WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. OIG-A-2025-005) on April 14, 2025, entitled "Safety and Security: Company is Taking Steps to Address its Risk of Train Strikes but Does Not Have a Comprehensive Risk Management Process." Here are excerpts: * * * To: Steve Predmore, Executive Vice President/Chief Safety Officer From: J.J. Marzullo, Assistant Inspector General, Audits Date: April 14, 2025 Subjec  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Ball Horticultural Company, West Chicago, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) expressing support for the conclusion of the Draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment (PPRA) for the modified moth orchid (Phalaenopsis spp. Hybrid). The company, recognized as a leader in the floriculture industry globally, emphasizes its commitment to scientific analysis and risk assessment in plant breeding. In its letter, the c  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, Aug. 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southeast Regional Information Office issued the following report: * * * Business Employment Dynamics in Alabama -- Fourth Quarter 2024 * From September 2024 to December 2024, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Alabama were 98,242, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 92,388, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Stati  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration has received a public comment letter from the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie regarding the Elwood to Braidwood Track Construction Project in Will County, Illinois. The letter raises concerns about the scope of ecological surveys, specifically related to the protection of sensitive species. In its correspondence, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie emphasized that the surveys conducted in 2024 were limited to plant assessments  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Aug. 7 -- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2025: * * * New endowment to protect Illinois state parks for future generations SPRINGFIELD - As public lands nationally face threats to their existence, the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF), in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), is launching a new endowment to protect, preserve and enhance Illinois state parks. "From our wooded   more

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 7 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Digital Pollen By Beth King Smithsonian digitizes pollen from 18,000 plant species Digitized pollen database for paleontology research, allergy medicine and more. A team of researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is digitizing images of pollen from more than 18,000 plant species from the tropics. These images are being used to train a machine-learning mo  more