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FDA must do more to penalize retailers that illegally sell tobacco to kids, government review finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration needs to take a stronger stance against retailers that illegally sell tobacco products to children, according to a new report from the US Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG).In a report published Thursday, the OIG says that the FDA didn’t scrutinize repeat violators enough, and in some states, the agency may have been disproportionately focused on sellers in disadvantaged neighborhoods.The report also suggested that the FDA needs to do a better job overseeing online retailers and should work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help crack down on online sales to kids.The FDA stayed busy between 2010 and 2020, conducting more than a million inspections to look for underage sales and getting to about 74% of the 360,000 stores that sell tobacco products in the US at least once. The report says inspectors almost always returned within a year if the first inspection found a ...

Nice Friday, then weekend rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

It’s been another fantastic September day! A cooler morning led to a sunny, comfortable afternoon. Tomorrow is more of the same. It’ll just look different with more high clouds. This weekend it’ll rain and be breezy. Tonight, temperatures fall in the upper 40s°/low 50s inland and upper 50s/near 60° on the coast and Cape. High clouds lift south to north overnight. We’ll keep dry air and a light north/northeast wind. Tomorrow morning’s sunrise is 6:31 a.m., and we’ll start off crisp and cool. It’ll be dry and comfortable with sunshine filtered by high clouds. Highs will be seasonable near 70.° A light northerly breeze will become more easterly through the day. You’ll want a jacket for your Friday evening plans, it’ll feel cool especially along the coast!High pressure loosens its grip over New England as we watch a disturbance and what is currently “potential” Tropical Cyclone 16 off the southeastern U.S. coast. It’...

UMass starts a three-game homestand against New Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

The UMass Minutemen (1-3) will get a home opener do-over when they host the Lobos of New Mexico (1-3) on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) at McGuirk Stadium.The Minutemen played their first game McGuirk on Sept. 9 against Miami (Ohio), but it felt nothing like a home opener and was devoid of any home field advantage.The Minutemen’s 42-28 loss to the Red Hawks was interrupted by a near six-hour weather delay. When the game resumed, the empty stands turned the stadium into a neutral site.“It is great to be home and obviously the players got robbed on the first one, there was nobody there,” said UMass second-year head coach Don Brown. “We have New Mexico coming in this weekend and they are playing better football so it is a challenge for us for sure. But we are excited about the game.”The match against Los Lobos (Translation: The Wolves) is the first of three consecutive home games. UMass will host Arkansas State on Sept. 30 and Toledo on Oct. 7.“We just have to stay together and I think we are cl...

Biden aiming to scrub medical debt from people’s credit scores, which could up ratings for millions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

By JOSH BOAK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward removing medical bills from people’s credit scores, which could improve ratings for millions of people.Harris said that would make it easier for them to obtain an auto loan or a home mortgage. Roughly one in five people report having medical debt. The vice president said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beginning the rulemaking process to make the change.The agency said in a statement that including medical debt in credit scores is problematic because “mistakes and inaccuracies in medical billing are common.”“Access to health care should be a right and not a privilege,” Harris told reporters in call to preview the action. “These measures will improve the credit scores of millions of Americans so that they will better be able to invest in their future.”The announcement come...

Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was removed from the team’s injury report Thursday, when offensive lineman Sidy Sow was downgraded due to a concussion.Godchaux missed Wednesday’s practice for non-injury related reasons. He’s started both games this season and 35 of 36 regular-season games since joining the Patriots in 2021. Sow suffered his concussion sometime around the Pats’ season opener against the Eagles on Sept. 10.The Patriots made no other changes from their original injury report Wednesday. In New York, safety Tony Adams and offensive tackle Duane Brown missed a second straight practice Thursday.Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots aren’t showing signs of panic after 0-2 start to 2023 season New England Patriots | Mystery Patriots revealed: Two cornerbacks added to provide depth New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line takes a hit ...

Methuen man drowns while trying to save child at Salisbury Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

A Methuen man drowned while attempting to save a child at Salisbury Beach.The Essex District Attorney’s office says Gary Simard, 44, of Methuen, was enjoying the beach Wednesday with family when one of the children was pulled from the shoreline and couldn’t swim back in. Simard rushed into the water with two unidentified bystanders.While the bystanders were able to save the child, they lost Simard in the chaos. Salisbury Police responding to the beach found Simard in the water and tried to save his life. He was transported to Seabrook Emergency Room and pronounced dead.

Patriots aren’t showing signs of panic after 0-2 start to 2023 season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon is leaning into positivity despite his team’s 0-2 start.He said that’s why he delivered a statement before reporters could ask questions after Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. It was an attempt to avoid some of the negative questions that come after a loss.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded New England Patriots | Mystery Patriots revealed: Two cornerbacks added to provide depth New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line takes a hit at Thursday practice before Jets game New England Patriots | Patriots have ideas on how to fix ineffective running game New England Patriots | Patriots: 6 reasons to still be optimistic about 2023 season He also said Week 3 is too early for the team to hold a players-only meeting.“No, I think we all know where we’re at,” Judon sai...

Bus carrying high school students to band camp crashes, killing 1 person and hurting dozens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

WAWAYANDA, N.Y. (AP) — A charter bus carrying high school students to a band camp hurtled off a New York highway and down an embankment Thursday, killing one person and hurting dozens of others, officials said.The wreck happened in the early afternoon on Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of New York City, state police said. Forty-three people were taken to hospitals, county fire officials said on social media.At least five people were badly hurt, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus told WNBC-TV.News footage showed ripped-up grass on the embankment and the bus lying on its left side with its roof warped. A ladder allowed rescuers to reach the windows. The bus was one of six in a caravan carrying students from Farmingdale High School on Long Island to a band camp in Greeley, in northeastern Pennsylvania, according to a message from the school district.Students on the other buses were to stop off at a community college for a break ...

‘Euphoria’ star Angus Cloud accidentally overdosed on meth, cocaine, fentanyl, coroner says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Actor Angus Cloud died in July of an accidental overdose of cocaine, fentanyl and other substances, a Northern California coroner’s office said Thursday. Cloud’s cause of death was “acute intoxication” due to the “combined effects of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines,” the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau said. The office confirmed the overdose was an accident. The actor was declared dead at his parents’ home July 31 in Oakland. He was 25. Cloud starred as the drug dealer Fezco “Fez” O’Neill on the HBO series “Euphoria.”In a statement at the time, his family said Cloud had been struggling with the death of his father. “The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and shou...

Mosquitoes at Los Peñasquitos Lagoon test positive for West Nile virus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:07 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- West Nile virus was recently detected from a batch of mosquitoes in the San Diego area, marking the first sign of the disease from the insect this year, county officials said.The batch of mosquitoes tested positive for the virus after being collected from the north end of Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, located next to Del Mar and parts of San Diego, the County of San Diego said on its website Wednesday. Although no human West Nile virus cases have been reported, county officials are urging people to protect themselves from mosquitoes. This includes finding and dumping out standing water around homes to keep mosquitoes from breeding, wearing long sleeves and pants and using insect repellent when outdoors. California campsite reservation bill heads to governor’s desk "Dump out or remove any item inside or outside of homes that can hold water, such as plant saucers, rain gutters, buckets, garbage cans, toys, old tires, and wheelbarrows," Shauni Lyles with the County of San Die...