Latest news with #EastPalestine
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Entire system contaminated 2 years after Ohio train derailment: Ex-resident
(NewsNation) — Two years after a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, left many with lingering health problems. A new vital report has revealed the government may have intentionally avoided addressing those concerns. Residents are now suing the CDC, alleging the agency told healthcare providers not to treat them. Jess Connard, a former East Palestine resident, shared that she and others know the entire system meant to protect them is contaminated. 'The CDC told us that there was nothing they could do about our chemical exposures, and that's exactly what happened, nothing,' Connard said. 'And in the same breath, they told us that our cancers would be treatable.' Norfolk Southern Ohio train derailment payout trial begins Connard was one of several to relocate their families with regards to health concerns, but she dealt with the effects of the chemicals in a similar fashion to other residents. 'You'll go to the doctor and they don't attach it back to the derailment,' added Connard. 'They're not epidemiologists. They're not meant to do that. They're meant to treat our symptoms.' FEMA is also catching heat along with the CDC now from Connard and her former neighbors because, after the event, they were ordered to provide an unmet needs assessment. The assessment would have brought forth additional medical resources. 'You've got our current Vice President, J.D. Vance, in his current capacity as Ohio Senator, urged former President Biden to declare a public emergency,' Connard said. 'Why not now? We know that the contamination is still present and ongoing.' Connard hopes that under President Trump's administration, the resources needed in East Palestine will finally be supplied. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rep. Alford: Farmer loan program is reverse discrimination
(NewsNation) — A whistleblower recently told NewsNation that a Biden-era loan forgiveness program meant to help farmers was only provided to minorities, and passed over anyone who was white. The whistleblower from the U.S. Department of Agriculture pointed to Section 1005 of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided loan relief for socially disadvantaged farmers. It provided race-based loan forgiveness, granted only to those who qualified as socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. White farmers from across the country later sued in federal court and alleged that the act was race-based and violated the equal protection clause under the Constitution. The judge in that case later found the loan forgiveness program was 'an actual constitutional harm.' CDC told health providers not to treat after East Palestine derailment: Lawsuit GOP Rep. Mark Alford from Missouri joined NewsNation's 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports' to talk about the loan program. He said it was not right, and equal weights and measures are needed when providing help for all farmers. 'The USDA needs to get back in the business of helping farmers,' Alford said. 'Our farmers are going out of business. We are losing 1,000 farms a month, and our food security is national security.' Alford added the program is 'highly illegal,' and called it reverse discrimination. He also said he would be working to find out if farmers in his district were affected by the Biden administration's program. 'This is ridiculous, farmers are hardworking people and they sacrifice so much to grow corn and soybeans in my district,' Alford said. 'We should not be withholding aid simply because of their skin color.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
EM1 Appoints Tom Sivak as Chief Emergency Manager to Advance AI-Driven Emergency Preparedness and Response
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EM1, an AI company redefining emergency management through advanced technology and data-driven innovation, proudly announces the appointment of Tom Sivak as its new Chief Emergency Manager. A nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness and resilience, Sivak joins EM1 following his impactful tenure as FEMA Region 5 Administrator, where he led operations across six states and 36 tribal nations. 'Technology must be developed with—and for—the people on the front lines. At EM1, we're building solutions that reflect the realities of emergency management while pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI.' - Tom Sivak Share Sivak initially joined EM1 as Emergency Manager in Residence, where his strategic insight and operational experience rapidly positioned him as a core leader within the company. His promotion to Chief Emergency Manager reflects EM1's commitment to centering emergency management expertise at the heart of its AI innovation. 'Tom brings a rare blend of deep operational experience and visionary leadership that's essential to EM1's mission,' said Tyler Felous, CEO and Co-Founder of EM1. 'His experience as a local EM all the way to his tenure at FEMA—particularly his focus on trust relationships—aligns perfectly with our efforts to design AI tools that serve all communities before, during, and after disasters.' Sivak's extensive background includes responses to more than 15 presidentially declared disasters, including the second-largest in Illinois history and the high-profile East Palestine train derailment. At FEMA Region 5, he spearheaded focus on natural hazards communities face from extreme heat to urban flooding in addition to enhancing decision-making capabilities by introducing advanced geospatial tools and dashboards to improve situational awareness during emergencies. His focus on helping people is core to the ethos of EM1. 'Tom's deep commitment to community-centric emergency management has already elevated the way we approach product development,' said Gunnar Holwerda, CTO and Co-Founder. 'He's helping us translate years of field experience into a platform that understands, anticipates, and supports the complexity of real-world disaster response.' At EM1, Sivak will lead efforts to build trust with the emergency management community, ensuring that EM1's technology is informed by the needs of practitioners at all levels—federal, tribal, state, and local. His role will also shape policy engagement, training frameworks, and company expansion to operationalize AI into the profession. 'I'm excited to continue serving the emergency management community in this new capacity,' said Tom Sivak. 'Technology must be developed with—and for—the people on the front lines. At EM1, we're building solutions that reflect the realities of emergency management while pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI.' Originally from East Cleveland, Ohio, Sivak is a Certified Emergency Manager with International Association of Emergency Managers, holds a Master of Science in Public Service Leadership from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University. His public service career also includes leadership roles in Cook County and the City of Chicago, where he managed large-scale responses to events including the 2012 Super Bowl and the COVID-19 pandemic. With Sivak's appointment, EM1 reinforces its position as a leader in building resilient and tech-enabled emergency response systems, serving communities big and small to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EM1 Appoints Tom Sivak as Chief Emergency Manager to Advance AI-Driven Emergency Preparedness and Response
