234+89 A former Chicago Bears quarterback thinks the team should look to hire a Super Bowl-winning coach who is currently employed with another NFL team but could become a free agent in a couple of weeks. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is receiving much of the national focus for the opening in Chicago. However, the Bears front office wants a “leader of men,” and, preferably, one with head coaching experience. Chase Daniel likes Mike McCarthy Former Bears quarterback Chase Daniel (2018-19) thinks Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy should consider taking the Chicago job. “I think a fascinating choice though for Mike, and hopefully, he’s looking into this, would be the Chicago Bears,” Daniels said on FS1 ‘s The Facility on Tuesday. “Because you know that division, you have a rookie quarterback who you would say at the time, when he’s coming out, is more developed than Dak Prescott, a fourth-round pick was right? “You have an old-school mentality, which is what the Chicago Bears need, and you don’t have to deal with a crazy owner. Now, I don’t think it’s going to happen, but there’s other teams out there that I can make a case for Mike going to, like I could imagine Mike McCarthy and Caleb Williams together. Like, it makes sense. So, it’s just crazy how it swung the pendulum swung sort of the power is back in Mike’s hands.” People don’t realize that Mike McCarthy is actually a free agent & can sign anywhere...are we SURE he wants to go back to Dallas? The Chicago Bears should be lurking around...it may sound crazy, but hear me out. -Knows division well -Develops QB almost better than anyone -Leader pic.twitter.com/U5zLdYfBqh — Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) December 24, 2024 McCarthy is set to become a free agent in two weeks McCarthy entered 2024 in the final year of his contract with Dallas. He was expected to have to lead the Cowboys on a deep playoff run to earn an extension. However, an early season injury to star pass rusher Micah Parsons and a season-ending injury to Prescott on Nov. 3 killed the already talent-thin team’s hopes of making the playoffs. Still, the Cowboys haven’t quit under McCarthy. Dallas improved to 7-8 with a 26-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. The consensus around the league appears to be that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will bring back McCarthy on a one-year contract for 2025. Could the Chicago Bears hire a Super Bowl-winning head coach? Maybe McCarthy could be persuaded to sign a multi-year deal with the Bears in January. The 61-year-old head coach won Super Bowl XLV with the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy’s quarterback for that Super Bowl was Aaron Rodgers, who Williams grew up idolizing. There are much worse options for the Bears to consider than McCarthy. However, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Johnson might have a higher ceiling than a head coach who hasn’t won a postseason game since 2016. McCarthy is 174-110 as a head coach in the league. He’s 11-11 in the postseason. This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — AJ Clayton scored 34 points as Ohio beat Portland 85-73 on Friday. Clayton added 12 rebounds for the Bobcats (2-4). Aidan Hadaway scored 13 points while going 5 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and added eight rebounds. Victor Searls had 11 points and finished 5 of 8 from the field. The Pilots (2-4) were led by Vukasin Masic, who posted 17 points. Portland also got 13 points and seven rebounds from A.Rapp. Max Mackinnon also recorded 10 points and seven rebounds. Clayton scored 14 points in the first half to help Ohio up 46-30 at the break. Ohio pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 19 points. Clayton led the way with a team-high 20 second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated PressMONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans on Sunday voted in the second round of the country's presidential election , with the conservative governing party and a left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff following level-headed campaigns widely seen as emblematic of the country's strong democracy. As polls closed Sunday evening, turnout stood at 89.4% — around the same as during the first round last month in which the two moderate coalitions both failed to win an outright majority. Voting in Uruguay is compulsory. Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days — as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s left-leaning Broad Front by a razor-thin margin. Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate who won nearly 27% in the first round of voting on Oct. 27, has campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government." Other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party that came in third place last month — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger. Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, who took 44% of the vote in the general election, is promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay that draws on the memory of stability and economic growth under his Broad Front coalition, which presided over pioneering social reforms that won widespread international acclaim from 2005-2020, including the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and sale of marijuana . With inflation easing and the economy expected to expand by some 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund, surveys show that Uruguayans remain largely satisfied with the administration of Lacalle Pou, who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term. But persistent complaints about sluggish growth, stagnant wages and an upsurge in violent crime could just as easily add the small South American nation to a long list of places this year where frustrated voters have punished incumbents in elections around the world. With most polls showing a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, analysts say the vote may hinge on a small group of undecided voters — roughly 10% of registered voters in the nation of 3.4 million people. “Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation,” said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.” Analysts say the candidates’ lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power in neighboring Argentina and the United States. “The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.” Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over the current government's struggle to stem the rise in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach. Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor’s pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce. "We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday. Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to former President José “Pepe” Mujica , an ex-Marxist guerilla who became a global icon for helping transform Uruguay into one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations. “He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeny Varone, a nurse at a polling station, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.” Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer , turned up at his local polling station before balloting even began, praising Orsi's humility and Uruguay’s famous stability. “This is no small feat,” he said of Uruguay's “citizenry that respects formal institutions.” Orsi planned no dramatic changes, and, despite his call for a revitalized left-wing, his platform continues the Broad Front's traditional mix of market-friendly policies and welfare programs. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions. The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint. Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected. “I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans. Orsi described Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade. “The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.” Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.

Narwall reached out to me back in October asking if I was interested in testing their recently released Freo Z Ultra robovac. There is not a lot of information online about the company that produces the Freo Z Ultra, from what I was able to find out, the company exists since 2017, and has patented in China, claims to serve 1.8M+ users globally in 30+ countries and regions and boasts over 800 other patented technologies. With that out of the way, first a disclaimer: Narwal provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. Now some specifications: I should mention that the price is the given MSRP. As of writing , so that softens the blow a bit with regard to the cost. The company sent me the Freo Z Ultra, which by the way is currently their flagship product; it came in a , because it is bundled with the Base Station which is rather large in itself. The charging dock is almost 40 cm (15.2") deep, 43cm (16.9") wide, with a height of 46.2cm (18.1"). It houses the trash bag, of which two are included in the box, and two water tanks, one for clean, and the other for dirty water. The top lid, which although is plastic, has a premium quality feel and weight to it, sadly, even though the build quality of it is excellent, the hinge does not utilize a soft close function, so beware of a loud "clap" when dropping it shut; are supposed to protect the lid from banging shut, but only the front two rubber feet actually protrude from the lid, with all others being lost inside their inserts. : The Freo Z Ultra itself follows a traditional design that you will find on many robovacs, it's essentially a circle with a raised central 'tower' that houses the LIDAR 4.0 system. The station looks quite nice and does not look out of place in my (mostly) white kitchen. All in all it looks great, doesn't look out of place, and it even matches my . The finish is a glossy white plastic, with a single white LED on the top. On the bottom is where you will start to see the difference, and what makes it a bit more unique. Rather than a cloth attachment, which is what you will find on most robovacs that mop, the Freo Z Ultra has two full spinning mop attachments, and two sweepers. On the side there's also a detachable brush for skirting boards. Here you can see that although the Base Station is large, it doesn't really take up any more room than a traditional self emptying dustbin. Okay, it is a little