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  • George Washington Carver’s legacy is more than peanuts

    George Washington Carver’s legacy is more than peanuts

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    Peanuts–that may be what George Washington Carver is best known for, but that was just one part of his work. Arguably more important? He was an advocate of sustainable agriculture before the concept even had such a name.

    What You Need To Know

    • Carver tried to change farming practices in the South

    • He considered the whole picture of crops, soil and weather

    • Carver’s largest true legacy may be in sustainable agriculture

    Carver was the first Black student admitted to the Iowa Agricultural College, now known as Iowa State University. He went on to be an educator and researcher at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama from 1896 to 1943.

    He even took weather observations there for over 30 years as part of a “cooperative observers” program, which the National Weather Service still uses today.

    George Washington Carver’s daily weather reports for February 1923. (NOAA Central Library Data Imaging Project)

    Carver knew the issues that Southern farmers faced. He encouraged efforts that went against the grain of agricultural science at the time, according to Mark D. Hersey, a historian at Mississippi State University. His efforts didn’t result in much change then, but he was certainly on to something.

    “They were farseeing–and many of the things he called for became vital threads in what came to be known as the organic agriculture movement in the mid-20th century… in essence, Carver was a prophet of sustainable agriculture,” says Hersey. 

    Instead of growing only cotton, Carver recommended crop rotation that included peanuts so those crops could replenish the soil’s nutrients.

    Carver’s holistic approach also encouraged composting manure, rather than simply adding chemical fertilizers. This was a cheaper solution that also made the soil more resistant to erosion, Hersey adds. The South gets deluges that drop a few inches of rain in a day, which can wash away the dirt and leave behind ruts.

    Photograph of erosion in one of Carver’s bulletins, published in 1908. (Tuskegee Experiment Station Bulletin No. 11/U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library)

    In one of the many bulletins he wrote, Carver noted some farmers’ belief that the moon influences the weather, along with other superstitions. He said to focus instead on actual conditions, since he knew seeds need some number of frost-free days and a certain soil temperature. 

    “My work is that of conservation,” Carver believed. We still hear echoes of that work a century later in sustainable farming.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Justin Gehrts

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  • Consumers are increasingly pushing back against price increases — and winning

    Consumers are increasingly pushing back against price increases — and winning

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    Inflation has changed the way many Americans shop. Now, those changes in consumer habits are helping bring down inflation.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fed up with prices that remain about 19%, on average, above where they were before the pandemic, consumers are fighting back
    • In grocery stores, they’re shifting away from name brands to store-brand items, switching to discount stores or simply buying fewer items like snacks or gourmet foods
    • More Americans are buying used cars, too, rather than new, forcing some dealers to provide discounts on new cars again
    • But the growing consumer pushback to what critics condemn as price-gouging has been most pronounced with food as well as with consumer goods like paper towels and napkins

    Fed up with prices that remain about 19%, on average, above where they were before the pandemic, consumers are fighting back. In grocery stores, they’re shifting away from name brands to store-brand items, switching to discount stores or simply buying fewer items like snacks or gourmet foods.

    More Americans are buying used cars, too, rather than new, forcing some dealers to provide discounts on new cars again. But the growing consumer pushback to what critics condemn as price-gouging has been most evident with food as well as with consumer goods like paper towels and napkins.

    In recent months, consumer resistance has led large food companies to respond by sharply slowing their price increases from the peaks of the past three years. This doesn’t mean grocery prices will fall back to their levels of a few years ago, though with some items, including eggs, apples and milk, prices are below their peaks. But the milder increases in food prices should help further cool overall inflation, which is down sharply from a peak of 9.1% in 2022 to 3.1%.

    Public frustration with prices has become a central issue in President Joe Biden’s bid for re-election. Polls show that despite the dramatic decline in inflation, many consumers are unhappy that prices remain so much higher than they were before inflation began accelerating in 2021.

    Biden has echoed the criticism of many left-leaning economists that corporations jacked up their prices more than was needed to cover their own higher costs, allowing themselves to boost their profits. The White House has also attacked “shrinkflation,” whereby a company, rather than raising the price of a product, instead shrinks the amount inside the package. In a video released on Super Bowl Sunday, Biden denounced shrinkflation as a “rip-off.”

    Consumer pushback against high prices suggests to many economists that inflation should further ease. That would make this bout of inflation markedly different from the debilitating price spikes of the 1970s and early 1980s, which took longer to defeat. When high inflation persists, consumers often develop an inflationary psychology: Ever-rising prices lead them to accelerate their purchases before costs rise further, a trend that can itself perpetuate inflation.

    “That was the fear — that everybody would tolerate higher prices,” said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY, a consulting firm, who notes that it hasn’t happened. “I don’t think we’ve moved into a high inflation regime.”

    Instead, this time many consumers have reacted like Stuart Dryden, a commercial underwriter at a bank who lives in Arlington, Virginia. On a recent trip to his regular grocery store, Dryden, 37, pointed out big price disparities between Kraft Heinz-branded products and their store-label competitors, which he now favors.

    Dryden, for example, loves cream cheese and bagels. A 12-ounce tub of Kraft’s Philadelphia cream cheese costs $6.69. The store brand, he noted, is just $3.19.

    A 24-pack of Kraft single cheese slices is $7.69; the store label, $2.99. And a 32-ounce Heinz ketchup bottle is $6.29, while the alternative is just $1.69. Similar gaps existed with mac-and-cheese and shredded cheese products.

    “Just those five products together already cost nearly $30,” Dryden said. The alternatives were less than half that, he calculated, at about $13.

    “I’ve been trying private-label options, and the quality is the same and it’s almost a no-brainer to switch from the products I used to buy a ton of to just the private label,” Dryden said.

    Alex Abraham, a spokesman for Kraft Heinz, said that its costs rose 3% in the final three months of last year but that the company raised its own prices only 1%.

    “We are doing everything possible to find efficiencies in our factories and other parts of our business to offset and mitigate further price increases,” Abraham said.

    Last week, Kraft Heinz said sales fell in the final three months of last year as more consumers traded down to cheaper brands.

    Dryden has taken other steps to save money: A year ago, he moved into a new apartment after his previous landlord jacked up his rent by about 50%. His former apartment had been next to a relatively pricey grocery store, Whole Foods. Now, he shops at a nearby Amazon Fresh and has started visiting the discount grocer Aldi every couple of weeks.

    Samuel Rines, an investment strategist at Corbu, says that PepsiCo, Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble and many other consumer food and packaged goods companies exploited the rise in input costs stemming from supply-chain disruptions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to dramatically raise their prices — and increase their profits — in 2021 and 2022.

    A contributing factor was that millions of Americans enjoyed solid wage gains and received stimulus checks and other government aid, making it easier for them to pay the higher prices.

    Still, some decried the phenomenon as “greedflation.” And in a March 2023 research paper, the economist Isabella Weber at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, referred to it as “seller’s inflation.”

    Yet beginning late last year, many of the same companies discovered that the strategy was no longer working. Most consumers have now long since spent the savings they built up during the pandemic.

    Lower-income consumers, in particular, are running up credit card debt and falling behind on their payments. Americans overall are spending more cautiously. Daco notes that overall sales during the holiday shopping season were up just 4% — and most of it reflected higher prices rather than consumers actually buying more things.

    As an example, Rines points to Unilever, which makes, among other items, Hellman’s mayonnaise, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Dove soaps. Unilever jacked up its prices 13.3% on average across its brands in 2022. Its sales volume fell 3.6% that year. In response, it raised prices just 2.8% last year; sales rose 1.8%.

