US airlines cancel more than 2,500 weekend flights largely due to government shutdown

US airlines cancel more than 2,500 weekend flights largely due to government shutdown

U.S. airlines have canceled more than 2,500 weekend flights mostly because of the government shutdown and the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce air traffic. The slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports will head into its third day Sunday. So far there have not been any widespread disruptions. FlightAware reports that cancellations jumped Saturday to more than 1,500, following just over 1,000 the previous day. By Saturday evening airlines already had canceled another 1,000-plus Sunday flights.… Continue Reading

Federal judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits in November

Federal judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits in November

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November. The ruling Thursday was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit. The Trump administration said last month that it would not pay benefits at all for November because of the federal shutdown. Last week, two judges ordered the government to pay at least partial benefits using an emergency fund.… Continue Reading

North Carolina’s largest city reelects mayor after fallout over train stabbing

North Carolina’s largest city reelects mayor after fallout over train stabbing

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Voters in Charlotte, North Carolina, have reelected Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles after safety concerns in the city increased following a recent stabbing on a commuter train. Lyles won comfortably on Tuesday against Republican and Libertarian challengers. The August killing of a young Ukrainian woman sparked outrage and intensified the focus on crime during the campaign. The Republican-controlled state legislature passed a law in September addressing some criminal justice issues stemming from what happened. Lyles has highlighted additional safety measures for the light rail system. Charlotte hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 2007.… Continue Reading

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing in North Carolina

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing in North Carolina

RAEFORD, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina deputy has shot and killed a 13-year-old boy who was wanted in the death of his grandmother. Authorities say the teenager had picked up a piece of lumber during a chase and charged at the Lee County sheriff’s deputy. The events began Thursday in nearby Hoke County, where deputies found 68-year-old Connie Linen dead in her home. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says the boy ran when authorities later found him behind an abandoned mobile home. The State Bureau of Investigation will review the shooting that killed the boy.… Continue Reading

North Carolina lawmaker accused of sex crimes resigns from state House

North Carolina lawmaker accused of sex crimes resigns from state House

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina state legislator accused by authorities of sex-related crimes involving a 15-year-old has resigned from the General Assembly. Cecil Brockman’s resignation letter late Friday came just after the House speaker formally announced a committee to investigate Brockman’s alleged misconduct. House leaders from both parties, along with Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, had urged Brockman to resign since his arrest three weeks ago. Brockman had served in the House since 2015. He wrote that he needed to focus on defending himself. Democrats in Brockman’s district will now choose someone to serve out his two-year term.… Continue Reading

Johnston County sheriff says a North Carolina suspect may have killed 4 of his children over several months

Johnston County sheriff says a North Carolina suspect may have killed 4 of his children over several months

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina man charged with killing four of his children after human remains were found in the trunk of a vehicle believe the slayings occurred over several months. Wellington Delano Dickens III contacted authorities Monday and told them he had killed his children and where to find the bodies at his home near Raleigh. Authorities say the victims include three of his biological children, aged 6, 9, and 10, and his 18-year-old stepchild. Investigators now believe the deaths started in May and continued through September. No motive has been identified. Dickens is being held without bond and an investigation is ongoing.… Continue Reading

Duke University study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

Duke University study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

DETROIT (AP) — Producing and manufacturing electric vehicles and their batteries uses a lot of energy, leading many to be skeptical about the environmental benefits of going electric. But a new study says that after two years of use, EVs have a cleaner bottom line than gas-powered vehicles. The study also found gasoline vehicles lead to two to three times more damage to the climate and air quality than EVs in the long term. The work offers insight into a transportation sector that makes up a big part of U.S. emissions. Researchers from Northern Arizona University and Duke University published their findings Wednesday in the journal PLOS Climate.… Continue Reading

A North Carolina man is charged with 4 murder counts after telling authorities he killed his kids

A North Carolina man is charged with 4 murder counts after telling authorities he killed his kids

ZEBULON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man who told authorities he killed four of his children and that the bodies were in the trunk of a vehicle at his home has been charged with one murder count. Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Wellington Delano Dickens III is charged with one count of murder and is being held without bond in the Johnston County Jail. It says sheriffs deputies found human remains in his garage after he dialed 911 on Monday evening. Multiple additional charges were anticipated, according to the news release.… Continue Reading

Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener

Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener

One of the most economical and practical things you can do for the plants in your landscape and vegetable garden is to start a compost pile. We’ve discussed it fairly often on the “WPTF Weekend Gardener” over the last 40 years. The first step is to find a relatively shady well-drained location in your back yard. You don’t have to buy a container, just build your own or find a proper spot on the ground. A wire cylinder 3 to 4 feet in diameter will work or build a three-sided box that’s 4 to 5-feet high and wide. However, if you prefer, ready-made bins are easy to find.… Continue Reading

Black enrollment is waning at many elite colleges after affirmative action ban, AP analysis finds

Black enrollment is waning at many elite colleges after affirmative action ban, AP analysis finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Associated Press analysis finds that the number of Black students enrolling at many elite colleges has dropped in the two years since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in admissions. New enrollment figures from 20 selective colleges provide mounting evidence of a backslide in Black enrollment. Many campuses have also seen decreases in Hispanic enrollment, though they have been more scattered and less pronounced. At Princeton and some others, the number of new Black students has fallen by nearly half. Some colleges attribute it to natural fluctuations. Some students say the changes are too big to ignore.… Continue Reading

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