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‘You’ve got to move fast’: Science learns to quickly link extreme weather and climate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

As firefighters and other first responders battle an unprecedented summer of fires, floods, tornadoes and heat waves around the country, a group of Canadian scientists are asking why they’re happening in the first place. “May and June were record hot months in Canada and we’ve got the record wildfire season as well,” said Nathan Gillett of Environment and Climate Change Canada. “Yes, it has been busy.”Gillett heads the Rapid Extreme Event Attribution Project, a new federal program that uses the growing field of attribution science to promptly establish to what extent — if any — a specific flood in British Columbia or wildfire in Quebec is due to climate change.  “The idea is to be able to make rapid extreme event attribution days or weeks after the extreme events occur,” he said. Twenty years ago, if you’d asked a scientist if climate change was linked to days of torrential rain or months of desiccating drought, you’d proba...

Car struck by Amtrak train after crossing railroad tracks on North Side: CFD

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Fire Department reported of an incident where a vehicle was struck by a passing Amtrak train on the Northwest Side early Saturday morning. Chicago Fire tweeted that the accident involved a sedan and a small SUV near Devon and Lehigh Avenue. There were no injuries or transports reported. Medical services were refused. One of the vehicles was struck by a passing train. There were no passengers in the vehicle when the train struck.WGN is actively following this incident and will update as more information is recovered.

Vehicle accident at Fort Bliss leaves 1 soldier dead, 5 injured

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

FORT BLISS, Texas (WGN) — A soldier is dead and five others are injured after a tactical vehicle crash at Fort Bliss, Texas, according to the U.S. Army.The non-combat crash was reported around 9:30 a.m. MST on Friday in the Fort Bliss training area, according to a news release.The conditions of those who were injured haven't been released. ‘Help me’ sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl in California The name of the soldier who was killed is being withheld until 24 hours after the next-of-kin was notified, the Army's 1st Armored Division said.Details surrounding the crash have yet to be released.In a statement included with the news release, Maj. Gen. James P. Isenhower III, the senior commander of Fort Bliss and commander of the 1st Armored Division, expressed condolences to the victim's loved ones.“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Soldier’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time," the official said.

Mega Millions jackpot increases to $820 million; 8 players will $1 million prize

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Friday's Mega Millions drawing once again failed to produce a grand-prize winner, causing the jackpot to swell closer to the $1-billion mark.Friday’s winning numbers — 29, 40, 47, 50, 57 and the Mega Ball 25 — went unmatched once again, continuing a months-long trend that began after the last jackpot-winner was announced on April 18.The estimated jackpot now stands at $820 million, with a cash value of $422 million. Family’s TikTok video of ‘unsanitary’ conditions at Myrtle Beach hotel goes viral The jackpot rose to similar heights around the same time last year — leading to a $1.337 billion jackpot being awarded on July 29, 2022. It was the third billion-dollar jackpot won in the competition's history, according to the Mega Millions website.The current jackpot amount is the fifth-largest in the game's history, but still more than $700 million beneath the largest ever won.AmountDateWinning Tickets$1.537 billion10/23/20181-SC$1.348 billion1/13/20231-ME$1.337 bi...

Stop using paper checks already!

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

(NerdWallet) - Sure, you’re probably not using paper checks for most things. But are you returning payments to medical providers and insurance companies in the mail? Paying by check for the random parking ticket or your child’s piano lessons? Now is a good time to stop: Check fraud tied to mail theft is up nationwide, according to a February alert from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. And letter carrier robberies are also on the rise.This is partially due to the effects of the pandemic, when thieves targeted government relief checks in the mail. “Fraudsters just went back to tried-and-true potential attack factors that seemed to be working,” says Michael Bruemmer, head of global data breach resolution for Experian.The U.S. Postal Service is vulnerable, and thieves who can access your checks can change the amount and ferret those funds right out of your bank account. And then it can take weeks to get the funds back.“It’s absolutely a life disruption event when you mail a che...

