Latest news with #Ohenhen
Edmonton Journal
02-07-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Ontario can keep $32K in cash seized from man who appears to have used AI in his defence
Article content According to the Toronto Police Service, Ohenhen 'provided the other person, the driver, with access to his car to enable the driver to escape after the hit-and-run.' Article content Investigators arrested the driver the next day 'for failure to stop at the scene of an accident that caused death, dangerous driving causing death, obstruction and public mischief,' Brownstone said. Article content They also arrested Ohenhen as a result of the hit and run and searched his home 'where they found six cellular phones and $32,000 in cash, in $100 bills. There were three bundles that total $30,000 bound with elastics in the safe, and $2,000 in two bundles on a table.' Article content Ohenhen was charged with failure to stop at the scene after an accident resulting in death, obstructing a peace officer, public mischief, and being an accessory after the fact to commit an indictable offence, said the judge, noting those charges are pending. Article content Article content According to Ontario's Attorney General, 'Ohenhen has an extensive criminal history involving convictions for possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of schedule 1 substances, assault, assault with intent to resist arrest, failure to comply with a recognizance, possession of prohibited or restricted firearms, assault causing bodily harm, robbery, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.' Article content The AG argued that, 'on a balance of probabilities, the currency at issue here … was likely acquired as a result of, and used in the commission of, the unlawful activity of trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of the proceeds of crime.' Article content But 'Ohenhen states that the money comes from casino winnings and from his business.' Article content However, according to the judge, 'the records provided do not in any way support Mr. Ohenhen's statements that the cash was from his business or casino winnings. The records show that his business income, like his casino winnings, was received electronically, not in cash.' Article content Article content Brownstone found 'there is no credible and reasonable answer for the suspicious circumstances in which the money was found.' Article content The judge was 'satisfied that the Attorney General has established on a balance of probabilities that the funds were proceeds of and an instrument of unlawful activity. There has been no 'credible and reasonable' answer to the suspicious circumstances outlined above, that is, that the significant amount of funds was in 100-dollar bills, bundled together, in cash in Mr. Ohenhen's home, not in a bank.' Article content According to court documents, police arrested Ohenhen on Aug. 21, 2008, in the Parkdale area of Toronto after they stopped his dark green Jaguar. 'He was charged with seventeen offences: assault police, resist lawful arrest, eleven charges in relation to illegal possession of a loaded restricted firearm and breach of prior prohibition orders, two counts of possession of cocaine and one of marijuana for the purposes of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists say Nashville is sinking. Here's why
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new scientific study shows that some of the largest cities in the United States are slowly sinking. In fact, Nashville appears to be sinking about one millimeter each year. News 2 spoke with Leonard Ohenhen, one of the researchers in the study, who said the sinking across the country is caused by both natural and human-caused processes. According to Ohenhen, water use, drilling of natural gas/oil, and the weight of infrastructure is causing sinking in some of the cities in the study. He added that sinking in Music City is caused naturally by a process called 'Glacial Isostatic Adjustment.' Where are Tennessee's earthquake hot spots? Glacial Isostatic Adjustment is the land's reaction to the melting of the glaciers thousands of years ago. Ohenhen said this causes some locations to rise and others to sink. 'Think of it like a memory foam, if you put a large weight on it, where the weight is after the weight is removed starts to rising, and places that were adjusting to where the weight was would rise due to that weight, but when the weight is removed it starts going down to sort of have equilibrium,' Ohenhen told News 2. Nashville's sinking could reportedly lead to worse flooding during heavy rain events, but Ohenhen said there shouldn't be many infrastructure issues because the whole city is sinking at the same speed. | READ MORE | 'Roads, railways, buildings, and other infrastructure themselves can over time be compromised due to land subsidence, but in Nashville, the good thing is all the land is sinking almost at an even rate,' he explained. Ohenhen said this isn't the same for other cities in the study, adding many of the cities in Texas have a high or very high risk of infrastructure issues. According to the study, not every city is sinking. In fact, Memphis was one of the cities that were slowly rising. Ohenhen said the entire city isn't rising, but parts of Memphis are rising due to the natural recharge of the groundwater. ⏩ The biggest concern with the sinking is coastal flooding, but Ohenhen said obviously that is not a problem for Nashville. To read the entire study, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oklahoma City is sinking. Here's why, and what other US cities are sinking
