February 28 top stories
It is February 28. Here are today’s top stories.
Texas Panhandle wildfires grow rapidly
A series of wildfires swept across the Texas Panhandle since Monday, prompting evacuations, cutting off power to thousands and briefly shutting down a nuclear weapons facility as strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm temperatures fed the blazes.
The Pantex plant in Amarillo, long the main U.S. site for both assembling and disassembling atomic bombs, completed its last new bomb in 1991 and has dismantled thousands since. The plant said it would reopen today after it closed and evacuated its staff last night.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, firefighters were battling at least five wildfires in the Texas Panhandle which have already burned through almost 400,000 acres. Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties as the largest blaze, the Smokehouse Creek fire, has grown to 300,000 acres, more than 450 square miles and is zero percent contained.
Authorities have not said what might have caused the blaze.
The weather forecast provided some hope for firefighters – cooler temperatures, less wind and possibly rain on Thursday. But for now, the situation is dire in some areas.
Biden and Trump easily win primaries in Michigan
President Biden and former President Trump easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to win the swing state in November.
Michigan has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation.
Listen to Michigan, a campaign started and spearheaded by predominantly younger Arab and Muslim organizers disillusioned with Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza, led a push for Democrats to vote uncommitted in the primary as a protest vote. As of early Wednesday, more than 100,000 votes for the uncommitted option on the Democratic ballot have been counted.
Despite Trump’s clear victory in Michigan, Haley still saw significant support from the swing state’s Republicans. Her strongest performance Tuesday night came in areas with college towns and suburbs around Detroit as Trump has underperformed with suburban voters and people with college degrees.
Shaher Abdulrab, 35, an engineer from Dearborn, said Tuesday morning that he voted for Trump. Abdulrab said he believes Arab Americans have a lot more in common with Republicans than Democrats.
Abdulrab said he voted four years ago for Biden but believes Trump will win the general election in November partly because of the backing he would get from Arab Americans. Abdulrab said, “I am not voting for Trump because I want Trump. I just don’t want Biden. He didn’t call to stop the war in Gaza.”
Georgia nursing student killed during jog on campus
Laken Hope Riley (22), a University of Georgia at Augusta nursing student, was found dead from blunt force trauma to the head Thursday after jogging near a lake at UGA.
What happened? Police started searching for Riley after receiving a call around noon Thursday from a friend who was concerned she had not returned from her jog that morning. Less than an hour later, police found her body in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick.
Investigators said Riley was attacked and disfigured by the suspect, who allegedly dragged and hid her body in a secluded area.
Police said Riley’s suspected killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra (26), was arrested Friday and charged with felony murder, false imprisonment and kidnapping and concealing a death. Ibarra lived minutes from the crime scene and there are no signs that Ibarra knew Riley. It was a crime of opportunity.
The brutal killing of a beloved student on the University of Georgia campus has enveloped many students with grief and a shattered sense of security – all while Ibarra’s status as an undocumented Venezuelan migrant has reignited national debate over border security. Many people, including the Georgia Governor, feel Riley’s murder was preventable.
Though there is little evidence indicating a connection between immigration and crime.
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Wendy’s looking to test Uber-like surge pricing
Multiple sources reported that the price of Wendy’s food and drink items could soon fluctuate throughout the day as the chain looks to introduce Uber-like surge pricing on its menu.
The practice, known as “dynamic pricing,” will begin testing in 2025. It is part of a $20 million investment in new digital menu boards at its US restaurants that enable them to change prices depending on demand.
Surge pricing is common with sports and concert tickets and for ride-hailing apps, with services like Ticketmaster and Uber using sophisticated dynamic pricing algorithms that change minute by minute, based on demand.
But apps and digital menus can easily update prices on the fly, giving fast food chains an easier way to implement dynamic pricing.
In a statement Wednesday, Wendy’s clarified that “dynamic pricing” will include new menus that could offer discounts at slower times of the day, denying the company will raise prices during peak demand.
Experts said surge pricing could be a “turning point” in the fast food industry. If Wendy’s idea works, it could get others to do something similar.
Alex has a news story to share about a U.S. couple missing in the Caribbean.
Virginia couple missing in Grenada and feared killed
Thanks, Callie.
An American couple from Virginia who was traveling on a yacht in the Caribbean are missing and feared to have been killed in Grenada.
The couple’s names are Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry.
They were last seen alive near a beach in Grenada. CBS News explained that three convicted criminals escaped from a prison last week and police believe they hijacked the yacht.
The boat was found abandoned on a beach on a nearby island, St. Vincent. It had several items strewn on the deck and in the cabin and there appeared to be blood on the boat. Police said the couple was likely thrown into the ocean and died. There have been searches for the bodies but so far, none has been found.
Police said they captured the three escaped criminals last week.
Family members of Kathy and Ralph said the world can be cruel but that it is also a world of beauty and adventure. The family said they hope people will remember the couple for their big hearts.
Thanks for that story. That is all the news stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
Texas Panhandle wildfires grow rapidly:
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/texas-panhandle-wildfires-evacuations/
Biden and Trump easily win primaries in Michigan:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/27/michigan-primary-trump-biden-haley-00143773
Georgia nursing student killed during jog on campus:
Wendy’s looking to test Uber-like surge pricing:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/business/wendys-prices-inflation.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/02/27/wendys-menu-surge-pricing/72761277007/
Virginia couple missing in Grenada and feared killed: