deaths

[spaminator]

Foreign affairs minister says China executed four Canadians
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Published Mar 19, 2025 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Wednesday that China has executed four Canadians in recent months.


The minister said all four were “dual citizens” and were all “facing charges linked to criminal activities according to China, linked to drugs.”

“This is an issue that I’ve been following very, very closely, personally, for months, and I’ve asked personally also (for) leniency,” Joly said, adding former prime minister Justin Trudeau also urged China not to execute the Canadians.

China’s embassy in Ottawa confirmed Wednesday that Beijing executed Canadian citizens earlier this year. The embassy told the Associated Press that China does not recognize dual citizenship.

“The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient,” the embassy said in a media statement Wednesday.


“The Chinese judicial authorities have handled the cases in strict accordance with the law, and have fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned.”

Global Affairs Canada confirmed in a media statement those executed did not include Abbotsford, B.C. native Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling by a Chinese court in 2019.

“Canada strongly condemns China’s use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity,” the department wrote. “Canada repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels.”

In its statement, the Chinese embassy said Beijing has a “zero tolerance” approach to drug crime.


Beijing said that Canada should “respect the rule of law and China’s judicial sovereignty” and “stop making irresponsible remarks.”

The Globe and Mail first reported on the executions Wednesday morning.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined — the total is a state secret. China’s executions are typically carried out by gunshot, although lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.

“China is sending us a message that we have to take steps if we want to see an improvement in the relationship,” said former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques.

Ottawa has had rocky relations with Beijing since late 2018, when Canada detained a high-profile Chinese executive at the request of the U.S., leading to the detainment of two Canadian citizens in China and various trade disruptions.


The federal government has called China “an increasingly disruptive global power” with “interests and values that increasingly depart from ours.” Beijing has said Canada needs to have “correct cognition” and focus on common goals instead of pointing to differences.

Amnesty International condemned the executions and noted that China executed thousands of people in 2023.

“These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada,” the group’s head for English-speaking Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi, wrote in a media statement.

Michael Kovrig, who was detained in China for more than 1,000 days, reacted to the news by saying that China’s justice system “is highly politicized;” virtually all suspects in it end up convicted and authorities coerce confessions.

“In cases of foreign citizens, China’s government will very likely weigh the international political implications when sentencing and punishing them,” Kovrig wrote, adding that he was responding in a personal capacity and not as an analyst.

“This move makes it painfully clear that China’s government is not sincerely interested in improving bilateral relations. It expects that any progress in the relationship must come entirely on its own terms.”

Foreign affairs minister says China executed four Canadians

China’s embassy in Ottawa is confirming that Beijing executed Canadian citizens earlier this year.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Woman drowned her dog in airport bathroom after being denied boarding, police say
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Mar 21, 2025 • 2 minute read

Alison Agatha Lawrence
Alison Agatha Lawrence
ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman drowned her dog in a Florida airport bathroom and then boarded her international flight after she was prevented from bringing the white miniature schnauzer with her because of a paperwork issue, authorities said.


Alison Agatha Lawrence was arrested in Lake County on Wednesday on a charge of aggravated animal abuse, a third-degree felony. She was released on $5,000 bail.

“This act was intentional and resulted in a cruel and unnecessary death of the animal,” said an arrest affidavit from the Orlando Police Department.

Online court records showed no attorney listed for the woman from Kenner, Louisiana.

The investigation into the death of the 9-year-old schnauzer named Tywinn started in December when a janitor found the dog in a trash bag in a bathroom stall at Orlando International Airport.



The janitor earlier had seen the woman in the stall cleaning up water and dog food from the stall’s floor. The janitor was pulled away for a cleanup emergency and returned to the bathroom 20 minutes later where she found Tywinn in the trash container, along with a companion vest, collar, rabies tag, a dog travel bag and a bone-shaped dog tag with the woman’s name and phone number, investigators said.

Airport surveillance cameras captured the woman speaking for 15 minutes to a Latam Airlines agent with the dog in tow, walking into a bathroom near the ticketing area with the dog and exiting the bathroom without Tywinn less than 20 minutes later. The woman then went outside the terminal building, reentered a short time later, passed through security and boarded the Colombia-bound plane, the report said.

Authorities said the woman had been told she could not bring her dog aboard because she did not have the proper paperwork. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, dogs travelling from the U.S. to Colombia must be accompanied by a veterinarian-issued health certificate and a rabies vaccination certificate.

The dog was identified by its implanted microchip and a necropsy determined that Tywinn had been drowned. U.S. Customs and Border Protection also confirmed to detectives that the woman had boarded a flight to Bogota, Colombia, and then flew to Ecuador.