    “We’re beginning to see the consumer no longer willing to take the higher pricing,” Rines said. “So companies were beginning to get a little bit more skeptical of their ability to just have price be the driver of their revenues. They had to have those volumes come back, and the consumer wasn’t reacting in a way that they were pleased with.”

    Unilever itself recently attributed poor sales performance in Europe to “share losses to private labels.”

    Other businesses have noticed, too. After their sales fell in the final three months of last year, PepsiCo executives signaled that this year they would rein in price increases and focus more on boosting sales.

    “In 2024, we see … normalization of the cost, normalization of inflation,” CEO Ramon Laguarta said. “So we see everything trending back to our long-term” pricing trends.

    Jeffrey Harmening, CEO of General Mills, which makes Cheerios, Chex Cereal, Progresso soups and dozens of other brands, has acknowledged that his customers are increasingly seeking bargains.

    And McDonald’s executives have said that consumers with incomes below $45,000 are visiting less and spending less when they do visit and say the company plans to highlight its lower-priced items.

    “Consumers are more wary — and weary — of pricing, and we’re going to continue to be consumer-led in our pricing decisions,” Ian Borden, the company’s chief financial officer, told investors.

    Officials at the Federal Reserve, the nation’s primary inflation-fighting institution, have cited consumers’ growing reluctance to pay high prices as a key reason why they expect inflation to fall steadily back to their 2% annual target.

    “Firms are telling us that price sensitivity is very much higher now,” Mary Daly, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and a member of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee, said last week. “Consumers don’t want to purchase unless they’re seeing a 10% discount. … This is a serious improvement in the role that consumers play in bridling inflation.”

    Surveys by the Fed’s regional banks have found that companies across all industries expect to impose smaller price increases this year. The New York Fed says companies in its region plan to raise prices an average of about 3% this year, down from about 5% in 2023 and as much as 7% to 9% in 2022.

    Such trends suggest that companies were well on their way to slowing their price hikes before Biden’s most recent attacks on price gouging.

    Claudia Sahm, founder of SAHM Consulting and a former Fed economist, said, “consumers are more powerful than President Biden.”

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    Associated Press

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  • DaNa Carlis’ role at the National Severe Storms Lab is a historic homecoming

    DaNa Carlis’ role at the National Severe Storms Lab is a historic homecoming

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    Dr. DaNa Carlis is breaking barriers as the first African-American to lead NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma.

    The laboratory studies severe weather, from tornadoes to winter weather. The National Weather Service uses their research to warn us and keep us safe from disruptive weather events.

    What You Need To Know

    • DaNa Carlis is the first African-American to be named NSSL director

    • Carlis co-founded NOAA’s Diversity and Professional Advancement

    • He holds three degrees from Howard University

    • One of his top priorities is to increase the engagement between the underserved communities and the NSSL

    Historic accomplishment

    NOAA appointed Carlis to the role in January 2023. Carlis is the first Black man named as a lab director.

    We spoke to the NSSL director in 2023 about his historic appointment, his future for the NSSL and how he plans to inspire more Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in meteorology.

    “It feels amazing! I am humbled by the opportunity to serve in this capacity as director of the National Severe Storms Laboratory,” said Carlis, describing his accomplishment.

    A few years ago, the NSSL Director didn’t think he’d be taking this path in his career. However, he said he was striving for an opportunity to be a leader of science within NOAA.

    Carlis is excited to inspire the next generation of science leaders.

    “I’m looking forward to continuing to uplift others with the BIPOC community that can serve in this capacity. It’s been a passion of mine to help and develop the next generation workforce,” said Carlis.

    Over his 20-year career, Carlis led efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within NOAA. He’s the co-founder of NOAA’s Diversity and Professional Advancement Working Group (DPAWG).

    Eight members of NOAA’s Diversity and Professional Advancement Working Group in 2023. Clockwise from the top left: Vankita Brown, John Moore, Terence Lynch, Maddie Kennedy, DaNa Carlis, Lonnie Gonsalves, Ashley Turnbull, and Janae Elkins. (NOAA)

    Carlis knows how big of a deal it is to be the first African-American to lead this agency.

    “I’m a firm believer that there are more talented people than me out there that will deserve this opportunity and probably have deserved it in the past. So, that I’m the first is humble… but you know I got to continue to strive for change and NOAA is right behind me in terms of diversity, inclusion and equity in our senior leadership ranks,” Carlis told Spectrum News.

    NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. supports Carlis’ mission. Spinrad gave this statement in a news release: “NOAA is fortunate to have a leader with deep scientific expertise and the strong skills to elevate diversity, equity and inclusion into all aspects of NSSL’s culture.”

    Back to his roots

    The role is a homecoming for Carlis, who grew up in Tulsa. Carlis is happy to be back in his home state and doing what he loves.

    “I am going to full circle, returning to my roots of being in Oklahoma…. I have kept myself grounded on who I am and where I come from,” said Carlis.

    The Tulsa native says his upbringing made him the man he is today.

    The NSSL director credits his mentors with sparking his passion for science.

    “It was mentors that really drew me in and after that first course in atmospheric science I fell in love with it because it was so applicable to people’s everyday lives,” Carlis recounted.

    He also takes great pride in graduating from Howard University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Washington D.C.

    “The main thing that really helped me… that I really needed was the support system. I needed to believe in me, I needed to be supported by people that was going to help raise me up and make sure and hold me accountable for being excellent, being a high achiever… that’s what Howard University gave to me,” Carlis told us.

    Bright future

    “I got to go in and learn the organization. So, I’ll sit back and listen for a few months and try to figure out… where we need to improve weather that is on the business side or science and technology side,” said Carlis.

    The severe storms lab is a busy place, with its PERiLS project, radar improvements, field campaigns and much more.

    The NSSL director says his mission for the agency is to meet their goals and make sure they’re successful. One of his priorities is to increase the engagement between the underserved communities and the NSSL.

    “The integration of social science and physical sciences like in meteorology and atmospheric is going to be really key to us being able to engage and serve those folks that are from underserved communities even better,” said Carlis.

    In addition, Carlis thinks this is an opportune time for aspiring meteorologists to get into the field. He has this advice for them.

    “I would love to see more African-American, Black meteorologists or just BIPOC meteorologist coming into this field because it just such a gratifying field of work that we do because of the impact that we have on people’s lives… so we need you.”

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • U.S., EU pile new sanctions on Russia

    U.S., EU pile new sanctions on Russia

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    The United States and the European Union are piling new sanctions on Russia on the eve of the second anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine and in retaliation for the death of noted Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny last week in an Arctic penal colony.

    What You Need To Know

    • The United States and the European Union are piling new sanctions on Russia on the eve of the second anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine and in retaliation for the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny last week

    • The U.S. Treasury Department plans to impose more than 500 new sanctions on Russia and its war machine in the largest single tranche of penalties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022

    • Also Friday, the European Union announced it is imposing sanctions on several foreign companies over allegations that they have exported dual-use goods to Russia that could be used in its war against Ukraine

    The U.S. Treasury, State Department and Commerce Department plan Friday to impose roughly 600 new sanctions on Russia and its war machine in the largest single tranche of penalties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. They come on the heels of a series of new arrests and indictments announced by the Justice Department on Thursday that target Russian businessmen, including the head of Russia’s second-largest bank, and their middlemen in five separate federal cases.

    The European Union announced Friday that it is imposing sanctions on several foreign companies over allegations that they have exported dual-use goods to Russia that could be used in its war against Ukraine. The 27-nation bloc also said that it was targeting scores of Russian officials, including “members of the judiciary, local politicians and people responsible for the illegal deportation and military re-education of Ukrainian children.”

    “The American people and people around the world understand that the stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine,” President Joe Biden said in a statement announcing the sanctions. “If Putin does not pay the price for his death and destruction, he will keep going. And the costs to the United States — along with our NATO Allies and partners in Europe and around the world — will rise.”

