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Saturday, November 30, 2019

Two People Fall To Their Deaths At Arches National Park In Utah

A 30-year-old man was also injured in the accident at what the park called "the world's most famous natural stone arch."
Two tourists were dead and another was injured Friday after falling into a natural, deep bowl formation under Utah's iconic Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, authorities said.
The accident in wet, slick conditions on grounds covered by stone formations and "biological soil crust" was reported at 7:30 a.m., Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown said.
Rescuers arrived to find a 65-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman dead at the scene, he said. An injured 30-year-old man was flown to Moab Regional Hospital, the chief ranger said.
Source: 2 fall to their deaths at Arches National Park in Utah

Shooting at Destiny USA Mall

Loud bangs heard by shoppers on busy Black Friday
Someone was shot and wounded at the Destiny USA mall on Black Friday, setting off a lockdown and escape by frightened shoppers and employees.

Destiny USA shooting

Syracuse police found a shooting victim, with wounds in the leg. It is not life-threatening, police say.
The mall has been closed for the rest of the day, police said around 8 p.m. Shoppers and employees were free to leave.
The shot triggered a panic among thousands of shoppers in the crowded mall. Some stores had employees and customers shelter in place. Others fled.
Source: Update: Chaos after shots fired at Destiny USA on Black Friday; mall is closed for day - syracuse.com

18,000-year-old Siberian puppy could be world’s oldest domesticated dog


Researchers may have discovered the world’s oldest very good boy.
Dogor, an 18,000-year-old puppy found under the ice in Siberia, could be the world’s oldest domesticated dog.
Dogor, which means “friend” in Yakutian and is the name given by researchers, was found in the summer of 2018 in the permafrost near the Indigirka River, north-east of Yakutsk, Siberia, the world’s coldest city. He was preserved so well that his teeth, fur, nose, eyelashes and whiskers were still in good condition.
While genome analysis has determined Dogor was a male and radiocarbon shows how old he is, DNA analysis hasn’t sussed out this pooch’s species. He could be an early modern wolf, a late ice-age wolf (the last ice age ended about 10,000 years ago) or an early domesticated dog. He might even be a halfway creature from the time when some wolves were undergoing an evolutionary transition into dogs.
Source: 18,000-year-old Siberian puppy could be world’s oldest domesticated dog - New York Daily News

19 Investigated for Starting New Nazi Party in Italy

A 36-year-old winner of an online Nazi pageant and a 50-year-old mother were among the masterminds of a far-right political party that wanted to return Italy to its darkest past.
Italy’s anti-mafia and anti-terrorism forces spent two years investigating the group, which has ties to a number of other far-right clusters across Europe, including the U.K.’s Combat 18 and similar hate groups in Portugal, Spain and Greece.
Armed special forces carried out the sting operation dubbed “Black Shadows” in 16 cities from Palermo to Milan Thursday morning after someone alerted “Miss Hitler” that police were monitoring the group. Fearful she and others involved might destroy or hide evidence, they swooped in.
What they found was more than troubling. In 16 of the homes searched, they found similar caches of weapons including grenades and semi-automatic rifles and explosives. They also found Nazi and fascist memorabilia adorned with swastikas and the faces of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, alongside militant training texts designed to teach new members how to target Jewish people and gays. Their party motto, “Invisible, Silent and Lethal,” was scrawled on the material. 
Source: Italy’s ‘Miss Hitler’ Francesca Rizzi Among 19 Investigated for Starting New Nazi Party in Italy

FATAL PLANE CRASH Seven people died when their Piper PA32 crashed near Kingston, Canada.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported four adults and three children were on board.
Identities of the victims have not been released.
TSB said the plane left Markham, Ontario, and was destined for the Kingston airport, but went down just a few miles from its destination.
Gutheinz said the area was under a wind advisory at the time, and while winds may not have been as bad as predicted, it was certainly “blustery.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man has been arrested in the Thanksgiving shooting of a woman in Glassport.
Source: Man Arrested For Allegedly Shooting Woman In Glassport On Thanksgiving – CBS Pittsburgh

McKees Rocks worried about robbery

Officials are looking for two men who jumped the counter at a local corner store and held the clerk at gunpoint.
Source: href="https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/11/29/mckees-rocks-corner-store-robbery/">McKees Rocks Community Fearful After Second Robbery Of Corner Store

Friday, November 29, 2019

Two flour producers have issued voluntary national recalls

Two flour producers have issued voluntary national recalls of their products because of the potential presence of E. coli.

According to information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), both UNFI and Hodgson Mill have announced voluntary recalls on Wednesday. The following information was provided by the FDA.

