Adrian J. Beach, an Alabama Real Estate Investor, Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud Conspiracy Involving Foreclosed Homes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 16, 2016 Adrian J. Beach, an Alabama Real Estate Investor, Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud Conspiracy Involving Foreclosed Homes


An Alabama real estate investor pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in southern Alabama, the Department of Justice announced today.

Adrian J. Beach admitted that he conspired with others to, among other things, defraud financial institutions, homeowners and others with a legal interest in rigged foreclosure properties, out of proceeds from foreclosure auctions. Beach is charged with participating in the conspiracy from January 2004 through March 2010. Financial institutions and homeowners suffered monetary losses as a result of the conspiracy.

“Adrian Beach schemed to rig home foreclosure auctions for his own benefit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse, head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Real estate investors should know that the division and its colleagues in law enforcement will hold them accountable for conspiring to defraud banks and homeowners by depriving them of competitive auctions.”

“Honesty and integrity in business practices are a hallmark of the American way and those who engage in illegal activities to obtain a business advantage which lines their pockets with ill-gotten gain will be held accountable by the FBI for their action,” said FBI Mobile Division Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky.

Beach is the fourteenth defendant prosecuted in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation of bid rigging and other fraudulent conduct in the Alabama real estate foreclosure industry.

The investigation into fraud and bid rigging in the Alabama real estate foreclosure industry is being conducted by the Washington Criminal II Section of the Antitrust Division, and the FBI’s Mobile Field Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Washington Criminal II Section of the Antitrust Division at 202-598-4000, call the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.htm.

These charges have been filed in connection with the president’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The president established the task force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information about the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Washington Criminal II Section of the Antitrust Division at 202-598-4000, call the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

GEO Specialty Chemicals Inc., a Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturer Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Aimed at Eliminating Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 16, 2016 GEO Specialty Chemicals Inc., a Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturer Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Aimed at Eliminating Competition


Company to pay $5 Million Criminal Fine

GEO Specialty Chemicals Inc., an Ohio company, has pleaded guilty for its role in a conspiracy to eliminate competition involving contracts to supply liquid aluminum sulfate to municipalities and pulp and paper manufacturers in the United States, the Department of Justice announced today.

GEO’s Water Treatment Chemicals Division, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a manufacturer and supplier of water treatment chemicals, including liquid aluminum sulfate. The company has admitted to conspiring to fix prices, rig bids, and allocate customers involving contracts for liquid aluminum sulfate, a coagulant used by municipalities to treat drinking and waste water, and by pulp and paper manufacturers in their manufacturing processes. GEO has been sentenced to pay a fine of $5 million. GEO is the first corporate defendant, and fourth defendant overall, to be charged with participation in this decade-and-a-half-long conspiracy. One individual previously pleaded guilty and two others have been indicted in connection with the conspiracy.

“GEO and its co-conspirators deprived municipalities and paper manufacturers of the competitive prices they rightly expected from their suppliers of liquid aluminum sulfate,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse, head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This prosecution continues our efforts to hold criminally responsible those who collude to cheat their customers.”

“The FBI is committed to protecting the American consumer’s right to expect the benefits of free and open competition. However, GEO Specialty Chemicals and their co-conspirators colluded to circumvent competitive bidding and independent pricing for liquid aluminum sulfate contracts, and conspired to raise prices by submitting artificially inflated bids to their customers,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher of the FBI’s Newark Division. “They also allocated customers in furtherance of their collusive scheme. By agreeing to violate both the spirit and the letter of the competitive process, GEO and others defrauded municipalities as well as pulp and paper companies out of millions of dollars.”

According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, from 1997 until 2011, GEO and its co-conspirators engaged in their collusive agreement by meeting to discuss each other’s liquid aluminum sulfate business, submitting intentionally losing bids to favor the intended winner of the business, withdrawing inadvertently winning bids, and discussing with each other prices to be quoted or bid to municipalities and pulp and paper manufacturers.

The investigation into price fixing, bid rigging, and customer allocation in the liquid aluminum sulfate industry is being conducted by the New York Office of the Antitrust Division and the FBI’s New Jersey Office. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging, or customer allocation in the sale and marking of liquid aluminum sulfate should contact the New York Office of the Antitrust Division at 212-335-8000, call the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.htm.

John Roger Lund, a Saratoga, CA dentist who police say ordered root canals and other unnecessary treatments is facing insurance fraud charges

Saratoga dentist charged with insurance fraud felonies
By Khalida Sarwari, ksarwari@community-newspapers.com
Posted: 06/16/2016 04:15:42 AM PDT | Updated: about 18 hours ago



A Saratoga dentist who police say ordered root canals and other unnecessary treatments is facing insurance fraud charges that could land him in jail for almost a decade if he's convicted.

John Roger Lund, 66, of Saratoga, was arraigned June 6 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose on 28 felony counts involving insurance fraud.

The longtime dentist is accused of performing "numerous unnecessary, invasive and expensive dental treatments" on at least 28 patients, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. The allegations stem from an investigation spearheaded by the California Dental Board following the scheme's discovery in 2012 by another dentist, Dr. Brandon Zeidler, who had purchased Lund's practice on Prospect Road and began researching his records.

According to the district attorney's office, Zeidler found numerous examples of patients who seemed to have had unnecessary procedures, including root canals, pulp caps and crowns. One patient, for example, had 18 root canals within a five-year period; an average person usually has only one or two such procedures--if any--during a lifetime.

Prosecutors believe Lund may have performed hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of such fraudulent procedures on the healthy teeth and gums of numerous patients. He would then charge both patients and their insurance companies for treatments later deemed to have been unnecessary or in some cases never performed at all, according to prosecutors.
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Many of Lund's patients are from Saratoga, Los Gatos and San Jose, according to prosecutor David Soares.

"I encourage people, if they suspect they're being overtreated by a provider--either a dentist or doctor or chiropractor, any licensed professional--that sometimes it's a good idea to seek a second opinion and make sure that they're not being overtreated for reasons unrelated to their well being," Soares said.

Lund's license has been suspended. Prosecutors said that, if convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison. He is due back in court Aug. 8 for a plea entry hearing.

A fast-moving brush fire that broke out in Santa Barbara County has grown to 1,250 acres Thursday, threatening structures and prompting evacuations.

