Latest news with #UniversityPark
CBS News
a day ago
- Health
- CBS News
Aqua Illinois water problems expand to University Park, Governors State University sends alert
Issues with unsafe drinking water from Aqua Illinois in the south suburbs have now expanded to University Park, Illinois, as Governors State University sent out an alert to its community Monday morning. The university said a drinking water alert has been issued for the University Park area due to elevated levels of nitrates in the Kankakee River, which may be harmful to infants under 6 months old. The alert also warns not to boil the water, as boiling water can actually worsen the elevated nitrate levels. Water with elevated nitrate levels is also unsafe for pregnant women and people with certain health conditions. Friday, Aqua Illinois notified families in Will and Kankakee counties about the unsafe tap water in those areas too. "Aqua Illinois has never before experienced a nitrate exceedance at our Kankakee Water Treatment Plant," the company said Friday. "It is our assessment that spring fertilization and recent rains caused elevated nitrate levels in the river. Because of the unprecedented nature of this incident, we will be providing bottled water to certain high-risk customers in the impacted service area." The utility provider said bottled water should be used to prepare formula for infants. Generally, infants under 6 months old should not drink water outside of what is found in breastmilk or used for formula, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Aqua Illinois said it is distributing bottled water to people affected, though they have not announced distribution points in University Park yet. For more information, contact Aqua Illinois at 877-987-2782. Please note: The above video is from a previous report
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Drinking water alert issued for infants in 3 Chicago suburbs
The Brief Aqua Illinois has issued a drinking water alert for families with infants under six months old in Kankakee, Peotone, and University Park due to elevated nitrate levels. The utility says recent rains and spring fertilization likely caused the spike, which can be harmful to infants and should not be addressed by boiling the water. Bottled water will be distributed to affected families, and the company is actively monitoring the situation. KANKAKEE, Ill. - Aqua Illinois has issued a drinking water alert for families with infants under six months old in Kankakee, Peotone and University Park due to elevated nitrate levels in the Kankakee River. What we know Water samples from the Kankakee Water Treatment Plant revealed unusually high concentrations of nitrates, which can pose serious health risks to infants, including shortness of breath and a bluish skin tone. The utility advises that infants should not consume the water and that bottled water should be used to prepare formula. Boiling the water is not recommended, as it can increase nitrate concentration. The company believes the spike is linked to recent heavy rains and spring fertilization runoff. While adults and older children can continue to drink the water, pregnant individuals and those with health concerns are encouraged to consult their doctors. What you can do Aqua Illinois will distribute bottled water to families with infants starting Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. at the following locations: 1000 S. Schuyler Ave., Kankakee 1737 E. Amberstone Rd., Manteno 24650 S. Western Ave., University Park This marks the first nitrate exceedance at the Kankakee plant, according to Aqua Illinois. The company is actively monitoring the situation and will notify customers when water use can return to normal. For further information, customers can call Aqua Illinois at 877-987-2782. The Source The information in this report came from Aqua Illinois.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Construction, demolition happening across Penn State's campus. See the projects
Summer is typically a busy time for construction projects on Penn State's University Park campus, but this year, it seems you can't turn a corner without running into scaffolding or fencing. From high-profile projects like the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation to new and improved classroom spaces, below is a recent look at various under-construction spots on campus. A new $96 million, three-story classroom building is going up near the intersection of Park Avenue and Bigler Road. The 90,000-square-foot building will have large lecture halls, general purpose classrooms with seminar-style and flexible seating, and will be available to any academic college, according to a news release from the university. It's anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester. Major work continues at the Sackett Building, part of an overall $89.9 million project and part of the College of Engineering Master Plan. Kunkle Lounge, which connects to the Hammond Building, is also being demolished. Work is expected to continue throughout the year and be completed for fall 2027. Oswald Tower is being demolished following the spring semester opening of the new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building. Renovations to the Nursing Sciences Building include a 2,700-square-foot expansion on the building's northwest side for a 180-person active-learning, simulation-ready classroom and knowledge commons space. The project was not expected to exceed $28 million, with $10 million coming from philanthropic gifts. Work on the renovations and addition to Osmond Lab started last year. The $115 million project's 48,000-square-foot addition will be a 'high-bay research facility' that supports the physics department, according to a university release. A $21.25 million Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex project includes renovations to the soccer stadium and a new soccer operational facility. Construction began in 2024 and the university is targeting a late 2025 completion date. South of Jeffrey Field, an indoor practice air-supported structure is in the works. The estimated $10 million project will feature artificial turf, sports lighting and surface parking. The most high-profile — and expensive — of Penn State's ongoing construction projects is the Beaver Stadium revitalization. The site has been active since the end of the 2024 football season, with the demolition of the press box in January kicking off the start of more extensive work. Penn State's board of trustees approved up to $700 million in spending on the renovation project last May. In a May 15 video update on the Penn State Athletics website, Associate Director of Development Michael Mauti explained that micropiling, a deep foundation technique using small-diameter, drilled and grouted piles with steel reinforcement to support or stabilize structures, has started on the west side. Temporary seating will be installed there for this football season. A $3.9 million roofing project is underway at Thompson Hall. The project will replace the existing slate roof system. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating after an employee working on the project was injured after a May 27 fall. Updates to Ritner and Wolf residence halls are first up in Penn State's plan to renovate all nine Pollock residence halls. The $92.1 million plan aims to completely renew the 1960 residence halls with new amenities such as air conditioning and private bathrooms.