A new study raised concerns for the 28 most populous cities in the United States, most of which are sinking a small amount each year. Known scientifically as land "subsidence," the most common cause of the sinking is "massive ongoing groundwater extraction," say the study authors, though other forces are at work in some places. The cities include not just those on the coasts, where sea level rise is a concern, but many in the interior. The study was published May 8 in the British journal Nature Cities. In every city studied, at least 20% of the urban area is sinking – and in 25 of 28 cities, at least 65% is sinking. It's a unique study: "This is the first high-resolution, satellite-based measurement of land subsidence across the 28 most populous U.S. cities, and for several of these cities, it is the first time we have such detailed insights," study lead author Leonard Ohenhen of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory told USA TODAY on May 7. Oklahoma City, the nation's 20th most populated city, is among those observed in the study. Here's what we know. Subsidence is often called an 'invisible threat' because it can go unnoticed for long periods, Ohenhen said. "Here, (in the study), we are making it less invisible." When land shifts downward, even just a little bit, the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams can be profoundly impacted, said Ohenhen, a geosciences graduate student. He told USA TODAY that "some early warning signs (of subsidence) that are often overlooked include: Cracks in walls, foundations, or around windows and doors, uneven or sloping floors; doors and windows that no longer close properly, warped roads or buckling pavement, tilting fences or utility poles, and fire hydrants sticking out more than they once did." Generally, according to a statement from Lamont-Doherty, it happens as water is withdrawn from aquifers made up of fine-grained sediments; unless the aquifer is replenished, the pore spaces formerly occupied by water can eventually collapse, leading to compaction below, and sinkage at the surface. However, the problem can also be exacerbated by pumping of oil and gas, the study says. Oklahoma City is sinking between 1 and 2 millimeters per year, according to the study. The most significant instances of subsidence is happening east of Interstate 35, spreading to both far southeast and far northeast OKC. In these areas, the land is sinking anywhere from 1 millimeter per year to 4 millimeters per year. This number gets up to 6 millimeters per year along the North Canadian River. The concentration of oil wells in northeast Oklahoma City — visible on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Well Data Finder — could be one explanation, but a similar density of oil wells in central and south Oklahoma City doesn't appear to have a sinking effect. "A lot of small changes will build up over time, magnifying weak spots within urban systems and heighten flood risks," said Ohenhen. "This subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit," he added. Right now, the risk to Oklahoma City's infrastructure from land subsidence is low, and in some areas medium, according to the study. The researchers say that continued population growth and water usage combined with climate-induced droughts in some areas will likely worsen subsidence in the future. 'As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,' said Ohenhen. 'We have to move to solutions.' The study looked at the 28 most populous cities in the United States, with all but three cities (San Jose, Memphis, and Jacksonville) sinking on average overall. Of the 28, 11 cities are coastal (or near major rivers and heavily influenced by tides and sea-level-rise): New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC, Boston and Portland. Nine cities are riparian (close to major rivers): San Antonio, Austin, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Nashville, El Paso, Detroit, and Memphis. Nine cities are inland: Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, San Jose, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Denver, Oklahoma City and Las Vegas. The nation's fastest-sinking city is Houston, with more than 40% of its area dropping more than 5 millimeters (about 1/5 inch) per year, and 12% sinking at twice that rate. Some localized spots are going down as much as 5 centimeters (2 inches) per year, according to the study. Two other Texas cities, Fort Worth and Dallas, are not far behind. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Map: Which US cities are sinking the most each year, and why?
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Houston, we have a problem: Texas city sinking faster than any other major US city
Some of the biggest U.S. cities are sinking, and one Texas city is sinking faster than the others. Known scientifically as land "subsidence," the most common cause of the sinking is "massive ongoing groundwater extraction," according to a study published in Nature Cities May 8 — though other forces are at work in some places. The issue is not limited to coastal cities impacted by rising sea levels, either. Several inner cities are also experiencing the phenomenon. In all 28 cities included in the analysis, at least 20% of the urban area is sinking. In 25 of those, at least 65% are sinking. The study is the first of its kind, according to its lead author Leonard Ohenhen of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "This is the first high-resolution, satellite-based measurement of land subsidence across the 28 most populous U.S. cities, and for several of these cities, it is the first time we have such detailed insights," Ohenhen told USA TODAY on May 7. He said the study also "offers critical information for urban planning, infrastructure adaptation, and hazard preparedness." Here's what the data revealed about the country's sinking cities. The nation's fastest-sinking city is Houston, with more than 40% of its area dropping more than 5 millimeters (about 1/5 inch) per year, and 12% sinking at twice that rate. Some localized spots are going down as much as 5 centimeters (2 inches) per year, according to the study. Two other Texas cities, Fort Worth and Dallas, are not far behind. Subsidence is often called an 'invisible threat' because it can go unnoticed for long periods, Ohenhen said. "Here, (in the study), we are making it less invisible." When land shifts downward, even just a little bit, the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams can be profoundly impacted, said Ohenhen, a geosciences graduate student. Ohenhen told USA TODAY that "some early warning signs (of subsidence) that are often overlooked include: Cracks in walls, foundations, or around windows and doors, uneven or sloping floors; doors and windows that no longer close properly, warped roads or buckling pavement, tilting fences or utility poles, and fire hydrants sticking out more than they once did." Generally, according to a statement from Lamont-Doherty, it happens as water is withdrawn from aquifers made up of fine-grained sediments; unless the aquifer is replenished, the pore spaces formerly occupied by water can eventually collapse, leading to compaction below and sinkage at the surface. In Texas, the problem is exacerbated by the pumping of oil and gas, the study says. A few cities on the study's map — San Jose, Memphis and Jacksonville — are depicted with green dots, which indicate uplift. "The uplift we detect is an average across the city and is small in these cities: 0.1 to 0.3 millimeters per year, which is almost negligible," Ohenhen said. "We can just say 0 millimeters per year, so on average stable. It does not mean the entire city is rising uniformly." "A lot of small changes will build up over time, magnifying weak spots within urban systems and heighten flood risks," said Ohenhen. "This subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit," he added. The researchers say that continued population growth and water usage, combined with climate-induced droughts in some areas, will likely worsen subsidence in the future. "As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt," said Ohenhen. 'We have to move to solutions." The study provided maps of each city and where land subsidence poses the highest risks to infrastructure, as measured by vertical land motion (VLM). Negative VLM indicates sinking, while positive VLM indicates uplift. On the following maps, uplift is represented from green (0 millimeters per year) to purple (4 millimeters per year) and sinking is represented from yellow (-1 millimeters per year) to red (-6 millimeters per year). — USA TODAY's Doyle Rice contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 3 Texas cities are sinking faster than other big US cities: See maps
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Virginia Tech study reveals some major US cities slowly sinking
BLACNKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) – According to new research from Virginia Tech, urban areas of several major cities across the country are slowly sinking. A new study published in Nature Cities highlights 28 major urban cities in the US that are sinking by 2 to 10 millimeters every year. The lead author and former Virginia Tech graduate student, Leonard Ohenhen, said the main cause is the extraction of groundwater. 'When land shifts downward, even just a little bit, the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams can be profoundly impacted,' said Ohenhen. 'A lot of small changes will build up over time, magnifying weak spots within urban systems and heighten flood risks.' Virginia Tech Alumni have been to more than 100 Metallica concerts According to the data, New York, Dallas, and Seattle are seeing urban areas sink by 2 to 10 millimeters per year. The study created high-resolution maps showing the sinking areas using satellite-based radar measurements. These cities are home to 34 million people, which represents about 12 percent of the US population. (Photo Credit: Virginia Tech – Houston, Texas, (at left) is the nation's fastest-sinking city, with areas subsiding more than 20 millimeters a year. Much of New York City (at right) is slowly sinking, with hot spots around La Guardia Airport. Warmer colors signify greater sinkage. Graphics courtesy of Jeremy Hinsdale based on Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities 2025.) New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver, and five other cities are sinking at about 2 millimeters per year. In every city studied, at least 20 percent of the urban area is sinking, and in 25 of 28 cities, at least 65 percent is sinking. Additionally, areas of Houston and other cities in Texas showed the highest measured rates of subsidence between 5 millimeters to 10 millimeters per year. Associate Professor Manoochehr Shirzaei at Virginia Tech's Earth Observation and Innovation Lab, who works with Ohenhen, said, 'The latent nature of this risk means that infrastructure can be silently compromised over time with damage only becoming evident when it is severe or potentially catastrophic. This risk is often exacerbated in rapidly expanding urban centers.' Inconsistent land motion can lead to cracks and the destabilization of building and their foundations. Shirzaei's team assessed the risks and said other cities with high subsidence variability include New York, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. Virginia Tech experts discuss generative AI and its impact on scams and data privacy The growth of cities and urban areas increases the demand for fresh water, and when water is extracted from an aquifer faster than it can be replenished, the ground can crumble and become compacted. Along with shifting weather patterns, urban population, and socio-economic growth, there is the potential to accelerate these processes into previously stable areas, according to Shirazi. The study continued with how integrating land monitoring systems in urban areas can prevent the worsening infrastructure risks and recommended targeted mitigation and adaptation strategies, including: Groundwater management to reduce excessive withdrawals Enhanced infrastructure resilience planning to account for differential subsidence Long-term monitoring frameworks for early detection and intervention In the past year, Shirzai's team has provided a comprehensive look at the flood risks for 32 cities on three coasts by 2050 and revealed regions of the Atlantic coast to be sinking by as much as 5 millimeters per year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
