Ukraine’s best high jumper wins gold for her country at world championships

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Ukraine’s best high jumper wins gold for her country at world championships BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The war with Russia hangs over the Olympic world these days as much as anywhere else. So perhaps it was fitting that the last person standing on the last event of the final day of the track and field world championships hailed from Ukraine.And perhaps it was perfect that Yaroslava Mahuchikh closed out that event with a gold medal hanging from her neck.Ukraine’s best high jumper, a symbol of hope to her war-torn country and defiance to those who would see it ruined, won a championship Sunday. She jumped 2.01 meters (6 feet, 7 inches) to close out a riveting evening on the track — and in the field.“Finally, I have my gold medal,” she said of the country’s first world title since 2013, when the meet was held in Moscow. “And it’s really extra important for my country right now.”Mahuchikh’s final jump of the evening came only seconds after hurdles champion Femke Bol of The Netherlands, who fell and cost her country a medal at the end of th...

NWT premier: Trudeau made ‘specific commitments’ during weekend meeting in Edmonton

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

NWT premier: Trudeau made ‘specific commitments’ during weekend meeting in Edmonton EDMONTON — After saying last week she was angry Northerners don’t receive the same services from the federal government as people in the rest of Canada, Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane says the prime minister made “specific commitments” to address the issue this weekend when they met to discuss firefighting efforts. Cochrane said in a social media post following her meeting with Justin Trudeau in Edmonton on Saturday that she thanked him for the federal support the territory has received, especially military aid, in light of the wildfires and evacuations that have forced two thirds of the N.W.T’s 45,000 residents to leave their homes.She said Trudeau made several commitments, which included speeding up the Employment Insurance process for N.W.T. residents and providing an advance under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to aid with cash flow.He also committed to collaborating with the territory on plans for possible air evacuations...

Tropical Storm Idalia takes aim at Gulf of Mexico on a possible track toward the US, forecasters say

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Tropical Storm Idalia takes aim at Gulf of Mexico on a possible track toward the US, forecasters say MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Idalia formed Sunday off the coast of Mexico on a potential track to come ashore as a hurricane in the southern U.S., the National Hurricane Center said.At 5 p.m. Sunday, the storm was about 95 miles (153 kilometers) east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, moving northeast at 3 mph (4.8 kph) with highest sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph), forecasters said. Hurricanes have winds of 74 mph (119 kph) and above.Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane on Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico and then curve northeast toward the west coast of Florida.Idalia could approach Florida on Wednesday with winds of up to 100 mph (160 kph), according to the latest forecasts from the Hurricane Center. That would make it a Category 2 hurricane.Along a vast stretch of Florida’s west coast, up to 11 feet (3.4 meters) of ocean water could surge on shore, raising fears of destructive flooding.At a Sunday afternoon briefing, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis noted that muc...

One person stabbed in Scarborough

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

One person stabbed in Scarborough One person has been stabbed in the Eglinton Avenue East and Thermos Road area of Scarborough on Sunday evening.Police responded to reports at approximately 5:23 pm of someone being stabbed and arrived on scene to find a victim stabbed in the abdomen.Medics transported one male to a trauma centre with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The suspect is described as a Black male, 5’9, wearing a black sweater and black pants. The suspect fled on foot.

Highland Park man dies after crashing bike in northern suburbs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Highland Park man dies after crashing bike in northern suburbs GLENCOE, Ill. — A man who was hospitalized after crashing his bicycle on Wednesday afternoon in the northern suburbs has died, according to the Glencoe Department of Public Safety.Officials say the 64-year-old man was hospitalized after the crash, which occurred around 4 p.m. near the intersection of Sheridan Road and South Avenue in Glencoe. North suburban bicyclist critical after hitting back of van According to an initial investigation by Glencoe Public Safety, the man, who has not been identified, was riding his bicycle northbound on Sheridan Road, past South Avenue, when he ran into the back of a stopped Dodge Ram ProMaster.Authorities say they responded to the scene around 4:15 p.m. and began life-saving measures on the man before he was taken to the hospital by ambulance in critical condition.The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene and cooperated with authorities during the investigation. CPD: 12-year-old girl missing from Austin neighborhood The man, who was a High...

