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Maine considers electrifying proposal that would give the boot to corporate electric utilities

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Taking a page from the “throw-the-bums-out” script in politics, Mainers are poised to vote on an unprecedented plan to rid themselves of the state’s two largest electric utilities and start with a clean slate.The proposed takeover of two investor-owned utilities that distribute 97% of electricity in the state would mark the first time a U.S. state’s utilities were forcibly removed at the same time. The referendum calls for dismantling Central Maine Power and Versant Power and replacing them with a nonprofit utility called Pine Tree Power to operate 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) of transmission lines.Across the country, ratepayers who are unhappy with their utilities are watching what happens when Mainers vote on Nov. 7 in the off-year election.“What we say about state policy and trends is that it could become contagious,” said Timothy Cox, from Washington-based Clear View Energy Partners.The referendum calls for creation of a nonprofit utility w...

U.S. regulators will review car-tire chemical that kills salmon, upon request from West Coast tribes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

U.S. regulators say they will review the use of a chemical found in almost every tire after a petition from West Coast Native American tribes that want it banned because it kills salmon as they return from the ocean to their natal streams to spawn.The Yurok tribe in California and the Port Gamble S’Klallam and Puyallup tribes in Washington asked the Environmental Protection Agency to prohibit the rubber preservative 6PPD earlier this year, saying it kills fish — especially coho salmon — when rains wash it from roadways into rivers. Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut also wrote the EPA, citing the chemical’s “unreasonable threat” to their waters and fisheries. The agency’s decision to grant the petition last week is the start of a long regulatory process that could see the chemical banned. Tire manufacturers are already looking for an alternative that still meets federal safety requirements.“We could not sit idle while 6PPD kills the fish that susta...

Dallas tops Sounders 3-1, forces rubber match in first-round series

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Paul Arriola and Jesús Ferreira scored in the first 18 minutes and FC Dallas cruised to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, forcing a third match to settle the first-round playoff series.Arriola needed just six minutes to give Dallas (12-10-13) the lead, using assists from Bernard Kamungo and Paxton Pomykal. Ferreira scored on a penalty kick 12 minutes later and Dallas took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Ferreira took the PK after Kamungo drew a foul on Seattle defender Nouhou Tolo.Jordan Morris scored unassisted three minutes into the second half to get the Sounders (14-10-11) within a goal.Jáder Obrian sealed the win for Dallas with an unassisted goal in the 89th minute.Maarten Paes finished with three saves for Dallas. Stefan Frei, who led the league with 14 clean sheets during the regular season, did not have a save for the Sounders.Dallas improves to 9-1-4 in its last 13 home matches against Seattle.Seattle saw a six-match unbeaten streak (3-0-3...

Towns takes over in 3rd quarter as Timberwolves beat Jazz 123-95

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 15 of his season-high 25 points in a dominant third-quarter stretch, and the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away to beat the Utah Jazz 123-95 on Saturday night.Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 31 points: 19 in the first half and 12 in the fourth quarter. Rudy Gobert had 11 points and a team-best 10 rebounds against his former team for his fourth double-double in the first five games.“There’s things we could do better, obviously, but it’s good to know that we’re at a point right now, five games in, where we got something flowing. Just got to keep building off it,” Towns said.Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 22 points and eight rebounds. He was 4 of 11 on 3-pointers after making a franchise-record 25 through the first six Utah games. Talen Horton-Tucker and John Collins added 14 points apiece.Utah, which opened a four-game trip, has lost four of five. In seven games, the Jazz have lost three times by at least 16 points.“A night of a combi...

No. 2 Michigan routs Purdue 41-13 despite potential distractions of NCAA sign-stealing investigation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — No. 2 Michigan is seemingly unfazed by an NCAA investigation into allegations that they broke rules with a sign-stealing scheme that could potentially penalize the program and coaching staff.Blake Corum matched his season high with three touchdowns and Semaj Morgan ran for a 44-yard score, leading the third-ranked Wolverines to a 41-13 victory over Purdue on Saturday night.“All that outside noise is just noise,” said Michigan’s Heisman Trophy-candidate quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was 24 of 37 for a season-high 335 yards.The Wolverines (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) routed another overmatched opponent as they have each game this season.“We were already super close as a unit, but with more stuff coming in — the noise — we just think of it as us against the world,” McCarthy said.Purdue coach Ryan Walters said two days before the game that he knew “for a fact” that Michigan was at number of his team’s games, forcing his players to learn a new language.“I was j...