Woman drowned her dog in airport bathroom after being denied boarding, police say

Alison Agatha Lawrence was arrested in Lake County on Wednesday on a charge of aggravated animal abuse, a third-degree felony.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Beloved gator served as community mascot until a trapper killed it: 'It's so upsetting'
Walter lounged in or outside of a neighbourhood pond, never bothering the people and dogs who walked by

Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Kyle Melnick
Published Mar 24, 2025 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 4 minute read

Residents on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina, said Walter the alligator was their community mascot for a dozen years. CREDIT: Kerrin Deretchin
Residents on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina, said Walter the alligator was their community mascot for a dozen years. CREDIT: Kerrin Deretchin jpg
Dozens gathered around a South Carolina pond on a warm evening this month, some crying and others holding stuffed alligators and ribbons — mementos meant to honour Walter’s life. A few people who were close to Walter stood in front of the group to deliver speeches, including Rebekah Cole.


“It’s so upsetting that he was taken from us,” Cole recalled saying. “He was a part of our community, and it will never be the same.”

They held a moment of silence before turning on their cellphone flashlights and walking a few feet to the part of the pond where Walter, an alligator, sunbathed daily and kept to himself.

Residents of Daniel Island Village in Charleston said Walter was their community mascot for a dozen years. Walter lounged in or outside of a neighbourhood pond for hours most days, residents said, never bothering the people and dogs who walked by.

But this month, a trapper hired by the new company that manages the Daniel Island Village apartment complex lured Walter out of the pond and killed him, leaving dozens of residents grieving and confused by the property manager’s sudden decision to eliminate an animal that didn’t seem to bother anyone. They organized a vigil and are still searching for meaning in Walter’s death.


“It’s not a human. It’s not a dog. But it’s a sadness that just won’t go away,” Cole, 78, told The Washington Post through tears.

Daniel Island residents held a vigil for Walter the alligator. CREDIT: Susan Chapman
Daniel Island residents held a vigil for Walter the alligator. CREDIT: Susan Chapman jpg
Neighbours weren’t sure what Walter’s gender was, but they said the 6 ½-foot-long alligator received its name when it appeared on Daniel Island in 2013. Walter often sunbathed in the vegetation or sat in the pond and perched its head on a patch of grass. In the spring, pollen covered Walter’s scaly frame, making the alligator appear albino, Cole said.

Many neighbours – including Cole and her black English Labrador, Finn – passed Walter multiple times per day while walking a path around the lake. Walter never lunged at pets, Cole said.

Susan Chapman said she moved to Daniel Island in March 2023 partly because she thought a community alligator was endearing.


“Everybody talks about Walter the gator,” said Chapman, 57.

Cole saw Walter every day for more than six years – other than when Walter hibernated in the winter – from the balcony of her two-bedroom apartment. She greeted Walter in the morning as she drank coffee, in the afternoon when she ate lunch and in the evenings when she drank red wine before dinner.

“The view is beautiful,” Cole said.

She clarified a second later: “Well, it was.”

On March 14, Walter was lounging by the pond when an animal trapper, Robert Vanwormer, approached it. Walter jumped into the water to flee, but Vanwormer managed to reel the alligator in with a treble hook on the end of his rod. Vanwormer, 53, told The Post he placed a noose around Walter’s neck and dragged the alligator out of the pond. One neighbor watching the scene called the Charleston Police Department, Cole said.


Vanwormer cut the back of Walter’s neck with a knife, he said, severing the alligator’s spine and giving the animal a quick death.


Charleston police arrived on the scene about 15 minutes later. Lt. Anthony Gibson said in an email to The Post that Vanwormer had the appropriate state permit.

General Services Corporation, a property manager based in Richmond that neighbors said began supervising Daniel Island apartments in November, said in a letter to residents later that day that it had contacted the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources after Walter “was seen on our property grounds several times over the course of this past week.” The DNR “determined that euthanizing the alligator was the best way to minimize risk,” the letter said.


But Stephen Fastenau, spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources, said in an email to The Post that it was the property management’s decision to kill Walter. The DNR issued the community a permit earlier this year to euthanize an alligator only if it posed issues, Fastenau said.

Vanwormer, who owns Southern Trappers, an animal removal business based in St. Stephen, South Carolina, said the property manager hired him. He said he distributed Walter’s meat to friends to eat.

General Services Corporation leaders did not respond to requests for comment.

Neighbors said General Services Corporation’s lack of justification for killing Walter has added to their ire.

“I don’t want management doing this again to another gator that’s not bothering anybody,” Chapman said.


On March 15, Cole said she pulled dead tomato plants and weeds out of her neighborhood’s herb garden, near the pond, to release her anger over Walter’s death. Neighbors organized a vigil that night through social media. One person made a graphic of Walter’s face placed over angel wings that said “In Loving Memory R.I.P. Walter 2013-2025.”

At the vigil, one person brought their stuffed alligator named Walter. Children painted a green alligator on a rock. After the speeches and moment of silence, about 50 people walked to the small oak tree Walter sat near. Cole tied a blue ribbon – her favorite color – to a wooden post there.

Afterward, Cole said she hurried to her apartment because she didn’t want to cry in front of the group. Then she went to a neighbor’s house, where she and others spoke about Walter for about 90 minutes while drinking wine.

When Cole sees a friend in the neighborhood now, she said, they ask the same question: “Why did it happen?” Cole said looking toward the pond from her balcony is too painful now.

