Category: News
Soaring Trucker Rejection Rates Suggest “Epic Year” For Drivers
Soaring Trucker Rejection Rates Suggest “Epic Year” For Drivers
Trucking advocacy group American Truckers United set the narrative late last year that the Trump administration’s crackdown on fraudulent, non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses that flooded US highways during the Biden-Harris regime era – linked to deadly crashes nationwide and the collapse in spot rates for mom-and-pop American truckers – was finally set to end and begin transitioning into industry tailwinds in 2026.
The note was penned on Dec. 27 and titled “Trump’s Highway Enforcement Lays Groundwork For U.S. Trucking Revival.“ ATU pointed out that the Trump administration’s purging of illegal alien truck drivers was set to create fairer wages, safer roads, and protect the jobs of honest, hard-working citizen truckers.
ATU noted a reversal in trucking spot rates in late 2025. Fast forward to today, rejection rates published on X by FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller show what is shaping up to be a stellar year for American truckers.
Fuller posted Truckload Rejection Index (TRI) data from SONAR showing rejection rates of 14%.
TRI tracks the percentage of contracted truckload shipments that carriers reject instead of hauling at the agreed contract rate, and only suggests that truck capacity is tightening after the Trump administration began purging illegals from the trucking industry.
Fuller emphasized, “26 could be an epic year for truckers.”
Rejection rates break 14% as the rally in trucking continues
26 could be an epic year for truckers pic.twitter.com/dwkcYFZt6l
— Craig Fuller 🛩🚛🚂⚓️ (@FreightAlley) February 4, 2026
Fuller also cites rising manufacturing trends (see ZH MFG note) in the US, which only suggest a boom year for truckers.
Some of the strongest signals for future freight demand
The tide is turning pic.twitter.com/Kxubut0SUb
— Craig Fuller 🛩🚛🚂⚓️ (@FreightAlley) February 4, 2026
Great news for truckers. Tailwinds certainly have arrived.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/06/2026 – 18:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/soaring-trucker-rejection-rates-suggest-epic-year-drivers
Court briefs: Possible sentences in fatal shooting, fatal crash
Crown Point Jewel-Osco employee charged with touching co-worker
A Crown Point man is facing charges for touching his co-worker at Jewel-Osco.
Eric Williams, 60, is charged with sexual battery and one misdemeanor.
He is in custody, held on a $5,000 cash bond.
A probable cause affidavit alleges police responded around 6:30 a.m. Feb. 4 to the Crown Point grocery store, 1276 N. Main Street.
The victim said she was working in an aisle around 2 a.m. when he got “handsy” and “grinded” against her, according to the affidavit.
“I can do for you what your husband can’t,” he said, court records state.
He groped her buttocks, moved his hand up her legs, then kissed her.
“You look mad,” he responded.
When she said she was, he told her to give him a hug. She escaped and told a female co-worker. Surveillance video did not show the incident, but when each left the aisles.
Police arrested Williams at his other job at a Luke’s gas station. He claimed the encounter was “consensual.”
Gary man faces 30 years in wife’s death
A Gary man faces 30 years in his wife’s fatal shooting.
Garry Moore, 66, pleaded guilty in documents filed Jan. 30 to voluntary manslaughter in the July 11, 2023, death of Tanya Moore, 55.
If a judge accepts, his sentencing is March 11.
The plea deal would dismiss a murder charge, gun charge and separate case for failing to register as a sex offender, records show.
Gary Police responded around 4:50 a.m. July 11, 2023, to their home on the 2200 block of Kentucky Street. A cop found Moore trying to do CPR on her. A gun was on the counter.
Moore said they had been married for 35 years. He claimed to police that their argument stemmed from when he cheated in 2017 and she “couldn’t let it go,” court documents state. She was in the process of moving out. He said she ran into their “office” to grab a gun.
Saying he was a “9th degree black belt,” he did a martial arts move to turn the barrel away from him. It went off, hitting her in the chest, he claimed. Police discounted his story.
Portage man faces up to six years for hitting man with car in Lake Station
A Portage man faces up to six years for hitting a man with a car in Lake Station.
Brandon Butera, 37, pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to criminal recklessness.
If a judge accepts the plea deal, his sentencing is April 10.
Lake Station Police responded around 11:50 p.m. April 23, 2024, to the 1600 block of E. 33rd Avenue.
