commodities,” said Mike Archibald, vice-president and portfolio manager with AGF Investments Inc. “Gold’s having a nice day, energy, which has been very topical late, is also having a pretty nice day and is kind of rallying, getting close to highs for 2023.”He said the uptick was tied to economic data released Friday morning by Statistics Canada, which reported a softening of Canada’s labour market as the unemployment rate rose for a third consecutive month.July saw the economy shed 6,400 jobs while the unemployment rate ticked up to 5.5 per cent. The federal agency said job losses last month were led by the construction industry, while the greatest job gains were made in health care and so...

New offshore wind power project proposed for New Jersey Shore, but this one’s far out to sea

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A German wind energy developer and a New York utility are teaming up to build another offshore wind power project off the New Jersey coast.But this project would be more than twice as far out to sea as others that have drawn the ire of residents who don’t want to see windmills on the horizon.Essen, Germany-based RWE and New York-based National Grid applied Friday to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities for permission to build a wind farm in the waters off Long Beach Island. Their joint venture is called Community Offshore Wind, and it aims to generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.Unlike other projects that have drawn intense opposition from homeowners in part because they are close enough to the Atlantic City and Ocean City shorelines to be seen by beachgoers, this project would be built 37 miles (59 kilometers) offshore and would not be visible from the shore, said Doug Perkins, president and project director of Community Offshore W...

Man found guilty after dragging Island Lake police officer with car

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

ISLAND LAKE, Ill. -- A 30-year-old man was found guilty Wednesday of dragging an Island Lake police officer with his car last year, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.In June 2022, an Island Lake Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Lanord Miles, 30, was driving.While conducting the traffic stop, Miles refused police officer’s orders and began to drive away, dragging the police officer with his vehicle for about half a mile before the police officer was able to release grip off the vehicle. The officer sustained scratches and significant bruising.  Glendale Heights village president accused of lying about assault Officers were able to arrest Miles and a search of the car was conducted where Island Lake Police found over 18 grams of cocaine.A jury found Miles guilty on Wednesday.Miles was convicted on one count of possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer. He could face a sentence of 4 to 15 yea...

Twitch streamer's NYC giveaway draws massive crowd, police: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

UNION SQUARE, Manhattan (WPIX) – A large crowd estimated to be in the thousands gathered at Union Square Plaza Friday, prompting a police response, video from the Citizen App shows.It appears the crowd was waiting for Youtuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat. On Thursday, he tweeted that he would be heading to Union Square Plaza at 4 p.m. for a giveaway. Man run over by beach rake in Coney Island: officials "Due to police activity, avoid the area surrounding Union Square Park and use alternate routes. Expect a police presence in the area and residual traffic delays," the NYPD tweeted.Several fights broke out as the crowd swelled, video of the scene showed.A witness told Nexstar's WPIX the crowd turned into a mosh pit, with people throwing chairs, garbage cans, umbrellas, basketballs, and fruit. "It was the uttermost chaos," the witness told WPIX. "We had to run for our lives due to a stampede ... it was really scary."WPIX reached out to UTA Cenat's talent representative for a statem...

What the July jobs report means for the health of the economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — July's jobs report is adding to optimism among economists that federal regulators can pull off a so-called soft landing, successfully bringing down inflation without tipping the economy into a recession.The U.S. added 187,000 jobs to the economy in July, the latest federal report showed. Some economists had expected more than 200,000. Still, they say the steady growth is a positive sign for the health of the economy.The July report also showed unemployment dipping to 3.5% and average hourly wages rising again by .4%."America's economy is strong," Vice President Kamala Harris said. "Bidenomics is working.""It's just not working for working families," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., rebutted.He called the Biden administration's economic policies a disaster."It's costing families working families $10,000 more a year just to keep up," Schmitt said. "So wage growth has not kept up with inflation. That's what's hitting people every time they go to the grocery store."White...