“Every day I cry,” Cole said through tears Thursday. “I’m trying not to now.”

The following afternoon, however, Cole said she cried the entire time she walked Finn around the pond, missing Walter’s presence.

Beloved gator served as community mascot until a trapper killed it: 'It's so upsetting'

Walter lounged in or outside of a neighbourhood pond for hours most days, residents said, never bothering the people and dogs who walked by.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Daughter of 9/11 victim blasts Etsy over shirt mocking terrorist attacks
Author of the articleenette Wilford
Published Mar 24, 2025 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 2 minute read

A shirt that appears to be making light of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has sparked outrage with one woman who lost her father that fateful day.


Amy Stabile, whose dad was killed in the 2001 tragedy, was scrolling through Facebook when the Etsy ad for the tasteless shirt appeared.

It features the cartoon cat Garfield shaped like a plane flying toward what appear to be two trays of lasagna on their sides — resembling the Twin Towers.

The caption alongside the graphic reads: “9/11? Yeah! I’ll take 911… orders of lasagna!

“I just couldn’t believe my eyes,” Stabile told WNYW. “When I saw Garfield — I didn’t even understand how it goes together.”

She continued: “There are so many things you could put on a T-shirt. Why this? You feel so crushed that someone, anyone, could think that the loss of these lives is funny.”

The Etsy ad that appeared on Stabile’s feed was sold by NelliesNestStore, an Australian-based seller with shipments from North Carolina.


The store, whose profile reads “Silly Merch for Silly Dudes” and boasts a five-star rating, has since pulled the shirts from its store, People reported.

However, a quick search on Etsy for a “Garfield 9/11 shirt” pulled up at least three other stores selling the same graphic tee — with the design from one seller showing two actual buildings instead of lasagna, which makes even less sense.

Etsy’s policy prohibits items that “promote, support or glorify hatred, those that promote support or glorify violence,” according to their website, but a spokesperson told the outlet that humour is subjective.

The spokesperson added that they do not plan to remove the items, but will work toward ensuring the shirts don’t show up in ads.


But that’s not enough for Stabile, who believes the online marketplace should have stricter content policies.


“Maybe it’s time to start creating policies where this goes against your company policies,” she said.

“You’re making money [off] terrorism,” she continued. “Where are these companies? Stand up for the families of 9/11 and do something about this.”

Stabile’s dad, Herman Broghammer, had been attending a meeting on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower when he died, according to his obituary.

Stabile added: “At some point you want to say, ‘Have some humanity and think about how you’re making your money.”

http://obits.al.com/us/obituaries/mobile/name/herman-broghammer-obituary?pid=126897

http://etsy.com/ca/legal/prohibited

http://etsy.com/ca/listing/1878672816/9-11-garfield-yeah-i-li-take-911-orders

http://etsy.com/ca/listing/1877367588/garfield-yeah-ill-take-911-orders-of

9/11 Victim’s Daughter Slams Etsy for Selling Garfield T-Shirt Making Light of the Tragedy: ‘Couldn’t Believe My Eyes’

Amy Stabile, the daughter of a 9/11 victim, is criticizing Etsy after she said she received targeted advertisements on Facebook that showed a retailer selling shirts with a 9/11-themed design of Garfield and the Twin Towers in New York City.

people.com

Etsy ad for 'Garfield 9/11' shirt targets 9/11 victim's daughter

The shirt depicts the orange cartoon cat Garfield flying into his favorite food shaped like the Twin Towers.

fox5ny.com

Daughter of 9/11 victim blasts Etsy over shirt mocking terrorist attacks

A shirt that appears to be making light of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has sparked outrage with one woman whose dad was killed.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Colorado woman killed by some of the over 50 dogs owned by her daughter
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Mar 24, 2025 • Last updated 8 hours ago • 1 minute read

Hoff
Jessica Hoff
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman has been arrested after authorities said some of her over 50 dogs attacked and killed her 76-year-old mother.


Jessica Hoff, 47, was arrested Friday in connection with the February death of LaVonne Hoff, who had dementia and required 24-hour care, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.

The office said Jessica Hoff left her mother at home alone in Colorado City, 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Denver, while she did errands Feb. 3. Later that day, deputies found LaVonne Hoff unconscious and several dogs running loose along with about two dozen other dogs and seven birds that were in cages, the sheriff’s office said.

A search of the home and another property owned by Jessica Hoff nearby found a total of 54 dogs, several of them in poor health. The dogs and birds were found in unsanitary conditions and were seized by animal control, the sheriff’s office said.

Jessica Hoff, who was in jail Monday, was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against her, according to court records. She is being represented by a lawyer from the public defender’s office, which doesn’t comment on its cases to the media.