The victim told officers that his relative had a restraining order against Butera. As Butera drove by, he yelled for him to “leave (his) family alone,” charges state.
Butera stopped, then swung around. When the victim crossed the street to talk with him, Butera swerved and hit him with the car, the affidavit states.
Chesterton man faces 7-year split term in fatal crash
A Chesterton man faces a seven-year split term in a fatal crash.
Justin Eder, 32, pleaded guilty Feb. 3 to causing death when operating a vehicle with an ACE of .08 or more.
If a judge accepts the plea, he would face four years in prison, two years in Lake County Community Corrections Kimbrough work release and one year probation. His driver’s license would be suspended for three years.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled March 25.
Eder was driving 94 mph before the crash and had a blood alcohol level more than 1.5 times the legal limit, according to court documents.
Indiana State Police troopers arrived on April 6, 2021, at the accident site on Interstate 80 eastbound, just past the Broadway Avenue exit.
A witness told troopers Eder was heading around a semi when he rear-ended a Toyota, according to the affidavit.
The Toyota’s driver was being treated by EMTs. The passenger, Zahid Ali, 39, of Marshalltown, Iowa, died a week later, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Michigan City woman could avoid prison in injury crash
A Michigan City woman could avoid prison after investigators found meth in her system following a Cedar Lake injury crash.
Rayann Ravenscroft, 51, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 to causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II substance in her blood.
The plea deal calls for her to serve a sentence up to six years in Lake County Community Corrections. If a judge accepts, her sentencing date is scheduled April 9.
Officers responded at 10:25 p.m. June 5, 2022, to the 15200 block of Wicker Avenue (Indianapolis Boulevard) in Cedar Lake for a reported accident.
A woman told police she was driving southbound on Wicker Avenue near W. 151st Ave when another car blew a stop sign and she T-boned it.
The other woman was taken to the hospital with a fractured sternum.
Ravenscroft’s passenger Steven Pflughaupt said he saw the other car coming.
He was taken to the hospital with a broken arm and a few broken ribs. Pflughaupt died suddenly June 9, 2022, from an unrelated cause, according to court records.
mcolias@post-trib.com
Las Vegas Neighborhood Rocked By Suspected Illegal Biolab
Las Vegas Neighborhood Rocked By Suspected Illegal Biolab
Authored by Allan Stein via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
LAS VEGAS—Every morning, Raul Contreras rides his mountain bike along the quiet streets of northeast Las Vegas, passing tidy stucco homes and lawns that reflect a good quality of life.
To him, the area is a hidden gem, far from urban crime and congestion. Families thrive, kids play and go to school safely, and neighbors look out for each other.
He had no idea that one of these homes was hiding a secret that could threaten public health.
On Jan. 31, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and SWAT teams raided the house at 979 Sugar Springs Drive, a place Contreras passes every day.
Inside the garage, they discovered a suspected biological laboratory containing a freezer, several refrigerators, a centrifuge and other specialized equipment, and over 1,000 vials and gallon-sized containers of unknown red and brown liquids.
“That’s kind of scary,” Contreras, who lives about two blocks away, told The Epoch Times. “You don’t know what the hell is in that stuff.”
“Now, you know it can happen in any neighborhood—even the quietest,” he said.
The discovery has left residents feeling unsettled and unsure. Some are asking how this suspected biolab went unnoticed, possibly as long as three years, in an active crime watch community.
A crime watch community is one in which residents partner with local law enforcement to reduce crime through increased surveillance, reporting, and, in some cases, technology.
“I feel they shouldn’t have let it go on,” said Kathy, who gave only her first name, as she walked her dog near the now-empty home.
“It’s scary. It’s really easy to operate under the radar here.”
Cody Human, who owns a tree trimming service in Las Vegas, said he and his crew had planned to work at the house next door on the day of the raid.
However, when they arrived, they saw police officers and hazmat-suited personnel throughout the property.
“If I lived in this neighborhood, I would definitely be scared,” Human told The Epoch Times as he resumed work on Feb. 3.
“Anything like that is scary, especially for neighborhoods like this that have kids and families,” he said.
“I mean, this neighborhood is known as a family-oriented neighborhood. You’ve got churches. This is one of the better neighborhoods. It’s very clean, very quiet.”
