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Ex-chemical safety agency chief misused $90K on trips, renovations and other expenses, watchdog says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The former head of a federal agency that investigates chemical accidents improperly spent more than $90,000 during her tenure, including unauthorized trips to and from her California home, remodeling her Washington office and outside media training for herself, according to a new report by a federal watchdog.The report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general says Katherine Lemos, the former chair of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, was not entitled to travel expenses worth nearly $50,000 for at least 18 round trips between the capital and her home in San Diego from April 2020 through March 2022, when she changed her official workplace to San Diego.Lemos took two additional round trips between San Diego and Washington from March 2022 until her resignation four months later, the report said. Those trips cost more than $5,000, but investigators were unable to determine if they violated federal policy.Lemos, who was appointed by former President Donal...

DA King requests investigation of Edgewater PD

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King has called on Attorney General Phil Weiser to conduct a review of the Edgewater Police Department.King submitted a formal request to open a pattern and practice investigation into Edgewater PD earlier this week, following new charges filed against a former officer, according to a release her office sent Thursday.The DA's office led the initial investigation in September of 2021 into Nathan Geerdes, who was later indicted on charges related to sexual contact without consent and retaliation against a victim or witness in December of 2022. Former Edgewater cop accused of lying to other departments during job search Geerdes is now accused of lying to five different police departments on his job applications to get rehired in law enforcement after he resigned in lieu of termination from Edgewater PD in March 2021. He was indicted last week on five counts of forgery and five counts of attempt to influence a public servant re...

Bear goes for a stroll in Pueblo

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

PUEBLO, Colo. (KXRM) — Just before 8 a.m. on Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department was notified that a bear was on the south side of Pueblo. Courtesy: Pueblo Police DepartmentOfficers located the bear and were able to take a photo. "Police are asking people who might see the bear not to approach it, give it space, and let it enjoy an uninterrupted stroll through Pueblo," PPD said. The department later sent an update on Twitter saying the bear had been safely tranquilized and relocated. Bears are typically not a threat to people and will return to their natural habitat, according to PPD. Do not approach a bear and give them space.

Here are the river flows in Colorado's top fishing spots

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- There's a lot more water in Colorado rivers this year for Independence Day fishing.Colorado beats other states when it comes to the Fourth of July on several counts. Not only are there more celebration and activity options than most states, but the state itself is objectively more independent in its finances and economy. Don’t eat the fish in these Colorado water bodies It also beats out many states for its access to the American birthright of access to the great outdoors. Colorado boasts world-class fishing for brown, brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout along with kokanee salmon and a dozen other river fish species. A record-setting wet spring has pushed water levels in many of Colorado's most popular fishing rivers higher than they've been since the late 2010s. Typically, water runs highest in May or June of any given year. In the case of the South Platte River, the highest flow this year was 1,237 cubic feet per second - nearly five times as high as the highest ...

Deputy acquitted of all charges for failing to act during deadly Parkland school shooting

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting.Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as the verdicts were read. The jury had deliberated for 19 hours over four days.After court adjourned, Peterson, his family and friends rushed into a group hug as they whooped, hollered and cried. One of his supporters chased after lead prosecutor Chris Killoran and said something. Killoran turned and snapped at him, “Way to be a good winner” and slapped him on the shoulder. Members of the prosecution team then nudged Killoran out of the courtroom.The campus deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Peterson had been charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz during his six-minute attack inside a three-story 1200 classroom buildi...

Mass. highway administrator discusses Sumner Tunnel shutdown, shares advice for travelers

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

Traffic trouble is ahead as the Sumner Tunnel is set to shut down for nearly two month’s beginning next week.As the beginning of the shutdown nears, 7NEWS’ Polikseni Manxhari sat down with the man in charge of Massachusetts’ highways to see how the work ahead will impact drivers. Asked if Boston traffic can get any worse,” Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver responded “Unfortunately, it’s about to.”“It’s going to be tough and tough through the remainder of the summer,” Gulliver said. “We’re hoping people will pay close attention to what the commute looked like — if they have a critical appointment — that they’re going to plan ahead and leave a lot of extra time.”The Sumner Tunnel shutdown will begin on Wednesday, July 5. The tunnel will then stay closed through Aug. 31. Within the tunnel, crews will be rehabbing the ceiling, pavement and lighting. “It’s one of the oldest vehicular tunnels in the United States,” Gulliver said. “We have to do this work a...

Light up your Fourth of July table with a red, white and blue cheesecake

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

I am a food writer first and a photographer second.Actually, it’s probably more like a photographer forty-second.But I’m trying.Recipes like this one make it easier, though occasionally, I need help, and for this cheesecake’s close-up, that came in the form of my neighbor, Valerie, who occasionally dog sits but had never before been enlisted in any job-related ridiculousness until I asked her to light up this Red, White & Blue Cheesecake recipe from Food Network Kitchen.https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2021/06/30/trifling-with-the-holiday-do-it-right-with-a-patriotic-delight/Why I chose it was simple: Look at it! It’s like creamy, patriotic fireworks for your long-weekend holiday table. It’s only a small step up in difficulty from the last Independence Day delight I made (a fruity, creamy Fourth of July trifle). And its use of whipped cream cheese makes it a much lighter offering than the typical cheesecake and, therefore, better suited to Orlando’s summer weather.I found I had t...

Shockwaves ripple through Massachusetts after Supreme Court ends affirmative action

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

A Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action Thursday sent shockwaves through the Massachusetts education and political ecosystems, prompting leaders across the state to label the conservative-led court as “extreme” and pledge to uphold diversity.Justices ruled admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause by allowing for the consideration of race in the entrance process. The admissions landscape after the ruling will force institutions of higher education to seek out different methods for achieving diverse student populations.Writing in the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”In Massachusetts, where more than a hundred colleges...

Bladder cancer: What you should know about diagnosis, treatment and recurrence

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

Jessica Saenz | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkBladder cancer is one of the most common cancer types in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute. It’s also one of the most likely types of cancer to recur.Experts are developing ways to reduce bladder cancer recurrence, and, with treatments and follow-up care tailored to each person’s cancer, outcomes are improving. Mark Tyson, II, M.D., a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon, explains:Blood in the urine may be the first sign of bladder cancer.The first symptom of bladder cancer is often blood in the urine, but Dr. Tyson says it isn’t always visible. “Patients will either be told that they have blood in the urine on a test done by a primary care physician or they’ll see blood in their urine. And those types of situations require immediate urologic evaluation,” he says.Some types of bladder cancer come with other symptoms, says Dr. Tyson: “This isn’t common, but increased frequency and...

Need-based financial aid: What it is and how to qualify

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:46:55 GMT

Dori Zinn | Bankrate.com (TNS)Need-based financial aid is money that’s awarded to you based on your family’s income and finances. If you need additional funds to pay for school and can demonstrate financial need, you may qualify for different types of need-based federal aid, like work-study and Direct Subsidized Loans. To check your eligibility, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)Types of need-based financial aidSeveral types of need-based financial aid exists, including:—Pell Grants. Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who display strong financial need. How much you get depends on your course load and cost of attendance. Not all students who get a Pell Grant will get the same amount, but you can get up to $7,395 for the 2023-24 award year.—Work-study. Work-study programs are part-time jobs available to students to earn money to pay for school. Jobs can be on or off campus, and you’ll earn at least the federal minimum wage. Your total...