Weekend Back to School drives ahead of students' return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some Central Texas students will return to class this coming week, and school districts and communities are hosting Back-to-School events and school supply drives in preparation. Related: 76 Texas school districts have moved to four-day weeks Here are the events giving away free backpacks and school supplies on Saturday:4:12 Kids' annual Back to School Giveaway Event, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at 521 North Pecos Street, Lockhart;Georgetown Cultural Citizens Memorial Association's drive, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 1200 West 17th Street, Georgetown;Round Rock ISD's Back to School Bash, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 1801 Tiger Trail, Round Rock;Del Valle ISD's Back to School Bash, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 5201 Ross Road, Del Valle;Barton Creek Square's supply drive, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 2901 South Capital of Texas Highway, Austin; and,Back to School Market Day, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. at 5750 Williams Drive, Georgetown.Round Rock ISD's Back to...

'The club overachieved last year.' New Austin FC sporting director on state of the club

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It's no secret that a breakout 2022 has been a far cry from the product on the field this season for Austin FC. A major deal by the Verde and Black earlier in the week makes that step back even more clear.Fan favorite Diego Fagúndez was dealt to LA Galaxy in exchange for Memo Rodríguez and up to $900,000 in General Allocation Money. Friday, Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell met with the media about the move. ‘I wish it wasn’t ending.’ Departing Austin FC player speaks to fans at send-off "The principal thing of transferring Diego is not that he was underperforming," Borrell said. "The main reason...[Galaxy] was ready to go with the salary that [Diego has]. And this allows us to liberate some salary cap here."Borrell came to Austin at the beginning of July from Manchester City and has made a major imprint on the club in the first transfer window. The Spaniard made it clear the team lacked any sort of financial flexibility and this move frees up space."Defi...

Oak Park Heights begins search for new city administrator; police chief named interim administrator

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

Oak Park Heights city administrator Eric Johnson is retiring at the end of the month, and the city is searching for his replacement.The Oak Park Heights City Council on Tuesday night voted to have Police Chief Steve Hansen serve as interim city administrator until a new administrator is hired, Mayor Mary McComber said.The council has retained Matt Fulton of GMP Consultants to conduct the statewide search. The city is paying GMP a fee of $16,500. The search firm will present a list of candidates to consider and recommend finalists to interview by the end of the month; those interviews are expected to take place the week of Sept. 18.The council is expected to make its selection on Sept. 26, and a new administrator is expected to be on board by Nov. 1, McComber said.Oak Park Heights City Administrator Eric Johnson (Courtesy of Oak Park Heights)Johnson has been city administrator since 2003. Prior to coming to Oak Park Heights, he served as village administrator at Winneconne, Wis., for...

Vikings receiver K.J. Osborn does the same thing every day after practice. It’s catching on with his teammates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

It was Jan. 2, 2022 and the Vikings were getting blown out by the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.Though the outcome of the Week 17 game had already been decided, young, untested receiver K.J. Osborn used the Vikings’ final possession as a chance to make a statement. He created some separation on the outside, then with a defender draped all over him, he reached out his left hand to secure the catch.“The guy had my right arm, so the only thing I had was my left arm,” Osborn said. “It’s a good thing to have in my repertoire.”That highlight was more than a decade in the making, the byproduct of hours of extra work after practice. What started as a friendly competition between some teammates at IMG Academy in Florida back in his high school days has followed the 26-year-old Osborn all the way to the NFL.The daily routine is pretty simple. As his teammates stroll toward the locker room to end their day after practice, Osborn makes beeline to a nearb...

Former volunteer named site manager of Warden’s House Museum in Stillwater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:10 GMT

There’s a familiar face taking the lead at the Warden’s House Museum in Stillwater.One-time museum volunteer guide Heidi Heinze has been tapped to be the new site manager. She started July 26.Heidi Heinze, of River Falls, Wis., has been named site manager of the Warden’s House Museum in downtown Stillwater. (Courtesy of the Washington County Historical Society)Heinze, of River Falls, Wis., previously was an education coordinator at St. Croix County, Wis., Historical Society and site manager of the Octagon House Museum in Hudson, Wis. She has served on the River Falls Historic Preservation Commission for 13 years, many of them as commission chairwoman. She also has volunteered for the Pierce County, Wis., Historical Association and interned with the Goodhue County Historical Society.Heinze has a bachelor’s degree in American history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Heinze is “exactly the right person” to oversee operations at the museum, which is celebrating its 170th a...