Meanwhile, a team of local, state, and federal investigators is working to identify the materials seized from the suspected biolab and their purpose.
“We recognize that the public is seeking clarity,” Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters on Feb. 2. “What were they testing for? What possibilities are being considered?”
FBI scientists and specialized evidence teams entered the garage, where they opened the refrigerators and a freezer to inspect their contents.
Some items appeared to have been used to store biological and chemical materials, McMahill said.
The joint investigation involved multiple agencies and a “layered use of technology,” including Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department drones and a robotic dog, to assess environmental conditions at the residence to limit risk of exposure to potential pathogens.
McMahill said investigators collected more than 1,000 pieces of evidence and stored them temporarily at the Southern Nevada Health District building.
On Feb. 2, FBI agents transported the materials by aircraft to the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland, according to Christopher Delzotto, special agent in charge of the investigation at the FBI’s Las Vegas office.
McMahill said the Sugar Springs Drive home is owned by David Destiny Discovery LLC, whose principal is David He, the same person connected to an illegal biolab shut down in Reedley, California, in 2023.
The Epoch Times previously reported that David He is the pseudonym used by Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national.
The Justice Department releases a photo of Jia Bei Zhu, arrested in connection with an illegal Chinese biolab in Reedley, Calif., on Oct. 19, 2023. Department of Justice
Investigators at the Reedley biolab found materials possibly linked to infectious diseases, including hepatitis, COVID-19, HIV, malaria, and other dangerous pathogens, McMahill said.
Police have named He as a suspect in the Las Vegas case, and said federal authorities were already holding him because of charges related to the 2023 investigation.
A second suspect, Ori Salomon, 55, a nonimmigrant foreign national, was also arrested in the Las Vegas investigation. Salomon, who also spells his surname as Solomon, manages the home on Sugar Springs Drive and a nearby house on Temple View Drive.
Police booked Salomon at the Clark County Detention Center for disposing of and releasing dangerous waste, and he was released on $3,000 bail. Salomon is also facing a federal felony charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
His next court appearance is scheduled for March 4.
The sheriff said the Reedley investigation raised significant concerns about what local authorities might encounter at the Sugar Springs Drive property.
“While it is unknown whether similar materials were present here at the Las Vegas residence, the possibility required us to proceed with extreme caution,” McMahill said.
On Jan. 31, the FBI also executed a search warrant at the property on Temple View Drive, where several people resided, but found no illegal biological materials inside.
When police went into the property on Sugar Springs Drive, they found three people living in different rooms they were renting. These people are not involved in the current investigation, McMahill said.
According to county documents obtained by The Epoch Times, David Destiny Discovery purchased the Sugar Springs Drive property in October 2022 from Wang Zhaoyan, who was connected to companies involved in the Reedley case.
Read the rest here…
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/06/2026 – 17:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/las-vegas-neighborhood-rocked-suspected-illegal-biolab
Joliet’s Jeremy Fears Jr. may be disciplined for No. 10 Michigan State’s game vs. No. 5 Illinois
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Some sort of discipline for star guard Jeremy Fears Jr. is possible as Michigan State coach Tom Izzo deals with another issue in his backcourt: a season-ending foot injury for key transfer Divine Ugochukwu.
Izzo said Friday he still was considering benching Fears — who played at Joliet West — for at least a portion of the No. 10 Spartans’ home game against fifth-ranked Illinois on Saturday night.
Fears’ tactics were questioned for a second consecutive game when he received a technical in a 76-73 upset loss to Minnesota on Wednesday.
Fears swung his leg backward into Langston Reynolds’ groin area after the whistle when Reynolds was called for a foul on a basket by Fears. Officials didn’t see what Fears did but issued the technical on review.
Izzo said the sophomore guard needed to “grow up a little bit,” and the coach was considering whether to bench him.
Izzo mostly defended Fears in his meeting with reporters two days later while saying he wasn’t sure what he was going to do about the on-court issue after a similar situation arose in the previous game against rival Michigan. Fears appeared to intentionally trip Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg during an intense matchup throughout No. 2 Michigan’s 83-71 victory last week.
“I do have some decisions to make,” Izzo said. “And I could make ’em playing him from the start, playing him 10 minutes into the game, playing him at halftime. I’m not trying to minimize it. I’m just trying to do what I think is right and fair from what I know of the kid.
