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Plane crash in Lake Placid kills 2, including former NFL player Russ Francis of Patriots, 49ers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Former NFL tight end Russ Francis, a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the New England Patriots who won a Super Bowl with the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, was killed along with another aviation enthusiast when the single-engine plane the two men were in crashed shortly after takeoff from an airport in upstate New York, authorities said Monday.Francis, 70, and Richard McSpadden, 63, had taken off from the Lake Placid Airport shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in a Cessna 177 plane when the plane had some kind of problem. The New York State Police said it crashed into an embankment at the corner of the airport. Francis was president of Lake Placid Airways, which runs charter and scenic flights. A longtime flying enthusiast, the airline’s website said he had been a pilot for almost 50 years, and had run a charter service in Hawaii. McSpadden was a senior vice president at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which advocates around general aviation. The orga...

Enerflex announces CFO departure, shares down more than 20%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

CALGARY — Shares of Enerflex Ltd. sank more than 20 per cent in afternoon trading after the company announced the resignation of its chief financial officer for the second time in less than a year.The company says Rodney Gray has stepped down from the job to pursue other opportunities.Gray joined Enerflex on July 1 to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Sanjay Bishnoi as chief financial officer on April 10 to pursue another opportunity.Enerflex says it has started a search process to identify its next CFO and hired an executive search firm to assist.It says it will provide details regarding its financial results and progress on its strategic priorities in connection with its third-quarter earnings announcement in November.Enerflex shares were down $1.79, or about 23 per cent, at $6.01 in trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:EFX)The Canadian Press

A look at how to avoid a bear encounter after fatal attack in Banff National Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

BANFF, Alta. — A couple and their dog were killed on the weekend in a grizzly bear attack in the wilderness of Banff National Park in Alberta. Here’s a look at how to avoid an encounter in bear country:Make noise: Call out, clap, sing or talk loudly near streams, dense forest or berry patches, on windy days or in areas of low visibility.Watch for fresh bear signs: Tracks, droppings, diggings, torn-up logs, turned-over rocks or a large dead animal could all be signs that a bear has been in the area. Leave the area.Keep your dog on a leash or leave it at home: Dogs can provoke defensive behaviour in bears.Travel in groups: Research has shown groups of four or more are less likely to have a serious bear encounter.Stay on the trails: Use officially marked trails and travel during daylight hours.Pay attention to your surroundings: Do not wear headphones or earbuds on the trails. Carry bear spray and know how to use it: Bear spray can be effective with some bears when used properly....

US Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father Don seeks return to Florida Senate chamber he once led as its president

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Don Gaetz, the father of Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, said Monday he intends to run again for the Florida Senate, a chamber he led as president from 2012 to 2014.Don Gaetz, 75, said he would seek the Florida Panhandle seat being vacated by state Sen. Doug Broxson, also a Republican. The elder Gaetz previously served in the state Senate from 2006 to 2016, including his years as president.Another Republican candidate for the District 1 seat, former state Rep. Frank White, told the Pensacola News Journal he will drop out with Don Gaetz deciding to run.Matt Gaetz, lately the chief antagonist against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over spending legislation, has represented a Panhandle district in the U.S. House since 2017. Matt Gaetz said he intends to file a motion this week to vacate the speakership over this dispute, possibly triggering a vote on whether McCarthy keeps his position.The younger Gaetz also served in the state House from 2010-2016 and has been me...

Azerbaijan moves to reaffirm control of Nagorno-Karabakh as the Armenian exodus slows to a trickle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

The last bus carrying ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh left the region Monday, completing a grueling weeklong exodus of over 100,000 people — more than 80% of its residents — after Azerbaijan reclaimed the area in a lightning military operation.The bus that entered Armenia carried 15 passengers with serious illnesses and mobility problems, said Gegham Stepanyan, a human rights ombudsman for the former breakaway region that Azerbaijan calls Karabakh. He called for information about any other residents who want to leave but have had trouble doing so.In a 24-hour military campaign that began on Sept. 19, the Azerbaijani army routed the region’s undermanned and outgunned Armenian forces, forcing them to capitulate. The separatist government then agreed to disband itself by the end of this year, but Azerbaijani authorities are already in charge of the region.Azerbaijan Interior Ministry spokesman Elshad Hajiyev told The Associated Press on Monday that the country’s police hav...