wider and taller, but for me, the fact it doesn't stick out so much from the wall is a win. In comparison with my Neabot Q11 for example, you can see above that although the Narwal comes with quite a large station, most of the room is taken up in height, and it actually has a smaller footprint thanks to its depth being smaller; that's because the Freo Z Ultra enters the station completely, rather than part of the way as is the norm for robovacs with just the self emptying dustbin. It's quite innovative considering the station not only accounts for emptying the dustbin portion, but also empties dirty water, and refills with clean water mixed with detergent through a module if you have that installed, and cleans the mops on the robovac after use. First of all, you will have to download the Narwal app, which you can look for on the or or scan the QR code on the Quick Start card that is included in the box. The Narwal turns on if you dock it to the charge port, or by holding down the standby button for five seconds. Once you have the app installed on your phone, you need to choose which model you have and the app will guide you through connecting it to your WiFi. Preparing the Base Station took the most work, as you have to remove some protective transport tape and rubber inserts for the bumper, fill and reinsert the clean and dirty water tanks, detergent, install the base ramp, and plug it in. I only had to remove some protective transport tape and install the side brush on the robot; the sweepers and mops were already installed, and there's no dustbin or water tank that can be managed inside the robot. Once you are paired up and you have enough charge, you are guided through the app to add the model, and I was immediately prompted to install a firmware update. After running the update, which rebooted the robovac, you can then link it with your chosen voice assistant, which is pretty effortless ( ) ( ) ( ) and then appears in devices on the Alexa app. As you can see with the above images, you are first asked to 'Start Mapping' the environment that the Freo Z Ultra operates in, it took the Freo Z Ultra around 31 minutes to map the ground floor of my house, which is six minutes quicker than it took the Neabot Q11. Moving back to the app, after mapping is completed, you are also offered the opportunity to edit the resulting map, which I ended up splitting into three zones. As you may see in the second picture, a couch was detected, but it was far larger and in the wrong spot on the map, I was also able to edit down the size and place it correctly. After an actual clean, two seats were also detected. In the third image you can also see how two carpet rugs are detected, the one in the study is not completely rectangle because it only scans what it can navigate over. Before getting started there are a few settings worth checking out. The AI DirtSense 2.0 and Obstacle Avoidance are intertwined with Freo Mind, which is something you can enable or disable, this lets the robot determine how intensively everything is cleaned, and even how often. For the past three years I have had my robovac scheduled to clean every night at 4am, and as the Neabot Q11 could only hold 250ML of water (detergent is not allowed) I removed the mop and did the floors myself, so my ground floor never gets real dirty, which the Freo Z Ultra seems to agree because it only ever gives the entire ground floor one pass with Freo Mind enabled and each setting set to "Smart". Aside from the Smart setting for Suction, Mopping, and Coverage Precision, there are four manual settings for vacuuming, Quiet, Normal, Strong, and Super Powerful. For mopping, Low, Normal, Wet Mopping, and finally Normal and Meticulous for coverage intensity. There's also a setting for Heavy Detergent, but I do not have this installed, I have the "standard" detergent module. In addition as you can see from the third image up above, you can even decide how often the robot returns to rinse and clean the mops, I left it on the default setting of 10 square meters. This means that the robovac has to return at least twice during a cleaning session to rinse and clean the mops, as the given area for mopping is 31m2. This also means the robovac is not spreading around dirty water; for a more intensive clean you could set it to return after every eight square meters. The Freo Z Ultra is said to have "obstacle avoidance", the tech exists in almost all mid to high range robovacs and is not new in itself, I observed it working as intended. Rather than just bashing into table legs and chairs, it stops short of these obstacles and carefully moves forward or around them. Narwal has a few examples of cable avoidance on its website that you can view and so forth, and although that's a cool feature, I generally don't leave such items on the ground when I know a scheduled cleaning is going to take place. I'm pleased to report that the Freo Z Ultra does not get stuck like my Neabot Q11 did . Neabot actually pushed an update that resulted in it completely avoiding the doormat in front of my screen door, so I had to sweep/vacuum that myself, bit annoying! As you would expect, the Freo Z Ultra detects what type of floor it is on and lifts the mop (up to 12mm) for carpets. It