Latest news with #Sletten
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers make disturbing discovery after investigating Arctic Ocean wildlife: 'It blew my mind'
While diving into issues surrounding the Arctic Ocean, researchers discovered microplastics in the stomachs of dozens of seals. The research was published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin. It's the first study to document microplastic ingestion in marine mammals in the Arctic, according to Alaska Public Media. Spotted seals from the Bering and Chukchi Seas were harvested in 2012 and 2020 for the study. The research team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks used enzymes to break down the prey found in the stomachs and separated the plastic particles. A total of 190 microplastics were found in 33 seal stomachs. Biologist Alex Sletten, leader of the study, said all but one of the seal stomachs contained microplastics. "When you think about the Arctic, you think about this pristine environment that hasn't really been touched by anthropogenic stress," Sletten said. "In reality, there's so much microplastics out there. It blew my mind." The team noted that the microplastic ingestion was not impacted by age, location, or the year the seals were harvested. However, the study determined that species high on the food chain are more likely to consume microplastics because the animals they eat have already ingested the pollution. Plastic waste accounts for 80% of all marine pollution, according to UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In fact, researchers expect more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050. A study found that there were more than 400 million metric tons of plastic produced worldwide in 2023. However, more plastic produced means more plastic pollution. In addition to microplastic ingestion, marine animals can become entangled or even suffocate from plastic pollution. Plastics also pose severe health risks to humans. Research revealed that microplastics can potentially lead to various cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, and respiratory disorders. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program is dedicated to addressing the effects of marine debris. Meanwhile, consumers can help by simply using less plastic. Reusable alternatives that are plastic-free last longer, which ultimately keeps money in your pocket. Should taxpayers help pay to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? We should pay for all of it We should pay some but not all Corporations should foot the bill Charities should pay for it Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Switching up fashion preferences can also benefit the environment. About 9% of the microplastics found in the ocean are from synthetic fibers that are in fabrics like polyester and nylon, per the Natural Resources Defense Council. Buying clothing made from natural fibers like cotton and wool instead can make a huge difference. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Boston Globe
01-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Business tax rate cuts cost N.H. at least $795 million since 2015, study finds
'The myth about cutting business taxes has cost us revenues is inaccurate,' he added. 'Cutting business taxes has allowed our economy to grow.' Advertisement But new research suggests the cuts haven't boosted business or the economy: A Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up The study looks at the impact of reductions to New Hampshire's two primary business taxes: the Starting in 2015, Republican lawmakers have lowered the state's Business Profit Tax from 8.5 percent to 7.5 percent, in addition to lowering the Business Enterprise Tax from 0.75 percent to 0.55 percent. 'The research clearly shows that business tax rate reductions did not generate enough economic activity to offset the revenue shortfalls they generated,' said Phil Sletten, research director at NHFPI and the study's lead author, in a statement. Advertisement The study also suggests national trends drove its business tax revenue increases, not New Hampshire's rate cuts. Sletten was able to compare New Hampshire's business tax revenues to neighboring states and found that the Granite State lagged in comparison to Vermont and Maine. New Hampshire's business tax revenues increased by 124 percent from 2015 to 2023, while Vermont revenues grew 166 percent, and Maine revenues grew 167 percent. The Granite State, however, did outpace Massachusetts, which grew 105 percent over the same time frame. Excluding New Hampshire, corporate tax revenues across New England increased by 172 percent. 'New Hampshire's business tax revenue growth lagged behind Maine and Vermont, as well as average growth nationwide, indicating New Hampshire's tax policy changes did not cause the state's increase in revenue,' said Sletten. Business tax revenues did rise over the past decade, but the study found increases were likely driven by national trends, such as surging corporate profits after the COVID-19 pandemic. Those trends also benefited states that did not reduce business tax rates, the study found. This article first appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, our free newsletter focused on the news you need to know about New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles from other places. If you'd like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, Amanda Gokee can be reached at
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Murder suspect among 12 arrested during special operation in St. Paul
A man accused of murder was among the dozen suspects arrested in St. Paul on Tuesday during a local law enforcement operation targeting fentanyl trafficking and other serious crime. According to the St. Paul Police Department, four suspects were arrested in connection with the three-month "Operation Cold Front" investigation, which aims to combat drug-related crime. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths claimed 180 lives in Ramsey County in 2023, making it the county's leading cause of overdose deaths. The eight others arrested for other crimes during Tuesday's operation include 20-year-old Kastedell Larmarr Thomas Jr., of St. Paul, who is charged with murder in connection with the Oct. 14 shooting death of 42-year-old Nicholas Sletten, of Little Canada. According to the criminal complaint, Sletten drove the suspect and four others to Speedway that evening. After they left the gas station, Thomas Jr. and another man inside the vehicle allegedly produced firearms in an apparent robbery attempt. Thomas Jr. allegedly shot Sletten before he and the other passengers fled the vehicle, charges state. Sletten was found lying next to the vehicle at the intersection of Jackson Street and Wheelock Parkway shortly before 9:30 p.m. that night. He stopped breathing at the scene and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tuesday's arrests were coordinated and carried out by the St. Paul Police Department's Narcotics, Gang, Criminal Investigations and Special Investigations units and the Ramsey County Violent Crimes Enforcement Team. In a statement Wednesday, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry thanked the units for their "dedication and determination" and said "violent crime will not be tolerated in our city."
