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State says Louisiana family must give up beloved pet nutria

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana couple has run afoul of state law by keeping a 22-pound nutria — a beady-eyed, orange-toothed, rat-tailed rodent commonly considered a wetlands-damaging pest — as a pet that frolics with their dog, snuggles in their arms and swims in the family pool. Denny and Myra Lacoste tell New Orleans news outlets they are devastated at the potential loss of “Neuty,” a pet they say they raised from infancy when its siblings were killed in traffic. The move by state Wildlife and Fisheries officials, who say it’s illegal to keep an orphaned or injured wild animal as a pet, has sparked a petition drive by those who want him to stay with the humans who raised him.The state Wildlife Department says the plan is to house Neuty at the Baton Rouge Zoo. But it’s unclear when that will happen. A statement from the department Friday said officials had gone to remove the pet from the Lacoste’s New Orleans-area residence Thursday. “The nutria...

Brampton investigating deaths of waterfowl, testing for bird flu

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

The City of Brampton is looking into the recent deaths of waterfowl and is testing the birds for Avian Influenza, known as bird flu.Officials say dead waterfowl were discovered in the areas of Professor’s Lake and Duncan Valley Foster South. The city said the cause of death remains undetermined, noting that Brampton Animal Services is monitoring the situation.Samples have been sent to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative to test for bird flu. If the dead birds test negative, a necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.The risk of Avian Influenza spreading to humans is extremely rare, and the city said there is no danger to the public at this time.The City of Brampton is out with tips on keeping pets safe, including keeping animals away from waterfowl or fecal matter and not feeding waterfowl. Officials also urge pet owners not to let cats wander outside and to keep dogs on a leash.A highly pathogenic type of H5N1 avian flu has been tearing through Canadian...

Palestinians: 1 killed by Israeli army fire in West Bank

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said troops shot a Palestinian who approached soldiers on Friday and pulled a knife near the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian authorities said the man died of his wounds a short while later. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the man as Yazan Khaseeb, 23. The military said the man refused to identify himself and drew a knife, prompting the soldiers to open fire. It published a photo of the alleged knife on the ground.It was the latest bloodshed in the current round of violence, one of the worst between Israelis and Palestinians in years. The escalation began a year ago after a series of Palestinian attacks against Israelis that triggered near-nightly Israeli raids in the West Bank.Friday’s death brings the number of Palestinians killed since the start of the year to 85. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 14 people in 2023.According to an Associated Press tally, about half of the Palestinians kil...

B.C. man arrested for allegedly wielding syringe with needle attached to toy arrow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

NANAIMO — Police say they have arrested a man in Nanaimo, B.C., who was allegedly threatening people with a toy bow and arrow that had a syringe with a needle attached to the arrow’s tip. Mounties say they were called to the parking lot of the Port Place Mall in the Vancouver Island city on Monday after the man was reportedly threatening people with a stick and the toy bow and arrow.Police say the arrow “appeared to have” a hypodermic needle attached to the end, and the man was taken into custody after a brief foot chase and struggle with officers. RCMP say the 32-year-old man now faces charges of assaulting a police officer, uttering threats, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. Mounties say the man will remain in custody until he’s due back in court on March 28. The Canadian Press

Lawmaker pauses filibuster on agreement to debate trans bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

A lawmaker who has been holding up the work of the Nebraska Legislature for weeks to protest a bill that would ban gender-affirming therapies for minors has paused her persistent filibuster in a deal that will see lawmakers debate the bill next week. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, of Omaha, had been staging a filibuster of every single bill before the legislative body — even ones she supported — since late February to protest the bill. Introduced by a freshman lawmaker and supported by hard-right conservatives, the bill would outlaw gender-affirming therapies such as hormone treatments and gender-affirmation surgery for those 18 and younger. Cavanaugh launched her effort when the bill advanced out of committee, introducing amendment after amendment and spending as much time as Nebraska rules allowed on the microphone to hold bills hostage on the legislative floor. She said she would continue to do so through the end of the 90-day session.“I will burn the session to the ground over this bi...

Report: 'The Wire' star Lance Reddick dies at 60

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

Actor Lance Reddick, best known for his roles in "The Wire" and "John Wick" has died at the age of 60, according to TMZ.Reddick's body was found in his Los Angeles home Friday morning, TMZ said. Foul play is not suspected.Reddick played the well-regarded police executive Cedric Daniels from 2002 to 2008 in the hit HBO show "The Wire." Ticketmaster gives partial refund, lower fees to Cure fans after Robert Smith’s crusade He also played Charon in the John Wick movie franchise in addition to several film and television roles. Reddick was currently on a press tour for the fourth installment of the movie, TMZ said.Other notable roles Reddick had were Detective Johnny Basil in "Oz", Phillip Broyles in "Fringe" and he was in four episodes of "Lost."Reddick was born and raised in Baltimore, the setting of "The Wire."

Wisconsin residents bought $121M worth of Illinois weed in 2022

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Potheads in Wisconsin accounted for an estimated $36.1 million in tax revenue on marijuana purchased in Illinois, according to a new report.The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's report said more than half of cannabis sales in counties bordering Wisconsin were made by out-of-state residents.Wisconsin residents are estimated to have spent $121 million on weed in Illinois in 2022. Can I share weed in Illinois? Recreational marijuana is not legal in Wisconsin, but it is in each of its surrounding states. In total, thirty-seven U.S. states currently have some form of marijuana legalization."It should upset every Wisconsinite that our hard earned tax dollars are going across the border to Illinois. This is revenue that could be going toward Wisconsin’s public schools, transportation infrastructure, and public safety," Senate Minority Leader Melissa Asgard (D-Madison) said in a statement, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I...

Democrats outline immigration plan amid workforce shortage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Democrats say they have a plan that will deal with the nation's immigration problems and help boost the labor market easily, however Republican lawmakers are skeptical.The U.S. is facing a big workforce challenge and California Congressman Lou Correa says immigrants are the solution.“We have a shortage of workers in this country. Whether it's Silicon Valley, high tech workers,” Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) said. “Fifty percent of our farm workers are undocumented, what are you going to do? [Are] you going to deport them?“Congressman Correa and fellow Democrats say there's a simple solution – updating the Immigration Registry Act.The registry act gave immigrants a path to legal status if they entered the U.S. before 1972. Correa says it's time to update the law “so anybody that came into the country before 2015, has a good moral character…has the opportunity to apply for a green card.”By using 2015 as the cutoff, Democrats say future illegal immigration would be disc...

Illinois deputy shot in head with BB gun

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy is recovering after being shot in the head with a BB gun.Police said deputies were conducting a welfare check Thursday afternoon at a home on S. Greenview Avenue.A suspect was found in the back yard of the home; he pointed a BB gun at the deputy and fired.The deputy was treated at the hospital and later released.The unidentified suspect is in jail, authorities said.

Illinois prison guard sentenced for inmate beating death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:59 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) -- A former correctional officer at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Ill., was sentenced Thursday for beating an inmate to death in 2018.According to a United States Attorney’s Office press release, 31-year-old Alex Banta was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release in connection to the death of Larry Earvin.Banta and two others assaulted Earvin as they were transporting him from residential housing to segregated housing. Earvin was handcuffed at the time.Earvin suffered serious bodily injury, including multiple broken ribs, a punctured mesentery, and other serious internal injuries, which resulted in Earvin’s death in June 2018.Banta and the other defendants attempted to falsify documents filed with the prison and lied to state police about the incident. Illinois prison guard pleads guilty to inmate beating death Banta was sentenced for conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation o...