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CDC warns of Covid surge, urges updated shots

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Top health officials are warning of a Covid surge ahead of the holidays because many Americans have not received their updated shots.According to the latest CDC data, nursing homes have some of the lowest vaccination rates but are home to the highest concentration of vulnerable people."This is where Covid likes to hit," said Dr. Francesca Ceddia, the chief medical affairs officer at Moderna. "People in nursing homes are being visited from external people. There is a risk that you're actually bringing in the disease."The data shows less than one in four residents and only two percent of staff are up to date on their Covid shots. Unlike the beginning of the pandemic, Ceddia said the issue is not limited supply."It's more a problem of fatigue, sometimes misinformation," she said.Ceddia said the focus on nursing homes is so important because they are usually an early warning sign of what will happen to the general public."Getting those vaccination rates up is real...

Traveler carrying $4M worth of ketamine stopped at Detroit airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – A man arriving at Detroit Metro Airport from France never made it past customs after law enforcement discovered he was carrying an estimated $4 million worth of drugs in suitcases.According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations, the man arrived at the airport on Dec. 13 with 110 pounds of ketamine in two large pieces of luggage.CBP said the traveler, a U.K. citizen, told customs officers he was transporting the bags for a family member. A man carrying $4M worth of ketamine was stopped at Detroit Metro Airport earlier this month. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)The ketamine was confiscated and the man sent back to France, CBP confirmed in a news release. The release did not say whether the man faces any potential charges. He is currently prohibited from entering the U.S.“Our drug interdiction mission is vital to protecting our nation and our communities from thedangers of illicit substances,” said Acting Port Director...

Humanitarian crisis grows in Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The White House says it is hoping a temporary ceasefire deal happens soon, this comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows more dire by the day. A new U.N. report finds upwards of half a million people inside Gaza are now starving.The Biden administration says it's highly engaged in talks with members of the U.N. Security Council which is pushing a resolution designed to increase resources into the territory."There is an immense amount of suffering inside Gaza,” said National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.Following the opening of a second pathway into Gaza, Kirby says more trucks carrying vital resources like water are making their way into the region.Thursday, the U.N. reported more than 570,000 people inside Gaza are facing a catastrophic food crisis.International groups like the World Food Programme say a ceasefire is the only way to stop the suffering."Like 1 in every 4 people is starving," said WFP chief economist Arif Husain.The World...

FDA approves genetic test to assess patient's risk of developing an opioid addiction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Tuesday the first test to detect if someone might be at an increased risk of developing opioid use disorder by looking at their DNA before they are exposed to opioids for the first time. AutoGenomics, Inc. developed the AvertD test to be used in clinical evaluations before a patient is prescribed opioids for acute pain management, such as prior to a planned surgical procedure. MORE: Drug overdoses leading cause of Travis County accidental deaths in 2022 It works by a healthcare provider swabbing a patient's cheek and collecting a DNA sample that is used to assess whether a patient has a combination of genetic variants that could be associated with an increased risk for developing opioid use disorder. The AvertD test is intended only for adult patients who have consented to the procedure. “[This is] very positive. I think it's always helpful to have another tool in our toolbox to help address the opioid crisis...

Marble Falls group developing city's 1st inclusive playground

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — A group of Marble Falls residents are in the process of developing an inclusive playground in the community for people of all abilities to enjoy.The Marble Falls Inclusive Play Group is working to raise $1.4 million to design and construct Wyatt's Clubhouse, an inclusive playground designed to be accessible for everybody. It's a mission that's personal for Ashley Crouse, secretary of the board behind Marble Falls Inclusive Play Group."My son experienced a [traumatic brain injury] when he was 15 months old — that was in 2019. And after that, he had some disabilities. He can't walk, he's wheelchair-bound," she said. "When we were trying to go to the local playgrounds here in Marble Falls, there was no wheelchair access. There are no swings that he can swing on. It was just very limiting."Those limitations sparked Crouse's desire to create a space that's inclusive for children and visitors of all abilities and capabilities. She pointed to the Play for All A...