Sherpa Fire in Santa Barbara County grows to 1,250 acres, 101 Fwy reopened





A fast-moving brush fire that broke out in Santa Barbara County grew to more than 1,000 acres as it threatened homes and prompted evacuations. (KABC)





By Marc Cota-Robles , Rob Hayes and ABC7.com staff
Updated 1 hr 7 mins ago
GAVIOTA, Calif. (KABC) -- A fast-moving brush fire that broke out in Santa Barbara County has grown to 1,250 acres Thursday, threatening structures and prompting evacuations.

The blaze broke out around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday near the top of Refugio Road. Evacuation orders were issued for Refugio Canyon, Venadito Canyon and Las Flores Canyon and by Thursday morning, more orders were issued for El Capitan Canyon, El Capitan Ranch and El Capitan and Refugio state beaches.

An evacuation warning, meaning residents should be prepared to leave quickly, has been issued for areas east of El Capitan Canyon to Farren Road. Those areas include Canada de las Destiladera, Las Llagas Canyon, Gato Canyon, Las Varas Canyon, Dos Pueblos Canyon and Eagle Canyon.

Authorities also urged residents to avoid the area near Dos Pueblos High School, as fire officials used the site for staging crews and equipment.

Dubbed the Sherpa Fire, the blaze quickly spread with the help of strong winds in the area. About 800 firefighters, who are dealing with a steep and rugged terrain, have not contained any portion of the fire as of Thursday evening.



The conditions improved mid-morning Thursday, but the concern for firefighters is the possibility of the winds picking up again. Extra resources in the air and on the ground worked hard to protect Circle Barb Ranch, especially since the owner refused to leave his home.

The ranch has been in the owner, Pat Brown's, family for three generations. He said more than a dozen hotel guests and 45 horses were evacuated late Wednesday night.

"We're at the mercy of the weather. This is rough country. A lot of wind last night," he said.

Brown added the canyon alongside his property hasn't burned since 1955. Firefighters are hoping the ranch will be unscathed, but the winds could shift and cause major problems.

The blaze burned about a quarter-mile away from the 101 Freeway and shut it down on the northbound side at Winchester Canyon Road and southbound by the city of Buellton to Goleta until about 7:50 a.m.

Though the 101 Freeway reopened, officials stated it may need to be shut down again depending on wind direction.

Because of low-lying smoke, authorities said it was difficult to get an accurate acreage estimate from the air.

The American Red Cross set up shelters at two locations: one at Wake Center, 300 N. Turnpike Road, and the other at Santa Ynez Valley High School, 2975 E. Highway 246. By late Thursday morning, the Santa Ynez Valley High School location was placed on standby unless fire conditions worsened.

Owners should coordinate with the Red Cross to get shelter for small animals. For larger animals, people may call Susan Klein-Rothschild at (805) 896-1057 or take them to the Earl Warren Showgrounds.

A worker was killed while trying to free a pickup truck stuck in the mud at a North Fort Worth construction site

Fatal Construction Accident in Fort Worth





A man was killed while trying to free a pickup truck stuck in the mud at a North Fort Worth construction site, authorities said Thursday morning.

Paramedics with MedStar were called to the 9900 block of Berkshire Lake Boulevard at about 7:45 a.m.

According to Daniel Segura, Fort Worth city spokesman, the man had been trying to attach the pickup truck to a tractor and asked someone to turn on the truck's engine. The truck got traction and ran over the man, pinning him underneath it.

The worker, who was not identified, was pronounced dead on the scene.

No further information was released.

The driver of a dump truck was killed when the vehicle went off the road and crashed into a pole, in Onondaga County, NY

Dump truck driver killed in Skaneateles crash hit utility pole, police say

  Ken Sturtz

June 16, 2016 at 7:30 AM



A dump truck driver was killed Wednesday in a crash on New Seneca Turnpike between Lucinda Drive and Knightsbridge Road in the town of Skaneateles.Onondaga County Sheriff's Office

SKANEATELES, N.Y. -- The driver of a dump truck was killed Wednesday when the vehicle went off the road and crashed into a pole, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Officer said.

At 12:06 p.m. deputies and Skaneateles and Mottville firefighters responded to a crash on New Seneca Turnpike between Lucinda Drive and Knightsbridge Road in the town of Skaneateles.

The sheriff's office said the dump truck had been traveling west on New Seneca Turnpike when the vehicle left the north side of the road, hit a culvert and became airborne. The dump truck then hit a utility pole before coming to rest.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the dump truck, the sheriff's office said. The driver died at the scene.

The dump truck suffered heavy damage. The vehicle snapped the utility pole it hit and left several people without power. Both directions of New Seneca Turnpike between Lucinda Drive and Fisher Road remained closed to traffic Wednesday evening.

Detective Jon Seeber, a sheriff's office spokesman, said the name of the victim was not being released until family had been notified.

Deputies are continuing to investigate the crash.

1 female driver killed after her car collided with a Waste Management truck on Interstate 49 in Arkansas

Preliminary Report On I-49 Crash Involving Waste Management Truck Released
Posted 9:02 am, June 16, 2016, by Zuzanna Sitek


LOWELL, AR (KFSM) — A Waste Management truck was involved in a deadly wreck on Interstate 49 Thursday morning (June 16).

The crash involving the truck and a passenger car happened in the northbound lanes near exit 78 in Lowell at 5 a.m., according to a preliminary crash report from Arkansas State Police.

According to the report, Samantha B. Wender, 33, of Springdale died in the wreck.

Wender was driving a Hyundai in the right lane when she lost control, over-corrected and struck the Waste Management truck that was driving in the left lane, the report states. Both vehicles ended up in the ditch.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

George Wheatley, a Waste Management representative for Arkansas, said the situation is heartbreaking.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone affected and their families,” he said.

The company is working with Arkansas State Police during their investigation of the crash, Wheatley added.

“[We] would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the first responders who attended and assisted at the scene,” he said.

When a WM driver is involved in a fatal wreck the company follows Department of Transportation guidelines that include testing the driver for alcohol and controlled substances, interviewing the driver and going over the driver’s schedule that week, according to Wheatley.

The company did not release the name of the truck driver.

