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Buford Tower restoration completed more than two years after fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, the City of Austin announced it completed restoration work more than two years after a fire broke out at the Buford Tower in downtown Austin from an encampment at the base.After the 2021 fire, the tower needed to be repaired to exact historical preservation standards, according to the city. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fire spreads to historic firefighter drill tower in downtown Austin The Buford Tower is a six-story brick building, which was constructed in 1930. It's even part of the National Register of Historic Places. Originally, it was a drill tower for the Austin Fire Department, and ultimately a memorial.The tower was dedicated in 1978 and named for AFD veteran Capt. James L. Buford, who died about six years earlier trying to rescue a teen who ended up drowning in flood waters from Shoal Creek, according to AFD."People came out of the woodwork to say how much they really cared for this building. I didn't even know people knew what it was. And ...

St. Paul paying $185K, mostly in attorney fees, after officers went in man’s apartment and arrested him without warrant

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

St. Paul is on the hook for $185,000 after a federal judge found three officers violated a man’s constitutional rights by entering his apartment without a warrant, and arresting and searching him.A jury awarded $29,500 to David Elgersma in a September civil trial. The City Council voted on Wednesday to approve a $155,500 settlement that was negotiated separately for Elgersma’s attorney’s legal fees.“We hope this outcome encourages more substantial training and accountability measures to prevent similar unlawful acts in the future,” Tim Phillips, the attorney who represented Elgersma, said Wednesday.Because Elgersma prevailed on his claims that the officers and the city violated his federal civil rights, he was allowed to petition the court for reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation costs.“Though the city would have the right to dispute the amount of the fees, or argue that no fees should be awarded, a fee award is ordinarily granted to pr...

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter backs Dean Phillips’ challenger Ron Harris

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter has endorsed Ron Harris, a former employee of the city of Minneapolis, in a political primary bid against U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, a Minnesota Democrat running a centrist campaign against U.S. President Joe Biden in the party’s upcoming presidential primary in New Hampshire.Ron Harris, a former chief resilience officer for the city of Minneapolis, has launched a political primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, a fellow Democrat representing Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional district, which spans the western Twin Cities suburbs from Bloomington and Eden Prairie to Anoka. In late October 2023, Phillips announced he would challenge U.S. President Joe Biden in the party’s New Hampshire primary. (Courtesy of the candidate)Harris is a former chief resilience officer for Minneapolis, where he was active in efforts to expand paid sick leave to workers throughout the city. He is a current member of the Democratic National Committee’...

Urban containment policies driving up land values and housing costs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

Canada has a severe and intractable housing crisis that could become existential for the middle class, eroding the standard of living. Our new Demographia Housing Affordability in Canada report (published by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy) reveals that more than half (24) of the 46 rated housing markets have severely unaffordable housing.Two of the markets, Vancouver and Toronto, have such costly housing relative to incomes that they ranked the third and 10th least affordable among the 94 major metropolitan markets rated in our Demographia International Housing Affordability report for 2022.Demographia uses the median multiple (median house price divided by median household income) to evaluate housing costs. A median multiple of 3.0 or below is considered “affordable,” while a median multiple above 5.0 is considered “severely unaffordable.” Among the major markets, Vancouver (median multiple 12.0), Toronto (9.5), Montreal (5.4), and Ottawa-Gatineau (5.2) are rated severely un...

Coaldale holds annual organizational meeting, swears in new deputy mayor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

Southern Alberta NewspapersCoaldale held its annual organizational meeting last week, swearing in Jordan Sailor as the Town’s newest deputy mayor.The Oct. 23 organizational meeting and subsequent council meeting also saw the adoption of the new council meeting and event calendars, in addition to determining board and committee appointments.These meetings are required, as per the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to take place annually.According to a Town-issued release,  Lana Antony, Municipal Clerk for the Town of Coaldale said 2023 was the first year in which Administration presented Council with a comprehensive meeting and community event calendar.“In the past, we would have Council adopt a calendar only for meetings and holidays. But with the adoption of a new communications strategy in April 2022, we decided to consolidate meetings, holidays, and Town events all into one calendar to ensure that everyone can stay on the same page about what’s happening and when,” Antony said.The Oc...

