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FAA sets up new process for Hawaii air tour operators to fly at lower altitudes after fatal crashes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that it is setting up a new process for air tour operators in Hawaii to be approved to fly at lower altitudes after numerous fatal crashes in recent years. Current FAA regulations require air tour operators to fly at 1,500 feet (460 meters) unless they have authorization to go lower. The agency said in a news release that it has outlined the new process for securing that authorization, including recommendations for pilot training, qualifications and aircraft equipment. The FAA said it will thoroughly review each operator’s safety plan before it issues an authorization. “This process will help prevent situations where pilots encounter poor visibility and become disoriented,” said David Boulter, the FAA’s acting associate administrator for aviation safety.In 2019, a pilot and six passengers were killed when their helicopter crashed in turbulent weather near Kauai’s famed Na Pali Coast. A National Transportatio...

CP NewsAlert: B.C. port workers approve contract

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s port workers have voted almost 75 per cent in favour of accepting a contract offer, ending weeks of turbulent job action that stopped billions of dollars’ worth of goods from being shipped. The approval of the contract, which covers about 7,400 workers, comes after the union rejected a mediated settlement twice. More coming. The Canadian Press

A funeral home in El Salvador offers pink coffins with Barbie linings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — A funeral home in El Salvador has taken Barbie mania to an extreme, offering pink coffins with Barbie linings. It’s all designed so you can be a Barbie fan till the day you die — and even after that. The pink metal coffins are on sale at the Alpha and Omega Funeral Home in the city of Ahuachapán, near the border with Guatemala. Owner Isaac Villegas said Friday he had already offered the option of pink coffins before the July premiere of the Barbie movie. But the craze that swept Latin America convinced him to decorate the cloth linings of the coffins with pictures of the doll. The coffins are also decorated with little white stars. “I said, ‘We have to jump on this trend,’” Villegas said of the coffins, noting “it has been a success.”He said the funeral home has already launched a promotional campaign around the Barbie boxes, and has sold 10 of them. Though that doesn’t mean 10 people have actually been buried in them — many people in El ...

Investigation after suspicious package found outside Des Plaines Police Department

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. -- The Des Plaines Police Department investigated a suspicious package that was discovered at their headquarters on Friday. Family of missing Gary father seeks public’s help Multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies are currently at the scene. Authorities recommend an alternate route while the investigation is ongoing.Police operations were temporarily transitioned to City Hall, but have since resumed by at the DPPD headquarters on Miner Street.Two people did come in contact with the package and were later taken to the hospital as a precaution.No further information has been released at this time.Stay with WGN-TV as this story develops.

Paul Lisnek on former President Trump indictments & more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

CHICAGO — WGN Political Analyst Paul Lisnek joined WGN Evening News to discuss several big stories from the week.The topics include the latest on former President Donald Trump's indictments in the Jan. 6, classified documents, election turnover, hush money case, and President Biden's involvement in Trump's legal issues.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAlso, Lisnek previewed his upcoming exclusive interview with Chicago's former mayor Lori Lightfoot that airs this Sunday on WGN-TV Political Report.Tune in Sunday mornings for WGN-TV Political Report.

'Happiest memory of all': Austinites rally behind Peter Pan Mini-Golf amid land uncertainty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- From birthdays to engagements to many, many first dates, there are decades of memories at Peter Pan Mini-Golf. Take it from Spencer Schumecher and Erin Swearingen who went on their first date at the course as freshman at the University of Texas Austin more than three years ago. The two agreed not to keep score, highlighting their mutual inability to keep competition from ruining a date. Future of Peter Pan Mini-Golf, old McDonald’s site in limbo And it worked, the date went well, though there's some argument about who won -- since no scorecard was kept. Years later, Schumecher describes that outing as "maybe the happiest memory of all." Another Austinite, Natalie Becker, was rewarded as a child with a trip to Peter Pan when her and her brother avoided enough sugar to keep her parents happy. Meanwhile, Kelsey Huse recalls a time when the Texas Department of Transportation accidentally sent her, and several other advocates, an email without blind copy, of which the...