Colorado woman killed by some of the over 50 dogs owned by her daughter

Jessica Hoff, 47, was arrested Friday in connection with the February death of LaVonne Hoff.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Murphy, the beloved bald eagle who tried to hatch a rock, has died
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Jonathan Edwards, The Washington Post
Published Mar 24, 2025 • 2 minute read

Murphy, the bald eagle who delighted the world by trying to hatch a rock before becoming foster dad to an orphaned bird, died this month at 33. MUST CREDIT: World Bird Sanctuary
Murphy, the bald eagle who delighted the world by trying to hatch a rock before becoming foster dad to an orphaned bird, died this month at 33. MUST CREDIT: World Bird Sanctuary jpg
Murphy, the bald eagle who delighted the world by trying to hatch a rock before becoming an orphaned bird’s foster dad, died this month. He was 33.


On Tuesday, the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, said it was “heartbroken” that its bald eagle and “extraordinary foster dad” was found dead in his aviary on March 15. A veterinarian’s examination revealed Murphy had suffered head trauma, which the sanctuary said may have been related to tornadoes and other storms that had hit the St. Louis area the night before. A tornado rated 2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, a measurement of tornado strength, caused widespread damage to buildings, trees and power lines along its 30-mile path.

“His resilience, spirit, and dedication as a foster dad touched the hearts of millions of people throughout the world,” the sanctuary said on social media, adding that bald eagles typically live 20 to 25 years.



Murphy came to the sanctuary in the mid-1990s with a broken leg, which veterinarians treated before releasing him. But he soon returned with a broken wing, prompting staff to determine he had suffered permanent damage that rendered him incapable of flying or surviving in the wild.

He spent the next roughly 30 years at the sanctuary.

In 2023, visitors noticed Murphy sitting in one spot – hardly moving – day after day. Their concerns prompted staff to post a sign next to his enclosure: “Murphy is not hurt, sick, or otherwise in distress. He has built a nest on the ground, and is very carefully incubating a rock. We wish him the best of luck!”

After the sign was posted to social media, Murphy developed an international fan base as supporters tracked his futile effort. The rock never hatched, but the serendipitous arrival of an injured eaglet gave him a chance to become a foster father of sorts.


Over the next several months, Murphy took the eaglet, who was quickly nicknamed Rocky, under his wing, Roger Holloway, the executive director of the sanctuary, said. Murphy tore the chick’s meat into smaller pieces, allowed him into his territory and let him watch as Murphy did eagle things.

“He had to just go through his normal routine and that set an example, made sure that eaglet knew it was a bald eagle and remained a wild bird,” Holloway said.

About 500 people watched in person as the sanctuary released Rocky back into the wild on July 7, 2023, he added.

A second eaglet arrived in April, and Murphy mentored it, as well. The sanctuary hopes to release it in a few months.

Since word of Murphy’s death spread, hundreds of people have sent cards, letters and emails and posted on social media about what he meant to them. Many of the messages center on acceptance of life’s circumstances and not giving up, even if that means adjusting expectations.

Murphy wanted to be a dad, but he didn’t have a mate to make that happen. So he improvised.

“He made his own egg,” Holloway said, adding: “He made his own way of doing it.”

https://www.facebook.com/WorldBirdSanctuary/posts/1071875838311373

Murphy, the beloved bald eagle who tried to hatch a rock, has died

He was 33.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Fire kills a New York cat sanctuary founder and more than 100 rescued felines
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Julie Walker and Philip Marcelo
Published Apr 01, 2025 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 2 minute read

NEW YORK — A fire burned down a cat shelter in suburban New York, killing its founder and more than 100 of the felines he rescued and sparking a rescue operation for dozens of cats still roaming the destroyed property.


As many as 150 cats are believed to have survived Monday’s blaze at Happy Cat Sanctuary on Long Island, according to Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is helping coordinate the recovery effort.

Some of the surviving animals suffered burns and smoke inhalation and have been taken to local animal hospitals for treatment, he said Tuesday.

Many of those in the house perished and others with significant injuries have been euthanized while volunteers work to collect the survivors.

“The whole place is burned down and there’s cats right there on the debris,” Gross said.

Firefighters look through the remains of a home that was destroyed in a fire that killed the owner and several rescue cats in Medford, N.Y., on Monday, March 31, 2025.
Firefighters look through the remains of a home that was destroyed in a fire that killed the owner and several rescue cats in Medford, N.Y., on Monday, March 31, 2025. Photo by Thomas Lambui /Newsday via AP
In the coming days, the SPCA plans to deploy its mobile animal surgical hospital, which it used to treat search-and-rescue dogs at ground zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, to help triage rescued cats close to the fire site, he said.


“This is going to be an ongoing situation to get all of these cats cared for and placed in a proper facility,“ said Gross. ”Just a major undertaking after a tragic situation.”

Owner Christopher Arsenault was found in a back room of the shelter, which was located in the hamlet of Medford, more than 80 kilometres east of Manhattan.

The property, which included outdoor buildings where cats were also housed, remained cordoned off Tuesday as police and fire officials returned to the charred site. Suffolk County police said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Arsenault, 65, founded Happy Cat in 2006 after the death of his 24-year-old son, Eric, in a motorcycle accident, according to the sanctuary’s website. He described finding his calling when he came across a colony of 30 sick kittens and nursed them back to health.

