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Instead, regulations vary from one state to the next, and the amusement park industry has for decades fought against changes to strengthen federal oversight. In Georgia, annual inspections are overseen by the state’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. The office has said it “maintains extensive safety requirements” and annual inspections, which “include reviews of required documentation, mechanical conditions, safety equipment and the safe operation of rides.” Goliath passed its most recent inspection on March 16. Get Starting PointA guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter EmailThe office is now investigating Kariem’s death, which it says will include a full review of records. Damon Ballard, the deputy chief of police for Cobb County, said at a news conference Friday that the state’s findings would determine whether criminal charges are filed. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, an industry group, said many states draw on the same established standards for amusement park safety. In North Carolina, the State Department of Labor oversees amusement park safety.

Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins speaks during a forum for candidates for governor at the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association annual conference at the Alyeska Hotel in Girdwood on September 16, 2026. (Marc Lester / ADN) Alaskans are hurting at the pump, with prices for gas and heating fuel driven up by the war in Iran. The state treasury, on the other hand, is benefiting. “The next governor is, for worse or better, walking into a relatively privileged position where there’s a meaningful projected surplus because of the cost of oil,” said Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democratic candidate for governor. Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker from Sitka, is the only candidate in the race who has promised he would introduce a balanced budget — one that does not rely on state savings — if elected. The war in Iran, and the ensuing increase in the price of North Slope crude, could make that promise easier to fulfill. If oil prices remain higher than projected through the fiscal year that began in July, the state could have hundreds of millions of dollars — and potentially over $1 billion — in surplus revenue as leaders begin crafting the next budget.

“After careful reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Lieutenant Governor,” Oliver said in a statement shared Sunday afternoon by a spokesperson for the state Republican Party. “This election is too important to be overshadowed by personal matters. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me throughout this journey and ask that my family’s privacy be respected during this difficult time.”With early voting already underway and hundreds of thousands of people already having submitted their ballots by mail, Oliver’s name will remain on voters’ ballots alongside Minogue’s. Minogue said earlier Sunday that beyond calling on Oliver to end his campaign, he would “formally ask for his resignation” should both he and the New Bedford city councilor be elected Nov. 3. Minogue and Oliver were challenging Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, both first-term Democrats who have led the Republican nominees by a wide margin in public polling. A New Bedford police spokesperson said officers responded around 11:40 p.m.

Fatal CrashLive streaming newscasts, breaking news, weather & original, local programming. ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team Sunday, October 18, 2026 10:50PMHAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- An off-duty Northwest Indiana police officer was involved in a car crash that killed another driver, officials said. The Hammond Police Department confirmed the incident to ABC7 on Sunday. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchPolice officials did not confirm the exact time, date or location of the crash. Indiana State Police are investigating the crash, and the office involved has been place on administrative leave, officials said. "HPD extends its deepest condolences to the deceased driver's family and loved ones, as well as everyone affected by this tragedy," a statement read in part. No further information about the crash was available as Indiana State Police continue to investigate. Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Canadian Armed Forces identify four soldiers killed in deadly fire at CFB Wainwright: Pte. Aidan Goulding of the Third Battalion from North Vancouver, B. C.

Canadian Armed Forces identify four soldiers killed in deadly fire at CFB Wainwright: Private Aidan Goulding of the Third Battalion from North Vancouver, B. C.

Canadian Armed Forces identify four soldiers killed in deadly fire at CFB Wainwright:rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ePrivate Aidan Goulding of the Third Battalion from North Vancouver, B. C.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ePvt Shaun Farrell of the Third Battalion from Prince Albert, Sask.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ePvt Hayden Lykkemark of the Third Battalion from Langley, B. C.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eSgt Morgan Wong of the Royal Edmonton Regiment from Edmonton, Atla.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e Canadian Armed Forces and provincial leaders address the CFB Wainwright tragedy.rnu003cp class=u0022x_MsoNormalu0022u003eu003cspan data-olk-copy-source=u0022MessageBodyu0022u003eAlberta Premier Danielle Smith confirms four people dead, 39 in hospital and at least 19 in critical condition.u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

Canadian Armed Forces identify four soldiers killed in deadly fire at CFB Wainwright: Pte. Aidan Goulding of the Third Battalion from North Vancouver, B. C.