“If I look at what he’s done, how far he’s come and what he’s been through, there’s a lot worse that I’ve been through than that. My decision, you can create your own philosophy on whether it’s right, wrong or indifferent. I promise you this is not nearly what it was made out to be in the first place.”
Fears leads the Spartans with 14.6 points per game and shares the Big Ten lead with 8.9 assists per game.
Ugochukwu, who transferred from Miami, was a key part of the backcourt depth. Izzo said surgery was planned for Ugochukwu.
“I feel for him,” Izzo said. “The saddest part is usually on those kinds of injuries, you have like a stress reaction and you have pain in your foot. He had none of that.”
Michigan State is coming off consecutive losses for the first time this season and at risk of its first three-game losing streak in two years. Izzo said he doesn’t think Ugochukwu’s injury changes the Spartans’ outlook.
“I have enough guards that I might have to play a little different,” Izzo said. “That’s not going to be the reason we win or lose games, if you ask me. We have to get our key guys playing well.”
While Izzo is considering disciplining Fears, the coach seemed to say he wasn’t interested in anything overly punitive. Izzo also defended his team’s sportsmanship after Michigan coach Dusty May accused the Spartans of making dangerous plays.
“This whole thing started with the game before, which I think some of that was blown out of proportion,” Izzo said, referring to the Michigan game. “And so the next day I had a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting with him again. I think he understands what’s going on.
“When you look at a kid, you make decisions on your own kids or somebody else, you have to look at the whole picture. And the whole picture to me is a 3.1 (grade point average) student. He’s had no injuries. He’s done absolutely zero off the court. I’ve never had a problem with him.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/06/jeremy-fears-discipline-michigan-state-illinois/
From the Farm: Lamb and lobster both lucky bites for Lunar New Year
Tuesday, Feb. 17, marks the start of the Lunar New Year for 2026 and the rare occasion that this year is designated the year of “the Fire Horse,” something which is only celebrated under this “special sign” every 60 years.
This arrival of 2026 has heralded quite a few celestial celebrations.
One week ago, on Feb. 1, we saw the “Snow Full Moon” following sightings of the northern lights, aka aurora borealis, throughout our Midwest in the night skies during the holiday stretch.
Symbolism between our food and menus and the illumination of the night sky’s charted displays have guided civilizations for centuries, as well as farming and agriculture.
My oldest sister Carol’s neighbors have already started “lambing,” the latter being the term for ewes giving birth to lambs.
Lamb hasn’t ever ranked as a menu favorite for our farm family, though I’ve featured various recipes as a tasty highlight over the decades in my published columns and cookbooks.
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary has a fine-dining Asian eatery called YouYu Noodle Bar led by Chef Man Ho Cheung, who told me last week that lamb is deemed a lucky main entrée option in his culture. Starting Feb. 14 through March 1, the chef has added succulent “lambchop lollipops” to the restaurant menu to match the décor of colorful Lunar New Year decorations and the excitement of the annual $200,000 baccarat tournament, which this year will include a ceremonial lion dancer, a “money tree” sprouting “red envelopes” containing prizes for players.
Succulent lamb chops are garnished with scallions and a sprig of fresh rosemary, enjoyed as a dish specialty to channel prosperity for the Lunar New Year. (Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana)
“Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is Northwest Indiana’s No. 1 place to celebrate the Lunar New Year, with this year being special because of the year of the fire horse symbolizing energy, passion, independence and fast-paced change in the new year,” Chef Cheung said.
He said lamb is eaten this time of year because the wool of sheep is symbolic of “warmth and prosperity.”
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, which is Monday, Feb. 16, YouYu remains open from noon to 2 a.m. and a “lucky whole lobster” quick-cooked as a stir-fried favorite with ginger and scallions is the highlight.
“In our culture, the larger the lobster size, say 3 or 4 pounds, like what we serve here, is considered a sign of better luck because it’s bigger and when served can be stacked higher on the platter,” Chef Cheung said.
“For our culture, we call lobster the ‘dragon of the sea,’ and we love the red color the shell has when cooked because red is for good fortune.”
Chef Man Ho Cheung of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana follows the cuisine custom that the higher the cooked lobster pieces are stacked on a serving platter, the more luck is enjoyed by the diners and their appetites. (Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana)
Clams, Szechuan pork dumplings, crispy shrimp spring rolls and Hong Kong wonton soup are some of the other Chinese New Year food favorites.
