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Tag: Bowling Green

  • Caitlin Clark leads Iowa rally for 71-69 win over UConn in women’s Final Four

    Caitlin Clark leads Iowa rally for 71-69 win over UConn in women’s Final Four

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    CLEVELAND — Caitlin Clark led Iowa back to the national championship game, scoring 21 points as the Hawkeyes rallied past Paige Bueckers and UConn 71-69 in the women’s Final Four on Friday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Next up for the Hawkeyes (34-4) is a rematch with unbeaten South Carolina, which lost to Iowa in last year’s national semifinals

    • UConn had a chance to take the lead, but Aaliyah Edwards was called for an offensive foul while setting a screen with 4.6 seconds left

    • Now Clark is one win away from bringing her home state its first women’s basketball title in the final game of her college career

    • Even though she wasn’t scoring, Clark kept the Hawkeyes in the game with six rebounds and four assists as the Hawkeyes trailed 32-26 at the break

    Next up for the Hawkeyes (34-4) is a rematch with unbeaten South Carolina, which lost to Iowa in last year’s national semifinals. The Hawkeyes then fell short of winning the school’s first championship, falling to LSU in the title game. Now Clark is one win away from bringing her home state its first women’s basketball title in the final game of her college career.

    “It’s gonna take one through five. They’re so skilled. They played a great game today,” Clark said of South Carolina. “At this point anybody can take it. You’ve got to go prep, you’ve got one day to take of yourself, so we’ll be ready.”

    After a rough opening 30 minutes because of a swarming UConn defense, the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer finally got going in the fourth quarter.

    With the game tied at 51-all, Clark scored seven points in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the period to give Iowa a small cushion. UConn (33-6) got within 60-57 before the Hawkeyes scored six straight to take a 66-57 advantage.

    Iowa led 70-66 before Nika Muhl hit a 3-pointer after a steal with 39.3 seconds left to get the Huskies within one.

    Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke turned it over with 10 seconds left. UConn had a chance to take the lead, but Aaliyah Edwards was called for an offensive foul while setting a screen with 4.6 seconds left.

    Clark made one free throw but missed the second. Teammate Sydney Affolter got the rebound and UConn tied her up, forcing a jump ball. The possession arrow kept the ball with the Hawkeyes, who sealed the win by throwing the ball in the air to run out the final seconds.

    Stuelke scored 23 points to lead Iowa. Clark finished with nine rebounds and seven assists.

    “I thought we started off the fourth quarter really good,” Clark said. “Came up with some big baskets. Hannah came up with some baskets. Kate (Martin) was tremendous. Just resilient.”

    Bueckers and Edwards each scored 17 points for the Huskies, who were back in the Final Four after a one-year hiatus that ended their run of 14 straight seasons in the national semifinals. This might have been the best coaching job by Geno Auriemma. UConn had hopes of winning the 12th title in school history coming into the season, but those were quickly dashed by a series of injuries that sidelined nearly half of its roster.

    But Bueckers, the national player of the year as a freshman in 2021 who returned to that form after missing an entire season and part of another with injuries, carried the Huskies back into title contention.

    UConn got going early behind Bueckers and stellar defense by Nika Muhl and her teammates, who swarmed Clark every time she touched the ball. The Huskies led by 12 points in the second quarter.

    Iowa trailed by six at the half before getting going in the third quarter behind their star. She made her first 3-pointer of the game 2 minutes into the period, and then her four-point play got Iowa within one. The Hawkeyes then took their first lead later in the period right before Martin got hit in the face by Edwards, resulting in a bloody nose. She ran off the court, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

    Martin was back on the Iowa bench before they had finished cleaning the court. She then hit three big baskets down the stretch.

    “Couldn’t be happier with our performance tonight in the second half,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “First half was a little rough for us. We really kept believing.”

    Clark had a tough first half, scoring six points while missing all six of her 3-point attempts. She barely got any open shots and at times looked frustrated. Iowa’s coaches kept shouting words of encouragement to their generational player.

    Even though she wasn’t scoring, Clark kept the Hawkeyes in the game with six rebounds and four assists as the Hawkeyes trailed 32-26 at the break.

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    Associated Press

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  • Meta rolls out new labeling system for AI-generated content

    Meta rolls out new labeling system for AI-generated content

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    Meta announced Friday that it is making changes to the way it handles content generated by artificial intelligence. The company will begin labeling a broader range of photos, audio and video as being “made with AI” on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

    What You Need To Know

    • Meta will begin labeling a broader range of photos, audio and video as being “made with AI” on Facebook, Instagram and Threads

    • The new label will be used when Meta detects indications of an AI-generated image or people voluntarily disclose they have upaded AI-generated content

    • Meta’s existing AI policy was crafted in 2020 and only covered videos created or altered by AI to make a person appear to say something they did not

    • The new policy addresses AI-generated content that shows a person doing something they did not do

    “We’re taking steps we think are appropriate for platforms like ours. We want to help people know when photorealistic images have been created or edited using AI,” Meta Vice President of Content Policy Monica Bickert said in a statement on the company’s website posted Friday.

    The new label will be used when Meta detects indications of an AI-generated image or when people voluntarily disclose they have uploaded content generated with AI. The decision was made following a recommendation from the company’s oversight board that it needed to provide transparency to “avoid the risk of unnecessarily restricting freedom of speech.”

    Meta’s existing policy was written in 2020, before AI-generated content was widely used. It only covers videos created or altered by AI to make a person appear to say something they did not. Recognizing the policy was too narrow when AI was evolving to generate audio and photos, Meta said its new policy addresses AI-generated content that shows a person doing something they did not do.

    Already, Meta web sites labels photorealistic images created with its Meta AI feature as “imagined with AI.”

    Bickert said Meta began looking at its policies last spring “to see if we needed a new approach to keep pace with rapid advances in generative AI technologies and usage.”

    After consulting with over 120 stakeholders in 34 countries, she said there was widespread support for labeling content generated with AI and for more prominent labeling in high-risk scenarios. A majority of consultants said content removal was warranted in a limited number of “highest-risk scenarios where content can be tied to harm, since generative AI is becoming a mainstream tool for creative expression.”

    Bickert said Meta also conducted public opinion research with 23,000 people in 13 countries to ask them how media companies, including Meta, should handle AI-generated content. It found that 82% favored warning labels for AI-generated content depicting people saying things they did not in fact say.

    Bickert said that Meta will continue to review is approach to AI as technology progresses, doing so in collaboration with peers in the industry and conversations with government and members of the public.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • U.S. employers added a surprisingly robust 303,000 jobs in March

    U.S. employers added a surprisingly robust 303,000 jobs in March

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    America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates.

    What You Need To Know

    • America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates

    • Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and far above the 200,000 economists had forecast

    • By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes

    • With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand

    America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates. Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and far above the 200,000 economists had forecast. By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.8% from 3.9% in February.

    Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and was far above the 200,000 economists had forecast. By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand.

    Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the unemployment rate dipped to 3.8% from 3.9% in February. That rate has now come in below 4% for 26 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s.

    The economy is sure to weigh on Americans’ minds as the November presidential vote nears and they assess President Joe Biden’s re-election bid. Many people still feel squeezed by the inflation surge that erupted in the spring of 2021. Eleven rate hikes by the Fed have helped send inflation tumbling from its peak over the past year and a half. But average prices are still about 18% higher than they were in February 2021 — a fact for which Biden might pay a political price.

    The Fed’s policymakers are tracking the state of the economy, the job market and inflation to determine when to begin cutting interest rates from their multi-decade highs — a move eagerly awaited by Wall Street traders, businesses, homebuyers and people in need of cars, household appliances and other major purchases that are typically financed. Rate cuts by the Fed would likely lead, over time, to lower borrowing rates across the economy.

    The central bank’s policymakers started raising rates two years ago to try to tame inflation, which by mid-2022 was running at a four-decade high. Those rate hikes — 11 of them from March 2022 through July 2023 — helped drastically slow inflation. Consumer prices were up 3.2% in February from a year earlier, far below a year-over-year peak of 9.1% in June 2022.

    Yet the sharply higher borrowing costs for individuals and companies that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes were widely expected to trigger a recession, with waves of layoffs and a painful rise in unemployment. Yet to the surprise of just about everyone, the economy has kept growing steadily and employers have kept hiring at a healthy pace. Layoffs remain low.