    While previous sanctions have increased costs for Russia’s ability to fight in Ukraine, they appear to have done little so far to deter Putin’s aggression or ambitions. The Biden administration is levying additional sanctions as House Republicans are blocking billions of dollars in additional aid to Ukraine.

    The war is becoming entangled in U.S. election-year politics, with former President Donald Trump voicing skepticism about the benefits of the NATO alliance and saying that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to countries that, in his view, are not pulling their weight in the alliance.

    Many of the new U.S. sanctions announced Friday target Russian firms that contribute to the Kremlin’s war effort — including drone and industrial chemical manufacturers and machine tool importers — as well as financial institutions, such as the state-owned operator of Russia’s Mir National Payment System.

    In response to Navalny’s death, the State Department is designating three Russian officials the U.S. says are connected to his death. It also will impose visa restrictions on Russian authorities it says are involved in the kidnapping and confinement of Ukrainian children.

    In addition, 26 third-country people and firms from across China, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, and Liechtenstein are listed for sanctions, for assisting Russia in evading existing financial penalties.

    The Russian foreign ministry said the EU sanctions are “illegal” and undermine “the international legal prerogatives of the UN Security Council.” In response, the ministry is banning some EU citizens from entering the country because they have provided military assistance to Ukraine. It did not immediately address the U.S. sanctions.

    The U.S. specifically was to target individuals associated with Navalny’s imprisonment a day after Biden met with the opposition leader’s widow and daughter in California. It was also hitting “Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents,” Biden said. “They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”

    The EU asset freezes and travel bans constitute the 13th package of measures imposed by the bloc against people and organizations it suspects of undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

    “Today, we are further tightening the restrictive measures against Russia’s military and defense sector,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. “We remain united in our determination to dent Russia’s war machine and help Ukraine win its legitimate fight for self-defense.”

    In all, 106 more officials and 88 “entities” — often companies, banks, government agencies or other organizations — have been added to the bloc’s sanctions list, bringing the tally of those targeted to more than 2,000 people and entities, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and his associates.

    Companies making electronic components, which the EU believes could have military as well as civilian uses, were among 27 entities accused of “directly supporting Russia’s military and industrial complex in its war of aggression against Ukraine,” a statement said.

    Those companies — some of them based in India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Turkey — face tougher export restrictions.

    The bloc said the companies “have been involved in the circumvention of trade restrictions,” and it accuses others of “the development, production and supply of electronic components” destined to help Russia’s armed forces.

    Some of the measures are aimed at depriving Russia of parts for pilotless drones, which are seen by military experts as key to the war.

    Since the start of the war, U.S. Treasury and State departments have designated over 4,000 officials, oligarchs, firms, banks and others under Russia-related sanctions authorities. A $60 per barrel price cap has also been imposed on Russian oil by Group of Seven allies, intended to reduce Russia’s revenues from fossil fuels.

    Critics of the sanctions, price cap and other measures meant to stop Russia’s invasion say they are not working fast enough.

    Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that primarily sanctioning Russia’s defense industry and failing to cut meaningfully into Russia’s energy revenues will not be enough to halt the war.

    “One way or another, they will have to eventually address Russia’s oil revenues and have to consider an oil embargo,” Snegovaya said. “The oil price cap has effectively stopped working.”

    Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, in previewing the new sanctions, told reporters that the U.S. and its allies will not lower the price cap; “rather what we’ll be doing is taking actions that will increase the cost” of Russia’s production of oil.

    He added that “sanctions alone are not enough to carry Ukraine to victory.”

    “We owe the Ukrainian people who have held on for so long the support and resources they desperately need to defend their homeland and prove Putin wrong once and for all time.”

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    Associated Press

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  • AT&T says it’s restored three-quarters of its network after outage

    AT&T says it’s restored three-quarters of its network after outage

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    AT&T said that it has restored three-quarters of its network after an outage on Thursday morning that disrupted phone service nationwide.

    “Our network teams took immediate action and so far three-quarters of our network has been restored,”AT&T said in a statement to Spectrum News. “We are working as quickly as possible to restore service to remaining customers.”

    What You Need To Know

    • AT&T said that it has restored three-quarters of its network after an outage on Thursday morning that disrupted phone service nationwide
    • Users of several major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, reported outages on Thursday morning, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet, communication and other service outages
    • In a statement to Spectrum News, Verizon said its network is “operating normally; likewise, T-Mobile said that it did not experience an outage

    Users of several major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, reported outages on Thursday morning, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet, communication and other service outages.

    Per Downdetector, users began to report issues after 3:30 a.m. ET. Reports peaked at at around 4:30-5:30 a.m. ET, depending on the carrier in question. The cause of the outage is not yet clear.

    Areas reporting issues included New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston, Chicago and Atlanta. Some municipalities across the country also reported issues with contacting emergency services, including 911.

    The emergency services outage prompted at least one law enforcement organization to urge people not to test if 911 was working.

    “Many 911 centers in the state are getting flooded w/ calls from people trying to see if 911 works from their cell phone. Please do not do this,” Massachusetts State Police wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “If you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work.”

    AT&T had more than 64,000 outages on Thursday morning. The carrier has more than 240 million subscribers, more than any other company in the U.S.

    Cricket Wireless had more than 13,000, the outage tracking website said Thursday. Verizon had more than 4,000 outages and T-Mobile had more than 1,900 outages reported. Boost Mobile had about 700 outages.

    In a statement to Spectrum News, Verizon said its network is “operating normally.”

    “Some customers experienced issues this morning when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier,” the carrier said. “We are continuing to monitor the situation.”

    Likewise, T-Mobile said that it did not experience an outage.

    “Our network is operating normally,” the company said in a statement to Spectrum News. “Down Detector is likely reflecting challenges our customers were having attempting to connect to users on other networks.”

    NOTE: Spectrum News is owned by parent company Charter Communications, which owns and operates Spectrum Mobile. 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Associated Press

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  • AT&T says it’s restored three-quarters of its network after outage

    AT&T says it’s restored three-quarters of its network after outage

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    AT&T said that it has restored three-quarters of its network after an outage on Thursday morning that disrupted phone service nationwide.

    “Our network teams took immediate action and so far three-quarters of our network has been restored,”AT&T said in a statement to Spectrum News. “We are working as quickly as possible to restore service to remaining customers.”

    What You Need To Know

    • AT&T said that it has restored three-quarters of its network after an outage on Thursday morning that disrupted phone service nationwide
    • Users of several major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, reported outages on Thursday morning, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet, communication and other service outages
    • In a statement to Spectrum News, Verizon said its network is “operating normally; likewise, T-Mobile said that it did not experience an outage

    Users of several major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, reported outages on Thursday morning, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet, communication and other service outages.

    Per Downdetector, users began to report issues after 3:30 a.m. ET. Reports peaked at at around 4:30-5:30 a.m. ET, depending on the carrier in question. The cause of the outage is not yet clear.

    Areas reporting issues included New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston, Chicago and Atlanta. Some municipalities across the country also reported issues with contacting emergency services, including 911.

    The emergency services outage prompted at least one law enforcement organization to urge people not to test if 911 was working.

    “Many 911 centers in the state are getting flooded w/ calls from people trying to see if 911 works from their cell phone. Please do not do this,” Massachusetts State Police wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “If you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work.”

    AT&T had more than 64,000 outages on Thursday morning. The carrier has more than 240 million subscribers, more than any other company in the U.S.

    Cricket Wireless had more than 13,000, the outage tracking website said Thursday. Verizon had more than 4,000 outages and T-Mobile had more than 1,900 outages reported. Boost Mobile had about 700 outages.

