4 Americans Kidnapped in Mexico

Photo captured from CNN

Last Friday, 4 U.S. citizens driving in a car with a North Carolina license plate went missing in the border city of Mexico, Matamoros, the FBI said. The FBI has stated that this is likely kidnapping involving guns. The four had entered Matamoros across from Brownsville, Texas on Friday and were traveling in a white minivan, the photo showed.

An innocent Mexican citizen was killed in the incident, US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement on Monday. “We have no higher priority than the safety of our citizens,” Salazar said. “This is the most fundamental role of the US government. Officials from various US law enforcement agencies are working with Mexican authorities at all levels of government to achieve the safe return of our compatriots.”

The situation and identities of the 4 missing U.S. citizens are unknown at this time. CBS News reports, “One woman, walking on her own, was forced into a white pickup truck. Men armed with long guns and wearing bulletproof vests are then seen dragging one person after another into the vehicle.”

The FBI San Antonio Division office has asked for public help from anyone who has witnessed this incident or knows the whereabouts of the 4 U.S. citizens. The agency announced a reward of $50,000 for their return and the arrest of those involved.

They had traveled to the border city of Matamoros for medical procedures, CNN reports, citing receipts found in the vehicle. The US State Department has issued a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory for US citizens thinking of going to Tamaulipas, citing crime and kidnapping.

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Dude Causes Metrobus Crash into Jewelry Store

On Thursday, March 2, 2023, WMATA transit police confirmed that a Metrobus crashed into a jewelry store on the weekend, caused by a man who was driving a van. He has been charged with unsafe lane change, failure to control speed to avoid a collision, improper right turn, and failure to wear corrective lens.

The event occurred at approximately 9:30 AM on Thursday morning in Wheaton.

What a crash.

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Boston Man Killed by Four Way Crash

A Boston man by the name of Mohammed Islam (21) died in a four-way crash when he entered the wrong way in Washington D.C. last week, authorities in Washington D.C. said Monday. He drove his 2019 Tesla Model 3 around 7:50 a.m. on February 21 near the 3000 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW. Mr. Islam crossed over the two solid yellow lines in the opposite direction, the northbound travel lane hit by Toyota C-HR (2018), Mercedes-Bens ML-350 (2010), was head and Chevrolet Equinox (2017) hit the passenger side of the Tesla.

“DC Fire and Emergency Medical Service responded to the scene and transported the 4 occupants of the Tesla, the driver of the Toyota, and the driver of the Mercedes to an area hospital for treatment of injuries,” and “On Sunday, Feb.26, 2023, the driver of the Tesla succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.” police said in an announcement.

Police asked for more detail about this incident and the information in public. Anyone with information about the crash should call the police at 202-727-9099.

 

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Congress Wants to Block New D.C. Criminal Laws: Too Soft, They Say

On the morning of the last day of February at Columbia Heights in D.C., sirens were wailing on the 14th and Meridian Place, NW. One incident happened in the area around 11:30 p.m. on Monday night, and police were involved in a shooting. According to the DC Police Department’s Twitter, Police shot at a suspect who was said to be armed, and the suspect fled, shot, and killed himself. On its Twitter account, “Assistant Chief Parsons provides an update on the officer-involved shooting in the 1400 block of Park Road NW.” Additional information is not yet available.

Recent Criminal code reformation in DC is bringing more attention to the lawmakers in the Capitol. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader of the House said that “D.C.’s radical local government” has failed to control crime in the city. According to DCist.com, Congress blocked the bill from taking effect.

“The D.C. Council has responded to the crime wave, listen to this, with a new bill to make the city even softer on crime. It lowers maximum penalties for violent crimes and creates new ways to shorten the sentences of incarcerated felons. Well, the good news is the Constitution actually gives the Congress final say over issues in our nation’s capital,” Rep. McConnell added.

“When the soft-on-crime local government has become this completely incompetent when members of Congress cannot go about their daily lives without being attacked and families cannot come [to] visit our Capitol in safety, then it’s about time our federal government provides some adult supervision,” he added.

United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) said on February 14 about this bill,

“Carjackings have increased consecutively five years year over year. In the past three years, the number of carjackings in the District of Columbia has tripled. Homicides— 200 homicides in the past two years. And today, in February, we’re running 20 percent ahead of where we were last year in terms of the number of homicides committed here in the District of Columbia. Sexual abuse is up 82 percent, motor vehicle theft [is] up 96 percent, and property theft, in general, is up 19 percent.

