Midwest sees surge in calls to poison control centers amid bumper crop of wild mushrooms
The warm, soggy summer across much of the Midwest has produced a bumper crop of wild mushrooms โ and a surge in calls to poison control centers.
Lawsuits under New York's new voting rights law reveal racial disenfranchisement even in blue states
A new voting rights law in New York is already having a dramatic effect, with lawsuits in several local communities seeking to reverse decades of minority voter disenfranchisement.
Gulf Coast petrochemical growth draws billions in tax breaks despite pollution violations
A new report by the Environmental Integrity Project compiled data on every U.S. plastics plant built, expanded or proposed since 2012, revealing massive growth in Texas.
Texas companies reported releasing 1 million pounds of excess pollution during recent cold snap
Called โupsetโ events, companies are required to tell the state when they emit pollution above what their permits allow.
โI donโt wish this on anyoneโ: Two families mourn their losses after a record year for Texas heat deaths
More than 300 Texans died from heat in 2023, the most since the state began tracking such deaths in 1989.
Couple finds thousands of dead fish washed up along Texas beach, video shows
A couple walking along a Texas beach came across a sea of shock Friday morning after finding thousands of dead fish washed up along the shore.
On tap: Booze still allowed on Amtrak in New Hampshire
Riders on an Amtrak train that runs from Maine to Boston can continue buying alcoholic beverages during the 35-mile stretch of the trip that goes through New Hampshire as officials work out a โcreative solutionโ to avoid violating a state liquor law.
Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' sells 3.2M copies in 1st week
Prince Harryโs โSpareโ has sold more than 3.2 million copies worldwide after just one week of publication and will likely rank among the among the bestselling memoirs of all time.
Father of missing US Air Force member finds sonโs body on Southeast Texas beach
The body of a U.S. Air Force member who was pulled by a rip current on a Southeast Texas beach was found by his father after a nearly 48-hour search.
March US incomes surge as relief rolls out, spending jumps
U.S. consumer spending rose at the fastest pace in nine months while incomes soared by a record amount in March, reflecting billions of dollars in government support payments aimed at putting the country firmly on the road to recovery.
L.L. Bean sees sales boom amid pandemic's push to outdoors
Bean saw the best sales in nearly a decade during pandemic. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)FREEPORT, Maine โ With Americans hunkering down and hankering to get outdoors during the pandemic, L.L. Bean recorded its best annual sales growth in nearly a decade, the company said Friday. During the pandemic, L.L. Bean closed all of its stores for 100 days but online and catalog sales remained strong.
Scientists decry death by 1,000 cuts for world's insects
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)The worldโs vital insect kingdom is undergoing โdeath by a thousand cuts,โ the worldโs top bug experts said. Wagner said scientists need to figure out if the rate of the insect loss is bigger than with other species. Insects โare absolutely the fabric by which Mother Nature and the tree of life are built,โ Wagner said. Scientists have identified 1 million insect species, while probably 4 million more are still to be discovered, Berenbaum said. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Instituteโs Department of Science Education.
Deadly microbe water warning lifted for all but 1 Texas city
LAKE JACKSON, Texas โ Texas officials on Saturday lifted a warning for all but one Houston-area community to stop using tap water because it might be tainted with a deadly brain-eating microbe. The authority initially warned eight communities not to use tap water for any reason except to flush toilets, but on Saturday it lifted that warning for all communities but Lake Jackson. The advisory will remain in place until the authority's water system has been thoroughly flushed and tests on water samples show the system's water is again safe to use. The authority said in a statement that it was unclear how long it would be before the tap water was again safe. The contamination of U.S. treated public water systems by the microbe is rare but not unheard of.
With primary win, Gideon reaps $3.7M more for Collins fight
House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, greets news media near a polling station, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in Portland, Maine. Gideon is one of three Democrat candidates seeking the party's nomination for U.S. Senate in the July 14 primary. The fund was created for Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins eventual challenger during the Senate fight over Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court confirmation in 2018. Creators of the fund said it would be turned over if Collins voted to confirm Presidential Donald Trump's controversial appointee. With the additional funding, Gideons fundraising haul will approach $27 million, compared to Collins $16.2 million.
Democrat Gideon wins primary, will face GOP Sen Collins
House speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, speaks to news media near a polling station, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in Portland, Maine. Gideon is one of three Democrat candidates seeking the party's nomination for U.S. Senate in the July 14 primary. Gideon, whos raised a staggering $23 million in her Senate bid, turned back challenges by activist Betsy Sweet and attorney Bre Kidman. Gideon raised $9 million in the last quarter, extending her fundraising advantage over Collins. Democrats need to gain at least three seats to capture Senate control.