The Patriots managed to hold on for a 26-19 victory over the Jets Sunday afternoon, but appear to be moving forward with a makeshift offensive line. The team will have just three days to rebuild the depth of the unit before its Thursday night showdown against the Bears. “Seeing three guys in my position group go down, basically within two quarters of each other, was absolutely insane,” said Walter Rouse, who entered the game for Brown. “It was crazy.” Get Point AfterGet exclusive analysis and insight on the Patriots and the NFL, delivered to your inbox on weekdays during the season. Enter EmailAt the beginning of the second quarter, everything seemed to be fine when Moses was blocking Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey. But he ended up taking a knee at the end of play. It’s unclear what exactly happened. Moses, who has been battling a foot injury for the past four weeks, slowly limped off the field and spent more than 15 minutes in the blue medical tent. He did not return and was spotted in the locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. Rookie Caleb Lomu entered the game at right tackle.

The police chief is escalating his allegations of retaliation.

Thank you, New York Jets. That’s 15 out of the last 16 here at Gillette. Things didn’t go New England’s way for much of the day, but it didn’t matter. It never matters when it’s the Jets. The Jets can possess the football for almost two-thirds of the first half and still go to the locker room trailing, 17-3. The Pats can spend a good portion of the game on their heels, keep losing offensive lineman — is John Hannah available? — and turn the ball over a couple more times. A. J. Brown can make his big comeback and treat the football like a live grenade. Get Point AfterGet exclusive analysis and insight on the Patriots and the NFL, delivered to your inbox on weekdays during the season. Enter EmailNone of it matters. At the end of the day, the Jets are gonna Jet. On Sunday, they went 0 for 3 in the red zone and 0 for 2 on fourth-down tries. They failed on every blitz and gave us some textbook blown coverages. “We were lucky to win,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “We just didn’t play very well. We tried to beat ourselves. But we made enough plays in critical situations. . . .

(CNN) — Nearly five decades before David Hearn faced up to 10 years in prison over allegations from the Trump administration that he intentionally damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, he did something that would be considered unthinkable today. The then-18-year-old dropped an oblong yellow canoe into the shallow water and, with a handful of friends in their boats, paddled down the pool’s length. The sanctioned stunt in the summer of 1977 was part of a sendoff for Hearn and a few of the others before they flew to Austria to compete in their first Canoe Slalom World Championship. For Hearn, it also marked the start of a long and complicated relationship with the 2,000-foot-long landmark that lies at the center of President Donald Trump’s effort to remake the nation’s capital in his image. Hearn, 67, has become a lightning rod for the continuing troubles of the Reflecting Pool, which remains fenced off to the public after, according to federal prosecutors, a $14 million renovation project was “botched.” To some, including Trump, Hearn is a vandal who sought to destroy one of the president’s prized beautification projects out of malice.

Breast CancerMotorcyclists at the Pink Ride helped raise money Sunday for mammogram breast cancer screenings at Loretto Hospital on Chicago's West Side. ByLissette Nuñez Sunday, October 18, 2026 10:41PMCHICAGO (WLS) -- A sea of pink filled Chicago's West Side as motorcyclists came together during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise money to help fund mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women. The Pink Ride supports breast cancer screenings at Loretto Hospital. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch"We're raising money for uninsured and underinsured women for a breast cancer screening. Screening will be done here at Loretto Hospital. So if women live in Austin, Cicero, or Berwyn they qualify for a free mammogram," said Trish McKinnor, director of marketing at Loretto Hospital. For Pink Ride organizer Sharon Williams, the cause is personal. Williams is a breast cancer survivor who recently lost her aunt to the disease. "I just want people to be aware to detect it early, and it doesn't matter how old you are," Williams said.

