Massachusetts
Another blast of snow makes its way to Northeast
BOSTON – Another round of snow made its way into the Northeast on Saturday as the region continues to dig out from the previous storm.
New England is expected to be hit hardest by the latest blast of winter weather. The National Weather Service says 10 to 14 inches of snow is expected in eastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. Connecticut could see 8 to 10 inches along its Rhode Island border.
At its peak, the storm will dump snow at the rate of 3 inches per hour, said meteorologist William Babcock.
The weekend snowstorm comes on the heels of another storm that brought snow and ice to the East Coast, caused at least 25 deaths and left hundreds of thousands without power. Parts of New York and Vermont ended up with more than 2 feet of snow.
North Carolina
Duke: 2nd leaking pipe at coal ash dump no danger
EDEN, N.C. – Duke Energy says a second pipe under a coal ash dump in North Carolina is not in immediate danger of collapse, despite concerns from state regulators the pipe could fail and trigger another toxic spill into the Dan River.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Friday video taken inside the pipe shows potentially contaminated water leaking in through gaps and then out into the river.
Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan says the company’s assessment is that “no immediate action” is necessary. The state has given Duke 10 days to come up with a plan to fix the leaks.
The third largest coal ash spill in U.S. history was triggered Feb. 2 when a similar pipe at Duke’s dump collapsed.
California
LA crews aim for largest continuous concrete pour
LOS ANGELES – Crews are set to pour concrete to lay the foundation for the tallest building to be built west of the Mississippi – and they’re hoping it’s one for the history books.
The marathon concrete pour began Saturday evening and is expected to last 20 hours without interruption. The attempt will be verified by an official from Guinness World Records.
About 2,000 truckloads of concrete will be driven throughout the weekend to the construction site in downtown LA where a skyscraper called the New Wilshire Grand will be built.
Once finished, the skyscraper will soar 1,100 feet, making it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi.
Ellen Page, actress in ‘Juno,’ comes out as gay
LOS ANGELES – Ellen Page, who won the hearts of moviegoers as the pregnant teenager in the 2007 film “Juno,” has come out as gay.
The 26-year-old told a Las Vegas audience Friday, “I’m here today because I am gay.” She was speaking to a conference of counselors who work with teenagers who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual or queer.
A video of her speech was posted on the Los Angeles Times website.
She says she suffered for years because she was afraid to come out. She told the audience, “I’m standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain.”
Page received an Oscar nomination for her performance in “Juno.” She also had major roles in “X-Men: The Last Stand” in 2006 and “Inception” in 2010.
Associated Press