He said at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, guests throughout the casino will enjoy an inside parade in the gaming areas led by the dramatic lion dancers, which will escalate to a free full performance by the Yu’s Lion Dance Team from Chicago’s Chinatown. The ceremonial procession will feature not only the elaborate lion costumes but also a large percussion team of drums, cymbals and gongs. The chef told me the lion dance parade traveling around the casino floor will “chase away the evil spirits and bring luck in the new year.”
The Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana five-week Baccarat Tournament Series spans both February and March. Baccarat continues to rank as the most popular table game among Indiana casinos, with Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana boasting the most baccarat tables among all the Hoosier casino properties.
For more information about the menus and Lunar New Year’s menus and free events at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, 5400 West 29th Ave. in Gary, call 219-228-2383 or visit www.hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com.
The Hard Rock Northern Indiana Asian dining restaurants, just like all of the Chinese and Cantonese restaurants I’ve ever eaten at in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, have the sweet tradition of serving almond cookies as a delicious dessert to end meals.
Surprisingly, among the more than 1,000 recipes published in the past 25 years of columns and cookbooks, a true, crisp and delicious almond cookie recipe had evaded me until now. Chef Man Ho Cheung’s almond cookie recipe is a delight and does not disappoint. He serves these cookies as a garnish to the chocolate and pistachio ice cream scoops he serves up to guests at the end of their meals at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a weekly radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Chef Cheung’s Almond Delight Cookies
Makes 10 cookies
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon almond essence
3 whole eggs, divided use
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 whole almonds
Directions:
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment of a mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add 2 eggs one at a time, then the almond essence.
3. Add all the remaining dry ingredients and mix only until combined.
5. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness and chill the dough slightly before cutting out with the round cutter of your choice.
6. Brush with an egg wash (made with one beaten egg and a splash of water) and place one whole almond in the middle.
7. Bake in a 350-degree oven until a medium golden brown.
Illinois man avoids prison in drug deal that led to Schererville woman’s death
A Kankakee, Illinois man avoided prison Friday for dealing drugs to a Schererville woman who fatally overdosed.
Yancy Craig, 66, pleaded guilty in October to involuntary manslaughter. He faced up to one to six years in prison.
He was charged with selling fentanyl to Sara Anderson, 25, of Schererville, the day before her March 20, 2021, death, court records allege.
Filled with grief, Anderson’s father, Timothy, said at a hearing in January that his daughter’s first boyfriend introduced her to drugs in the Lake Central marching band, setting off a cycle of rehab and relapse for the rest of her life. When she died, she left behind a young son.
“We fought a war, and we lost it,” he said then.
On Friday, lawyers clashed on whether additional evidence should factor into Craig’s sentencing.
Late in the January hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Dafoe alleged that a witness said in a deposition that Craig sold drugs even after Sara’s death.
Defense lawyer Andrea Bonds contested it, saying no accusations had been made in the case’s evidence file.
On Friday, Schererville Det. Anthony Buonadonna testified he and a partner were doing an unrelated drug case in November when a criminal informant said she bought heroin from Craig years earlier.
Buonadonna said the informant messaged Craig to buy drugs, but it never happened.
“I want to see you,” Craig told her.
Buonadonna said the informant believed Craig wanted sex for the drugs and declined, telling the detective he had a “history of that,” the officer said in court.
When Bonds pressed him, the detective agreed neither actually happened. The allegation was based on the woman’s “speculation,” the lawyer said.
Dafoe asked for six years in prison, arguing Craig took advantage of Anderson’s addiction.
Bonds argued Craig was also at “war” with a drug addiction, although he had been sober since 2010.
Sara Anderson was a “friend” and he didn’t intend to kill her. Craig had “zero” police contacts after Anderson’s death, Bonds said. It had a “profound” effect on his sobriety, she argued.
If he was clean since 2010, why was he selling drugs, Judge Samuel Cappas asked Bonds.
In relationships, people can supply drugs to lessen suffering, Bonds told him, akin to what Craig’s sister testified in January.
“We’re not saying he was clean the whole time,” Bonds said.
Craig turned toward Timothy Anderson and apologized.
Anderson briefly shook his head and appeared to hunch over and look down.