Saints held to just three hits in 7-0 loss to Clippers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

Joey Cantillo fanned six in 5 1/3 shutout innings and three Columbus Clippers relievers held the St. Paul Saints without a hit the rest of the way as the Saints fell 7-0 Friday night at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.Cantillo allowed just three hits, doing his part to help hand the Saints their fourth shutout loss of the season.Of the three hits the Saints mustered, two came from recently called-up prospects. Top prospect Brooks Lee got his first Triple-A hit in his first at-bat, a single into left-center field in the first inning. He finished the night 1 for 4.DaShawn Keirsey Jr. also collected his first Triple-A hit in his first at-bat, a one-out single that ricocheted off the leg of Cantillo in the second. He later stole second base and finished the night 1 for 3.Blayne Enlow lasted just three innings in his start for the Saints, allowing four runs — three earned — on four hits. He also walked four while taking the loss.The Clippers pounced early, taking a 4-0 by t...

Loons edge Columbus Crew in shootout to advance in Leagues Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

“Superman” was playing the role of villain on Friday.Christian Ramirez earned that nickname when he was a member of Minnesota United, and the Columbus Crew forward became the latest former Loon to stick it to his former team this season.Ramirez scored the go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute, and mimicked opening his yellow shirt to reveal a hidden “S” — but Loons midfielder Hassani Dotson netted a surprise stoppage time equalizer to force a penalty-kick shootout.Ramirez scored again in PKs, but three Crew teammates missed or had shots saved by Dayne St. Clair. Then Micky Tapias made the winning kick from the spot for a 4-3 margin in a Leagues Cup round of 32 match at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.Minnesota will play either Mexican club Toluca or Sporting Kansas City in the new tournament’s round of 16 on Tuesday.Ramirez joins Mason Toye and Kei Kamala as ex-Loons to pester their old club this season. Former Loons mid Kevin Molino subbed in for the Crew in the 77th minute, and he ha...

As power shifts on Wisconsin Supreme Court, first partisan disputes break out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

Conflicts on Wisconsin’s newly liberal controlled state Supreme Court spilled out publicly Friday, setting the stage for deep divisions in the battleground state on major cases that could determine the legality of abortions and voting rules, as well as legislative boundary lines.Conservative Chief Justice Annette Ziegler accused liberal justices on Friday of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” in attempting to gut her powers. It was the second time in three days she accused them of overreaching in their first week in the majority.Conservatives controlled the court for 15 years until Tuesday. Liberals will have the majority for at least the next two years.Under conservative control, the court upheld Republican-drawn maps in 2011 that helped the GOP increase its majorities, affirmed a state law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers, and declared absentee ballot drop boxes illegal.Deep partisan divisions on the court aren’t new. Tensions we...

Lynx hang tough before falling to powerful Liberty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:57 GMT

For the second straight Friday, the Minnesota Lynx were kryptonite-like against one of the WNBA’s so-called “superteams.”This time, it was for just three quarters.Napheesa Collier scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in her return to the starting lineup after missing three games with a sprained right ankle, but the Lynx fell to New York 76-66 at Target Center.Kayla McBride had 14 points, Jessica Shepard had 11 rebounds and Lindsay Allen a season-high 10 assists for the Lynx (13-15), who scored only 24 second-half points.Down by two to start the fourth quarter, Minnesota committed four fouls in 57 seconds; its fifth came 2:14 in, meaning free throws for any Minnesota miscue.So the Liberty focused on getting inside to 6-foot-6 Jonquel Jones, who faced little resistance inside, especially with Dorka Juhász out with a right hamstring injury. The 6-5 Juhász had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the team’s first meeting.With New York up by four, Jones scored nine of the next 11 New York...