also has no issue navigating , which sometimes resulted in a "cliff detection" on the Neabot. I had set the Freo Z Ultra to the same schedule as the Neabot, 4am every day, but thanks to a bug in the app I was no longer able to manage the schedule or change any of the cleaning options until the app updated in late November. This bug was confirmed by my contact, so I had to be patient until I got the update, and this is important as you will see below. The water tank lasts for five cleans, but gave an ambiguous error before the app update, it still shows that message in the schedule (images above). The first image shows that it triggered the task and then immediately stopped, zero minutes of cleaning, because the water tank was empty and the dirty water tank was full. This was with the default setting. In addition, the control pad on the lid of the Base Station blinks with a red ring of death. This needs to be manually reset after the dirty water tank is emptied, and the clean water tank filled and replaced. It does not reset by itself, to do this you have to press the top icon that looks like a hat with two eyes, heh. Once the app was updated and I could edit the schedule I changed it to which now results in the robovac performing the full vacuum sequence and only giving the error once it completes vacuuming and is then supposed to mop. I feel like this is quite a major bug for a $1500 device. It should be telling me after the 4th clean that it's time to empty out the dirty water and refill the clean water tank so that the cleaning operations never have to be interrupted like this. In addition the setting is default, so I imagine a lot of buyers will be facing the same issue, if they haven't opted for the setting. By the way you can see from the second image above that the cleaning schedule jumps to 1h19m, up from 41 mins, so it doubles the cleaning time, but at the same time the cleaning area also goes from 31.3 square meters to around 56m2. Currently when the water runs out, I am still getting a vacuumed ground floor, which was not the case with the setting. I passed these details along to my contact. As you can see from the above image (I implore you to click on it for a larger image,) for some odd reason, even with two cameras, two sweepers, "Freo Mind", Lidar 4.0, and all the other Dirt Sense 2.0 tech inside the robot a side brush for edge cleaning, it failed to clean up this mess after two passes. Normally I have my dustbin standing there in the middle, but you can clearly see the bulk of the mess is to the sides, it sort of looks like the robot may have blown it there rather than sweep it up. When I empty the trash I usually place it up on the counter (because it is then extremely light to do so) this allows the Freo Z Ultra to also mop where the dustbin would normally be. I ended up sweeping it up myself, but it seems like the Freo Z Ultra has a blind spot. Another thing that should be mentioned, is how dirty the base station gets. I started using it on Oct 22, and I discovered the base in that state on Dec 5; that's six weeks of daily use. Inside were hairs, 2 nuts and damp line of gunk. The third image up above is after cleaning it. I reckon it will be in a much better state after six weeks this time around, because I am now vacuuming and then mopping. It's clear that the default setting of drags up gunk on the mops, which are then transferred to the base as it turns around and moves in to dock. To me this is another vote for . I passed on these details to my contact as well and will update when I hear back. A special mention should also be made for the Automatic Water Exchange System. This accessory was not shipped along with the Freo Z Ultra, and I really wanted to test this out too, but it is not available for purchase in The Netherlands. In the U.S. , which adds quite a bit to the total cost, but with the current $200 off coupon available on Amazon, maybe it's a viable option for prospective buyers. If I am able to secure this Automatic Water Exchange System, I will be sure to update this review with my findings. This definitely feels and looks like a premium product, but after weeks of use there are a few quirks that I am not happy with, such as a good level of mess being left behind (not just the one example I shared here) that I never experienced with the Neabot Q11. Such things can probably be fixed with a firmware update, as I expect it has everything to do with the decision making process of Freo Mind. I have not yet experimented with disabling the Smart option and just setting levels of suction and mopping myself, also because the Smart setting is to decide to give another pass if it comes across . I have not utilized the customer support yet, mainly because my experience with such help centers are just people that read back the FAQ and answers that are also present in the app, which by the way are quite extensive. I might get to the point where I send feedback, which is possible through an email to Narwal Support. One thing I can say, is that I definitely see the difference with the mop ability coupled with the detergent module, my floors are really shining. It's just the odd bits of crap left behind sometimes that I can't quite figure out yet. As I have said in