    In a statement to Spectrum News, Verizon said its network is “operating normally.”

    “Some customers experienced issues this morning when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier,” the carrier said. “We are continuing to monitor the situation.”

    Likewise, T-Mobile said that it did not experience an outage.

    “Our network is operating normally,” the company said in a statement to Spectrum News. “Down Detector is likely reflecting challenges our customers were having attempting to connect to users on other networks.”

    NOTE: Spectrum News is owned by parent company Charter Communications, which owns and operates Spectrum Mobile. 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Associated Press

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  • Users report outages with cellular providers, including AT&T, Verizon

    Users report outages with cellular providers, including AT&T, Verizon

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    Users of several major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, reported outages on Thursday morning, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet, communication and other service outages.

    Per Downdetector, users began to report issues after 3:30 a.m. ET. Reports peaked at at around 4:30-5:30 a.m. ET, depending on the carrier in question. The cause of the outage is not yet clear.

    Areas reporting issues included New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston. Some municipalities across the country also reported issues with contacting emergency services, including 911.

    A source familiar told Spectrum News that the issue is not related to Verizon, but likely to another mobile carrier. The company’s customers could see issues they try to make or receive calls or texts from the impacted provider, the source said.

    Spectrum News has reached out to T-Mobile and AT&T for comment.

    This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

    NOTE: Spectrum News is owned by parent company Charter Communications, which owns and operates Spectrum Mobile.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Honoring a pioneer in broadcast meteorology, June Bacon-Bercey

    Honoring a pioneer in broadcast meteorology, June Bacon-Bercey

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    In honor of Black History Month, we are taking the opportunity to look back on and celebrate the life and work of meteorologist June Bacon-Bercey.

    A woman of many “firsts,” Bacon-Bercey broke many barriers and paved the way for others, particularly for women and African Americans in meteorology. 

    What You Need To Know

    • June Bacon-Bercey broke many barriers as an African American woman in science 

    • She was the first African American female degreed broadcast meteorologist

    • She established a scholarship in the late 1970s from game show winnings

    • The American Meteorological Society renamed an award in her honor

    Noted as the first African American and first female degreed broadcast meteorologist, Bacon-Bercey is considered a pioneer in the field of meteorology. Born in 1928 in Wichita, Kansas, ever since she was a kid, she knew she wanted to follow a path of math and science.

    In 1954, she became the first African American female in the United States to earn a bachelor of science degree in meteorology from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

    According to her official biography provided by her daughter, Dail St. Claire, when she arrived at UCLA, a counselor suggested she major in home economics instead of meteorology.

    Bacon-Bercey once said, “when I earned an ‘A’ in thermodynamics and a ‘B’ in home economics, I knew my decision was the right one.”

    Her biography also states that her career extended well beyond television weather. Before retiring from a position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1993, she held positions as a weather forecaster, weather analyst, radar meteorologist, aviation meteorologist, broadcast journalist, public administrator and educator.

    She had a lasting impact on the field of broadcast meteorology, especially during a time when weather broadcasts within local newscasts were considered more entertainment-based than science-focused.

    June-Bacon Bercey on set at WGR-TV in Buffalo, N.Y. (Courtesy: Dail St. Claire)

    In 1972, she became the first African American and first female to earn the AMS Seal of Approval for Excellence in Television Weathercasting. 

    Her daughter recalled the day that her mother got the news of this accomplishment. “She was beaming. We sat down over tea, as she often did with me to discuss life matters. Upon sharing the significance of the Seal, she said, ‘no greater honor can come to me than earning the respect of my colleagues.’”

    This came after joining WGR-TV in Buffalo, New York, in 1970, where she became the chief meteorologist after just four months at the station. This was a remarkable feat for the era.

    Nearly five decades later, a 2018 study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society revealed that only 8% of chief meteorologists are female. 

    Bacon-Bercey became a role model to many African American aspiring meteorologists, including Janice Huff, Chief Meteorologist at WNBC in New York.  

    “When I was a child, I never saw anyone who looked like me delivering the forecast on television, so I never thought of broadcasting as an option for a future career. I wanted to be a scientist and work behind the scenes, and I was on my way to doing just that. Then I learned of June Bacon-Bercey, and I was certain that any and all things were possible,” said Huff.

    Alan Sealls, Chief Meteorologist at WPMI-TV in Mobile, Alabama also has been moved by the life of Bacon-Bercey. He described her as “a woman who likely opened doors for women, African-Americans, and degreed meteorologists in broadcast meteorology.”

    Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, Director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia who served as the second African American president of the American Meteorological Society, shared his appreciation for Bacon-Bercey. “I cannot imagine the struggles that Mrs. Bacon-Bercey faced as she trailblazed on behalf of women and people of color,” he said.   

    Women’s issues and racial equality were of the highest importance to Bacon-Bercey. She helped launch the AMS Board on Women and Minorities in 1975, which continues to operate to this day. It was renamed the Board on Representation, Accessibility, Inclusion, and Diversity (BRAID) in 2020.

    In 1977, it wasn’t weather, but her music knowledge that awarded her $64,000 on the game show “The $128,000 Question.” She used her earnings to launch the June Bacon-Bercey Scholarship through the American Geophysical Union (AGU) for women pursuing careers in meteorology and atmospheric sciences.  

    She felt the scholarship could help women become meteorologists. “I was discouraged from becoming a meteorologist. If women feel they have some money behind them, it might be better,” she stated according to her official biography.

    AGU offered this scholarship from 1978 to 1990. It became reestablished in 2021 through the generosity of her daughter, Dail St. Claire, and other family and friends.  

    June Bacon-Bercey speaking at a luncheon. (Photo Courtesy: Dail St. Claire)

    Bacon-Bercey also funded the meteorology lab at Mississippi’s Jackson State University (JSU) in 1980. At the time, JSU was the only historically black university or college with a meteorology program in the United States. 

    Janice Huff remarked on her achievements. “She showed great strength and determination to study in a field where there were so few who looked like her. She persevered despite the odds against her, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”

    Bacon-Bercey passed away in July 2019 at the age of 90. Her legacy will live on for generations to come through the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) June Bacon-Bercey Award for Broadcast Meteorology.  

    The AMS renamed the Award for Broadcast Meteorology in her honor. Since 1977, this award has annually recognized broadcast meteorologists “for sustained long-term contributions to the community through the broadcast media, or for outstanding work during a specific weather event.”

    Since its inception, three Award for Broadcast Meteorology recipients have been female. By honoring Mrs. Bacon-Bercey’s legacy, women and minorities might be encouraged to strive for this award and submit future nominations. 

    Her daughter, Dail St. Claire, reflected on this honor. “My family and I are grateful to the AMS for honoring my mother, June Bacon-Bercey. There is no greater honor for an on-air meteorologist to serve the public. The field of meteorology will one day fully represent the rich diversity of all people.”

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Maureen McCann

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  • Trump post sheds little light on his views about Navalny’s death

    Trump post sheds little light on his views about Navalny’s death

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    Donald Trump made his first public comment Monday about the death of Alexei Navalny, although the former president said substantively little about the Russian opposition leader or the Kremlin. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Donald Trump made his first public comment Monday about the death of Alexei Navalny, although the former president said substantively little about the Russian opposition leader or the Kremlin

    • Trump began a post on his Truth Social site with “The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country” and then made the same sort of grievances on other matters he makes on a near-daily basis

    • Trump’s remarks came three days after Navalny died in a Russian prison and follows repeated calls from Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for Trump to comment on his death

    • According to The Washington Post, Trump appears to never have mentioned Navalny by name during his presidency

    In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump wrote: “The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION!”