Little Italy, a Kissimmee, Florida, restaurant to pay nearly $41K in back wages to 15 employees after US Department of Labor investigation

Little Italy, a Kissimmee, Florida, restaurant to pay nearly $41K in back wages to 15 employees after US Department of Labor investigation
Little Italy failed to pay proper minimum wage, overtime


Employer name: C&N Do Inc., doing business as Little Italy

Investigation site: 2901 Parkway Blvd., Kissimmee, Florida 34747

Investigation findings: Investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that Little Italy, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Kissimmee, violated the minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, the employer failed to pay legally required minimum wage when some hours worked by employees went unpaid. Overtime violations occurred when hourly paid servers and cooks were paid straight time for their overtime hours, when overtime was paid occasionally after 80 hours in a two-week period rather than after 40 hours in one week, and when overtime for tipped employees was not based upon the full minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The employer also failed to maintain required time and payroll records, and was found to have reported inaccurate numbers of hours worked to the company that processed its payroll.

Resolution: The employer will comply with the FLSA and pay $40,979 in back wages to 15 employees.

Quote: “Violations like these are far too common in the restaurant industry,” said Daniel White, district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Jacksonville. “We are committed to protecting workers’ rights and to improving industry compliance by partnering with state agencies – such as the Florida Department of Revenue – to identify non-compliant businesses and conduct investigations. Employers who play by the rules should not find themselves at an economic disadvantage to those who do not.”

Information: The division has agreements with 30 states, including Florida, to ensure workers get the wages, benefits and protections they are entitled to by law. The division and the Florida Department of Revenue regularly accept referrals from one another related to potential violations of state or federal law.

The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers are prohibited from retaliating against workers who exercise their rights under the law.

For more information about the FLSA and wage laws or to file a complaint, call the Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243); the Jacksonville District Office at 904-359-9292 or visit http://www.dol.gov/whd/.

A worker was injured during a construction site accident Thursday morning on Texas A&M property.

Worker hurt in construction site accident on Texas A&M property



By Rusty Surette |
Posted: Thu 11:31 AM, Jun 16, 2016 |
Updated: Thu 2:41 PM, Jun 16, 2016

 
A worker was injured during a construction site accident Thursday morning on Texas A&M property.

The construction site is located on Penberthy Road just south of George Bush Drive.

Rescue teams from the College Station Fire Department responded to the scene to assist with getting the man out of a large hole and back onto the street level.

First responders say the worker was knocked off a machine when something malfunctioned with a piece of equipment.

He was rushed to a hospital and his condition was stable, according to a spokesman for College Station Fire.

The site is managed by a company called Brazos Paving, according to a sign near the entrance of the site.

We've put calls into Brazos Paving for more information on how the accident happened.

Construction Worker Injured In 25-foot Fall On Chestnut Street in Chattanooga, TN

Construction Worker Injured In Fall On Chestnut Street
Thursday, June 16, 2016



Chattanooga, TN
 
A 56-year-old man was seriously injured in a construction accident this morning. The accident occurred around 11 a.m. on a construction site at 1920 Chestnut St. Employees with the Wise Construction Company told firefighters that they were demolishing the interior of the brick structure, which is being converted into an apartment building. The worker on was the roof using a jackhammer when the concrete below him gave way. The man fell about 25 feet to the ground floor.


Chattanooga firefighters arrived moments later and carefully pulled the victim away from the debris. They then provided some initial treatment for his injuries and then handed him off to Hamilton County EMS, which rushed him to Erlanger Medical Center. The man's condition is still being assessed.

Battalion Chief Ashley May called for a representative from the city's building inspection office to check on the structural integrity of the building. After a visual inspection of the site, Dallas Rucker with the inspection office issued a stop work notice on the project until the company brings in a structural engineer to advise them on how to proceed safely with the project.

1 roadway worker is fighting for his life and another was injured after a woman ran her minivan off Interstate 81 and hit them

Interstate worker injured in Augusta County Traci Moyer, tmoyer@newsleader.com 2:15 p.m. EDT June 16, 2016



(Photo: Traci Moyer/The News Leader)

Greenville — One man is fighting for his life and another was injured after a woman ran her minivan off Interstate 81 and hit them Thursday morning.

Marlene Jackson, 53, of Troutdale, was charged with reckless driving after Virginia State Police say the 2006 Kia minivan she was driving struck the two contractors.

Virginia State Police Trooper J.S. Martin responded to the accident at 6:55 a.m.

According to a police investigation, Jackson’s vehicle ran off the left side of I-81 at mile marker 213, struck a guardrail, then crossed southbound lands and ran off the right side of the road striking a cement bridge guardrail.

Two construction workers, contracted by the Virginia Department of Transportation to paint the I-81 bridge that spans U.S. 11 where the accident occurred, were on the bridge at the time of the accident.

Both men jumped onto the guardrail where one man was grazed by the Kia’s bumper and another man fell 15-feet over the guardrail to a grassy embankment below, according to a press release from the state police.

The worker who fell, a 49-year-old man from New Jersey, was flown by helicopter to UVA Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, state police said.

Sandy Myers, a VDOT spokesperson for the Staunton District, said the men are contract workers from KVK Contracting Inc. out of Tarpon Springs, Florida.

When contacted three hours after the accident, employees at KVK said they were notified of the situation, but did not have any details about the incident or the man’s condition.

The crash remains under investigation by the Virginia State Police.

Driver killed in rollover crash in northern Bexar County in Texas

Accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Highway 281 S at Overlook Parkway
By Josh Skurnik - Reporter , Ben Spicer - Web Editor 

4:41 PM, June 16, 2016

SAN ANTONIO - A driver was killed in a rollover crash early Thursday morning in north Bexar County.

The accident was reported around 2:30 a.m. on Highway 281 South at Overlook Parkway.


Sheriff's deputies said a driver in his 20s lost control of his vehicle and drove off the road, hitting a tree and a utility pole before rolling the vehicle numerous times onto Baptist Emergency Hospital property.

The hospital lost power as a result of the accident, but a backup generator provided electricity.

CPS energy said power won't be restored until about 2 p.m.

The name of the victim hasn't been released.

A 51-year-old North Dakota man was killed when the riding lawn mower he was using overturned

Valley City man killed in mowing accident
By Forum staff reports on Jun 14, 2016 at 12:05 p.m.





VALLEY CITY, N.D.—A 51-year-old man was killed Monday, June 13, when the riding lawn mower he was using overturned while he was cutting grass on a hillside.



Police identified the victim of the accident as Todd Mark Heck of Valley City. He was an employee of the Valley City Public School District and was mowing the lawn of Hanna Stadium when the mower flipped. The weight of the mower, 1,300 pounds, is believed to have caused his death, according to a statement from Police Chief Fred Thompson.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was informed, and the investigation into Heck's death continues, Thompson said. 

The Port of Wilmington was fined $10,500 by the N.C. Department of Labor over a January workplace injury

Port of Wilmington fined over worker accident
Man injured by boom lift Jan. 25




The Port of Wilmington was fined $10,500 by the N.C. Department of Labor over a January workplace injury. StarNews file photo
By Tim Buckland
StarNews Staff


Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

WILMINGTON -- The Port of Wilmington was fined $10,500 by the N.C. Department of Labor (DOL) in relation to a Jan. 25 accident where an employee was pinned to a light fixture by a boom lift.

Labor spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry said the port was issued the citations last month and requested an "informal conference, which is an employer’s opportunity to present any questions, problems, concerns, evidence and abatement verification."

She said the DOL made no changes to its citations after that conference and issued the N.C. State Ports Authority a "no change" letter, meaning the port has 15 business days to either pay the fine or appeal to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission of North Carolina. She said the port received the letter Monday and has until July 5 to contest it.

“We have received the citation from the N.C. Department of Labor and are working with officials on the proper after action items," ports spokesman Cliff Pyron said in an email.

The serious violation, with a $7,000 fine, said the port did not properly train or furnish employees with conditions about the hazards of working with a boom lift. The non-serious violation, with a fine of $3,500, was for allegedly not notifying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration within 24 hours of an employee being hospitalized, suffering an amputation or losing an eye.

The citations did not specify the employee's exact injuries.

3 infants born with Zika birth defects, at least 234 Pregnant Women in US Infected With Zika

At Least 234 Pregnant Women in US Infected With Zika: CDC




DR. AKSHAY GANJU
Updated 42 mins ago Three infants in U.S. states have been born with Zika-related birth defects, according to a new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Three other pregnancies ended in miscarriage, with the fetuses showing signs of birth defects associated with the mosquito-borne virus, the CDC reported on Thursday. Officials are now reporting on these births weekly as the Zika virus continues to spread across the globe.

"The pattern that we are seeing here among travel-associated cases are consistent with the pattern that we are seeing elsewhere," said Dr. Denise Jamieson, a co-leader of the pregnancy and birth defects task force on the CDC's Zika virus response team.

At least 234 pregnant women in the 50 states and the District of Columbia are infected with the Zika virus, and an additional 198 pregnant women in the U.S. territories have tested positive for Zika, according to the CDC.

"Most of those pregnancies are still ongoing," said Jamieson. The CDC is not releasing further details or numbers out of respect for patient privacy.

All the cases were travel-associated, meaning either the pregnant woman or a sexual partner had visited a country with active Zika transmission, she said.

Zika-related birth defects include microcephaly (a rare disorder in which a baby is born with an abnormally small head and possibly underdeveloped brain), calcium deposits in the brain, excess fluid in the brain cavities, abnormal eye development and damage to nerves, muscles and bones, according to the CDC.

"The period with the greatest risk for microcephaly and other brain abnormalities is in the first trimester," said Jamieson.

"I think it reinforces our guidance ... to avoid mosquito bites and avoid the risk of sexual transmission," she said. The CDC continues to advise pregnant women to avoid travel to areas with the Zika virus.

One person was seriously hurt after a car and dump truck collided in Bucks County, PA

1 seriously hurt after car, dump truck collide in Bucks County





One person was seriously hurt after a car and dump truck collided in Bucks County.





Updated 1 hr 9 mins ago

PERKASIE, Pa. (WPVI) -- One person was seriously hurt after a car and dump truck collided in Bucks County.

It happened around 3:45 p.m. Thursday on Route 113 and Telegraph Road in Perkasie, Pennsylvania.





A car and dump truck collided on Route 113 in Perkasie, Pennsylvania.

A medical helicopter was called to the scene, and the victim was flown to an area hospital. No word at this time on their condition.

The intersection is temporarily closed as police investigate and crews work to clear the scene.

Coast Guard, good Samaritans respond to boat allision 60 miles west of Juneau, Alaska

Coast Guard, good Samaritans respond to boat allision 60 miles west of Juneau, Alaska 

Jun 16th, 2016


JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, Alaska, MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and good Samaritans responded to a boating allision involving five passengers in Althorp Cove, approximately 60 miles west of Juneau, Wednesday evening.

The good Samaritans performed CPR on one of the passengers and transported the others to the beach until the Jayhawk crew arrived on scene. The Coast Guard crew was unable to resuscitate the individual and made the determination to discontinue CPR. The crew transported the other four people to Juneau where they were transferred to awaiting emergency medical personnel.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a report from a bystander that a 16-foot skiff with two adults and three children aboard had allided with a piling. It was reported three people were in the water. Watchstanders requested the launch of the Jayhawk aircrew.

“It’s always a tragedy to lose a loved one,” said Lt. Thomas Kennedy, command duty officer for Sector Juneau. “Our thoughts are with this family during their time of mourning.”

The weather on scene was reported as calm and clear, 1-foot waves and 11-mph winds.

3-alarm Oakland, New Jersey house fire investigated as arson

Anthony Johnson reporting live





Eyewitness News
Thursday, June 16, 2016 01:40PM
OAKLAND, New Jersey (WABC) -- A three-alarm fire in New Jersey was being investigated as arson Thursday.

The fire broke out on Ryerson Street in Oakland. One person suffered third-degree burns.

The Bergen County Sheriff's Department said the fire has been listed as suspicious, but it is unclear what caused the blaze.

The house is owned by one family.

The Oakland Police Department said the Bergen prosecutor's office is taking over the investigation.

Simi Valley motorcycle officer hospitalized after crash w/ pickup truck

A mangled Simi Valley police officer's motorcycle rests along the street near an intersection where he collided with a truck on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. (KABC)

Updated 31 mins ago
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A Simi Valley motorcycle officer was hospitalized after being hit by a truck at an intersection Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said around 4:50 p.m., the officer was traveling southbound on Tapo Canyon Road near Los Angeles Avenue. As the officer crossed the intersection, a small pickup truck heading northbound made a left or U-turn right into the path of the motorcycle, according to police.