    Some economists believe that a rise in productivity — the amount of output that workers produce per hour — made it easier for companies to hire, raise pay and post bigger profits without having to raise prices. In addition, an influx of immigrants into the job market is believed to have addressed labor shortages and slowed upward pressure on wage growth. This helped allow inflation to cool even as the economy kept growing.

    In the meantime, the Fed has signaled that it expects to cut rates three times this year. But it is awaiting more inflation data to gain further confidence that annual price increases are heading toward its 2% target. Some economists have begun to question whether the Fed will need to cut rates anytime soon in light of the consistently durable U.S. economy.

    Biden noted in a statement that Friday’s jobs report pushed the number of jobs added during his administration over 15 million, which he called a milestone.

    “Three years ago, I inherited an economy on the brink,” he said. ” … Wages are going up. Inflation has come down significantly. We’ve come a long way, but I won’t stop fighting for hardworking families.”

    Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told Spectrum News this month’s jobs report “is a part of a story of President Biden’s leadership and what that has meant for the economy.”

    “Overall, we are pleased with the report,” she said. “But more, it’s a reflection of steady, stable growth that has characterized this economy since the president came into office.”

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    Associated Press

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  • U.S. employers added a surprisingly robust 303,000 jobs in March

    U.S. employers added a surprisingly robust 303,000 jobs in March

    [ad_1]

    America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates.

    What You Need To Know

    • America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates

    • Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and far above the 200,000 economists had forecast

    • By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes

    • With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand

    America’s employers delivered another outpouring of jobs in March, adding a sizzling 303,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates. Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and far above the 200,000 economists had forecast. By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.8% from 3.9% in February.

    Last month’s job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and was far above the 200,000 economists had forecast. By any measure, it amounted to a strong month of hiring, and it reflected the economy’s ability to withstand the pressure of high borrowing costs resulting from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand.

    Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the unemployment rate dipped to 3.8% from 3.9% in February. That rate has now come in below 4% for 26 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s.

    The economy is sure to weigh on Americans’ minds as the November presidential vote nears and they assess President Joe Biden’s re-election bid. Many people still feel squeezed by the inflation surge that erupted in the spring of 2021. Eleven rate hikes by the Fed have helped send inflation tumbling from its peak over the past year and a half. But average prices are still about 18% higher than they were in February 2021 — a fact for which Biden might pay a political price.

    The Fed’s policymakers are tracking the state of the economy, the job market and inflation to determine when to begin cutting interest rates from their multi-decade highs — a move eagerly awaited by Wall Street traders, businesses, homebuyers and people in need of cars, household appliances and other major purchases that are typically financed. Rate cuts by the Fed would likely lead, over time, to lower borrowing rates across the economy.

    The central bank’s policymakers started raising rates two years ago to try to tame inflation, which by mid-2022 was running at a four-decade high. Those rate hikes — 11 of them from March 2022 through July 2023 — helped drastically slow inflation. Consumer prices were up 3.2% in February from a year earlier, far below a year-over-year peak of 9.1% in June 2022.

    Yet the sharply higher borrowing costs for individuals and companies that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes were widely expected to trigger a recession, with waves of layoffs and a painful rise in unemployment. Yet to the surprise of just about everyone, the economy has kept growing steadily and employers have kept hiring at a healthy pace. Layoffs remain low.

    Some economists believe that a rise in productivity — the amount of output that workers produce per hour — made it easier for companies to hire, raise pay and post bigger profits without having to raise prices. In addition, an influx of immigrants into the job market is believed to have addressed labor shortages and slowed upward pressure on wage growth. This helped allow inflation to cool even as the economy kept growing.

    In the meantime, the Fed has signaled that it expects to cut rates three times this year. But it is awaiting more inflation data to gain further confidence that annual price increases are heading toward its 2% target. Some economists have begun to question whether the Fed will need to cut rates anytime soon in light of the consistently durable U.S. economy.

    Biden noted in a statement that Friday’s jobs report pushed the number of jobs added during his administration over 15 million, which he called a milestone.

    “Three years ago, I inherited an economy on the brink,” he said. ” … Wages are going up. Inflation has come down significantly. We’ve come a long way, but I won’t stop fighting for hardworking families.”

    Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told Spectrum News this month’s jobs report “is a part of a story of President Biden’s leadership and what that has meant for the economy.”

    “Overall, we are pleased with the report,” she said. “But more, it’s a reflection of steady, stable growth that has characterized this economy since the president came into office.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Young marine honors fallen World War II hero

    Young marine honors fallen World War II hero

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    SOUTHGATE, Ky. — For decades, a World War II veteran from Kentucky wasn’t receiving the proper recognition for his heroic efforts. A high school student in northern Kentucky thought it was well past time that changed.

    What You Need To Know

    • Abby Smith knew from a young age she wanted to one day join the military and got a head start joining the Northern Kentucky Young Marines in 2019

    • The group Charging Forward for America recently made Smith aware of Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens from Dayton, a marine who died in World War II at just 22 years old

    • Thanks to a generous donation from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3186 and other donors, she could put together a plaque and headstone, culminating in a ceremony attended by family members of Ahrens from out of state

    • Through the process of researching Ahrens, Smith said she gained an even greater appreciation for America’s servicemen and women

    “It makes you have a deeper appreciation for your country and what it stands for,” said Beechwood High School sophomore Abby Smith. “And I think all of America’s youth should know that because we were founded on such great principles that are still upheld today.”

    Smith said she knew from a young age she wanted to one day join the military. She got a head start joining the Northern Kentucky Young Marines in 2019.

    “Me joining at 11, I couldn’t talk to you,” Smith said. “I couldn’t talk to anybody, barely even my friends. Now, I can talk to other people. I can lead other kids.”

    “It’s really just changed my entire worldview of what I can do and made me so much better. It really helped me develop my discipline, teamwork, almost all of the skills you use in your life.”

    Her training with Young Marines has also included military and American history and veteran appreciation. Recently, the group Charging Forward for America made Smith aware of Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens from Dayton, a marine who died in World War II at just 22 years old.

    “He protected his company from a Japanese nocturnal attack, and he single-handedly defended them,” Smith said. “It’s really truly inspiring what he was able to do at such a young age. You always hear stories of amazing war heroes; they have books, they have so much about them. But he has gone unrecognized for so long.”

    “He did have a grave, but all that it said on it was that he served, he was in the marines, and it didn’t really say that he earned the navy cross or that he protected his entire company. And I just didn’t think that should go unrecognized for all that he’s done.”

    Smith started fundraising. Thanks to a generous donation from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3186 and other donors, she could put together a plaque and headstone, culminating in a ceremony attended by family members of Ahrens from out of state.

    “It’s just inspiring to see all of your hard work finally pay off,” she said.

    Her unit commander, Lynne Arnold, said it was no surprise to see Smith take charge on such an important task.

    “Every once in a while, someone like Abby comes along; hard-charging, in it for the right reasons,” Arnold said. “She loves the program; she loves the opportunities given to her.”

    “When people trash or insult kids or teenagers today, I always just say, ‘Come see my kids; just come see my kids.’ They will give you hope for the future.”

    Through the process of researching Ahrens, Smith said she gained an even greater appreciation for America’s servicemen and women.

    “I feel closer,” she said.

    Smith added she plans to attend the U.S. Naval Academy after high school. She’s still deciding whether she wants to go into the Navy or the Marines.

     

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    Sam Knef

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  • Man who used megaphone to lead Jan. 6 attack sentenced

    Man who used megaphone to lead Jan. 6 attack sentenced

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    A Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s attack on police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Wednesday to more than seven years in prison.

    What You Need To Know

    • Taylor James Johnatakis, a Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s attack on police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol, has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison
    • Johnatakis led other rioters on a charge against a police line, “barked commands” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step directions for overpowering officers, the judge said
    • Johnatakis, who represented himself with an attorney on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that appears to be inspired by the anti-government “sovereign citizen” movement

    • Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard said Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any sincere remorse or accepted responsibility for his crimes on Jan. 6


    U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said videos captured Taylor James Johnatakis playing a leadership role during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnatakis led other rioters on a charge against a police line, “barked commands” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step directions for overpowering officers, the judge said.

    “In any angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers. Mr. Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day,” the judge said before sentencing him to seven years and three months behind bars.

    Johnatakis, who represented himself with an attorney on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that appears to be inspired by the anti-government “sovereign citizen” movement. He asked the judge questions at his sentencing, including, “Does the record reflect that I repent in my sins?”