    Trump, who is running for president again, repeats the same grievances about border security, his legal troubles and the direction of the country, as well as his baseless claims of election fraud, on a near-daily basis on his social media site, in interviews and on the campaign trail.

    Trump’s remarks came three days after Navalny died in a Russian prison and follows repeated calls from Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for Trump to comment on his death.

    Prior to Monday, Trump’s only mention of Navalny since he died was when he shared a post on Truth Social on Sunday that seemed to suggest he is being persecuted in the United States much like Navalny was in Russia. The headline of the post was “Biden:Trump::Putin:Navalny.”

    When asked Friday about whether Trump had a comment on Navalny’s death, his campaign directed reporters to another Trump Truth Social post, which made no mention of Navalny or Russia, instead saying, “America is no longer respected because we have an incompetent president who is weak and doesn’t understand what the World is thinking.”

    According to the Russian federal prison service, Navalny died in prison near the Arctic Circle after losing consciousness following a walk.

    An outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Navalny blamed the Kremlin for poisoning him with a nerve agent in 2020. After recovering in Germany for more than a year, he was arrested upon returning to Russia and later sentenced to 19 years in prison on charges he and his supporters said were bogus and politically motivated.

    Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, accused Putin on Monday on refusing to hand over Navalny’s body to his mother as part of a cover-up. Russian authorities have said that the cause of Navalny’s death is still unknown.

    U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday quickly blamed Russia for Navalny’s death, although he stopped short of calling it an assassination.

    “What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality,” he said. “No one should be fooled — not in Russia, not at home, not anywhere in the world. Putin does not only target his [sic] citizens of other countries, as we’ve seen what’s going on in Ukraine right now, he also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people.”

    Haley spent the weekend calling out Trump over his silence on Navalny. 

    “Putin has done to him what Putin does to all of his opponents — he kills them,” the former United Nations ambassador told reporters Saturday in Irmo, South Carolina. “And Trump needs to answer to that. Does he think Putin killed him? Does he think Putin was right to kill him? And does he think Navalny was a hero?”

    Haley, Trump’s only remaining major competition for the Republican presidential nomination, has tied the former president’s evasiveness on Navalny to his comments earlier this month that he would “encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that had not met their financial obligations. In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Haley said she found it “amazing” that Trump would not only encourage Putin to invade NATO countries but not acknowledge “anything with Navalny.”

    “Either he sides with Putin and thinks it’s cool that Putin killed one of his political opponents or he just doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal,” Haley said. “Either one of those is concerning. Either one of those is a problem.”

    According to The Washington Post, Trump appears to never have mentioned Navalny by name during his presidency. 

    Trump did not condemn the poisoning of Navalny in 2020. When asked about it then, he said there was no proof of Russia’s involvement at the time and then argued that people should be more concerned about China than Russia.

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    Ryan Chatelain

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  • Mae C. Jemison: The first African American woman in space

    Mae C. Jemison: The first African American woman in space

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    Becoming an astronaut is hard enough, but one woman overcame obstacles to become the first African American woman in space.

    What You Need To Know

    • Jemison wanted to study science from an early age

    • She first studied medicine before starting a career at NASA

    • She went to space in Sept. 1992

    • After NASA, she accomplished many more things

    Early life accomplishments

    Born in the 1950s, Jemison would let nothing stop her from becoming one of the most accomplished African American women in history.

    She was born in Decatur, Ala. but grew up in Chicago, and from a very early age, she knew she wanted to study science.

    She worked hard and graduated from high school when she was just 16. At that early age, she traveled across the country to California to attend Stanford University.

    Being one of the few African Americans in her class, she experienced racial discrimination from students and teachers, but that didn’t stop her from graduating with two degrees in four years, one in chemical engineering and one in African American studies.

    Jemison didn’t start her career in space. She first attended Cornell Medical School, where she got her doctorate in medicine and practiced general medicine.

    Her talents also didn’t stop in science. Jemison is fluent in Japanese, Russian and Swahili. She used this and her medical studies to her advantage and joined the Peace Corps in 1983 to help people in Africa for two years.

    Jemison with the rest of the Endeavour Crew in 1992. (AP Photo/Chris O’ Meara)

    On to space

    After the Peace Corps, Jemison opened her own private practice as a doctor, but not too long after, she decided she wanted to go to space, something she had wanted to accomplish for a long time.  

    Jemison applied for the astronaut program at NASA in 1985. Unfortunately, NASA stopped accepting applications after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986.

    Jemison tried her luck again in 1987 and was one of the 15 people chosen out of 2000 applicants. Nichelle Nichols, who starred as Uhura in the original Star Trek series, recruited her. Jemison later starred in an episode of the series after being a fan since childhood.

    In Sept. 1992, she joined six other astronauts on the Endeavor for eight days, making her the first African American woman in space. On her mission, she made 127 orbits around the Earth.

    Mae C. Jemison on board the Endeavour in 1992. (Photo by NASA)

    After NASA

    Jemison left NASA the year after she went to space and accomplished many more things.

    She started her own consulting company, became a professor at Cornell, launched the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries, created an international space camp for teens and much more.

    She currently leads 100 Year Starship through DARPA, United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which works to ensure humans will travel to another star in the next 100 years.

    With all her accomplishments, it’s no surprise Jemison was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the National Medical Association Hall of Fame and the Texas Science Hall of Fame.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

    Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

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    A University of California, Irvine professor is being tasked to help design the most powerful laser in the world.

    Franklin Dollar, a professor of physics & astronomy at UCI, is part of the effort to build the laser called the EP-OPAL (Optical Parametric Amplifier Lines).

    What You Need To Know

    • A UC Irvine Professor is helping contribute to building the most powerful laser in the world

    • The laser could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment and space science

    • Physicists will build the laser at the University of Rochester


    The National Science Foundation awarded an $18-million grant to build the laser at a university in New York. EP-OPAL will house it at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester.

    The laser will open the door for more research in astrophysics and the medical field, from telescopes to medical imaging.

    EP-OPAL could also develop radiation techniques to help treat cancer patients.

    Plus, it could lead to new developments in nuclear physics, particle acceleration and quantum mechanics.

    The instrument has two separate 25-petawatt lasers and will fire in a millionth of a billionth of a second.

    Dollar’s team will focus on particle acceleration and light sources.

    I talked to Dollar’s team about the laser and how he’s mentoring the next generation of plasma physicists. Watch the video above to see more.

    Franklin Dollar, assistant professor of physics and astronomy (Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI)

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

    Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

    [ad_1]

    A University of California, Irvine professor is being tasked to help design the most powerful laser in the world.

    Franklin Dollar, a professor of physics & astronomy at UCI, is part of the effort to build the laser called the EP-OPAL (Optical Parametric Amplifier Lines).

    What You Need To Know

    • A UC Irvine Professor is helping contribute to building the most powerful laser in the world

    • The laser could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment and space science

    • Physicists will build the laser at the University of Rochester


    The National Science Foundation awarded an $18-million grant to build the laser at a university in New York. EP-OPAL will house it at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester.

    The laser will open the door for more research in astrophysics and the medical field, from telescopes to medical imaging.

    EP-OPAL could also develop radiation techniques to help treat cancer patients.

    Plus, it could lead to new developments in nuclear physics, particle acceleration and quantum mechanics.

    The instrument has two separate 25-petawatt lasers and will fire in a millionth of a billionth of a second.

    Dollar’s team will focus on particle acceleration and light sources.

    I talked to Dollar’s team about the laser and how he’s mentoring the next generation of plasma physicists. Watch the video above to see more.

    Franklin Dollar, assistant professor of physics and astronomy (Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI)

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

    Most powerful laser in the world could lead to cancer treatment

    [ad_1]

    A University of California, Irvine professor is being tasked to help design the most powerful laser in the world.

