The US Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued an advisory urging freight rail companies to inspect protective coverings over pressure relief valves in the wake of a February 3 train derailment in Ohio. This advisory follows the release of a toxic chemical and ongoing cleanup efforts, as well as concerns from area residents about air and drinking water safety. The PHMSA hopes to ensure that freight rail companies are taking the necessary safety measures to protect the public from any potential risks.
News Mash
A man in Charlotte County, Florida has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba infection believed to have been contracted after rinsing his sinuses with tap water. The infection is caused by the single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri, which thrives in warm temperatures and is most commonly found in soil and fresh water. The Florida Department of Health is conducting an epidemiological investigation and urging people to take precautions to avoid infection.
The House Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Representative George Santos, focusing on whether he has engaged in any unlawful activity related to his 2022 congressional campaign, failed to properly disclose required information, violated federal conflict of interest laws, and/or engaged in sexual misconduct. The committee has not released any further details, and Santos has not yet commented on the investigation. It is unclear how long the investigation will take or what the outcome may be.
Alex Murdaugh, a former prominent attorney, is on trial for the double murder of his wife and son in South Carolina. The jury is made up of 11 members, with one alternate remaining after five jurors were removed from the panel over the six-week trial. Defense attorney Jim Griffin has accused law enforcement of botching the investigation and fabricating evidence to pin the crimes on Murdaugh. The jury is expected to begin deliberations soon and if convicted, Murdaugh could face life in prison.
Wayne Shorter, an influential jazz innovator and tenor saxophonist, died Thursday at the age of 85. He was a foundational member of two seminal jazz groups, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet, and released more than 25 albums over eight decades. He won 11 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame, and was a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award and the Polar Music Prize.
Four new members of Congress have expressed their views on what can be accomplished in the new Congress, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) supporting D.C. statehood and home-rule, but not the changes the D.C. Council put forward. President Biden has said he would not veto the Republican-led resolution to roll back these changes, which have been criticized by Republicans for lowering the maximum sentences for certain crimes. If passed, the resolution could soon be enacted.
Prince George's County Police Department has arrested 47-year-old Patrick Wojahn, former mayor of College Park, Maryland, on 56 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography. The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified the police department of a social media account distributing suspected child pornography. Wojahn, who had been mayor since 2013 and a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2007 to 2015, resigned from his position the same day. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the department's Child and Vulnerable Adult Unit.
The House Ethics Committee has voted to create an investigative subcommittee to investigate allegations of misconduct by Representative George Santos. The panel, chaired by Rep. Jackie Speier, will have the authority to review documents, take testimony, and issue subpoenas. The subcommittee will report its findings and recommendations to the full Ethics Committee, which will then decide whether to take further action.