At the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Mission Hill on Sunday morning, the message from the pulpit was clear: Standing against hate requires people of all faiths to speak up. The service was organized as part of Stand Up Sunday, a national initiative led by the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate — the nonprofit founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to combat antisemitism — and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation that brings together religious leaders and houses of worship to combat hate. Stand Up Sunday comes amid a rise in religious-based hate crimes nationwide, which organizers said have nearly doubled since 2021. Attacks targeting Jewish people accounted for 63 percent of religion-based hate crimes last year, according to FBI statistics cited by the organizers. The multi-denominational initiative stretched from New York to Texas, with participating churches across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, organizers said in a press release. In New England, participants included Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, and Protestant congregations. Last year, the initiative reached over 100 houses of worship, 1.5 million Americans, and 30 states, according to organizers.

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- Expanded early voting begins Monday at dozens of locations across suburban Cook County and all 50 Chicago wards. Cook County officials have unveiled new technology aimed at making the voting process more efficient and transparent. More than 10% of registered voters in suburban Cook County are expected to vote by mail this year. While email ballot tracking is not new, officials said new technology will provide voters with more detailed information about their ballots. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchExpanded early voting will be available at 56 locations throughout suburban Cook County beginning Monday. Voters will find smart ballot drop boxes that, combined with new technology, will allow them to track their ballots from beginning to end, including detailed U. S. Postal Service data. "There's over 200,000 mail ballots sent out and we track six categories of that," said Dheeraj Patri, chief technology officer at KNOWiNK. Cook County Deputy Clerk for Elections Ed Michalowski said the system will give voters more information about where their ballots are during the process.

More than a million Albertans have already voted in a referendum that asks fundamental questions about the province’s future, preliminary numbers show. Elections Alberta says a total of 1,356,873 votes were cast between Oct. 13 and Oct. 17 through advance and special ballots. That’s compared to 809,988 votes cast at the same point during the 2023 provincial election campaign. Broken down further, the agency says a total of 837,791 votes were cast at advance voting locations, with 519,082 special ballots mailed in. By comparison, 758,637 advance votes were cast in 2023 and 51,351 special ballots. The agency notes special ballot totals from 2023 are “not directly comparable” to the referendum, as they weren’t available to all eligible electors and weren’t required to be received by mail. There were a total of 3,148,343 eligible electors for the referendum, with the agency saying 43 per cent cast their ballot during the advance voting period. Only 27.5 per cent did so during the same period in the 2023 election. Story continues below advertisement

ATLANTA -- Caleb Williams completed his first 12 passes in his return from a hamstring injury, D'Andre Swift ran for two touchdowns and the Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on Sunday. The Bears led 31-7 before holding off Atlanta's comeback attempt in the final quarter. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchBears cornerback Kyler Gordon, who was activated from the physically unable to perform list before the game in his return from a calf injury, had three sacks and two forced fumbles. Gordon's big day was capped by a sack of Michael Penix Jr. and forced fumble with 2:54 remaining and the Bears protecting a 31-23 lead. The fumble was recovered by Devin Bush at the Atlanta 28. The Bears ran out the clock inside the Atlanta 5. After missing three games, Williams was both mobile and accurate in his impressive return for the Bears (4-2). He opened the game by completing 6 of 6 passes for 64 yards, including a 14-yard scoring pass to Colston Loveland, on Chicago's opening drive. Williams was 12 of 12 for 142 yards before throwing his first incompletion in the second quarter.

Chicago BearsSunday, October 18, 2026 10:36PMThe Chicago Bears defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on the road as quarterback Caleb Williams made his return from a hamstring injury Sunday. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Sunday would have been the late Mike Ditka's 87th birthday. To honor the Chicago legend, Pippin's Tavern celebrated Da Coach's life by hosting a Ditka look-alike contest during the Bears-Falcons game. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchFans were asked to come with their best mustache, aviator sunglasses and Bears sweater vest for a pre-game party. It began at 11 a.m. at Pippin's Tavern in River North. The winner was selected by an audience vote at halftime of the Bears-Falcons game. The Bears won the game 31-23 in Atlanta, pleasing fans at watch parties across Chicago. Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.