    Franklin Dollar, a professor of physics & astronomy at UCI, is part of the effort to build the laser called the EP-OPAL (Optical Parametric Amplifier Lines).

    What You Need To Know

    • A UC Irvine Professor is helping contribute to building the most powerful laser in the world

    • The laser could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment and space science

    • Physicists will build the laser at the University of Rochester


    The National Science Foundation awarded an $18-million grant to build the laser at a university in New York. EP-OPAL will house it at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester.

    The laser will open the door for more research in astrophysics and the medical field, from telescopes to medical imaging.

    EP-OPAL could also develop radiation techniques to help treat cancer patients.

    Plus, it could lead to new developments in nuclear physics, particle acceleration and quantum mechanics.

    The instrument has two separate 25-petawatt lasers and will fire in a millionth of a billionth of a second.

    Dollar’s team will focus on particle acceleration and light sources.

    I talked to Dollar’s team about the laser and how he’s mentoring the next generation of plasma physicists. Watch the video above to see more.

    Franklin Dollar, assistant professor of physics and astronomy (Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI)

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dies in prison

    Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dies in prison

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    Alexei Navalny, the fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests, died in prison Friday, Russian authorities said. He was 47.

    What You Need To Know

    • Russian authorities say that Alexei Navalny, the fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests, died in prison

    • The Federal Penitentiary Service said in a statement that Navalny, 47, felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness
    • Navalny’s spokeswoman said on X that the politician’s team had no confirmation of his death so far and that his lawyer was traveling to the town where he was held
    • Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking to the Munich Security Conference on Friday, laid the blame squarely at Russia and Putin’s feet

    Navalny, who was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism, felt unwell after a walk, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, and lost consciousness. An ambulance arrived to try to revive him, but he died. It said the cause of death was “being established.”

    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was informed of Navalny’s death and the prison service would look into it in line with standard procedures.

    Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the politician’s team had no confirmation of his death so far and that his lawyer was traveling to the town where he was held.

    Navalny had been behind bars since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin. Before his arrest, he campaigned against official corruption, organized major anti-Kremlin protests and ran for public office.

    He had since received three prison sentences, all of which he rejected as politically motivated.

    Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, speaking to the Munich Security Conference, laid the blame squarely at Russia and Putin’s feet.

    “Before I begin today, we’ve all just received reports that Alexei Navalny has died in Russia,” Harris said at the top of her remarks. “This is, of course, terrible news, which we are working to confirm.”

    “My prayers are with his family, including his wife Yulia, who is with us today, and if confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin’s brutality,” she continued.

    “Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible,” Harris said, adding the Biden administration “will have more to say on this later.” 

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who met with Navalny’s wife Yulia on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, similarly offered harsh criticism of Russia.

    “Fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built,” the United States’ top diplomat said. “Russia’s responsible for this.”

    Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a candidate vying for the Republican presidential nomination, took the criticism one step further and attacked her opponent, former President Donald Trump.

    “Putin did this,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The same Putin who Donald Trump praises and defends.”

    House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called Putin a “a vicious dictator” who “is likely directly responsible for the sudden death of his most prominent political opponent.”

    “If confirmed, this action is emblematic of Putin’s global pattern of silencing critics and eliminating opponents out of fear of dissent,” he continued. “This is the latest attempt to send a message to those working to confront Moscow’s aggression. In the coming days, as international leaders are meeting in Munich, we must be clear that Putin will be met with united opposition.”

    North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis offered a brutal condemnation of both Putin’s alleged involvement and U.S. lawmakers who are silent on Russia.

    “Navalny laid down his life fighting for the freedom of the country he loved. Putin is a murderous, paranoid dictator,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “History will not be kind to those in America who make apologies for Putin and praise Russian autocracy. Nor will history be kind to America’s leaders who stay silent because they fear backlash from online pundits.”

    Shortly after Navalny’s death was reported, the Russian SOTA social media channel shared images of the opposition politician reportedly in court yesterday. In the footage, Navalny is seen standing up and is laughing and joking with the judge via video link.

    Navalny was moved in December from a prison in central Russia to a “special regime” penal colony — the highest security level of prisons in the country — above the Artic Circle.

    His allies decried the transfer to a colony in the town of Kharp, in a region about 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow, as yet another attempt to force Navalny into silence.

    In Putin’s Russia, political opponents often faded amid factional disputes or went into exile after imprisonment, suspected poisonings or other heavy repression. But Navalny grew consistently stronger and reached the apex of the opposition through grit, bravado and an acute understanding of how social media could circumvent the Kremlin’s suffocation of independent news outlets.

    He faced each setback — whether it was a physical assault or imprisonment — with an intense devotion, confronting dangers with a sardonic wit. That drove him to the bold and fateful move of returning from Germany to Russia and certain arrest.

    Navalny was born in Butyn, about 25 miles outside Moscow. He received a law degree from People’s Friendship University in 1998 and did a fellowship at Yale in 2010.

    He gained attention by focusing on corruption in Russia’s murky mix of politicians and businesses; one of his early moves was to buy a stake in Russian oil and gas companies to become an activist shareholder and push for transparency.

    By concentrating on corruption, Navalny’s work had a pocketbook appeal to Russians’ widespread sense of being cheated, and he carried stronger resonance than more abstract and philosophical concerns about democratic ideals and human rights.

    He was convicted in 2013 of embezzlement on what he called a politically motivated prosecution and was sentenced to five years in prison, but the prosecutor’s office later surprisingly demanded his release pending appeal. A higher court later gave him a suspended sentence.

    The day before the sentence, Navalny had registered as a candidate for Moscow mayor. The opposition saw his release as the result of large protests in the capital of his sentence, but many observers attributed it to a desire by authorities to add a tinge of legitimacy to the mayoral election.

    Navalny finished second, an impressive performance against the incumbent who had the backing of Putin’s political machine and was popular for improving the capital’s infrastructure and aesthetics.

    Navalny’s popularity increased after the leading charismatic politician, Boris Nemtsov, was shot and killed in 2015 on a bridge near the Kremlin.

    Whenever Putin spoke about Navalny, he made it a point to never mention the activist by name, referring to him as “that person” or similar wording, in an apparent effort to diminish his importance.

    Even in opposition circles, Navalny was often viewed as having a overly nationalist streak for supporting the rights of ethnic Russians — he supported the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Moscow in 2014 although most nations viewed it as illegal — but he was able to mostly override those reservations with the power of investigations conducted by his Fund for Fighting Corruption.

    Although state-controlled TV channels ignored Navalny, his investigations resonated with younger Russians via YouTube videos and posts on his website and social media accounts. The strategy helped him reach into the hinterlands far from the political and cultural centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg and establish a strong network of regional offices.

    His work broadened from focusing on corruption to wholescale criticism of the political system under Putin, who has led Russia for over two decades. He was a central galvanizing figure in protests of unprecedented size against dubious national election results and the exclusion of independent candidates.

    Navalny understood that he could get attention with a pithy phrase and potent image. His description of Putin’s power-base United Russia as “the party of crooks and thieves” gained instant popularity; a lengthy investigation into then-Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s lavish country getaway boiled down to the complex’s well-appointed duck house. Soon, comical yellow duck toys became a popular way to mock the premier.

    He often tweeted sarcastic remarks from police custody or courtrooms on the many occasions he was arrested. In 2017, after an assailant threw green-hued disinfectant in his face, seriously damaging one of his eyes, Navalny joked in a video blog that people were comparing him to the comic-book character The Hulk.

    Much worse was to come.

    While serving a jail sentence in 2019 for involvement in an election protest, he was taken to the hospital with an illness that authorities said was an allergic reaction, but some doctors said it appeared to be poisoning.