Gross said Arsenault gave over much of the house to the cats, living simply in a room with a bed, microwave and a small refrigerator.


“Every dime he had he put into taking care of those cats,” he said. “His life was the cats.”

Gross acknowledged the shelter received its share of complaints, given its location in a residential area.

But SPCA staff visited the property around 10 times over the years and found the animals were healthy, well-fed and receiving proper care, he said.

“He wasn’t a hoarder. That’s not the case here,” Gross said. “This was a good man doing the right thing. He was a hero for what he was doing.”

Officials for the town of Brookhaven, where Medford is, told Newsday Arsenault had removed an unsafe finished basement and was working to bring the premises into compliance with building codes.

In recent months, he had begun relocating some 60 to 80 cats to a 30-acre (12-hectare) farm in upstate New York where he was planning to move, according to Gross and town officials.

“Unfortunately, this disaster happened and now he’s gone,” Gross said.

Fire kills a New York cat sanctuary founder and more than 100 rescued felines

A fire burned down a cat shelter in suburban New York, killing its founder and more than 100 of the felines he rescued.

torontosun.com

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Oh, Val Kilmer. You are not a daisy.

31.12.1959 - 1.4.2025

 

[spaminator]

Rare virus that killed Hackman’s wife linked to 3 deaths in California town
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Leo Sands, The Washington Post
Published Apr 06, 2025 • 3 minute read

A deer mouse.
Deer mouse droppings can cause hantavirus infections in humans.
Three people in a rural California town have died in recent weeks after contracting hantavirus, local health officials said, the same rare infection spread by rodents that killed Betsy Arakawa, the pianist and wife of actor Gene Hackman, in February.


The three victims were all residents of Mammoth Lakes, a popular ski town in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Mono County public health officials said in a statement last week.

The statement said it was “strikingly unusual” to have recorded three cases of the virus this early in the year, as the infection is typically detected later in the spring or summer. All three of the deceased began experiencing illnesses in February.

“We believe that deer mouse numbers are high this year in Mammoth (and probably elsewhere in the Eastern Sierra). An increase in indoor mice elevates the risk of Hantavirus exposure,” said Tom Boo, Mono County’s public health officer, who described the deaths as tragic and alarming.

While no further cases have been detected locally in the past month, Boo said he remained concerned by the uptick.


Hantavirus was first detected in humans in the United States about three decades ago. In February, the infection gained widespread attention after it was linked to the death of Arakawa. Her body and Hackman’s were found in different rooms in their Santa Fe, N.M., home that month. According to officials, Hackman probably died of a combination of high blood pressure and extensive heart disease days after the death of his wife. He had advanced Alzheimer’s disease and may not have realized his wife had died.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hantaviruses are usually spread through contact with rodents, including through mouse and rat urine, droppings, saliva or — in rare cases — a bite or scratch.

People can contract the disease by breathing in dust from dried rodent urine, saliva or droppings, which can happen when cleaning. It can develop into hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a lung disease that may kill about 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms, according to the CDC.


Symptoms of the infection, which is generally not transmitted person to person, typically start to show one to eight weeks after the first contact with the virus.


Hantavirus is rare but not unusual, and deer mice — the only source of the virus in the area — are widespread in the Eastern Sierra region, according to county health officials. Mono County has recorded 27 cases of hantavirus since 1993, the statement said — more than any other county in California.

The vast majority of cases detected in the United States — 96% — occur west of the Mississippi River, according to the American Lung Association.

Boo said there was no evidence that any of the three latest victims had engaged in behaviours associated with exposure, such as cleaning poorly ventilated indoor areas or outbuildings with a lot of mouse waste.

Investigations by local and state public health officials found some evidence of mice in the workplaces of all three of the deceased, which is not unusual for this time of year in the area, as well as mice in one of their homes.

Health officials urged county residents and visitors to be vigilant for signs of indoor rodent activity and to be careful around their waste.

Rare virus that killed Hackman’s wife linked to 3 deaths in California town

Three people in a California town died in recent weeks after contracting hantavirus, officials said, a rare infection spread by rodents.

torontosun.com

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Wayne Gretzky's career goal-scoring record, 6.4.2025.

Aleksandr Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) - 895 career goals.

 

[spaminator]

Wayne Gretzky's career goal-scoring record, 6.4.2025.

Aleksandr Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) - 895 career goals.

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries
Vandalism follows criticism of Great One's ties to Trump, injuries to star Oilers McDavid, Draisaitl

Author of the articleostmedia Sports
Published Mar 21, 2025 • Last updated Mar 24, 2025 • 2 minute read

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Great One – or at least his likeness – is once again the target of a smear job.


The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton’s Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday morning, according to reports, adding insult to injury after the hometown Oilers not only lost Thursday to the conference-leading Winnipeg Jets in overtime but also saw star forward Connor McDavid leave the game with an injury.

Top netminder Stuart Skinner was also pulled from the game by a concussion spotter, while fellow superstar forward Leon Draisaitl missed the clash with an injury of his own and will be out for at least a week.