I implore my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join this effort. Let’s send our resolution of disapproval to President [Joe] Biden’s desk. I can’t believe that President Biden wants to encourage more crime here in the District of Columbia. Combating crime should not be a Republican or a Democrat issue— it should be a commonsense issue, a bipartisan issue.” The House passed this resolution and it will be debated and voted on the Senate floor in early March, according to Sen. Hagerty’s office website.

Both chambers are working to block D.C. City Council from implementing the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (RCCA) from taking effect, considering the laws within to be too liberal and too “dangerous.”

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Car-related Crime Soars in DC; even Police Cars are Unsafe

Recently, car-related crimes have surged in DC metropolitan areas, as evidenced by teens’ “Kia Challange” going on around the DMV area.

This time, the carjacking happened at 12:20 a.m. Monday at the Dupont Circle neighborhood. According to DC Police, the victim encountered a group of men armed with multiple cars. They got out of their vehicles, pointed guns at him, and stole the victim’s Porsche.

The stolen car is a gray 2013 Porsche Cayenne. Police didn’t release the suspect’s photos, videos, or the victim’s information.

Mayor Bowser joined with MPD on Feb. 23 to offer free steering wheel locks to District residents. Starting on Feb. 24, residents who own a 2011-2021 Kia or Hyundai vehicle became eligible to receive a carlock from a nearby MPD District station, as part of a partnership agreement with Kia and Hyundai. The move followed a social media challenge that encouraged car thieves to use a USB cable to steal these types of cars, leading to a significant upswing in such thefts. according to Georgetowner.com.

“Car theft is a serious problem – it’s incredibly stressful and often costly and time-consuming for the victims, and it’s dangerous to have these stolen cars on the road,” said Mayor Bowser. “I encourage all D.C. residents who own a 2011-2021 Kia or Hyundai to pick up their free steering wheel locks as soon as possible from a District station to prevent theft. As MPD and our public safety partners work together to prevent car theft and hold accountable those who are stealing cars in our city, this is one way we can work together to proactively prevent crime.”

D.C. Police patrol cars were also vandalized over the weekend in front of their downtown police headquarters by a person. According to a police report, after calling for help, the caller smashed the headlights and taillights of a marked van and cruiser.

If you have Kia or Hyundai 2013-2023 models, you can get free software updates to protect your car from these heinous criminals at your local dealership.

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50-Year-Old Woman Crashes Popeyes

A Georgia woman by the name of Belinda Miller (50) crashed into a Popeyes restaurant, making headline news locally to nationwide. Belinda found her favorite biscuits missing from her order at Popeyes after she opened up her food. The incident happened last Saturday around 7:45 p.m. Richmond County sheriff’s deputies in Augusta responded to an accident with injuries.

The restaurant manager told deputies that Ms. Miller drove her SUV into the east entrance after she became upset that her order did not have any biscuits. Miller’s order was corrected after her complaint, and she received biscuits prior to the incident, but she “was still not happy,” prior to the incident, Miller made several threats to staff, even calling and threatening to drive her car into the building,” According to USA Today.

One of the employees was standing by the entrance and was almost struck by the car during the incident, noted the deputies. Miller continuously hit the building until her car was stopped by debris, according to the arrest warrant. After crashing into the restaurant, Miller fled from the scene. Her car was later found at her home with front and end damage.

Miller was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault and criminal damage to property in the first degree.

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Winter Storm Olive will hit Northwest to Northeast in coming weekend

The National Weather Service predicts heavy snow and high winds in the Northwest coast to Northeast coast due to a winter storm, “Olive.” The winter storm will start in Northern California, specifically the Sierra Nevada mountains, and central California valleys with light snow from Wednesday night to next weekend.

Olive will bring gusts of up to 80 mph across the West and the High Plains states on Wednesday. Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, and most of Minnesota have heavy snow as well with 13 Fahrenheit temperatures until Thursday at 0 Fahrenheit. Michigan is under Winter Storm Warning until Thursday, February 23.

More than 150 million residents of southern states might deal with flash flooding with temperatures over 70 Fahrenheit. From this weekend to next weekend, residents will experience extreme weather conditions before cherry blossom season begins.

Travelers from the sky to roads need to be wary of special weather forecasts due to the varied weather patterns caused by Olive. Many flights will be canceled or delayed.