More suspects to be charged in ransacking of Philadelphia stores, district attorney says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Additional suspects will be charged with smashing into stores in Philadelphia last week as law enforcement officials review video of the social-media fueled mayhem, prosecutors said Monday.More than 70 people already face a range of charges, such as burglary, conspiracy and riot, in the flash mob-style break-ins Tuesday night at dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple. All but six of the defendants are adults.“There was a lot of video from that first evening and evenings that went after that, so we continue to work with (police) on reviewing affidavits, with reviewing evidence that they submit to us,” Assistant District Attorney Clint Orem said at a news conference Monday. “We expect more of those individuals to be charged in the coming days.”Before the smash-and-grab thefts, a group of protesters — who officials say had no connection to the burglary suspects — peacefully rallied against a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and oth...

Man seriously injured in Mississauga stabbing, 1 person arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

One person is in custody after a stabbing in Mississauga left a man with serious injuries.Peel Regional Police officers responded to Masthead Crescent and Windjammer Road near The Collegeway and Glen Erin Drive just before 1 p.m. for a disturbance call.When they arrived, they found a man with stab wounds. Paramedics say they transported the man with serious injuries to hospital.Police say a man was arrested. There is no word on charges.No further details have been released.

Test of FEMA emergency alert system planned for this week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — If an alarm blares on your phone the first week of October, don't worry – it might just be a test. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said they will conduct a test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.All major U.S. wireless providers participate in the emergency alert system and will transmit the national test to their customers. If your phone is on and within range of an active cell tower, from a participating wireless provider, you should receive the national test, FEMA and FCC said. New IRS ‘$600 rule’ also applies to resold tickets, side hustles like Etsy According to FEMA, the test will take place at approximately 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 4. If there’s widespread severe weather on Oct. 4, the test will be postponed by one week so it doesn’t create confusion between real emergency alerts and the test. The backup test date is Wednesday, Oct. 11. ...

Dollywood Express evacuated after train experiences mechanical issue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Passengers aboard the Dollywood Express were forced to evacuate due to a mechanical issue on Sunday. Officials say the incident happened just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday at Dollywood, the Dolly Parton-owned theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. All passengers on board were unloaded safely and no injuries were reported.The cause of the mechanical issue has not been released yet. The Dollywood Express features a 20-minute train ride, led by a 110-ton coal-fired steam engine. It follows a five-mile trek through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.Two steam engines operate on the Dollywood Express, Engine 192, or "Klondike Katie," and Engine 70, known as "Cinderella."The engines were originally part of Rebel Railroad, a park built in 1961 that once stood where present-day Dollywood now sits. Both Klondike Katie and Cinderella joined the park after serving in Alaska in World War II.Klondike Kaite and Cinderella were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works i...

What’s the fastest fast food drive-thru? It isn’t Chick-fil-A

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:52 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - If you’re going through a fast food drive-thru, you probably have some expectations: The food will come fast, the service will be super, and the food will be exactly as you ordered it. A new survey shows some fast food chains are better at delivering on those promises than others. Intouch Insight has released its annual drive-thru study, which analyzes the top fast food chains across multiple categories: order accuracy, speed, food quality, suggestive selling, and level of satisfaction. This year, they conducted nearly 1,500 drive-thru visits at 10 chains nationwide: Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Chick-fil-A, Dunkin', Hardee’s, KFC, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s.Overall, Intouch Insight’s analysis found the fast food giants are getting better in multiple categories. They’re faster than last year, with the average total ordering time dropping 29 seconds. The average number of cars you’ll find in line has dipped from 2.76 to 1.27. More customers are receiving ...