Woman climbing mountain

TWO climbers have died and another two are injured after being caught up in an avalanche on Ben Nevis today as Storm Gareth tears through the UK. The Coastguard and an air ambulance were scrambled to the UK's highest peak following the horror at around 11.50am. At least one of the two climbers wounded has life-threatening injuries with mountain rescue teams now attempting to remove the climbers from Ben Nevis. A horrified eyewitness said he saw "huge powder clouds" as the avalanche gripped the mountain today. Writing on the UK Climbing Forum, he said:"Was outside the CIC (Charles Inglis Clark Memorial) hut when the avalanche came down number 5 gully. "Huge powder clouds. Guys at the CIC hut who had attempted a climb earlier, and had aborted because of the conditions weren’t aware of anyone else out climbing today on the Ben." Police Scotland earlier said three people had died and one was injured but they later corrected this saying two were dead and two wounded. A spokesperson … [Read more...] about Ben Nevis avalanche – two climbers killed and two injured in tragedy on UK’s highest mountain as Storm Gareth hits Britain

After losing two sons — one to a rare disease and the other to suicide — a Virginia woman decided to become a nurse and help ease others’ pain. Kathy Wales’ son Alex was diagnosed with a very rare brain disease called adrenoleukodystrophy. “They said, ‘Buy a video camera and enjoy your time,’” she said. Doctors gave him six months to live, but he survived more than seven years before passing away at 16. Top News Photos: Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery Getty Images “He never stopped smiling, and I figured if he’s not going to stop, I don’t have any right to,” Wales said. Through it all, Alex’s big brother Zach stayed by his side. “He was amazing,” Wales said. “He was the best brother. He did everything for Alex.” Get Breaking News Alerts With the NBC Washington App And though he wasn’t showing any symptoms, Zach had the same disease. After Alex passed … [Read more...] about Virginia Woman Turns to Nursing Career After Sons’ Deaths

“Capt. Satterwhite sat me down and said, ‘You are not ready for this man’s Army.’ And that’s exactly how he put it,” remembers Boggs. ” ‘You need an edge.’ “Satterwhite suggested that Boggs enter the Army’s Airborne School, an elite program in which soldiers learn to parachute out of airplanes. Boggs protested that she was afraid of heights. “He said, ‘No matter how miserable they make you feel—which they will—remember that it is all designed to help you,’ ” she recalls. ” ‘When they say jump from the plane, you will jump and you will land safely.’ “He was right. Now, nearly 40 years later, Boggs says that advice was a gift—and a metaphor that has guided her career.“Whenever I encountered something after that, I would go back to that experience and I’d say, ‘Wait a minute—I’m Airborne.’ And that would frame whatever it … [Read more...] about In law and music, surmounting new challenges has defined Paula Boggs’ career

LEXINGTON — Gov. Ralph Northam moved Wednesday to strengthen a state agency dealing with the construction of two natural gas pipelines, a cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay and other environmental challenges.In his sixth executive order since taking office in January, Northam called for a “revitalization” of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.The initiative is threefold: updating and better enforcing regulations, guarding against the rollback of environmental protections under President Donald Trump, and improving transparency at a time when DEQ has come under withering criticism from pipeline opponents.“The environment belongs to all of us,” Northam said in announcing the executive order during remarks at an environmental symposium. “It is our birthright.”Over the past decade, DEQ has seen its staff slashed by 30 percent and about $60 million in budget cuts.Northam pledged to increase state funding for conservation programs and … [Read more...] about Northam orders upgrade of DEQ amid criticism from pipeline opponents

Politics Facebook Twitter Flipboard Email Enlarge this image In this Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 photo, Letitia Plummer, a Houston dentist and candidate for Congress to represent Texas District 22, is applauded during a women's candidate training workshop at El Centro College in Dallas. LM Otero/AP hide caption toggle caption LM Otero/AP In this Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 photo, Letitia Plummer, a Houston dentist and candidate for Congress to represent Texas District 22, is applauded during a women's candidate training workshop at El Centro College in Dallas. LM Otero/AP A record number of women — 309 — had filed to run for the U.S. House as of April 6. That's a nearly 90-percent increase over 2016's numbers. Loading... That wave of women candidates has sent the share of candidates who are women skyrocketing...to 22 percent. Along with the number of women candidates climbing sharply this year, the number of men running for office has risen. As a … [Read more...] about There Are A Record-Breaking 309 Women House Candidates (And 1,103 Men)