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10K bridges similar to Pittsburgh one that collapsed should be checked for corrosion, report says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

Investigators looking into the collapse of a Pittsburgh bridge want transportation officials nationwide to examine more than 10,000 other bridges with similar construction to ensure they don’t have the same kind of corrosion that was found on the bridge that collapsed.The National Transportation Safety Board said in a report Thursday that drainage problems on the weathered steel bridge that failed allowed the metal legs to deteriorate over time. It determined Pennsylvania neglected for years to perform the maintenance needed to clear the debris, dirt and leaves that was causing the problem even though inspectors noted the issue.Rust that caused the deterioration of the Pittsburgh bridge’s steel legs and allowed holes to form in the structure was noted on every inspection done since 2005 including one completed just four months before the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed on Jan. 28, 2022. Work was done in 2009 to clear the debris clogging the bridge’s drainage system, b...

Death toll tops 80 after attack in north Nigeria; 7 suspects arrested

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The death toll from an attack by dozens of gunmen in north central Nigeria’s Plateau state has reached 80, local authorities said Thursday, with survivors still searching for bodies days after the incident.The gunmen targeted several villages in the remote Mangu district of Plateau during the attack that started Monday and lasted till Tuesday, according to residents. Burials continued on Thursday in parts of Mangu located 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Jos, the state capital.The police told The Associated Press seven suspects had been arrested. It was a “situation of sporadic shooting across a vast area of different villages,” said Alabo Alfred, the command spokesman.The security crisis in the north-west and central regions of the country has stifled Nigeria’s development, despite its status as Africa’s largest economy and one of its top oil producers. After decades of conflict, current and former pastoralists from the Fulani tribe took up arms against far...

Will dashboard AM radio be saved? Bipartisan bill would require automakers to keep it in new cars

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pushing to keep AM radio in the nation’s cars.A bipartisan group in Congress on Wednesday introduced the “AM for Every Vehicle Act.” The bill calls on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to keep AM radio in new cars at no additional cost.The legislation would also require automakers selling cars manufactured before the proposed regulation takes effect to let buyers know if the vehicles don’t come with AM radios.Supporters of preserving AM radio in cars cite public safety concerns. The bill’s sponsors note AM radio’s historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as communication during natural disasters, especially to people in rural areas.“Carmakers shouldn’t tune out AM radio in new vehicles or put it behind a costly digital paywall,” Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement. He added that the bill aims...

Suspect in fatal stabbing of Cash App founder pleads not guilty

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tech consultant Nima Momeni pleaded not guilty Thursday to a murder charge in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee on the streets of San Francisco. Judge Victor Hwang ordered Momeni kept him in jail without bail, saying there was a high probability his release could result in great bodily harm to others. Momeni, who appeared in an orange jumpsuit, did not speak and his attorney Paula Canny entered the plea on his behalf. Lee’s death on April 4 shocked San Francisco’s tech community. He created Cash App, a mobile payment service, and was the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency MobileCoin.He was found outside a condominium building with three stab wounds, including one in the heart, shortly after 2:30 a.m. and was taken to a hospital where he later died. Prosecutors say Momeni, 38, drove Lee to a secluded spot and stabbed him over an apparent dispute related to Momeni’s sister, Khazar Elyassnia. She appeared in court Thursday al...

Buffalo Grove High School mourning loss of 4 students killed in Wheeling crash

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. — Buffalo Grove High School students and faculty are mourning the loss of four teenagers who were killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Wheeling.Crowds of people gathered Thursday at the growing memorial where the crash happened. Many shared hugs with one another and stories of their classmates who died.The fatal crash happened around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Dundee and Schoenbeck roads.The victims have been identified as: 16-year-old Jesus Rodriguez, 17-year-old Kevin R. Hernandez-Teran and 18-year-old Richard De-lta of Wheeling, and 17-year-old Ricky Barcenas of Arlington Heights.One student remains hospitalized, according to School District 214.Police said speed and a disregard for traffic signals seem to be the primary factors of the crash. Buffalo Grove High School students killed in Wheeling crash ID’d Brenda Lorenzo’s son Ricky was in the back seat during the crash.“I miss him so much,” Lorenzo said. “It’s so devastating. I just want to see...