previous robovac reviews, they all need a little help too. As you can see in the above image, I make the Kitchen Freo Z Ultra-friendly before I go to bed. It's up to you, of course, but I like having the entire space under my Kitchen island cleaned, not just parts of it. Would I recommend the Freo Z Ultra? It's quite an investment, and I think the problems I pointed out should be fixable with a firmware update, simply choosing Vacuum then Mop, should also keep my base station in a better state, because the mop will not be dragging around gunk like it was with . If you go for this, I'd recommend getting the Automatic Water Exchange System too, unless you are cool with managing the two water tanks every five days. All in all I do think it's a great product that has quirks that can be fixed.It was a year of change in Ottawa in 2024, with federal public servants required to spend more time in the office, alcohol now available in grocery stores and gas stations, and the Ottawa Senators taking the next step towards moving downtown. 2024 was also a year of tragedy in the city, including six people killed inside a Barrhaven home and the Ottawa Police Service labelling a killing as a femicide for the first time. CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top stories in Ottawa in 2024. 6 people killed, including mother and 4 children, in Barrhaven home A mother, her four children and a family acquaintance were killed in a "mass killing" at a Barrhaven home on March 6. The Ottawa Police Service says officers responded to two 9-1-1 calls from the Berrigan Drive area "reporting a suspicious incident where a male was yelling and asking people to call 9-1-1," Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters. "Officers entered the home to check on the safety of those inside, and that is where they began to discover the six victims, the youngest of which is less than three months old. The family are newcomers to Canada and are originally from Sri Lanka." The victims were identified as 35-year-old Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her four children: 7-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, 4-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, 3-year-old Ranaya Wickramasinghe and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe. A sixth man, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon Amarakoon Mudiyanselage, was also found deceased at the home. Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, is facing six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The Wickramasinghe family is pictured here in this undated image. The four young children and their mother were killed in their Ottawa home on March 6, 2024 alongside a family friend. The father was seriously injured in the attack. A 19-year-old suspect is in custody and is facing multiple counts of first-degree murder. First time the Ottawa Police Service labels a killing as a femicide The Ottawa Police Service labelled the death of a woman at a home in Ottawa's rural west end in August as a femicide, the first-time police used the term in a media release. Police say they were called to an address on Lady Slipper Way, a rural area just north of Highway 7 at about 6:40 p.m. on Aug. 25. The victim was identified as Jennifer Zabarylo, 47, of Ottawa. "In the context of police investigations, we consider this death to be a femicide, as it occurred in the context of intimate partner violence, which is one of the many forms of misogynist killings," Ottawa police said in a news release. "A femicide is generally defined as 'the killing of women and girls because of their gender' often driven by stereotyped gender roles, discrimination towards women and girls or unequal power relations between women and men. Michael Zabarylo, 55, of Ottawa, has been charged with second-degree murder. Ottawa police identified the victim of a homicide on Lady Slipper Way as Jennifer Zabarylo, 47, of Ottawa. Police have labelled her death a femicide. (Facebook) In October, police classified the death of Brkti Berhe , 36, of Ottawa as a femicide. The woman died in a stabbing at Paul Landry Park on Oct. 24. Ottawa Senators, National Capital Commission reach agreement for new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats The Ottawa Senators moved one step closer to building a new home in downtown Ottawa in 2024. After more than two years of talks, the Senators and the National Capital Commission reached an agreement in principle to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats. NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum said the Senators will buy "just over 10 acres" of land to build the new arena. The Senators say it will be "years, not months, before shovels are in the ground." A rendering of what a new Ottawa Senators arena at LeBreton Flats could look like. (Capital Sports Development Inc.) Ottawa high school principal apologizes for song played during Remembrance Day assembly The principal of an Ottawa high school apologized to students, parents and guardians after an Arabic-language song was played during the school's Remembrance Day service. The assembly for students and staff at Sir Robert Borden High School on Nov. 11 included the song 'Haza Salam' being played. "It has come to my attention that the inclusion of the song 'Haza Salam' in the program caused significant distress to some members of our school community," principal Aaron Hobbs said in a letter to Sir Robert Borden families. "For this, I would like to offer my apologies." 