West Virginia gets strong rushing efforts from Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson in a 37-7 win over BYU

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The muscle of 240-pound CJ Donaldson and quick bursts from freshman Jahiem White proved to be too much for BYU.White rushed for a season-high 146 yards, Donaldson ran for 102 yards and two short touchdowns, and West Virginia used a dominant ground attack to become bowl eligible with a 37-7 victory over BYU on Saturday night.Garrett Greene threw two touchdown passes for the Mountaineers (6-3, 4-2 Big 12), who jumped to a 27-0 halftime lead and cruised from there.“Tonight was our most complete game,” West Virginia coach Neal Brown said. “We’re starting to hit our stride.”White had five runs of at least 10 yards, including a pair of 32-yarders. It was White’s second 100-yard rushing effort of the season. “I think this game’s really hard to play as a true freshman,” Brown said. “He’s got a chance to be special. He’s a long way. If he continues to do the things that it takes to be great, then he is going to be a great one. He can break tackles. ...

Today in History: November 5, Fort Hood shooting kills 13

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

Today in History Today is Sunday, Nov. 5, the 309th day of 2023. There are 56 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Nov. 5, 2009, a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas left 13 people dead; Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was later convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He has not yet been executed. On this date: In 1605, the “Gunpowder Plot” failed as Guy Fawkes was seized before he could blow up the English Parliament. In 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony defied the law by attempting to cast a vote for President Ulysses S. Grant. In 1912, Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt, incumbent Republican William Howard Taft and Socialist Eugene V. Debs. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office as he defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie. In 1964, NASA launched Mariner 3, which was supposed to fly by Mars, but the spacecraft...

Jokic just shy of triple-double, Porter scores 27 to lead Nuggets over Bulls 123-101

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists, Michael Porter Jr. scored a season-best 27 and the Denver Nuggets overcame the loss of point guard Jamal Murray to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-101 on Saturday night.Aaron Gordon had 15 points and 12 rebounds for defending NBA champion Denver, which has won all four of its home games.Murray played the first 8:40 before leaving with right hamstring tightness. He finished with two points and two rebounds. Reggie Jackson, getting extended minutes in place of Murray, scored 16 off the bench, tying his season high.Nikola Vucevic had 19 points, DeMar DeRozan scored 17 and Jalen Carter added 16 for Chicago, which has dropped two straight.The Bulls won the previous meeting in Denver, 117-96 on March 8, and took a two-point lead at halftime of this one. The Nuggets opened the third quarter on a 21-4 run to go ahead 72-57 and led by 18 before Chicago cut it to 86-76 early in the fourth.Denver extended the lead to 16, but th...

‘Take it or leave it’: Acrimony flares amid tenuous agreement on climate aid

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

Negotiators struck a fragile agreement Saturday over the outlines of an international fund for climate-ravaged countries after hours of acrimonious haggling foreshadowed likely divisions at the global climate talks later this month.The agreement, stitched tenuously together long after sunset in Abu Dhabi, included a provision demanded by the U.S. that says payments into the fund would be voluntary — leaving the Biden administration with the option of not contributing.The troubled talks over climate aid came weeks before nearly 200 nations will meet in Dubai for a global climate conference beginning Nov. 30 and highlighted the mistrust that developing countries have with the U.S. and other wealthy nations following years of unmet financial promises.The weekend debate left almost everyone dissatisfied, including the U.S.“This is a take it or leave it text,” said Outi Honkatukia, a Finnish negotiator who co-chairs the committee of 24 countries that’s responsible for designing the clima...

Jayson Tatum scores 10,000th career point as Celtics hold off Nets to stay undefeated

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:28 GMT

NEW YORK — On a milestone night for Jayson Tatum, there was one play that stood out to him from the Celtics’ latest victory on Saturday night over the Nets that exemplified the mindset this group has this season.And it didn’t even involve him.As the Celtics nursed an eight-point lead with less than five minutes to go, the feisty Nets refused to quit. They got out in transition after a Jaylen Brown miss. Down the left sideline, in front of the Celtics bench, Spencer Dinwiddie tried to find Cam Thomas. But Al Horford – all 37 years of him – hustled back. He got his left hand in front of Thomas and stole the ball. He regained possession for the Celtics, and they got fouled in transition the other way.During the stoppage, Tatum made sure to find Horford to deliver a loud high five.“That might not show up on the highlight tape,” Tatum said. “But that’s just like a snowball effect, and it’s contagious.”The Celtics’ 124-114 victory in Brooklyn certainly was not perfect. It wasn’t easy or c...