Lollapalooza 2023 schedule released; see who's playing when and where

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

The video above was recorded on March 21, when the Lollapalooza lineup was initially announced. CHICAGO — Lollapalooza has released its 2023 hour-by-hour schedule, giving festival-goers a more detailed look at what days and times their favorite acts take the stage.The annual event will be held at Grant Park in downtown Chicago from Thursday, Aug. 3 to Sunday, Aug. 6.Headliners include Billie Eilish, Karol G and Diplo on Thursday; Kendrick Lamar and 1975 on Friday; Tomorrow X Together and Odeza on Saturday; and Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lana Del on Sunday.CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LOLLAPALOOZA SCHEDULEFour-day, two-day, one-day and VIP tickets are still available. For more information, go to: Lollapalooza.com.

Professor attempts to fail students after falsely accusing them of using ChatGPT to cheat

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

(The Hill) -- A professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce attempted to fail all his students in an animal science class after he incorrectly concluded they used ChatGPT to complete their assignments, according to multiple reports. Jared Mumm sent an email to his class on Monday as students were finishing up for the semester, claiming he discovered they all used artificial intelligence on their essays, The Washington Post and Rolling Stone reported. A Reddit post of the alleged email says Mumm would be giving everyone an incomplete after he discovered students used “Chat GTP,” a misspelling of the technology he used several times. The professor says he ran the last three assignments all the students did through ChatGPT two separate times to ensure he knows they cheated.“I will not grade chat Gpt s---,” Mumm allegedly said to one student in a screenshot provided to Post. Other plagiarism detection companies such as the popular Turnitin have introduced AI detec...

Woman with 7 DUI arrests wants to go to prison, says Las Vegas is not the place for her

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) - A Las Vegas mother with seven DUIs on her record said she hoped her latest arrest sticks and admitted the best thing for her is prison.Marion Reyes, 35, spoke from jail.“I feel like this time is different because I'm actually being punished,” Reyes said. “I was not thinking. I was not thinking of my own family. I could have left my mother childless; I could have left my children motherless.”Reyes, a mother of four, first appeared in Henderson Justice Court on Oct. 18 for what records show was her seventh DUI charge since 2007. Five days earlier, on Thursday, Oct. 13, Henderson police arrested Reyes after officers said she stopped her car in the middle of two travel lanes, documents said. Hobby Lobby doesn’t use barcodes: Here’s their explanation It was not until Monday, Nov. 21, several weeks after her Oct. 13 arrest, that Judge Stephen George, who took over the case, set bail at $5,000. Prosecutors argued Reyes be held on $50,000 bail, citing her previous arres...

Uber letting teens take rides on their own

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

(The Hill) -- Uber announced on Wednesday the launch of a new feature that will let teenagers under the age of 18 open accounts and take rides on their own. In a news release, the ride-hailing company said that its “Teen accounts” will allow teens from 13- to 17-year-olds to set up their own personal accounts through their families' profiles. The company said that only experienced and highly-rated drivers are eligible to take on rides from teens, and drivers can also opt out of driving a teen. Teens riding alone in Ubers is not new, but the new policies mark a change in how the company deals with them. Parents have long used Uber as a carpool alternative, and teenagers have set up their own accounts despite users technically being required to be 18. The decision on whether to check IDs to verify the age of riders has largely been left to drivers.The new policy also comes as the number of teen drivers has fallen drastically in recent decades, with only 25 percent of 16-year...

Postal police, who used to combat mail theft, have had limited power for years

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:25:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The United States Postal Service has upped security measures as mail theft continues to spike across the country.Such measures include fortifying blue collection boxes, new locks, more secure verification for address changes and new authority to intercept packages with counterfeit postage.Frank Albergo, the head of the Postal Police Officers Association, thinks a better fix the rise in both mail theft and attacks against mail carriers - is restoring patrolling power to postal police officers."We used intelligence-led policing targeting specific zip codes where mail theft was most prevalent, and it was working," he said.According to a 2020 Postal Inspection Service memo, postal police were ordered to stop patrolling and focus their attention solely on protecting post office property. "You'd think when postal police officers are needed most, that's when we'd be utilized," said Albergo.According to USPS, there were 38,500 mail theft incidents in FY22. In the first half...