Monthly Archives: <span>December 2018</span>

Copper Thieves Strike America’s Roadways

Just after midnight in September, a pickup truck struck and killed a 55-year-old woman crossing an intersection in a motorized wheelchair on a dark stretch of Kansas City, Missouri, highway. The streetlights had gone out there — after thieves stole …

Thai Police: Sunken Ship Failed to Meet Design Standards

Police in Thailand say their investigations found that a boat that sank in July in rough weather off Thailand’s southern resort island of Phuket, killing 47 Chinese tourists, didn’t meet regulatory standards. The July 5 sinking of the Phoenix was …

Struggle Continues Months After Massachusetts Gas Blasts

Some Massachusetts homeowners and small businesses are still struggling to return to normalcy after September’s dramatic gas pipeline explosions, even as the utility responsible says the vast majority of customers have heat and hot water again. Columbia Gas said this …

Little Oversight of Security Guards in Illinois

A newspaper investigation has found that private security guards in Illinois often aren’t as closely monitored as police officers, who in recent years have faced scrutiny over excessive force. The Chicago Tribune analyzed state and police records, court documents and …

Governor Says NJ Transit Has Met Safety Equipment Deadline

New Jersey Transit has made enough progress on installing a federally mandated emergency braking system to meet a year-end deadline, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. At a news conference at NJ Transit’s maintenance yard, the Democratic governor said the transit …

Some Texas Coastal Residents Oppose Proposed Storm Barrier

A proposed Texas coastal barrier is drawing backlash from some Gulf Coast residents and the state’s land commissioner wants more time for property owners to voice concerns. The plan is designed to protect the Texas coast from hurricanes with a …

Certain Personality Traits Heighten Cyber Crime Risk

Impulse online shopping, downloading music and compulsive email use are all signs of a certain personality trait that make you a target for malware attacks. New research from Michigan State University examines the behaviors – both obvious and subtle – …

Report Documents 4 California Bluff Collapses Since August

A seaside bluff collapse that briefly interrupted train service last week near San Diego was the fourth such landslide since August, but officials insist the trains are safe to ride, according to a newspaper report Sunday. A long-planned project to …

5 Convicted, 1 Acquitted in Nationwide Meningitis Outbreak Case

Four former employees and an owner of the Massachusetts facility responsible for a nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak that has killed more than 100 people and sickened hundreds were convicted Thursday of fraud and other offenses. A Boston jury acquitted another …

Lead in Toy Jewelry Prompts Lawsuit Against Target, Walmart and Importer

Two of the nation’s largest retailers and a third company are named in a New York lawsuit claiming the companies imported and sold children’s toys with lead levels up to 10 times higher than federal limits. New York Attorney General …