The officer crashed into the truck and was thrown from his bike, police said. He sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital. The officer underwent several hours of surgery and remains hospitalized.

The department said the officer is a 14-year veteran and his name would not be released.

The driver of the truck, identified as Traci Hobbs, 53, of Simi Valley, was not hurt during the crash, and no arrest was made. Authorities said alcohol nor drugs played a factor in the crash.

Anyone with more information was asked to call the Moorpark California Highway Patrol Office at (805) 553-0800.

Coast Guard files one count of negligence for failing to maintain roper passenger accountability, and five counts of misconduct related to the operation of a commercial vessel against Kyaa Heller

Coast Guard concludes administrative enforcement action against commercial passenger vessel operator
Jun 15th, 2016

LOS ANGELES — Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach investigators concluded administrative enforcement action in a case involving a local dive boat operator, resulting in the voluntary surrender of the operator’s merchant mariner credential to the Coast Guard.

The case stemmed from a casualty aboard the 43-foot commercial passenger vessel, Sundiver Express, operating out of Long Beach. Under the direction and control of Kyaa Heller, the Sundiver Express departed from a dive site off Catalina Island while a dive passenger was unaccounted for after entering the water for a recreational dive.

A search and rescue effort ensued when the passenger, Laurel Silver-Valker was later discovered missing from the vessel at the next dive site. Silver-Valker was never located and is presumed deceased.

Following an investigation, the Coast Guard filed an administrative complaint seeking revocation of Heller’s merchant mariner credential with six alleged offenses, including one count of negligence for failing to maintain proper passenger accountability, and five counts of misconduct related to the operation of a commercial vessel. In lieu of appearing at a suspension and revocation hearing before a federal administrative law judge, Heller elected to voluntarily surrender her merchant mariner credential to the Coast Guard on June 6, 2016. By surrendering her credential, Heller is no longer authorized to serve as Master of a commercial vessel.

“This is a tragic case, and our hope is that the small passenger vessel community, and in particular, dive boat operators, take some important lessons from this case to prevent such an incident from ever happening again. There is no excuse for departing a dive site without confirming all passengers are on board and accounted for,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Menefee, senior investigating officer, Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. “Passenger vessel operators must take the role and responsibility of Master seriously, as the safety of their passengers is in their hands. The responsibility of a Master cannot be delegated.”

Coast Guard suspension and revocation proceedings are administrative in nature, and are intended to maintain standards of competence and conduct necessary to minimize loss of life, personnel injury, property damage, and environmental harm on the high seas and upon U.S. waters. Following the casualty, Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach released a marine safety bulletin reminding all small passenger vessel operators of the importance of passenger accountability. The safety bulletin can be found here: http://go.usa.gov/chwjH

250 gallons of diesel was estimated to have spilled into Gulfport Harbor during a fuel transfer

Coast Guard, state, local agencies respond to diesel spill in Gulfport
Jun 15th, 2016 


Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Roble and Petty Officer 2nd Class Ronnie Lucas assess the site of a diesel spill in Gulfport Harbor in Gulfport, Mississippi, June 15, 2016. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt.j.g. Elizabeth Tatum

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, NOAA and the Oil Response Company are responding to a diesel spill in Gulfport, Mississippi, Wednesday.

Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 5 a.m., that a potential of 250 gallons of diesel was estimated to have entered Gulfport Harbor during a fuel transfer.

The Oil Response Company has deployed 1,000 feet of containment boom around the vessel to reduce impact to the harbor.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile’s Incident Management Division is on site.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

1 man missing after two boats collide in Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain

Coast Guard, partner agencies search for missing man following boat collision on Lake Champlain
Jun 16th, 2016 

BOSTON — Crews from Coast Guard Station Burlington and Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod are searching Wednesday evening, along with state and local agencies, for a missing 60-year-old man in Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. Coast Guard watchstanders received notification that two boats collided with a total of six people aboard. Five people were rescued by local responders and brought to shore.

A 29-foot rescue boat crew from Station Burlington immediately launched and arrived on scene at approximately 7 p.m. In addition, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod launched to search the area for the missing man.

Responding partner agencies include:

– Vermont State Police

– Colchester Police Department

– Colchester Rescue

– Colchester Technical Rescue

– Mallets Bay Fire Department

– U.S. Customs and Border Protection

A rescue boat crew from Station Burlington is expected to search through the night.

Coast Guard Station Burlington is the only Coast Guard station along Lake Champlain and the state of Vermont.

Are the Ballards Crooks? Maryland couple indicted in $1.3 million government contracting scheme

By Ann E. Marimow June 15 at 1:50 PM

Prosecutors said the $1.3 million federal government contracting scheme was a family affair.

Over five years, investigators claim a high-level General Services Administration official helped her husband submit more than 100 fake employment applications to federal agencies and doctored his résumé to try to get him hired by the government.

At one point, investigators contend, Helen “Renee” Ballard attempted to hire her husband for a GSA position that she oversaw as a contracting office director and tried to conceal their marriage by changing her home address in the agency’s online personnel system.


At another point in the years-long scheme, the husband, Robert “Steve” Ballard, was hired for $140,000 a year by a GSA contractor and became the person with the highest salary on the contract, according to a federal indictment.

Prosecutors said Renee Ballard, a former GSA contracting office director, and her husband, a former employee of the Arlington-based federal contractor, CACI, also used their positions to place Ballard’s brother, sister-in-law and father on a contract that Ballard supervised.
The office of Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced the indictment Tuesday of a Maryland couple in a government contracting scheme. (Courtesy of Department of Justice/Courtesy of Department of Justice)

A federal grand jury indicted the Brandywine, Md., couple Tuesday on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and false statements. Attorneys for the Ballards were not immediately available Wednesday for comment.

A CACI spokesman did not reply to messages seeking comment Wednesday. Neither CACI nor any of its employees are charged in the case.

During her tenure as director of the agency’s Central Office Contracting Division from 2006 through 2011, Ballard, 51, and her husband, 55, “fraudulently induced” CACI to hire the relatives and the daughter of one of Ballard’s subordinates, prosecutors said.

Steve Ballard, who also worked for CACI, and the family members were assigned to an acquisition-support contract awarded by GSA that was supervised by Renee Ballard, prosecutors said. The GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, and is supposed to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition and technology services.

