NATICK (CBS) — Environmental authorities are investigating reports of foul-smelling discharge in the the Charles River. Natick said Thursday there have been reports of “abnormal odors, fish kill, and an oil sheen in the Charles River spanning Natick, Sherborn, and Medfield.” The town has looked into its wastewater facilities and says there are operating normally. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is checking local sewer siphons. “At this time, the Town recommends the suspension of all boating, fishing, and swimming activity on the Charles River in Natick,” the town said. The Charles River Watershed Association, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Environmental Police are also aware of the issue. … [Read more...]

6 Cities looking to boost their transit options are giving special fast bus routes a fresh look - an effort buoyed by hundreds of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funds that could get another boost if Congress passes an infrastructure package. The Federal Transit Administration last year awarded $375 million to help build the lines, known as bus rapid transit (BRT) - the largest sum in a decade, according to agency records. In a pipeline of almost 50 transit projects seeking federal investment in the coming years, 34 are for the bus lines. Eighteen projects under construction or in planning phases shared $185 million in funds from the most recent coronavirus relief package. The lines take the humblest form of public transit, the city bus, and supercharge it using a combination of technology, road redesigns and route planning tweaks. The bus projects are gaining steam as federal transportation officials prioritize modes of … [Read more...]

Democratic candidate for Ohio's 11th congressional district Shontel Brown appears to be gaining ground on frontrunner Nina Turner in the race's Democratic primary, according to a new poll. Forty-one percent of likely primary voters backed Turner in the poll, while 36 percent threw their support behind Brown. The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent, was conducted by the Mellman Group for the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC. The group has endorsed Brown and has poured money into television advertising ahead of the race. Jewish Insider was the first outlet to report on the survey . ADVERTISEMENT The poll is the latest to show a tightening race between Turner and Brown. An internal poll from Brown's campaign showed Turner leading 43 percent to 36 percent, marking a 26 point jump for Brown since April. Meanwhile, another recent poll from the Washington Free Beacon showed Turner and Brown both tied at 33 percent. Brown's allies have … [Read more...]

LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) – The body of an adult male was recovered from Westerdoll Lake on Thursday night. Police were called to the lake about 8:30 p.m. on reports that a person was missing in the water. It is believed he fell out of a canoe. (credit: Loveland Fire Rescue) Police said that the missing man was reported by another man who emerged from the lake with a canoe or kayak. The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Dive Team responded to the lake. READ MORE: Staffing Shortages Could Force Schools Districts To Cut Bus Routes Divers found the body of the man about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, about an hour after he was reported missing. (credit: Loveland Fire Rescue) The identity of the deceased has not been released. READ MORE: 'It Affects Everybody': Crews Work To Mitigate Damage From Poudre Canyon Flooding The Loveland Police Criminal Investigations Unit is assisting with the investigation. Loveland Police investigating death of male recovered from Westerdoll … [Read more...]

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) – School districts are no different than many businesses facing a worker shortage. “The people are wonderful, the children are wonderful,” Katie Jeter, JeffCo Public Schools Director of Resources said. READ MORE: Man Found Dead In Westerdoll Lake After Being Reported Missing Like many districts in the Denver metro area, JeffCo Public Schools is working to fill as many open positions as they can before school starts in a month. (credit: CBS) “It’s tough right now,” Jeter said. She estimated they have close to 100 vacancies — just in food services. Support staff positions, such as workers in the kitchen, custodial, and transportation, seem to have the greatest shortage of applicants. (credit: CBS) “We had older drivers who had fears of underlining health issues, Greg Jackson, JeffCo Exec. Dir. of Transportation said. (credit: CBS) Jackson told CBS4 that COVID-19 drove some bus drivers into early retirement. There currently … [Read more...]

The modern American slaughterhouse is a very different place from the one that Upton Sinclair depicted in his early-20th-century novel, “The Jungle.” Many are giant, sleek refrigerated assembly lines, staffed mostly by unionized workers who slice, debone and “gut snatch” hog and beef carcasses, under constant oversight of government inspectors. The jobs are often grueling and sometimes dangerous, but pork and beef producers boast about having some of the most heavily sanitized work spaces of any industry. Yet meat plants, honed over decades for maximum efficiency and profit, have become major “hot spots” for the coronavirus pandemic, with some reporting widespread illnesses among their workers. The health crisis has revealed how these plants are becoming the weakest link in the nation’s food supply chain , posing a serious challenge to meat production. After decades of consolidation, there are about 800 federally inspected slaughterhouses in the United States, … [Read more...]