    Lamberth, who referred to some of Johnatakis’ words as “gobbledygook,” said, “I’m not answering questions here.”

    Prosecutors recommended a nine-year prison sentence for Johnatakis, a self-employed installer of septic systems.

    “Johnatakis was not just any rioter; he led, organized, and encouraged the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

    A jury convicted him of felony charges after a trial last year in Washington, D.C.

    Johnatakis, 40, of Kingston, Washington, had a megaphone strapped to his back when he marched to the Capitol from then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6.

    “It’s over,” he shouted at the crowd of Trump supporters. “Michael Pence has voted against the president. We are down to the nuclear option.”

    Johnatakis was one of the first rioters to chase a group of police officers who were retreating up stairs outside the Capitol. He shouted and gestured for other rioters to “pack it in” and prepare to attack.

    Johnatakis shouted “Go!” before he and other rioters shoved a metal barricade into a line of police officers. He also grabbed an officer’s arm.

    “The crime is complete,” Johnatakis posted on social media several hours after he left the Capitol.

    He was arrested in February 2021. He has been jailed since November 2023, when jurors convicted him of seven counts, including obstruction of the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that certified Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. The jury also convicted him of assault and civil disorder charges.

    Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard said Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any sincere remorse or accepted responsibility for his crimes on Jan. 6.

    “He’s going so far as to portray himself as a persecuted victim,” she said.

    Lamberth said he received over 20 letters from Johnatakis, his relatives and friends. Some of his supporters don’t seem to know the full extent of Johnatakis’ crimes on Jan. 6, the judge added. He said he would order the clerk of court’s office to send all them copies of his prepared remarks during the sentencing hearing.

    “There can be no room in our country for this sort of political violence,” Lamberth said.

    Last April, Lamberth ordered a psychologist to examine Johnatakis and determine if he was mentally competent to stand trial. The judge ultimately ruled that Johnatakis could understand the proceedings and assist in his defense.

    Approximately 1,350 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds getting terms of imprisonment ranging from several days to 22 years.

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    Associated Press

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  • Powell: Fed still sees rate cuts this year; election won’t affect decision

    Powell: Fed still sees rate cuts this year; election won’t affect decision

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    Federal Reserve officials will likely reduce their benchmark interest rate later this year, Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday, despite recent reports showing that the U.S. economy is still strong and that U.S. inflation picked up in January and February.

    What You Need To Know

    • Federal Reserve officials will likely reduce their benchmark interest rate later this year, Chair Jerome Powell said, despite recent reports showing that the U.S. economy is still strong and that U.S. inflation picked up in January and February
    • Powell also sought to dispel any notion that the Fed’s interest-rate decisions might be affected by this year’s presidential election

    • The Fed will meet and decide whether to cut rates during the peak of the presidential campaign, in July and September

    • The recent pickup in inflation, though slight, has led some economists to postpone their projections for when the Fed will begin cutting rates


    “The recent data do not … materially change the overall picture,” Powell said in a speech at Stanford University, “which continues to be one of solid growth, a strong but rebalancing labor market, and inflation moving down toward 2 percent on a sometimes bumpy path.”

    Most Fed officials “see it as likely to be appropriate” to start cutting their key rate “at some point this year,” he added.

    In his speech, Powell also sought to dispel any notion that the Fed’s interest-rate decisions might be affected by this year’s presidential election. The Fed will meet and decide whether to cut rates during the peak of the presidential campaign, in July and September.

    Though inflation has cooled significantly from its peak, it remains above the Fed’s 2% target. And average prices are still well above their pre-pandemic levels — a source of discontent for many Americans and potentially a threat to President Joe Biden’s re-election bid.

    The recent pickup in inflation, though slight, has led some economists to postpone their projections for when the Fed will begin cutting rates. Rate cuts would begin to reverse the 11 rate increases the Fed carried out beginning in March 2022, to fight the worst inflation bout in four decades. They would likely lead, over time, to lower borrowing rates for households and businesses.

    Many economists now predict that the central bank’s first rate cut won’t come until July or even later. That expectation has fueled some speculation on Wall Street that the Fed might end up deciding to delay rate cuts until after the presidential election. The Fed’s November meeting will take place Nov. 6-7, immediately after Election Day.

    Former President Donald Trump has called Powell “political” for considering rate cuts that Trump has said could benefit Biden and other Democrats. Powell was first nominated to be Fed chair by Trump, who has said that, if he is elected president, he will replace Powell when the Fed chair’s term ends in 2026.

    In his speech Wednesday, Powell noted that Congress intended the Fed to be fully independent of politics, with officials serving long terms that don’t coincide with elections.

    “This independence,” Powell said, “both enables and requires us to make our monetary policy decisions without consideration of short-term political matters.”

    The Fed chair’s remarks follow several reports showing that the economy remains healthy, largely because of solid consumer spending. Yet that strength could make it harder for the Fed to achieve its goal of slowing inflation to its 2% target. Annual inflation ticked up in February to 2.5%, according to the central bank’s preferred measure, though that was down sharply from its peak of 7.1%.

    When they met two weeks ago, Fed officials forecast that they could cut their benchmark rate three times this year. Still, nearly half the 19 policymakers penciled in just two or fewer rate cuts.

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    Associated Press

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  • Alex Murdaugh gets 40 years in federal prison

    Alex Murdaugh gets 40 years in federal prison

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    For maybe the last time, Alex Murdaugh, in a prison jumpsuit instead of the suit he used to wear, shuffled into a courtroom Monday in South Carolina and was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alex Murdaugh was sentenced Monday to 40 years in federal prison for stealing from clients and his law firm

    • He is already serving a life sentence without parole in a state prison for killing his wife and son

    • Murdaugh also pleaded guilty to similar financial crime charges in state court

    • The 22 counts are the final charges outstanding for the disgraced attorney


    Murdaugh was punished — this time in federal court — for stealing from clients and his law firm. The 55-year-old disbarred attorney is already serving a life sentence without parole in a state prison for killing his wife and son.

    A report by federal agents recommended a prison sentence between 17 1/2 and just under 22 years.

    The 40-year sentence will be insurance on top of insurance. Along with the life sentence, Murdaugh pleaded guilty and was ordered to spend 27 years in prison in state court on financial crime charges. The federal sentence will run at the same time as his state prison term and he likely will have to serve all 40 years if his murder convictions are overturned on appeal.

    U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said he sentenced Murdaugh to a harsher punishment than suggested because Murdaugh stole from “the most needy, vulnerable people” like a client who became a quadriplegic after a crash, a state trooper who was injured on the job, and a trust fund meant for children whose parents were killed in a wreck.

    “They placed all their problems and all their hopes on Mr. Murdaugh and it is from those people he abused and stole. It is a difficult set of actions to understand,” Gergel said.

    The 22 federal counts are the final charges outstanding for Murdaugh, who three years ago was an established lawyer negotiating multimillion-dollar settlements in tiny Hampton County, where members of his family served as elected prosecutors and ran the area’s premier law firm for nearly a century.

    Murdaugh will also have to pay nearly $9 million in restitution.

    Prosecutors are asking to give Murdaugh a harsher sentence because FBI agents think he is not telling the whole truth about what happened to $6 million he stole and whether a so-far unnamed attorney helped his criminal schemes.

    Murdaugh’s largest scheme involved the sons of his longtime housekeeper Gloria Satterfield. She died in a fall at the family home. Murdaugh promised to take care of Satterfield’s family, then worked with a lawyer friend who pleaded guilty on a scheme to steal $4 million in a wrongful death settlement with the family’s insurer.

    In all, Murdaugh took settlement money from or inflated fees or expenses for more than two dozen clients. Prosecutors said the FBI found 11 more victims than the state investigation found and that Murdaugh stole nearly $1.3 million from them.

    Murdaugh again apologized to his victims at his sentencing Monday, saying he felt “guilt, sorrow, shame, embarrassment, humiliation.”

    Just like at his state sentencing, Murdaugh offered to meet with his victims so they can say what they want to say and “more closely inspect my sincerity.”

    “There’s not enough time and I don’t possess a sufficient vocabulary to adequately portray to you in words the magnitude of how I feel about the things I did,” Murdaugh said.

    Murdaugh blamed nearly two decades of addiction to opioids for his crimes and said he was proud is has been clean for 937 days.

    Gergel scoffed at him blaming drugs.

