RIO DE JANEIRO - At least 16 Brazilian Carnival revelers were killed and dozens more wounded when a power cable fell and electrocuted them as they danced behind a sound truck.
The high-voltage line fell during celebrations late Sunday in the town of Bandeira do Sul in the southwestern state of Minas Gerais, the state’s firefighting service said.
It said the accident may have been caused when a reveler threw a roll of tape containing metal onto the line, causing it to short-circuit and fall onto the sound truck.
Such trucks, known as “Trio Eletricos” (Electric Trios) and equipped with high-power sound systems, are commonly used to lead Carnival parties through the streets in Brazil.
The firefighters’ statement did not give an estimate for the number of people wounded, but media reports said 50 people had been hurt.
“The cable fell on top of the truck, which then became a conductor of the electric energy and many people were electrocuted. Those who tried to get others out of the current also died,” local police chief Ademir Luiz Correa was quoted as saying by the O Globo newspaper.
This year’s Carnival celebrations, which officially get under way on Friday, had already been hit by tragedy. A large fire three weeks ago destroyed thousands of costumes and threw the preparations of some of Rio de Janeiro’s top samba groups into chaos.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Boy, 13, pleads guilty to killing brother's girlfriend
WINNIPEG - A 13-year-old northern Manitoba boy has admitted responsibility in the shocking murder of his brother's teenage girlfriend.
The boy -- who was just 12 at the time of the December 2009 killing in Oxford House, Man. -- pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder.
Court heard the boy's brother and his 14-year-old girlfriend had been drinking "home brew" and had passed out in his room when the boy grabbed a knife from the kitchen.
"He went into the bedroom ... and he then placed the knife in the mouth of the victim and pushed down," Crown attorney Debbie Buors told court.
The boy ran off and told a number of "community members" what he had done, Buors said.
The girl was taken to the local nursing station suffering "internal injuries" and died. The cause of death was not immediately apparent.
"It was only as a result of the comments made (by the boy) that police were able to determine it was a homicide and not natural causes," Buors said.
Court was told of no motive for the killing.
The boy -- who was just 12 at the time of the December 2009 killing in Oxford House, Man. -- pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder.
Court heard the boy's brother and his 14-year-old girlfriend had been drinking "home brew" and had passed out in his room when the boy grabbed a knife from the kitchen.
"He went into the bedroom ... and he then placed the knife in the mouth of the victim and pushed down," Crown attorney Debbie Buors told court.
The boy ran off and told a number of "community members" what he had done, Buors said.
The girl was taken to the local nursing station suffering "internal injuries" and died. The cause of death was not immediately apparent.
"It was only as a result of the comments made (by the boy) that police were able to determine it was a homicide and not natural causes," Buors said.
Court was told of no motive for the killing.
Sewage help on hold
London councillors have put off deciding whether to expand sewer service to Arva after voting Monday night to seek additional information from city staff.
The issue drew heated debate Monday night from councillors who insist any move to offer city sewage treatment to Arva, a Middlesex Centre village just north of London, will only draw more homeowners out of the city.
Those homeowners, and their tax bills, are the heart of the city's tax base - and increasing the number of taxpayers, not reducing them, is key to freezing taxes as has been promised, Coun. Joni Baechler said.
Baechler suggested approving the proposal - Middlesex Centre politicians are asking London to give them the service - would mean council shirked its "fiduciary responsibility" to Londoners.
It appears a major benefit, according to supporters on council, would be acting as a good neighbour for Middlesex Centre.
The city originally offered sewer service to part of Arva about a decade ago.
The Municipality of Middlesex Centre, which includes Arva, now wants that expanded to offer full sewer and facilitate growth of the village's population from 550 today to about 1,547 over the next 20 years.
Council voted 8-6 to have staff further study the issue, for about two months, and return with information on: Middlesex Centre's growth plans; the benefits to London; opportunities for partnership with Middlesex Centre; and placing caps on how much Arva sewage will be accepted - thus limiting its growth.
Supporting the deferral were: Matt Brown, Paul Hubert, Dale Henderson, Paul Van Meerbergen, Denise Brown, Bud Polhill, Joe Swan and Stephen Orser.
Opposed to it were Baechler, Nancy Branscombe, Harold Usher, Judy Bryant, Sandy White and Bill Armstrong.
Mayor Joe Fontana, who lives in Arva, declared a conflict and sat out the debate.