In 2008, prosecutors said Renee Ballard emailed a CACI supervisor about hiring her brother, who was unemployed. “I really need him to start on this date,” she wrote, according to the indictment.

Ballard’s brother submitted “false and misleading” information about his prior salary and education, and lied about whether any of his relatives had worked for CACI, according to the court filing. From December 2008 through 2011, prosecutors said Ballard’s brother was paid about $247,000 from the GSA contract.

At least one of Renee Ballard’s relatives apparently expressed concern, according to the court filing. “This is nepotism” and a “no, no” that would violate government policy, her father reportedly told his daughter in a phone call, according to the indictment.

Even so, Renee Ballard’s father was hired in 2010 as a “finance consultant” and earned about $79,000 from the contract, despite having no experience as an acquisition analyst, negotiating or maintaining contracts, the court filing states.

When it came to CACI’s hiring Ballard’s husband, prosecutors said Renee Ballard concealed her role by falsely claiming to have recused herself from the contract.

Steve Ballard’s application misrepresented his education, experience and government contracting qualifications, according to the indictment. Prosecutors said the couple also forged professional certifications.

He was hired to join the CACI contract at an initial salary of $140,000, according to the indictment. Later that year, CACI paid Steve Ballard’s brother-in-law a $2,000 referral bonus related to his hiring.

In 2011, according to the court filing, Renee Ballard lied on her financial disclosure report, failing to report her husband’s employment with CACI.


GSA’s inspector general opened an investigation in 2011 in response to allegations of nepotism.

Prosecutors said Renee Ballard removed résumés related to the hiring of her relatives from the official GSA contract file. She is also accused of encouraging others to lie to investigators.

“All you have to do is say, ‘Renee didn’t have nothing to do with it; I didn’t have nothing to do,’ ” she told a subordinate, according to the court filing.

The family members, who are not named in the indictment, are considered un-indicted co-conspirators, according to a spokesman for the office of the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Dana J. Boente.

Both Ballards face a mandatory sentence of two years in prison if convicted of aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted of wire fraud.

Dominion Virginia Resources to dye-test runoff into wildlife refuge near airport

Dominion to dye-test runoff into wildlife refuge near airport



By Patricia Sullivan June 15 at 11:57 AM

The waters of a wildlife refuge near Reagan National Airport may turn a bright peach color Thursday as Dominion Virginia Resources attempts to figure out how mineral oil leaked from its Arlington substation into the Potomac River in January.

A dye-tracer test, ordered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, will use nontoxic dye like that used to color the Chicago River each year on St. Patrick’s Day, Dominion spokesman Charles Penn said.

The test, planned for Thursday morning, may result in visible dye between the Crystal City substation, at 18th and Fern streets, and Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, where the county’s storm water drains run off. The sanctuary is connected to the Potomac via a small outlet under George Washington Memorial Parkway.

[Potomac oil came from Dominion, utility admits]

A Jan. 24 transformer failure resulted in the leak of 13,500 gallons of mineral oil. An unknown amount spread into the sanctuary, which is overseen by the National Park Service, and the river, which is under the control of the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment. The sheen of oil spread as far south as the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, south of the Beltway’s Woodrow Wilson Bridge, before dissipating about two weeks later.



Twenty-one birds, mostly Canada geese, died after the oil coated their feathers. The dye that will be used Thursday does not threaten animal or aquatic life, Dominion said, and is approved for this use by state and federal environmental agencies. The dye may be present for up to a year in soils and groundwater, but it breaks down in sunlight.

Niger Delta Avengers blow up NNPC pipeline as peace talks fail to begin; police refutes the claim, stating that the explosion was an accident

Niger Delta violence: Avengers blow up NNPC pipeline as peace talks fail to begin


Niger Delta Avengers Did not Blow Up Any Pipeline in Akwa Ibom – Police 
 
By Ludovica Iaccino June 16, 2016 09:44 BST


Nigeria: President Muhammadu Buhari plans talks with Delta leaders amid increasing pipeline attacks IBTimes UK

A militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region has claimed responsibility for an attack at an oil pipeline owned by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) took to Twitter to confirm it blew up an NNPC-owned pipeline in Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.


The attack in the early hours of Thursday (16 June) was carried out days after the group agreed to start a dialogue with the government to find a solution to renewed violence in the area.

The motive behind the latest attack is not yet clear. However, the group said the federal government must meet its demands before a "genuine" dialogue can take place.

Among other things, NDA urged the military to leave the restive south-east and the federal government "to commit member states of the multinational Oil Corporations to commit independent mediators to this proposed dialogue".

Earlier in June, Nigeria announced it would scale back its military presence in the Niger Delta in order to foster dialogue with militants. However, on Wednesday 15 June, the Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) group, based in Delta State, alleged the government was not serious about a dialogue as soldiers kept "invading communities".

Attacks blamed on NDA forced Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell to close two plants, with the group vowing to bring the country's oil production down "to zero".

Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, has already been negatively affected by renewed violence in the area as oil production has dropped to 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd), from 2.2 million bpd. Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (Mend) prepare for an operation against the Nigerian army in Niger Delta in September 2008Getty

The birth of militant groups in Niger Delta

NDA is the latest militant organisation to wage war against Nigeria due to perceived marginalisation in the Niger Delta.

On 12 June, former militant Government Ekpemupolo, or "Tompolo" as he is also known, urged NDA to engage in talks with the government. However, Tompolo, chief commander of the Movement For The Emancipation Of The Niger Delta (Mend), is suspected of being behind NDA, which some analysts believe is simply Mend with a new name.

Militant groups in the oil-rich Niger Delta region took hold in the early 2000s following the deterioration of people's living conditions blamed on the increase of oil-related activities by foreign exploration corporations. Tensions flared up in the local communities as some ethnic groups felt they were being exploited and did not benefit from the crude oil on their land.

The repeated oil spills that considerably damaged the environment and affected people's health further deepened the communities' frustrations. After being elected in 2015, Buhari extended a 2009 amnesty granted to 30,000 former militants in the area.





------------/////////////////---------




Militancy: Niger Delta Avengers Did not Blow Up Any Pipeline in Akwa Ibom – Police

16.06.2016 at 4:15 pm By NAN


Militants

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Murtala Mani, on Thursday refuted an alleged explosion of pipelines at Ikot Osutek, Oruk-Anam Local Government Area of the state by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The NDA in a tweet said that they had blown up the NNPC Pipeline at about 4AM on Thursday.