    “No truly impaired person could pull off these complex transactions,” the judge said of the maze of fake accounts, juggled checks and money passed from one place to another to hide the thefts for nearly 20 years.

    Murdaugh was convicted a year ago of killing his younger son Paul with a shotgun and his wife, Maggie, with a rifle. While he has pleaded guilty to dozens of financial crimes, he adamantly denies he killed them and testified in his own defense. There will be years of appeals in the murder cases.

    The case has captivated true crime fans, spawning dozens of podcast episodes and thousands of social media posts. It continued its odd twists in the days before Monday’s sentencing hearing.

    Lawyers for Murdaugh said an FBI agent who conducted a polygraph test asked Murdaugh if he could keep a secret, then confided he had just examined notorious Dutch killer Joran van der Sloot.

    Murdaugh flunked that polygraph test, according to prosecutors who want a harsher sentence. Each of the 22 counts Murdaugh pleaded guilty to in federal court carried a minimum of 20 years in prison. Some carry a 30-year maximum.

    The defense said the alleged odd behavior and unusual questions from a FBI agent caused Murdaugh to fail the test.

    Prosecutors want to keep many of the FBI statements secret, saying they are still investigating the missing money and who might have helped Murdaugh to steal it. They say making the information public would jeopardize an ongoing grand jury investigation.

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  • Clark, Reese catalysts for rapid rise of women’s college basketball

    Clark, Reese catalysts for rapid rise of women’s college basketball

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    ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been catalysts for the rapid rise of women’s college basketball because of their play on the court that has drawn millions of new fans to the sport and their success off of it.

    The pair has brought comparisons to what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did for men’s college basketball when they played for the national championship in 1979 and then in the NBA for the decade after. While Clark and Reese weren’t born yet when the two NBA stars were playing, they appreciate the comparisons.

    “I would say me and Angel have always been great competitors. Obviously she played in the Big Ten for a while to begin her career, and that’s what makes women’s basketball so fun is you have great competition, and that’s what we’ve had all year long,” Clark said of Reese, who transferred to LSU from Maryland.

    They will meet in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in two seasons when Iowa faces LSU in the Albany 2 Regional Final on Monday night. Last season’s national championship game drew a record 9.9 million viewers. (This Elite Eight matchup isn’t expected to draw quite as many viewers because it is airing on ESPN, while the title game was on ABC.)

    “I think definitely those two players have had something to do with it,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said.

    Reese said she and Clark are fine off the court and noted both are fierce competitors on it. A lot was made out of Reese trash-talking Clark after the title game. Clark was fine with it, saying then it was just part of the game.

    “I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other,” Reese said. “I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game.”

    Regardless of who wins the rematch, both star players know they’ve left a lasting impact off the court.

    “Just being able to have people say that she changed my life, she gave me inspiration, she gave me confidence, and I think I’ve done that in so many different ways,” Reese said. “Being a great player is amazing, but being able to have little girls or even grown women come up to me just like, thank you, thank you for being who you are, thank you for speaking out on things that I’m too scared to speak out on or I don’t have the platform to use, just being able to have that person.”

    Clark knows she’s inspired countless young girls and boys to fall in love with women’s basketball.

    “It’s super special to see your impact not only in the state of Iowa but across the country,” she said. “To be able to have that impact on the next generation is really special, and you just hope to dream and aspire to be like you one day and chase after all their dreams.”

    They also have paved the way for women’s players to make huge money through their name image and likeness (NIL). The two have some of the highest valuations in the nation. Clark’s is just over $3 million while Reese is at $1.8 million, according to On3.com.

    ___

    AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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  • Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is to undergo hernia surgery

    Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is to undergo hernia surgery

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    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the Israeli leader will undergo surgery on Sunday for a hernia.

    Netanyahu’s office said the hernia was discovered during a routine checkup, and that the prime minister will be under full anesthesia and unsconcious for the procedure.

    Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant who also holds the title of deputy prime minister, will serve as acting prime minister during the operation, the office said.

    Netanyahu, 74, has kept a full schedule throughout Israel’s nearly six-month-long war against Hamas, and his doctors have said he is in good health.

    Last year, however, doctors acknowledged he had concealed a long-known heart problem after they implanted a pacemaker.

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  • Crews start removing twisted steel from collapsed Baltimore bridge

    Crews start removing twisted steel from collapsed Baltimore bridge

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    Teams of engineers worked Saturday on the intricate process of cutting and lifting the first section of twisted steel from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumpled into the Patapsco River this week after a massive cargo ship crashed into one of its supports.

    What You Need To Know

    • Engineers in Maryland are working on the daunting task of removing the remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River
    • Crews on Saturday started to cut the first section of twisted steel so it can be loaded onto a barge. Seven floating cranes, 10 tugboats and nine barges have been tapped to help
    • Clearing the river will allow officials to reopen the economically vital Port of Baltimore
    • A massive cargo ship felled the span Tuesday after smashing into a pillar. The bodies of two of six workers missing after the collapse were recovered earlier this week. But four more have yet to be located and are presumed dead

    Sparks could be seen flying from a section of bent and crumpled steel in the afternoon, and video released by officials in the evening showed demolition crews using a cutting torch to slice through the thick beams. The joint incident command said in a statement that the work was being done on the top of the north side of the collapsed structure.

    Crews were carefully measuring and cutting the steel from the broken bridge before attaching straps so it can be lifted onto a barge and floated away, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.

    Seven floating cranes — including a massive one capable of lifting 1,000 tons — 10 tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels and five Coast Guard boats were on site in the water southeast of Baltimore.

    Each movement affects what happens next and ultimately how long it will take to remove all the debris and reopen the ship channel and the blocked Port of Baltimore, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

    “I cannot stress enough how important today and the first movement of this bridge and of the wreckage is. This is going to be a remarkably complicated process,” Moore said.

    Undeterred by the chilly morning weather, longtime Baltimore resident Randy Lichtenberg and others took cellphone photos or just quietly looked at the broken pieces of the bridge, which including its steel trusses weigh as much as 4,000 tons.

    “I wouldn’t want to be in that water. It’s got to be cold. It’s a tough job,” Lichtenberg said from a spot on the river called Sparrows Point.

    The shock of waking up Tuesday morning to video of what he called an iconic part of the Baltimore skyline falling into the water has given way to sadness.

    “It never hits you that quickly. It’s just unbelievable,” Lichtenberg said.

    WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

    One of the first goals for crews on the water is to get a smaller auxiliary ship channel open so tugboats and other small barges can move freely. Crews also want to stabilize the site so divers can resume searching for four missing workers who are presumed dead.

    Two other workers were rescued from the water in the hours following the bridge collapse, and the bodies of two more were recovered from a pickup truck that fell and was submerged in the river. They had been filling potholes on the bridge and while police were able to stop vehicle traffic after the ship called in a mayday, they could not get to the construction workers, who were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

    The crew of the cargo ship Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, remained on board with the debris from the bridge around it, and were safe and were being interviewed. They are keeping the ship running as they will be needed to get it out of the channel once more debris has been removed.

    The vessel is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and was chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk.

    The collision and collapse appeared to be an accident that came after the ship lost power. Federal and state investigators are still trying to determine why.

    Assuaging concern about possible pollution from the crash, Adam Ortiz, the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, said there was no indication in the water of active releases from the ship or materials hazardous to human health.

    REBUILDING

    Officials are also trying to figure out how to handle the economic impact of a closed port and the severing of a major highway link. The bridge was completed in 1977 and carried Interstate 695 around southeast Baltimore.

    Maryland transportation officials are planning to rebuild the bridge, promising to consider innovative designs or building materials to hopefully shorten a project that could take years.

    President Joe Biden’s administration has approved $60 million in immediate aid and promised the federal government will pay the full cost to rebuild.

    Ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore remains suspended, but the Maryland Port Administration said trucks were still being processed at marine terminals.

    The loss of a road that carried 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters, but also U.S. consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other U.S. facility.

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  • The Baltimore collapse focuses attention on vital bridges

    The Baltimore collapse focuses attention on vital bridges

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    After a yearlong closure, a bridge over the Puyallup River reopened in 2019 with a sturdy new span and a brand new name. It even won a national award.

