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Swings in inflation not ‘unusual,’ but underlying price pressures still high: BoC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

REGINA — Bank of Canada deputy governor Sharon Kozicki says swings in the inflation rate are to be expected in a speech coming after the latest consumer price index report showed inflation climbed in August for the second month in a row.Statistics Canada reported today that inflation ticked up to four per cent last month.Kozicki weighs in on the numbers during a speech she is delivering today at the University of Regina.According to her prepared remarks, Kozicki said the Bank of Canada pays attention to core measures of inflation in order to look through extreme swings in prices to the fundamentals.She said these measures show inflation is still well above the two per cent target, even when mortgage interest costs are excluded from the calculation.Economists reacting to today’s inflation report say the data spells bad news for the central bank, though many expect the Bank of Canada to continue holding rates steady as the economy slows.This report by The Canadian Press was first publ...

IDOT announces next round of inbound Kennedy ramp closures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Tuesday the next round of inbound ramp closures related to the Kennedy rehabilitation project.Beginning on Monday at 6 a.m., the following closures will take place due to ongoing bridge rehabilitation and ramp repairs.Pulaski Avenue to inbound Kennedy — anticipated to reopen in two weeks.  Montrose Avenue to inbound Kennedy — anticipated to reopen late October.Kedzie Avenue to inbound Kennedy — anticipated to reopen late October.Inbound Kennedy to Fullerton Avenue — anticipated to reopen late October.The inbound project is anticipated to be completed late fall, with all lanes and ramps reopening and the express lanes resuming normal operations. The express lanes will be worked on in 2024, with project focused on the outbound Kennedy in 2025. Looking to avoid the Kennedy Expressway construction? Here’s what you should know The current ramp closures are as follows.Diversey Avenue to inbound Kennedy — anticipated...

18-year-old shot, killed in East Chatman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

CHICAGO — An 18-year-old man was shot and killed Tuesday in East Chatham.Just before 8:10 a.m., CPD said the man was walking in the 8100 block of South Ellis when a black Dodge Charger pulled up.Three unknown male suspects exited and opened fire toward the man. The 18-year-old sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the body and was pronounced dead at the scene.Police said the shooters returned to the vehicle and fled southbound.No one is in custody.

Amazon adding 250K holiday workers, increasing pay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

(The Hill) -- Amazon announced Tuesday that it will hire a quarter million new workers starting this month as the holiday shopping season nears.The company is also raising the starting pay for the new full-time, part-time and seasonal workers to an average of $20.50 per hour, it said.“Whether someone is looking for a short-term way to make extra money, or is hoping to take their first step toward a fulfilling and rewarding career at Amazon, there’s a role available for them,” senior vice president John Felton said in a statement.Amazon begins a mass hiring wave every fall in preparation for the holidays. The company claimed record sales in the long weekend after Thanksgiving last year, topping at least $1 billion. Clorox says its earnings will take a hit from cyberattack A Bloomberg analysis found that Amazon sales increased 9 percent in the 2022 holiday season from a year before, which is a 78 percent increase compared to 2019 figures. That outpaced nearly every brick-and-morta...

Murdaugh agrees to plea deal on federal financial charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV) – Alex Murdaugh has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges that he stole millions of dollars from his former clients.According to court documents, Murdaugh, who was found guilty this March of fatally shooting his wife and youngest son in June 2021, agreed to plead guilty to 22 federal charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. Alex Murdaugh indicted on new charges, including fraud Murdaugh has agreed to pay restitution set by the court during sentencing, a special assessment fee of $100 per count. He also agrees to give up any assets and property obtained from charges in the indictment with a minimum of $9 million.The conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, bank fraud, and two of the wire fraud charges all carry maximum sentences of 30 years.The two other wire fraud charges, conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges, and 13 money laundering charges all carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.A federal hear...