Shelter helps animals in need of shelter after Maui wildfires

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Shelter helps animals in need of shelter after Maui wildfires CHICAGO — As the recovery and rebuilding efforts continue in Maui, there's a need that is developing to help animals who now have no home.For now, an animal shelter in San Diego is taking animals from shelters on Maui that are now inundated with pets displaced because of the wildfires. What caused the Maui wildfires? "Now more than ever, it's extremely crucial because the people in Maui lost their homes and they are having to rebuild from scratch," Jessica Gercek with the Helen Woodward Center said. "And they don't have any place to put their pets and their animals. So they are looking towards the shelters."It's something PAWS Chicago does on a regular basis. They bring homeless pets from other shelters in areas hit by natural disasters in order to make room for those pets, whose owners don't have a place for them to stay. Maui businesses remind locals, tourists that entire island isn’t closed: ‘Definitely support all those businesses’ Just like many people who survived the Maui...

Teachers arrested at Nevada school board meeting

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Teachers arrested at Nevada school board meeting LAS VEGAS (KLAS) - Two teachers were placed in handcuffs and escorted out of a school board meeting in Clark County, Nevada, on Thursday.The Clark County School District and Clark County Education Association (CCEA) are engaged in tough negotiations over a new contract for teachers. According to CCEA, nearly 5,000 teachers showed up to rally ahead of the board of trustees' meeting. CCEA files complaint accusing district of overworking teachers The meeting began on time but was disrupted when dozens of teachers began shouting and chanting, asking for better pay and calling for the ouster of the superintendent.Officers from the Clark County School District Police Department placed two teachers in handcuffs. Police removed another man from the board meeting without handcuffs.School board President Evelyn Garcia-Morales tried to temper things down and restore order to the meeting on Thursday.“We cannot conduct business,” Garcia-Morales said. “CCEA is clearly interrupting the business ...

Minnesota United scratch out 1-1 draw with Seattle

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

Minnesota United scratch out 1-1 draw with Seattle Seattle Sounders center back Yeimar both hurt and helped Minnesota United on Sunday. He scored for both teams in a 1-1 draw at Allianz Field.Minnesota (8-8-8, 32 points) can be satisfied with the one point netted because they trailed Seattle in the first half and have historically struggled against the Sounders.MNUFC’s all-time MLS record against Seattle is now 1-11-2, ending a streak of four straight defeats since July 2021. The Loons have a minus-18 goal differential since 2017, and the Sounders are the only Western Conference club the Loons have not beat more than once.Seattle (10-9-8, 37 points) is currently winless in their last four MLS matches.Sunday’s first half was boiled down to two headers; Seattle made the most of it, and Minnesota missed their best chance.In the 17th minute, Yeimar won a free header in the box between Michael Boxall and Micky Tapias and it went past goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair for a 1-0 lead. It was Seattle’s only shot on target in the first half.The Loo...

High school football: Lavontae Cox’s emergence has Central oozing with optimism this fall

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

High school football: Lavontae Cox’s emergence has Central oozing with optimism this fall Central High School running backs coach Jamal Galato first watched Lavontae Cox tote the football when Cox was in eighth grade, playing at Oxford Community Center.IMG_3601Cox immediately separated himself from his peers.“He was running the ball and had a couple of cuts, in eighth grade. That amazed me,” Gelato said. “But I was like, ‘OK, let me see it in high school.’ ”And, sure enough, the following year Cox impressed in practices as a freshman. But despite Gelato’s best lobbying, Cox wasn’t a factor in the varsity backfield.But that changed last fall, finally, after injuries pushed Cox into a prominent role, and the tailback took off. Highlighted by a 176-yard outburst in Central’s 20-7 section semifinal upset of Highland Park, Cox ran for nearly 1,000 yards, and added 300 more receiving, last season to help spark the Minutemen’s late-season surge into a section final.“They kept telling me, ‘Coach, you’ve got to look at this young kid. You’ve gotta look at the young kid,’ ” Centra...

2 officers struck on I-70 shoulder in north St. Louis County

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:01:53 GMT

2 officers struck on I-70 shoulder in north St. Louis County ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Less than 24 hours after being struck by a pedestrian vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 70, two officers with the North County Police Cooperative were released from the hospital on Sunday.According to a crash report filed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the incident occurred just after 8:20 p.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near Jennings Station Road.State troopers claim the two officers had exited their police vehicle to attend to an abandoned car on the shoulder.The driver of a 2003 Honda Accord lost control of their vehicle, colliding with a guardrail and striking both officers. Fast and furious; Bommarito five hundred revs up following rain-delayed qualifying The two officers, both 27 years of age, were hospitalized with serious and moderate injuries, respectively.The 64-year-old driver of the Honda was apprehended on suspicion of DWI.“This could have been a lot worse, but I’m glad it’s minor injuries, and they are both recovering,”...