Images provided by FDA

UNFI recall

UNFI announced Wednesday a voluntary national recall of five-pound bags of its Wild Harvest® Organic All-Purpose Flour, Unbleached, with a Code of AA BEST IF USED BY 010820 CC 15:58 and UPC Code 711535509158. The recall is being issued for the potential presence of E. coli. During routine FDA sampling of the five-pound bag product, results were found to be positive for E.coli.

E. coli can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections in infants, older people, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. The most common symptoms of E. coli are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, which develop within three or four days of eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts about a week and most people recover without treatment. Guidance from FDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to warn that consumers should refrain from consuming any raw products made with flour and that all surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough.

To date, UNFI has not received any direct consumer reports of confirmed illnesses related to this product. This recall is being issued out of an abundance of care.

This recall only affects the following code date of Wild Harvest® Organic All-Purpose Flour, Unbleached five-pound bags currently in stores or consumers’ pantries. No other types of Wild Harvest® Flour are affected by this recall.

Wild Harvest® Organic All-Purpose Flour, Unbleached Package UPC: 711535509158 Best if Used by Date: 010820 CC 15:58.

Consumers are asked to check their pantries and dispose of the product affected by this recall. Consumers with questions may contact UNFI at 855-423-2630 (customer support is available seven days-a-week between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM CST). Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician.


Hodgson Mill recall

Hodgson Mill of Effingham, Ill., announced Wednesday a voluntary national recall of specific lots of its Unbleached All-Purpose White Wheat Flour (5 lb.)

We are taking this voluntary precautionary step because of the potential presence of pathogenic E. coli which was discovered through sampling raw uncooked flour. Hodgson Mill has not received any confirmed reports of illnesses related to this product.

The only product affected by this voluntary recall is:

Unbleached All-Purpose White Wheat Flour (5 lb.) UPC 0-71518-05009-2

Best By Date 10-01-2020 and 10-02-2020 with lot codes listed Lot# 001042 & 005517

Use By and Lot Code information can be found on the bottom back panel of the 5 lb. Bag. Used By date and Lot Code, along with their location on the bag, must all match in order to represent flour affected by this recall.

Consumer safety is our top priority. Hodgson Mill package states "do not eat raw flour, dough or batter". The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns consumers to not consume raw flour or uncooked raw dough.

E. coli is killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing, or boiling products made with flour. For more information, refer to the following: https://www.cdc.gov/features/no-raw-dough/index.html. Symptoms of pathogenic E. coli illness include acute, often bloody diarrheal illness and abdominal cramps. Most people recover within a week. However, children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness which may cause the kidneys to fail.

Consumers are reminded to wash their hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat raw dough or batter.

This lot of flour was milled at an ADM Milling Facility in St Louis, Mo., and repacked at Hodgson Mill, Inc. facility in Effingham, Ill., and was distributed by Hodgson Mill through retailers and distribution nationwide and sold through our website www.hodgsonmill.com.

Consumers who have purchased 5 pound packages of Unbleached All-Purpose White Wheat Flour with specific lot codes are urged to stop using the product immediately and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company customer service M-F 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1-888-417-9343 x 1.

Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

LIGONIER BURGLARIES: Trio arrested after week-long, drug-fueled crime spree in Westmoreland Co., police say | WPXI

Two men and a woman are charged in connection with a burglary spree in Westmoreland County.
Source: LIGONIER BURGLARIES: Trio arrested after week-long, drug-fueled crime spree in Westmoreland Co., police say | WPXI

Oklahoma police say officer got Starbucks with ‘PIG’ on cups

Oklahoma police say officer got Starbucks with ‘PIG’ on cups
An Oklahoma Starbucks apologized on Thanksgiving after one of its baristas wrote "Pig" on the label for a police officer's order.
Kiefer Police Chief Johnny O'Mara shared a photo of the insulting cup handed to one of his officers, who purchased the beverages on Thursday morning in Glenpool, just south of Tulsa, as a kind gesture for the dispatchers on duty.
“What irks me is the absolute and total disrespect for a police officer who, instead of being home with family and enjoying a meal and a football game, is patrolling his little town,” O'Mara wrote in a Facebook post that quickly went viral.
The barista has been suspended "pending the outcome of our investigation," Starbucks told FOX 25 Thursday night.
The police chief said that when he called the coffee chain, they offered to "replace the coffee with a correct label," but he said that given Starbucks' track record of other anti-police incidents, he wasn't buying it.
Source: Oklahoma police say officer got Starbucks with ‘PIG’ on cups - ABC News

