The highway sits closed as emergency crews finish cleaning following accidents caused by ice and low temperatures in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. A winter storm brought a coating of ice to parts of Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
At least five people were killed Thursday in a massive crash involving 75 to 100 vehicles on an icy Texas interstate, police said, as a winter storm dropped freezing rain, sleet, and snow on parts of the U.S.
The number of injured was still unknown as police were still working the accident on Interstate 35 near downtown Fort Worth, police said. Police set up a reunification center for family members at a community center.
Farther south, in Austin, more than two dozen vehicles were involved in a pileup on an icy road, and one person was injured, emergency officials said.
Elsewhere, ice storm warnings were in effect from Arkansas to Kentucky, while another winter storm was predicted to bring snow to Mid-Atlantic states, the National Weather Service said.
More than 125,000 homes and businesses were without electricity Thursday morning, largely in Kentucky and West Virginia, according to the website poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.
Meanwhile, officials in central Kentucky were urging people to stay home due to icy conditions.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said state offices would be closed due to the weather. He declared a state of emergency, which he said would free up funding and help agencies coordinate as they respond to reports of slick roads and downed power lines.
Crews were responding to numerous calls of downed icy tree limbs and power lines, Lexington police said in a tweet that urged people not to travel “unless absolutely necessary.”
Jurors on Wednesday convicted the three white men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man who was chased and fatally shot while running through their Georgia neighborhood in an attack that became part of the larger national reckoning on racial injustice during the summer of 2020. Trial attorney and former prosecutor Leslie Ricard Chambers joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the verdict, possible sentencing, and more.
Apple is now the latest company taking a stand against NSO Group. The company filed a lawsuit today against the Pegasus spyware maker for allegedly infecting users' devices. Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any apple software, services, or devices. Filipe Espósito, a reporter at 9to5Mac joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The Bayou State has been through some tough times with massive storms on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state is looking to rebuild by leaning into its reputation as a tourist destination. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser joined Cheddar to talk about Louisiana's work to reacquaint travelers with its renowned food, music, culture, Mardi Gras — and its Celebration Gator float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Well they won't let us throw throws so we'll be going along the route handing out beads, stuffed alligators, telling people to book a trip to Louisiana," he said of the event.
Actor Ally Maki joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about her role as Detective Haruka on the recently premiered Hulu animated series "Hit-Monkey." Maki's character is one of the few women police detectives on the Tokyo force in the show based on an assassin snow monkey originally created for Marvel Comics. "I just love playing this character who is strong, and she's trying to find her voice within this field," she said.
Simon Mainwaring, CEO of We First and author of "LEAD WITH WE: The Business Revolution That Will Save Our Future," joins Cheddar Wellness to discuss what realizations job seekers are coming to, how expectations surrounding work have evolved over the course of the pandemic, and what employers can do to retain and attract employees during this time.
Adam Kaat, a former grocery store cashier, discusses his experience as an essential worker during the pandemic in his new book, "Life on the Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic."
If you're planning on traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday, you may need to prepare yourself for traffic and issues you could encounter. Travel expert Francesca Page joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shootings that became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S. Criminal Defense Attorney Anthony Tall joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the verdict, potential judicial precedent, and more.