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EM1, an AI company redefining emergency management through advanced technology and data-driven innovation, proudly announces the appointment of Tom Sivak as its new Chief Emergency Manager. A nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness and resilience, Sivak joins EM1 following his impactful tenure as FEMA Region 5 Administrator, where he led operations across six states and 36 tribal nations. Sivak initially joined EM1 as Emergency Manager in Residence, where his strategic insight and operational experience rapidly positioned him as a core leader within the company. His promotion to Chief Emergency Manager reflects EM1's commitment to centering emergency management expertise at the heart of its AI innovation. "Tom brings a rare blend of deep operational experience and visionary leadership that's essential to EM1's mission," said Tyler Felous, CEO and Co-Founder of EM1. "His experience as a local EM all the way to his tenure at FEMA—particularly his focus on trust relationships—aligns perfectly with our efforts to design AI tools that serve all communities before, during, and after disasters." Sivak's extensive background includes responses to more than 15 presidentially declared disasters, including the second-largest in Illinois history and the high-profile East Palestine train derailment. At FEMA Region 5, he spearheaded focus on natural hazards communities face from extreme heat to urban flooding in addition to enhancing decision-making capabilities by introducing advanced geospatial tools and dashboards to improve situational awareness during emergencies. His focus on helping people is core to the ethos of EM1. "Tom's deep commitment to community-centric emergency management has already elevated the way we approach product development," said Gunnar Holwerda, CTO and Co-Founder. "He's helping us translate years of field experience into a platform that understands, anticipates, and supports the complexity of real-world disaster response." At EM1, Sivak will lead efforts to build trust with the emergency management community, ensuring that EM1's technology is informed by the needs of practitioners at all levels—federal, tribal, state, and local. His role will also shape policy engagement, training frameworks, and company expansion to operationalize AI into the profession. "I'm excited to continue serving the emergency management community in this new capacity," said Tom Sivak. "Technology must be developed with—and for—the people on the front lines. At EM1, we're building solutions that reflect the realities of emergency management while pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI." Originally from East Cleveland, Ohio, Sivak is a Certified Emergency Manager with International Association of Emergency Managers, holds a Master of Science in Public Service Leadership from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University. His public service career also includes leadership roles in Cook County and the City of Chicago, where he managed large-scale responses to events including the 2012 Super Bowl and the COVID-19 pandemic. With Sivak's appointment, EM1 reinforces its position as a leader in building resilient and tech-enabled emergency response systems, serving communities big and small to meet the challenges of the 21st century. View source version on Contacts Media Relationsmedia@
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Another Ohio official named to federal post
(WKBN) — Another Ohio official has been named to a federal post by the Trump Administration. Read next: Canfield Fair announces 2025 music headliners Anne Vogel was named Monday as EPA Region 5 administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Vogel has served since 2022 at the state level in Ohio as director of the Ohio EPA. Valley residents heard a lot from her throughout the cleanup following the East Palestine train derailment. Vogel will now serve in her federal post under U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Zeldin mentioned Vogel's accomplishments during the derailment as proof of her leadership abilities. 'I am glad to welcome Anne to our EPA team,' Zeldin said. 'Through her leadership running the Ohio EPA and following the East Palestine incident, Region 5 and the Great Lakes National Program have the right leader at the right time. I am confident that her deep knowledge and vast experience will be vital to implementing President Trump's agenda across Region 5.' Vogel said her past work with the Region 5 team is something she plans to draw from in her new leadership role. 'I've been fortunate to have already worked with the Region 5 team in Ohio, and I look forward to working alongside them to implement the Administration's environmental priorities and ensure clean air, water and land for all, while fostering economic growth and environmental stewardship throughout the Great Lakes region.,' she said. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also announced Monday that he is nominating John Logue to be the next director of the Ohio EPA. If confirmed, he will replace Vogel. 'John Logue is a strong leader with a proven track record of serving Ohioans and leading important agencies,' DeWine said. 'I know John will continue the progress Ohio EPA has made during my administration protecting our air, land, and water.' Earlier this month, the Trump Administration named Elliot Gaiser to serve in the Office of Legal Counsel. Gaiser served as the Solicitor General of Ohio and was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
