New measures are in the works to protect city cab drivers. A safety committee at the Manitoba taxicab board has approved a plan to increase the size of those protective shields that currently sit behind the driver’s back. Cabbies will soon have to have the new shields that also protect them from the side. The changes come after a number of attacks on drivers this year, including one that left a driver with brain damage.
Some would say that this news isn’t that surprising. Police say violent crime in Vancouver is up some 17 per cent since the Olympics started. However, they also add it’s almost entirely due to Olympic protests that marked the first two days of the games.
Well if you’re planning a trip east today, you may have a headache or two. A slow moving storm is causing problems in the northeastern part of the U.S., prompting airlines to cancel hundreds of flights. New York City has already been hit with almost 30 c.m. of snow, with more on the way. And power is out to thousands in the area.
Hockey Canada is apologizing for the way the women’s hockey team acted after winning the Olympic gold medal last night. While still in their uniforms, and wearing their medals, the players drank beer and champagne while on the ice. Officials say they sorry if the celebration may have caused any embarrassment for the I.O.C., or the Canadian Olympic Committee. The Canucks by the way, beat the U.S. 2-0, to claim a third straight gold medal in women’s Olympic hockey.
Well, don’t be surprised if there are long lineups today to buy lottery tickets. The jackpot in tonight’s Lotto Max draw is 50 million dollars. That’s only 4.3 million less than the biggest lottery win in Canadian history. A bonus of 9 other one million draws will also happen tonight.
SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida says it’ll keep that killer whale which drowned its trainer on Wednesday. However, the park is suspending all orca shows while it decides whether to change the way handlers work with the huge mammals.
An emotional Walter Kay-nig, was overcome with grief after learning his son’s body was found in Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Kay-nig, who played Ensign Chekov in the 60’s t.v. series, “Star Trek” says his 41 year old actor son, Andrew, committed suicide. He says his son spent years battling depression, and was off his medication.
The autopsy report on actress Brittany Murphy is in…and it says she was weakened by severe anemia. It also adds that, that left her vulnerable to pneumonia and the prescription drugs she was taking to treat it. Murphy, who was 32, died after collapsing in her L.A. home on December 20th.
