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Charles J. Murray: What we need to hear, but won’t hear, about America’s transition to electric vehicles

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

CHICAGO — With the coming of the annual National Electric Drive Week, we are again likely to hear politicians and proponents sing the praises of electric vehicles. EVs, we will be told, are going to change life in Illinois because they are cleaner, easier to maintain and fun to drive.But here’s what we should also be discussing, although we probably won’t: There’s a giant transition on the horizon. Sixty countries, including the entire European Union, are calling for a complete ban on combustion cars starting in 2035. In the U.S., 15 states have now joined in, and more could follow. So it would be nice if the governors of the other states, including Illinois, would tell us where we stand.Given this looming transition, the following matters also need to be addressed:CostFor most Americans, there’s still a cost issue.According to the 2020 U.S. census, the average annual American household income is $67,521 per year. Yet the average income for an owner of ...

Couple wants Schenectady to lower speed limit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Schenectady city council voted against lowering the speed limit in the Woodlawn neighborhood. The couple that’s been advocating to reduce the speed limit near their home wants it done because they’re tired of property damage that they say was caused by speeding. Tracey Collins and his wife Holli spent six months asking city council to reduce the speed limit from 30 MPH to 25 MPH.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “We don’t sleep at night. We hear the engines revving up. We hear the people laying on their horns. The stress and anxiety that goes through you just thinking is someone else going to hit your home again?” said Collins. He said they feel like sitting ducks. The last time a car crashed on their property was on March 16. Collins said it was the most damaging accident yet. Car parts hit their gas meter and National Grid told them it could’ve set their home on fire and been fatal. ...

Northwoods officer accused of roughing up suspected shoplifter

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A Northwoods police officer is on leave pending an investigation into allegedly beating up a suspected shoplifter.The incident occurred just after 11 a.m. on Sept. 20, at the Walgreens store on Lafayette Avenue, in the Peabody-Darst-Webbe neighborhood.Police claim Officer Thurmond Griffin was working as a security guard at the Walgreens when he caught a man stealing from the store. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News SIGN UP NOW Griffin attacked the alleged thief and beat the man up, according to police. Griffin allowed the man to leave before additional police arrived.Northwoods Police Chief Dennis Shireff tells FOX 2 they have issued a summons to Griffin for a misdemeanor nuisance violation.Over the summer, two other Northwoods police office...

Two arrested for Friday homicide in Marine Villa

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A juvenile and an adult have been arrested in connection with a homicide that happened last Friday in south St. Louis.According to Sgt. Charles Wall, a spokesman for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the homicide happened just after 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 22, in the 2200 block of Keokuk Street, located in the Marine Villa neighborhood.Officers arrived at the scene only to be told a shooting victim had been privately conveyed to a nearby hospital. They found the victim at the now-closed South City Hospital, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. EMS took the victim to another hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim’s name has not been released.On Sunday, police spotted a vehicle suspected to be tied to the crime near Keokuk and Louisiana. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped off. Police gave chase.The police pursuit ended near South Jefferson and Allen avenues, with two people attempting to flee on foot. Both individuals, ...

Broncos look inward following historic loss to Miami Dolphins: “Today is not going to be fun”

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Forget the Super Bowl victory. Forget the three NFC championship appearances and nine playoff berths in New Orleans. In Denver, head coach Sean Payton faces a challenge that will take more than a glamorous coaching resume to overcome.It was evident as he was fighting for words following the Broncos’ 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon — one of the worst in NFL history.Against Miami, Payton might have been at his most vulnerable. His team was out-coached in every aspect. The Broncos allowed 10 touchdowns and 726 total yards while quarterback Russell Wilson and company only scored one offensive touchdown.It was so bad Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel declined to kick a field goal in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, which would’ve given them the most points scored in a regular-season NFL game.“This is one of those weeks where when you take a butt whooping like that, you find out a lot about everyone,” Sean Payton said on Monday’s conference call wi...