All this after Prime Minister Mark Carney skated with his hometown team before Thursday’s game.

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Multiple reports on social media, confirmed by CTV Edmonton, show the statue of a Stanley Cup-toting Gretzky covered with dung across the face and on the part of the jersey where a captain’s C would usually appear.


The CTV report also said that the photographer “noted the smell of fecal matter surrounding the statue,” which was unveiled in 1989 at the old Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton before being moved to the new downtown arena in 2016.

It was unclear, the report said, if the vandalism was meant to be a political statement.

Gretzky has found himself in the middle of the heated rhetoric between Canada and the U.S. due to his friendship with President Donald Trump, who has announced punishing tariffs on his country’s longtime ally, while repeatedly calling for Canada to become the 51st American state.



Criticism of the Great One, who attended Trump’s inauguration and election victory party, ramped up at the end of the 4 Nations Face-Off, when Gretzky served as honourary Team Canada captain but also gave the U.S. team a thumbs-up ahead of the championship clash.


Since then, a petition was launched calling for Wayne Gretzky Drive in Edmonton to be renamed, while labels for his wine brands have been defaced at some LCBO stores.

That led to Trump declaring Gretzky a political “free agent” because the Republican President didn’t want “anyone in Canada to say anything bad” about the NHL’s all-time scoring leader.

Prominent Canadians have also rushed to Gretzky’s defence, including Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr, Premier Doug Ford, former Coach’s Corner star Don Cherry and Maple Leafs forward Max Domi.


Tim Shipton, executive vice-president of external affairs with Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) Sports and Entertainment, said it’s unfortunate that there’s been “issues of disorder” in the downtown core over the past several years.

“We have zero tolerance for vandalism of any kind within our district, especially one of our city’s most iconic landmarks that celebrates the career of Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player to ever play the game, and his special connection with Oilers fans around the world,” Shipton said in a statement.

“We are currently investigating and will take the appropriate next steps as information becomes available,” he added.

An Edmonton Police spokesperson said they hadn’t been made aware of any vandalism.

– With files from The Canadian Press

Feces smeared on Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky statue

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside Rogers Place in Edmonton has been vandalized with feces.

ctvnews.ca

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries

The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton's Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday, according to reports.

torontosun.com

 

[Taxslave2]

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries
Vandalism follows criticism of Great One's ties to Trump, injuries to star Oilers McDavid, Draisaitl

Author of the articleostmedia Sports
Published Mar 21, 2025 • Last updated Mar 24, 2025 • 2 minute read

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Great One – or at least his likeness – is once again the target of a smear job.


The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton’s Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday morning, according to reports, adding insult to injury after the hometown Oilers not only lost Thursday to the conference-leading Winnipeg Jets in overtime but also saw star forward Connor McDavid leave the game with an injury.

Top netminder Stuart Skinner was also pulled from the game by a concussion spotter, while fellow superstar forward Leon Draisaitl missed the clash with an injury of his own and will be out for at least a week.

All this after Prime Minister Mark Carney skated with his hometown team before Thursday’s game.

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Multiple reports on social media, confirmed by CTV Edmonton, show the statue of a Stanley Cup-toting Gretzky covered with dung across the face and on the part of the jersey where a captain’s C would usually appear.


The CTV report also said that the photographer “noted the smell of fecal matter surrounding the statue,” which was unveiled in 1989 at the old Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton before being moved to the new downtown arena in 2016.

It was unclear, the report said, if the vandalism was meant to be a political statement.

Gretzky has found himself in the middle of the heated rhetoric between Canada and the U.S. due to his friendship with President Donald Trump, who has announced punishing tariffs on his country’s longtime ally, while repeatedly calling for Canada to become the 51st American state.



Criticism of the Great One, who attended Trump’s inauguration and election victory party, ramped up at the end of the 4 Nations Face-Off, when Gretzky served as honourary Team Canada captain but also gave the U.S. team a thumbs-up ahead of the championship clash.


Since then, a petition was launched calling for Wayne Gretzky Drive in Edmonton to be renamed, while labels for his wine brands have been defaced at some LCBO stores.

That led to Trump declaring Gretzky a political “free agent” because the Republican President didn’t want “anyone in Canada to say anything bad” about the NHL’s all-time scoring leader.

Prominent Canadians have also rushed to Gretzky’s defence, including Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr, Premier Doug Ford, former Coach’s Corner star Don Cherry and Maple Leafs forward Max Domi.


Tim Shipton, executive vice-president of external affairs with Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) Sports and Entertainment, said it’s unfortunate that there’s been “issues of disorder” in the downtown core over the past several years.

“We have zero tolerance for vandalism of any kind within our district, especially one of our city’s most iconic landmarks that celebrates the career of Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player to ever play the game, and his special connection with Oilers fans around the world,” Shipton said in a statement.

“We are currently investigating and will take the appropriate next steps as information becomes available,” he added.

An Edmonton Police spokesperson said they hadn’t been made aware of any vandalism.

