Midwest
Canadian town fined for refusing to celebrate Pride Month, fly rainbow flag
A Canadian town is facing a fine of $10,000 for refusing to participate in Pride Month and fly the “LGBTQ2 rainbow flag” outside its municipal building.
The town of Emo, Ontario, which has a population of about 1,300 and is situated near the border with Minnesota, was found to have violated the Ontario Human Rights Code by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for refusing to proclaim June as Pride Month, according to a report from the National Post.
The town was also issued a citation for its failure to fly “an LGBTQ2 rainbow flag,” the report notes, despite Emo not having an official flag pole.
MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS JOIN FORCES TO PROTEST LGBTQ+ PRIDE IN CANADA: ‘LET KIDS BE KIDS’
Pride flags are seen during the LA Pride Parade on June 11, 2023, in Hollywood, California. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition to the $10,000 fine, officials from the town were ordered to complete mandatory “human rights” training.
According to the report, the decision to cite Emo began with a 2020 incident in which the town was approached by a group called Borderland Pride, which issued a written request asking that Emo declare June Pride Month.
The group’s request also included a draft proclamation, containing clauses such as “pride is necessary to show community support and belonging for LGBTQ2 individuals” and “the diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression represents a positive contribution to society.”
Borderland Pride also asked the city to fly an “LGBTQ2 rainbow flag for a week of your choosing.”
Emo, Ontario, Municipal Office building (Google Streetview)
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The request was defeated by a 3-2 vote at a later Emo township council meeting, where Mayor Harold McQuaker argued there was “no flag being flown for the other side of the coin… there’s no flags being flown for the straight people.”
The line was seen as particularly offensive to Human Rights Tribunal vice-chair Karen Dawson, who said she found the remark “demeaning and disparaging of the LGBTQ2 community of which Borderland Pride is a member and therefore constituted discrimination under the Code.”
Dawson further argued that the remark was made in “close proximity” to McQuaker’s no vote on the Borderland Pride request, meaning it “constituted discrimination under the Code.”
Borderland Pride sought a $15,000 fine for the Township as well as a $10,000 fine for each of the three council members who voted no on the group’s request, according to the report, though the tribunal eventually settled on the $10,000 fine for the township and a $5,000 for McQuaker.
Downtown Emo, Ontario (Google Streetview)
McQuaker and Emo’s chief administrative officer were also ordered to complete an online course offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission called “Human Rights 101” and “provide proof of completion… to Borderland Pride within 30 days.”
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A major overhaul to the Illinois justice system could be officially underway.
House Bill 3363 lays the foundation for a brand new agency, the state public defender office.
The goal is to bring more consistent legal representation for Illinois residents who can’t afford an attorney.
Joining us now to discuss the rolled-out timeline is the bill’s sponsor, State representative Dave Vella, who actually started his legal career as a public defender, before heading to Springfield.
A suspect accused of making threats and violating a protection order led officers in northwest Indiana on a chase that ended when he crashed into a tree and was ejected from the vehicle, police said.
The Portage Police Department said on Friday, officers were called to a residence on Fiesta Drive after complaints of threats and a protection order violation. Later in the day, at around 3:45 p.m., officers were again dispatched to the property for the same reason, police said.
As officers arrived on the scene, the suspect’s vehicle was seen traveling away from the home. An officer later attempted to pull the driver over along Willowcreek Road near 700 North. The vehicle made a U-turn, and the officer believed he was coming to a stop – but the driver quickly sped away, police said.
At the intersection of Willowcreek Road and U.S. 6, the driver went through a red light and struck an oncoming vehicle before losing control and slamming into a tree. The suspect’s vehicle rolled several times, causing the driver to be ejected, police stated.
The driver was airlifted for treatment, but his condition wasn’t immediately known. A female passenger was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with injuries.
The driver who was hit at the intersection was treated at the scene and released, police said.
A third vehicle in a nearby parking lot was hit by the suspect’s vehicle as it rolled, and a person inside that vehicle was hospitalized with minor injuries.
The incident remained under investigation as of Friday night.
With June rapidly finishing up, that means the Iowa high school softball season is preparing to enter the stretch run of the year.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Softball Tournament will begin Monday, July 20, in Fort Dodge at Rogers Park, bringing together many of the top teams and players in the state. High School On SI Iowa currently provides a Top 25 state softball power rankings, so now, we need to see who the top players are.
Below are the nominees for the High School On SI Iowa Class 1A Softball Midseason Player of the Year in each classification. Stats listed with the player are from Bound and based on those numbers imputed as of June 26, 2026 at noon CT.
Feel free to vote as many times as you like, with voting set to close on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
High School On SI Iowa Class 1A Softball Midseason Player Of The Year Nominees
Rachel Eglseder, Edgewood-Colesburg, Senior
Eglseder owns a 16-5 record, striking out 225 batters with a 1.66 earned run average while adding 11 extra-base hits and 40 RBI at the plate.
Rylee Mudderman, Kee, Junior
Mudderman continues to be a difficult out, batting .488 this season with two homers, 11 doubles and four triples. She has driven in 38 and scored 35 times, stealing 10 bases.
Faith Shirbroun, St. Edmond, Senior
Speaking of tough outs, Shirbroun owns a batting average of .606 this season, recording seven homers, 17 doubles and five triples. She has driven in 36 and scored 37 times, stealing 22 bases while setting several school records for hitting.
Sydney Lovrien, Clarksville, Senior
The ace for the defending state champions, Lovrien is 13-5 with 100 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. She also has 23 hits and 21 RBI at the plate.
Sam Kruckenberg, Mason City Newman Catholic, Senior
A veteran now, Kruckenberg owns an 18-4 record with 227 strikeouts and a 1.23 earned run average. She is batting .440 with five homers, 11 doubles and 23 RBI at the plate.
About Our Midseason Player of the Year Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
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