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Vermont visitors worry about beloved towns – here’s how you can help

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

Even when you’re just an occasional skier, you choose a “home spot” in each state you ski. You may wander here and there, but your own “personal” ski town is the one you’ keep coming back to, where faces are familiar and everything just clicks.For me, that spot is Ludlow, Vt.Ludlow stole my heart, and has had it for decades.I woke up recently to news coverage of water churning right down the Main Street of Ludlow’s downtown; huge rocks and rivers of mud changing the landscape, roadways and buildings up by the ski area access road, and insane rapids picking up cars and tossing them along the riverside throughout town.Ludlow, and so many cities and towns in wonderful Vermont, is in crisis.I think of all my favorite places with worry: Mojos Café, where vinyl records are the backdrop as you nosh on Mexican food in the most casual setting you can imagine; the owners always, always there and remembering guests who’d visited just once.They’d pushed their way through the pandemi...

Homicide suspect captured after using bed sheets to escape Pennsylvania jail

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

YOUNGSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Looking dirty, wet and “worn out” from living in the wilderness to evade arrest, a homicide suspect who used bed sheets to escape a northern Pennsylvania jail has been captured, authorities said. Michael Burham, 34, fled the Warren County jail in the late evening hours of July 6 by climbing on exercise equipment, going through a window and scaling down a rope fashioned from jail bedding, authorities have said. He was found Saturday after authorities received a tip about a suspicious-looking person, they said.“He came out into the open and was spotted by an individual,” said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the deputy commissioner of Operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, at a news conference.Burham has been in jail on $1 million bail and was charged with kidnapping, burglary and other counts. Authorities warned while he was missing that he was considered armed and dangerous.Around 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, authorities received the tip. Burham encountered state...

Hundreds of migrants in southern Mexico form group to head toward US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

SUCHAITE, Mexico (AP) — Nearly a thousand migrants that recently crossed from Guatemala into Mexico formed a group Saturday to head north together in hopes of reaching the border with the United States.The group, made up of largely Venezuelan migrants, walked along a highway in southern Mexico, led by a Venezuela flag with the phrase “Peace, Freedom. SOS.” The men, women, children and teenagers were followed by Mexican National Guard patrols.Migrants told The Associated Press they crossed into Mexico illegally through a river dividing the two countries. They said they decided to organize the group and start out because many had been sleeping on the street and had run out of money to buy food.“We just want to move forward, to fulfill our American dream and work, because we’re all workers here,” one Venezuelan, Roseli Gloria said while taking a brief rest along the highway.She carried a backpack and a piece of rolled up foam for sleeping. She said she had been in Mexico for a we...

East-end Toronto residents concerned with early Ontario Line construction issues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

In late 2022 CityNews reported on how early Ontario Line construction was impacting the Pape Avenue Junior Public School community in east-end Toronto, but residents say since then there has been a lot of talk by officials overseeing the project often without following up.Cara McCutcheon, co-chair of the school’s parent council, contacted CityNews on Saturday to report further issues near Pape and Langley avenues.“They are giving their time and their expertise to meet with us. They respond to our emails, they respond to phone calls, but what’s the good of a response without any action?” she said.A makeshift wood fence at the southeast corner of the school property is the latest concern getting attention. CityNews was told Toronto District School Board (TDSB) staff filed concerns with Metrolinx about the fence after a number of deficiencies with plates, a lack of screws, fencing out of place and stability were identified.“The TDSB has reviewed the curren...

Given terminal diagnosis, 82-year-old St. Paul woman had one last request: Ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

Given only six months to live, St. Paul resident Judy Yaeger-Jones could have asked for anything under the sun to have as her final wish from an organization that makes dreams come true for terminally ill adults.Her dream?To ride on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.The 82-year-old, who was diagnosed with a terminal disease and in May and given a six-month life expectancy, took her first motorcycle ride on Saturday — a final ride that came true thanks to the Dream Foundation and the St. Paul Harley-Davidson dealership in Oakdale.Although Yaeger-Jones had always been interested in motorcycles, it wasn’t until one of her nurses, who rides a bike herself, asked Yaeger-Jones if she wanted to ride a motorcycle.“I said yes,” Yaeger-Jones said Saturday as she sat in the lounge of St. Paul Harley-Davidson waiting to go on her ride.The nurse, who was with Allina Health Hospice & Palliative Care, reached out to the Dream Foundation, which has granted more than 34,...