    What You Need To Know

    • Thousands of old bridges across the U.S. are awaiting replacement or repairs after inspectors found them in poor condition

    • About 167 million vehicles travel daily over about 42,000 bridges that are categorized as poor

    • An Associated Press analysis determined that four-fifths of those have problems with the substructures that hold them up or the superstructures that support their load

    • And more than 15,800 of those bridges also were in poor shape a decade ago

    But today, the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge is closed again after federal officials raised concerns about a vintage section of the nearly century-old bridge that carried about 15,000 vehicles a day. It has no timetable to reopen because the city of Tacoma, Washington, first must raise millions of dollars to clean and inspect it.

    “It’s frustrating — and hard to comprehend how we got here,” said Ed Wallace, whose Harley-Davidson motorcycle store has lost customers since the nearby bridge was shuttered.

    Bridges fulfill a vital function that often goes overlooked until lives are lost or disrupted by a closure or collapse, like that of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday. That bridge crumpled when struck by a cargo ship, not because of poor maintenance. But thousands of others stand in worse shape.

    About 42,400 U.S. bridges are in poor condition, yet they carry about 167 million vehicles each day, according to the federal government. Four-fifths of them have problems with the legs holding them up or the arms supporting their load. And more than 15,800 of those bridges also were in poor shape a decade ago, according to an Associated Press analysis.

    One of those persistently poor bridges — carrying about 96,000 westbound vehicles daily on Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River in Rhode Island — was suddenly shut to traffic late last year, resulting in long delays as drivers diverted to new routes. In March, the governor announced that the bridge must be demolished and replaced. That could cost up to $300 million and take at least two years to complete.

    These closures illustrate a nationwide issue.

    “We have not maintained our infrastructure at the rate that we should for many, many years, and now we’re trying to play catch-up,” said Marsia Geldert-Murphey, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

    When an old bridge gets closed because of safety concerns, it disrupts daily commutes, business supply chains and emergency response times by police, firefighters and medical personnel. Yet many bridges still await replacement or repairs because the costs can reach millions or even billions of dollars.

    A Funding Infusion

    A massive infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 directed $40 billion to bridges over five years — the largest dedicated bridge investment since construction of the interstate highway system, which began nearly 70 years ago.

    Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that law already is funding more than 7,800 bridge projects. One of the most notable is a $3.6 billion project in Cincinnati to build a long-awaited new bridge carrying traffic on Interstates 71 and 75 over the Ohio River at the Kentucky border.

    But funding from the infrastructure law will make only a dent in an estimated $319 billion of needed bridge repairs nationwide, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

    “The bottom line is that America’s bridges need a lot of work,” Buttigieg told the AP after visiting the closed Rhode Island bridge. He added: “The sooner we can address those significant bridges, the less likely they will be abruptly taken out of service, or worse, experience the risk of a collapse.”

    Inspectors rate bridges using a 0-9 scale, with 7 or above considered “good.” A “poor” rating reflects a 4 or below. A mid-range rating is considered “fair.” The nation’s poor bridges are on average 70 years old.

    Even before the federal funding infusion, the number of bridges in poor condition declined 22% over the past decade as structures were repaired, replaced or permanently closed, according to the AP’s analysis. But in recent years, more bridges also slipped from good to fair condition.

    Collapsing Bridges

    Though potholes on bridges can jar cars, many of the most concerning problems are below the surface. Chipping concrete and rusting steel can weaken the piers and beams that keep a bridge upright. When the condition of substructures or superstructures deteriorates too much, a bridge typically is closed out of public safety concerns.

    Though rare, bad bridges can eventually collapse.

    Design flaws contributed to the evening rush hour collapse of an Interstate 35 bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in 2007. The collapse killed 13 people and injured 145 others. It also was costly financially. A state analysis estimated Minnesota’s economy lost $60 million in 2007-2008 due to increased travel time and operating costs for commuters and businesses.

    In January 2022, a bridge carrying a bus and several cars collapsed over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh, causing injuries but no deaths. Federal investigators determined the steel legs had corroded to the point of having visible holes, yet inspectors failed to calculate the severity of the problem and the city failed to follow repeated recommendations.

    “This bridge didn’t collapse just by an act of God. It collapsed because of a lack of maintenance and repair,” National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham said.

    Financial Challenges

    Iowa has the most poor bridges, followed by Pennsylvania, Illinois and Missouri. The twin Burlington Street bridges in Iowa City, Iowa, exemplify the financial challenges facing old bridges. The state owns the southbound span carrying vehicles over the Iowa River while the city owns the northbound span of what’s also known as state Highway 1.

    The city’s part, constructed in 1915, was rated in poor condition in the 2023 and 2013 National Bridge Inventory. Inspection reports show numerous cracks and structural deficiencies in the concrete bridge. The state’s side, built in 1968, is in much better condition.

    Although the federal infrastructure law provided a grant to analyze the bridges, the split ownership has made it difficult to fund the more than $30 million estimated cost of a replacement.

    “It’s not something we can just fund in a year and say: ‘Here we go, let’s do it quick,’” said city engineer Jason Havel. “It takes years of planning, years of working through dedicated funding.”

    Economic Effects

    In Rhode Island, problems had been mounting for the I-195 Washington Bridge connecting Providence to East Providence. It closed after an engineer in December noticed the failure of multiple steel tie rods in concrete beams at two piers. A subsequent examination found widespread structural problems.

    Joseph McHugh, an engineer with 40 years of experience in bridge and road construction, reviewed a draft engineering report compiled after the bridge’s closure along with inspection reports from July 2022 and July 2023.

    “This failure didn’t occur overnight,” McHugh told the AP. “To me, it should have been caught by an inspection, not by a contractor or whomever was looking at what was going on.”

    The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations that false payment claims for the bridge’s construction, inspection or repair were submitted to the federal government.

    Marco Pacheco, who owns a liquor store in East Providence, said he believes “mismanagement,” “negligence” and “incompetence” caused the closure. His business revenue is down 20% since the bridge closed. But he’s even more concerned about the long-term consequences.

    “That traffic doesn’t instantly come back. Folks have reshaped their patterns, their thought processes and so on,” Pacheco said.

    Business owners in Washington share similar concerns about the indefinite closure of the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge, in an industrial area near the Port of Tacoma. Several years ago, the city spent $42 million to replace a span leading up to the river. But the bridge was abruptly closed again last October after the Federal Highway Administration raised concerns that debris had prevented the inspection of potentially corroded steel connection points.

    To clean and inspect the bridge, the city first must encapsulate it to protect debris from falling into the river. But the city lacks the more than $6 million needed for the project. It also has no means of paying for a potential $280 million replacement.

    A nearby Interstate 5 bridge provides a good alternative but that means many motorists zoom right past an exit ramp without thinking about the Harley-Davidson store or other nearby businesses. At least one shop already has closed.

    Wallace, the Harley-Davidson store owner, wishes the city could reopen the bridge, at least temporarily.

    “Is there a peril that exists?” Wallace asks rhetorically. “Yeah, absolutely, a very serious one for me as a business owner.”

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    Associated Press

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  • The Baltimore collapse focuses attention on vital bridges

    The Baltimore collapse focuses attention on vital bridges

    [ad_1]

    After a yearlong closure, a bridge over the Puyallup River reopened in 2019 with a sturdy new span and a brand new name. It even won a national award.

    What You Need To Know

    • Thousands of old bridges across the U.S. are awaiting replacement or repairs after inspectors found them in poor condition

    • About 167 million vehicles travel daily over about 42,000 bridges that are categorized as poor

    • An Associated Press analysis determined that four-fifths of those have problems with the substructures that hold them up or the superstructures that support their load

    • And more than 15,800 of those bridges also were in poor shape a decade ago

    But today, the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge is closed again after federal officials raised concerns about a vintage section of the nearly century-old bridge that carried about 15,000 vehicles a day. It has no timetable to reopen because the city of Tacoma, Washington, first must raise millions of dollars to clean and inspect it.

    “It’s frustrating — and hard to comprehend how we got here,” said Ed Wallace, whose Harley-Davidson motorcycle store has lost customers since the nearby bridge was shuttered.

    Bridges fulfill a vital function that often goes overlooked until lives are lost or disrupted by a closure or collapse, like that of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday. That bridge crumpled when struck by a cargo ship, not because of poor maintenance. But thousands of others stand in worse shape.

    About 42,400 U.S. bridges are in poor condition, yet they carry about 167 million vehicles each day, according to the federal government. Four-fifths of them have problems with the legs holding them up or the arms supporting their load. And more than 15,800 of those bridges also were in poor shape a decade ago, according to an Associated Press analysis.