'Haza Salam' translates in English to "This is Peace." On YouTube, there are several different versions of the song 'Haza Salam', and it has become a song to oppose the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) said it was conducting a "thorough investigation into this issue to ensure it is addressed appropriately and meaningfully." Sir Robert Borden High School on Greenbank Road in Ottawa. (Google Maps) PSAC encourages federal workers to 'buy nothing' as civil servants return to the office Tens of thousands of federal public servants returned to the office more days a week in 2024. In September, the federal government introduced new rules requiring federal workers in the core public service to be in the office a minimum of three days a week, and executives to be in the office four days a week. Federal public service unions protested the new hybrid work requirements, including launching a federal court challenge. The Public Service Alliance of Canada encouraged workers to "buy nothing" at downtown Ottawa businesses as they returned to the office in September, in an apparent retaliation against downtown Ottawa businesses for the new protocols. "The needs of the downtown core shouldn't fall on the back of workers and the federal public service. How workers spend their money on in-office days will send a clear message to politicians," PSAC said in a post on Instagram. PSAC asked members to minimize spending on in-office days and buy from local businesses in their neighbourhoods. PSAC calls for downtown boycott The next day, PSAC encouraged its members to "buy local" and support neighbourhood businesses . This year, the federal government signalled it was going to cut 5,000 federal jobs through attrition. In November, the Canada Revenue Agency confirmed it was eliminating 600 temporary and contract employees by the end of the year. Alcohol in corner stores and gas stations 2024 marked the largest change to alcohol sales in Ontario in nearly a century. The Ontario government opened up the liquor market, allowing beer, wine and spirits to be sold in corner stores, gas stations and big box stores, including Costco. In September, Ontario allowed convenient stores in Ottawa and across Ontario to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages. More than 180 gas stations and convenience stores in Ottawa are selling alcoholic beverages. According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission website, five Costco stores and four Walmart locations in Ottawa were licensed to sell alcohol starting Oct. 31. Licensed stores are only allowed to sell alcohol between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. However, officials say deliveries of alcohol will only be permitted between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. The AGCO says stores permitted to open on holidays will be allowed to sell alcohol between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Beer sits in storage at the Pioneer gas station on Industrial Avenue in Ottawa in advance Sept. 5, when convenience stores and gas stations are legally able to sell alcohol in Ontario. Aug. 27, 2024. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa) Trillium Line Commuters were hoping to ride the Trillium Line in 2024, but delays have pushed the opening of the new north-south light rail transit line until Jan. 6, 2025. Line 2 will run from Bayview Station to Limebank Station, including stops at Carleton University and South Keys. Line 4 will run from South Keys to the Ottawa International Airport. OC Transpo says the new Line 2 and Line 4 will open in three phases, beginning Jan. 6 with Monday to Friday service. The three-phase approach will look like this: A Trillium Line train entering South Keys station on Dec. 16, 2024. (Kimberley Johnson/CTV News Ottawa) Historic solar eclipse brings breathtaking views across eastern Ontario Thousands of people gathered as a solar eclipse moved across eastern Ontario on April 8, achieving totality in several communities. More than 5,500 people were at Fort Henry in Kingston, Ont. — one of the communities in the path of totality — and many more gathered in places like Brockville and Cornwall to witness the total eclipse, despite a cloudy day. Events in Ottawa, where the eclipse was partial, still drew crowds. The partial eclipse began the moment the edge of the moon touched the edge of the sun. Totality began when the edge of the moon covered all of the sun and totality ended when the edge of the moon exposed the sun. The partial eclipse ends the moment the edge of the moon leaves the edge of the sun. While total solar eclipses occur about once every 18 months, you need to be directly along the eclipse's specific path to see the full effect. A total solar eclipse hadn't been seen in Canada since 1979. A diamond ring effect is seen during the totality phase of a total solar eclipse, in Kingston, Ont., Monday, April 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Rare cloud