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Two Black Boxes Recovered: Associated Press: “Two data recorders retrieved from the commuter train that veered off a sharply curved track by a river’s edge, killing four people, may shed light on key factors including the train’s speed and how brakes were applied, a National Transportation Safety Board member said Monday as the agency sought to ask the engineer and conductor what went wrong. The NTSB was downloading data from a recorder previously found in the rear locomotive in the Metro-North Railroad train that derailed Sunday in New York. A second recorder was found in the front car of the train and has been sent to Washington for analysis, NTSB board member Earl Weener said.”
Late-Breaking: @NTSB: “Preliminary info from event recorders shows train was traveling at approx 82 mph as it entered the 30 mph curve.”
Governor Blames High Speed: New York Times: “As investigators continued to search for clues as to why a Metro-North Railroad passenger train flew off the tracks, killing four people and injuring dozens more, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Monday morning that it appeared that the train was traveling too fast as it hit a curve in the tracks. ‘I think it is going to be speed-related,’ Mr. Cuomo said on the ‘Today’ show. ‘It was a tricky turn on the system, but it is a turn that has been there for decades.’ …The train’s engineer, identified as William Rockefeller, was injured and has yet to be formally interviewed by investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board, according to government officials. Mr. Rockefeller, who was released from the hospital late Sunday, was expected to be interviewed on Monday afternoon.”
It’s Monday, December 2nd, welcome to the Slatest PM. Follow your afternoon host on Twitter at @Dan_Gartland, and the whole team at @Slatest.
Man Sentenced to 39 Years for Infecting Dozens with Hepatitis C: Associated Press: “A traveling medical technician was sentenced Monday to 39 years in prison for stealing painkillers and infecting dozens of patients in four states with hepatitis C through tainted syringes… [David] Kwiatkowski admitted stealing painkillers and replacing them with saline-filled syringes tainted with his blood. He pleaded guilty in August to 16 federal drug charges. Before he was sentenced, Kwiatkowski said he was very sorry what he had done. He said his crimes were caused by an addiction to painkillers and alcohol.”
Medical Examiner: Why Millennials Can’t Grow Up
Healthcare Website Running (Somewhat) Smoothly: Los Angeles Times: “The system now operates more than 90% of the time, up from 40% during some weeks in October. The average rate of timeouts or other Web page failures has dropped to less than 1%. It was as high as 6% in October… Overall, HealthCare.gov now can handle 50,000 users at once, as was originally intended, officials said. The site should be able to accommodate 800,000 users a day. Administration officials concede that the site still may not be able to handle the crush of people expected to seek insurance this month. Consumers need to select health plans by Dec. 23 if they want coverage to begin Jan. 1. During peak times, some consumers may be put into a queue to gain access, officials said.”
Future Tense: People Still Hate Windows 8
Investigation Continues in Death Outside Arrowhead Stadium: Kansas City Star: “Police on Monday searched the home of an Independence man who was jailed overnight in the case of a suspicious death outside Arrowhead Stadium Sunday. Authorities had booked three men into jail as persons of interest in the death, but said all would be released today. The Star is not naming them because they have not been charged. The death investigation started about 5:20 p.m. Sunday, after authorities said a man in his 20s entered a green Jeep that was not his in Lot A of the Truman Sports Complex while the Kansas City Chiefs played the Denver Broncos. A struggle began when the owner discovered this, and it ended when the man in his 20s collapsed to the pavement. He later was pronounced dead at a hospital. Officers said the fight did not appear to be related to fan rivalry. Police said an autopsy would be performed soon to determine how the man died. Medical authorities told investigators Sunday evening they could detect ‘no obvious signs of what caused (the man’s) death.’”
Crime: “You’ve Got the Wrong Guy,” Claim St. Louis Arrestees. Often, They’re Telling the Truth.
Newtown 911 Tapes: Associated Press: “The town of Newtown, Conn., says it will release the 911 recordings from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Wednesday. A Connecticut Superior Court judge ruled last week that the tapes from last December should be released to The Associated Press after a lengthy fight over the records that have been withheld by investigators.”
Moneybox: America’s Microbank Problem
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