    One of those persistently poor bridges — carrying about 96,000 westbound vehicles daily on Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River in Rhode Island — was suddenly shut to traffic late last year, resulting in long delays as drivers diverted to new routes. In March, the governor announced that the bridge must be demolished and replaced. That could cost up to $300 million and take at least two years to complete.

    These closures illustrate a nationwide issue.

    “We have not maintained our infrastructure at the rate that we should for many, many years, and now we’re trying to play catch-up,” said Marsia Geldert-Murphey, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

    When an old bridge gets closed because of safety concerns, it disrupts daily commutes, business supply chains and emergency response times by police, firefighters and medical personnel. Yet many bridges still await replacement or repairs because the costs can reach millions or even billions of dollars.

    A Funding Infusion

    A massive infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 directed $40 billion to bridges over five years — the largest dedicated bridge investment since construction of the interstate highway system, which began nearly 70 years ago.

    Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that law already is funding more than 7,800 bridge projects. One of the most notable is a $3.6 billion project in Cincinnati to build a long-awaited new bridge carrying traffic on Interstates 71 and 75 over the Ohio River at the Kentucky border.

    But funding from the infrastructure law will make only a dent in an estimated $319 billion of needed bridge repairs nationwide, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

    “The bottom line is that America’s bridges need a lot of work,” Buttigieg told the AP after visiting the closed Rhode Island bridge. He added: “The sooner we can address those significant bridges, the less likely they will be abruptly taken out of service, or worse, experience the risk of a collapse.”

    Inspectors rate bridges using a 0-9 scale, with 7 or above considered “good.” A “poor” rating reflects a 4 or below. A mid-range rating is considered “fair.” The nation’s poor bridges are on average 70 years old.

    Even before the federal funding infusion, the number of bridges in poor condition declined 22% over the past decade as structures were repaired, replaced or permanently closed, according to the AP’s analysis. But in recent years, more bridges also slipped from good to fair condition.

    Collapsing Bridges

    Though potholes on bridges can jar cars, many of the most concerning problems are below the surface. Chipping concrete and rusting steel can weaken the piers and beams that keep a bridge upright. When the condition of substructures or superstructures deteriorates too much, a bridge typically is closed out of public safety concerns.

    Though rare, bad bridges can eventually collapse.

    Design flaws contributed to the evening rush hour collapse of an Interstate 35 bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in 2007. The collapse killed 13 people and injured 145 others. It also was costly financially. A state analysis estimated Minnesota’s economy lost $60 million in 2007-2008 due to increased travel time and operating costs for commuters and businesses.

    In January 2022, a bridge carrying a bus and several cars collapsed over Fern Hollow Creek in Pittsburgh, causing injuries but no deaths. Federal investigators determined the steel legs had corroded to the point of having visible holes, yet inspectors failed to calculate the severity of the problem and the city failed to follow repeated recommendations.

    “This bridge didn’t collapse just by an act of God. It collapsed because of a lack of maintenance and repair,” National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham said.

    Financial Challenges

    Iowa has the most poor bridges, followed by Pennsylvania, Illinois and Missouri. The twin Burlington Street bridges in Iowa City, Iowa, exemplify the financial challenges facing old bridges. The state owns the southbound span carrying vehicles over the Iowa River while the city owns the northbound span of what’s also known as state Highway 1.

    The city’s part, constructed in 1915, was rated in poor condition in the 2023 and 2013 National Bridge Inventory. Inspection reports show numerous cracks and structural deficiencies in the concrete bridge. The state’s side, built in 1968, is in much better condition.

    Although the federal infrastructure law provided a grant to analyze the bridges, the split ownership has made it difficult to fund the more than $30 million estimated cost of a replacement.

    “It’s not something we can just fund in a year and say: ‘Here we go, let’s do it quick,’” said city engineer Jason Havel. “It takes years of planning, years of working through dedicated funding.”

    Economic Effects

    In Rhode Island, problems had been mounting for the I-195 Washington Bridge connecting Providence to East Providence. It closed after an engineer in December noticed the failure of multiple steel tie rods in concrete beams at two piers. A subsequent examination found widespread structural problems.

    Joseph McHugh, an engineer with 40 years of experience in bridge and road construction, reviewed a draft engineering report compiled after the bridge’s closure along with inspection reports from July 2022 and July 2023.

    “This failure didn’t occur overnight,” McHugh told the AP. “To me, it should have been caught by an inspection, not by a contractor or whomever was looking at what was going on.”

    The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations that false payment claims for the bridge’s construction, inspection or repair were submitted to the federal government.

    Marco Pacheco, who owns a liquor store in East Providence, said he believes “mismanagement,” “negligence” and “incompetence” caused the closure. His business revenue is down 20% since the bridge closed. But he’s even more concerned about the long-term consequences.

    “That traffic doesn’t instantly come back. Folks have reshaped their patterns, their thought processes and so on,” Pacheco said.

    Business owners in Washington share similar concerns about the indefinite closure of the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge, in an industrial area near the Port of Tacoma. Several years ago, the city spent $42 million to replace a span leading up to the river. But the bridge was abruptly closed again last October after the Federal Highway Administration raised concerns that debris had prevented the inspection of potentially corroded steel connection points.

    To clean and inspect the bridge, the city first must encapsulate it to protect debris from falling into the river. But the city lacks the more than $6 million needed for the project. It also has no means of paying for a potential $280 million replacement.

    A nearby Interstate 5 bridge provides a good alternative but that means many motorists zoom right past an exit ramp without thinking about the Harley-Davidson store or other nearby businesses. At least one shop already has closed.

    Wallace, the Harley-Davidson store owner, wishes the city could reopen the bridge, at least temporarily.

    “Is there a peril that exists?” Wallace asks rhetorically. “Yeah, absolutely, a very serious one for me as a business owner.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Federal Railroad Administration announces $2.4 billion in grants

    Federal Railroad Administration announces $2.4 billion in grants

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    The Federal Railroad Administration announced Friday that it will make more than $2.4 billion available for projects that help modernize the country’s freight and intercity passenger rail systems.

    The money is available through the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which authorized up to $108 billion for public transportation projects.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Federal Railroad Administration opened its largest funding round in the agency’s history on Friday

    • $2.4 billion in grants will be available for projects that help modernize the country’s freight and intercity passenger rail systems

    • The money is provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

    • Railroads, states and local communities have 60 days to apply

    “This funding will make it safer, more affordable, more sustainable and more efficient for people and goods to move by rail across the country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement, adding that it is the biggest funding round in the FRA’s history.

    The new funding adds to more than $1.4 billion in grants the agency announced last year to help with 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. Granted through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program, last year’s projects ranged from grade crossing improvements to expanding intercity passenger rail, such as an upcoming high-speed rail system between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

    They also helped fund zero- and low-emissions locomotives, trespass prevention and workforce training and development.

    FRA Administrator Amit Bose said the CRISI grants see “extraordinarily high demand” to help railroads, states and local communities improve their systems. Interested entities have 60 days to apply for the funds.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • EPA rule dramatically limits emissions from trucks

    EPA rule dramatically limits emissions from trucks

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    Dozens of types of trucks will need to be zero emissions in less than a decade under sweeping new rules the Environmental Protection Agency finalized on Friday.

    Applicable to big rigs, buses, cement mixers, trash trucks and other heavy- and medium-duty vehicles, the standards are designed to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas pollution and will take effect for the 2027 model year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule Friday to dramatically reduce emissions from heavy- and medium-duty trucks

    • The new rules are effective for 2027-2032 model year vehicles

    • More than 100 types of vehicle need to conform to the rule, including big rigs, buses, cement mixers and trash trrucka

    • Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles make up 10% of on-road vehicles but contribute 25% of emissions from the transportation sector

    “In finalizing these emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, EPA is significantly cutting pollution from the hardest-working vehicles on the road,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “EPA’s strong and durable vehicle standards respond to the urgency of the climate crisis by making deep cuts in emissions from the transportation sector.”

    Transportation is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions nationally. Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles make up 10% of on-road vehicles but contribute 25% of emissions from the transportation sector, according to the EPA. By 2032, 25% of new big rigs and 40% of medium-duty vehicles such as box trucks could be zero emisions under the new rule.

    Each year, the new Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles-Phase 3 are expected to avoid 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions and provide $13 billion in public health, climate and cost savings, the EPA said.