“I made a bad choice that day, a terrible choice,” Craig said.
About 48 million people in the United States struggle with drug or alcohol abuse, according to the New York Times.
Cuba Ready To Negotiate With Trump, But Urges Dialing Down Of Pressure
Cuba Ready To Negotiate With Trump, But Urges Dialing Down Of Pressure
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has offered to enter negotiations with Washington, but has made clear that this must happen “without pressure” – at a moment the Trump administration is seeking to economically strangle Cuba – even going so far as to openly tout the desire to see regime change.
“Cuba is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States,” the Cuban leader announced Thursday. He made clear this can be a “dialogue on any topic… but without pressure or precondition.”
But his key caveat is that for dialogue to take place, it must happen “from a position of equals, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence and our self-determination” and without “interference in our internal affairs.“
Díaz-Canel added that Cuba has long been subjected to “intense media campaigns of slander, hatred, and psychological warfare.”
President Trump has been seeking to end oil imports to Cuba, and after the Maduro overthrow, this has become a real possibility, given that the United States can now demand that the interim government in Caracas end its oil exports to Havana. Venezuela has always been Cuba’s number one supplier.
Mexico too has recently halted oil sales to Cuba so that it can avoid coming under a White House pressure campaign.
But there’s still a lifeline: “Russian oil has been supplied to Cuba on numerous occasions in recent years. We expect this practice to continue,” Moscow’s ambassador to Cuba, Viktor Koronelli, has explained.
In the background, Cuban immigrants in the US dread the possibility of being sent back to Cuba, especially with its economy in a sanctions-induced tailspin:
“It’s been brutal,” said Estévez. “Imagine Dylan hugging his phone every night when he sees his dad. I wouldn’t wish this on any mother.”
As the US government heaps pressure on Cuba, cutting off access to its oil shipments, Donald Trump has framed the campaign as an effort to make the island safe for Cuban Americans.
“A lot of people that live in our country are treated very badly by Cuba,” Trump said recently. “They all voted for me, and we want them to be treated well. We’d like to be able to have them go back to a home in their country, where they haven’t seen their family, their country for many, many decades.”
Last weekend, Trump said “We’re starting to talk to Cuba” and explained his view that “It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal. So Cuba would be free again.”
But there’s some clear regime change activity happening behind the scenes, with The Wall Street Journal reporting last week that the White House is “searching for Cuban government insiders who can help cut a deal to push out the Communist regime by the end of the year.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/06/2026 – 17:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cuba-ready-negotiate-trump-urges-dialing-down-pressure
Habitantes de Mississippi llevan casi dos semanas sin electricidad tras tormenta invernal
Por SOPHIE BATES y JEFF MARTIN
OXFORD, Mississippi, EE.UU. (AP) — Casi dos semanas después de que una tormenta de hielo dejara sin electricidad su hogar, Barbara Bishop todavía no puede encender las luces y su refrigerador está lleno de comida que ya se ha echado a perder.
Bishop, de 79 años, y su esposo George Bishop, de 85 años, viven en una zona rural cerca de Oxford, Mississippi, donde los árboles se partieron por el peso del hielo y derribaron cables del tendido eléctrico, haciendo que los caminos fueran casi intransitables.
Mientras la tormenta azotaba la región, los Bishop acogieron a su hijo, nieta y dos niños, cuyas casas perdieron tanto la electricidad como el agua.
La familia soportó días de frío intenso con nada más que un calentador de gas. Durante algunos días, también perdieron el agua.
“Ha sido uno de esos momentos en los que sólo tienes que apretar los dientes y aguantar”, expresó Bishop.
Casi 20.000 clientes seguían sin electricidad en el norte de Mississippi el viernes, según PowerOutage.us, que rastrea los cortes a nivel nacional. Aproximadamente 180.000 hogares y negocios en Mississippi perdieron el suministro poco después de que la tormenta azotara la región a finales del mes pasado.
El condado de Lafayette, donde se encuentra Oxford, tenía el mayor número de clientes sin electricidad de cualquier condado el viernes, con alrededor de 4.200, seguido por el condado de Tippah con cerca de 3.500. Los condados de Panola, Yalobusha y Tishomingo tenían más de 2.000 clientes sin electricidad.