– With files from The Canadian Press

View attachment 28608

Feces smeared on Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky statue

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside Rogers Place in Edmonton has been vandalized with feces.

ctvnews.ca

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries

The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton's Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday, according to reports.

torontosun.com

Lefturds are such nice people.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Lefturds are such nice people.

One could say they are full of shit.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Lefturds are such nice people.

Yeah, why can't they just riot, like Conservatives?

 

[bob the dog]

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries
Vandalism follows criticism of Great One's ties to Trump, injuries to star Oilers McDavid, Draisaitl

Author of the articleostmedia Sports
Published Mar 21, 2025 • Last updated Mar 24, 2025 • 2 minute read

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Great One – or at least his likeness – is once again the target of a smear job.


The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton’s Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday morning, according to reports, adding insult to injury after the hometown Oilers not only lost Thursday to the conference-leading Winnipeg Jets in overtime but also saw star forward Connor McDavid leave the game with an injury.

Top netminder Stuart Skinner was also pulled from the game by a concussion spotter, while fellow superstar forward Leon Draisaitl missed the clash with an injury of his own and will be out for at least a week.

All this after Prime Minister Mark Carney skated with his hometown team before Thursday’s game.

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place is vandalized with excrement.
The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Photo by Jason Franson /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Multiple reports on social media, confirmed by CTV Edmonton, show the statue of a Stanley Cup-toting Gretzky covered with dung across the face and on the part of the jersey where a captain’s C would usually appear.


The CTV report also said that the photographer “noted the smell of fecal matter surrounding the statue,” which was unveiled in 1989 at the old Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton before being moved to the new downtown arena in 2016.

It was unclear, the report said, if the vandalism was meant to be a political statement.

Gretzky has found himself in the middle of the heated rhetoric between Canada and the U.S. due to his friendship with President Donald Trump, who has announced punishing tariffs on his country’s longtime ally, while repeatedly calling for Canada to become the 51st American state.



Criticism of the Great One, who attended Trump’s inauguration and election victory party, ramped up at the end of the 4 Nations Face-Off, when Gretzky served as honourary Team Canada captain but also gave the U.S. team a thumbs-up ahead of the championship clash.


Since then, a petition was launched calling for Wayne Gretzky Drive in Edmonton to be renamed, while labels for his wine brands have been defaced at some LCBO stores.

That led to Trump declaring Gretzky a political “free agent” because the Republican President didn’t want “anyone in Canada to say anything bad” about the NHL’s all-time scoring leader.

Prominent Canadians have also rushed to Gretzky’s defence, including Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr, Premier Doug Ford, former Coach’s Corner star Don Cherry and Maple Leafs forward Max Domi.


Tim Shipton, executive vice-president of external affairs with Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) Sports and Entertainment, said it’s unfortunate that there’s been “issues of disorder” in the downtown core over the past several years.

“We have zero tolerance for vandalism of any kind within our district, especially one of our city’s most iconic landmarks that celebrates the career of Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player to ever play the game, and his special connection with Oilers fans around the world,” Shipton said in a statement.

“We are currently investigating and will take the appropriate next steps as information becomes available,” he added.

An Edmonton Police spokesperson said they hadn’t been made aware of any vandalism.

– With files from The Canadian Press

View attachment 28608

Feces smeared on Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky statue

The Wayne Gretzky statue outside Rogers Place in Edmonton has been vandalized with feces.

ctvnews.ca

Wayne Gretzky statue defaced with feces, adding insult to slew of Oilers injuries

The bronze statue of Wayne Gretzky that stands outside of Edmonton's Rogers Place was splattered with feces Friday, according to reports.

torontosun.com

Looks like it was smeared rather than thrown which brings into the question the handling of the shit cause it's kind of creepy to be holding a handful of shit. Maybe with rubber gloves and using a bag it wouldn't be too bad. Doesn't look like dog shit so my guess is he brought it from home and used a ladder.

 

[petros]

Looks like it was smeared rather than thrown which brings into the question the handling of the shit cause it's kind of creepy to be holding a handful of shit. Maybe with rubber gloves and using a bag it wouldn't be too bad. Doesn't look like dog shit so my guess is he brought it from home and used a ladder.

Fucking lefties. Too bad there aren't any Stalin statues to shit on in Canada.

 

[spaminator]

Mississauga man, 43, charged in mutilation of puppies
At least one dog has died and three others are recovering, while the whereabouts of four others isn't known

Author of the article:Jane Stevenson
Published Apr 14, 2025 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 1 minute read

A 43-year-old Mississauga man faces 12 animal cruelty-related charges following an investigation in the mutilation of puppies, including at least one death.


Between December 2024 and March, Peel Regional Police say they responded to several incidents in the Dundas St. and Mavis Rd. area where dogs between 8 to 10 weeks old were discovered dead, or badly mutilated and left for dead.

Police said the injuries were not consistent with wildlife attacks and appeared to be intentionally caused, and they believed it to be the work of the same person.