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Class Action Lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Escalating After Train Derailment

Lawsuits are being filed for damages arising from released toxic chemicals after the Norfolk Southern (NS) train derailed between eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, forcing thousands of locals to evacuate. On Wednesday, the plaintiffs’ law firm Morgan & Morgan filed a class-action suit in federal court in Ohio on behalf of two women living in East Palestine, near the derailment that happened on Feb. 5, 2023.

Following the derailment, NS said 20 of the more than 100 cars on the train were classified as carrying hazardous materials. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said 11 pressure tank cars carrying hazardous materials derailed, five of which were carrying vinyl chloride. At a Feb. 5 news conference, NTSB said a mechanical problem with a railcar axle caused the derailment. NTSB member Michael Graham said the three-member train crew received a detector alert about the mechanical defect “shortly before the derailment,” but said the Board was still working to determine which railcar experienced the problem. He said investigators identified the exact “point of derailment,” but did not disclose the location, according to Railwayage.com.

“Norfolk Southern discharged more cancer-causing Vinyl Chloride into the environment in the course of a week than all industrial emitters combined did in the course of a year,” the suit alleges, claiming that the company chose to burn the vinyl chloride, turning it into a highly toxic gas, rather than disposing of it safely.

“From chemicals that cause nausea and vomiting to a substance responsible for the majority of chemical warfare deaths during World War I, the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities are facing an unprecedented array of threats to their health,” Morgan & Morgan attorneys said in a statement.

The suit claims that “thousands of residents” in rural eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania could have been exposed to the toxins, According to CBS. At least six other lawsuits have been filed against the NS’s negligence and seeking payment for property damage, and economic loss due to the exposure to hazardous chemicals. According to CBS News Detroit, State, and local authorities are investigating the incident.

NS was in the news again Thursday when one of its trains derailed in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Roughly 30 cars came off the track, including one containing liquid chlorine, but local public safety officials said on Facebook that there is no evidence of a chemical spill. State and local authorities are investigating, according to CBS News Detroit.

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NASA’s Perseverance Rover Shows 10 Sample Tubes on Mars for Future Mission

Perseverance’s Portrait of the Sample Depot: An annotated version of the portrait captured by NASA’s Perseverance shows the location of the 10 sample tubes in the depot. The “Amalik” sample closest to the rover was about 10 feet (3 meters) away; the “Mageik” and “Malay” samples farthest away were approximately 197 feet (60 meters) from the rover. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.

NASA just announced the Perseverance rover began building a sample depot on Mars on December 21, 2022, and its 10 titanic tube samples at specific places were completed. The 10 sample tubes are on the surface of Mars where future missions of its “sample retrieval lander” will be part of the campaign, from another planet to Earth to study, according to NASA. “Perseverance built the depot at “Three Forks,” a location within Jezero Crater. Billions of years ago, a river flowed into the crater, carrying sediment that formed a steep, fan-shaped delta that the rover will drive up in the months ahead.”

The 10-tube samples for Mars are astrobiology that seeks the signs of ancient microbial life and the rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate for human exploration of the Red Planet. The first mission will be collecting and caching Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) are cooperating on this mission, and they will send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed tube samples from the surface to bring them to deep analysis.

Eight tubes are filled with rock and regolith (broken rock and dust), one is an atmospheric sample, and one is a witness tube. The rover photographed the depot using the Mastcam-Z camera on the top of its mast, or “head,” on Jan.31, 2023. The color has been adjusted to show the Martian surface closely as it would look to the human eyes. The rover collected 18 tube samples for backup originally.

JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Neils Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.

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Artificial Tears May Fatally Harm You with Unexpected Bacterial Infection

According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), EzriCare Artificial Tears may fatally harm you with a bacterial infection. Infections have been found in 50 patients in 11 states in the United States of America as of today and the CDC has recommended stopping this product immediately. CDC said that at least one death has been related to this EzriCare Artificial Tears eyedrop with infections.

After using this product, some patients lost their “vision permanently from ocular infections,  hospitalization and has even led to [the] death of one patient with bloodstream infection,” the CDC said. The CDC said it “recommends that clinicians and patients immediately discontinue the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears” until its investigations are completed by authorities.

EzriCare said it hasn’t received any consumer complaints or reports of adverse reactions related to the investigation or any word from any regulatory agencies about the probe, and it hasn’t been asked to conduct a recall.

According to CBS news, EzriCare said that “in an abundance of caution,” it strongly suggested that consumers stop using “any portions of EzriCare Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops you may have until we can discover more details about any potential safety concerns.”

Simmons Hanly Conroy, a national law firm is already seeking potential claimants, CBS news said.

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