Mission accomplished: St. Paul Public Works fills every pothole in the city

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

It’s taken more than two months of overtime work on Saturdays to get it done, but St. Paul Public Works has patched potholes on all of St. Paul’s streets before the season’s first major snowfall.“We did go up and down every street in the city as part of this route-patching, which I don’t know that we’ve ever done,” said St. Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw on Thursday. “It was a big accomplishment.”The challenge was glaringly apparent to motorists who ventured into the city during spring thaw: a record-setting snow season last winter and heavy snow and ice accumulation during rain and freeze-thaw cycles made corridors of ugly, hard-to-navigate mincemeat out of many of the city’s streets.An extended pothole-filling seasonKershaw recalled the day in June when members of his department came into his office and broke the news to him that the typical complaint-driven approach to summer pothole patching wouldn’t cut ...

Vikings have lengthy injury report ahead of Lions game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

It seems as if the Vikings could be without some important players when they play host to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve.For the second straight day, the Vikings were shorthanded during practice at TCO Performance Center. The lengthy injury report on Thursday included the continued absence of right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), running back Alexander Mattison (ankle), receiver Jalen Nailor (concussion), defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (back) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (knee).Though it doesn’t necessarily means all of those players will miss the game on Christmas Eve, the fact that none of them are practicing isn’t a good sign for the Vikings.Asked specifically about O’Neill and Mattison, who missed last week’s game against the Bengals in Cincinnati, head coach Kevin O’Connell said both players are getting treatment around the clock with hopes of being available as soon as possible.Will that be in time for Sunday’s game against th...

Wild’s first-strike capability greatly improved

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

One of the reasons the Wild staggered out of the gate this season, and former coach Dean Evason on the heels of a seven-game losing streak, was a series of lousy starts. More often than not, Minnesota seemed unprepared for the first period.When Evason was let go, the Wild had lost 11 of their past 13 games, and were 0-5-4 in their last seven. At the time, Minnesota was the NHL’s worst first-period team, giving up a league-high 27 games in 19 games, and outscored 27-15.Heading into Thursday night’s game against Montreal at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild were 8-0-0 under Hynes when scoring the first goal, and are one of seven NHL teams without a loss (9-0) when leading after one.Starts are just one of several noticeable differences between the team before and after the coaching change, but it’s one that is impossible to underestimate.“That was something we knew wasn’t great,” forward Matt Boldy said after Thursday’s morning skate, “and something I think we take a little more pride in ri...

Ulster County woman pleads guilty to aggravated vehicular assault and DWI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

NAPANOCH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A 55-year-old Napanoch resident pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated vehicular assault and two charges of driving while ability impaired by drugs. Nancy Naccarato faces up to ten years in prison on each conviction for aggravated vehicular assault. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! According to court documents, Naccarato struck a pedestrian on State Route 209 in Wawarsing on December 3, 2022. A blood test revealed Naccarato had Ambien and cocaine in her system at the time of the crash. The pedestrian sustained serious injuries.On February 17, 2023, Naccarato reportedly caused a head-on collision in Marbletown. A blood test found alprazolam and cocaine in her system. Three individuals sustained serious injuries in the crash.Sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2024. Naccarato has a prior DWI conviction from 2017. Following the second incident, she was held in Ulster County Jail on $100,000 bail. She has rem...

New homeless shelter coming to Montgomery County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:12 GMT

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The first permanent homeless shelter of Montgomery County has received funding to get started on groundbreaking. The City of Amsterdam approved this building at 76 Guy Park Avenue for the location of the new homeless shelter. “The city certainly can use it. It's going to be a great asset,” said Mayor Michael Cinquanti. Concern over new homeless shelter in Amsterdam The city received a grant of just over five million dollars to start the project. The money will help transform and rebuild the vacant building into a much needed 16 bed permanent homeless shelter. “Well, we have a homeless problem. It's a small one but it's a significant one. Any homeless problem is a significant one, especially in this kind of weather,” said Cinquanti.The mayor tells NEWS10 the county helps over 300 homeless people each year and this shelter will ultimately help get these folks into permanent housing of their own.  He says, “It's not just a place to stay it's a place to hop...