Several injured on London Bridge as shots are fired at knifeman

People fled the scene after reports of gunshots in the area (Picture: PA)A man has been detained by police and several people injured after gunshots were heard on London Bridge. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a man with a knife before armed police were seen approaching a man on the ground. Reem Yousef, who was at the scene, told Metro.co.uk she was directly below the bridge when she heard a fight break out at around 2pm between several people. She then heard someone shout ‘move back’ before hearing two gunshots, after which she ran away. She says police arrived within a minute and blocked off the area.
The Metropolitan Police said they were called at 1.58pm to a stabbing near to London Bridge. They said: ‘A man has been detained by police. We believe a number of people have been injured. Further info to follow.’ British Transport Police said London Bridge station has been closed. Police could be seen ushering people away from the northern end of the bridge, close to Monument station. Cars and buses on the busy bridge were at a standstill, with a white truck stopped diagonally across the lanes. Videos and pictures posted to social media showed police cars on the bridge as the sound of sirens could be heard.



Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/29/london-bridge-evacuated-reports-shooting-11240927/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Surprise Visit To Middle East

On a surprise trip to Afghanistan on Thursday, President Trump said that the United States has reopened peace talks with the Taliban - just three months after the president scuttled negotiations between Washington and the Afghan insurgents following a terror attack that killed 11 people, including one U.S. soldier.
Trump, who made his first trip to Afghanistan under a veil of secrecy for security reasons, told troops gathered at the Air Force base for Thanksgiving dinner that the Taliban "wants to make a deal very badly."
“We’re going to stay until such time as we have a deal, or we have total victory, and they want to make a deal very badly,” Trump said. “The Taliban wants to make a deal — we’ll see if they make a deal. If they do, they do, and if they don’t they don’t. That’s fine."
Source: Trump says peace talks with Taliban have resumed during surprise visit to Afghanistan | Fox News

Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving On The 4th Thursday Of The Month Of November

There is an explanation, but you have to go back to things decreed by Presidents Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt (FDR, that is).
In 1789, President George Washington declared Thursday, Nov. 26, as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin," according to the National Archives. But in the years following, the date for the holiday was announced by presidential proclamation and was celebrated on various days and in different months. When President Abraham Lincoln made his Thanksgiving proclamation in 1863, the last Thursday of November became standard.
Then came the big date dispute of 1939, when two Thanksgiving holidays were observed.
A snippet of a 1933 letter from the Downtown Association of Los Angeles asking President Franklin D. Roosevelt to move Thanksgiving to a week earlier.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
You see, according to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, a five-Thursday November fell in 1933, and some retailers asked President Roosevelt to move the holiday to a week earlier.
The president denied the request, and Americans ate their turkey on the last Thursday as always in 1933.
But Roosevelt was president for a long time, long enough for another five-Thursday November to roll around in 1939. Once again, some business leaders asked if the date for the holiday could be a week earlier to give people more time to shop for Christmas, and this time Roosevelt agreed to do it. This raised a hue and cry as many people felt that he was catering to large retailers so they could make more money.
Sixteen governors decided their states would have Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of the month as usual, and that's how some people ended up celebrating it a week earlier or later than others — for two years.
Roosevelt stuck with the second-to-last-Thursday schedule, some states stuck with the last-Thursday-of-the-month schedule and finally on Dec. 26, 1941, Congress passed a law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November.
Source: Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving On The 4th Thursday Of November : NPR

Wednesday, November 27, 2019


PennDOT needs to hire another 25 seasonal snow plow operators in Westmoreland County, with early winter weather on the horizon. It currently has 13 on the roster.
About 100 seasonal plow drivers normally are hired to help treat and clear roads throughout District 12 — including Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, according to PennDOT officials. But, each of the counties has so far fallen short of its hiring target.
The state transportation agency competes with other employers to hire from a depleted pool of qualified workers who have a commercial driver’s license, said PennDOT Safety Press Officer Jay Ofsanik.
“Most people are working, so you don’t have an excess of unemployed personnel,” he said. “In Southwestern Pennsylvania, we’ve had an uptick in the gas and oil industry, and those industries typically use a lot of CDL drivers. For the most part, those jobs pay more per hour, so it’s tough competition.”
PennDOT pays drivers $16.72 an hour to start. Ofsanik noted seasonal work sometimes can lead to a permanent position.
Source: PennDOT needs more snow plow drivers in Westmoreland County | TribLIVE.com

2nd explosion at TPC plant in Texas

THREE INJURED IN TEXAS EXPLOSION

Three employees have been injured and all staff are accounted for, plant owner TPC Group confirmed.
The blast, at 01:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Wednesday, was felt 30 miles (48km) away. A mandatory evacuation zone is in place for everyone within half a mile of the site.
TPC Group said in a statement that it has activated its emergency response plan and requested assistance from Port Neches Fire Department.
Port Neches residents told local news outlet KDFM that windows had blown out miles away from the plant.