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Contractor says it has settled lawsuit with sick and dying coal ash workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Attorneys for a group of workers who believe their jobs cleaning up a massive coal ash spill in Tennessee led to a slew of illnesses, including fatal cancers, have reached a settlement with the contractor who organized the cleanup for the Tennessee Valley Authority, according to a notice posted on the Jacobs Engineering website on Tuesday. Beginning in 2013, more than 200 workers sued Jacobs, claiming the company’s supervisors misled them about the dangers of the ash, failed to provide them with protective gear like respirators, and tampered with the air monitoring equipment meant to keep the workers safe. In 2018, a Knoxville jury took only a few hours to decide that Jacobs had breached its duty of safety, exposing workers to airborne “fly ash” with known carcinogens. The jurors said Jacobs’ actions were capable of making the workers sick. The key question of whether they caused each worker’s specific illness was left for a different jury in a second p...

Super Typhoon Mawar closes in on Guam as residents shelter, military sends away ships

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Residents of Guam stockpiled supplies, battened down windows and abandoned wood and tin homes for emergency shelters as Super Typhoon Mawar bore down as the strongest storm to approach the U.S. Pacific territory in decades.The U.S. military sent away ships, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration and anyone not living in a concrete house was urged to seek safety elsewhere ahead of Mawar, which could arrive as a monster Category 5 storm. Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said on social media that the emergency declaration will support the mobilization of resources into Guam, which is “especially crucial given our distance from the continental U.S.” Guerrero ordered residents of coastal, low-lying and flood-prone areas of the territory of over 150,000 people to evacuate to higher elevations.Federal assistance will be needed to save lives and property and “mitigate the effects of this imminent catastrophe,” Guerrero said in a letter to the president reques...

Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne weigh in on ‘When Harry Met Sally’ debate of ‘Platonic’ friendships

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

Can men and women be friends? 1989’s “ When Harry Met Sally ” said no, but Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen disagree.The pair co-star in the new Apple TV+ series “ Platonic,” debuting Wednesday, about longtime best friends who, as the title suggests, are just that. In fact, the actors had conversations early on to make sure the characters never cross a line.“I honestly don’t like things about infidelity,” Rogen said in a recent interview. “I just don’t like it. That was something that I was like so clear (on) and something we talked about a lot… ’How do we signal to the audience, ‘that’s not a thing we have to worry about’? They can enjoy the show, laugh and not have this nagging thing in the back of their heads of like, ‘Is she going to cheat on her husband with this guy?’”Both Byrne and Rogen, who are each married, say they have longtime friends of the opposite sex.“I have a lot of friendships with women that I’ve had for decades and decades and decades,” he...

Pritzker announces unit of over 30 'peacekeepers' to provide crisis support in Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

CHICAGO — Governor Pritzker announced Tuesday the creation of a citywide unit in Chicago that will deploy "peacekeepers" to provide crisis support.The Citywide Crisis Prevention & Response Unit (CPRU) will have over 30 peacekeepers and street outreach partners to "provide essential assistance in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis support across Chicago."“The most important work we do is keeping our communities safe, and this is another important step towards addressing violence and conflict through research-based, community-focused approaches,” said Gov. Pritzker. “IDHS is creatively utilizing their funding to find high-impact solutions to the current problems facing Chicago, and I’m thankful for their hard work heading into the summer months.”Announced ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the unit is now permanent in Chicago.“The CPRU is an essential tool in keeping our communities safe because these individuals bring invaluable insight and knowledge that allow us to redu...

'I'm worried about wins': Justin Fields makes clear his focus with the Bears in 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

LAKE FOREST — For the past two seasons, the Bears' top quarterback hasn't made a habit of looking too far ahead.At Halas Hall on Tuesday, Justin Fields made it clear that he's not changing when asked about the impact the 2023 season could have on a future contract with the Bears."I'm not worried about contracts. I'm worried about wins," said Fields at Halas Hall in response to the impact of the 2023 season on his future with the Bears. This fall and winter, Fields can show enough to the Bears to warrant the team picking up the fifth-year option on his contract or, even better for him, offer a lucrative extension to keep him in Chicago for the long term.But the quarterback dismissed the idea that this third season is more important than his second in 2022 or his first in 2021. "I think every year is a big year," said Fields when asked about 2023 being a critical one for his career and future. "I don't really have anything to expand on that but, for me, every year's a big year and I'm...

