Ski season is underway in the Rockies with the opening of Arapahoe Basin in Keystone, Colorado. With an 18" base, the ski area was only able to open one lift and one intermediate run with the help of some aggressive snow-making. "It was incredibly cold up here. We just made a ton of snow. We've been making snow since then and we've got enough to get it open," Alan Henceroth, A-Basin chief, said. The ski area is typically one of the first to open, but other ski resorts are crossing their finger... Read More
Following the long-anticipated release of the United States Anti-Doping Agency's lengthy report last week that detailed allegations of doping, Lance Armstrong has announced that he is stepping down as chairman of Livestrong, the cancer-fighting charity he founded in 1997. Armstrong has been a vocal leader of the non-profit, which also goes by the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), for the past 15 years, but decided to distance himself so that "it can focus on its mission instead of its founder'... Read More
A 4.0-magnitude earthquake centered in southern Maine shook businesses and houses in New England on Tuesday, sending tremors as far away as Connecticut. The rare quake, which was centered about 20 miles west of Portland and lasted for several seconds, caused little damage. "The whole house shook," said Saco, Maine, resident Sue Hadiaris. "It was very unnerving because you could feel the floor shaking. There was a queasy feeling." While uncommon, earthquakes on the East Coast can spread 10 time... Read More
American cyclist Levi Leipheimer has been fired by his team after admitting to doping in testimony to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. In a statement, Belgium-based Omega Pharma-QuickStep said that it would terminate Leipheimer's contract effective immediately. "We commend the rider for his open co-operation with USADA and contribution to cleaning up the sport of cycling. However, in light of the disclosures made by Mr. Leipheimer in his public statement on 10 October, the team has decide... Read More
The Cuban government announced on Tuesday that come January 13, its citizens will no longer need to apply for an exit visa to travel, work, and live abroad. The policy, which has been in place since the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, was designed to prevent the draining of human capital from the country’s fragile economy. Cuban citizens may now stay abroad as long as two years (11 months, under the previous policy) before losing their right to citizenship and access to th... Read More