    A year later, on Aug. 20, 2020, he became severely ill on a flight to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk, where he was organizing opposition candidates. He collapsed in the aisle while returning from the bathroom, and the plane made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk, where he spent two days in a hospital while supporters begged doctors to allow him to be taken to Germany for treatment.

    Once in Germany, doctors determined he had been poisoned with a strain of Novichok – similar to the nerve agent that nearly killed former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018 and resulted in the death of another woman.

    Navalny was in a medically induced coma for about two weeks, then labored to recover speech and movement for several more weeks. His first communication while recovering showed his defiant wit — an Instagram post saying that breathing on one’s own is “a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended.”

    The Kremlin vehemently rejected it was behind the poisoning, but Navalny challenged the denial with an audacious move — essentially a deadly serious prank phone call. He released the recording of a call he said he made to an alleged member of a group of officers of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, who purportedly carried out the poisoning and then tried to cover it up. The FSB dismissed the recording as fake.

    Russian authorities then raised the stakes, announcing that during his time in Germany, Navalny had violated the terms of a suspended sentence in one of his embezzlement convictions and that he would be arrested if he returned home.

    Remaining abroad wasn’t in his nature. Navalny and his wife boarded a plane for Moscow on Jan. 17, 2021. On arrival, he told waiting journalists that he was pleased to be back and walked to passport control and into custody. In just over two weeks, he was tried, convicted and sentenced to 2½ years in prison.

    The events sparked massive protests that reached to Russia’s farthest corners and saw more than 10,000 people detained by police.

    As part of a massive crackdown against the opposition that followed, a Moscow court in 2021 outlawed Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption and about 40 regional offices as extremist, a verdict that exposed members of his team to prosecution.

    When Putin sent troops to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Navalny strongly condemned the war in social media posts from prison and during his court appearances.

    Less than a month after the start of the war, he was sentenced to an additional nine-year term for embezzlement and contempt of court in a case he and his supporters rejected as fabricated. The investigators immediately launched a new probe, and in August 2023 Navalny was convicted on charges of extremism and sentenced to 19 years in prison.

    After the verdict, Navalny said he understands that he’s “serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime.”

    A documentary called “Navalny” that detailed his career, his near-fatal poisoning and his return to Moscow won an Academy Award for best documentary in March 2023.

    “Alexei, the world has not forgotten your vital message to us all: We must not be afraid to oppose dictators and authoritarianism wherever it rears its head,” director David Roher said in accepting the Oscar.

    Navalny’s wife also spoke at the award ceremony, saying: “My husband is in prison just for telling the truth. My husband is in prison just for defending democracy. Alexei, I am dreaming of the day you will be free and our country will be free. Stay strong, my love.”

    Besides his wife, Navalny is survived by a son and a daughter.

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    Associated Press

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  • Finding a love for all seasons

    Finding a love for all seasons

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    Mother Nature, flowers and candy could be your recipe for finding a love for all seasons or Valentine’s Day.

    It is that time of the year, when romance is in the air. But can the weather, or even the season, spark love? Or do less than ideal conditions dampen love’s flame and blow it out? 

    What You Need To Know

    • Cuffing season is the time between September and November

    • The “turkey drop” is when you breakup with someone after Thanksgiving

    • Some consider gloomy or cold weather romantic

    • Talking about the weather is not a good conversation starter

    We talked to celebrity matchmaker and dating expert Alessandra Conti, co-founder of Matchmakers In The City in Beverly Hills.

    We chatted with her about how the time of season and weather might influence someone’s dating behavior.

    Cuffing season

    Autumn may be the best season to ‘fall’ in love. Many people refer to the fall as cuffing season for couples.

    Conti says cuffing season is the time between September and November. She told us during those months the weather gets colder and people want to find love for the holidays.

    “Everyone wants love for the holidays. Especially leading up to the holidays, that’s when people who are normally single want to be in relationships,” Conti told Spectrum News.

    The matchmaking maven says her business is booming during cuffing season for people wanting to find love just in time for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

    “[People] will usually fast track something that they maybe did not consider in the summertime.”

    The cuffing part comes in as people just wanting to find a partner for the colder months and just come together during that time.

    The turkey drop

    Though cuffing season runs through November, it might be the best opportunity to breakup with someone.

    Conti says the day after Thanksgiving is the time when couples break apart. The celebrity matchmaker calls it the “turkey drop.”

    “You can see it in tons of celebrity couples, that right after Thanksgiving so many couples breakup,” Conti said.

    She said couples like Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde broke up during that time too, among other couples.

    Conti says a lot of couples “turkey drop” right after Thanksgiving.

    A new year for love

    We are a month into the new year and finding that special someone is top priority for some singles. When a new year begins, Conti says people are deliberate about wanting to find love.

    “While cuffing season is over, it’s the new year season, which is people desiring to find that partner,” Conti told us.

    As far as other seasons like spring and summer, she says business doesn’t experience that same uptick in clientele during the winter and fall months.

    Like cuffing season, there is also the something known as a summer fling. A summer fling is between May and September.

    “You see more casual dating during the summertime because that’s more of the weather vibe. It’s sunny out, everyone is relaxed… there’s not that deep longing for connection because it’s freezing cold outside and you want to be cuddling with someone indoors,” Conti said.

    Heartbreak weather

    Now let’s talk about how the weather could lead you to heartbreak or romance.

    Conti laments many dates get cancelled because of bad weather.

    “It is really sad, but a lot of people do if it’s raining. We have experienced that people will cancel a date if it’s raining… even if it’s through a matchmaker.”

    She notes that people really don’t enjoy driving in the rain to go on a date. However, she has one important piece of advice if there is rain or snow in the forecast for a date.

    “My advice to anyone considering in canceling a date if it’s raining or snow… Don’t, you are self sabotaging yourself!,” exclaimed Conti.

    The dating expert said this sabotaging equates to flakiness. She says you have to follow through on the plan.

    “You need to make a shift and make a change. If that means going on an ice skating date, go for it… if that means leaving your house when it’s drizzling outside, go for it!” exclaims Conti. 

    Love is in the air

    The ideal weather for date ranges from person to person. Some like sunny and while others enjoy overcast skies.

    Talking with Conti, she says colder weather might actually be more romantic.

    “I actually think a little colder for a date, actually quite romantic, as long as you are indoors… it’s very cozy. So get a really cute winter jacket and enjoy,” she said.

    Conti might be right about colder weather, because one of the greatest Christmas songs “Let It Snow!” is a romantic song about a couple getting cozy during a blizzard (even though the songwriters wrote it in the summer).

    It all comes down to the people’s preference.

    “I don’t think cold weather is bad for a date. I think it’s cozy. If it’s a little rainy outside, it makes your indoor experience more special and romantic. Use it to your advantage,” Conti told Spectrum Networks. 

    Forecasting romance

    The perfect weather for a date may be in April, if you are Miss Rhode Island from the movie “Miss Congeniality.”

    But for others, it could be something else. We talked to our Spectrum News meteorologists and digital weather team about their ideal weather for date. Watch their responses.

    No matter what season you’re in, you have to be intentional about finding love and being in the moment.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Rain soaked one of the most important marches to equality

    Rain soaked one of the most important marches to equality

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    During one of the most trying times in America, the Southeast’s weather did not help the ongoing battle for justice.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama occurred in 1965

    • It was an effort to register more Black voters in the South

    • Heavy rain soaked the protestors

    What was the Selma to Montgomery March?

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a huge achievement that ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion and sex.

    It helped strengthen the voting rights of African Americans in the South, but even so, many southern states continued to deny African Americans their right to vote.