    Electrifying the entire commercial truck fleet in the U.S. will require almost $1 trillion in infrastructure investment alone, according to the Clean Freight Coalition. That does not include the cost of zero-emission trucks, which can be as much as three times more expensive than their diesel-powered equivalents.

    “Electrification means focusing on the vehicle segments that are easier first,” the CFC said in a statement on its website. “It means that we have to look at how fleets operate and potentially adjust. It means that we need better cooperation and planning across industries and governments. And it requires an openness to alternative technology paths to decarbonizing the heavy-duty segment.”

    The association noted that the industry has a profit margin of roughly 5% and will not be able to support the transition “without financial support or a significant increase in freight rates.”

    Several states, including California, offer incentives for truck operators to transition to heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles. As part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act, the EPA will distribute $1 billion to fund clean heavy-duty vehicles through 2031.

    The EPA said the new rules are “technology neutral” and do not dictate what types of technology need to be adopted. Manufacturers are able “to choose what set of emissions control technologies is best suited for them and the needs of their customers.”

    Currently available technologies include advanced internal combustion engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electrics, battery electrics and hydrogen fuel cells.

    The new standards apply to heavy-duty work vehicles, including delivery trucks, trash haulers, public utility trucks and buses used for transit, shuttles and school, as well as tractor-trailers, or big rigs. Just 2% of such vehicles are currently zero-emissions.

    The American Bus Association reacted to Friday’s rule by saying it is committed to a cleaner environment and supports approprpiate climate initiatives that gradually move the United States in that direction.

    “However, the ABA expresses grave concerns regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent rule mandating a rapid shift to electric vehicles,” ABA President Peter J. Pantuso said in a statement. “This forced march towards electric vehicles will result in a sgnificant increase in equipment costs, potentially doubling them. Moreover, the current lack of infrastructure and limited electric capacity make this transition impractical and financially burdensome for the industry and consumers.”

    Other groups hailed the new rule.

    “By outlining a reduction in tailpipe emissions through 2032, today’s ruling is an important step towards ending our nation’s dependence on oil for transportation,” Electrification Coalition Executive Director Ben Prochazka said in a statement Friday, responding to the new rule. The group led a campaign encouraging the White House to adopt strict new emissions standards for heavy trucks that was supported by more than 80 businesses and 75 U.S. mayors.

    “Despite strong light-duty EV sales growth in recent years, progress in the heavy-duty space has been slow, so this announcement is much-needed certainty for the heavy-duty market and supports the charging infrastructure necessary to power the electric trucks of tomorrow.”

    The Electrification Coalition said the transition to zero-emissions trucks will bolster national security by reducing the country’s dependence on global oil markets and protect public health.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • U.S. economic growth for last quarter is revised up slightly to a healthy 3.4%

    U.S. economic growth for last quarter is revised up slightly to a healthy 3.4%

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    The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.4% annual pace from October through December, the government said Thursday in an upgrade from its previous estimate. The government had previously estimated that the economy expanded at a 3.2% rate last quarter.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.4% annual pace from October through December, the government said in an upgrade from its previous estimate

    • The government had previously estimated that the economy expanded at a 3.2% rate last quarter

    • Last quarter’s growth was a solid performance, coming in the face of higher interest rates and powered by growing consumer spending, exports and business investment in buildings and software


    The Commerce Department’s revised measure of the nation’s gross domestic product — the total output of goods and services — confirmed that the economy decelerated from its sizzling 4.9% rate of expansion in the July-September quarter.

    But last quarter’s growth was still a solid performance, coming in the face of higher interest rates and powered by growing consumer spending, exports and business investment in buildings and software. It marked the sixth straight quarter in which the economy has grown at an annual rate above 2%.

    For all of 2023, the U.S. economy — the world’s biggest — grew 2.5%, up from 1.9% in 2022. In the current January-March quarter, the economy is believed to be growing at a slower but still decent 2.1% annual rate, according to a forecasting model issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

    Thursday’s GDP report also suggested that inflation pressures were continuing to ease. The Federal Reserve’s favored measure of prices — called the personal consumption expenditures price index — rose at a 1.8% annual rate in the fourth quarter. That was down from 2.6% in the third quarter, and it was the smallest rise since 2020, when COVID-19 triggered a recession and sent prices falling.

    Stripping out volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation amounted to 2% from October through December, unchanged from the third quarter.

    The economy’s resilience over the past two years has repeatedly defied predictions that the ever-higher borrowing rates the Fed engineered to fight inflation would lead to waves of layoffs and probably a recession. Beginning in March 2022, the Fed jacked up its benchmark rate 11 times, to a 23-year high, making borrowing much more expensive for businesses and households.

    Yet the economy has kept growing, and employers have kept hiring — at a robust average of 251,000 added jobs a month last year and 265,000 a month from December through February.

    At the same time, inflation has steadily cooled: After peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, it has dropped to 3.2%, though it remains above the Fed’s 2% target. The combination of sturdy growth and easing inflation has raised hopes that the Fed can manage to achieve a “soft landing” by fully conquering inflation without triggering a recession.

    Thursday’s report was the Commerce Department’s third and final estimate of fourth-quarter GDP growth. It will release its first estimate of January-March growth on April 25.

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    Associated Press

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  • Harvard removes human skin binding from book library has had for 90 years

    Harvard removes human skin binding from book library has had for 90 years

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    Harvard University has removed human skin binding from a book that has been in its library collection for 90 years and apologized for its “past failures” in managing the volume.

    The book’s first owner, Ludovic Bouland, a French doctor, bound the book with skin he took without consent from a deceased female patient in a hospital where he worked, according to Harvard Library. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Harvard University has removed human skin binding from a book that has been in its library collection for 90 years and apologized for its “past failures” in managing the volume

    • The book’s first owner, Ludovic Bouland, a French doctor, bound the book with skin he took without consent from a deceased female patient in a hospital where he worked, according to Harvard Library

    • The skin of the unknown woman is currently in secure storage and Harvard Library said it’s consulting with authorities at the university and in France to determine a respectful way to lay the remains to rest

    • In 2022, a Harvard committee examining human remains in university museum collections recommended the removal of the human skin from the book

    The work, “Des destinées de l’âme,” written by by Arsène Houssaye in the 1880s, is described as a meditation on the soul and life after death. A handwritten note by Bouland inserted into the book reads “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering,” Harvard said.

    Bouland died in 1933. A year later, the volume landed at Harvard, donated by American diplomat and hat maker John B. Stetson, an alumnus of the university.

    “After careful study, stakeholder engagement, and consideration, Harvard Library and the Harvard Museum Collections Returns Committee concluded that the human remains used in the book’s binding no longer belong in the Harvard Library collections, due to the ethically fraught nature of the book’s origins and subsequent history,” Harvard Library said in a statement Wednesday.

    The skin of the unknown woman is currently in secure storage and Harvard Library said it’s consulting with authorities at the university and in France to determine a respectful way to lay the remains to rest. 

    Harvard’s Houghton Library long made the book available to anyone who requested it. Harvard Library said that, according to “library lore,” students who worked at Houghton were hazed decades ago by being asked to retrieve the volume without being told it included human remains.

    After Harvard scientists confirmed in 2014 the book was bound with human skin, Houghton Library published two blog posts, now deleted, that struck a “sensationalistic, morbid, and humorous tone,” Harvard Library said.

    “Harvard Library acknowledges past failures in its stewardship of the book that further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being whose remains were used for its binding,” the library system said. “We apologize to those adversely affected by these actions.”

    In 2022, a Harvard committee examining human remains in university museum collections recommended the removal of the human skin from the book.

    The review was largely driven by a reckoning with the role of slavery and colonialism in establishing U.S. universities and museum. But some discoveries, such as the “Des destinées de l’âme” volume, fell outside that area of focus.

    In all, Harvard identified more than 22,000 human remains in its museum collections, including full skeletons, bone fragments, teeth and locks of hair.

    The library began restricting access to Houssaye’s book in 2015 and placed a full moratorium on new research access to it last year. 

    Harvard Library said digital scans of the book, without the human skin, are publicly available. 

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    Ryan Chatelain

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  • Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

    Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

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    Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unraveled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.

