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Arizona city to change name in honor of Taylor Swift as Eras Tour kicks off

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

Taylor Swift will have an entire city named in her honor when the much-anticipated Eras Tour kicks off in Glendale, Ariz. next week.Mayor Jerry P. Weiers is planning to read a proclamation on March 13 that will temporarily change Glendale’s name while the pop superstar performs her sold out set at the city’s State Farm Stadium — home to the Arizona Cardinals.The marketing stunt, according to 12 News, was inspired by the city’s desire to do “something highly unusual” to celebrate Swift’s selection of the city as the first stop on her wildly popular tour.However, no information is yet available as to what temporary name has been chosen to celebrate the “Shake It Off” chanteuse.Swift is playing a pair of shows at the venue March 17 and March 18, with GAYLE and Paramore serving as opening acts. The State Farm Stadium is the same location where Rihanna made history last month as the first woman to perform pregnant as a headliner of Su...

Patriots S Devin McCourty announces NFL retirement after 13 seasons

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

Patriots safety Devin McCourty announced his NFL retirement Friday in an Instagram posts.McCourty ends his playing career after 13 seasons, three Super Bowl championships and two Pro Bowl nods. McCourty grew into a franchise great in New England, where he was named to the franchise’s 2010s All-Decade team. He ranks third in Patriots history with 35 career interceptions, one behind Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Ty Law and Patriots Hall of Famer Raymond Clayborn.“It has been a great ride,” McCourty told his twin brother and NFL Network analyst, Jason McCourty, on Instagram. “I got the opportunity to talk to Mr. Kraft, to talk to Bill (Belichick), a lot of the guys on the defensive staff. Unbelievable ride.”Nicknamed “red coat” by his teammates, McCourty is a lock to enter the Patriots Hall of Fame one day. The 35-year-old was voted a captain every season after his rookie year of 2010. McCourty entered the league as a first-round draft p...

This is why you may hear loud booms in San Diego this month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- You may hear loud booms in San Diego in this month, according to officials from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. In a public service announcement Friday, Camp Pendleton says a noise advisory will be in place starting Saturday, March 11 until Friday, March 17. Loud boom heard, felt in San Diego area There will be live-fire operations with high explosive munitions during those dates, including overnight live-fire on March 14 and 15, officials said.Depending on atmospheric conditions, the sound of the explosions may be amplified and heard up to 50-miles away. So if you hear a loud boom in the coming week, this could be the cause. "Since 1982, Marines have been training on Camp Pendleton so they are prepared to fight our nations battles at a moments notice. Marines must train at all climates and terrains, die and night, because combat has no perfect conditions," said a Marine spokesperson in a video explaining why these operations are performed.According to base officia...

City of Toronto set to close Rosedale Valley Road on weekend for bridge removal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

City of Toronto crews are set to close down part of Rosedale Valley Road in order to demolish the Glen Road pedestrian bridge as part of an ongoing replacement project.Officials said in an update posted on social media that Rosedale Valley Road between Park Road and Bayview Avenue will be closed, weather-permitting, between 11:59 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Monday.The closure is part of an initiative to replace the Glen Road pedestrian bridge and the pedestrian tunnel under Bloor Street East.RELATED: Richmond on growing list of streets downtown Toronto under constructionWork on the construction project began in 2022 and officials said crews have removed the existing timber deck, excavated the north side of the tunnel and created an access path along Bloor Street East (the street has seen lane reductions east of Sherbourne Street related to the project).Project managers said three road closures will be needed in 2023 to remove the existing bridge and install the new one.In addition ...

Millions who rely on Medicaid may be booted from program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you get health care coverage through Medicaid, you might be at risk of losing that coverage over the next year.Roughly 84 million people are covered by the government-sponsored program, which has grown by 20 million people since January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But as states begin checking everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the first time in three years, as many as 14 million people could lose access to that health care coverage. A look at why so many people may no longer qualify for the Medicaid program over the next year and what you need to know if you’re one of those people who relies on the program. WHAT’S HAPPENING TO MEDICAID? At the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government prohibited states from kicking people off Medicaid, even if they were no longer eligible. Before the pandemic, people would regularly lose their Medicaid coverage if they started making too much money to qualify for the program, gained heal...

US to let MLB stars play for Cuba in World Baseball Classic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

HAVANA (AP) — The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year.The decision announced Dec. 24 in a news release by the Baseball Federation of Cuba (FCB) could be a big step in once again turning Cuba’s national team into heavy hitters on an international stage.Major League Baseball confirmed that the U.S. granted the license to FCB. It clears the way for MLB stars such as José Abreu, Yordan Alvarez, Randy Arozarena, Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert to play for Cuba in the WBC in March if they choose to accept a potential invitation.It’s up to each country’s national governing body to pick the players on its WBC team. Final 30-man rosters are due Feb. 7 for the WBC, which begins March 8 with Cuba facing the Netherlands in Taiwan.While the sport of choice for much of Latin America is soccer, baseball dominates in Cuba. The island has gained fame around the world for its baseball talent...

Ottawa commits to ‘targeted’ bail reforms that would address repeat violent offenders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

OTTAWA — Justice Minister David Lametti says the federal government will move forward quickly on “targeted reforms” to the Criminal Code that would update Canada’s bail system.Lametti says the reforms will address challenges posed by repeat violent offenders and those facing firearms and other weapons charges. He made the commitment this afternoon following what he called a good and productive meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts.Premiers, federal Conservatives and law enforcement leaders have ramped up pressure on Ottawa since the beginning of the year to make bail more restrictive. A January letter from all 13 premiers to the prime minister called for a “reverse onus” system for some offences, which would require a person seeking bail to prove why they should not stay behind bars.Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro says the provinces are united in calling for substantive changes, and he says they will continue to put forward mor...

Stocks fall as Wall Street wonders what will break next

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell Friday after the largest U.S. bank failure in more than a decade raised worries on Wall Street about what’s next to break as interest rates keep climbing.The S&P 500 was 1.4% lower in late trading after scrapping back from deeper losses earlier in the day. It’s on pace for its worst week since September. That’s despite a highly anticipated report on Friday showing pay raises for workers are slowing and other signals Wall Street wants to see of cooling pressure on inflation.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 349 points, or 1.1%, at 31,904, as of 3:20 p.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 1.7% lower.Some of the market’s sharpest drops were again coming from the financial industry, where stocks tanked for a second day. Regulators took over Silicon Valley Bank in a surprise midday move after shares of its parent company, SVB Financial, plunged more than 60% this week. The company, which served the industry surrounding ...

CP NewsAlert: B.C. dropping vaccine requirement for provincial public servants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia is rescinding its policy that required provincial public servants to be vaccinated against COVID-19.The province says that from April 3, BC Public Service employees will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination.More comingThe Canadian Press

Ontario could ban TikTok in public schools, Lecce says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:06 GMT

One day after the province announced a ban of the social media platform TikTok on government-operated devices, Ontario’s education minister said they’re considering doing the same in public schools.Stephen Lecce was asked about the possibility at a press conference in Mississauga, admitting that officials are perturbed about the impact TikTok has on children.“That is a decision point I expect we will communicate on,” Lecce said. “We obviously share a very profound concern about the privacy impacts for young people.”When it comes to those specific effects on younger people, a Dec. 2022 study by the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate found that TikTok could surface potentially harmful content related to suicide and eating disorders to teenagers within minutes of them creating an account.That study also revealed that the app suggested videos about body image and mental health roughly every 39 seconds within 30 minutes.“I am concerned...