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Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

By JOHN FLESHER (AP Environmental Writer)TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains “forever chemicals” that may cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released Wednesday.The synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS are contaminating drinking water to varying extents in large cities and small towns — and in private wells and public systems, the U.S. Geological Survey said.Researchers described the study as the first nationwide effort to test for PFAS in tap water from private sources in addition to regulated ones. It builds on previous scientific findings that the chemicals are widespread, showing up in consumer products as diverse as nonstick pans, food packaging and water-resistant clothing and making their way into water supplies.Because the USGS is a scientific research agency, the report makes no policy recommendations. But the information “can be used to evalua...

Red Sox notebook: Story could begin rehab assignment after All-Star break

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

All season long Trevor Story’s potential return has loomed as a distant possibility, but now the two-time All-Star is nearing the final phases of his recovery from elbow surgery and may be weeks away from getting back on the field at Fenway Park.It might even be sooner than that at Polar Park in Worcester or Hadlock Field in Portland, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora indicated Wednesday that Story could be ready to begin his minor league rehab assignment after the All-Star break.“Probably, I don’t want to put a timetable, he’s been so good so far, no obstacles, no red flags,” Cora said. “You never know what could happen in the upcoming days leading up to whenever we decide, but so far it’s trending in the right direction, and fast.”Story has been throwing and taking batting practice at Fenway Park for the past few weeks, and Wednesday he put on a show during the pregame defensive drills, making a series of deep throws to first all the way ...

Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty says he will not run for re-election: ‘A surprise to many’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

In a shocker, longtime Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty has announced that he will not run for re-election.Flaherty, who has been on the council for 20 years and previously ran for mayor, said on Wednesday that he has withdrawn his name from the At-Large City Council race. He has topped the At-Large race several times.Flaherty said he has no current plans to run for another public office.“It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve the city that I love,” Flaherty tweeted. “Thank you to all my supporters along the way.”“While this decision will come as a surprise to many, I reached it after much deliberation and self-reflection over the past few months, and in close consultation with my wife and family,” he wrote.“By the end of this year, I will have served on the City Council for twenty years. I believe I have served the city of Boston and its residents faithfully and effectively during my tenure, and it is now time to turn the page an...

Powder found in West Wing lobby confirmed as cocaine, Biden briefed on investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

The powder found over the weekend in the White House’s West Wing lobby has been confirmed as cocaine following two tests. President Biden thinks it is “incredibly important” for the Secret Service to determine how it got there, officials said Wednesday.U.S. Secret Service agents found the powder during a routine White House sweep on Sunday, in a small, clear plastic bag on the ground in a heavily trafficked area, according to three people, who were not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.On Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House had confidence in the Secret Service. “The president thinks it’s incredibly important to get to the bottom of this,” she said.Biden was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend when the powder was discovered and the complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution. The fire department was called in to test the substance to determi...

San Diego man found dead from extreme heat in car in Death Valley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- A San Diego man was found dead in his car in Death Valley National Park on Monday morning, according to a release. The release stated that on Monday, July 3, at around 10 a.m., a National Park Service maintenance worker saw a vehicle about 30 yards off of the North Highway. When they got to the vehicle, they found a man unresponsive. NPS park rangers, Inyo County Sheriff's Office, and Inyo County Coroner's Office responded and the man, a 65-year-old man from San Diego, California, was pronounced dead on the scene. SDSU grad missing in Yosemite National Park According to the release, tracks from the vehicle ran along the road shoulder before it veered off the road. The vehicle did not crash but had two flat tires when it stopped. The vehicle was still operational and was not stuck, but the air conditioning was not operational.The driver's window was down, showing that the air conditioning was not functioning while he was driving, the release said. The investigat...

US judge recommends settlement over management of the Rio Grande

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge has recommended that the U.S. Supreme Court approve a settlement among three Western states over the management of one of North America’s longest rivers. U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Melloy, the special master overseeing the case, outlined his recommendation in a report filed Monday. He called the proposal fair, reasonable and consistent with a decadeslong water-sharing agreement that spells out how Colorado, New Mexico and Texas must share the Rio Grande.It was unclear when the Supreme Court will take up the recommendation. The court just wrapped up a busy term last week, issuing rulings on affirmative action, gay rights and President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debt.The states reached the proposed settlement last year. The federal government objected for several reasons, including that the proposal did not mandate specific water capture or use limitations within New Mexico.“The end result today...

CBC News retracts report alleging email interference by Alberta premier’s office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

EDMONTON — CBC News is retracting a report alleging someone in Premier Danielle Smith’s office emailed Crown prosecutors to question and challenge the handling of cases involving COVID-19 protests in Alberta that blocked traffic at a U.S. border crossing for more than two weeks. CBC made the announcement Wednesday in an unsigned editor’s note atop an amended online version of the original Jan. 19 story.“Our sources have insisted that Crown prosecutors felt political pressure regarding the Coutts, (Alta.), cases, but they are not able to confirm that the emails they originally described were sent directly from the premier’s office to the Crown,” said the editor’s note.“As such, we have updated this story and related pieces, removing references to direct contact between the premier’s office and prosecutors — which the premier has vehemently denied.  “CBC News regrets reporting direct contact by email.”The story, along with public comments made by Smith around that time, sp...

Police: 16 dead, including 3 children, in toxic gas leak in South Africa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — At least 16 people, including three children, have died in a toxic gas leak in South Africa, police said Wednesday.Emergency services said that as many as 24 people were dead. It wasn’t immediately clear why there was a discrepancy in the death toll.The incident happened in an informal settlement in the city of Boksburg on the eastern outskirts of Johannesburg, the South African Police Services said. Police said two people were taken to the hospital for treatment.Emergency services spokesman William Ntladi said the gas leak had stopped and teams were searching a 100-meter (100-yard) radius around the gas cyclinder to check for more casualties.___Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.Mogomotsi Magome And Gerald Imray, The Associated Press

Wisconsin probes how 8 roller-coaster riders became trapped upside down for hours

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

CRANDON, Wis. (AP) — State officials are investigating how eight people became trapped upside down on a roller coaster — some of them for more than three hours — at a festival in Wisconsin.The roller coaster’s cars got stuck near the top of a loop around 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Crandon International Offroad Raceway. Rescue workers arrived to find eight passengers hanging upside down from their safety harnesses. Firefighters used ladder trucks to reach them, securing each one before releasing their over-the-shoulder safety bars, the Crandon Fire Department said. It took nearly three and a half hours to get all the passengers down. One person was taken to a hospital. According to the fire department, a ride operator said something broke down mechanically on the coaster, which had been inspected by the state.The state Department of Safety and Professional Services is responsible for reviewing plans for amusement parks and inspecting rides in Wisconsin. Spokesperson John Beard sai...

Mandates aim to tackle discrimination in public service, unions say it’s not enough

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Federal government departments and agencies will now have to evaluate whether their hiring practices are discriminatory after changes to the Public Service Employment Act came into effect this week.Public Service Commission spokeswoman Élodie Roy said the changes will strengthen diversity and inclusion in the federal government workforce.The amendments were first introduced in the budget implementation process in 2021.They require the public service to evaluate how staffing methods, such as interviews and written exams, might discriminate against women, people with a disability, or those who identify as Black, Indigenous or LGBTQ.The Public Service Commission will also have more resources to investigate mistakes or misconduct that affect hiring processes.Previous amendments revised the job qualifications for members of equity-seeking groups and ensured permanent residents were given the same hiring preferences as Canadian citizens.But a group representing thousands of Black...