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Book Review: Stephen King finds terror in the ordinary in new pandemic-set novel ‘Holly’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

“Holly” by Stephen King (Scribner)In half a century of writing horror novels, Stephen King has created some remarkable villains. Who can forget the sing-song voice of Pennywise the clown, the devil incarnate Randall Flagg, or the drooling jaws of Cujo? The big bads in King’s latest novel, “Holly,” aren’t quite so memorable, but that’s part of what makes them terrifying.Emily and Rodney Harris are retired professors of Bell College Arts and Sciences. Em, as her husband calls her, taught English and Em’s beloved “Roddy” taught life sciences and earned the nickname “Rowdy Roddy the Mad Nutritionist.” Bell is a generic “college on a hill” near a lake somewhere in Ohio. King doesn’t need to be more specific than that with his sense of place, because this is a story set during the COVID pandemic that uses common acts and things to create fear — abandoned bicycles, lost earrings, a twilight run through the park.The novel begins with quick flashbacks to a series of abductions starting in 20...

Judges reject Alabama’s congressional lines, will draw new districts to increase Black voting power

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal judges said Tuesday that they will draft new congressional lines for Alabama after lawmakers refused to create a second district where Black voters at least came close to comprising a majority, as suggested by the court.The three-judge panel blocked use of the state’s newly drawn congressional map in next year’s elections. A special master will be tapped to draw new districts for the state, the judges said. Alabama is expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.“This is a significant step toward equal representation for Black Alabamians,” said former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which backed one of the court challenges that led to the decision.The Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature hastily drew new lines this summer after the U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the panel’s finding that the map — that had one majority-Black district out of seven in a...

CP NewsAlert: Police, city officials to testify in ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers’ trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

OTTAWA — Crown attorney Tim Radcliffe opened the criminal trial of “Freedom Convoy” organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber by informing the court he intends to call 22 witnesses, including police and city representatives and former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson.                                           This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2023.The Canadian Press

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw is resigning, mayor says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will step down this month to take a leadership position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the mayor said Tuesday.Outlaw leaves after a bumpy three years on the job and will become deputy chief security officer of the port authority.The Associated Press

Trial of man charged in deaths of London, Ont., Muslim family members to start Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., in 2021 is set to start on Tuesday.Jury selection will begin for the trial of Nathaniel Veltman who is accused of deliberately hitting the Afzaal family members with his truck as they were out for a walk on the evening of June 6, 2021.Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance ruled last year that a change of venue is warranted in the case, moving the trial from London to Windsor, Ont.The reasons for that decision, as well as the evidence and arguments presented in court, cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed in the attack. The couple’s nine-year-old son was also seriously hurt but survived.RELATED: Terror murder case for deaths of Ontario Muslim family to go straight to trialVeltman, who was 20 at the time o...

Pets on a millennial budget: Love comes at a cost

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

When it comes to advising younger clients who are looking to welcome a new fur baby into their family, certified financial planner and cat owner Cindy Marques has one overarching philosophy — “put yourself first.”Though affording a pet is certainly possible for young Canadians with the right financial mindset, Marques said she too often sees clients with rocky finances inclined to adopt or purchase a pet, potentially digging them deeper into a financial hole.“A lot of what I do, ultimately, with clients is heavily rooted in cash flow planning,” said Marques, who is also the director of education and financial planning at Open Access Limited.“At the end of the day, you have to get practical and start to think about whether adding a dependent to your cash flow is possible to sustain.”This was something Jordyn Preston — a third-year political science and philosophy major at Carleton University — was well aware of when she set her sights on a dachshund puppy this year.Growing up with do...

Tim Hortons launches new online store selling apparel with retro feel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

TORONTO — Tim Hortons has launched an online store selling a new line of clothing.The Toronto-based fast-food chain says its new TimShop.ca stocks a range of sweaters, T-shirts and joggers with a retro feel.The limited-edition clothing includes neutral loungewear bearing vintage Tim Hortons logos, novelty crewnecks in bright pink and electric blue and even Timbits-inspired outfits.Tim Hortons says the store will sell additional merchandise come National Coffee Day later this month.The online store also stocks Nespresso capsules, ground coffee and tea K-cups.The store comes after Tim Hortons teamed up with pop star Justin Bieber on a line of tote bags, beanie hats and fanny packs in 2021. “There are so many Canadians from coast to coast to coast who have told us they would love to see more apparel from us that celebrate the nostalgic look of Tim Hortons and a more modern reflection of the brand today,” said Markus Sturm, the company’s senior vice-president of consum...

Body of teen boy recovered near East Chicago beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — A 14-year-old boy's body was recovered following a search near an East Chicago beach on Monday.At around 4:20 p.m., authorities were dispatched to Lake Michigan, near Jeorse Park, on the report of a missing juvenile in the water.A 14-year-old boy was rescued by the East Chicago Fire Department, but later died at the hospital.Witnesses told authorities a group of juveniles were jumping off the breakwall after being advised not to by marina staff, police said. Man dead, woman critical after being pulled from Lake Michigan The boy began to struggle in the water after jumping off the wall, the DNR said.His identity is not available at this time.

CDC warns doctors to be on lookout for deadly flesh-eating bacteria

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

(The Hill) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning doctors to be on the lookout for deadly flesh-eating bacteria that may be in waters of the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast.The bacteria is known as Vibrio vulnificus or V. vulnificus. The CDC issued the health advisory last week to urge healthcare providers to consider it as the possible cause of infected wounds from people who have been in coastal waters. COVID-19 raises anxiety at start of new school year The advisory said that the bacteria naturally live in coastal waters and that V. vulnificus is primarily transmitted through open-wound contact. It also has been transmitted in 10 percent of cases through eating raw or undercooked shellfish.“V. vulnificus wound infections have a short incubation period and are characterized by necrotizing skin and soft tissue infection, with or without hemorrhagic bullae,” the CDC warned. “Many people with V. vulnificus wound infection require intensive car...

Video: Michigan officer saves toddler during traffic stop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:56 GMT

(NewsNation) — A police officer in Michigan is being called a hero after saving the life of an 18-month-old toddler during a traffic stop.Warren police officer Brenden Fraser was performing distracted driving enforcement duties Friday when he spotted a Chevy Camaro speeding by him. As Fraser pulled over the car, he noticed that the driver was waving his arms in an attempt to flag him down.“It just happened to catch my eye the way he was driving down 12 Mile,” Fraser said during an interview on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “Once I got up to the car, it made sense he was driving towards the hospital, so his speed was definitely much greater than the rest of the cars.”As Fraser approached the car, the driver frantically explained that his 18-month-old nephew was not breathing. The Warren Police Department said the child was turning blue and his eyes were rolling to the back of his head.“Officer Fraser remained calm and immediately took charge of the situation,” Warren Police Commissione...