    What You Need To Know

    • FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a cryptocurrency fraud that a prosecutor has described as one of the biggest financial frauds in U.S. history
    • The company was once one of the world’s most popular platforms for trading digital currency

    • Bankman-Fried was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy charges brought after his once-soaring cryptocurrency trading platform and related companies collapsed into bankruptcy
    • Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried had cost customers, investors and lenders over $10 billion by misappropriating billions of dollars to fuel his quest for influence and dominance in the new industry, and had illegally used money from FTX depositors to cover his expenses, which included purchasing luxury properties in the Caribbean, alleged bribes to Chinese officials and private planes

    Bankman-Fried, 32, was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy — a dramatic fall from a crest of success that included a Super Bowl advertisement and celebrity endorsements from stars like quarterback Tom Brady, basketball star Stephen Curry and comedian Larry David.

    U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan imposed the sentence in the same Manhattan courtroom where, four months ago, Bankman-Fried testified that his intention had been to revolutionize the emerging cryptocurrency market with his innovative and altruistic ideas, not to steal.

    Kaplan said the sentence reflected “that there is a risk that this man will be in position to do something very bad in the future. And it’s not a trivial risk at all.” He added that it was “for the purpose of disabling him to the extent that can appropriately be done for a significant period of time.”

    Kaplan further ordered Bankman-Fried to forfeit over $11 billion. He also he would advise the Federal Bureau of Prisons to send him to a medium-security prison or less near the San Francisco area because he’s unlikely to be a physical threat to other inmates or prison staff, and his autism and social awkwardness would make him vulnerable to other inmates in a high-security location.

    Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of 40 to 50 years.

    “The defendant victimized tens of thousands of people and companies, across several continents, over a period of multiple years. He stole money from customers who entrusted it to him; he lied to investors; he sent fabricated documents to lenders; he pumped millions of dollars in illegal donations into our political system; and he bribed foreign officials. Each of these crimes is worthy of a lengthy sentence,” prosecutors said in a court filing.

    Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried had cost customers, investors and lenders over $10 billion by misappropriating billions of dollars to fuel his quest for influence and dominance in the new industry, and had illegally used money from FTX depositors to cover his expenses, which included purchasing luxury properties in the Caribbean, alleged bribes to Chinese officials and private planes.

    Kaplan agreed with prosecutors Thursday that Bankman-Fried should not get leniency just because some investors and customers might get some of their lost money back. He called the argument “logically flawed” and “speculative.” He said customers lost about $8 billion, investors lost $1.7 billion and lenders were shorted by $1.3 billion.

    Kaplan also cited three instances where he concluded that Bankman-Fried committed perjury during his trial testimony, including when Bankman-Fried testified that he didn’t know until just weeks before FTX collapsed into bankruptcy that customer funds were being diverted to a hedge fund offshoot of FTX.

    Given a chance to speak, Bankman-Fried stood and apologized in a rambling statement, saying: “A lot of people feel really let down. And they were very let down. And I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about what happened at every stage.”

    He added, “My useful life is probably over. It’s been over for a while now, from before my arrest.”

    Defense lawyer Marc Mukasey said his client was misunderstood.

    “Sam was not a ruthless financial serial killer who set out every morning to hurt people,” Mukasey said. “Sam Bankman-Fried doesn’t make decisions with malice in his heart. He makes decisions with math in his head.”

    Bankman-Fried’s attorneys, friends and family had urged leniency, saying he was unlikely to re-offend again. They also said FTX’s investors have largely recovered their funds — a claim disputed by bankruptcy lawyers, FTX and its creditors.

    “Mr. Bankman-Fried continues to live a life of delusion,” wrote John Ray, the CEO of FTX who has been cleaning up the bankrupt company. “The ‘business’ he left on November 11, 2022 was neither solvent nor safe.”

    Two weeks ago, Mukasey attacked a probation office recommendation of 100 years in prison, saying a sentence of that length would be “grotesque” and “barbaric.”

    He urged the judge to sentence Bankman-Fried to a term of five to 6 1/2 years in prison, which Mukasey said was a fair reading of federal sentencing guidelines.

    Bankman-Fried was worth billions of dollars on paper as the co-founder and CEO of FTX, which was the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world at one time.

    FTX allowed investors to buy dozens of virtual currencies, from Bitcoin to more obscure ones like Shiba Inu Coin. Flush with billions of dollars of investors’ cash, Bankman-Fried took out a Super Bowl advertisement to promote his business and bought the naming rights to an arena in Miami.

    But the collapse of cryptocurrency prices in 2022 took its toll on FTX, and ultimately led to its downfall. FTX’s hedge fund affiliate, known as Alameda Research, had bought billions of dollars of various crypto investments that lost considerable amounts of value in 2022. Bankman-Fried tried to plug the holes in Alameda’s balance sheet with FTX customer funds.

    Three other people from Bankman-Fried’s inner circle pleaded guilty to related crimes and testified at his trial.

    The biggest name among the three was Caroline Ellison, once the girlfriend of Bankman-Fried. Ellison described Bankman-Fried as a calculating individual who knew that he was likely committing crimes when he directed the use of customer funds. Two other onetime friends of Bankman-Fried, Gary Wang and Nishad Singh, also testified they felt they were directed by Bankman-Fried to commit fraud.

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    Associated Press

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  • White House proposes new rules for short-term health insurance

    White House proposes new rules for short-term health insurance

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    Short-term health insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage for preexisting conditions and take advantage of other loopholes in the Affordable Care Act under new rules the Biden administration proposed Thursday.  

    What You Need To Know

    • Short-term health insurance would be limited to four months under a new rule the White House proposed Thursday

    • Temporary heath insurance coverage providers will also need to explain what is and what is not included

    • As many as 1.9 million Americans have short-term health insurance that provides temporary coverage as they transition from one source of health insurance to another

    • People who currently have short-term health insurance can renew their policies according to the terms of their current plans; the new rules will take effecct in 60 days

    “Some types of insurance plans, like short-term limited-duration insurance, don’t provide comprehensive coverage,” White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden, said Wednesday during a briefing about the new rules. “Importantly, they don’t have to comply with critical ACA protections” such as covering preexisting conditions.

    Short-term insurance plans are intended to provide temporary coverage to people as they transition from one source of health insurance to another, Tanden said. As many as 1.9 million people are enrolled in short-term health insurance, according to the White House.

    Calling short-term plans “junk insurance,” Tanden said they mislead consumers into thinking they are buying full-coverage health insurance when in reality their coverage is capped or health conditions are not included at all.

    The new rule would limit short-term care to no more than four months. Insurance companies will also have to provide clear disclaimers that explain to customers what is and is not covered and provide information on how to buy additional coverage.

    People who are currently enrolled in short-term plans will be able to keep that coverage and renew it according to the terms of their current plan. The new rules will take effect in 60 days.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • Ariana DeBose to host Tony Awards for the 3rd straight time

    Ariana DeBose to host Tony Awards for the 3rd straight time

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    It’s a new location but the same host for the Tony Awards:Ariana DeBose will make it three in a row as MC of theater’s most watched event, which this year moves uptown to Lincoln Center.

    The Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee, who hosted both the 2023 and 2022 ceremonies, will be back this year for the show on June 16, and will produce and choreograph the opening number.

    “I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time, at Lincoln Center. I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for our community and for everyone at home,” said DeBose in a statement.

    DeBose was widely cheered for the way she hosted last year amid the Hollywood writers’ strike, leading a show that had no script and opening the telecast by dancing and leaping her way through the lobby of the United Palace Theatre. She earned an Emmy nomination for her work.

    DeBose is a theater veteran, with roles in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” “Hamilton,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Pippin,” “Motown the Musical,” “Bring It On: The Musical” and “Company.” She won an Oscar for her role in Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story” and was in “Schmigadoon!” on Apple TV+.

    This year’s location — the David H. Koch Theater — is the home of New York City Ballet and in the same sprawling building complex as Lincoln Square Theater, which houses the Broadway venue Beaumont Theater.

    Like last year, the three-hour main telecast will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT/5 p.m.-8 p.m. PDT with a pre-show on Pluto TV, with some Tony Awards handed out there.

    The Tony eligibility cut-off date for the 2023-2024 season is April 25, and nominations for the 2024 Tony Awards will be announced April 30. The awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

    Last year, the intimate, funny-sad musical “Kimberly Akimbo” took the best new musical crown, and Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt,” which explores Jewish identity with an intergenerational story, won best play. Sean Hayes won lead actor in a play for “Good Night, Oscar,” and Victoria Clark won for “Kimberly Akimbo.”

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    Associated Press

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