Después de días de frío intenso, las temperaturas en Oxford alcanzaron los 21 grados Celsius (70 grados Fahrenheit) el viernes, pero los trozos de hielo aún cubrían el suelo en áreas sombreadas.
Los árboles caídos fueron apilados a los lados de las caminos, algunos quemados y aún humeantes. Aunque gran parte del daño había sido despejado, en algunos lugares los cables aún colgaban bajos sobre los caminos y yacían esparcidos en los estacionamientos. En todas partes, las ramas de los árboles colgaban de manera precaria.
Al otro lado de la calle de los Bishop, Russ Jones y su esposa no tienen electricidad ni agua. Durante días usaron cubos de cinco galones llenos de agua para descargar los inodoros, cocinaron en su estufa de gas y se mantuvieron calientes junto a su chimenea.
“Ha sido un shock para el sistema”, comentó Russ, agregando que él y su esposa comenzaron a quedarse con amigos que tienen electricidad hace unos días.
El viernes, el jardín de Russ estaba lleno de voluntarios de Eight Days of Hope, una organización sin fines de lucro que responde a desastres naturales. Los voluntarios despejaron ramas de árboles rotas y retiraron un gran árbol que había caído en el patio trasero de Russ.
La organización llegó días después de la tormenta y ha ayudado a docenas de propietarios a limpiar sus jardines y reparar techos dañados. También ha servido más de 16.000 comidas gratuitas.
Russ dijo que fue un alivio saber que tenía una cosa menos de qué preocuparse. Cuando un voluntario le entregó una camiseta gratis y una manta para su esposa, Russ contuvo las lágrimas.
“Es simplemente más allá de cualquier cosa que podría haber imaginado”, manifestó.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Community news: Elmhurst alum wins film funding, Ezra Klein book talk, and more
Elmhurst University alum wins funding for film
After directing her first film – which centers on a woman’s life list – Elmhurst University alum Alyssa De Jesus likely was thrilled to be able to check something off on her own list.
De Jesus was named a winner in a nationwide contest for independent filmmakers that allowed her film “40 Before 40” to stream on Tubi and got a financial boost from Kickstarter.
The film, with a screenplay written by her mother based on her own life, celebrates the director’s family as well as her alma mater. Several scenes were filmed at Elmhurst University, including Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel, and current students and alums had roles behind and in front of the camera. De Jesus served as director and co-star for the movie.
De Jesus runs her Chicago-based film company, Dream Team Production, with her mother, Vilma Llaguno, and “40 Before 40” is the first feature-length film the company tackled. It was filmed in 2024 and became part of the FilmStream Collective, which supports independent film projects with financial backing and distribution.
Voters league hosts discussion of ‘Abundance’
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s book “Abundance” will be discussed by the League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at the La Grange Public Library, 10 W. Cossit Ave.
Copies of the New York Times bestseller are available online or at the library’s front desk. The event is free and open to the public.
The league is a political organization that doesn’t oppose or support candidates or political parties; instead, it encourages active and information participation in government. Information is at www.lagrangearealw.org.
Triton College nursing students get ‘pinned’
Triton College in River Grove held a pinning ceremony recently for nine nursing students, making them eligible to take a national exam for registered nurses. (Triton College)
Triton College in River Grove recently honored nine nurses during a pinning ceremony that included their family and friends.
The nurses are Brianna Diaz, Candie Daniel, Andrea Lee, Itati Reyna, Juliemar Flores, Vanessa Valdes, Nicole Blachowski, Cecilia Meza-Covarrubias and Marialy Morales. Receiving the pin, which is shaped like a pyramid, means the students who earned their associate degree in nursing can take the National Council Licenses Examination for registered nurses.
Nursing students and faculty planned the ceremony, which featured a class video, student remarks and recognition of incoming and outgoing Student Nurse Association members. The nurses also recited the Nightingale Pledge, named to honor modern nursing founder Florence Nightengale, which connects prospective nurses to nurses in the past.
“We always invite the new grads to stand up along with any nurses that are in the audience, and we recite the pledge in unison,” Cheryl Davis, nursing faculty member, shared in a news release. “It’s a powerful, meaningful moment for everybody.”
Pastor, community activist gives talk on King at Frick Center
Someone with a personal connection to Martin Luther King Jr. will speak at 4 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Founders Lounge at the Frick Center at Elmhurst University, 190 Prospect Ave.
