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Quebec apple farmers want government help to deal with changing tastes and climate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec apple farmers are asking for government help to plant new varieties and modernize their orchards as they try to adapt to climate change and shifting consumer tastes.Éric Rochon, president of the Quebec apple farmers association, says his group is asking Quebec’s agriculture ministry for $30 million over six years.He says consumers want sweeter and firmer apples and new varieties are more productive.Rochon says some of those varieties, like the Gala apple, couldn’t be grown in Quebec 25 years ago because winters were too cold, but are now an option for farmers.He says apple growers also want help to protect their orchards against tornadoes and droughts as such events become more common in the province.Rochon says he expects overall apple production to be down this year after a late frost caused producers in some parts of the province to lose a significant percentage of their crops.

A rally in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki to protest new IDs draws 5,000 people

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — About 5,000 people gathered in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki Sunday to protest against a new type of identity card to be introduced later this month, police said. Carrying Greek flags and banners, the protesters rallied at the city’s iconic White Tower, a waterfront former fortification, chanting slogans and the national anthem. They played a speech by the late former head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, who had warned of the enemies of the Greek people.Later, they marched through the city center before dispersing without incidentThe machine-readable cards will replace the type of ID currently issued and will contain the same information, such as name, parents’ name, address and height. The only extra information, blood type, is optional.But the cards have inspired conspiracy theories and some people assert the new IDs contain chips that will allow authorities to pinpoint cardholders’ location or even control th...

Sunday Brunch: Hampton Social

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

This weekend for Sunday Brunch, Chef Juan Alvarado from Hampton Social came to visit WGN Weekend Morning News.Hampton Social is a coastal-inspired restaurant chain. MORE STORIES: Sunday Brunch Hampton Social has several locations across Chicagoland, including Burr Ridge, River North, Steeterville, Skokie and South Barrington.

Weekend Break: Bike the Drive

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

CHICAGO — No cars were allowed for several hours on DuSable Lake Shore Drive Sunday morning as thousands of bicyclists participated in an event. MORE STORIES: Weekend Break WGN Weekend Morning News stopped by the third annual Bike the Drive event to check it out.You can watch the stories above for more information.

2 arrested on aggravated kidnapping for ransom/reward charge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Two men were arrested in Travis County on first-degree felony charges of aggravated kidnapping for ransom/reward, according to court documents.Travis County jail records showed 22-year-old Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo and 35-year-old Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelay were booked into the jail Aug. 27 in connection with the charge. Both remained in the jail as of Sunday on $50,000 bonds.According to Travis County court documents, the two were involved in a smuggling operation that involved a 7-year-old child and a woman who was 40 weeks pregnant.

Texas DPS enforcement increases through Labor Day holiday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said it increased enforcement for the Labor Day holiday in an effort to reduce crashes.The enforcement began Friday and will continue through midnight Monday, according to DPS.The department said it was looking for people not wearing their seat belts, speeders, people driving while intoxicated and drivers who fail to follow the state’s Move Over, Slow Down law, among other traffic violations.“Roads will be busy this holiday weekend and we want everyone to get to and from their destinations safely,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said. “Do your part by paying attention to the road, put your phone down, buckle up, slow down and obey all traffic laws, so that we can end the summer on a safe note.”DPS said during the 2022 Labor Day holiday enforcement period, Troopers statewide issued more than 64,000 citations and warnings.

Texas is nation’s ‘stickiest’ state, native Texans stick around

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

SPECIAL NOTE: The video above is from our November 2022 coverage of why Texans love Texas so much.LUBBOCK, Texas -- New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showed Texas is the stickiest state with 82% of native-born Texans sticking around as of 2021. The Fed published both a news release and a website article Tuesday with an analysis of the most and least sticky states.The next best behind Texas was North Carolina with 75.5%. Georgia, California and Utah followed."At the other end of the spectrum, Wyoming is the least-sticky state, with only 45.2% of natives remaining there,” the Fed said in its article. “North Dakota and Alaska were the only other states with less than half their native population staying there…”“Since the pandemic, shifts in population—from states like California and New York to destinations such as Texas and Florida—have been well documented,” the Fed said. However, this time the research focused on those who were native-born to a state.It's Good to ...

Math in Texas is different than the rest of the US: Here's how that happened

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

TEXAS (KAMR/KCIT) - Throughout the course of human history, mathematics has served as a literally universal language, making it possible for people to build civilizations, make scientific discoveries, and even travel into the stars. Math has sets of standardized rules and formulas that students all over the U.S. learn to use; however, it looks a little different in Texas. While math is math and the numbers may not change, students in Texas learn it in a different standard than most other states. In fact, it's illegal in Texas for students to have the same math standards as students in New Mexico, Louisiana, or most of the rest of the country. How did that happen, and how is Texas math different? Texas, TEKS, and Common Core As noted in the Texas Journal of Literacy Education, the Lone Star State arrived early to the nationwide educational reform movement of the 1980s. Texas lawmakers had already required a reform to educational curriculum in the state two years before the movement g...

Domestic violence survivors receive more support in new Texas law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

For anyone who needs help escaping domestic violence, you can call the Family Abuse Center hotline number at 1-800-283-8401.WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — A new Texas law went into effect Friday to support victims of domestic violence.In the past, survivors of domestic violence only had two years to file for a misdemeanor assault and three years for a felony.Now with House Bill 467 going into effect, survivors have more time to speak out."A felony domestic violence case, it extends it out for five years from the date of the offense and for any misdemeanor assault family violence case, it extends it out to three years from the date of offense," said McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Gabe Price.Price has served in McLennan County district attorney's office for 14 years."We see hundreds and hundreds of domestic violence cases every year come through this office," said Price.Price says the new law will help his office prosecute offenders because of timeliness."Research has shown about...

Austin FC's Alex Ring saves the day with stoppage-time goal for 2-2 draw in New England

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:35:51 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Alexander Ring scored in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, offsetting the first two career goals by New England's Tomás Chancalay as Austin FC and the Revolution played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday night.New England (13-5-8) saw a six-match win streak at home end, but the club extended its home unbeaten streak to 15 with an 11-0-4 mark. The Revolution's longest winning streak was a seven-match run spanning the 2004-05 seasons. The Revs have won six in a row at home six different times.VERDE LIGHTS: Miss the latest show? Watch the replay on Austin FC's website, but remember to tune in for the next show at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays on The CW AustinEmiliano Rigoni put Austin (8-12-6) on top in the 27th minute, taking a pass from Jon Gallagher and scoring his fourth goal of the season.Chancalay scored the equalizer one minute later for New England. Ian Harkes notched an assist on Chancalay's first goal in his second start.Chancalay's second nett...