formations ripple the sky over Ottawa A unique cloud formation over Ottawa was the talk of social media in October. The clouds, known as asperitas clouds, are known for their distinctive formations that look like rippling waves. "The thing about these clouds is, I mean, they're beautiful to look at, but they're scientifically really compelling as well, because we don't really understand why they form," Dan Riskin, CTV Science and Technology specialist, told CTV News Ottawa. "I mean, they're kind of associated with bad weather, but they don't actually cause rain to come out. They tend to show up before a storm or after the storm, but not always. And they have this undulation to them. So, they make for beautiful images." The World Meteorological Organization added the asperitas clouds to its International Cloud Atlas in 2015. It is the latest cloud type to be added to its atlas and the first in more than 50 years. Its name comes from the Latin word for "roughness." "It looked biblical," Jody Harrison said. "We were just enjoying the rolling of them all from the west, just coming right at our place. So, it was really cool." Visiting Ottawa from Saskatchewan (land of living skies), I couldn't resist taking these photos that I'd never seen before!! (Barb McCaslin/CTV Viewer) Ottawa woman dies after battle with pancreatic cancer An Ottawa woman who raised more than $500,000 for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital died after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. Sindy Hooper passed away in September. "She did it in typical Sindy style, courageously and gracefully while surrounded by good friends. She was able to see many of our good friends over the last few days, had them reminiscing, laughing, and as always, she gently encouraged us and reminded us to make every moment count," said Jonathan Hooper, Sindy's husband in a post on her Instagram account. "There is no way I can coherently express what an incredible person, friend, wife and mother she is." Hooper was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer that spread to her lung, spine and ribs. Hooper continued to run, raising funds for pancreatic research and treatment. A fundraising campaign is underway as part of the 2025 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. An Ottawa woman who raised more than $500,000 for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital has died after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. (Jonathan Hooper/ Instagram) Other top stories on CTVNewsOttawa.ca in 2024 Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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A new ban on the practice is starting to take effect Immigration measures announced as part of Canada's border response to president-elect Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff threat are starting to be implemented, beginning with a ban on what's known as 'flagpoling.' Hong Kong police issue arrest warrants and bounties for six activists including two Canadians Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists based overseas, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests. Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano One of the world's most active volcanoes spewed lava into the air for a second straight day on Tuesday. Indigenous family faced discrimination in North Bay, Ont., when they were kicked off transit bus Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal has awarded members of an Indigenous family in North Bay $15,000 each after it ruled they were victims of discrimination. 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Striking janitors at Vancouver airport reach tentative deal, cancel escalation Escalating job action from striking janitors at the Vancouver International Airport was called off on Christmas Eve after the workers and their employer reached a tentative agreement. Vancouver Island Ripe avalanche conditions for parts of B.C. expected to persist this week A forecaster says ripe avalanche conditions are expected to persist across much of British Columbia for the rest of the week. Woman struck by vehicle dies in Burnaby, B.C. A 24-year-old woman who was struck by a vehicle last week in Burnaby, B.C., has died. Homicide victim identified as 36-year-old man from Langley, B.C. Homicide investigators are identifying the victim of a suspected murder last year in Langley, B.C. Kelowna Forfeited Hells Angels clubhouse in Kelowna, B.C., sold to the city A former Hells Angels clubhouse that was seized by the British Columbia government in 2023 after years of fighting in court has been sold to the City of Kelowna. Death of woman found in Kelowna's Waterfront Park in June deemed 'non-criminal in nature': RCMP Police in Kelowna say a death they began investigating back in June has now been confirmed as "non-criminal in nature." B.C. man sentenced for 'execution-style' murder of bystander in drug trade conflict A B.C. man convicted of the "intentional and ruthless killing of a bystander" while acting as an enforcer in the drug trade has been sentenced for a second time in the slaying. Stay Connected

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Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”