The Rev. James Shannon, who was baptized by King when he was 12, will present “The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.” as part of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Intercultural Lecture at the university.
The Montgomery, Alabama, native, now pastor of Peoples Community Church in Glen Ellyn, was a public school teacher in Chicago and has served for 25 years on the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities – one of the first fair housing organizations in the country at its founding in 1966 as part of King’s Chicago Freedom Movement, according to a news release..
Shannon trained more than 4,000 real estate agents on fair housing laws and practices and directed more than 500 workshops for homebuyers. He has been a full-time pastor since 2013 at the church, which he founded in 2007, and served on the Glenbard District 87 school board.
The talk is free but reservations are encouraged by visiting elmhurst.edu/Cultural.
Japanese art takes center stage at talk
The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association Monday Enrichment Series will turn its attention to Contemporary Japanese Art at the Art Institute of Chicago at 1:15 p.m. Feb. 16 in the second-floor ballroom at 178 Forest Ave. in Oak Park.
Janice Katz will talk about the latest exhibit, “Radical Clay,” which focuses on women ceramic artists from Japan, as well as acquisitions made during her time at the museum. The Art Institute has been both acquiring and displaying Japanese art since the 1950s.
The program is free and open to the public, although donations are welcome. It’s part of a “Japanese themester” funded by a grant from the Toshiba International Foundation. For details, visit www.nineteenthcentury.org.
Send news to pioneerwest@tribpub.com.
JD Vance attends Olympic skating, then meets with Italian Prime Minister Meloni
MILAN — Vice President JD Vance met Friday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — one of the Trump administration’s closer allies in Europe — during his trip to Italy for the Olympic Games.
Vance is on a weeklong visit that combines sports and diplomacy, meeting with Meloni at a time when U.S. relations with Europe have become increasingly strained under President Donald Trump, who has shaken up the rules-based order that has been at the center of U.S. foreign policy since World War II.
The vice president started his day at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, watching the opening session of the three-day team figure skating competition with his family and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the evening, he attended the Olympics opening ceremony.
Cheers went up for U.S. athletes when they entered, but an image of Vance shown on screens was met with boos — a further sign of relations between Washington and Europe that have become strained under Trump. The vice president was attending with his wife, Usha, who was sitting next to former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
Earlier, Vance’s meeting with Meloni saw him headed to the Prefettura di Milano, a Milan palace now used as a municipal building. Their face-to-face lasted about an hour and was followed by a closed-door lunch.
Only a few minutes at the top of the meeting were open to the press, and Meloni began her remarks in Italian. After a moment, she switched to English, joking that Vance probably didn’t understand what she had been saying.
Vance quipped that he’d been able to learn Italian since last coming to Italy. He hadn’t. His last visit was when he saw Meloni in Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV in May.
“I was saying that I’m happy to have you here to have the occasion to talk about our wonderful bilateral relation,” Meloni said.
The prime minister said they’d discuss several topics of bilateral cooperation, but also mentioned meeting at the Olympics, which she called “events that tell about values that keep together Italy and the U.S.” and “western civilization.”
While Meloni was speaking, Tilman Fertitta, the U.S. ambassador to Italy, walked in and greeted Vance, mentioning that, “It’s hard to get around.” The security measures involved in staging the Olympics have meant traffic closures and other logistical headaches.
Vance’s office later released a statement saying he and Meloni also made a private visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera art museum for about half an hour.
The vice president’s office said in a statement that during the meeting with the prime minster, she and Vance discussed the strength of bilateral relations between the nations, the Olympics and mutual efforts to improve the business and investment climate.
Meloni has cultivated a close relationship with Trump, visiting him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in early January 2025, even before he took office for his second term. At the time, he called her a “fantastic woman” and the two have since praised each other.
More recently, however, Meloni has sided with top U.S. allies in Europe in opposing Trump’s push to take control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.
While where reporters were present, the two leaders only exchanged pleasantries. Vance and Rubio did not answer shouted questions about talks between the U.S. and Iran.
“In the spirit of the Olympics friendship, competition — competition based on rules — and just coming together around shared values, we’re very, very thrilled to be here, and we’ll have a great conversation about number of topics,” Vance told Meloni. He added that he’d been excited to go to the Olympics in Milan “pretty much since I became vice president.”
Weissert reported from Washington.