2 critically injured after small plane crashes into San Pedro field

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Two people are in critical condition after a small plane crashed into a field in northwest San Pedro Monday afternoon, authorities said.The crash was reported just before 1 p.m. in the 400 block of Westmont Drive at a park named Field of Dreams. according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. One person on the plane had gotten out before firefighters arrived, but another had to be rescued. "Both patients were transported ... in at least critical condition," fire officials said. Their ages and genders have not been released. No one else was hurt.A small plane crashed into a field in San Pedro, California on Sept. 25, 2023. (KTLA)The single-engine Sling 4 TSI was coming from Torrance, though no further details about where it was headed have been released. Fire officials were concerned about fuel on the ground after the crash and were working to clean up the area, Battalion Chief Shin Black said. The plane crashed into an empty field, but Councilman Tim Mcosker, who represents the area,...

How much will Social Security checks rise next year?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

High inflation this year meant the biggest annual cost-of-living adjustment in decades for Social Security checks -- an 8.7% increase.So what's on tap for 2024?That's still a moving target. The Social Security Administration uses third-quarter data to make the call, so we won't know until mid-October how big a bump people's checks will receive.But experts say it's likely that next year's increase will be less than half what millions of beneficiaries received this year as inflation gradually eases.Current data suggest that next year's cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, will run between 3% and 3.5%.The average monthly check is now about $1,800. So a 3% boost would add about $60 to that amount (or as we say in my household, two pizzas).This is a mixed bag for seniors.On the one hand, an extra 60 bucks won't go far. On the other, a roughly 3% COLA would be a definitive sign that inflation is waning, which is a boon to people living on fixed incomes.And in case you're wondering, a possi...

One Killed in Pedestrian Collision on Highway 120 [Manteca, CA]

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Fatal Pedestrian Collision on Highway 120 near Jack Tone Road Claims One LifeMANTECA, CA (September 25, 2023) – In the early hours of Wednesday morning, tragedy struck as a pedestrian lost their life in a collision on Highway 120.The incident unfolded at approximately 4:23 a.m. on the westbound lanes of Highway 120, just east of Jack Tone Road.According to preliminary reports, a man was walking in the vicinity when he was struck by a pickup truck. The collision resulted in the pedestrian sustaining severe injuries.Upon arrival at the scene, emergency responders regrettably declared the male pedestrian deceased.At this juncture, it remains unclear whether the driver of the pickup remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities.The California Highway Patrol has confirmed that neither alcohol nor drugs played a role in the collision. In response to the incident, officials temporarily closed Highway 120 between Jack Tone and Ripon Roads to facilitate the investigative effort...

Morgan Edwards Killed in Motorcycle Accident on Sepulveda Boulevard [Palms, CA]

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Deadly Motorcycle Crash near 405 Freeway Claims One LifePALMS, CA (September 25, 2023) – A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday evening when a fiery accident on Sepulveda Boulevard resulted in the loss of Morgan Edwards’ life. The incident occurred on September 20th, at approximately 7:30 p.m., in the vicinity of the 3100 block of South Sepulveda Boulevard. Reports indicate that the collision involved a motorcyclist and another vehicle, resulting in one or both of the vehicles catching fire. Firefighters responded swiftly to the scene and promptly extinguished the flames. In the aftermath, they discovered Morgan Edwards with critical injuries. Tragically, 21-year-old Morgan Edwards was pronounced deceased at the scene by medics. Conversely, the female driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries and was transported to the hospital by paramedics for further evaluation and care. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Police Department took measures to block multiple lanes o...

San Jose-born skater Vincent Zhou: Team USA has yet to receive medals from 2022 Olympics

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

A San Jose native and Olympic figure skater shared an open letter Monday calling out global anti-doping authorities for “failing athletes” as skaters have waited more than a year and a half after Team USA earned the team skating silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics.Vincent Zhou, who was born in San Jose and grew up in Palo Alto, wrote in the letter that members of the American team have yet to receive their silver medals 595 days after capturing second place in Beijing. A hearing in the doping case that caused the delay is scheduled for this week.The holdup began when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) canceled the original medal ceremony due to a positive drug test by Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old skater from the first-place Russian Olympic Committee team.“The IOC assured us that they would do their utmost to make sure it was resolved as quickly as possible,” Zhou wrote.Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication that is banned during competition. It wo...