Mani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo that the alleged vandalism was an accident caused by a leakage in the gas pipelines.

He said that it was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt were working to rectify the leakage.

Mani said that the state was safe from the activities of the militant group.

NAN reports that the gas pipelines are owned by Seven Energy Company, the operator of Ibom Gas Power Plant, Uquo in Esit-Eket Local Government Area of the state.

Ikot Osutek community, the location of the gas pipelines, is along Ikot Abasi-Ogoni-Port Harcourt axis of the East-West Road in Akwa Ibom.

NAN further reports that many residents of the state were disturbed by the alleged attack, due to the revelation that the militant group had vandalised 23 gas pipelines since February 14 when it started attacks.

Chemical Spill at El Segundo Water Treatment Plant

 
A chemical spill was reported Tuesday afternoon at the water treatment plant across from the Chevron refinery






Manhattan Beach, CA

By Alexander Nguyen (Patch Staff) - June 15, 2016 2:22 am ET


EL SEGUNDO, CA — A chemical spill was reported Tuesday afternoon at the West Basin water treatment plant across from the Chevron refinery.

The spill was reported at around 1 p.m, West Basin Water District Assistant General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh said.

"Early today, we have a chemical that was put into the wrong chemical tank," he said. "We're still investigating why that happened."

The chemical created a "minor heat increase" and the plant contacted the El Segundo Fire Department out of "an abundance of caution," he said.

The fire department evacuated a nearby building and shutdown a portion of El Segundo Boulevard near Sepulveda Boulevard.


No one was hurt in the incident and nothing serious was affected in the treatment system, Deshmukh said.

The plant treats recycled waste water for use in the Chevron refinery cooling towers.

The accident happened within the chemical tank and nothing was released into the air, Deshmukh said.

The fire department has since cleared the scene, he said.

A gas buildup inside the Gehl Foods plant in Germantown, WI caused a chemical spill that sent five to the hospital

Chemical spill at Gehl Foods plant leaves five with minor injuries


The Gehl Foods plant in Germantown, WI is located on Main Street. The plant was evacuated June 7 after a chemical spill.


By Madeline Heim

June 14, 2016
 

 Germantown, WI

A gas buildup inside the Gehl Foods plant in Germantown on June 7 caused a chemical spill that sent five to the hospital with minor respiratory issues.

According to a press release from the Germantown Fire Department, a contractor had accidentally mixed two materials that created chlorine and sulfur dioxide, which eventually caused a pressure breach that released product and gas inside the facility.

All employees at the plant were evacuated, with five sent to Community Memorial Hospital after complaining of respiratory distress.

Responders on the scene determined the product could be flushed and diluted to a safe point. According to the release, the Washington County Hazmat Team monitored the situation in and around the building.

The area was released back to Gehl Foods after air monitoring was completed and the pH at the scene was neutral.

A fire burned a wooden pool shed to the ground and caused a propane tank to explode in Pembroke, Mass.

Fire, explosion destroy pool shed in Pembroke


Posted Jun. 14, 2016 at 8:39 AM
Updated Jun 14, 2016 at 8:40 AM


PEMBROKE, MASS. – A fire burned a wooden pool shed to the ground and caused a propane tank to explode at a Thompson Street home Monday afternoon. 

Firefighters were called to 13 Thompson Street at about 4:10 p.m. for a report of an explosion, Fire Chief Michael Hill said. The wooden 10-foot-by-12-foot pool shed and its contents were engulfed in flames. 

Firefighters were at the scene for about two hours dousing the fire, which spread to some brush and dry leaves. 

No firefighters or residents were injured. 

Hill said investigators believe that the fire may have started because of either an electrical problem or a chemical reaction from items stored in the shed. The fire likely caused a 20-pound propane cylinder to explode. 

“There was nothing left of the shed so it’s kind of hard to pinpoint a point of origin,” Hill said.

A containership rescued three people from their battered yacht after a rigging accident apparently killed two other people on board the boat

Cargo Ship Rescues Sailors Off New Zealand After Two Crew Die in Rigging Accident

June 15, 2016 by Mike Schuler


Credit: Maritime New Zealand

A Singapore-flagged containership has rescued three people from their battered yacht several hundred miles from New Zealand after a rigging accident apparently killed two other people on board the boat.

The country’s Maritime New Zealand has confirmed that two men and a woman were rescued Tuesday from their battered yacht, Platino, around 340 miles north of New Zealand by the crew of the container ship Southern Lily.

The crew of the Platino alerted Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) at 11.20 a.m. Monday (June 13) reporting that one male had been killed and another man, aged 63, was knocked overboard after the 20-meter yacht lost its rigging in winds of up to 75km/h (40 knots).

By 12:30 p.m., an Orion P3 aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force had located the boat and started searching for the missing man as commercial vessels in the area were diverted to assist the crew on the yacht. Overnight the yacht’s condition deteriorated as it lost steering and began taking on water. Photo: New Zealand Defence Force

After arriving on scene on Tuesday, the containership Southern Lily was able to attach a line to the yacht and get the three survivors on board at about 3 p.m. as the search for the missing man continued.

The body of the other victim remains on board the abandoned yacht because it could not be safely transferred in seas up to three meters. Before leaving the yacht the crew activated an EPIRB on the yacht to aid in tracking its location.

The search involving the P3 Orion aircraft was called off Wednesday after turning up empty.

The victim is understood to have been relatively lightly clothed and not wearing a lifejacket.

RCCNZ search and rescue mission coordinator John Dickson praised the master and crew of the Southern Lily for he said was a difficult operation.

“It was not easy to get the three crew members from the yacht to the much larger ship in those sea conditions – they’ve done a tremendous job,” commented SAR coordinator John Dickson. “We are obviously disappointed that it was not safe to transfer the body of the deceased crew member, but safety must come first. We will keep track of the position of the yacht.”

Following the rescue the Southern Lily continued its voyage to Auckland, where it was expected to arrive sometime Wednesday.

RCCNZ has issued a notice to ships traveling through the area to be on the lookout for the man.

