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University files $1M lawsuit after janitor turns off research freezer over 'annoying' alarm

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

(The Hill) - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute filed a $1 million suit this month against a cleaning firm after one of its janitor turned off a laboratory freezer, ruining years of research that “had the potential to be groundbreaking,” according to the suit.The janitor, the suit says, was annoyed by an alarm from the freezer and turned it off, causing the fragile cell structures inside to be damaged by temperature changes. Daigle Cleaning Systems, who employs the janitor, is being sued for damages and legal fees.The Troy, N.Y., university alleges that Daigle improperly trained and prepared the janitor to work around fragile lab materials.Lab materials in the freezer were kept at -80 degrees Celsius, or -112 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer alarm would sound if the internal temperature rose or fell by two degrees from that point. The alarm sounded on Sept. 14, 2020, but freezer maintenance workers couldn’t reach the unit due to COVID-19 protocols at the time.Researchers determ...

5 teens killed when car crashes into Florida retention pond

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Five teenagers were killed when their car ran off a curving street and landed in a southwest Florida retention pond where it went underwater, authorities said.It happened either late Sunday or early Monday, killing everyone inside. The crumpled Kia sedan was pulled from the water on Monday.On Tuesday morning, Fort Myers Police confirmed their identities as Eric Paul, 19; Jackson Eyre, 18; Amanda Ferguson, 18; Breanna Coleman, 18; and Jesus Salinas, 18. Americans are hiding their credit card debt The News-Press in Fort Myers reported that Paul, Eyre, Ferguson and Coleman worked together at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, and had gone out together to get fast food after finishing their Sunday night shifts. The steakhouse was closed Monday so their friends and families could grieve together at a dinner where flowers were placed alongside their framed pictures.

Tourist filmed vandalizing Rome's Colosseum; officials vow to find, punish person responsible

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

(KTLA) – Officials in Italy have vowed to find and punish a tourist who was recently filmed defacing a wall of the Colosseum in Rome.A tourist from California was visiting the site Friday when he saw the man carving a message reading "Ivan+Haley 23” into the stone.“I was pretty upset," said Ryan Lutz, who spoke with Nexstar's KTLA.Lutz is currently on a two-month tour of Europe. He said he visited the Colosseum after becoming "entranced" by depictions of ancient Rome in movies and TV, citing "The Gladiator" as one of his favorites. "I wanted to see it and it came to life,” Lutz said.  Tourist from California fined for driving over medieval bridge in Italy But his visit was ruined when he spotted a man carving his name into one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Lutz recorded the tourist and said he confronted him, but the video shows the vandal grinning as he continues to carve with what appeared to be a set of keys.“You always hate to see any tourist doing that … You kind of...

EV startup Lordstown Motors files for bankruptcy

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

(The Hill) -- Lordstown Motors, a U.S.-based electric vehicle startup that launched with huge fanfare and financial backing five years ago, has filed for bankruptcy. In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Delaware bankruptcy court in an attempt to find a potential buyer, and said it remained confident that a future owner could take its Endurance truck and “multiple EV variants and take the product to the next level.” Lordstown blamed its financial situation on Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, which wavered on a $170 million earlier this year. And it filed a lawsuit against the company, called Hon Hai Precision Industry in Taiwan and China, for allegedly destroying its business. "Despite our best efforts and earnest commitment to the partnership, Foxconn willfully and repeatedly failed to execute on the agreed-upon strategy, leaving us with Chapter 11 as the only viable option to maximize the value of Lordstown's assets for the benefit o...

Family must leave wheelchair-accessible van in park after dealership fails to register it

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida family bought a wheelchair-accessible van for their disabled son, but more than three months after the purchase, they were forced to park it and can't legally drive it.Stan Smoczky and his wife love getting their 17-year-old son out of the house, but getting him in and out of their car is tough. "He's was born with a disability called porencephaly. Basically, he had a stroke while he was still in the womb, and it stopped the development of his left hemisphere," Smoczky said. Woman’s car totaled in her driveway by Amazon driver The Smoczky family decided to invest in a van that is wheelchair-accessible. They paid more than $10,000 for the van from Ocean Motorcars in March.Florida law requires dealers to register a car in the new owner's name within 30 days and allows for only two temporary tags. When the second tag expired on May 25, the family had to park the car.Smoczky says the dealership offered excuses and then stopped communicating."It's frustr...

