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How a combination of COVID lawsuits and media coverage keeps misinformation churning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

By Darius Tahir, KFF Health NewsPublic health has had its day in court lately. And another day. And another day.Over the course of the pandemic, lawsuits came from every direction, questioning public health policies and hospitals’ authority. Petitioners argued for care to be provided in a different way, they questioned mandates on mask and vaccine use, and they attacked restrictions on gatherings.Historically, “there’s been nothing but a cascade of supportive deference to public health,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor specializing in public health law at Georgetown University. That changed during the pandemic. “It’s the opposite. It’s been a torrent.”Even as COVID-19 wanes, lawyers representing the health care sector predict their days in court aren’t about to end soon. A group of litigators and media companies, among others, are eyeing policy changes and even some profits from yet more lawsuits.Because such groups can reach millions of people, public health advocates like Gostin...

Nicholas Kristof: When children are bought and sold

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

More than a decade ago, I met a scared 15-year-old who was trying to recover her life after having been kidnapped by a pimp and sold for sex.Melanie Thompson recalled the day her life changed: She and two other girls in New York City ran into some older boys who invited them to hang out. The girls did so, the boys provided alcohol, Melanie blacked out — and she says she woke up to being raped. She told me how a pimp then locked her with another girl in an abandoned house, and she had a new job: having sex with strangers against her will.She was 13.When we spoke two years later, she was in a residential program for formerly trafficked girls. She was thoughtful, charming and fond of poetry, but I wondered if she would be able to rebuild her life. Then I lost track of her, until a message arrived from her this spring. We met, and she filled me in on her bumpy journey — and her campaign against what she sees as misguided liberalism that would legalize pimping.Melanie spent years in fost...

Senate committee approves a bill to impose stronger ethics standards on Supreme Court justices

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court would have to abide by stronger ethics standards under legislation approved on Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, a response to recent revelations about donor-funded trips by justices. The bill faced united opposition from Republicans, who said it could “destroy” the court.The legislation has little chance to make it through the full Senate.The panel voted along party lines to set ethics rules for the court and a process to enforce them, including new standards for transparency around recusals, gifts and potential conflicts of interest. Democrats first pushed the legislation after reports earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in luxury vacations and a real estate deal with a top GOP donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.Since then, news reports also revealed that Justice Samuel Alito had taken a luxury vacation with a GOP donor. And The Associat...

Albany Police seek help locating a suspicious vehicle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department is seeking assistance in locating a vehicle following suspicious activity reported on July 18. Police say the vehicle is described to be a dark-colored SUV. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Investigations determined that around 1:20 p.m. on July 18, a driver tried to talk to a child not known to him. This reportedly happened in the area of Whitehall Road and McDonald Road.The child went home and notified a parent, who then called the police. The driver is described as a Hispanic male. He is approximately 40 years old with a black beard or goatee.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Albany Police Department’s Children and Family Services Unit at (518) 447-8780. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Capital Region Crime Stoppers online by visiting www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com or by downloading the free P3 Tips mobile app.

Major traffic backups after deadly crash on I-170 in Hazelwood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

HAZELWOOD, Mo. - One person has died, and two others are hurt after a crash Thursday afternoon on Interstate 170 in Hazelwood. The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-170 between Frost Avenue and Airport Road. Thieves target car washes, business owners band together to fight back Major traffic backups have been spotted around the area. Police are encouraging travelers to use alternate routes, if possible, as crews work to clear the scene. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is assisting with the investigation. This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available. Check FOX 2's traffic map for real-time updates.

One shot just south of Downtown St. Louis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

ST. LOUIS - One person was shot Thursday afternoon just south of Downtown St. Louis, prompting a large police response. The shooting happened around 4:20 p.m. in the 900 block of Lasalle Park Court in the LaSalle Park neighborhood. Thieves target car washes, business owners band together to fight back Investigators say the victim was shot in the groin and is currently conscious and breathing. Police say the victim is a male, but has not disclosed his age. This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.

Woman sentenced in crash that injured St. Charles County deputy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. - A judge sentenced a woman to 23 years in prison in connection with a crash that injured a St. Charles County deputy last year. Tiffany Kanzler, 29, of Florissant, Missouri, was sentenced nearly two months after pleading guilty to second-degree assault of an officer and other felony charges. According to the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, on Jan. 5, 2022, authorities pulled over a vehicle around Interstate 70 and Fifth Street. When officers approached the vehicle, two people inside the car did not roll down their windows. Police tried to gain compliance from the two inside for nearly 25 minutes before asking them to leave their vehicle. Thieves target car washes, business owners band together to fight back Investigators say, after that, Kanzler said “I’m not playing this game." She proceeded to run into a St. Charles County police vehicle and strike a deputy at the scene. The deputy suffered serious injuries. Authorities eventually fou...

Denver school board schedules vote on whether to release video of closed-door meeting that violated law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

Denver’s school board has scheduled a special meeting Friday to decide whether to release the video recording of its five-hour, closed-door meeting the day after the March shooting inside East High School.The announcement comes nearly a month after a judge ruled the private meeting violated Colorado law and ordered Denver Public Schools to publicly release the recording. That ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by The Denver Post and other Colorado news organizations.“Finally our community can have some closure IF the Board votes to release this footage,” board Vice President Auon’tai Anderson said on Twitter on Thursday.In an emailed statement to The Denver Post, DPS spokesman Bill Good confirmed that the topic of the special meeting set for 10 a.m. Friday “will be to release the video of the executive session from March.” A half-hour discussion is scheduled.That board’s March 23 meeting took place the day after a student shot and wounded t...

New fire blazes in Mesa County following lightning strike near state park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

Dry thunderstorms rolling across western Colorado Wednesday night and Thursday morning set the scene for nine new fire starts in Mesa County.While most of the starts were single trees or small, contained areas, the Beaver Tail Mesa fire has reached 60 acres and is continuing to grow as of 3 p.m., said Olivia Bruce, public affairs officer for the Bureau of Land Management.Related ArticlesColorado News | Summit County officials respond to wildfire near Frisco Colorado News | Colorado wildfires: Firefighters race to snuff flames before hot, dry weather hits Colorado News | Firefighters gain ground on Devil’s Thumb fire, while Spring Creek fire grows Colorado News | Devil’s Thumb fire, one of five in Colorado, burning on 95 acres Colorado News | Calm conditions stall Spring Creek fire’s growth ahead of red flag warning Located along the Interstate 70 corridor to the northeast of James M. Ro...

Is this California's $1 billion Powerball winner?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:08 GMT

The lucky winner of the $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot may have been spotted Thursday morning at the downtown Los Angeles store where the ticket was sold.A woman wearing a black cap was seen darting from the store, hopping into a dark-colored BMW with tinted windows, and then driving away without speaking to reporters.“She came in here and she screamed ... She hugged people in the store and then she ran away,” said KTLA 5 News reporter Eric Spillman. “She claims that she has the winning Powerball jackpot ticket.”California Lottery officials have not yet released the winner’s name, but they are required to do so eventually.The possible Powerball winner darted from the store, hopped into a BMW, and then drove away without speaking to reporters on July 20, 2023. (KTLA)Wednesday's winning ticket was sold at Las Palmitas Mini Market on Wall Street.Nabor Herrera, the owner, was unaware that he had sold the jackpot ticket when he arrived to open for business early Thursday morning. He was...