Washington Post
12-05-2025
- Washington Post
Former mayor accused of exploiting Filipino boys ordered to stay in jail
In the fall of 2022, a mayor in suburban Maryland wrote out his prep and packing list for a trip to the Philippines. Much was standard: renew passport, reserve hotel, order sunglasses. And part of it was not: bondage gear, pantyhose and tiny underwear sized for children. The details, as alleged in court Friday by federal prosecutors, are central to new accusations against Joel Biermann, 46, who has been locked up since his arrest on child pornography charges seven months ago. The charges stunned the citizens of University Park, a town of about 2,500 residents just outside Washington, where Biermann served as mayor from 2022 until last year and had a top campaign priority of 'protecting our children.'
Hospitality Net
09-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Gender Characteristics of Service Robots Can Influence Customer Decisions
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The hospitality industry can leverage the gender characteristics of service robots to influence customers' decisions, according to new research from a team in the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. Service robots with characteristics typically associated with males may be more persuasive when interacting with women who have a low sense of power, according to the researchers. The team also found that 'cute' features in the design of robots — such as big eyes and raised cheeks — may reduce the effect of portrayed robot gender on persuasiveness, as male and female customers responded similarly to robots with these 'cute' features. Lavi Peng, doctoral candidate; Anna Mattila, Marriott Professor of Lodging Management; and Amit Sharma, Edward Friedman and Stuart Mann Professor of Hospitality Management — all at Penn State — led this research. Their findings were published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Robots can be designed or programed to have human-like features like names, voices and body shapes, which portray gender. In addition to robot gender, a consumer's sense of power — how individuals perceive their ability to influence others or their environment — can also affect how successful a service robot can be in making recommendations. Anna Mattila, Marriott Professor of Lodging Management The researchers conducted two studies to find how the gender portrayed in service robots could influence customers' decisions. The first study surveyed 239 people who were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were asked to first rate their sense of power before imagining visiting a new restaurant and receiving a menu recommendation for a breakfast burrito from a service robot. Service robots depicted in the study were the same except for the use of gray or pink colors to portray male or female genders, respectively. After receiving a menu recommendation, participants then rated the robot's persuasiveness. We found women with a low sense of power were more prone to accept a male robot's recommendations. For men with a low sense of power, we found the difference was less obvious. Based on our findings, consumers with high power tend to make their own judgement without relying on societal expectations. They are more confident and want to make decisions based off their own judgement. Lavi Peng, doctoral candidate The researchers said restaurants could leverage these findings when deciding what types of service robots to use, such as using 'male' robots to recommend new menu items, as the results suggested robots with characteristics typically associated with males can have a greater influence on customer decisions. Hotels could also leverage these findings when deciding which gender characteristics to use in robots that persuade customers to upgrade their rooms, according to the researchers. Upselling and upgrading are all about persuasion, and results of our study suggested robots with male characteristics could be effective , Peng said. If a business knows its customer is female, it may want to consider using a robot with different gender characteristics than it would with a male customer. The second study investigated how businesses could mitigate gender stereotypes in robot design — or lessen the effect of a 'male' robot's influence on customers with a low sense of power. Because the findings in the first study showed that portrayed gender in robots primarily affected customers with a low sense of power, the researchers recruited 156 university students in the United States. The researchers said prior research demonstrated that students typically hold subordinate positions or rely on faculty members who have authority over their educational outcomes, meaning they represent a low-power demographic. To alter the gender portrayed in robots during the second study, the researchers used an iPad display showing different gendered facial features that topped a Bear Robotics Servi robot, which does not have any typical human-like features of its own. These facial features had 'cute' designs, including round faces and big eyes. After being introduced to and interacting with the robot, participants completed a computer-based scenario, evaluating the robot's recommendation for avocado toast. Both male and female customers responded similarly to both the male and female robot designs, Peng said. For businesses that want to mitigate gender stereotypes, they can consider using a cute design for their robots. The Marriott Foundation supported this research. About Penn State School of Hospitality Management Established in 1937 Penn State's School of Hospitality Management is one of the nation's oldest and most respected. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral programs prepare global leaders with a rigorous, diverse curriculum focused, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, featuring partnerships with Penn State's Hospitality Services, Housing and Food Services, and top global hospitality brands. It's also home to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, The Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society.