Airline passenger allegedly assaulted flight attendant, demanded kiss to help him 'calm down'

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – An airline passenger is facing a federal charge after the FBI said he assaulted a flight attendant and demanded she kiss him on a trip to Las Vegas.William Morgan was on a Southwest Airlines flight from Palm Springs, California, to Las Vegas on Oct. 3, 2022, when the alleged incident occurred, an FBI agent stated in court documents.Morgan, who was one of about 100 passengers on the flight, got up from his seat about 20 minutes before landing and “demanded [the flight attendant] kiss him," documents said. He is also accused of assaulting a flight attendant, grabbing her by the shoulders and attempting to push her into a bathroom.“[The flight attendant] got up from her jump seat, at which point Morgan put his arms on her shoulders and demanded a kiss again before stating that he was going to have a panic attack if [the flight attendant] did not go into the bathroom with him,” documents said. Bumped from a flight? Here’s how much the airline may owe you Morgan also...

'Titanic' actor Lew Palter dies at 94: 'Loved the craft of acting'

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

(KTLA/NEXSTAR) – Lew Palter, an actor and theater coach perhaps best known for his role in the 1997 film “Titanic,” has passed away at the age of 94.Palter’s daughter confirmed the news this week in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, telling the outlet her father died at his Los Angeles home in May after a battle with lung cancer. The CalArts School of Theater, where Palter worked as an acting professor and director for over 40 years, had also announced his passing shortly after his death.“Lew loved the craft of acting, and taught his students to do the same,” the CalArts theatre department wrote in a post shared on Facebook and Twitter. “He fostered deep curiosity, care, intellect, and humor in every scene, play, and class. He had the utmost respect of his students, and encouraged all to find truth in their work and lives.” ‘Days of Our Lives’ actor Cody Longo's cause of death determined Palter, whose numerous credits include appearances on “Columbo,” “L.A. Law” and ...

US senator from Oklahoma challenges Teamsters general president to MMA fight

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (KFOR) -- U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-OK, has challenged the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to a mixed martial arts fight on Twitter.Mullin sits on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.In March, Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien testified in front of the committee.During that hearing, Mullin and O'Brien had a heated exchange on unions and intimidation, during which Mullin said, "I'm not afraid of a physical confrontation, in fact, sometimes I look forward to it." Mark Zuckerberg responds to Elon Musk cage match suggestion: ‘Send Me Location’ On June 21, O'Brien tweeted about Mullin several times, including a tweet that reads, "Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made. In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy. #LittleManSyndrome"Mullin replied June 26 with a challenge to an...

Kitten takes a wild ride underneath California woman's SUV

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

(KTLA) – A kitten in California wasted no time cashing in one of its nine lives.A Buena Park woman was driving last week when, according to the Orange County Fire Authority, she saw the kitten sitting in the middle of the road.She stopped her SUV to move the furball out of harm’s way, but by the time she got out, it had already disappeared, so she continued on with her day.“When she stopped at her destination she heard a kitten meowing, then heard it again when she got home later that day,” O.C. Fire Authority posted on Instagram.The woman knew the kitten was hiding somewhere in the car, but she couldn’t figure out exactly where. So she decided to stop by Fire Station 61 and ask for help.The frightened kitten was found hiding in the underbody of the woman's SUV. (Orange County Fire Authority)Firefighters jacked up the SUV and got to work removing parts of the underbody. Sure enough, they found the terrified kitten and removed it.“Happy to report the kitten was not injured and has al...

Dean's A-List Interview: Lana Condor, Annie Murphy on 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken'

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:00:14 GMT

CHICAGO — A new animated action-comedy film is on the way to theatres this week and it concerns a 16-year-old girl who defies her mother and finds out something about her family's history."Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" is out in theatres on Friday with Lana Candor providing the voice of Ruby and Annie Murphy doing the same for Chelsea Van Der Zee, a mermaid-turned-human who is a popular classmate of Ruby.Dean Richards spoke to both actresses on Tuesday's edition of "Dean's A-List Interview" as he talked about the film along with other works during their careers. You can watch his conversation with Annie and Lana from the June 27 WGN Morning News in the video above.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!