Cops allege a suspect used various buy and sell platforms, including Kijiji, under the alias “Joey” to purchase puppies.

On Friday, Jiong Wang was arrested and charged with four counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, killing or injuring animals, and cruelty to animals.

Investigators are aware of at least eight dogs involved but believe there may have been other incidents that are not yet known.

To date, only four dogs have been accounted for, with one of the dogs found dead and the others getting medical care and recovering.

Anyone who may have sold puppies online to a buyer advertised as “Joey” or anyone with information is asked to email the Project Sentinel investigative team at projectsentinel@peelpolice.ca.

Anonymous information may also be submitted to Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or peelcrimestoppers.ca.

Home - Peel Crime Stoppers

1-800-222-TIPS (8477) MAKING PEEL REGION A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL US See Something. Hear Something. Say Something “Be advised, if your intent is to use our reporting platform as an avenue to threaten or cause harm to any person, place or thing; or for any other illegal purpose other than to...

peelcrimestoppers.ca

projectsentinel@peelpolice.ca

Mississauga man, 43, charged in mutilation of puppies

A 43-year-old Mississauga man faces charges following an investigation in the mutilation of puppies, including at least one death.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Funeral home owner who left corpse in hearse for a over a year pleads guilty
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jesse Bedayn
Published Apr 14, 2025 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 1 minute read

The residence where a former funeral home owner kept a deceased women's body in a hearse for two years as well as the remains of 30 cremated people is shown Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in southwest Denver.
The residence where a former funeral home owner kept a deceased women's body in a hearse for two years as well as the remains of 30 cremated people is shown Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in southwest Denver.
DENVER — The Colorado funeral home owner accused of leaving a woman’s corpse in the back of a hearse for over a year and improperly stashing the cremated remains of at least 30 people pleaded guilty in court Monday to one count of corpse abuse and one count of theft.


Miles Harford’s guilty plea in Denver follows years of other gruesome funeral home cases in Colorado, including one where the owners were accused of storing nearly 200 bodies in a decrepit building and giving families fake cremated remains.

Harford, 34, faced a dozen counts including forgery, theft and four counts of abuse of a corpse, which prosecutors described as treating bodies or remains “in a way that would outrage normal family sensibilities.”

The plea agreement dismisses the rest of the counts, but the judge said the agreement requires that all victims be named within the two charges Harford pleaded guilty to, and that he would be liable for restitution including for the dismissed counts.

Harford was arrested a year ago after the body of a woman named Christina Rosales, who died of Alzheimer’s at age 63, was found in the back of a hearse, covered in blankets, along with cremated remains of other people stashed throughout Harford’s rental property, including in the crawlspace.

Harford is represented by lawyers from the state public defender’s office, which does not comment on its cases to the media.

There were no other details in the court hearing on the charges, including how much money was taken from victims or how corpses were abused.

The funeral home cases over the years prompted lawmakers to pass sweeping new regulations of the funeral home industry in Colorado last year, which previously had little oversight.

The sentencing is scheduled for June 9.

Funeral home owner who left corpse in hearse for a over a year pleads guilty

Miles Harford's guilty plea in Denver follows years of other gruesome funeral home cases in Colorado.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Michelle Trachtenberg died of complications from diabetes: NYC medical examiner
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Apr 16, 2025 • 1 minute read

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Michelle Trachtenberg died as a result of complications from diabetes, New York City’s medical examiner said Wednesday.


The office said in a statement that it amended the cause and manner of death for the 39-year-old New York City native following a review of laboratory test results.

Trachtenberg, who was known for “Gossip Girl,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Harriet the Spy,” was found unconscious and unresponsive in her luxury apartment tower in Manhattan in February.

Officials at the time said no foul play was suspected, and the medical examiner’s office had listed her death as “undetermined.”

Trachtenberg’s family had objected to an autopsy, which the medical examiner’s office honored because there was no evidence of criminality.

Her representative didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.


Sarah Michelle Gellar, Taylor Momsen and Blake Lively were among the celebrities who mourned Trachtenberg when her Feb. 26 death was announced.

Trachtenberg was 8 when she began playing Nona Mecklenberg on Nickelodeon’s “The Adventures of Pete & Pete” from 1994 to 1996 and then starred in the title role in the film adaptations of “Harriet the Spy” and “Inspector Gadget,” opposite Matthew Broderick.

In 2000 Trachtenberg joined the cast of “Buffy,” playing Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar between 2000 and 2003.

Trachtenberg went on to recurring roles on “Six Feet Under,” “Weeds” and “Gossip Girl,” where she played the gang’s scheming nemesis, Georgina Sparks. She was one of the original series’ stars to return for a pair of guest appearances in the 2021 “Gossip Girl” revival.

Trachtenberg’s later credits included the 2004 teen sex comedy “EuroTrip” and 2009’s “17 Again” with Zac Efron and Leslie Mann.

Michelle Trachtenberg died of complications from diabetes: NYC medical examiner

Officials at the time said no foul play was suspected, and the medical examiner's office had listed her death as "undetermined."

torontosun.com