Salmonella outbreak in 6 states linked to Papa Murphy's cookie dough: CDC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning consumers after a salmonella outbreak impacting people in six states has been linked to raw cookie dough from Papa Murphy's. In a notice posted Tuesday, the CDC reports at least 18 people contracted salmonella between late February and early May. Half of them reported eating Papa Murphy's take-and-bake raw cookie dough before becoming sick. Papa Murphy's has issued a "Stop Sell order" for its take-and-bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and S'mores Bars, which have portions of the chocolate chip cookie dough, the company said Monday.The CDC and Papa Murphy's warn that if you have any of the take-and-bake doughs mentioned above, you should discard it immediately. The CDC says it has linked a salmonella outbreak affecting at least six states to raw cookie dough sold by Papa Murphy's. (Via the CDC/Papa Murphy's)Six people sickened in the outbreak live in Washington, while four were Oregon residents, CDC investigators s...

Motorcyclist charged after leading police on 150-mph chase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. -- A Oswego man was taken into custody Monday after leading Illinois State Police on a high speed chase reaching speeds up to 150 mph on I-88.According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, an Illinois State Trooper allegedly witnessed a motorcyclist traveling at 100 mph heading towards the Washington Street exit on westbound I-88 just after 12:15 p.m. on Monday.The Illinois State Trooper attempted to pull over the motorcycle, but the driver accelerated to 135 mph while weaving in and out of traffic. ISP did not pursue the motorcycle. Suburban man gets stuck waist-deep in Alaska mud flats, drowns as tide comes in Illinois State Police Air Ops then monitored the motorcycle, which allegedly reached speeds of 150 mph on westbound I-88.Almost 30 minutes later, the driver of the motorcycle exited I-88 and parked on Ramm Drive in Naperville where he was taken into custody.Vermain Schaefer, 27, of Oswego, was later identified as the driver of the motorcycle....

Democrats slam Republican 'ransom list' amid debt limit talks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – It appears the situation over the debt talks is not moving in a positive direction with Republicans demanding cuts that Democrats say are unreasonable – all under a looming default deadline.On Monday, some of the leaders from both parties on Capitol Hill were trying to sound cautiously optimistic, but on Tuesday it doesn’t seem that the two sides were any closer to reaching a deal.While trying to reassure the country that the U.S. won't default on its debts and obligations, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said, “we have more than enough money to pay the credit card bill.”However, Republicans refuse to increase the debt limit unless their demands are met.“You owe more on the credit card than you make an entire year,” McCarthy added.Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) added, “We're not talking about draconian levels of cuts. These are reasonable levels of spending.”Democrats say the proposed cuts are anything but reasonable.“House Democrats are not going to sign on to devast...

What federal default would mean for schools and universities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

(The Hill) - Higher education is biting its nails watching the debt ceiling timer tick down in Washington.Colleges and universities are working in the background on contingency plans if the U.S. defaults, a scenario that would lead to consequences experts say even they can't fully comprehend. While the schools won't immediately shut down when the debt limit is reached, they will lose significant funding from the federal government, and students will not receive the aid they need, in some cases, to stay in class. “Unfortunately, in the last several years, colleges and universities and financial aid offices have gotten used to a political game of chicken in Washington, D.C., and the potential for federal shutdowns, but this one is just a little bit different,” said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.“We use the word unprecedented a lot in Washington, D.C., but this truly is one of those unprecedented times, and we would expec...

Texas attorney general calls on House Speaker Phelan to resign

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:06 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called on House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign at the end of the legislative session next week. He questioned the conduct of his fellow Republican after claims that Phelan appeared impaired while overseeing debate early Saturday morning on the House floor. Paxton released a statement Tuesday afternoon on social media urging Phelan to step down from his post leading the Texas House Representatives, saying he did so after "much consideration" and with "profound disappointment." No comment from Speaker Phelan on impairment accusations "Texans were dismayed to witness his performance presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication," Paxton said. "His conduct has negatively impacted the legislative process and constitutes a failure to live up to his duty to the public." KXAN reached out Tuesday to Phelan's office for comment about Paxton's statement, but has yet to receive ...