U.S. News

DOE Emergency Order Let Homestead, Florida, Run Power Plants Past Permit Limits During Winter Storm Fern

A rare federal grid emergency order let a small Florida utility exceed air-permit limits to avoid outages, spotlighting a broader reliability shift.

#florida, #powergrid, #energyemergency, #airquality, #climate

Propane Tank Cars Derail Into Connecticut River Corridor, Prompting Shelter-in-Place

A freight train derailed in Mansfield, Conn., sending propane tank cars toward the Willimantic River. No injuries or propane leaks were detected.

#connecticut, #trainderailment, #hazmat, #propane, #railroads

Justice Department Opens Civil Rights Probe Into Baltimore Health Department’s Race-Based Training

DOJ launches a Title VII investigation into Baltimore’s health department after reports staff were split into “white” and “people of color” caucuses.

#civilrights, #titlevii, #dei, #baltimore, #doj

Gas Explosion Destroys Nashua Mental Health Clinic, Injures Three Firefighters

A gas leak call at a Nashua, N.H., mental health clinic ended in an explosion and four-alarm fire. All patients and staff escaped; cause under investigation.

#nashua, #gasexplosion, #firefighters, #mentalhealth, #infrastructure

Federal lawsuit challenges LAUSD magnet admissions and class-size benefits tied to race-based PHBAO designation

A conservative nonprofit sues LAUSD, alleging its PHBAO classification unlawfully steers staffing, class sizes and magnet admissions priority by race.

#lausd, #magnetprograms, #civilrights, #desegregation, #prop209

School Cyberattacks Expose Gaps in Data Disclosure as PowerSchool Ransom Claim Spreads and Portland Probe Drags On

North Carolina schools face renewed extortion after the PowerSchool breach, while Portland, Maine took nearly a year to confirm exposure of sensitive data.

#cybersecurity, #schools, #databreach, #powerschool, #ransomware

Ex-deputy gets 20 years for killing Sonya Massey after she called 911 for help

Sean Patrick Grayson was sentenced to 20 years for shooting Sonya Massey in her kitchen after a 911 call, prompting reforms and a $10M settlement.

#police, #illinois, #civilrights, #mentalhealth, #criminaljustice

San Francisco teachers authorize strike as contract talks near legal deadline

San Francisco educators vote 97.6% to authorize a strike, with a walkout possible as soon as Feb. 9 if contract talks and fact-finding fail.

#sanfrancisco, #teachers, #strike, #education, #labor

Education Department proposes ending Grad PLUS, capping graduate loans and extending repayment timeline

A new Education Department rule would end Grad PLUS for new borrowers in 2026, cap grad loans, create two repayment plans and allow two rehabs after default.

#studentloans, #highereducation, #graduatestudents, #loanrepayment, #educationdepartment

After apartment fires, renters confront broken hydrants, rent bills and liability waivers

Fires in New Orleans, suburban Detroit and Denver expose gaps in hydrant upkeep, landlord practices and protections for displaced renters.

#housing, #fires, #renters, #tenantsrights, #infrastructure

Two fatal shootings during DHS immigration surge ignite Minneapolis backlash and national scrutiny

An ICU nurse and a resident were killed in separate federal immigration operations in Minneapolis, intensifying protests and demands for accountability.

#immigration, #ice, #minneapolis, #useofforce, #protests

Gas Explosion, Four-Alarm Fire Kill One, Displace Hundreds in Bronx High-Rise

A suspected natural-gas explosion sparked a four-alarm blaze at Boston Secor Houses, killing one and forcing evacuation of 148 Bronx apartments.

#bronx, #nycha, #gasexplosion, #fire, #housing

NTSB Blames System Failures in Reagan National Midair Crash That Killed 67

Nearly a year after the Potomac collision, the NTSB cites compounding airspace and procedure failures and pushes tighter helicopter rules.

#aviation, #ntsb, #reagannational, #helicopters, #faa

CSX Train Derails Near Wartrace, Tenn., Prompting Evacuation Over Ethanol Tank Cars

A CSX freight train derailed near Wartrace, Tennessee, overturning four ethanol tank cars and forcing a brief evacuation of about 50 homes. No leaks or injuries were reported.

#trainderailment, #tennessee, #csx, #hazmat, #railsafety

Supreme Court Ends Final Challenge to Boy Scouts Abuse Bankruptcy Deal

Justices decline to hear survivors’ appeal, finalizing a $2.46B trust and unlocking $1.6B in escrow while barring new suits against councils and sponsors.

#boyscouts, #sexualabuse, #bankruptcy, #supremecourt, #survivors