“At this point, we are satisfied that we have taken all possible steps to find the missing man – but sadly we have found no trace of him. Expert advice indicates the maximum survival time for a person in the water in this area has now been exceeded. We have therefore made a decision to suspend the search,” said Ramon Davis of his decision to suspend the search.

“This is obviously an extremely difficult time for the family and our thoughts are with them.”

OSHA follow-up inspection finds Ohio sign manufacturer, Sign Source USA, continues to expose workers to respiratory, chemical hazards

June 13, 2016

OSHA follow-up inspection finds Ohio sign manufacturer,
Sign Source USA, continues to expose workers to respiratory, chemical hazards
Sign Source USA cited for failing to protect workers in 2006, 2012

LIMA, Ohio - For the third time in 10 years, federal safety and health inspectors found employees at a Lima custom sign manufacturing company exposed to respiratory, chemical and paint hazards.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Sign Source USA Inc. for seven repeated and two serious health violations on June 14, 2016, after the agency's December 2015 follow-up inspection. Proposed penalties total $46,970. The agency cited the company for similar violations at the Lima facility in both 2006 and 2012.

"A company repeatedly cited for the same hazard isn't taking the safety and health of its employees seriously," said Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Sign Source USA needs to make permanent improvements to its health programs to protect workers from known hazards in their facility."

OSHA found:

• Rags contaminated with flammable liquids were not removed from work areas daily.
• Violations of respiratory protection hazards including failing to provide medical evaluations, fit-testing and training to employees in respiratory use.
• Workers were not trained about certain hazardous chemicals in use in the facility.
• Containers of flammable paint thinner were not labeled.

View citations here.

Sign Source USA has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Toledo office at 419-259-7542.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

solvent spill at the Garlock Printing & Converting warehouse sends 3 people to the hospital in Reno, NV

 

3 hospitalized after solvent leak in Reno




Associated Press

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 | 9:25 a.m.

RENO — Reno authorities say three people have been hospitalized after reports of a solvent leak at a printing company.


The Reno Fire Department says there was a solvent spill at the Garlock Printing & Converting warehouse early Tuesday morning. A hazardous materials team discovered an equipment failure that caused a solvent to be released into the air.

Three people were hospitalized and are still under observation.

Officials determined the warehouse was safe around 4 a.m. and allowed workers to return.

A magnesium fire in Maywood has raised health concerns because the pungent odor from the smoke migrated into portions of Los Angeles

Odor from Maywood magnesium fire raises health concerns




By Gregory J. Wilcox, Los Angeles Daily News


Posted: 06/14/16, 12:30 PM PDT 
 
Firefighters attack an explosive blaze fueled by magnesium early Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in Maywood. The smell from the fire spread across the Southland. (Photo by Mike Meadows/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)



An early morning magnesium fire in Maywood has raised health concerns because the pungent odor from the smoke migrated into portions of Los Angeles, including the San Fernando Valley, officials said this morning.

The Los Angeles Fire Department reported via Twitter this morning that the odor from overnight fires — including a fire in the city of Maywood “remains noteworthy across Greater L.A. “There was also a fire in the city’s Westlake district in which one person died,” the department said.


Los Angeles County Fire Department spokeswoman Vanessa Lozono said the odor from the Maywood warehouse blaze is due to the metals in the magnesium.

The odor from the blaze was noticeable from Studio City to Woodland Hills.

Air quality and public health officials were monitoring the situation and assessing what health risk there is.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District received 35 calls regarding the odor, AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood said.

The agency sent a team to test the air near Maywood and issued a smoke advisory this morning stating that air quality in Los Angeles County is being affected by the fire south of downtown Los Angeles.


“In areas affected by odors, residents should follow common-sense measures and avoid vigorous exercise outdoors if they experience respiratory or eye irritation due to smoke or odors,” it said.

The county fire department is also testing the air at the fire site and surrounding neighborhoods, Lozono said.

The Los Angeles County Health Department also expressed concern about the air.

“We’re on standby and we have people there, as well, monitoring (the situation), said spokesman Bernard Tolliver.

The county’s interim health officer, Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, also issued a health alert.


“We are also advising schools that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend outside physical activities in these areas, including physical education and after-school sports, until conditions improve,” Gunzenhauser said in a statement. “Non-school related sports organizations for children and adults are advised to cancel outdoor practices and competitions in areas where there is visible smoke, soot, or ash, or where there is an odor of smoke. This also applies to other recreational outdoor activity, such as hikes or picnics, in these areas.

Explosion at the Veolia Energy Substation shakes South Philadelphia neighborhood

By John Rawlins
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 06:33PM

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An explosion at a plant in South Philadelphia left residents feeling like they went through an earthquake Wednesday afternoon.

It happened at the Veolia Energy Substation at 26th and Christian streets around 3:30 p.m.




"I just heard a big boom and the whole ground shook," a male neighbor told Action News said.

"An explosion and the whole house shook. It sounded like the roof was coming in," a female neighbor said.

A large pillar of smoke and debris began climbing above the plant.

"I look up and there's a cloud of red smoke. It looks like 1,000 bricks blew up," Harvey Romm of Grays Ferry said.

There was no fire, but one of the plant's main boilers that provides steam to some 300 customers, mostly in Center City, exploded.

One person suffered a minor injury after being hit by flying glass outside the building.

All employees were accounted for and are OK, officials said.





Veolia officials said in a statement the incident was contained to the facility and there was no fire.

The statement goes on to say that thermal energy services are uninterrupted.

Officials say a safety valve system worked relieving the excess pressure.

"It did its job. It activated, blew out, unfortunately, some windows were blown out, but it did its job. It left the tower stabilized," Philadelphia Fire Department Deputy Chief Gary Loesch said.

The statement continued, "The company will conduct a full investigation to determine what happened."

At least three homes were damaged during a fire in Wilmington, Delaware

3 homes damaged in Wilmington fire





At least three homes were damaged during a fire in Wilmington, Delaware. (WPVI)





Wednesday, June 15, 2016 10:00PM

WILMINGTON (WPVI) -- At least three homes were damaged during a fire in Wilmington, Delaware.









At least three homes were damaged during a fire in Wilmington, Delaware.

Flames broke out around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday on the 1100 block of Lancaster Avenue.

Fire crews reported flames coming from the upper floors and spreading to both adjoining homes.

It took firefighters a half hour to knock down the bulk of the flames.

There are no reported injuries.