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Witness to St. Paul murder: Suspect may have been looking for drugs when he shot man in his vehicle
Robbery may have been the motive for a shooting in St. Paul last fall that killed a 42-year-old man, prosecutors alleged in newly filed murder charges. Nicholas Sletten was found lying in a boulevard in the North End about 9:25 p.m. Oct. 14. He'd been shot in the back and died soon after at Regions Hospital. A witness later told police he thought the suspects were trying to rob Sletten for marijuana or pills, but he didn't think Sletten had any with him the night he was shot, according to a criminal complaint. Officers saw Sletten's Chevrolet Silverado stopped at Jackson Street and Wheelock Parkway, where he'd been located. All four doors of the vehicle were ajar. Surveillance video showed people running from the area at 9:26 p.m. With location data from Sletten's phone, investigators found he'd been at the Speedway on Rice Street in Roseville — about two miles from the shooting — from 9:11 to 9:20 p.m., the complaint said. Investigators identified two people who'd been with Sletten that night. One told police that Sletten drove him and four other people to the Speedway. Everyone went into the store except Sletten and a man identified as Kastedell L. Thomas Jr., 20, of St. Paul. Thomas was sitting behind Sletten and wouldn't move for someone else to sit there. After they left the Speedway, Thomas and another man inside the Silverado pulled guns and tried to rob Sletten, the complaint said. Thomas told Sletten not to move or reach for anything. He reached around the driver's seat, stuck an AK-47-style gun into Sletten's side and shot him, the complaint continued. Sletten was trying to get out of the vehicle when he was shot, one of the witnesses said. The men from the vehicle ran to one of their homes, and Thomas and the other man with a gun cleaned the weapons with bleach. Police arrested Thomas on Tuesday. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office charged him with two counts of second-degree murder — one intentional and one unintentional, while committing or attempting to commit robbery and/or assault. Thomas has previous cases for third-degree assault and possession of a gun by a person under age 18, the complaint said. Sletten's family wrote in his obituary that he 'senselessly lost his life.' Known as Nick, he was born in Grand Forks, N.D., and raised across the river in East Grand Forks, Minn. He 'was a rambunctious kid, the youngest of several brothers and sisters from a rather large family,' his family wrote. 'He was the sweetest guy, always willing to give you the shirt off his back, or maybe a Nike track suit. Nick will be sorely missed by those that knew him, which includes his brothers, sisters and so many other relatives, plus a few dogs.' Crime & Public Safety | President Donald Trump appeals his New York hush money conviction Crime & Public Safety | Justice Department drops criminal proceedings against Trump co-defendants in classified records case Crime & Public Safety | St. Paul man one of latest defendants in Feeding Our Future scheme to plead guilty Crime & Public Safety | St. Paul man sentenced for aiding shooter in 2019 killing outside University Avenue bar Crime & Public Safety | Republicans in the Minnesota Senate fail to get vote to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell over burglary charge
CBS News
29-01-2025
- CBS News
Charges: October killing on St. Paul street was robbery gone wrong
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul man has been charged with murder in an October killing authorities say occurred during a drug-related robbery attempt. The 20-year-old faces two counts of second-degree murder, court documents filed in Ramsey County earlier this month show. The St. Paul Police Department identified the victim as 42-year-old Nicholas Sletten of Little Canada. Sletten was found shot at the intersection of Jackson Street and Wheelock Parkway on Oct. 14, near a vehicle with all of its doors open, according to a criminal complaint. Sletten was taken to Regions Hospital, where he died. Multiple 911 callers reported seeing people run from the vehicle, and a witness told police they thought the shooting happened inside the car. Investigators identified and spoke to two people who were in Sletten's vehicle when the shooting occurred. Both of them identified the 20-year-old as the shooter, and his fingerprints were found on Sletten's car. The two men said the 20-year-old was sitting behind Sletten in the vehicle and reached into the front seat to shoot him with an "AK-47 style gun," according to the complaint. Another man in the car also had a gun and participated in the robbery attempt, one of the men who spoke to police said. After the shooting, the 20-year-old and three other men in the vehicle fled to one of their houses, where the alleged shooter cleaned his gun with bleach, the complaint states. One of the men who spoke to police said he thought the 20-year-old was after "pills or weed," according to the complaint. Two of Sletten's relatives told investigators he grew and sold marijuana, the complaint states. The 20-year-old was charged by warrant. Sletten's killing was one of three homicides in a four-day span in the capital city. "This violence must stop," Police Chief Axel Henry said at the time. "Solving these murders is not and is never going to be the answer. We have to prevent them from happening in the first place."