The issue drew heated debate Monday night from councillors who insist any move to offer city sewage treatment to Arva, a Middlesex Centre village just north of London, will only draw more homeowners out of the city.
Those homeowners, and their tax bills, are the heart of the city's tax base - and increasing the number of taxpayers, not reducing them, is key to freezing taxes as has been promised, Coun. Joni Baechler said.
Baechler suggested approving the proposal - Middlesex Centre politicians are asking London to give them the service - would mean council shirked its "fiduciary responsibility" to Londoners.
It appears a major benefit, according to supporters on council, would be acting as a good neighbour for Middlesex Centre.
The city originally offered sewer service to part of Arva about a decade ago.
The Municipality of Middlesex Centre, which includes Arva, now wants that expanded to offer full sewer and facilitate growth of the village's population from 550 today to about 1,547 over the next 20 years.
Council voted 8-6 to have staff further study the issue, for about two months, and return with information on: Middlesex Centre's growth plans; the benefits to London; opportunities for partnership with Middlesex Centre; and placing caps on how much Arva sewage will be accepted - thus limiting its growth.
Supporting the deferral were: Matt Brown, Paul Hubert, Dale Henderson, Paul Van Meerbergen, Denise Brown, Bud Polhill, Joe Swan and Stephen Orser.
Opposed to it were Baechler, Nancy Branscombe, Harold Usher, Judy Bryant, Sandy White and Bill Armstrong.
Mayor Joe Fontana, who lives in Arva, declared a conflict and sat out the debate.
City hall shakeup
London city hall has started its largest management restructuring in a decade, part of widespread changes aimed at cutting $1.8 million from all civic staffing costs this year.
Against a backdrop of renewed austerity in civic government, the senior management shakeup will result, essentially, in fewer top-level administrators running city hall -- but won't hurt its operations, London's top bureaucrat promises.
"Services (to Londoners) will continue to be the same. The management will be done differently," city manager Jeff Fielding said Tuesday.
"There will be no effect on service delivery."
But it's clear the amount of responsibility on the city management team will be increased, given the looming changes.
Though the exact re-structuring is unclear -- Fielding plans to detail changes to council in April -- one initial change comes at the top of London's planning department.
Rob Panzer, who had been general manager of planning and development, retired Monday after 24 years at city hall. He was sent off with a standing ovation from colleagues and council.
Panzer's job is being re-packaged, with John Fleming, who had been London's director of land use planning, assuming most of the responsibilities in the newly created position of "city planner."
Panzer is one of three significant retirees who likely won't be replaced: Jim Hobbs, the director of fleet facilities, and Dave Leckie, the director of roads, are also leaving within weeks.
The changes to management are the first step in adjustments relating to city staff at all levels.
City brass has promised council it will cut $1.8 million from staffing this year through delayed hirings and a more rigorous process of deciding whether a vacant job should be cut outright rather than filled.
Each position that becomes vacant -- expect about 120 jobs to become open this year -- will be reviewed and require its department to make a case for its continuation.
Most interestingly, just about every job, even if it is approved to continue, will be left vacant for at least 90 days before being filled.
Against a backdrop of renewed austerity in civic government, the senior management shakeup will result, essentially, in fewer top-level administrators running city hall -- but won't hurt its operations, London's top bureaucrat promises.
"Services (to Londoners) will continue to be the same. The management will be done differently," city manager Jeff Fielding said Tuesday.
"There will be no effect on service delivery."
But it's clear the amount of responsibility on the city management team will be increased, given the looming changes.
Though the exact re-structuring is unclear -- Fielding plans to detail changes to council in April -- one initial change comes at the top of London's planning department.
Rob Panzer, who had been general manager of planning and development, retired Monday after 24 years at city hall. He was sent off with a standing ovation from colleagues and council.
Panzer's job is being re-packaged, with John Fleming, who had been London's director of land use planning, assuming most of the responsibilities in the newly created position of "city planner."
Panzer is one of three significant retirees who likely won't be replaced: Jim Hobbs, the director of fleet facilities, and Dave Leckie, the director of roads, are also leaving within weeks.
The changes to management are the first step in adjustments relating to city staff at all levels.
City brass has promised council it will cut $1.8 million from staffing this year through delayed hirings and a more rigorous process of deciding whether a vacant job should be cut outright rather than filled.
Each position that becomes vacant -- expect about 120 jobs to become open this year -- will be reviewed and require its department to make a case for its continuation.
Most interestingly, just about every job, even if it is approved to continue, will be left vacant for at least 90 days before being filled.
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