Open-government advocates frustrated with MN Department of Human Services’ move to delete emails

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Human Services will delete emails more than a year old starting in August under a new policy unless workers decide the messages contain official government records.The change raises concern among advocates for government transparency and public records who worry it could dramatically limit the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the agency, especially when something goes wrong.It also underscores a growing trend — Minnesota government agencies, both state and local, often don’t treat emails themselves as official records unless workers decide they contain specific types of information.The Minnesota Department of Human Services is one of the state’s largest agencies that serves about 1 million people and has an annual budget of about $10 billion. It also has a history of compliance and oversight troubles.“Lawmakers talk a lot about transparency, but it doesn’t seem to be a priority,” said Don Gemberling, of t...

Prolonged power outages in north county after severe storms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

SPANISH LAKE, Mo. - Severe storms ripped through the region on Friday, leading to downed power lines, fallen trees and damaged homes around north St. Louis County.Ameren crews have been busy since the storms, but thousands around Missouri remain without power as of Saturday evening. North county resident Robert Brown Jr. says he's lucky to have a backup generator after the storms, which packed heavy wind, rain and even some hail. Mayor’s driveway: Expired plates and dealer tags "I know it's God's will. I don't have control over it. I thank God for the improvements that I made and that I have the generator because I would have lost a lot of food," said Brown. A few blocks away at the Conoco gas station, owner Hanna Qumseya was without power into Saturday afternoon. Ameren reported more than 15,000 power outages in north county at its peak. "We just went and bought a generator to kind of try and speed things up until the actual power comes back on, but that's no success so far," sa...

Fairview Heights hit hard by storms, cleanup underway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - The latest round of severe storms brought lightning, heavy rain and damaging winds around the St. Louis region. Some Metro East communities, like Fairview Heights, were hit hard by the storms. Resident Laura Obal tells FOX 2 that strong winds caused a tree to fall on a fence of her home. Messi jerseys not allowed in St. Louis CITY SC supporter section this weekend "The wind, I mean, it just was the fastest I've ever seen," said Obal. "And the trees were just bending over, and then about 8 minutes later, boom. Power went out." Obal and many others spent their Saturday cleaning up around their homes. She is still in shock from Friday's storms. "You could hardly even see it, the rain and the wind all wrapped up together. And then the trees - wow. I've never seen anything like that before, and I've been here a little over 20 years," said Obal. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now...

Sam's Club announces membership deal for teachers and educators

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -Sam’s Club has announced a new membership deal for educators before the next school year.The retailer is offering a limited-time membership offer for teachers that gives them 60% off a standard Sam's Club membership. The teacher and educator membership is $20. The teacher membership offer starts Monday, July 17 and runs through Tuesday, Aug. 15. Mayor’s driveway: Expired plates and dealer tags You can redeem the offer online or in-person at Sam's Club stores. Those who qualify for the membership are state-licensed/certified PreK classroom teachers, PreK-12 principals and assistant principals, PreK-12 school employees and college and university professors. You also must be a new member to Sam's Club.The Vice President of of Membership at Sam’s Club, Scott Ludwig, said they hope that this new membership option helps teachers save money while getting their classrooms student ready.“We know that educators continue to dip into their own wallets to pay for classr...

Leah Pruett reflects on her time at Bandimere Speedway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:58 GMT

MORRISON — The mountains forged Leah Pruett into the racer she is today.It’s where she competed as a junior drag racer before winning multiple Top Fuel titles at Mile-High nationals. It’s where she experienced her first wheelie at the halfway point of the track.Whether Pruett was watching other professional racers, picturing herself in a nitro car, or speeding down the track, Bandimere Speedway has played a role in her career. That’s why she takes pride in competing at the final NHRA Mile-High Nationals at this track.“For me, Mile-High at Bandimere Speedway is the most prestigious race,” said Pruett, driver of the Dodge Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster. “It’s the most difficult (race) in the most extreme sport on every level.”A cloud of sadness came over Pruett when she learned that the Bandimere Speedway was closing down. She didn’t want to believe it, and even today, she tries to suppress those emotions.“I feel like there’s going to be a wave (of emotions) as this event c...