Duke Energy's Riverbend Steam Station on Mountain Island Lake. Click to see WCNC-TV's report. (WCNC-TV photo)

Clean-water advocates around the region lately have been pushing Duke Energy to do more to clean up coal ash around its coal-fired power plants, such as the one on Mountain Island Lake, WCNC-TV reports. Reporter Stuart Watson recently produced an extended report on how Duke stores coal residue round the plant, and what environmentalists such as the Catawba Riverkeeper have to say about it.

LINK: May 26, 2012, “Environmentalists say Duke Energy should do more to clean up coal ash”

by

The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Friday proposed updated rules that would limit the allowable levels of fine particles, or soot, as part of a campaign to reduce dangerous air pollution nationwide. The new rules come in response to a federal court order requiring the EPA to update its standards. Read the full story

by

CORNELIUS – Pat Berch, owner of Lake Norman Nutrition, and Marianne Hendrix, 15-year Our Towns Habitat for Humanity volunteer, will team up in May to host a Weight Loss Challenge to raise money for the housing organization and help area residents start a health and wellness campaign.

The challenge is scheduled to run May 1-22. You can register online at www.ourtownshabitat.org. Entry fee is a $20 donation to Our Towns Habitat for Humanity. Read the full story

by

A new website will help you use carseats properly. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children 1 through 12 years old. Based on NHTSA crash data in 2010, on average, almost 2 children (age 12 and younger in a passenger vehicle) were killed and 325 children were injured each day. This fatality rate could be reduced by half if the correct child safety seats were always used.

Read the full story

by