Amazon driver bitten by rattlesnake during delivery in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

PALM CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida Amazon driver was hospitalized Monday after being bitten by a "highly venomous" snake while making a delivery, deputies said.The Martin County Sheriff's Office said the driver was delivering a package to a home in the Highland Reserve Community in Palm City at the time of the incident. ‘Don’t pull the trigger!’ Video shows deputy talking down teen who killed mom, officials say When the driver set down the package in front of the home's front door, she was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake that was coiled up nearby.Deputies said the driver immediately became ill and cried out for help. She was hospitalized in "very serious condition" as of Tuesday.(Credit: Martin County Sheriff's Office)Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are solitary animals that usually function as ambush predators, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.The FWC said they usually try to escape situations when they feel threatened by humans, bu...

Former Super Bowl champion arrested in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Former Super Bowl champion and New York Giants running back Dion Lewis was arrested Monday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida.Arrest documents show Lewis was taken into custody by Seminole Indian Police around 2 p.m. and booked into the Orient Road Jail of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office an hour later.Lewis was charged with trespassing in an occupied structure. His bond was set at $500. Instagram post may shed new light in death of former NFL player’s mother A spokesperson for the Seminole Police Department told Nexstar's WFLA that Lewis was acting "unruly" and "belligerent," including "causing a disturbance and refusing to leave the premises."New York Giants running back Dion Lewis (33) gains yards in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)Lewis joined the New York Giants in 2020 after spending two seasons with the Tenessee Titan...

Choice, vouchers, and teacher raises: Education showdown looming in Texas legislature

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- After two weeks of a tumultuous impeachment trial following nearly nine straight months of work for the part-time legislature, Texas lawmakers are preparing to return to the Capitol in October for a special session that will determine whether Gov. Greg Abbott can finally finish his push to send public dollars to private schools.On Tuesday, Gov. Abbott is holding a tele-town hall with Christian faith leaders across the state to announce "School Choice Sunday," an event in support of state-funded education savings accounts and expanded parental rights taking place on Oct. 15. The Governor will discuss "how empowering parents with education freedom is the key to saving the hearts and minds of our children," the Texas Public Policy Foundation said ahead of the event. Rural districts fret as Gov. Abbott rallies supporters for ‘school choice’ at Capitol All year, the Governor has spent considerable time and political capital in support of his "school choice" initiati...

Temperatures remaining above normal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The final days of summer are feeling exactly like the last days of the hot season. Temperatures will run higher than the average both with morning lows as well as afternoon highs. A sunny start to this day found most lows in the upper 60s to low 70s. Camp Mabry's low fell to 72°, three degrees above normal.This afternoon will start sunny but with increasing fair-weather clouds. The pretty picture-perfect day will be accompanied by a south wind that will send daytime maximums scurrying to the middle to upper 90s.Today's normal high is 91°Our computer model is showing some triple-digit highs tomorrow afternoon but, for now, our forecast will keep most of the area peaking in the middle to upper 90s.Today will be the second day of an Air Quality Alert as designated by the Clean Air Force of Central Texas. The combination of the sunshine, the hot air, and the light winds (south 5 to 10 mph) contribute to this Ozone Action Day.Rain will return, briefly, late Friday mornin...

Williamson County Elections Department tests voting machines ahead of November election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Williamson County Elections Department on Tuesday held a logic and accuracy testing on its machines ahead of the general election coming up in November. The testing started at 10 a.m. and lasted until around noon. Williamson County Elections Department tests voting machines ahead of Nov. 2023 election (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala) Williamson County Elections Department tests voting machines ahead of Nov. 2023 election (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala) Williamson County Elections Department tests voting machines ahead of Nov. 2023 election (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala) Williamson County Elections Department tests voting machines ahead of Nov. 2023 election (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala) The general election will be held Nov. 7, and the last day to register to vote in the election is Oct. 10. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Oct. 27. Williamson County's comprehensive ballot for the election can be viewed online. This will be the first election under the county's new...