    On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful protest for voting rights in Marion, Ala. turned deadly when white segregationists attacked the group. An Alabama state trooper shot an African American protester, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    In response, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a march from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama to shed more light to what was happening to the Black community and help their voting rights.

    Martin Luther King Jr. leads supporters to the voter registration drive in the rain.

    The beginning of the march

    The event began on March 1, 1965, with a voter registration drive. Pouring rain soaked the supporters and led to ponding on the roadways and sidewalks.

    Even these miserable conditions couldn’t stop the movement, as thousands of people prepared for the drive with raincoats, umbrellas and rain boots. This laid the foundation for one of the most important marches during the civil rights movement.

    On March 7, the march to Montgomery from Selma began and lasted over two weeks. This was because state troopers and segregationists tried to stop the protesters several times, leading to brief pauses in the march.

    On March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson showed his support for the march, and military personnel led the protesters the rest of the way, finally completing the march on March 25.

    A big win for racial equality

    After all of their hard work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It guaranteed the right to vote for all African Americans in every state.

    Southern states could no longer use literacy tests to stop African Americans from voting.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the greatest pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It provided another way for the voice of the Black community to be heard.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • Guion “Guy” Bluford: The first African American astronaut

    Guion “Guy” Bluford: The first African American astronaut

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    Guion Bluford was one of the most influential people in the space community, becoming the first African American to fly in space.

    What You Need To Know

    • Guy Bluford was the first African American to fly in space

    • He started his career as a pilot in the Air Force

    • He became an astronaut for NASA in 1979

    Bluford became intrigued with flying at a very early age. By high school, he knew he wanted to become an aeronautical engineer.

    Early life

    After getting his college degree, Bluford joined the Air Force and received his pilot wings in Jan. 1966 at the early age of 24.

    He soon became an instructor pilot and eventually entered the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, where he received his master’s degree in 1974 and a doctor of philosophy degree in aerospace engineering in 1978.

    Upon his graduation in 1974, he worked in the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory as a deputy until he was promoted to branch chief of the Aerodynamics and Airframe Branch.

    These successes led to his selection to the NASA astronaut program in 1978.

    It’s safe to say he never lost sight of his childhood dreams.

    Becoming a legend

    Guion stands on the launch pad with his crew weeks before his first mission in August of 1983. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

    After a year of training in the astronaut program, Bluford became an official astronaut in Aug.1979.

    Only four years later he flew his first mission aboard STS-8 on Aug. 30, 1983.

    His first trip to space was quick but came with many accomplishments, developing techniques for nighttime operations and deploying the Indian National Satellite.

    After 145 hours in space, the crew returned to Edwards Air Force Base on Sept. 5.

    Over the next 10 years, Bluford became the second, third and fourth African American in space, logging over 688 hours.

    After NASA

    In 1993, Bluford left NASA and retired from the Air Force to become the Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering Services Division of NYMA Inc., in Greenbelt, Maryland.

    After several more high-end jobs, he went on to become the President of Aerospace Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, a job that he still holds today.

    Bluford never stopped learning and pursuing the next level of his career. A brilliant man in the space and engineering community, Bluford became a leader and role model for many African Americans.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • Moon mountain named in honor of Melba Mouton

    Moon mountain named in honor of Melba Mouton

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    Few humans can say they were a part of the mission that allowed astronauts to land on the moon in 1969. Only the prestigious can claim they have a mountain in their name – not on earth, but on the moon.

    Melba Roy Mouton is now one of the handful of scientists and mathematicians that do.

    What You Need To Know

    • Melba Mouton was an accomplished Black mathematician and computer programmer for NASA from 1959 to 1973

    • Despite being a minority, her strong leadership skills and willpower allowed her to excel in a groundbreaking career

    • One of Mouton’s biggest successes includes her contributions to the Apollo 11 Moon landing

    • NASA recently named a mountain on the moon in honor of her

    While Melba Mouton was not one of the “hidden figures” unveiled and featured for their success at NASA during the late 1950s and 1960s, her story is no different. As a Black female working in a prominently male-dominated field, she too faced the brutal reality of discrimination.

    Yet, her relentless determination and curiosity allowed her to overcome obstacles. All of which lead her to become a prominent leader as a mathematician and computer programmer in the Space Race era.

    The life of Melba Mouton

    Melba Mouton was born in the late 1920s and spent much of her childhood in Virginia during the difficult times of the Great Depression and Word War II. Despite this, she still pursued her passion for math.

    She attended the historically Black college, Howard University, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mathematics.

    Mouton began her NASA career at the Goddard Space Flight Center in 1959. By the early 1960s, she worked as a lead computer programmer for the Mission and Trajectory Analysis Division’s Program Systems Branch, to compute where spacecraft were in orbit and their trajectories.

    This eventually put her as the head mathematician, helping to track the Echo 1 and 2 satellites.

    (Photo by NASA)

    NASA awarded Mouton the Apollo Achievement Award for all of her contributions toward the famed Apollo 11 mission, that allowed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to first step foot on the moon (while third crewmember Michael Collins piloted the command module).

    Ending her career at NASA as the Assistant Chief of Research Programs for the agency’s Trajectory and Geodynamics Division, Mouton finally retired in 1973. Years later, doctors diagnosed Mouton with brain cancer and she passed away in 1990 at age 61.

    What’s in a name

    On Feb. 15, 2023, NASA announced they would name a mountain on the moon after Mouton in honor of all her accomplishments during her time at the agency. With all mountains on the moon referred to as mons, “Mons Mouton” is now the official name of the lunar mountain near the South Pole.

    Naming a mountain, or any other topographic features, on the moon isn’t as easy as you think. NASA can only suggest potential names, but it does not have the final say in determining whether the name is confirmed.

    Only the International Astronomical Union (IAU) can approve a name and there’s a designated committee that handles that: the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN).  

    The WGPSN has certain guidelines it must follow when accepting and choosing a name, whether it be a mountain on the moon or any other astronomical object. To view the set of rules they must abide by, click here.

    According to NASA, the IAU declared that the name for lunar mountains must reflect “scientists who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their fields.”

    Given all her accomplishments in the field, it makes sense that the name Mouton was a strong candidate, and thus, approved by the IAU.

    The future of Mons Mouton

    Since Mons Mouton has a relatively flat top, NASA claims it is one of the potential landing spots for Artemis III, the first manned mission to the moon, scheduled in 2026.

    Although Mons Mouton will first serve as the location for NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission set to happen later in 2024. 

    Please be sure to check out the tribute video NASA put together honoring Melba Mouton, while discussing its plans for Mons Mouton as a potential landing and research site on the moon.

    Whether Mons Mouton is the selected landing site for the Artemis III mission or not, the gesture of honoring one of NASA’s greatest scientists comes full circle. With all her efforts to get us to the moon, it is only fitting that her name and her legacy earn a spot among the stars.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shawnie Caslin

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  • Weather Explained: Groundhog Day

    Weather Explained: Groundhog Day

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    Groundhog Day is arguably the biggest weather holiday of the year. On Feb. 2 each year, Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania. Thousands of people gather around, curious to know if Phil sees his shadow.

    As the legend has it, when Phil sees his shadow, it means there are six more weeks of winter ahead of us. No shadow indicates an early spring.

    Phil has forecast the weather on Groundhog Day for more than 120 years. But as it turns out, he isn’t that good at his job.

    Watch the video above to see how many times he’s gotten the forecast wrong and find out how we came to rely on Phil in the first place.

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    Meteorologist Nick Merianos

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  • Meteorologist or imposter: Probing groundhogs’ precision

    Meteorologist or imposter: Probing groundhogs’ precision

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    Are our rodent friends really as accurate as they think?

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    Meteorologist Zach Covey

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