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Engineers frustrated with rails even as others get sick time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tens of thousands of engineers remain frustrated with the lack of paid sick time and the demands railroads like BNSF are making in negotiations despite the deals that have been made this year for most of the other rail unions.The lack of sick time and other quality of life concerns about the demanding schedules train crews work took center stage in the negotiations last fall that reached the brink of a strike before Congress intervened and blocked a walkout. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union says the railroads are still asking for too much in return for sick time instead of just providing the basic benefit it believes workers are entitled to.“They want to talk the money out of our pocket somewhere else and give it back to us in the form of sick time,” said Rob Cunningham, one of the BLET’s general chairmen who is leading the negotiations with BNSF.The BLET’s frustrations generally extend to all the major freight railroads, but ...

Weekend Break: Midwest Nice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

WGN's Marcella Raymond is back in today's Weekend Break with a visit to Midwest Nice in Lincoln Sqaure which showcases local artists' work.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Sunday Brunch: Crab cakes benedict

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

Executive Chef Gabriel Miranda of Citrine joins WGN Weekend Morning News to make crab cakes benedict.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

'There were kids down there': Survivor describes collapse at Colorado resort

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- An HVAC system collapsed and injured six people at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Saturday in Colorado.Of the six people who were injured, two had life-threatening injuries and four had non-life-threatening injuries.According to the Aurora Fire Department, the collapse happened around 9:50 a.m.Jamie Olson, who took a video showing the collapse's aftermath, told Nexstar's KDVR her son had just gotten out of the hot tub when the system collapsed directly on top of it and the rest of the pool."We were right on the outside of the hot tub, and just kind of heard a big groan, and we looked up," she said, "and it was just like a domino effect. One side collapsed, and then it caused the other side to collapse." 6 people injured after collapse at Gaylord Rockies resort Olson said a black sludge that poured out the ceiling, and her husband saw two kids covered in it."I think that's the scariest part was that there were kids down there that couldn'...

The Postal Service wants you to leave food at your mailbox on May 13, here's why

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL) – The largest food drive in the United States has been held in 10,000 cities and towns across 50 states for 30 years, and donating food is as easy as leaving nonperishable food items next to your mailbox.The National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive began as a discussion in 1991, when NALC leaders and Postmaster General Anthony Frank began to conceptualize a food drive to feed the hungry in 10 American cities. The first drive was so successful that plans to make it a nationwide effort began immediately. Suggestions from food banks and pantries helped the NALC determine that late spring is when food banks need supplies the most, as they are beginning to run out of Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday donations. USPS aims to only buy electric delivery vehicles from 2026 on The second Saturday in May, 1993 saw all 50 states participate and the results were astounding: a record-breaking 11+ million pounds of food were collected in one day.By 2010, NALC fo...

Texas outlet mall shooting leaves community in mourning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

ALLEN, Texas (AP) — Another American community mourned Sunday for lives lost to a mass shooting — this time at a Dallas-area outlet mall where a gunman stepped out of a sedan and opened fire on shoppers.Eight people were killed and seven wounded Saturday in suburban Allen before the assailant was killed by a police officer who happened to be nearby, authorities said.John Mark Caton, senior pastor at Cottonwood Creek Church, about two miles from the mall, offered prayers during his weekly service for victims, first responders and the shoppers and employees who “walked out past things they never should have seen.”“Some of our people were there. Some perhaps in this room. Some of our students were working in those stores and will be changed forever by this,” Caton said.Recalling phone conversations with police officers, he said: “There wasn’t an officer that I talked to yesterday that at some point in the call didn’t cry.”The church planned an evening prayer vigil in the aftermath of t...

BPD: 7 dead after driver intentionally runs over them in front of migrant shelter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) - Brownsville police say seven people are dead Sunday morning and it appears they were intentionally run over by a motorist.The incident happened at 8:30 a.m. near Minnesota Road and North Bernal Road in front of the Ozanam Center, which is a shelter for migrants and homeless. Lt. Martin Sandoval said seven victims died at the scene who died and another four to six victims were taken to area hospitals.Sandoval said the driver was arrested on charged with reckless driving. Sandoval said more charges will likely be filed. He said it is looking more and more like an intentional act.A woman who happen to drive by the scene said she saw several bodies covered on the road, plus another victim being put into an ambulance. She also saw several ladies praying nearby.Sandoval said the area will remain closed for several more hours to all traffic and officers are asking drivers to find alternative routes.A badly damaged gray Range Rover is in the middle of th...

CU Boulder student, 76, lands degree after more than five decades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

More than five decades after she enrolled in her first college course, Rita Garson is about to achieve her lifelong goal of becoming a college graduate.University of Colorado Boulder student Rita Garson is set to graduate at age 76 on May 11, five decades after she started college (Photo Provided By Rita Garson)Garson didn’t need to go back to college. She had a successful career and life, working for multiple companies before she started her own medical publishing company, all while raising three kids and becoming a grandmother.Garson said going back to school to get her degree is something she wanted to do for herself.“It’s for me,” Garson said. “It’s not for anyone else except for me.”At 76 years old, Garson will be the second-oldest person to obtain an undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado Boulder since 1988. She comes in behind a 77-year-old woman who graduated in 1996, according to the CU Office of Data Analytics. The office’s digital records only go back to 1988,...

The global significance of Chinese Modernization

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

Realizing modernization is a relentless pursuit of the Chinese people since modern times began. It is also the common aspiration of people of all countries. In pursuing modernization, a country needs to follow certain general patterns. More importantly, it should proceed from its own realities and develop its own features. After a long and arduous quest, China has found a development path that suits its conditions. China is now building a strong country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. While pursuing its own development, China will also add more positive energy to world peace and create more opportunities for global development.The Chinese modernization with such a huge population will be a stronger boost for global economic recovery. Over the past 40-plus years since reform and opening up, the Chinese government has lifted over 800 million people out of poverty and enlarged the middle-income group to over 400 million people....

19th annual Orange County Marathon kicks off 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:37 GMT

The 19th annual Orange County Marathon kicked off Sunday, with tens of thousands of runners expected to turn out for this year's event. Adults, children and even dogs were out supporting their friends and family at the race, which starts at Fashion Island and ends at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Despite the wild weather that the area has endured recently, the sun came out just in time for the run. “We’ve had crazy weather this whole year, but we got blessed with perfect running weather today,” said race organizer Gary Kutcher.  For more information, visit the O.C. Marathon website.