Coalhurst resident launches 2023 banner campaign in honour of local veterans

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsA Coalhurst-based resident has spearheaded a banner campaign for veterans in the town of Coalhurst.The banners bring visibility to local veterans and are a visual symbol of remembrance, helping educate community members on the importance of holding space to reflect upon the significance of the reall-world people behind the poppy.Krystal Libbey, is a long-time resident of Coalhurst, and bar manager at the Coalhurst Legion, Branch 273, she said she became involved in bringing banners to Coalhurst because it had not been undertaken yet in town.In taking on the project. Libbey said her life-long connections to people within the community as well as working as the bar manager at the local Coalhurst Legion were helpful in getting the word out to families of her ongoing goals in bringing a banner program into the community.She said, she has been working at the Coalhurst Legion, Branch 273, for about five years. She said it was important to her and her family...

Copperheads double up Strathmore to complete 2-0 weekend

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

By Garrett SimmonsSunny South NewsThe Coaldale Copperheads had a successful 2-0 weekend in Heritage Junior Hockey League play.Coaldale capped off its perfect weekend with a 4-2 win on Sunday over Strathmore, thanks to a two-goal performance from Rylan Bruns.But it was Strathmore that got off to a good start in the contest, as the Wheatland Kings led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.Bruns scored his first of the game in the middle frame, assisted by Koden Lazar, before Nolan Price made it 2-1 Copperheads with a goal assisted by Brogan Booth and Brandon Creighton.The teams traded third-period goals, highlighted by the second of the game from Bruns, set up by Lazar and Drew Constant, which made it a 3-2 game, before Peyton Twigg scored with two seconds left to salt the game away.Kadan Fulton picked up the win in net for Coaldale, as the Copperheads outshot Strathmore by a wide 37-20 margin.Saturday’s game lacked the drama of the tight Strathmore contest, as Coaldale scored early and often ...

Blankets for Canada Society Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe Blankets for Canada Society recently marked a significant milestone as it celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 26th.The event took place at Southminster United Church in Lethbridge, on Oct. 26. In attendance were members of various “Blankets for Canada” chapters, alongside the society’s visionary founder, Nancy Panting.Established in 1998, Blankets for Canada started as a humble initiative with a mission to provide handmade blankets to those in need. Panting laid the groundwork for the society, after returning from a visit to the U.S. where she participated in the “Warm up America” initiative, which is based on the principle of making and donating knit and crocheted blankets to those in need through collaboration. Upon returning to Lethbridge and discovering no such society existed here, Panting got to work.In its inaugural year, the society aimed to create 100 blankets by the end of 1998. However, their dedication and hard work exceeded exp...

LINK Pathway joins Trans Canada Trail Network: announces new title sponsor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe LINK Pathway project has been approved to become part of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) network.With construction on the long-awaited LINK Pathway Project breaking ground earlier this year, 2023 has been a big year for the Link Pathway project and committee.The TCT, is the longest trail network in the world, boasting nearly 27,000 km of operational trail to date. According to the TCT’s website, statistically four out of five Canadians live within 30 minutes of the Trail, which is built on the goal to connect people to each other and nature.Once construction is complete, the LINK Pathway, although smaller in scale, will similarly serve as conduit for connection, offering trail users the safe access to a inter-municipal recreational corridor spanning 15km spanning from Coaldale to the City of Lethbridge and passing through the open prairies situated in Lethbridge County.In June 2023, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Coaldale, kicking off construc...

Civic Square Atrium tree purchase deferred

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:08 GMT

By Nikki JamiesonSunny South NewsNo tree will be purchased for the Civic Square Atrium this year.During their regular Oct. 23 meeting, Coaldale town council discussed the potential purchase of a tree for the holiday season.The tree would have gone up in the Civic Square Atrium, and if council wished to have a tree there for the holiday season, the Town would have needed to order it soon. Additionally, council needed to consider a number of factors, such as the price, size, location, timing and type of tree. The price and location would influence the size of the tree, while the availability and price would influence the type of tree.For instance, a 14-foot pre-lit commercial grade tree from Dekra-Light would have cost $10,125, an 18-foot one is $17,850, and a 20-foot one is $22,950.Clayton Varjassy, community services coordinator for the Town, noted that the brand is the same one that the Town purchases its lights from for the Winter Walk in the Park.“If you’re looking at that 14-foo...