Texas' worst commute is in this southeastern community – and it's not Houston

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

(Stacker) – Commuting easily ranks as one of the least enjoyable parts of a person's day. Commuters encounter more physical health problems, and low-income commuters are less likely to gain financial stability—among a host of other negative impacts. And yet, America's commutes keep getting longer as people move farther away from the office, according to Census Bureau data. This little-known rule causes speed limits to go up in Texas Stacker compiled a list of counties with the worst commutes in Texas, using 2021 data from the Census Bureau. Surprisingly, the county with the No. 1 worst commute in the state isn't even home to one of Texas' major cities. Counties are ranked by longest average commute time in 2021 among workers over the age of 16, excluding those who work from home. Think you have a long trip to work? Read on to compare it against the worst commutes statewide.#19. Montgomery County (tie)- Average commute to work: 32.2 minutes- Share with commutes over ...

Working Strategies: Books for empowerment in the workplace

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

Amy LindgrenAre you headed to the beach for summertime reading? This might be a good year to break with the tradition of light-hearted magazines: If the sand is going to be egg-frying hot, your leisure books might as well have some substance to them. The following titles meet that standard, with each one touching on professional empowerment and growth.• Win When They Say You Won’t, by Daphne E. Jones, McGraw Hill, 2023, $27. This book sets the new standard for empowerment at work. As a Black woman who experienced any number of sexist and racist setbacks on her path to Fortune 50 executive roles, Jones knows a lot about self-empowerment. Even better, she knows how to translate affirmations and awareness into actions that move the needle.The core of Jones’ approach is a four-part process she calls EDIT, for Envision, Design, Iterate and Transform. In essence, she creates a paradigm where individual workers start with themselves in developing a vision and plan, then create the process ...

07/22/2023: A beautiful summer weekend

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

The latest Storm Tracker Forecast from Meteorologist Jill Szwed.Happy Saturday! We all deserve a beautiful summer weekend. And that's just what we're going to get! Do you have plans? Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Sunshine is back after yesterday's heavy rain and storm threat. Humidity levels have settled into a more manageable range. It will make temperatures in the 70s and lower 80s feel very pleasant.A very comfortable summer night is ahead under clear skies and this drier air in place. Temperatures will settle into the 50s overnight. The clear and calm conditions will also lead to areas of fog by morning.Looking for more? You're in luck! Just as nice tomorrow. It will be a little warmer with highs closer to normal in the mid 80s for the Capital Region. A far cry from last year when we broken the record with a high of 97°.The "muggies" will start creeping back in to kick off the new work week. The rising humidity will also ...

Gucci’s CEO is stepping down as its French parent shakes up leadership

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The president and CEO of Gucci is stepping down later this year, the latest shakeup to the luxury fashion brand and coming as part of a series of changes to its parent company, the French conglomerate Kering.Marco Bizzarri will depart the Italian design house in September after eight years at the helm, with Kering saying Tuesday that he “masterminded the execution of Gucci’s outstanding growth strategy since 2015.” He was part of Kering’s leadership for 18 years.Bizzarri will be replaced by Jean-François Palus, who is now Kering’s managing director. Palus will be “tasked with strengthening Gucci’s teams and operations” as the brand “rebuilds influence and momentum,” according to the company’s statement.Historically, Gucci accounted for most of Kering’s profits, but it has been under some scrutiny after underperforming rivals.Kering also said it was promoting Yves Saint Laurent President ...

Teens arrested after stealing catalytic converters, fleeing from police in Glendora 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:54:39 GMT

Officers arrested two teenagers after they were caught with 14 stolen catalytic converters in Glendora Friday night. According to the Glendora Police Department, units were dispatched to the parking structure near the AMC Theaters in Glendora on reports of a possible catalytic converter theft in progress. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. When the driver failed to yield, police initiated a pursuit. The vehicle eventually stopped in the middle of the road in the 800 block of South Cerritos Avenue in Azusa, where the two juvenile suspects fled from the vehicle and were quickly apprehended without incident. Shooting at street takeover in South L.A. leaves 1 man hospitalized Officers arrested two teenagers after they were caught with 14 stolen catalytic converters in Glendora, California on Friday, July 21, 2023. (Facebook/Glendora Police Department)“A loaded handgun, 14 stolen catalytic converters and tools...